represented some of the fiercest gentrification in the city

[Coffee Break]

I read this expression, "represented some of the fiercest gentrification in the city", but am finding it difficult to understand it. Could you please let me know what it means? Here is the excerpt:

But we all knew they were doing well, Eline said. She turned to me. Lars is a property developer, he’s responsible for those new apartments around the old train station. I nodded, those buildings had contributed to the rise of prices in Jana’s neighborhood and represented some of the fiercest gentrification in the city. I thought that Lars would have been a controversial figure in some circles, and I wondered if this was why he had kept so quiet about the expansion of his considerable fortune. Eline had used the word responsible, although that didn’t necessarily imply any particular judgment on her part, she had spoken neutrally enough.

- Katie Kitamura, Intimacies, Chapter 12

This is a novel published in 2021 in the United States of America. The protagonist is an interpreter working at the International Criminal Court at The Hague. Now she is at a house party hosted by her friend Eline and her brother Anton. So Anton is telling a story about the time he went to his friends' housewarming party, as to how his friends had such a luxurious house. Then Eline responds that the fact they were rich were already known.

In this part, I wonder what the underlined phrase means.
My vague guess is that it might mean "symbolizes some of the most gentrified regions in the city", but I am still not sure what "some" and "fiercest" gentrification is, and how that could be "represented".

 

[Tarheel]

The term "gentrification" refers to upscaling -- buying apartment buildings and then combining apartments and then making improvements with the aim of renting those apartments for more than you could previously. My guess is the "fiercest" gentrification is the most extensive or concerns projects with the most dramatic makeovers.

 

[jutfrank]

You've asked three questions here so we should break things down.

1) Gentrification is a process of urban renewal whereby typically deteriorated neighbourhoods are upscaled in order to attract residents of a higher socio-economic standing (with the aim of making more money for the developers, of course). The use of 'fierce' is a way to suggest that there was some aggression in this. I'd take that basically to mean that the transformation is seen as rapid and dramatic, and also with the hint of a suggestion that these property developers adopt an unmerciful attitude to the welfare of wider communities, gentrification being essentially a capitalist enterprise.

2) The verb represented is used to suggest that this is one such example of the gentrification going on in the city.

3) The quantifier some is used to make it clear that this is not the number one fiercest example, but just one good example among others that could have been chosen.

 

[Coffee Break]

@Tarheel and @jutfrank,

Thank you very much for the detailed explanation!
So "gentrification" means that the region has been upscaled, and "represent" means that it was an example, and "some" means that it was definitely "one" example among many other examples of gentrification.
Also, "fierce" means that this part has been upscaled in a very active and almost aggressive way.

Then, "some of the gentrification in the city" would mean that, among all other regions in the city which have been gentrified, this region was definitely one good example of gentrification.

Your explanations really deepened my understanding. I truly appreciate your help.