Here’s how 90-somethings say New York City has changed

As different generations and populations clamor for ownership of New York City—arguing its similarities to Los Angeles and discussing just how immigrants are shaping the character of the town—one demographic quietly retains the keys to the city’s history: its oldest residents.

As of 2019, New York was home to 153,488 nonagenarians (people between 90 and 99 years old) and 5,780 centenarians (those over 100 years old), according to Boston University’s Chobania and Avedisian School of Medicine.

Whether they immigrated from other countries or are life-long New Yorkers, members of this generation have one thing in common: they have lived in New York for nearly 10 decades, playing witness to the city’s transformation over time and living through the consequences of change. They’ve seen first-hand the soul of our town morph time and time again.

According to some of these wise nonagenarians, unfortunately, New York is no longer the vibrant, diverse destination worthy of all the praise it still gets—and there’s not much we can do to change that. Talking to them is a humbling experience—one that reminds even the staunchest New Yorker that there are issues we could solve to improve everyday life here.

While we prepare for the start of a new year, we speak to three 90-somethings about our favorite topic, New York City, specifically delving into how the city has kicked and screamed its way into the 21st century.

Dorothy Wiggins, 98 years old

“In my opinion, New York has changed much for the worse.  

When I was really young, I could drive around the city and actually park on the streets and there weren't any meters. That was a really long time ago. Then, it got to a point where you could still drive but couldn’t park anywhere. Now, you can’t even drive. I live in the West Village and have to allow an hour to go to the theater because the streets are so clogged.

The city was a wonderful place with wonderful cocktails, piano bars where we’d sing. Now it’s all gone. It’s the city of destruction and Philistines.

I live in the one place that they can’t destroy: the West Village, a landmark that they can’t change. I live in a brownstone that has only had three owners since it was built in 1865. It has all the moldings and beauty of the original. Down the street, a Wall Street guy bought my type of building and, when his girlfriend broke up with him, he sold it after having removed all the moldings. 

I think that whoever did Chelsea Market did a great thing, it improved the area. I used to shop in the meat market there when it was an actual meat market. But I think Hudson Yards is ugly, dreadful, a mall that doesn’t belong in New York. I also don’t like the mayor, I don’t think Adams is doing anything. A lot of the Mayors don’t do anything [but] I liked Bloomberg. 

I will tell you one thing that is a huge improvement: the Uber! 

I love the Uber! It's my own private chauffeur. When I was a kid I would think, 'Wouldn't it be wonderful to have your own chauffeur?' It's a real help, especially at my age. I was out alone last night and the man opened the door for me and helped me up the stoop.

I also love New Yorkers. I love their accent. I guess it's kind of mixed in with the Irish but there's a quality to the voice that is quintessential New York. I think they are the wittiest people in the country.

If Trump takes over, we should get our National Guard and declare ourselves independent.”

Si Spiegel, 99 years old

“I was born in 1924 on 61st Street around Amsterdam Avenue and I live four or five blocks from there now. 

My favorite thing about New York at the moment is probably the diversity. When I was growing up in Brooklyn, you'd never see a person who wasn't white unless it was a housekeeper going to somebody's home to clean or do things. You never saw an Asian person unless you went to a Chinese restaurant and you didn't know any Hispanic people. I lived in Borough Park, which is now where a lot of religious Jews live but it was not like that when I was there. 

I remember our first radio, our first telephone—those kinds of things.

I remember that if somebody wanted to call you on the telephone, they would call a candy store three blocks away and there were kids hanging around there because somebody would call the number, somebody else would answer and tell everyone who they wanted to speak to and where they lived and the kids would go running up two, three blocks to tell that person. They would get maybe three or four cents for alerting them. 

Cars were invented in the 1880s but, of course, it was nothing like it is today. You go out on the streets today and nobody can park. Traffic is horrendous with bottlenecks everywhere. 

What hasn’t changed is the knish store near where members of my family lived and where I used to go often as a kid: Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery at 137 East Houston Street. They make the best knishes."

George Yasbek, 92 years old

"I came here when I was 17 to go to Parsons and I never left. 

I would say that the arts in general have kept me here, especially the museums. I go to one once a week. I used to go to a museum and be alone, I would even paint by myself in there and no one would disturb me but now the mobs go through and it has become really unpleasant. People have become much more aware of art, which is wonderful, but it’s not good for museum-going. 

Also, the theater. We used to go a lot and I can't do that quite as much now. It's become very expensive and I like good seats. I'm very spoiled and I don't think the theater is as good as it used to be. Of course, most old people would say that about anything. 

We had Tennessee Williams, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter and we really had great shows one after the other. It was hard to keep up and it wasn't that expensive.  

Even though they have become expensive, I always go to a Christmas concert in a church. I'm going to the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, where they have a wonderful Christmas service and they only charge $20. It's terrific. 

I don’t see myself living anywhere else.”