Where Cheesecake Reigns, Talk is of the Yards

By Helen Kwon

In downtown Brooklyn, across from Long Island University, is a restaurant that has been around since the 1950s. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. But Junior's is most famous for its hallmark dessert.

Many celebrities have stopped by for the cheesecakes --celebrities like Lil' Kim, Jay-Z, Nas, Serena Williams and Denzel Washington. Politicians come, too. Former President Bill Clinton and Mayor Michael Bloomberg also stop by from time to time.

With all the attention on the celebrities and politicians stopping by Junior's, many people may not notice the changes in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is not the same neighborhood as it used to be in the past. It is in the middle of a transition. Nearby, a huge project called the Atlantic Yards is being built, promising to bring the Nets NBA team to Brooklyn, and many things are changing. Chain stores are creeping in and one by one local shops are forced to close due to the high cost of rent.

According to the homepage of the Atlantic Yards Web site, "This development is not just about basketball. Atlantic Yards will be a dynamic mix of affordable, middle-income and market-rate housing, commercial offices, retail establishments and a boutique hotel surrounded by over eight acres of beautifully landscaped publicly accessible open space."

But Junior's is not threatened by the new project.

One late afternoon, the dining room at Junior’s had a variety of diners -- from MTA workers to Wall Street traders finding refreshment after the closing bell. People waited to be seated. A couple asked how much a round strawberry cheesecake cost. People who wanted one slice were waiting on a separate line.

At the counter, a businessman was enjoying his burger, while the daytime manager Hasting Stainrod, wearing a chef's jacket, watched and smiled as the chefs cooked.

When Stainrod was asked his thoughts on the project, he smiled with confidence and replied, "Great for business and Brooklyn will have an NBA team and I can't wait till I get to go to one of the games."

He is not afraid that another chain restaurant is going to open and steal business. "We've been around since 1950, we've seen it come and go. And we are growing. As we say, competition makes America grow," Stainrod said.

When he was questioned about how the Atlantic Yards would affect his business, he said, "Atlantic Yards will not bring down the business, if anything it will be better for this business. It will attract more tourists, and there will be different kinds of people coming to Brooklyn."

However, many people have different perspectives on the Atlantic Yards.

Joel Williams has been selling books on Elm Place at Fulton Mall for over a year. He likes Brooklyn more than Manhattan because he feels as if Brooklyn is more lively and has more space. Asked about the Atlantic Yards project, he said, "It's good for the community but at the same time people don't want the apartments to be built because the rent will rise. Many local business will go out of business and chains like Macy's will stay."

Kendra Uwakwe, a junior studying nursing at Long Island University, disagreed. She is upset with the project. "They are forcing people to move out and they have been there for years. I am also worried that it will be another Manhattan, it won't be Brooklyn anymore,” she said. Uwakwe loves the atmosphere of Brooklyn. She feels as if Brooklyn has a mix of cultures and there is more interaction going on and people are laid back.

But others are bullish on the new idea. Mack Davis was born and raised in Brooklyn. He is currently working at the T-Moblie store in downtown Brooklyn. Davis said he cannot wait until the Yards project is completed. "I think it's going to be good for the community. Brings a lot of jobs for the people. Good for the economy. It will help the lack of labor. It will attract many tourists. The only downside is the traffic jams," said Davis.

Michael Rodriguez, a security guard for a clothing shop called Heart and Sole, agreed with Davis. "I am excited and cannot wait for the Atlantic Yards to do be done. It is good and it will bring lots of jobs to the community," Rodriguez said.