Sunset Park: Land of the Affordable Brownstone
As has been discussed in this space before, Sunset Park offers an impresssive assortment of housing opportunities, especially for those looking to stay below the million dollar mark. Like many nabes now undergoing renaissance, Sunset Park, which stretches south of Park Slope down to Bay Ridge, has seen a big turnaround. One of the city’s…
As has been discussed in this space before, Sunset Park offers an impresssive assortment of housing opportunities, especially for those looking to stay below the million dollar mark. Like many nabes now undergoing renaissance, Sunset Park, which stretches south of Park Slope down to Bay Ridge, has seen a big turnaround. One of the city’s most diverse areas, Sunset Park is also expected to get a lift from the waterfront development projects just getting underway that will include ballfields, lawns and bike paths. Those who have already bought in are pleased as punch:
“We got a much bigger space for not much more than we sold our condo for in Park Slope,” said Joe Reister, an academic adviser who bought a three-story brownstone on 45th Street with his wife, Shannon Laughlin, a year and a half ago. “We did some work — don’t get me wrong,” he said. “But the outside looks like something out of Sesame Street.”
The only negative the Times article notes is a lack of parking. How about that commute? The Times the article quoted seemed to give an overly optimistic impression by citing only the time on the subway. How do residents find it?
Hunt for Brownstones in Sunset Park [NY Times]
Addendum: Check out the Times article on Living In Sunset Park from 2001 Here. Thanks, Joyce.
Also, ditto what veggieburger said. This thread has been pretty SP-positive, so I don’t get what originally irked you, unless it’s people saying they prefer SP to Lefferts. (In which case, choosing a Hispanic/Asian neighborhood over a largely black one equals white kind of racism exactly?)
Bunky,
1. Fine enough re: history, but what you wrote was “Your white ethnic ancestors.” That says that the people complaining *today* about these neighborhoods are, specifically, white ethnics, and white ethnic racists at that. Maybe it was just your word choice, but that’s how it reads.
2. I’m not so naive as to think that “safety” complaints can’t be veiled racism. But you can call a neighborhood unsafe without being a racist. Some neighborhoods do have more crime than others.
A lot of unsubtantiated crap gets thrown around here, though, I’ll agree with you on that much.
Bunky,
I don’t think anyone in this thread has said that they do “not feel safe” in Sunset Park. Most people have said the exact opposite. I am not sure where you are getting any of this from. Perhaps you meant to post these comments on the “Open House Picks” forum from this last weekend.
By the way, I haven’t spent a lot of time in SP; but the few times I have, I thought it was an absolutely gorgeous neighborhood. At these prices, I think it is a good value compared to many other neighborhoods.
I’m black and I loved Sunset Park. It is racially stratified[hispanic/chinese], but so is (or was) Park Slope [all white 7th vs. lower slope Hispanic 5th]. There are alot of white real estate agents thrown in for good measure. Everyone seems to like each other!!
Linus,
If you know your city history, most of the neighborhoods we are talking about were originally settled by white ethnic peoples. This is not code, nor racist, nor a judgement on them, it just is. At no time did I blame them for the problems in this city, or for slavery, for God’s sake. WASP’s can certainly insert themselves in there, fine with me.
I think it’s just time we all stop pussyfooting around issues of race and neighborhoods. It’s ok if someone doesn’t want to live in a hood, because they are afraid of black (or Hispanic, or Asian, or white)people. It may not be politically correct, or even admirable, but it is real for them. I just get really tired of the “not feeling safe.” comments. Just say the nabe is not for you and move on. As a minority myself, I’d rather be insulted to my face, than smothered with innuendo that means the same thing. Let’s all say what we really mean, and then deal with fixing the situation, if only as intelligent people. I’m not trying to be a hater.
Linus- I posted at 11:44.
I didn’t complain that Sunset isn’t diverse enough. I stated that Sunset is two distinct “self-segregated” neighborhoods, one Asian (Sunset Heights) and one Hispanic (Sunset Park).
I pointed out that people increasing have rendered the word diverse into meaning devoid or very little white people an mostly non white people.
Diverse means ethnically mixed yet very much integrated.
In reality most Brooklyn neighborhoods are “self-segregated” and not diverse.
Bunky,
“Your white ethnic ancestors…”
1. Well, glad to see you’re not throwing around code words. And it’s good to know that we can finally blame American racism on the white ethnics, not the innocent, unfairly maligned WASPs who founded the country and wrote slavery into the constitution.
2. I just re-read this thread, and I fail to see the hating on Sunset Park. I see somebody complaining about the commute, which is not something anyone would blame on any ethnic group. I see someone actually complaining that the neighborhood is not ethnically diverse *enough.* And I see posts saying that Sunset Park is relatively safe. They’re comparing it to Lefferts, which maybe is what bothers you, but what, should it be off-base to compare neighborhoods here? Should we have an “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything” rule?
To all Urban Pioneers,
Your white ethnic ancestors couldn’t get out of most of Brownstone Brooklyn fast enough in a mad rush to the good life in the suburbs. In came all of those pesky, crime ridden, poor minorities who just don’t appreciate where they live, and what they are living in. Now you want the neighborhoods back. You want those gorgeous houses back. You want good schools, restaurants, Starbucks. The reasons why those things don’t exist there already aren’t your concern, or your fault. If only “they” would just sell their houses for reasonable prices, and leave. It doesn’t matter where. After all, you’ve “discovered” this great neighborhood. What you need is a housing neutron bomb. Get rid of the people and start over. Wouldn’t that be great?
Get real, kids. We live in a complex, multiethnic, economically stratified city. You can have cheap, you can have the illusion of safety, you can have amenities, you can have fine homes. Very few of us can have all of them rolled into one package. You have to choose what means more to you, and act accordingly. It may not be right, or fair, but that’s how it is. If you feel unsafe in SP, or PFG, or BS, then don’t even look for a home there. Please just say it’s not for you, and move on without tearing it down with poorly disguised code words. Best of luck in finding your dream home.
I thought the R train went through Sunset Park.