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Living in | Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
Elegance Is Abundant; Groceries Are Less So
Published: March 23, 2008
To brokers, at least, Clinton Hill’s eastern boundary is fluid. Anne Buckley, an agent with Fillmore Real Estate, says the border is inching toward Bedford-Stuyvesant, with prices on Classon and Franklin Avenues comparable to those at the heart of Clinton Hill.
For example, a recent condo development called Lofts on Lex is being marketed as Clinton Hill but lies just outside, in Bedford-Stuyvesant. A penthouse duplex there is listed at $999,000. “Bed-Stuy is the next wave,” Ms. Buckley said.
The Clinton Hill Co-op constitutes one of the neighborhood’s most populous housing options. Its 12 dark brick ’40s-era buildings are divided into two campuses on Clinton Avenue: one between Myrtle and Willoughby Avenues, the other at Lafayette Avenue. With the exception of one 7-story building, they rise 12 to 15 stories. John Dew, the president of the board of directors, said the 1,221 units house about 3,000 people. He added that many longtime tenants live in rent-stabilized apartments, though there are now few rental opportunities.
In the shadows of these towers, however, dwells a mostly low-rise area. Last July, the City Council adopted a rezoning plan for Fort Greene and Clinton Hill intended to preserve their brownstone character, in response to an increase in “out of context” development.
The pride of the neighborhood is Clinton Avenue and its row of mansions, as well as St. Joseph’s College. At one time the avenue was a premier address, said Robert Perris, district manager of Community Board 2. Street signs erected by the Landmarks Preservation Commission inform passers-by that “Clinton Hill is representative of an upper-class urban neighborhood and streetscape of its day.” This quality is most charmingly hinted at in the carriage houses along Waverly Avenue.
WHAT YOU’LL PAY
Condos and co-ops average about $500 per square foot, brokers say. Double duplex brownstones command from $1.2 million to $3 million, on average, depending on condition, according to Ms. Buckley. She added that rentals average $1,600 to $2,000 for a one-bedroom and upward of $1,800 for a two-bedroom. Three-bedrooms are rare, she said, but demand is growing.
Two-bedroom two-bath condos in the Azure start at $599,000. The Clinton Hill Co-ops average $350,000 to $400,000 for a one-bedroom and $450,000 to $490,000 for a two-bedroom, Mr. Dew said. He spoke excitedly of the area’s retail revitalization, but acknowledged, “A number of residents have been priced out.”
WHAT TO DO
The Society for Clinton Hill, which once led a house tour yearly, now does so every other year. (The next will take place in May 2009.) The Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Afro-Punk music festival, which had its debut a few summers ago, will return to Clinton Hill this year. The area is known for churches like Queen of All Saints, a French Gothic structure on Vanderbilt Avenue. And the local branch of the Brooklyn Public Library is on Clinton Avenue.
Fort Greene Park — next door to Clinton Hill — is beloved by many residents. And Brooklyn Flea, a new market showcasing local vendors, will start on April 6 and continue each Sunday at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School, a block away in Fort Greene.
THE COMMUTE
The C and G subways serve the area. Both stop on Washington Avenue; the G also stops at Classon Avenue.
Bus lines include the 54, along Myrtle Avenue, and the 52 along Greene Avenue. The 69 runs north-south along Vanderbilt Avenue, shuttling passengers to and from Prospect Park.
THE SCHOOLS
Elementary schools include Public School 11, Purvis J. Behan. It received a “proficient” grade in the city’s 2007-8 Quality Review Report. Last year, 79 percent of its fourth-graders met state standards in English and 95 percent in math, versus 62 and 74 percent citywide.
Of eighth-graders at Satellite Three, on Gates Avenue, 37 percent met state English standards and 34 percent in math, versus 46 in each citywide.
High school students at Benjamin Banneker Academy who took the SAT last year averaged 450 in reading, 458 in math and 447 in writing, versus 441, 462 and 433 citywide. |
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