Park Slope, NY Real Estate — Homes For Sale in Park Slope, NY

If Williamsburg is the face of the "new" hipster Brooklyn, Park Slope is the leading light of the borough's classic incarnation-the brownstone-populated, tree-lined version. The neighborhood's residents give it a literary, socially conscious feel. They shop at their own food co-op. They patronize independent book and record shops and sip coffee at local java joints. And the constant stream of strollers on the sidewalks makes it clear that this is a place where many choose to raise families. It's those features that keep landing Park Slope on lists of the "best" neighborhoods in New York City, even the nation. To find some of our favorite spots in the area, read on.-Jonathan Zeller less

Park Slope is a neighborhood in northwest Brooklyn, New York City. It is roughly bounded by Prospect Park and Prospect Park West to the east, Fourth Avenue to the west, Flatbush Avenue to the north, and Prospect Expressway to the south. Generally, the section from Flatbush Avenue to Garfield Place (the "named streets") is considered the "North Slope", the section from 1st through 9th Streets is considered the "Center Slope", and south of 10th Street, the "South Slope." The neighborhood takes its name from its location on the western slope of neighboring Prospect Park. Fifth Avenue and Seventh Avenue are its primary commercial streets, while its east-west side streets are lined with brownstones and apartment buildings. Park Slope features historic buildings, top-rated restaurants, bars, and shops, as well as proximity to Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and the Central Library as well as the Park Slope branch of the Brooklyn Public Library system. The neighborhood had a population of about 62,200 as of the 2000 census, resulting in a population density of approximately 68,000/square mile, or approximately 26,000/square kilometer. Park Slope is considered one of New York City's most desirable neighborhoods. In 2010, it was ranked number 1 in New York by New York Magazine, citing its quality public schools, dining, nightlife, shopping, access to public transit, green space, safety, and creative capital, among other aspects. It was named one of the "Greatest Neighborhoods in America" by the American Planning Association in 2007, "for its architectural and historical features and its diverse mix of residents and businesses, all of which are supported and preserved by its active and involved citizenry." In December 2006, Natural Home magazine named Park Slope one of America's ten best neighborhoods based on criteria including parks, green spaces and neighborhood gathering spaces; farmers' markets and community gardens; public transportation and locally owned businesses; and environmental and social policy. Park Slope is part of Brooklyn Community Board 6. (Wikipedia) less

Park Slope can feel more like a liberal arts college town than a neighborhood in Brooklyn--one filled with literary luminaries and thriving shops and restaurants. It's hard to miss the neighborhood's focus on families-double-wide strollers and kid-friendly activities and businesses abound, especially along the main drags of 5th and 7th avenues. On Park Slope's eastern edge, bordering Prospect Heights and Prospect Park, gorgeous 19th-century architecture built for the well-to-do casts a glow of civility in the form of Queen Anne and Renaissance Revival row houses, oriel and bay windows, and elegant stoops framed by cast-iron rails. By the middle of the 20th century, many of the wealthy denizens who had built up the area had been lured away to the New York City suburbs, and the neighborhood became more working class. In the 1960s and 1970s many of the homes here were bought inexpensively and renovated--not coincidentally, the Old-House Journal, a magazine about fixing up old houses, was first published in Park Slope in 1973. Today Park Slope is prime real estate, encompassing Brooklyn's largest historic district and the lovely expanse of Prospect Park, which provides greenery and endless diversions, among them the world-class summer performance festival Celebrate Brooklyn! less