Times Tackles Kensington, Sees Affordable Melting Pot
This weekend Kensington got the “Living In…” treatment c/o the Times’ real estate section, where the neighborhood (a narrow stretch just below Prospect Park bordered on the west by Borough Park and on the east by Victorian Flatbush nabes like Ditmas Park) is characterized as a multi-culti, cheapish alternative to the Slope. The story profiles…
This weekend Kensington got the “Living In…” treatment c/o the Times’ real estate section, where the neighborhood (a narrow stretch just below Prospect Park bordered on the west by Borough Park and on the east by Victorian Flatbush nabes like Ditmas Park) is characterized as a multi-culti, cheapish alternative to the Slope. The story profiles some white gentrifiers priced out of the Slope and Windsor Terrace who revel in Kensington’s diversity, affordability, decent schools, and proximity to the park but lament the lack of certain amenities, like coffee shops. Comps: 1-fams=$650,000 to $750,000; 2-fams generally go from $750,000 to $900,000; 1-bed condos tend to range from $150,000 to $300,000; and 1-bed rentals are usually less than $1,500 per month. The piece says Kensington has pockets of Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Muslim, and Hasidic Jew communities, and includes the following quote from the founder of the Kensington Blog: “It’s actually a real New York neighborhood, where you can see tons of different kinds of people and we shop at the same places. There’s real beauty in that. At the end of the day, if I have to hop on my bike to go to a restaurant, it’s not that big of a deal.” All this sound about right?
Name From London, People From Everywhere [NY Times]
NY Times Article [Kensington Blog]
The Times discovers Kensington [Flatbush Gardener]
Photo by Precision Accuracy.
Manhattan is so special indeed.
That being said, I like living in Brooklyn even more and being just a short train ride away…
Its not manhattan bashing, I just needed a question to be asked. And yes you are completely correct, Park Slope is a plethora of shops, bars, restaurants, etc. But my underlying intention is too invest in a community that can have the same, or similar, atmosphere in the next 5 years.
I’m twenty five, with a strong inclination that I will not be able to afford what I want in about 5 years unless I jump into something now, hence the reason to try to invest in the future.
And for all of the Kensington’ers I have no intention on investing and renting out, I am trying to keep what you can consider a fresh attitude towards the neighborhood with nothing but good intentions. I have been racking my brains over the purchase of a co-op I went to visit. It needs a small amount of work but I believe the investment would serve its purpose, dually, as my home where I would reside and as a stepping stone into a stronger real estate market in the future.
So any info on 599 east 7th st would help me out tremendously.
And FYI Manhattan is still pretty glamorous.
I just can’t imagine moving from Park Slope to Kensington. Don’t you get used to living steps from a million bars/shops/restaurants? I’d think so. Isn’t that, afterall what makes this the city and not the burbs. Once you get an hour away with no services, it sounds to me that you might as well leave Brooklyn.
I also don’t understand the Manhattan bashing comments at all.
WHO in their right mind would live in Brooklyn if Manhattan didn’t exist. Please don’t fool yourselves.
Without Manhattan, Brooklyn is nothing but a larger, slightly nicer St. Louis, Missouri.
The area I was talking about was 599 East 7th Street Im thinking about a place around this area, can anyone give me any info as to the neighborhood? Safe? Good Investment? Does anyone know specifically about the co-op building itself? Any info on this could help, Thank You!
— And no Im not from manhattan, im another poor soul priced out of Park slope who is trying to buy something for my future family, any help would be appreciated!!!
Im thinking about a place around this area, can anyone give me any info as to the neighborhood? Safe? Good Investment? Does anyone know specifically about the co-op building itself? Any info on this could help, Thank You!
it’s not 1968 anymore.
sadly, park slope has moved on. kensington is stuck in time.
“Have you ever been to freaking Europe?”
Yes, I have been many times, in fact. U.K., France, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Italy, Austria, Spain, Belgium…I prefer nearly every place I’ve ever been to 90% of the United States. Have YOU ever been to Europe, seems like a better question. Or Alabama? Or Greenwich, Ct?
And I also happen to like Manhattan. I’ve heard about some black/jewish crime lately in Brooklyn, so not sure how you can paint a rosy picture of 20 colors living side by side. It rarely happens.
Thank you for the hard sell on Kensington, but it doesn’t sound like it’s for me.
At all.
– Manhattan resident
Yeah, I have been here since Kensington was as “gentrified” as Park Slope back in the 60’s and 70’s.
It is really a “Melting pot come lately” you know.
If you would like to get a feel for what we were back in the day.
Kensingtonstories.blogspot.com
Enjoy my tales of a Kensington that had better schools than Park Slope back in 1968. And parents that just let seven year old kids play outside in a Brooklyn of the past.
Thanks,
Ron Lopez
Wow! The secret is out!
Poster from Manhattan – I dare you to walk down East 4th street between Caton and Beverly Road. I doubt you’ll think it’s ugly. It’s also just a 5-10 minute walk to Prospect Park.
Kensington has many advantages:
NO RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE RENOVATIONS!
Most of Ditmas Park is landmarked. Not Kensington. It means that you don’t have to deal with the expense and hassle doing landmark-quality upgrades and renovations. That said, people still have taste and don’t turn their homes into Fedders extravaganzas.
HELP WITH THE MORTGAGE
There are also many 2 and 3 family homes available. That means that if you’re a modest person looking for an investment, you can find a nice house with a yard and a basement, AND have people help you pay your mortgage. Ditmas Park has few multi-family homes. Also, homes are cheap enough that the rental income will actually make a dent in your mortgage.
LIGHT!
Most homes are detached. I had no idea how much natural light the 5 feet between me and my neighbor’s house would allow. It’s made me realize that living in a brownstone is like living in a dungeon.
SCHOOLS!
Check out http://www.insideschools.org and you’ll find great reviews for PS 130 and 230.
COMMUTE!
13 minutes to Wall Street if you take the express bus from Church and Ocean Parkway. 30 or so minutes to midtown. Take that Park Slope, Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill!
FOOD!
So what if we don’t have any yuppified restaurants. Besides, I’ve learned to cook many authentic international dishes since moving here – Bangladeshi biryani, tacos with cecina (salted Mexican beef), russian stuffed cabbage, etc.
MULTI-CUTURAL UTOPIA!
Kensington is what America should be all about – taking advantage of the unique ability to live side-by-side with people from all over the world. Have you ever been to freaking Europe? It’s the most xenophobic, homogenous place…reminds me of Manhattan.
And regardless of what the haters say –
THERE IS STUFF TO DO!
Try going to Prospect Park, riding horses, using the bike path to travel to Coney Island, playing tennis at the Prospect Park Tennis Center, hanging out on Cortelyou Road just over the border in Ditmas Park, bargain hunting at the various $2 stores where you can pick up samples and overstock from Banana Republic, Sigrid Olsen, Levi’s, etc.,
Oh – and NYC Icy, formerly of the East Village, just opened up just off of Coney Island Avenue. Try their mexican chocolate! Yummy!
Unlike Ditmas Park, this is a neighborhood in which people don’t hire gardeners, so you’ll probably end up spending a lot of free time chatting with your neighbors as you weed your lawn or plant flowers. There’s a real sense of community. And, unlike Ditmas Park, people actually use their porches!
The only thing lacking is a coffee shop. And it would be great if the coffee shop catered to ALL of the residents by serving various teas – masala chai, russian teas, polish teas, cafe con leche, mexican hot chocolate, whatever the Israelis drink, and good-old-fashioned yuppie-caliber coffee.
To people considering moving here – please don’t…unless you value the diversity of our community and are willing to work to preserve it. Please don’t come here begging for a Blue Ribbon outlet or a Starbucks. I’ll have to kick your ass.