Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, NY
About Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Prospect Heights is a small neighborhood in central Brooklyn. The area is home to a number of cultural institutions, including the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Public Library, and Barclays Center. The neighborhood takes its name from Prospect Park, whose main entrance is at the southern edge of the neighborhood.
Prospect Heights is full of tree-lined streets lined with historic brownstones homes and small apartment buildings. Larger, stately pre-war apartment buildings line Grand Army Plaza and Eastern Parkway, while new high-rise apartment and condo buildings are under construction as part of the Pacific Park megadevelopment.
The History of Prospect Heights
Originally Lenape land, the area was settled by colonial Dutch farmers beginning in the 1630s. Flatbush Ave. roughly traces the path of a Native American and later Dutch and English road across the area now known as Brooklyn. During the Battle of Brooklyn at the start of the Revolutionary War, George Washington used the area’s hills as a lookout post, from which Prospect Park and Prospect Heights take their name. Beginning in the 1850s, a new street grid was laid through the area and new homes began to be built. The area’s popularity grew after the construction of Prospect Park in the 1860s and 1870s. In the early 1900s, ornate apartment buildings were built up along the new Eastern Parkway.
Prospect Heights Demographics
Prospect Heights is home to about 20,000 residents. The neighborhood is home to a higher proportion of residents in their 30s than the city average. About half the neighborhood residents are white, a quarter are black, and 10 percent are Hispanic. There is a much higher proportion of high-income earners in this neighborhood than the city average, and the median income in the neighborhood is above average.
Transportation in Prospect Heights
Prospect Heights has excellent transportation options. The Atlantic Ave-Barclays Center subway stop is the junction of 9 lines, allowing commuters easy quick rides to lower and Midtown Manhattan or points across Brooklyn. There are several other stops around the edges of the neighborhood, meaning residents here don’t have to walk too far to reach the subway. Cyclists benefit from bike lanes crisscrossing the neighborhood (and running into Manhattan via either the Brooklyn or Manhattan Bridges). Drivers may face a harder time, with limited parking in the neighborhood and constant traffic on Flatbush and Atlantic Aves.
Housing in Prospect Heights
Much of the neighborhood is distinguished by its classic Brooklyn brownstones and small apartment buildings on tree-lined blocks. Most of the neighborhood is designated a historic district, which preserves these older homes and mostly limits new construction. Eastern Parkway and Plaza Street (around Grand Army Plaza) are home to bigger, classic pre-war apartment buildings. New construction and conversion of old industrial buildings has also added a number of small-scale condos throughout the blocks in the northern part of the neighborhood. New high-rise buildings have come to the neighborhood as part of the Pacific Park megadevelopment.
Neighborhood Life in Prospect Heights
Prospect Heights has a cozy, neighborhood feel. Residents congregate on stoops and in the neighborhood’s several small parks and playgrounds and wave to passers-by on the quiet side streets. The commercial avenues are lined with several unique small businesses, including an array of neighborhood restaurants and bars. Around the edges of the Prospect Heights are a wealth of unique amenities: the great outdoors of Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the arena at Barclays Center, and the cultural offerings of the Brooklyn Museum and Brooklyn Public Library.
Prospect Heights Real Estate Trends
Most of Prospect Heights is designated a historic district which means that new construction has been limited. Major new construction is underway at the northern edge of the neighborhood where the Pacific Place megadevelopment is adding new high-rise residential buildings. Many smaller-scale projects throughout the northern part of the neighborhood are adding condos and some apartments in new buildings or conversions of old industrial spaces. Many of the neighborhood’s historic brownstones and older apartment buildings have been renovated and have seen rapidly appreciated values over the past decade. Home values have climbed 35 percent in the last five years, much faster than borough or city averages.
Prospect Heights Median Sale Price (USD):
1bd 780,000
2bd 1,530,000
3bd 1,750,000
Prospect Heights Median Rent Price (USD):
Studio 2,200
1bd 2,600
2bd 3,300
3bd 4,200
Neighborhoods Similar to Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
The Truth You Should Know About Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
How Safe is Prospect Heights?
Most of Prospect Heights has average or below-average crime rates. An area near the intersection of Washington and Atlantic Aves. and another including Barclays Center have an above-average crime rate. The neighborhood can be somewhat quiet at night, but the commercial avenues are generally well-populated and well-lit and most side streets are lined with houses, so few areas feel abandoned after dark.
Are Schools Good in Prospect Heights?
Schools in Prospect Heights are generally well-rated. PS 9, the elementary school serving almost the entire neighborhood, scores highly on test scores but only average on student progress. There are several charter school options nearby, as well. A new middle school is being built in the neighborhood, but it won’t open until at least 2022.
Popular Eateries in Prospect Heights?
What to Do in Prospect Heights?
Have a barbecue, go for a run, or see an outdoor concert in the 500-acre Prospect Park
Pick up farm-fresh produce at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket (the second largest in New York City)
Tour the unique exhibits and art collections at the Brooklyn Museum
Wander the rose gardens, Japanese pond, conservatories, or cherry walk at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Meet the local stroller set at Underhill Playground
Cheer on the Brooklyn Nets
Have a drink at the Bearded Lady, the upscale 50’s style lounge features a menu of innovative cocktails
Is Prospect Heights Dog Friendly?
Prospect Heights is a fine neighborhood for dogs. There are no dog parks in the neighborhood, but lots of quiet streets and small parks for dog walking. Prospect Park has several designated dog-friendly areas and allows dogs off-leash before 9 AM or after 9 PM. The neighborhood has lots of pet stores and services for dogs and quite a few pet-friendly buildings, as well.
Is Prospect Heights Good for Cycling?
Prospect Heights is a great neighborhood for cyclists. Nearby Prospect Park features a car-free loop road that is a popular route for serious riders and families alike. Several bike lanes through the neighborhood connect to nearby destinations and allow an easy bike commute to downtown Brooklyn or lower Manhattan. The neighborhood’s mostly quiet streets make for comfortable riding. Bicycle Habitat (560 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238) is a popular shop for bikes, equipment, and repairs or tune-ups.
5 Things to Know Before Moving to Prospect Heights
Part of the neighborhood is on the flight path to LaGuardia Airport and residents have complained about excessive airplane noise.
The Pacific Park megaproject will be a construction zone for well over a decade.
The Barclays Center gets very crowded during and after events. It’s wise to avoid the area unless you’re prepared to deal with large mobs of people
There is a farmer’s market at Grand Army Plaza on Sundays
There are a variety of housing options from row houses to luxury condos to restored co-ops.