At the northern edge of Prospect Park in Brooklyn, a 14-acre plaza anchors not just the park itself, but several of Brooklyn’s leading cultural institutions. Opened in the 1860s, Grand Army Plaza has been one of the borough’s most important gathering points for more than 150 years.
Brooklyn Rentals Under $3K on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Weeksville
1614 Prospect Place
$2,600No Fee
3 |
1
Bushwick
8 Palmetto Street
$2,027No Fee
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1
Greenwood
275 22nd Street
$2,700No Fee
1 |
1
Crown Heights
1236 Pacific Street
$2,815No Fee
2 |
1
Flatbush
177 Veronica Place
$2,650No Fee
2 |
1
Flatbush
1250 New York Avenue
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1
Flatbush
223 Martense Street
$2,700No Fee
2 |
1
Flatbush
223 Martense Street
$2,600No Fee
2 |
1.5
Stuyvesant Heights
382 Kosciuszko Street
$2,650No Fee
1 |
1
Wingate
668 Rutland Road
$3,000No Fee
1 |
1
Bushwick
649 Hart Street
$2,581No Fee
Studio |
1
Bushwick
649 Hart Street
$2,542No Fee
Studio |
1
What Is Grand Army Plaza?
The oval-shaped plaza serves two main functions. The first is to provide a suitably grand main entrance to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, which it surely does. The second is more practical: to route traffic flowing in and out from several major thoroughfares.
Eight streets converge on Grand Army Plaza’s two concentric ring roads. These roads serve as major arteries connecting adjacent neighborhoods with the rest of this sizable borough. The plaza features a majestic triumphal arch, a fountain, and several prominent statues.
The Plaza’s Glorious History
The origins of Grand Army Plaza date to 1865, when designer Calvert Vaux submitted revised plans for what would become Prospect Park. Prospect Park had been in the works since 1859, when the New York state legislature authorized Brooklyn to create more public land. It wanted a space comparable to Manhattan’s celebrated Central Park — which Vaux and partner Frederick Law Olmstead had already created in 1858 — for its own rapidly growing populace. They selected an area known as Prospect Hill.
The Original Design
Early designs called for Flatbush Avenue to cut through the entire length of the new wooded preserve. But the Civil War halted all construction. After the war, Vaux and Olmsted substantially altered the designs, scrapping the Flatbush Avenue bisection. They then added an elegant, oval-shaped plaza at the park’s northernmost corner. “Prospect Park Plaza” was one of the first sections of the park to be completed. (Along with Eastern Parkway, also designed by Vaux and Olmsted, and considered the world’s first parkway). The area was paved with granite blocks and lined with artificial berms designed to minimize traffic noise. Unfortunately, this early iteration was “devoid of all life and a stony waste,” according to the Brooklyn Parks Commission’s 1888 annual report.
Brooklyn Homes Under $1M on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Greenpoint
189 Greenpoint Avenue
$799,000
1 |
1
Canarsie
1446 East 84th Street
$999,000
6 |
4
Midwood
820 Ocean Parkway
$525,000
2 |
2
Gerritsen Beach
35 Keen Court
$999,999
3 |
3
Ditmas Park
385 East 16th Street
$580,000
2 |
1
Bath Beach
1826 Bath Avenue
$720,000
2 |
2
DUMBO
85 Adams Street
$999,000
1 |
1
Canarsie
9522 Flatlands Avenue
$950,000
3 |
1
Brighton Beach
51 Brighton 1 Place
$599,000
3 |
2
Greenpoint
282A Nassau Avenue
$999,000
2 |
2
Wingate
409 Winthrop Street
$850,000
3 |
2
East Flatbush
282 East 39th Street
$949,000
4 |
4
Additions and Expansions
So, in 1889, a series of alterations began. First came the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Arch, a triumphal arch honoring members of the victorious Union Army, dedicated in 1892. Bronze embellishments were later added. These include bas reliefs of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant and the iconic horse and chariot statue at its top. That was followed by additional statues and new fountains.
Later alterations to the public space included the incorporation of subway stops in the late 1910s. The existing Bailey Fountain was added in 1932, and a bust of John F. Kennedy in 1965. As for the name, Prospect Park Plaza officially became Grand Army Plaza in 1926, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Grand Army of the Republic veterans’ organization.
Why Does Grand Army Plaza’s Arch Look So Familiar?
Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Arch, rising 80 feet above the plaza, follows the quintessential design of a Roman-style triumphal arch. Notably, it was completed three years before the smaller, though more famous, arch in Greenwich Village’s Washington Square Park.
Its marble facades, towering stature, and location at the center of an elaborate traffic circle often spark comparisons to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. That arch, however, is more than double the size, standing a staggering 164 feet tall.
Grand Army Plaza Today… and Tomorrow
Today, Grand Army Plaza is a regular meeting point for locals and visitors alike. Thanks to its central location, it is also a major location for political protests and rallies for social justice. In addition, it is home to Brooklyn’s flagship farmers’ market, Greenmarket at Grand Army Plaza, every Saturday (year-round). From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., dozens of regional farmers and craft-food purveyors sell to thousands of hungry Brooklynites.
In November 2020, designs were finalized for an $8.9 million overhaul of the plaza. Plans include new lighting, native plantings on the outer berms, a decorative steel fence, and accessible pavers. The most exciting work is on the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Arch, restoring its interior and replacing its roof. By the end of 2022, the arch will open to the public during special occasions.
Park Slope Rentals Under $3,500 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Park Slope
173 15th Street
$3,100No Fee
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1
Park Slope
322 Seventh Avenue
$2,675No Fee
Studio |
1
Park Slope
605 6th Street
$2,595No Fee
Studio |
1
Park Slope
458 Fifth Avenue
$3,250No Fee
1 |
1
Park Slope
364 15th Street
$2,850No Fee
1 |
1
Park Slope
339 3rd Street
$2,895No Fee
1 |
1
Park Slope
122 Sterling Place
$3,500No Fee
1 |
1
Park Slope
10 Jackson Place
$2,995No Fee
1 |
1
Park Slope
175 15th Street
$3,475No Fee
2 |
1
Park Slope
359 15th Street
$3,500No Fee
1 |
1
Park Slope
675 Union Street
$3,250No Fee
1 |
1
Park Slope
3 Prospect Place
$2,900No Fee
Studio |
1
The Neighborhoods Surrounding Grand Army Plaza
Bordering Grand Army Plaza are two of Brooklyn’s most desirable neighborhoods. Park Slope lies to the south and west, and Prospect Heights, to the north and east. Tree-lined residential streets feature rows of ornate Belle Epoque brownstones and limestone townhouses. Commercial streets have convenient access to subways, a lively mix of restaurants, and plenty of shopping. There’s also a clutch of significant cultural institutions, including the Brooklyn Museum and flagship Brooklyn Public Library.
Prospect Heights Rentals Under $3,500 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Prospect Heights
702 Washington Avenue
$2,550No Fee
Studio |
1
Prospect Heights
85 Eastern Parkway
$3,500No Fee
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1
Prospect Heights
195 Underhill Avenue
$2,552No Fee
Studio |
1
Prospect Heights
313 Saint Mark’s Avenue
$3,250No Fee
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1
Prospect Heights
664 Washington Avenue
$2,999No Fee
2 |
1
Prospect Heights
18 Sixth Avenue
$3,450No Fee
Studio |
1
Prospect Heights
595 Dean Street
$3,415No Fee
Studio |
1
Prospect Heights
67 Sixth Avenue
$3,000No Fee
1 |
1
Prospect Heights
736 Washington Avenue
$3,100No Fee
1 |
1.5
Prospect Heights
541 Bergen Street
$3,193No Fee
1 |
1
Prospect Heights
179 Park Place
$2,750No Fee
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1
Prospect Heights
541 Bergen Street
$3,488No Fee
2 |
1
Unsurprisingly, neither area lands on StreetEasy’s list of most affordable neighborhoods in Brooklyn. The median asking rent as of October 2021 is $3,175 in Park Slope and $3,050 in Prospect Heights. That’s much higher than the median rent in Brooklyn overall, $2,600. But it’s still less than Manhattan’s $3,300.
Potential homebuyers are looking at a median asking price of $1.4 million in Park Slope and $975,000 in Prospect Heights. That compares to a median of $948,000 for all of Brooklyn — and $1.5 million for Manhattan.