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.
it’s full of those yucky unsightly new immigrants. They have no taste for mid-century Danish furniture, their eyeballs are on stalks and in the early spring they ooze green slime. Low-end specialty shops along Church Avenue hawk customary plastic cones they like to wear on their tails in keeping with their beliefs.
No, I know I’ve heard of it, I just don’t know where it is. Near to Park Slope, I’m guessing? I’ve heard it’s ugly and dangerous, but cheap.
Is this true?
“Where is Kensington?”
Dear “Manhattan Resident,”
There is no such place. Please forget you ever heard it mentioned. It’s much better for all parties involved that way. Thank you.
You get what you pay for?
If you are on a budget then Kensington might be a wise choice. But you have to put up with all the cons (few amenities, influx of new immigrants)
nyc icy just opened.
Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, PLG, Clinton Hill and Ft. Greene are all predominently black and priced higher than Kensington, Midwood, Bensonhurst, Brighton Beach, etc.
A lot higher. Prospect Heights Brownstones routinely sell for near 2 million, as do those in Ft. Greene and Clinton Hill.
I think it has more to do with housing stock and accessibilty to Manhattan than about the color of skin.
5.15 – don’t be mad u live in a ghetto!
It is preference. I personally prefer as much white meat as possible in my nabe, got nothing to do with racism, just that white meat seems to increase property value a lot.
Where is Kensington?
– Manhattan resident