Park Slope Can't Measure Up to Marine Park
That’s what one Marine Park resident confided to the NY Times this weekend, in their weekly Living In section. The former Sloper said Marine Park, “reminds me of what neighborhoods used to be like before they became advertisements for themselves. The subway stop-less neighborhood is filled with “police officers, firefighters, postal workers and city employees,”…
That’s what one Marine Park resident confided to the NY Times this weekend, in their weekly Living In section. The former Sloper said Marine Park, “reminds me of what neighborhoods used to be like before they became advertisements for themselves. The subway stop-less neighborhood is filled with “police officers, firefighters, postal workers and city employees,” many of whom are second or third generation Marine Park-ers (Park-ites?) and purchase homes nearby those in which they were reared; the civic association’s motto is “Improve, Don’t Move.” The homes, many of them semi-attached or semi-detached (we believe the difference has something to do with where and how much of the homes are connected; architecture buffs, please inform), start in the $350,000 range and easily climb to $750,000. One-bedroom rentals can start in the $1,000 range. Among the neighborhood’s treasures are Marine Park itself (Brooklyn’s largest) and the Hendrik I. Lott House, an 1800’s Dutch farmhouse on East 36th Street filled with “clues into a vanished way of life,” with “wells, privies and a stone kitchen between the house and the street.”
Isolation Is Pretty Splendid [NY Times]
Photo by Stu_Jo.
Those attached homes are I do believe 1940s/50s construction. They are pretty similar to townhouses for lack of a better comparison. They have one or two levels and a garage underneath. The semi attached are the same concept but they are only attached on one side.
‘The homes, many of them semi-attached or semi-detached (we believe the difference has something to do with where and how much of the homes are connected; architecture buffs, please inform)’
Architecture fan here.
I’m confused by the statement. It doesn’t make any sense to me. I would think the attachment of houses has to do with demand for housing and zoning regulations. Urban planning buffs, please inform.
I’m not that familar with Marine Park. I’ve only been there a couple of times. So, I can’t comment on the architecture. The house pictured is a great example of early dutch colional. There’s a few left in NYC.
Sam, Good man. I’m not looking for Bklyn to be frozen. I personally have greatly benefitted from the recent real estate market in Bklyn. But being told you hate the 21st century, or are frozen in the past is like being told you’re a communist when you are critical of US govt policy. What are the neighborhoods that drove the Brooklyn come back? THE ONES THAT HAVE LANDMARK PRESERVATION. Other cities are building light rail surface lines to replace buses. Buses were sold as “progress”, as has a lot of other crap. European cities have trams and trollies that make us look obsolete.I was just saying it’s nice there’s a neighborhood that has a moto of “Don’t move, Improve”. Even though I’m not going to move there. Cheers1
Well, I’m a 43 year old BK native and I have to agree with Jebby. Brooklyn and NYC has lost it’s flavor.
I have friends who grew up in Marine Park. It’s a 2 fare zone (pre Metro card days), which totally sucks, but you don’t NEED a car. Apart from the city bus to the subway, they do have express buses straight to Manhattan.
That being said, I still don’t care for Marine Park. Except for one of the best diners in Brookyn: The KPD.
On cars and Catskills: It’s possible to have a country home without a car, but it’s not easy. If you have a house in town, you can take the bus. A realtor will drive you around to look at homes, so no need for ebay.
Jebby, I have an autographed copy of “When Brooklyn was the World”. Elliott Willensky died too young, about a year or two after the book came out.
But you know, that was then and this is now. There is no way that things could stay frozen ala 1954. And given that reality, the Borough has not done badly these past twenty years.
Hi Sam, When I tell you I’m 54 in my opening sentence, you can’t take a shot at my age. You know very little about Bklyn if you think it has never seen better days than this. I suggest a book called “When Brooklyn Was The World”. This started out by honoring a neighborhood that has retained some of it’s old character. It’s kind of like there still being some Italians in Little Italy, or a Jewish Dairy restaurant on the lower East Side. Don’t worry, they won’t ever replace the condos!! Please also see the front page of yesterday’s NY Times Arts and Leisure about the stunning architecture of Buffalo and the parks and parkways built by Olmstead. You got me, I’m old and I love Buffalo (home of the only NFL team that plays in NY State!).
You lost me at “subway stop less”
I don’t want or need a car, and places where ones are required are not on my radar.
juniors sucks. it should be empty, but rarely is, so i don’t know what you’re talking about. of course, applebee’s should be empty too, but people need to eat somewhere. if the quality of the local places sucks as much as applebee’s, i don’t really see a reason to reward them with my extra dollars because they just suck locally instead of nationwide.
I actually think that Jebby should get QOTD.