Explores the daily lived effects of gentrification for neighborhood residentsWilliamsburg Brooklyn a prominent neighborhood in New York City has undergone significant transformations through cycles of divestment and gentrification. In 2005 the citys decision to rezone the Williamsburg waterfront for highrise housing led to a profound alteration of the physical cultural and social landscape. The result was the rapid influx of thousands of new residents many of them wealthy giving rise to luxury buildings upscale dining and highend retail stores alongside new norms and expectations for the neighborhood. These new arrivals coexist with earlier gentrifiers as well as workingclass Latinx and white ethnic populations creating a complex and layered community.In There Was Nothing There Sara Martucci draws on four decades of residents memories and experiences providing insights into the tensions contradictions and inequalities brought about by gentrification. Martucci focuses on the individual level exploring how residents form connections to their neighborhoods and how these attachments shape their daily experiences of public spaces local consumption and evaluations of safety. As established residents bohemians and newcomers vie for ownership and belonging their perceptions give rise to conflicting narratives that define the essence of the neighborhood.While the books primary focus is Williamsburg it serves as a cautionary tale about the broader impact of stateled gentrification extending far beyond Brooklyn. The text underscores the potential consequences of such transformations for the future of cities urging readers to consider the implications of cultural displacement homogenization and increased surveillance as gentrification permeates urban landscapes.