building at 255 Eastern Parkway

"Is there anything strange to look out for?" Gee, let's see now...

Are you serious?!? YOU'RE IN CROWN @#$%&*/ HEIGHTS, FOR G-D SAKES!!!

Indeed, beware the hybrid offspring, resulting from neighbors getting along way better than the media would ever admit:

The Black Lubavitcher Trust Fund Hipsters! That's right - & the cuisine possibilities alone would be a compelling reason to consider moving to the area.

In all seriousness, from what I've been reading over the last couple of years or so, the neighborhood is gentrifying at a pace more rapid than anyone really could have anticipated. It took over 3 DECADES for Prospect Heights to get resurrected, mainly from Park Slope "spillover", but Crown Heights is catching up in just a few short years. Same thing with Bed Stuy; the "Brownstone Belt" is now practically contiguous, with previous sketchy pockets filling in.

I've seen ads for this building, including the recent mega apartment I have a feeling you're referring to. Looks very nice,; my pediatrician was in that building when we lived in the area - first at 392 St Johns Place when I was born, thoen 201 Eastern Parkway when my sister came along. Please note this was in the 1960s, when things started getting really rough in the area & long time residents leaving in droves. We left in 1966, when my parents bought our 1st & only house in Sheepshead Bay.

But my mother always maintained the area would one day come back. She would fondly talk about how convenient it was to just hop on the subway & be in downtown Brooklyn in 10 minutes. And we were always either in the Gardens or the Park, along with the museum & library, mainly for school projects.

It may take decades, she said - & she was right!

In 1980, while still living at home, I told my parents I was interested in a co-op I saw an ad for.

"So where is it?" my mom asked.

"425 Prospect Place."

She nearly fell out of her chair. "WHAT?!? WHAT?!? ARE YOU CRAZY?!? RIGHT DOWN THE BLOCK FROM THE HOSPITAL - & THE SHUTTLE EL?!?"

"But Ma, studios are just $10,000 & one bedrooms $12,000."

"Well of COURSE they are! If someone's going to risk their life living there, they shouldn't have to pay a fortune for that privilege!"

I didn't buy there, but fast forward to present day: The hospital is now a luxury rental building, the Franklin Avenue Shuttle has been rehabilitated & one bedrooms at 425 Prospect Place....are now going for around $350,000. Yes, a 4 story, early 20th century walk-up building.

255 is also in a very convenient location, as I'm sure you already know just from the ad alone. And that new building going up on the corner is the site of a former Manufacturers Hanover Trust branch - where my mom had her checking account. Loved playing with all those deposit & withdrawal slips!

I would say it would be very exciting to be part of the renaissance taking place in the area. Best of luck in whatever you decide!

just don't forget that being part of the renaissance, as walpurgis says, is fantastic, but can also have it's share of nightmares. the new restaurants will fly in, but the drug addicts will still show up and prey on the new blood in the neighborhood. you can reap huge sums of money when you sell, or be in the hospital for 2 months or 6 feet under. there's always a give and take.

typically, you have the poor artist types come into the neighborhood and improve it before it's yuppified. that's what doing on in Bed Sty, but not here. the "safe" zone is just expanding. had shareholders in my old coop, who lived 2 blocks off Grand Army Plaza, say that the drug dealings were going on on their block daily. That was when it was considered that the area already passed the renaisance. You don't worry about the drug dealers, but the buyers.

back in 1980 my uncle was offered a 2/3 bedroom apartment in that immediate area for $75 per month. the lubavich owner wanted a jew in the apartment and was giving it away.

This area is perfectly fine. It's right across the street from the museum and Franklin avenue is the hottest commercial strip in Brooklyn right now. Great subways, across from the park, lot's of people walking around and NYPD has a strong police presence. It's still the city and you have knuckleheads walking around but it's no worse than Fort Greene and Clinton Hill.

Cantdecide any update from someone who's lived there since 2012 to YTD. I've only heard good things about Franklin Avenue as the next up and coming version of Vanderbilt Ave ... and I love that there are some pre-war spaces that are still affordable. One question I have is about parking -- how is parking in the area, are there locations to rent monthly (either through another resident or commercial)?

Thank you in advance.

@andrea_gayle

Anyone living in this building (owner or rental) care to comment on it?