The Times Wraps Its Arms Around Fort Greene
“Fort Greene is Brooklyn’s latest culinary mecca, bewitching foodies with hip, minimalist restaurants. Or it’s a bastion of African-American pride and culture, a historic home to a vibrant community of black families. Or the artistic center of the borough, laying claim as it does to the multifaceted Brooklyn Academy of Music (a k a BAM)….
“Fort Greene is Brooklyn’s latest culinary mecca, bewitching foodies with hip, minimalist restaurants. Or it’s a bastion of African-American pride and culture, a historic home to a vibrant community of black families. Or the artistic center of the borough, laying claim as it does to the multifaceted Brooklyn Academy of Music (a k a BAM). Or maybe it’s the new roost of the nouveaux riches, with pricy brownstones and new luxury condominiums dotting its map. What new and old residents have found is that Fort Greene plays all of these roles with grace and aplomb. It is a busy, blooming hybrid whose slate-sidewalk streets somehow retain their serenity. No one is in a hurry — even as newcomers rush in from all corners of the city to live here.” — NY Times
Photo by Tracy Collins
We went to an open house of a 2-bedroom coop on Lafayette Avenue yesterday just on a lark. I thought we had arrived at Grand Central Station!
The crowds that showed up were remarkable! It was a nice apartment with a skylight in the bathroom, not too badly renovated and the apartment was nice. It looked like the renovation was done sometime in the 90’s. It had 5 good-sized to huge closets. Very nice at $590K and $700-something for the maintenance/taxes which included heat and hot water of course.
We went to a couple of other open houses including the not well advertised open house of the unfinished condos on Cumberland next to the “Sanctuary”. I very much liked them I have to say…as mod goes…but we realized the adhesives and other construction products were a little overwhelming at this point. I hope the fumes dissapate quickly. We looked at most of the apartments but had to hightail it out of there.
I think they’ve sold four of the eight units from what they said. Very nice project in the end. Living nearby and having seen the apartments next door at the Sanctuary, I was pleasantly surprised.
The warm weather brought out a lot of people! There was lots of activity this weekend!
Did anyone notice the New York Times article did not mention BAM Harvey (part of BAM but not in the Renaissance Revival), the Brooklyn Music School, the new Irondale Theatre, 80 Arts on Hanson, the S. Oxford Space…even Frank’s?
There are also community gardens, playgrounds galore, Green Spaces (a green business incubator) on Flatbush, and, yes…the mall with Pathmark, Target, etc.?
There are historic churches, nursing homes and senior apartments (in the heart of the neighborhood)…
For what it’s worth, we even have “Manhattan views” depending on your house/apartment…
The article might have mentioned in passing Tish James, the FG Association and the FG Park Conservancy. There are house tours, garden tours and even a big FGA holiday party. I’m not sure if many other neighborhoods in our area can boast a similar open-door, the entire neighborhood welcome, holiday party. Aside from the year-round green market with summertime craft vendors, the park also has big music events as well as fun things like the Halloween open-to-all festival.
The green market has one of the City’s only composting efforts linking residents to the community gardens–completely a grassroots effort.
And, also up for consideration: the Fort Greene-Clinton Hill Food Coop group that is moving along and the existing CSAs that many residents participate in.
I don’t reel the article did the restaurants enough of a plug. There’s lot’s of variety. We just got a new Turkish place; there’s an Ethiopian place; a slew of nice wine shops right now; several better food shops…
I was trying to, but perhaps it was hard to hear over the din.
As I said, I thought it was interesting that they noted Fort Greene’s restaurants. My question: do any of them (General Greene et al) deliver?
What’s up with the reference of Fort Greene being called “Philly” by Daveinbedstuy? Philly is nothing close to Fort Green or any part of Brooklyn for that Matter……
So start talking about Ft. Greene, “ftgreene.”
It’s lovely. What else you wanna know? Or would you care to add anything, perhaps?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this thread supposed to be about Fort Greene? Not Park Slope…
Rob is an affable person who likes to play the contrarian, that’s all.
Fort Greene is pretty, but the restaurants aren’t anything special.
Except Habana Outpost.
That’s such an asinine comment, Heather.
Are we all justified in hating Ft. Greene because “PropJoe” lives there then?
Stupid.
Gah, I give up. You all DO know this is one reason some people dislike your neighborhood?
11217, were you on that walking tour in park slope on sunday around… i want to say around noon or 1ish.. this woman was yapping off about a thrift/consignment shop (it has shoes in the window…) and there were about 10-15 people with notepads in their hands taking notes. they were blocking the entire walkable area of the block and so obvlious to everything. i was bringing my dog back home and then saw another guy with a dog who was trying to get his dog to talk to this other guys dog who wanted no part of it, meanwhile i was trying to get my dog thru and it was like insane. so i think you MIGHT be right. i guess 5th ave was kinda packed this weekend now that i think about it.
*r*