Do Families Need to "Escape" From Brooklyn?
If your only source of information was the New York Times real estate section, you’d know that Brooklyn families are constantly thinking about one thing: should we leave? The latest article in The Gray Lady’s ongoing, informal series on leaving Brooklyn is a thoughtful essay by writer David Zweig on escaping from the horrors of annoying downstairs neighbors and the hardships…
If your only source of information was the New York Times real estate section, you’d know that Brooklyn families are constantly thinking about one thing: should we leave? The latest article in The Gray Lady’s ongoing, informal series on leaving Brooklyn is a thoughtful essay by writer David Zweig on escaping from the horrors of annoying downstairs neighbors and the hardships of finding an elementary school other than the “up-and-coming” one in their neighborhood.
The NYT’s previous story in their “leaving Brooklyn” series
After searching elsewhere in the city for a sub-million-dollar home, the Zweigs house-hunted in New Jersey and then upstate along the MetroNorth line. They finally settled on a home in Hastings, N.Y. that was more expensive than they’d planned.
But lo, their “grand prewar two-bedroom” in Prospect Heights sold for several hundred thousand dollars above ask — at exactly the same price as their new place, in fact.
Despite some misgivings, the Zweigs had no trouble settling in — the ice breaker at a school potluck was “what neighborhood of Brooklyn are you from?”
The Zweigs, it turns out, are not unusual — moving out of the city is an accepted migration pattern for families, one that Brownstoner has covered for years. Many families long for yards and other suburban amenities once their kids reach a certain age.
As a whole, Brooklyn has seen some ups and downs in overall population, according to a study from the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. Between 2006 and 2014, Brooklyn saw a 7.6 percent growth in population — outpacing the other boroughs and New York state as a whole. However, in 2014, more people moved out of Brooklyn than into it, resulting in a net negative migration.
That said, the forecasts for Brooklyn’s population growth predict that it could exceed Chicago’s population within the next five to 10 years.
Have you considered leaving? Why?
[Source: NYT | Photo: The Great Escape | Barbara Eldredge ]
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There is no “one size fits all” for young family situations in Brooklyn. Would the family in the article have moved so fast if they made friends with their apartment neighbors? If they liked their local public school? I think not. But there are many other families who enjoy their situation and decide to stay. I think the article generalizes the issue far too much.
Also, I think many young families don’t look far enough ahead in making the decision. My siblings live in the burbs, and what I see is, as their kids get older, there is little opportunity to make new friends, there is a pressure cooker atmosphere to get into the “right” college, very little chance to learn about other cultures from friends, boredom, little ability to get around without the parental chauffeur, etc.
When our kids are 4-5, we don’t tend to think about these things. But in making the “city vs. suburb” decision, we should.
Who goes on Brownstoner to defend living in the suburbs?
People that moved to the suburbs but wish they were still living in Brooklyn.
I live in brooklyn! And have for 37yrs.
I’m defending people and choices.
Im not sitting on my high horse in brooklyn looking down at others that decide to live else where.
You didn’t answer my question bedstuy13. What nabe in brooklyn or manhatran were you forced out of that made you move to bed stuy in 2013?
Cause let’s face it, you’ve never heard of bed stuy till 2011. And you would never have stepped foot in it before then.
bedstuy13, That’s not what I said. Nor do I disagree with Subguy. People make choices in their life based on their circumstances. Much like you did to move to bed stuy. Many people live in the suburbs because they WANT TO, they may not like city life anymore, they want better schools for their kids, a yard, for whatever reason. You saying the suburbs are horrible is very narrow minded. Did you escape a traumatized suburban childhood? We get it, you don’t like the burbs, but many people do.
What circumstances in your life lead you to live in Bed Stuy? What neighborhood in Brooklyn or Manhattan were you forced out of that made you move to Bed Stuy in ’13? Cause lets face it, you’d rather be living in Park Slope or Chelsea.
ENY, you always make a great point and you always make me laugh as you make it. You would make me an ideal husband.
I do often consider leaving entirely, but neither of those reasons are on my top 100. Well maybe the dirtiness, but I don’t feel it’s substantially changed in the last 10 years.
There is no LI equivalent. LI is for people who want to raise their families in houses and commute to Manhattan, *full stop*. Nobody moves to Long Island for a “scene” of any kind, at least not in the nouveau-Brooklyn way.