A Long Look at Hal's Crown Heights

When my wife and I started looking for a house in Brooklyn, we looked in Lefferts Gardens, Bed-Stuy, as well as a few houses in outlying locations. We didn’t really choose Crown Heights; it chose us. When our realtor started showing us homes in the area, we knew we would find something great if we persevered. We were attracted by the area’s proximity to cultural amenities like the Brooklyn Museum, BAM, Prospect Park and The Brooklyn Childrens Museum, as well as good subway service (2, 3, 4, 5, and A trains), attractive architecture, and cultural diversity. Don’t let anybody tell you the shopping is great here, but there are creeping signs of improvement. Change is slow around here mostly I beleive, because of the relative stability of the neighborhood. The houses on either side of ours are owned and occupied by senior widows (old ladies) who have been here 50 years. Our neighbors do include some new homeowners too. We made friends quickly, share tools and pot luck dinners. In good weather, kids play on the block, neighbors watch and socialize from their stoops and occasionally a big SUV goes by with the bass pumped up so loud it sets off car alarms on the block. Our house is included in Brownstoner’s section called ‘My Brownstone’. It’s the Crown Heights Jewel. Thanks for looking and welcome to Crown Heights!

Bagels and High Tea: A sign of improvement amid the fast food and 99 cent stores on Nostrand Avenue is this bakery that makes fresh bagels, pies, cakes and pastries on site. The same entreprenuer opened a restaurant directly opposite called Tavern on Nostrand, with white tablecloths and serious jazz on weekends. On a recent Saturday it was to crowded to walk into.

We think our block is one of those quintessential brownstone blocks, at least looking in this direction. Almost directly across the street from us are these two detached houses that have each changed hands in the past couple of years. Judging from the lack of action, I would guess the most recent buyers aren’t too interested in making improvements. The Seventh Day Adventist Bilingual School dominates our block. This is the chapel viewed from Sterling Place. It was originally the Methodist Episcopalian Home when it was built around the turn os the century. Part of a very old white oak is visible on the left. The open space is important to the feel of the block.
A Jewel in the Crown [My Brownstone]