Lights, Camera, Construction!
The long lists of shows displayed on streaming sites, which seem to grow exponentially by the day, serve to tell you what’s on. But in New York City, they also might reveal a bit about the future of your block.
Many of the studios that produced the television series, which have turned New York into a small-screen production hub, are now planning to open new facilities or expand what’s already here, some in parts of the city that have been unfamiliar with such large-scale investment.
Fueled by a pandemic-era demand for stay-at-home entertainment, and generous tax breaks, the studios are targeting a range of locations in Queens and Brooklyn, including historic red brick enclaves, working-class sections of the waterfront, and industrial precincts known not for celebrities, but concrete plants.
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These areas may not look the same for long. Previous developments of soundstages, as these facilities are known because they are designed to be soundproof, have had transformative effects. The creation of Silvercup Studios in a former bread factory in Long Island City in the 1980s, for example, helped turn that part of Queens into a trendy destination.
Some residents seem ready for their neighborhood’s star turn.
“It’s exciting,” said Vanessa Pacini, a 17-year resident of East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a gritty industrial stretch where Netflix is planning a new home.
“People don’t really walk in this area. I would like to see more foot traffic,” said Ms. Pacini, who co-owns a local restaurant called Ange Noir Cafe. “But they have to keep the vibe.”
The article was published on nytimes.com