Williamsburg

Williamsburg, especially near the waterfront, was a vital industrial district until the mid-20th century. As many of the jobs were outsourced beginning in the 1970s, the area endured a period of economic contraction which did not begin to turn around until activist groups began to address housing, infrastructure, and youth education issues in the late 20th century. An ecosocial arts movement emerged alongside the activists in the late 1980s, often referred to as the Brooklyn Immersionists. The community-based scene cultivated a web of activity in the streets, rooftops and large warehouses, and attracted both the national and international press. Small, locally owned businesses began to return to the neighborhood during this expansion of creative urbanism in the 1990s.