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Within its central location and diverse population, Prospect Heights delivers both huge cultural institutions and quiet family friendly streets.

Parks and Rec . . . and Culture, too
At Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Heights offers the grandest entrance to Prospect Park, a 526 acre Brooklyn gem replete with a zoo, an Audubon center, a botanical garden, an ice rink, a band shell, a carousel, an intricate waterway system, and dozens of recreational and athletic facilities. The Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Library are located at the edge of the park in Prospect Heights and hold a plethora of events and classes. In the northwest corner of the neighborhood sits the Barclay’s Center, a sports and entertainment arena that‘s home to the Brooklyn Nets basketball team.

Eat Hip, Shop Hip
Along Vanderbilt and Washington Avenues are charming eateries like Chuko Ramen and Ample Hills as well as a unique nighttime spots like music venue and nerdvana The Way Station and kitschy neighborhood cocktail parlor Bearded Lady. Independent label-filled boutiques like 1 of a Find keep the vibe unpretentiously hip.

Prospect Heights Real Estate
The section north of Grand Army Plaza has been zoned a Historic District to preserve the beautiful brownstones that line the streets. Here and in the many brick row houses of the neighborhood live an ethnic mélange of families who have lived here for generations and newcomers building their own families. Sprinkled here and there, developers have inserted modern 4-5 story buildings into the mix to attract professionals of every bent.

Subway Lines:

Filed under: Brooklyn by Laura Edelman
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With almost 9,000 buildings built before 1900, Bed-Stuy has a vast collection of intact Victorian architecture that is luring pioneers to this neighborhood. As it is only now emerging from a long period of economic woe, these treasures have not been destroyed by misguided trends of the past. Little by little, they are being snatched up and restored, along with the neighborhood, to their full glory. Critically acclaimed restaurants, wine stores, and bars have followed.

An eclectic mix of students, architects, lawyers, and long-time residents gives Stuyvesant Heights color. Block parties, street festivals, and Sunday morning church services all showcase the strong community spirit. Culinary choices mirror the diversity of the population; Ali’s Trinidad Roti Shop sits next door to a new American restaurant. Ownership of David’s Brisket House was passed from Jewish immigrants to a Muslim partner.

The neighborhood is made up mostly of three and four story brownstones and row houses, with the occasional new condo development squeezed in. Sections of the neighborhood have been designated landmarked historic districts. For now, money goes farther here than in other brownstone-laden sections of Brooklyn.

Bed-Stuy is served by the A, C, G, J, M, and Z subway lines. It’s about 20 minutes into Manhattan from the subway, but some parts of the neighborhood are a bit of a hike to the subway.

Filed under: Brooklyn by Laura Edelman
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Williamsburg has settled comfortably into its uber hip identity. Once an affordable outpost packed with artists and musicians, it has morphed into a well-kept industrial-chic amalgam of unique shops, bars, and restaurants that cater to the young creative professionals and families who can still afford to live there.

Shop, Sip and Savor

The vibe in Billyburg encourages individual expression in both work and play. Small shops sell goods about which their owners are passionate: from hand-crafted, beautifully wrapped chocolates at Mast Brothers, to a carefully chosen selection of whiskey at The Whiskey Shop. The world’s largest collection of sketchbooks is available to peruse and even to contribute to at The Sketchbook Project. Williamsburg Flea is an extremely popular, tightly curated outdoor market of furniture, jewelry, art, and crafts made by local artisans. It runs from April–October every Sunday at the East River State Park on the waterfront, with beautiful views of Manhattan. On Saturdays at the same location, Smorgasburg peddles lobster rolls, amazing BBQ, ramen burgers, and much more from top vendors. Foodies are inundated with delicious possibilities at the many acclaimed restaurants spread out over the entire neighborhood. Wood and brick set the scene for the carefree attitude at the bars in Williamsburg, which are filled until dawn. A pop-up party might take over a parking lot, a rooftop, or a park. There’s always a hot new band playing at Brooklyn Bowl, Music Hall of Williamsburg, or one of the neighborhood’s many smaller venues. A vibrant club and bar scene on weekend nights around Bedford Ave. attracts revelers from far outside the neighborhood.

On Saturday and Sunday mornings, coffee shops and sidewalks are dotted with strollers and the parents who stayed here after getting married. They may head toward the 35-acre McCarren Park, which borders Greenpoint at the north end of Williamsburg and includes an outdoor pool and recreation area. During the summer, the park hosts films and concerts as well as a Saturday greenmarket.

A Residential Potpourri

There are luxury high-rises with sweeping views of Manhattan and converted industrial buildings closer to the waterfront, but much of Williamsburg consists of walk-ups and row houses. The southernmost section and the section east of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway approaching Bushwick are still a bit gritty, and a bit less expensive. Prices in Williamsburg are some of the highest in Brooklyn, along with Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo.

Subway Lines:

The East River Ferry has 2 slips in Williamsburg.

Filed under: Brooklyn by Laura Edelman
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