Body found in Ford Explorer on Eastern Pkwy

ntfool,

Exactly the point. If you compare Prospect's Heights Proper, Flatbush Ave to Washington Ave, but especially Flatbush Ave to Vanderbult Ave - the prices will be higher than the prices east of Washington Ave.

What we seem to have is some people who feel the need to have to justify their move to the immediate Franklin Ave vicinity by posting, "well it's not "really" Crown Heights" or "Well, we're not East of Nostrand Ave."

The point is, if you are in the Franklin Ave vicinity, east of Washington Ave, the prices are on par with East of Nostrand Ave. and less than New York Ave and Brooklyn Ave. - and you are most definitely in Crown Heights.

And it seems long term residents are sick of the "But I'm in the Franklin Ave vicinity, its not "really" Crown Heights" mantra, and all it implies.

Not every person is on this mantra, but after living here a little over a year, it just seems so ridiculous.

When I was looking for a place in December of 2007, the only decent 1 BR I could find under 1500 was on Bergen near NYA...

I think there's a price difference as you cross Franklin headed east. The whole demographic, quality of life and nightlife changes drastically. Plus by Franklin you have the shuttle which is clutch. I spent 2 years west and about 1.5 years east of Franklin, and I would say the west side has and is worth a price premium... ESP by the Alma complex

If I may, I propose we define the conversation in terms of three areas:

1. The area between Washington and Nostrand.
2. The area between Nostrand and Albany Ave
3. The area east of Albany Ave.

Without going into too much detail, it seems each of these areas are distinct. While one could focus on trying to determine the income, school scores, crime rates and other demographics of each neighborhood, such things would involve research, and today I am feeling lazy (crazy, but lazy).

I'll instead jabber about hopefully neutral (?) attributes that might be free from the baggage that such a discussion would bring, and propose that the attributes may explain part of why renters are willing to pay more to live in each "area".

1. The area between Washington and Nostrand has the Shuttle. Dinky as it is, the shuttle is handy to actually go North and South ...a difficult task in Brooklyn via train. It is also close the park, museum, and garden, and (count 'em) 4 train lines to Manhattan at Franklin. The apartments are pretty well maintained, and alot of them have been renovated within the past few years to appeal to potential renters with some decent income. (Alma is a great example)

2. The area between Nostrand and Albany Ave. It has the Children's Museum, and some good train access to Manhattan, but your morning commute is taking a while. Some apartments have been renovated, others haven't been.

3. The area east of Albany Ave. Still a longer commutte. St. John's park isn't as well maintained, nor is the housing stock. By this I mean a renter of a two bedroom might not get a newish stove and/or double paned windows. The apartments may not have been painted recently. Landlords and supers do not seem to feel the same pressure to "please tenants" as those areas to the west.

Ishtar wrote: [quote=ntfool]Well, to each their own. I look forward to proudly owning a home in Crown Heights before the year is out.

Me too!!!!

I will not purchase east of Bedford or more than 4 blocks north/south of Eastern Parkway. I like to live close to many train options.

Come on! There are plenty of beautiful brownstone blocks between Nostrand, New York and Brooklyn! Pretty much anything that doesn't have major apt buidlings or large schools on it are good. Though it would be nice to stay close to EP subway stops...

Funny addendum to this thread:

I was talking to someone who has lived on Vanderbilt for almost 40 years. He relayed the fact that when he was a child in the neighborhood, his block was considered to be part of Bed-Stuy. According to him people in the neighborhood didn't start calling it Prospect Heights until the late 80's-early 90's when the neighborhood started becoming gentrified. :afro:

For those of you who missed it, Suzanne Spellen gave a 30 minute slide show about the history of Crown Heights North at the annual town hall meeting of the Crown Heights North Association.
I learned a lot. Seems the British troops after the Battle of Brooklyn camped out near what is now Atlantic and Bedford, which was already a major crossroads with the officers staying in a Lefferts family mansion nearby.
The Bedford Atlantic Armory, designed to mimic the famed 7th Regimental Armory, Manhattan's premier armory was the site of much socializing among the well-to-do. Its meeting rooms were among the finest in the city. Sadly Suzanne stated that all of the elaborate furnishings were removed years ago. The Union Club opposite the Armory was likewise the premier Republican club on the East Coast and the site of much pomp and ostentation. Which makes sense when you know that the four highest appraised town homes in Brooklyn in the first 20 years of the 20th century were along St. Marks Avenue between Nostrand and Brooklyn Avenue. The most expensive, the Seaman's Mansion, cost $1 million and was designed by the ubiquitous Montrose Morris. Most homes at the time cost maybe $10,000 according to Suzanne.
The area to the east of Albany was the site of numerous large institutional homes, including separate orphanages for Hebrews (at Ralph and St. Johns), whites (mostly Irish, per Suzanne) at Albany and St. Marks and coloreds (also St. Marks and Albany. There was also a large hospital at Troy and St. Marks and two retirement homes, one for colored at St. Johns and Kingston and one for Methodists at Park Place and NY. These latter two buildings are still in existence. She has photos of all of these buildiings in case you're interested.

Capt. Planet wrote: For those of you who missed it, Suzanne Spellen gave a 30 minute slide show about the history of Crown Heights North at the annual town hall meeting of the Crown Heights North Association.
I learned a lot. Seems the British troops after the Battle of Brooklyn camped out near what is now Atlantic and Bedford, which was already a major crossroads with the officers staying in a Lefferts family mansion nearby.
The Bedford Atlantic Armory, designed to mimic the famed 7th Regimental Armory, Manhattan's premier armory was the site of much socializing among the well-to-do. Its meeting rooms were among the finest in the city. Sadly Suzanne stated that all of the elaborate furnishings were removed years ago. The Union Club opposite the Armory was likewise the premier Republican club on the East Coast and the site of much pomp and ostentation. Which makes sense when you know that the four highest appraised town homes in Brooklyn in the first 20 years of the 20th century were along St. Marks Avenue between Nostrand and Brooklyn Avenue. The most expensive, the Seaman's Mansion, cost $1 million and was designed by the ubiquitous Montrose Morris. Most homes at the time cost maybe $10,000 according to Suzanne.
The area to the east of Albany was the site of numerous large institutional homes, including separate orphanages for Hebrews (at Ralph and St. Johns), whites (mostly Irish, per Suzanne) at Albany and St. Marks and coloreds (also St. Marks and Albany. There was also a large hospital at Troy and St. Marks and two retirement homes, one for colored at St. Johns and Kingston and one for Methodists at Park Place and NY. These latter two buildings are still in existence. She has photos of all of these buildiings in case you're interested.

This is really interesting because when my grandfather's brothers were young their parents would not let them hang out in Crown-Heights/Bed-Stuy because they felt they would become "too uppity" around all the rich people.

ntfool wrote: I love how this morphed from a body discovered in the back of a car on Eastern Pkwy to a discussion of neighborhood borders to talk of the vivid history of Brooklyn.

I think the theme is "the beat goes on"

Social Problems have always been with us, the neighborhood is always changing, change is sometimes scary, but.....

The beat goes on.