The Times Gives It Up For Alterna-Slopes
The Times had a case of Brooklyn fever this weekend, taking some precious column inchage to profile two neighborhoods that most readers of The Gray Lady probably hadn’t heard of until recently, Windsor Terrace and Prospect Lefferts Gardens. The subjects of the Windsor Terrace article, a couple who were pleased as punch to land a…
The Times had a case of Brooklyn fever this weekend, taking some precious column inchage to profile two neighborhoods that most readers of The Gray Lady probably hadn’t heard of until recently, Windsor Terrace and Prospect Lefferts Gardens. The subjects of the Windsor Terrace article, a couple who were pleased as punch to land a four-bedroom house in the nabe last year for $999,000, had this to say about how their new home stacked up versus the Slope: It’s a little less precious over here, and a little more real. We kind of like that.” (The director of the Jack Nicholson flick As Good As It Gets thought it was unprecious enough to cast one of the houses above on Fuller Place as Helen Hunt’s working-class digs. The idea that these places are now within reach of people with working-class incomes is, of course, laughable.) Despite initial concern about the “clusters of young men hanging out on some of the street corners,” the star of the PLG article ultimately was won over by the area’s racial diversity and proximity to Prospect Park, snapping up a small Victorian house just outside the historic district for $240,000 back in 2002. She now shares the house with her 11-year-old daughter, her brother and his wife.
Less ‘Precious’ Than the Slope? Certainly Cheaper [NY Times]
A Wished-For House With a Hideaway Nook [NY Times]
Photo by redxdress
10:57, Didn’t Park Slope hit rock bottom in the 60’s?? I used to live in Park Slope. Cashed out and upgraded to a better home in Bed Stuy. Face realty…not everyone wants to live in the Slope! If that was the case, NOTHING would be on the market there.
11:15 is so right.
I’m not saying anything in particular about the comments made for/against park slope as I happen to love the place…not to mention if you’re in north slope you are worlds closer to manhattan via the Q or 2/3 trains than Windsor Terrace, but that’s neither here nor there.
I just don’t understand how people can be SO incredibly short-sighted to not understand that the gentrification of windsor terrace, kensington, prospect heights, etc etc etc was DUE in large part to the improvement of park slope. To bash it makes no sense, because without Park Slope, there would be no million dollar homes in Windsor Terrace or Prospect Heights.
You can not like Park Slope…that’s cool with me…but I think you should respect it for the amazing community that it is and for it’s residents who have now moved into Windsor Terrace, etc to make them better places to live.
It’s also pretty hypocritical because in 5 years, practically everyone in those hoods are going to be former PS’ers…
To 10:49: It is wonderful and amazing that so many of the houses in Ditmas have been well kept through the years. And I applaud anyone who signs on to take care of one now, since it means I get to continue to walk those streets and admire the architecture, albeit from afar.
I was just referring to my experience with a very good and well respected Brooklyn inspector, who found some signs of termite activity in our backyard. (We live in a row of beautifully kept up limestone and brick houses – the last place in the borough one would expect to find any termite activity.) It turned out to be nothing to worry about, but it did make us realize how careful one would have to be in keeping up a wood frame house in Brooklyn, where unfortunately some owners have just let their wood- and non-wood-frame homes rot.
Anyway, it only makes me more all the more grateful there are people out there who are willing and able to take on the responsibility of being a Victorian Flatbush homeowner.
So have I apologized sufficiently to all those out there I offended? I really wasn’t trying to start a flame war. Just responding, admittedly rather rashly, to someone who was bashing two neighborhoods I’m rather fond of, in favor of a third neighborhood, which I’m also rather fond of.
OK… I could afford to live in Park Slope, if I purchased a building with a rental unit to offset the morgage. However, after doing that, I’m left with a large “apartment” rather than an entire house. I have a large family, and I made the choice to give them all their own rooms, a family room, backyard, etc… by moving to Ditmas. Now, if living in PS was what it was really about for me (and my money), they would be sharing rooms and I’d be collecting rent. Not that there’s anything wrong with that… It’s just not the choice I made. I’m tired of being told on this board that I can’t afford the Slope. I could, if I wanted to compromise my family’s living arrangements… OK, I suppose you could say I can’t afford the sort of home I want in Park Slope and this is true. But I could certainly afford to live in PS if simply living there was what was most important to me.
I just get sick of hearing how I’m some poor relation because I chose not to live in PS.
Dysfunctional do you mean everyone left BEHIND in the neighborhood after the great migration to the suburbs? One of the few places where the junkies on the street are white men in their 50’s.
Folks are envious of PS because they can’t afford to live there I think. Besides P. Park and excellent public transportation, it offers a neighborhood that contains the schools (public and private), an array of other important institutions from like Beth Elohim, multiple churches all the way down to the food coop, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, etc. It has several commercial streets, etc. Its boxy shape provides a total, self enclosed neighborhood which is tremendously attractive. Also I think that it never really hit rock bottom like Ft. Greene or some other Brownstone hoods also make a difference.
“Brenda from Flatbush” your posting is a breath of fresh air.
My family and I currently live in WT. We purchased a 2bedroom co-op in ’83 after renting in PS for many years…
(Our “newly wed” apartment was on 12th St.)
We were in WT before it became pricey,but we also loved the close proximity to the park, and the amenities of PS.. and yes we were and are solid “working class”.
Point being, the health of one neighborhood affects the health of all the surrounding areas… so there’s no need to bash… take that energy and
form a Block Association, get active in
your particular community… bring about
the changes that will make living in your community a pleasurable and safe experience.
To anonymous 9:51 if Brooklyn is termite central it would seem sort of Herculean for all thos Ditmas houses to still be around after 100+ years.