Living in -Ditmas Park
Hi Everyone, Sorry I know I haven’t posted in ages, but life’s been a little nutty. As many of you know, we sold our house in Park Slope in sept and are on the hunt for a condo or inexpensive little house. We found a condo in Ditmas Park/Kensington we like and it’s defintely for…
Hi Everyone,
Sorry I know I haven’t posted in ages, but life’s been a little nutty.
As many of you know, we sold our house in Park Slope in sept and are on the hunt for a condo or inexpensive little house. We found a condo in Ditmas Park/Kensington we like and it’s defintely for the right price. Can anyone tell me their thoughts on that neighborhood? What sort of amenities? What types of people live over there? Parking on the street (good/bad?)
Any advice would be helpful
Thanks as always!
RE: Beverley Square condos. Yeah, these are the condos with the badly installed facade. If you search the archives on this site, you’ll find a long thread on the project. I just drove past it tonight and if possible, the facade looks like it has deteriorated even more in the past few weeks. I was also very concerned to see that during construction, much of the building was open to the elements while finish work was going on in the apartments. Windows first, drywall second is the expected formula. Vice versa is not ideal for longevity.
Also, I’m not sure that I’d call CIA a quiet street. If you were thinking about one of the units overlooking Stratford, maybe, but CIA isn’t a calm place.
I really like the condos on Cort that are rep’d by Brooklyn Hearth. There’s also a really nice pre-war coop in the middle of the historic district of Prospect Park West. Every time one of those units comes on the market I’m surprised at how affordable they are. I think Mary Kay usually handles those. Might be worth a look.
Hope you end up the area. It’s a really sweet place with more than enough diversity to keep your brain and social life hopping.
I agree that there must be better locales than that condo (we are talking CIA and Slocum, right?). But the nabe is great — I am on Stratford “steps from Cortelyou” as the real estate agents would say — left the Slope and haven’t looked back.
Kens – trust me, we are looking. I think I like that they have real terraces not just a balcony to put a plant on, real BR sizes and large living rooms. Also, I like that it’s situated against a quiet street, am just concerned that it’s a new build and we all know how many of those turn out.. – we aren’t sold – but it’s an option
I second fauxvic– my wife and I moved to the area in March and have been very happy. Cortelyou has a nice Main St. feel and good shops, but the area feels more like a small town than Park Slope. No car for us, but our neighbors have one and I’ve never heard them complain about on-street parking.
Gem, I don’t like that Coney Island Condo. You have way better in that price range in the area. I suggest you keep on looking.
FauxVic:
yes, it’s the one repped by BK properties, I was concerned with the exterior brick actually when we pulled up as it’s turned color already, which we found strange, however inside everything seemed to be ok and not really deteriorating – hwoever, please share your thoughts
Thanks in advance!
Can you be more specific as to the exact condo? There is one on Cortelyou and Stratford which is a nice building and seemingly well built and there is one on Coney Island Avenue that sort of backs onto Stratford that is NOT well built and is already showing signs of bad construction technique. Cort/Stratford is rep’d by Brooklyn Hearth, CIA is rep’d by Brooklyn Properties.
As far as the area goes, it’s generally lovely but Stratford has good blocks and not so good blocks. Stratford between Ditmas and Dorchester is nice but has problems with several dead construction projects which will change that block entirely if and when they get completed. Stratford between Dorchester and Cortelyou is not charming in the least. Stratford between Cortelyou and Beverley is lovely and it has some nice homes and Stratford between Beverley and Church is part of the Historic District which is considered by some to be the prime Victorian Flatbush region (though I’m quite partial to our area, Ditmas Park West.)
All of Stratford is within walking distance to the nice shops on Cortelyou and no where is more than a 5-7 minute walk to a Q/B train which for me is a 45 minute door to door commute to midtown. Parking is a little challenging but no where near as nasty or as heated as Park Slope.
I am with Kensingtonka, I think it’s Ditmas Park. Sorry I actually thought the condo that you looked at was almost by the park and didn’t realize Stratford extends all the way to Ditmas Avenue so if we are talking about the Cortelyou Road it’s a pretty nice couple of blocks. Towards the park, I am not too crazy. If it’s the condo right on Cortelyou, I strongly urge you to check out a few others towards Ocean PKWY cause I think you’ll get more for your buck and it’s very nice as well with access to both F and B/Q.
Hmm, I thought Stratford was squarely in Ditmas Park, not Kensington. I actually think that area is pretty nice – quiet and residential, as you said.