At the beginning of the 21st century, a number of Long Island communities had converted their assets from
industrial uses to
post-industrial roles.
Brooklyn reversed decades of population decline and factory closings to resurface as a globally renowned cultural and intellectual hotbed.
Gentrification has impacted much of Brooklyn and a portion of
Queens, relocating a sizeable swath of New York City's population. On eastern Long Island,
Port Jefferson,
Patchogue, and
Riverhead evolved from inactive
shipbuilding and mill towns into tourist-centric commercial centers with cultural attractions.