Open any issue of The New York Times, and you're all but guaranteed to hit a passing reference to the mecca of all things gentrified and hip: Brooklyn, New York. But the real testament to the borough's changing face lies not in trend pieces, but in the nearly unrecognizable streets and buildings themselves.


As Manhattanites fled the claustrophobic island they called home, massive renovations and sky-high property values came with them to the outer edges of Brooklyn. Of course, Williamsburg is the most notable site for this kind of gentrification (hello, Urban Outfitters concept store), but areas like Bushwick, Clinton Hill, and Crown Heights are quickly following suit.


Thanks to Google Street View's new Time Machine function, we can see back in time (or at least as far back as 2007) virtually anywhere its street-mapping fleet of cars can roam. And though six or seven years might not seem like enough time to spot any significant changes, that's all it took for parts of Brooklyn to tear down the old and build something new and shiny in its place. That's not necessarily a value judgment; it's just striking to see entire blocks change so completely, so quickly.

We've compiled some of the more extreme cases below, many of which unsurprisingly come from Williamsburg and the surrounding areas. But it's not just Brooklyn, the same land-value-raising evolution is happening in plenty of cities all across the country. Is yours one of them? Let us know down below.

2007-2013, N 12th and Berry (Williamsburg)


2007-2013, N 10th and Berry (Williamsburg)


2007-2013, 4th Ave and Sackett (Park Slope)


2007-2013, Broadway and Berry (Williamsburg)


2007-2013, Wallabout and Franklin (Clinton Hill)


2007-2011, 4th Ave and Butler (Boerum Hill)


2007-2013, N 1st and Wythe (Williamsburg)


2007-2013, Meserole and Leonard (Bushwick)


2007-2013, Kent and Grand (Williamsburg)


2007-2013, Driggs and N 9th (Williamsburg)


2007-2013, N 1st and Kent (Williamsburg)


2007-2013, Union and Court (Cobble Hill)


2007-2013, Skillman and Lorimer (Williamsburg)


2007-2013, N 11th and Berry (Williamsburg)