South Slope Renaissance? We'll See.

Renaissance?

South of 9th on 7th has been much better (more interesting, less frenetic, less bland) than north of 9th on 7th for years. Does "renaissance" mean turning it into banks and double-parked moms? if so, the south slope is over for me. see ya.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:16 AM

So
Far
Away
Effect

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:21 AM

Give me South of 9th on 7th over North of 9th on 7th (or any of 5th for that matter) anyday.

The South Slope is where it's at!!

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:22 AM

Please stop posting articles about the South Slope. We don't want people, especially prententious stroller mums to invade and spoil our nabe.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:24 AM

yeah i dont venture north of 9th street on 7th ave anymore

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:25 AM

The South Slope has for the last 3-4 years had a more sophisticated (but more limited)assortment of retail and restaurants than the more established parts of the Slope. It's like the Slope's cool, younger brother -- much closer in vibe to parts of 5th Ave. (I'd take Bird, Rare Device, Applewood, Grab, Little D, Anthony's, Bagel Hole over much of what resides up 7th Ave any day.)

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:25 AM

Another genius Gabby post.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:28 AM

11:25 - Don't forget about the German place that shows late night movies on Sunday's or Bar 44? on 15th which has open mike sessions every other night.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:29 AM

Another factor in the "rennaisance" (if that is what it is) may be the emergence of the public schools in the South Slope. PS 107 has been well established and highly regarded for several years. Now, PS 10 is apparently being sought out by families from throughout the Slope and other parts of Brooklyn. (10 people were expected for a recent tour at PS 10 for prospective parents. About 70 showed up.)

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:32 AM

11:24, ahem, I would refrain from using the term "mum" when calling out anyone as pretentious you poseur. And if you're British, I don't much care. You're in AMERICA now, speak AMERICAN. Or just back where you came from and leave "your nabe" to those who were there before YOU and find your arrival equally as annoying.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:33 AM

Another watering down of the term "genius."

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:34 AM

11:24 I am American you lame retard!

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:46 AM

11:33, stroller mom? Or just the voice on American language?

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:49 AM

11:46 - I think you are the retard, unless you are quoting yourself!

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:52 AM

I declare a moratorium on the word "nabe."

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:00 PM

As for residential, N Slope has more consistantly nicer architecture but S Slope has quite a few amazing blocks (most of 10th and 11th sts for example) and several awful blocks (12th btw 6th & 7th for example).
Retail and resturant wise, things seems to be going the way of 5th Ave in the N slope! but slower than I'd like. 7th Ave in S Slope is certainly as good quality or better than in N slope. 5th Ave in S Slope is slooowwwwwly getting there. I hope it continues.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:04 PM

Sorry to burst your bubble 11:24--this stroller mom has been in the South Slope for seven years.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:11 PM

12:11, can't your kid walk by now?

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:15 PM

12:11 - Only 7 years? I was born there so just go back to where you came from and leave "your nabe" to those who were there before YOU and find your arrival equally as annoying.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:19 PM

newslouthsloper 11:55. I'm glad you like it here but you must still be settling in - you say 'every bit as safe'. I hear safety concerns often from North Slopers when talking about South slope and I find it amusing. I think you'll find that you feel much SAFER here in South Slope.
When I have to head north on 7th I put up my guard a little with all the sketchy charaters, foul mouthed teens, beggars, etc. If you look at the crime blotter in the papers you will notice 90% of the crime happens in the North slope.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:20 PM

Except for the stabbing on 12st last month

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:23 PM

To those that "don't go north of 9th street" you are missing out on some great stuff.

La Taqueria at Berkeley
Chiles and Chocolate at Lincoln
Back to the Land at Carroll
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music at Lincoln
Ozzie's Coffee Shop at Lincoln
Oshima Sushi at Berkeley
Cousin John's Bakery at Berkeley

I like all of Park Slope...not only the north...not only the south. But if you live in Park Slope and say you won't go north of 9th, you do realize that up until recently, that basically means that you don't actually live in or even go to Park Slope.

Once upon a time, Park Slope ended at 9th Street.

All of the historic district (you know...the thing that has made Park Slope special) is in the north along 7th Avenue.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:26 PM

I find the housing stock in S Slope very inferior to a lot of other areas (N Slope,PHgts,CHgts). This stroller mom-bashing is making the neighborhood even more unappealing. Let's face it--it is an ugly, working-class neighborhood. Inflated housing prices and fancy food markets can't hide the hideous vinyl siding on every block. Yuck.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:31 PM

The Park Slope historic district takes in almost all of the blocks on Prospect Park West as far south as 14th Street.

BTW, when I moved to what is now called the South Slope in 1979, people told me Park Slope consisted of the name streets only!

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:33 PM

I thought originally, Park Slope ened at 3rd Street? Then was increased to 9th, then 15th etc.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:42 PM

"ugly, working-class neighborhood" - is this not what makes it special though?

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:44 PM

yes, i believe you are correct about that, 12:42.

it did once end at 3rd.

that's why i find it funny that people who live in the teens think they live in the "real park slope" and won't go above 9th, when they don't in fact, even live in park slope in the first place.

don't believe everything your realtor tells you.

for anyone who's been in park slope more than 20 years, nothing below 9th is the "real park slope"

it's great, and getting better sure, but park slope is known for its beautiful architecture and past 9th is not so beautiful.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:46 PM

I wouldnt agree that every south Slope block is ugly. 10th Street between 6th and 7th is one of the nicest blocks in the whole of Park Slope.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:47 PM

snobs

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:51 PM

no one would call someone a snob who lives on 52nd street and says they live on the upper west side.

or 34th and say they live in chelsea.

that's just the neighborhood boundaries.

it isn't about snobbery, it's about fact.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:54 PM

Awesome post MR B!

Get out the Slope bashing out of the way before you post the open houses.

Your are truly a pro.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:55 PM

Lower east side became the 'East Village" sometime in the late '60's and is today part of the greater Village neighborhood.

Things change.

For old-timer Park Slopers who don't want let newcomers into their club, your claim to exclusivity is worthless. You don't want South Slope to sully your name? Fine, name it something else. It's quickly becoming something better than Park Slope anyway. And in ten years it'll be way better.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:58 PM

Okay, 11:46, then you're a PRETENTIOUS American who says "mum." Take a look in the mirror before slagging on stroller moms. And FYI, I'm a strollerless, single male who has lived in the South Slope since 1988.

Also, I'll gladly sign the petition to ban the term "nabe."

And while we're at it, who wants to produce a 24 hour telethon consisting solely of people debating where Park Slope TRULY ends? We can raise money to help 11:24 (aka 11:46) renovate his/her LOO, buy a LORRY and install a LIFT in his/her FLAT!

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 12:58 PM

"It's quickly becoming something better than Park Slope anyway. And in ten years it'll be way better."

I agree....it is becoming better. And I love it also.

It will never be like the North Slope for two reasons:

1. Lack of transportation
2. Lack of a large concentration of historically significant architecture

Transportation is key. North Slope has the 2/3 and the Q Train. For most people who commute to Manhattan, that will always be a huge advantage over the F Train. Even when/if it runs express.

That is a fact that will not change.

Same with number 2.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:02 PM

am i not american because i say mobile phone instead of cell?

please advise.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:03 PM

There are lots of older Brooklynites who chuckle at the idea that people call any of this area 'Park Slope.' It used to be no neighborhood at all- just South Brooklyn. Get over yourselves.

It doesn't matter to begin with, and second, the people who are moving to the south slope are just like the people who are living the North Slope (and the center slope).

The people who hate mom's with strollers will have kids someday (or will know people who do). The restuarants and neighborhood values will continue to change. The name streets will always have more brownstones than the number streets, and Manhattan will always be closer to Brooklyn Heights than any other Brooklyn neighborhood.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:07 PM

South Slope reminds me of the ok parts of Philadelphia.

Outside of Center City.

Fishtown maybe...

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:08 PM

actually both 10th and 11th streets between 8th and the Park are exceptional.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:11 PM

In any event, I think Union Market coming to this neck of the woods is significant.

Certainly the folks at Union Market did some research and clearly this neighborhood has some wealth. Union Market ain't cheap.

A think it's a sign the neighborhood has "arrived"

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:14 PM

Re: transportation -- Don't forget the quick access to trains on 4th Ave. The R or M to an express train a few stops away is a much quicker trip to Manhattan than the lowly F train.

I live a few blocks from the Prospect Ave. stop and am in my office near Union Square in about 30 minutes.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:18 PM

Here's an interesting pairwise comparison to make:

1. South Slope or Bed Stuy?
2. South Slope or Crown Heights?
3. South Slope or Bushwick?
4. South Slope or Clinton Hill(s) :)
5. South Slope or Prospect Heights
6. South Slope or Center Slope
7. South Slope or North Slope
8. South Slope or Williamsburg
9. South Slope or Greenpoint

I've been looking for a place for quite some time, and will probably buy soon. I'd take South Slope over all of thes but Very North Slope and Prospect Heights.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:29 PM

"It will never be like the North Slope for two reasons:

1. Lack of transportation
2. Lack of a large concentration of historically significant architecture"

Your forgot:

3. Significantly fewer pretentious douchebag residents.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:31 PM

"3. Significantly fewer pretentious douchebag residents."

do you REALLY believe that?

you are too funny.

i love the irrational thought processes of some posters on here.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:33 PM

why would anyone want it to become like north slope...besides the nice architecture, it is filled with very very unimpressive residents (to put it kindly)

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:39 PM

we all know if you could afford it, you'd rather live in the north slope.

no one would CHOOSE to live far from trains in homes clad in aluminum siding.

if they do, they move to greenpoint.

at least the schools are good there.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:44 PM

1:44 proves the thesis presented by 1:31.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:47 PM

good job, 11:33, calling someone a poser and spelling it like you were in a John Hughes movie, ya idjit

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:47 PM

how does it prove the thesis, 1:47?

i don't live in the north slope.

i live in the south.

and if i could afford it, i'd certainly rather live up in north.

my commute sucks.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 1:50 PM

Still trying to figure out what's so great about EITHER slopes. Far away, suburban people, boring (and sometimes down right ugly) architecture.

This whole discussion comes off like a circle jerk (maybe a figure eight jerk) by a bunch of people affirming each other's inferiority complexes. I used to hear the same conversations about Red Hook (boy did that sh*t die down, huh).

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 2:14 PM

2:14- yes it's a stupid conversation that you've chosen to take part in.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 2:17 PM

2:14

where pray tell do you live?

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 2:17 PM

Considering prices and general lack of inventory in Park Slope...you clearly are in the minority, 2:14.

Comparing it to Red Hook shows how incredibly uninformed you are.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 2:18 PM

Wow 12:46 stated earlier "for anyone who's been in park slope more than 20 years, nothing below 9th is the real park slope". I must say, you are a complete idiot. You need to go back a bit further in time than that to understand that the area north of 9th street was by far more dangerous and less desireable. People who lived in the "South Slope" then didn't venture north of 9th street. Sorry, your time frame only goes back to when all you alfalpha eating a-holes moved here in the first place. It wasn't the architecture, it was the people and I guess judging by the morons we got chiming in here today, that still holds true. Just a different class of idiots this time. North Slope, South Slope, Center Slope, you bought into that crap from the real estate agents. Those classifications didn't exist before, it was just Park Slope. Whoever stated that anyone in the teens doesn't live in the slope is the biggest idiot of all and just paid more to live north of 9th street and needs to justify it to themselves otherwise they would have to admit how brain dead they are. If you have been here 20 years and are some pretentious idiot, I only need remind you how that is not what you were when you first arrived, because that attitude got you your ass whipped back then. It may have surfaced once and you tucked it away in your back pocket real quick. I miss some of that. The neighborhood was really a hell hole, but at least morons like you knew better than to pretend you were better than everyone else.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 2:28 PM

how eloquent, 2:28.

and by eloquent, i mean useless self-indulgent nonsense.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 2:32 PM

But as long as 2:28 is around, there's still some ass-whippin to be hand! At least on the internet. . . .

Gosh, it really sucks that things have to change.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 2:33 PM

2:28- It sounds like you're one dangerous fella. I tell you what. I'll meet you at Ocean's 8 tonight -- Bring all your people. It'll be like Gangs of New York. You can relive your glory days before we run you through. You laptop plinking ruffian, you...

Then whoever wins can go challenge the gangs from Flatbush of the past.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 2:35 PM

2:28 here. Not all, very mild mannered and keep to myself generally. Don't necessarily mind everyone else who has moved in, but your labels and classifications to make one better than the other all of a sudden is crap, you are idiots, and your palaver is what is total nonsense.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 2:45 PM

"You laptop plinking ruffian, you..."

Gonna have to steal that phrase, thanks!

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 2:46 PM

I find it amusing that you can call anyone an idiot, 2:45.

You sound as if you made it to about 3rd grade and quit.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 2:48 PM

2:35, That would have been nice to see actually. A fairly bold throwdown, but you already know they are all gone now. You aren't too far from the truth though.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 2:55 PM

I hold my knife in my right hand and my fork in my left, and I think Cafe Steinhof is Austrian and not German (but I'm not sure about that, I just love cheese spaetzel)

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 2:56 PM

Speaking of cheese spaetzel, shouldn't the "I want some cheese" person be making appearance about now?

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 3:22 PM

1:31 -

Do you really think that the people who live on 13th and 8th are significantly different between the people who live on 5th and 8th.

Frankly I see no (generalized difference) between the people that live in either "slopes" and the people who live at Clinton and Garfield (Cobble Hill) or Bergan and Bond (Boreum Hill) or virtually anywhere within Downtown/Brownstone Brooklyn.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 3:47 PM

Oh brother, are you people gonna let the thread end with that?

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 5:25 PM

Yes.

Doh.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 5:32 PM

yeah, god forbid a thread end with some shred of truth to it.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 5:55 PM

I'm sorry but as a true south sloper, that's center south slope not south south slope, I welcome Union Market but, will continue to shop for my cheese at Grab, my wine from Slope Cellars, and if I were to ever start wearing women's clothing again, Bird. We are loyal to those stores who came here first.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 6:02 PM

This thread takes the cake. Now it's inter-Slope fighting. Crazy. I really hope all the Slope-hatin makes brownstone prices fall so I can afford one of them beautiful Park Slope houses.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 11:39 PM

You can probably afford on up in the 30s- you know, in the REAL South Slope

Posted by: guest at December 15, 2007 12:35 AM

I want apple pie, with crumb topping.

Posted by: guest at December 15, 2007 2:38 AM

Yesterday's post at 2:28 has some great points. I'm a fourth generation Park Sloper, born in Methodist Hospital and raised on 14th Street. I remember when the historic district was declared in the 1970s. The district ran all the way from Flatbush Avenue to 14th Street...there was no distinction between "north" and "south". That's all real estate BS. Both areas had their bad parts. 5th Avenue in the north was ghetto, while 7th in the south was a dump. As a white kid, crossing Flatbush Avenue into Prospect Heights was forbidden. Anyway, things change, it's the way of the world. I don't resent my new neighbors, no one forced my old ones to move to Staten Island or Florida. I'm happy that my real estate value went up, although I have no intention of cashing out. North or south, the Slope is a great area to live...be grateful you're here and stop bitchin.

Posted by: guest at December 15, 2007 10:09 AM

Hey grandpa! I mean, hey 1:47! Who is John Hughes?

Posted by: guest at December 15, 2007 10:48 AM

Resident of Mid-South-Demi-Center-Outer-North-Slope here. I live in an aluminum clad 4 story single family brownstone, but I never leave. I perch on the windowsill on the top floor and pelt passersby with tiny spitballs, then hide.

To answer the poster who says "mobile phone," yes you are either British or pretentious. Or both.

Posted by: guest at December 15, 2007 10:56 AM