what do you think about carroll gardens?

It's Brooklyn Heights Light.

If you live anywhere near the BQE (and I speak from experience), you will NEVER be able to keep your windows open for any length of time without getting a film of greasy black grit everywhere. It's a housekeeping nightmare. I don't even want to think of the health implications.

I love Carroll Gardens, but getting too far down Court Street gets you into Red Hook, so check the school district boundaries.

That said Carroll Gardens still has some of that old Brooklyn charm left, Court Street Pastry, D'Amico Coffee roasters and a sort of old school movie theater. I can't think of any good large grocery stores though there is a Fairway warehouse store in Red Hook, also plenty of little markets for savory items and fruits and vegetables. Too many charming little restaurants and shops that spill down to Cobble Hill. I have friends that bought a place in Cobble Hill (stones throw from CG) and are raising their son there and love it, lot's of little ones in the hood.

I think it's very safe but as you get towards the BQE it can definitively start to feel a little creepy at night.

Real estate prices held up well even in the aftermath of the "crash" and many clients I was working with were very frustrated as they waited for prices to crater and this never happened. People I know in the area attributed this to a large number of family's that are anchored to the neighborhood as one possible reason.

I definitively give Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill two thumbs up.

Keith Burkhardt
The Burkhardt Group

guest: C.Gardens is very nice. Walk around and you'll see families out for a stroll.

It's much nicer and safer there than it was years ago.

If BQE pollution worries your wife there are nicer,safer neighborhoods in Brooklyn with fresh sea air.
I've posted about Bay Ridge: Clean, safe,nice parks, good schools and shopping.
Express bus to Manhattan, R train for subway.
The B63 bus runs all the way down 5th ave.: from 95th st.(Bay Ridge) subway station stop to Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Keith is right that you don't want to be walking down near that BQE area after dark.

KeithB: what are your thoughts on buyer profiles for Cobble Hill (assume P.S. 29 zone)?

Matt: Don't be surprised to see a new beer called "Brooklyn Heights Light".

Truth, I'm with you on Bay Ridge. I adore that neighborhood. But having to go into Manhattan every day ... nyet. It's just too far.

yeah, we checked the school district and it's in the zone we want to send the kid to school. It's about 3 blocks from the bqe along court street. the unit has windows that face the interior, so windows face away from the BQE. I see so many kids around there and the areas seems kid friendly.

I guess my big concerns are the BQE pollution, and just what the vibe of the neighborhood is....night or day. Seems like some nice mid-level or high end restaurants. cool vibe.

besides this, our other option is park slope south.

thanks for any help out there!

nyc10023 Attributing a certain "profile of buyer" to a neighborhood makes me a little uneasy. Also I am pretty sure it violates fair housing rules.

Keith
The Burkhardt Group

True, Matt.

It's an hour and 2 minutes all the way in from 95th st. station, going all local to 59th st./Lex. ave.
You can switch to the N train at 59th st. (Bklyn)and go express after that around 40 minutes total to 59th st./Lex.

The bus takes an hour and ten minutes from Shore Road/4th Ave. to Mad./E.57th st.
There is also an "Express" express bus -- it skips downtown by taking the FDR at 23rd st.
Cuts the travel time in half.

99:Take a ride on that B63 bus, end to end. It travels through Park Slope. Get off at the last stop and walk around Shore Road Park. Walk on 3rd ave. for good restaurants.
You'll notice soldiers (I don't refer to individuals as "troops". Did Safire do a column on that before he retired, Keith?) from Fort Hamilton walking around.
You want safe, 99? That's safe!
They are very polite and helpful.
I call it "the sea to shining sea" route.

> I definitively give Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill two thumbs up.

Ditto... I think the two best neighborhoods in Brooklyn, then Boerum...

Is it really an FHA violation? Let me re-phrase. Are your buyers young families, singles?

Lol. I will keep my thoughts to myself on this issue, I agree with the spirit of it but think it goes a little to far (:
I do such a statistically small % of deals in Brooklyn in general my sales data is irrelevant.

But go have a walk around one Saturday or Sunday, great shopping on Smith Street and have dinner at Frankies 457 http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/28040/restaurant/New-York/Carroll-Gardens/Frankies-457-Brooklyn

" > I definitively give Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill two thumbs up.

Ditto... I think the two best neighborhoods in Brooklyn, then Boerum..."

I actually think Cobble Hills is one of the better neighborhoods in manhattan/brooklyn combined. only neighborhoods that i prefer over cobble hill are greenwich village, west village, west chelsea, tribeca.

Frankies, yum!

What BQE??

I meant what's BQE?

Barbeque.

For your safety switel, please do not attempt to have a barbeque on the BQE.

it stands for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, the elevated highway down by the tunnel

"COME ON DOWN, guest99!"
Spin the wheel for great prizes! ;)

I've lived where you are referring to Guest99, now going on 5 years. I absolutely love the area and it's very safe. I think CG is a top 5 NYC nabe and quite frankly, it's the anti-BK Heights. I moved to BK to get away from Manhattan congestion and it still has that old-world charm to it. For what it's worth, my property value is up 7% comparing like-for-like comps, which is not bad post great recession. Since I've moved there, the south of court street area has blossomed with new destination-type establishments: Buttermilk Channel, Luna Rossa Pizza, Dubuque, CG Vet, vintage stores, Court Street Grocers, Palo Cortado Tapas, Bourgeois Pig, Prime Meats and former Treats Truck opening a space just south of W9th. Also the Smith-9th Street renovation should be finished soon-ish. My wife would say the BQE soot is not too great for her OCD cleaning ways, but our sunny, open southern exposure views and my building in particular is 95% great. I plan to keep my place long-term/rental after having refinanced and rent is continuing to creep up in the area. Also the point about family's anchored to the area is really valid. They just opened and are already expanding the International School of Brooklyn and PS 54/29 are top public schools. Good luck.

What do you think of that new building on Congress & Hicks - seems to have sold out quickly. What's the deal?

thanks Curious007, that is really informative, really appreciate it. What about safety, at night down near the station on smith?

Someone was also pointing me in the direction of the Court Street Lofts at 505. What's the situation these days, if you know. I know there is some history there.

thanks again,

there will be issues by smith/9th st station as it is one of two train stations that Red Hook projects utilize. on the other hand, if the cops will be there 24/7 as they are surrounding the projects in Cobble Hill/Boerum Hill projects, you'll be safe.

Truth, if you think that it takes 1 hr to go from 92nd in Bay Ridge to Midtown, you're as dumb as my yuppie friends who moved there. They kept saying that it took them 45 min to get to 14 street. After just 1 yr in a huge prewar 2 bedroom, they moved into LES bread box and admitted that 90% of the time it took 1 1/2 hr on R or just over an hour if they were lucky enough to catch the N on 59th as the R was pulling in.

I do love Bay Ridge though. Plenty of restaurants/bars, easy access to LI, SI, NJ, etc and some good schools. Taking the express bus for an hour is much better for your mental health then living in Washington Heights and taking the train during rush hour for 1/2 hr or more.

I LOVE Carroll Gardens !! I have been looking for a new place all week as I have to move out of CG (rent went up! 2 bedrooms are now $3500 to $4000). Smith street is so vibrant, shops, patisseries, restaurant, shops Beautiful shops (Swallow/ retrospect...) Court street is more mellow but you find the best food ( Prime meats/ Frankies / Watty and Meg) great treasure shop (vintage home decor, furniture etc...).
I have a little girl, her daycare is on W9th and Smith and I don't have any problem with the project people, they say hi and don't mean any harm (One helped me once carry a table I had just bought (small) as I had to push the stroller too. He carried my table all the way to mu place and I gave him $10. He was really nice).
I am actually looking down that area now as it is much cheaper than my beloved Henry street apt...
To sum up, it is still cool and you can feel like a responsible parent at the same time.
Hope this helps.

ab makes a good point.
I've taken it to and from Manhattan.
I don't even have much time to read before the bus emerges from the tunnel into Manhattan.
(Most times within 30 minutes.)

ab, did you see that new elementary school that was built on 4th ave.?
New schools being built is always good for a neighborhood.

But ab , my friend from Italy timed it on the R train.
Took it all the way to E.59th/Lex going local. One hour and 2 minutes. (Of course the good news is you can get a seat.) And if you get on the R at 95th St. station there's always a train waiting there. One doesn't leave until another R train rolls in.
I guess she traveled during the 10% timeframe and was lucky not to have delays.

What about the areas closer to Gowanus? How far (west) into CG would any of the pollution concerns be an issue?