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On Saturday morning, on our way to do yoga in Prospect Heights, we found ourselves thinking about how much potential the neighborhood has. This occurred to us again when we were in Williamsburg later in the day doing some Christmas shopping. Living in Clinton Hill, despite the unrivaled architecture, we do sometimes miss the mix of urban gritiness, energy and restaurants that Williamsburg has. Prospect Heights, by comparison, mixes the historic brownstone thing with a more industrial feel and building stock that make it ripe for the expansion of funky, interesting businesses as well as residential developments. And, as yesterday’s NY Times article points out, the proximity to Brooklyn’s foremost cultural institutions doesn’t hurt either. Even if the overall market doesn’t keep rising, we bet the arbitrage between Park Slope and Prospect Heights will continue to boost the area’s prices regardless of how Ratner’s plans for the Atlantic Yards shake out.
A Neighborhood Comes Into Its Own [NY TImes]


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  1. My wife and I just moved to Prospect Heights, bought a 1 bedroom on Eastern Pkwy. I think PH is undervalued relative to CH and FG, particularly in the coop/condo market. We have the same amenities, better subway access (2&3 is practically in the lobby on my building, as opposed to say living on Wash and Myrtle??) and the museum, park etc. About as funky as CH and FG IMO and with as many good restaurants if not as many total. Schools, well look at CG, BH or even Park Slope 5-7 years ago, lots of bad schools. Its a shame more newcomers don’t send their kids to PS 9 but maybe with improvements and time they will, this is a larger problem nearly all of the neighborhoods are dealing with now. I wouldn’t poo poo schools as a long term property value issue but give time for folks to work to improve schools as was done in PS, BH and some Manhattan nabes in the last decade.

  2. Compare apples to apples. Most brownstones in PLG are single family homes as opposed to the multi-family ones in Prospect Heights. Having 1-2 rentals makes a big difference in price.

  3. Hmmm… Schools. I didn’t realize how great the schools in Williamsburg and DUMBO oh yeah Clinton Hill has great schools too. Gimme a break! Wait…supermarkets, is there 1 in DUMBO, Williamsburg has no supermarkets.

  4. 4:46pm: How do you reckon that? I’ve seen good brownstones sell for $1.85m in PH which is surely way above PLG, Ditmas, WT, or Red Hook. Not sure if the $2m barrier has been breached. Does anyone out there know?

  5. The Amy Watkins comment is gratuitous. As to theschools, yes it’s a significant problem. While charter school was created in the neighborhood after a huge effort by local parents, I’ve heard it hasn’t been a success and has even excluded some of the families who fought to make it happen. I don’t know the full story but I’m sure someone who reads this site does and can fill us in. In terms of shopping, I would argue PH is far better served than FG/CH. There are two quite good supermarkets (Met Food on Vanderbilt — which has improved beyond recognition from when I first lived in the area 20 years ago — and Key Food on Flatbush); an excellent 24-hour grocery and fish store called Natural Land, also on Flatbush; a new and good gourmet store called Delicacies on Vanderbilt; as well as easy access to stores in PS like Blue Apron. PH doesn’t have the architectural distinction of FG/CH but the subway access is great and, as someone in the article said, being equidistant from BAM and the park and the museum ain’t bad. I’ve moved back in ’99 and I love it here.

  6. The school poster hit the nail right on the head. So many PH families send their kids to ps 261. It’s a shame folks can’t organize and make the schools in their own nabe better. If Boerum Hill can do it…

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