I published a book which includes about 300 photos, many photos of abandoned buildings all around Ave A- D Houston st to 14th st back around 1978-1980, and many photos of the architectural sculptures which I removed from them back then. Most of the buildings I photographed back then are long gone. The book is titled: "The Gargoyler of Greenwich Village: Memoirs of a gargoyle hunter. " by RD Wolff
I was raised in a middle class family but as a child I always remember in the mid 80s going to my junior h.s friends cribs in Harlem and the b.x just to chill I remember every block was horrible but I was a kid I had fun out there thanks Harlem and b.x for the memories
Same here and im from queens as well but i had my uncle who lived in the bx which bad as fuck i give him props for living in those days there but was a graphic artist for GOYA in the 80s
5:47-5:58 Wow, 30+ years later and this man's words spoke the truth. LES, as well as many other places in NYC, only caters to the wealthy; it's unaffordable, and there's a high rise of homelessness. This reality is truly sad.
I left NYC, listen, it's already rough but 'free' college is conna make it rougher I moved fuck that, I'm not getting my taxes raised cause motherfuckers don't wanna work, nothing is free taxpayers pay for everything and I'm not conna be one of them, taxes rise cause ppl complain about needless shit, crybaby fuckers that think the government does a job, noo taxpayers are the government
Sad indeed, glad my parents decided to move us the hell out of there back in 1980 (East Harlem). NYC in general is now basically a gentrified area. No room for the lower and middle class.
@oochiewally2783 does it still look the same or has it changed beyond recognition. I'm from a small town in England but feel like I know the city somehow. Feels like I live there in a past life or something crazy.
Were you even alive and in the LES back then? It was a crap hole (as you can see) with drug dealers every 50 feet (or less) . There was no room and no money. They converted it. Now there's money in the area, the occupants have money to spend. "What's the system offering us?" This sums up how the democrats and the welfare system has kept the poor and lowest class under their socialist boot. Tragic.
@@mrx2276 Although it seems like we've got a genuine boot-licker- I do think what Maverick said brings up a good point. "what's the system offering us?", nothing worth waiting around for (which I'm sure is what these folks are saying). We've gotta divorce ourselves from the idea that the welfare system is here to, but maybe more importantly: is capable of, creating happy, healthy and liberated citizens. The right and the left are just two sides of the same: A mutated framework which serves to dehumanize the people. We have to do something, we cannot expect or hope for rising up from a system that thrives and grows on pushing us down.
I love watching these videos and sharing my experiences with people. And the best part they don’t believe me. As a kid, I used to play infront my building and see junkie shooting up and tossing the needle on the floor.
I used to pass the Bowery going to City Hall and I remember how bad it looked, but I never saw it quite in this capacity. I was usually on the bus during that time!🙄
I used to love buying good old fashioned heroin from the locals, way back in 1983. What lovely memories, back in a time when things were so much simpler. Kids these days don't know how to have fun adventures like we did in my day. What a shame!
All the LES favorites: Laundromat, Bag-in-Bag, ET, Presidential, MAD, 7-UPs, Green tape, Red tape, General, Poison, Hell Raiser, CHK, War, Body Bag, China Cat
Fascinating they were both right ...none wanted to live in that are same as the Meatpacking...now they are full of ultra expensive buildings or ultra spoiled kids. Lets find balance again.... would you NYC?
How’s that working out now in 2023? I’m playing a character in the musical RENT. I’d love your perspective on the area and your current investment return
There was a punk rock club located there, I can't remember the name of it, but I was about 19 I remember being drunk as the drinking age was 18 then and I was walking through the a,b,c's and saw a women with black ripp up see thru pantyhose on a fake black cropped fur , no shoes and no underwear, I look at her and said,, " I can see l you goodies" she said " gotta sell the hardware hunny", lol. What a crazy time in that place, Alphabet City!
..This was NOT the Lower East Side on this video. This area around East 4th street was called in the 1980s Alphabet City. Anything BELOW Houston Street, East of Christie Street, North of Canal Street and all the way to the East River is what is called The Lower East Side. Somehow the only people with Camcorders in those days recording downtown NYC all think that the area on this video was the LES. smh.
The buildings were built to house poor families who were immigrants in the late 1800's. Fast forward 100 years and were falling apart and owned by slum lords.
Great Documentary Alphabet City, the first place aof gentrification in America and people's resistance to Corporate invasion! What song is this playing through the video in the beginning?
I will never understand how people who have the luxury and privilege to go home and live a financially stable life have the audacity to shit on the people who do not. “you don’t have to live like this” is condescending and disregards both of their situations and especially how society is shaped people can’t always just go find a job. He recorded to exploit
The sad part is nykers dont stick together..even in these days they didnt...many of these properties were cheap to buy $5000 some brownstones...but banks were not giving ppl loans so my family could not buy shyt If.banks today were not giving loans out.now these new ppl would not be living here either with its high value n rent would suck up your money to survive.......dont worry these Midwesterners will learn its not.worth.living here either just of matter.of.time
I published a book which includes about 300 photos, many photos of abandoned buildings all around Ave A- D Houston st to 14th st back around 1978-1980, and many photos of the architectural sculptures which I removed from them back then.
Most of the buildings I photographed back then are long gone.
The book is titled: "The Gargoyler of Greenwich Village: Memoirs of a gargoyle hunter. " by RD Wolff
I’m 19 and grew up in the south bx...never knew the LEs was like this...i thought all downtown Manhattan was safe
I was raised in a middle class family but as a child I always remember in the mid 80s going to my junior h.s friends cribs in Harlem and the b.x just to chill I remember every block was horrible but I was a kid I had fun out there thanks Harlem and b.x for the memories
Damn crazy man
Same here and im from queens as well but i had my uncle who lived in the bx which bad as fuck i give him props for living in those days there but was a graphic artist for GOYA in the 80s
5:47-5:58 Wow, 30+ years later and this man's words spoke the truth. LES, as well as many other places in NYC, only caters to the wealthy; it's unaffordable, and there's a high rise of homelessness.
This reality is truly sad.
I left NYC, listen, it's already rough but 'free' college is conna make it rougher I moved fuck that, I'm not getting my taxes raised cause motherfuckers don't wanna work, nothing is free taxpayers pay for everything and I'm not conna be one of them, taxes rise cause ppl complain about needless shit, crybaby fuckers that think the government does a job, noo taxpayers are the government
@@mgtowlifeseasyifyoutry1274 Stfu troll
Sad indeed, glad my parents decided to move us the hell out of there back in 1980 (East Harlem). NYC in general is now basically a gentrified area. No room for the lower and middle class.
All over the world, as of now it's mostly the big cities but soon it'll be smaller cities too
Alphabet City Starring Vincent Spano nailed it
Can't believe Alphabet City is now called East Village.
Not to the old folks. LES will always be ingrained in my head
Eddie Munster It's still the LES to me
Will always be LES to me
If even had that name (EV) in 1987’s *batteries not included filmed on East 8th Ave.
@oochiewally2783 does it still look the same or has it changed beyond recognition. I'm from a small town in England but feel like I know the city somehow. Feels like I live there in a past life or something crazy.
the homeless guys were 100% right. Just about everyone was booted out of LES. Just another example of American exceptionalism.
Were you even alive and in the LES back then? It was a crap hole (as you can see) with drug dealers every 50 feet (or less) . There was no room and no money. They converted it. Now there's money in the area, the occupants have money to spend.
"What's the system offering us?" This sums up how the democrats and the welfare system has kept the poor and lowest class under their socialist boot. Tragic.
@@realMaverickBuckley Please stfu with that bs, man
@@mrx2276 Although it seems like we've got a genuine boot-licker- I do think what Maverick said brings up a good point. "what's the system offering us?", nothing worth waiting around for (which I'm sure is what these folks are saying). We've gotta divorce ourselves from the idea that the welfare system is here to, but maybe more importantly: is capable of, creating happy, healthy and liberated citizens. The right and the left are just two sides of the same: A mutated framework which serves to dehumanize the people. We have to do something, we cannot expect or hope for rising up from a system that thrives and grows on pushing us down.
Now it's $4000/month studio apartments and obnoxious rich millenials.
Make America Great Again.
Sad part about it is I saw the construction but didnt kmow it what it was. I thought they were building homes for us. The rich robed us of our homes.
@@doppelganger738 Yeah, right
coupleofbeers31 currently in New York it is expensive to live out here because the rent skyrocketed🚀
@@abrahamayala4943 gentrification!
Squat or Rot
Find an empty building and take it over
Those h
Guys were right by serenity squat
Are there any more videos similar to this era. This was incredible.
Yes type in
Lower East Side NY 1980's crack
Here is Ayana Since 88, I lived on 5 Street. Insane the difference between my childhood and today.
@@bennymartinez007 all of the city is different now, even the Bronx... It's sad
There is a movie called mixed blood filmed in 1984 in this neighborhood.Its a drug dealing gang movie
I love watching these videos and sharing my experiences with people. And the best part they don’t believe me. As a kid, I used to play infront my building and see junkie shooting up and tossing the needle on the floor.
My dad lived in between Avenue C and D, he moved there in 1980 and lived there until the early 90s.
Did he leave on his own or do they force him out
@@JAMES79HOWLETT he left on his own, he moved to a couple other places before settling down so he could start a family.
Ok
The exact location where these people lived is the playground to the backyard of LES2 NYCHA on 5st between C & D
+benny martinez
Thanks!
I lived there during late ninety's as a kid its changed so much
Ave D?
Anybody remember the guys who were selling new “vcr’s “ only they were just rocks in a box? 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Lol it was a lot of scammers back then u had to be careful .
An eye opener for the younger generation .....
I WILL TAKE THIS ERA THEN THE ERA NOW ,,,,
I used to pass the Bowery going to City Hall and I remember how bad it looked, but I never saw it quite in this capacity. I was usually on the bus during that time!🙄
Watching this vid cant help but wonder where some of these people are now...hope they doing well for themselves.
I was wondering the exact same thing
Fact is these are the same people that suffered the worst when Crack and AIDS hit NYC
I used to love buying good old fashioned heroin from the locals, way back in 1983. What lovely memories, back in a time when things were so much simpler. Kids these days don't know how to have fun adventures like we did in my day. What a shame!
All the LES favorites: Laundromat, Bag-in-Bag, ET, Presidential, MAD, 7-UPs, Green tape, Red tape, General, Poison, Hell Raiser, CHK, War, Body Bag, China Cat
If you buy heroine today is just pure fentanyl and death
The real LES. Now it's nothing but Hipsters. Smh
You preffer the crackheads? You can move to the projects
@@gussstavo You're an idiot. Smh
@@MrAntiSellOut Its true. hipsters made it corny.
@@manher4335 They're nothing but wannabe New Yorkers
@@gussstavo If you think that LES has always been about crackheads, then you're an arschloch
THE L E S I THE 80S! THE BEST ERA EVER !!!!!!!!!!!!I I MISS IT SO MUCH 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
-Jesus how many hours did I spend on Ave C , D scoring in those years, lived on Stanton and Canal ....
scoring what?
Fascinating they were both right ...none wanted to live in that are same as the Meatpacking...now they are full of ultra expensive buildings or ultra spoiled kids. Lets find balance again.... would you NYC?
I bought property there in 79 for pennys now i rent it and live well cause of it
How’s that working out now in 2023? I’m playing a character in the musical RENT. I’d love your perspective on the area and your current investment return
Who remembers "Exec-u-TIVE!!"
4th bet C&D
There was a punk rock club located there, I can't remember the name of it, but I was about 19 I remember being drunk as the drinking age was 18 then and I was walking through the a,b,c's and saw a women with black ripp up see thru pantyhose on a fake black cropped fur , no shoes and no underwear, I look at her and said,, " I can see l you goodies" she said " gotta sell the hardware hunny", lol.
What a crazy time in that place, Alphabet City!
SIN - Safety in Numbers - or maybe Save the Robots. Just a couple of the clubs at the time.
CBGB.
Anyone read Gentrification Of The Mind by Sarah Schulman?
New York was crazy asf back in the days. 😐
What's that song playing w the lyric "there's no more room?" I dig it
Jail space dog eat dog
Cool footage! We used to do punk shows right in that lot , SQUAT THE LOT
With Ralphy Boy and public nuisance
As soon as they shut down the Laundromat that part of the city was lost forever
The funny part is they asked for new housing and got what they asked for
Does anyone know what the song in the beginning is called?
I was wondering the same thing. I love it.
Hey Marta, Baby face guy in Uniform You Owe me Dinner!
Are there avenue d photos in this video
It’s 2023 and still the same; the buildings went up and right back down.
Manhattan looked like this? Dope
Dude at the end was right why would someone want to live in a dump?
...my mum used to give me alphabet soup as a kid .
..This was NOT the Lower East Side on this video. This area around East 4th street was called in the 1980s Alphabet City. Anything BELOW Houston Street, East of Christie Street, North of Canal Street and all the way to the East River is what is called The Lower East Side. Somehow the only people with Camcorders in those days recording downtown NYC all think that the area on this video was the LES. smh.
what's the song "no more room"?
It's called "Jailspace" from Dog Eat Dog.
how did it get so run down in the first place?
MrProzacmilkshake owners burned down their buildings in the 70s and so many riots. No literally riot after riot after riot
Dinkins...aka di blasio now
The buildings were built to house poor families who were immigrants in the late 1800's. Fast forward 100 years and were falling apart and owned by slum lords.
@@paraclete7103 sounds like you are familiar with Tompkins Square my friend
@@oochiewally2783 That's been going on way before Dinkins
Great Documentary Alphabet City, the first place aof gentrification in America and people's resistance to Corporate invasion! What song is this playing through the video in the beginning?
Mr. Cool Roof NYC 1st pl gentrified? Try the most gentrified city.....the Chi, especially now...THANKS RHAM!
stephen heath brooklyn is the worst
38 years later same shit
I will never understand how people who have the luxury and privilege to go home and live a financially stable life have the audacity to shit on the people who do not. “you don’t have to live like this” is condescending and disregards both of their situations and especially how society is shaped people can’t always just go find a job. He recorded to exploit
His words proved prophetic didn't they? 😒
I know it’s an unpopular opinion but I liked the danger, the clubs and the easy availability of good smack. But I didn’t have to live there.
The rent will go sky high,the rich want them to go away.
What name of song
Jail space by Dog eat dog
@@francescobologna is song
Myles Kennifec was set up
Anybody here from alphabet City or was from alphabet City inbox me
That was disrespectful and condescending asf to say I wouldn't let my dog live like this. 🤨
And he’s also telling them that they don’t have to live like that then the guy threatens them.
They use to have prostitutes over there and they still have some over there now
Isaiah Winbrone Haven't seen any of them this year so far
Isaiah Winbrone You can't find them nowhere in LES no more
Ha
NICKEL & DIME HOOD
the comments are all bitter AF should of took care of your hood than dreaming to leave then this wouldn't happen
+vcorr2288 I'm not gonna bother changing your mind but yes there WERE PLENTY of rundown low income living in Dallas during my childhood
The sad part is nykers dont stick together..even in these days they didnt...many of these properties were cheap to buy $5000 some brownstones...but banks were not giving ppl loans so my family could not buy shyt If.banks today were not giving loans out.now these new ppl would not be living here either with its high value n rent would suck up your money to survive.......dont worry these Midwesterners will learn its not.worth.living here either just of matter.of.time
Fuck off
Hopefully that was salty and not bitter..to cleanse ur palate
@@oochiewally2783 you r correct
In the 80's lower east side was a mess and deteriorated drugs was all over the place