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Hi all,
Anybody know anything about the St. Marks Av and Classon Av section of "Prospect Heights" (I put that in quotes because it's hard to tell if brokers are ever honest about names of neighborhoods anymore!)
We're looking for a neighborhood with parks nearby and things to do for a young married couple, restaurants, etc. family/baby friendly too.
I am not familiar with those blocks although thats Crown Heights, PH cuts off after Washington Ave.
PH west of Underhill is very nice although would cost a bit more than anything east of Washington
Indeed, yet one more example of the real estate industry showing just how sleazy it can be! Prospect Heights is the district directly across Flatbush Avenue from Park Slope. By the time you get as far east as Classon, you're definitely not in Prospect Heights any more.
However, the area may not be as awful as some would have you believe. It's within the brownstone belt, and I believe there has been an influx of new, taxpaying brownstone owners in that area within the last few years. Still, I think I'd take a wait-and-see attitude towards that particular part of the borough. (It might be interesting if you confronted the real estate agent, and insisted he or she might try something new--like being ethical, for instance--and show you something that's actually in Prospect Heights!)
Crown Heights has some VERY nice brownstones, and a lot of them have been renovated to have excellent interiors, if you started from inside a house, you would never be able to tell where you were, but it's obvious once you walk out into the street that you're in the hood. I don't know if there's any brownstones in that spot in particular, but I'm just mentioning this because of Fred's comment.
Yeah, that's technically in Crown Heights, but it's close enough that I wouldn't get too worked about it (seriously, as far as real estate agent neighborhood stretching goes, this is nothing...try calling Knickerbocker Ave. Williamsburg, or 25th St. Park Slope...that's just ludicrous). I have a friend who lived around there, between Bedford and Franklin, and it wasn't bad. I'd live there - I wouldn't go too far past there, though.
Classon @ St. Marks Aves. are noisy as hell. Unparalleled MTA transportation to anywhere. Best Mexican food joint in the city. Modest rents. Very good services, park, main library, BK Museum all within walking distance. Very popular with 20-30 somethings on budgets.
I'm a dog walker in this area, both at St. Mark's at Franklin (block east of Classon) and Sterling at Franklin. It should tell you something that people in this area need dog walkers. It is Crown Heights. There is a distinct change once you're east of Washington Ave., bluntly, fewer white people. The streets are dirtier, buildings are dingier, you will see a lot of people hanging out on stoops, music blaring from windows. But I wouldn't call it the hood in the same sense as Brownsville or ENY. Granted I'm only there during the day, but I've never felt unsafe. You see a fair amount of 20-somethings walking toward Washington with guitars strapped to their shoulders, so it might be a good bet if you're on a budget.
That said, I wouldn't want to live there. I have a feeling it isn't as safe at night, and even though it's part of the "brownstone belt" the buildings on that stretch of St. Mark's are hideous, especially a long row of houses with bright blue doors and bars. You'll know what I'm talking about. There is also an elementary school nearby, so you'd have to deal with loud children hanging out near your apartment in the morning and afternoon. I just get a generally unpleasant feel from the block. I'm not a big fan of Prospect Heights proper, either, but it is far better than the block you're looking at...I'd look there even if it is a bit pricier.
The museum, library, Prospect Park, etc. are within walking distance, but I'd reckon you'd feel somewhat disconnected from them as they are a good 6 or 7 blocks away. If that matters to you, I would look at Lincoln Place or St. John's place off Underhill. Safer than Crown Heights, but roughly same price range, and literally two blocks from the museum, park, etc. Big apartment buildings so probably a fair amount of rentals available. Just my 2 cents.
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