89-542: The Crescent Athletic Club House is a building at 129 Pierrepont Street at the corner of Clinton Street in Brooklyn Heights , Brooklyn , New York City . Designed by prominent Brooklyn-based architect Frank Freeman and completed in 1906, the building is known today as the Bosworth Building of Saint Ann's School . The Crescent Athletic Club was one of the most successful New York sporting clubs of
178-531: A plateau on a high bluff that rises sharply from the river's edge and gradually recedes on the landward side. Before the Dutch settled on Long Island in the middle of the seventeenth century, this promontory was called Ihpetonga ("the high sandy bank") by the native Lenape American Indians . Ferries across the East River were running as early as 1642, serving the farms in the area. The most significant of
267-547: A "stoop", a word derived from Dutch. The basement is typically a half-flight down from the street, and was used as the work area for servants, including the kitchen. The first floor would be the location of the public rooms, bedrooms were on the second floor, and servants' quarters were on the top floor. The rear of the lot would feature a private garden. Aside from rowhouses, a number of houses, particularly along Pierrepont Street and Pierrepont Place, are authentic mansions . The concentration of over 600 pre-Civil War houses, one of
356-555: A 34-story condominium, which now contains the smaller library at its base. In the interim, the BPL branch moved to the temporary 109 Remsen Street location, until the new location was completed in 2022. Brooklyn Heights is serviced by numerous subway services, specifically the A and C trains at High Street ; the A , C , F , <F> , N , R , and W trains at Jay Street–MetroTech ;
445-729: A Civil War era coffee warehouse. It was converted to mixed-use retail and office space, and it includes West Elm's global flagship store. Other retailers in Empire Stores include Detroit-based watchmaker Shinola and the café and accessories store, FEED Projects . In May 2017, the Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS) opened a new branch in Empire Stores (its main location is in Brooklyn Heights ). BHS features exhibits and artifacts relating to DUMBO's industrial past. In May 2019, Time Out Market opened in Empire Stores. The food hall features 21 local vendors, including
534-660: A cluster of for-profit art galleries such as the Klompching Gallery, and such not-for-profit institutions as the St. Ann's Warehouse the A.I.R. Gallery and the first post-COVID-19 performance venue to open in the area The Rat NYC (May 2024). Chef Jacques Torres opened a chocolate factory in Dumbo in December 2000. Other culinary businesses in the area include Grimaldi's , Ample Hills Creamery , Almondine Bakery, and
623-425: A few 2/1/2-story late Federal houses from the early 19th century in the northern part of the neighborhood. Some houses were constructed of brick, but the dominant building material was brownstone or "Jersey freestone", a reddish-brown stone from Passaic County, New Jersey . A typical brownstone rowhouse was three or four stories tall, with the main floor above the street level and reached by stairs, referred to as
712-566: A firmly middle-class area, which became "one of New York City's most pleasant and attractive neighborhoods." Starting in 2008, Brooklyn Bridge Park was built along the shoreline of the East River. As of 2018 the park was 90% complete, and it is now completely renovated. The Squibb Park Bridge was constructed in 2013 to provide access between the park and the rest of Brooklyn Heights, but had to be demolished in 2019 due to various structural issues. A replacement bridge opened in 2020. By
801-474: A high school education and 25% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 40% of Brooklynites and 38% of city residents have a college education or higher. The percentage of Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene students excelling in math rose from 27 percent in 2000 to 50 percent in 2011, and reading achievement rose from 34% to 41% during the same time period. Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene's rate of elementary school student absenteeism
890-421: A library. Much of the original interior has since been altered, but the building retains some of its original rooms. The decorated marble floor in the main hall is now covered with linoleum , while the classical-style murals in the hall and library have also survived, albeit in indifferent condition. Notes Bibliography Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn Heights is a residential neighborhood within
979-408: A magnificent terra cotta frieze ", and a final, heavy cornice. The interior of the clubhouse originally featured "a fantastic variety of spaces", including a swimming pool, rifle range and bowling alley in the basement, squash and handball courts, a gymnasium on the top floor, a billiard room, a double-height, oak -panelled dining room on the third floor, a grand hall, sleeping quarters and
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#17327838940871068-552: A manufacturing district, with warehouses and factories that made machinery, paper boxes, spices and Brillo soap pads. The cardboard box was invented in the Robert Gair building on Washington Street by Robert Gair , a Scottish emigrant; because of Gair's fame, the area was known as Gairsville for a long time. The Gair building is now home to Etsy . The Jay Street Connecting Railroad ran through Dumbo's waterfront from circa 1904–1906 through 1957. It ran from rail yards beneath
1157-555: A number of historic buildings to house their staff, including the former Hotel Bossert , once the seasonal home of many Dodgers players, on Montague Street. In 2010, the organization announced plans to begin selling off its numerous properties in the Heights and nearby downtown Brooklyn, given that it plans to relocate itself in upstate New York. The executive offices of the Brooklyn Dodgers were, for many years, located in
1246-596: A prominent area of Brooklyn since 1834. The neighborhood is noted for its low-rise architecture and its many brownstone rowhouses , most of them built prior to the Civil War . It also has an abundance of notable churches and other religious institutions. Brooklyn's first art gallery, the Brooklyn Arts Gallery , was opened in Brooklyn Heights in 1958. In 1965, a large part of Brooklyn Heights
1335-410: A relatively low population of residents who are uninsured , or who receive healthcare through Medicaid . In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 4%, which is lower than the citywide rate of 12%. However, this estimate was based on a small sample size. The concentration of fine particulate matter , the deadliest type of air pollutant , in Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene
1424-545: A resolution of the alderman. In Historically Speaking , Brooklyn borough historian John B. Manbeck says only that these street names "have questionable origins", as does Love Lane , which reputedly gets its name from the meetings that took place there between a pretty girl who lived nearby and her suitors. There have been many noted residents of Brooklyn Heights. The dates listed are their respective birth and death dates. Famous residents include: Notes Dumbo, Brooklyn Dumbo (or DUMBO , an acronym for Down Under
1513-413: A select neighborhood and circle of society." Where there had been only seven houses in the Heights in 1807, by 1860 there were over six hundred of them, and by 1890 the area was almost completely developed. The buildings were designed in a wide variety of styles; development started in the northern part, and moved southward, so the architecture general changes in that direction as the preferred style of
1602-483: A surveyor and submitted an alternative. In the end, the Hickses' plan was adopted north of Clark Street, and Pierrepont's, featuring 25-by-100-foot (8-by-30 meter) lots, south of it. Thanks to the influence of Pierrepont and other landowners, Brooklyn received a charter from the state as a village in 1816, which led to streets being laid out in a regular grid pattern, sidewalks being laid, water pumps being installed and
1691-412: Is 0.0088 milligrams per cubic metre (8.8 × 10 oz/cu ft), lower than the citywide and boroughwide averages. Eleven percent of Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene residents are smokers , which is slightly lower than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene, 24% of residents are obese , 6% are diabetic , and 25% have high blood pressure —compared to
1780-644: Is a 7,800 square foot outdoor climbing gym located in the Main Street section of Brooklyn Bridge Park, and is the largest outdoor bouldering gym in North America. The building at 200 Water Street, which the Brillo Manufacturing Co. once occupied, is being renovated as a high-end condo building. The DUMBO Archway is a popular location for film shoots, art exhibitions, live music, large-scale events, and watch parties for events like
1869-402: Is about equal to the rest of New York City. In Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene, 20% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year , the same as the citywide average. Additionally, 75% of high school students in Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene graduate on time, equal to the citywide average. St. Ann's School , a K–12 school, is located in the neighborhood, with
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#17327838940871958-589: Is covered by ZIP Code 11201. The United States Post Office operates two locations nearby: the Cadman Plaza Station at 271 Cadman Plaza East, and the DUMBO Automated Postal Center at 84 Front Street. Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene generally have a higher ratio of college-educated residents than the rest of the city as of 2018 . The majority of residents (64%) have a college education or higher, while 11% have less than
2047-739: Is located at 74 Middagh Street, serving the northern part of the neighborhood, while Engine Co. 224 is located at 274 Hicks Street, serving the southern part of the neighborhood. A third fire station, Engine Co. 207/Ladder Co. 110/Satellite 6/Battalion 31/Division 11, is located at 172 Tillary Street in nearby Fort Greene . As of 2018 , preterm births and births to teenage mothers are less common in Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene than in other places citywide. In Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene, there were 74 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 11.6 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene have
2136-465: Is lower than that of the city as a whole. The 84th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 82.3% between 1990 and 2018. The precinct reported 2 murders, 18 rapes, 147 robberies, 184 felony assaults, 126 burglaries, 650 grand larcenies, and 31 grand larcenies auto in 2018. Brooklyn Heights is served by two New York City Fire Department (FDNY) fire stations. Engine Co. 205/Ladder Co. 118
2225-455: Is referred to by the school as the Bosworth Building, after the school's first headmaster. Though sometimes disparaged in comparison with Freeman's earlier Richardsonian Romanesque works, this Classical Revival building rooted in north Italian 16th-century palazzo styles nevertheless incorporates some interesting design features. Chief among these is the fact that the building appears to be only four or five stories in height, when in fact it
2314-426: Is twelve. The optical illusion is achieved primarily by the use of double-height windows which each span two floors. The base of the building is constructed of channelled, rusticated limestone , while the stories above are of a light-colored brick, with terra cotta ornaments. The rusticated ground floor is capped with a prominent cornice which forms a continuous line with a series of balustraded balconies below
2403-565: The 2 and 3 trains at Clark Street ; and the 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , N , R , and W trains at Borough Hall/Court Street . Although no bus routes actually stop in Brooklyn Heights, many MTA Regional Bus Operations bus routes are located nearby in Downtown Brooklyn. The B25 also stops in Dumbo/ Fulton Ferry , while
2492-454: The B61 and B63 serve Cobble Hill. In June 2017, NYC Ferry 's South Brooklyn route started stopping at Brooklyn Bridge Park Piers 1 and 6 in Brooklyn Heights. Many of the streets in Brooklyn Heights are named after people who figured prominently in the neighborhood's history. Concerning the "fruit streets" in Brooklyn Heights – Cranberry , Orange and Pineapple Streets –
2581-782: The Farragut Houses , a group of ten towers managed by the New York City Housing Authority . New York City Subway stations are located at York Street ( F and <F> trains) on the IND Sixth Avenue Line , and High Street ( A and C trains) on the IND Eighth Avenue Line . New York City Bus service is provided by the B25 , B67 , B69 . Ramps and staircases connect
2670-782: The Long Island Historical Society , Packer Collegiate Institute , and St. Ann's and the Holy Trinity Church , among other historically notable buildings. A number of bank buildings are concentrated on Montague Street, including the Brooklyn Trust Company Building , the People's Trust Building , and the National Title Guaranty Building . Based on data from the 2010 United States Census ,
2759-487: The NYPD , located at 301 Gold Street. The 84th Precinct ranked 60th-safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. This was attributed to a high rate of property crimes in the neighborhood. As of 2018 , with a non-fatal assault rate of 40 per 100,000 people, Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene's rate of violent crimes per capita is less than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 401 per 100,000 people
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2848-656: The New York City borough of Brooklyn . The neighborhood is bounded by Old Fulton Street near the Brooklyn Bridge on the north, Cadman Plaza West on the east, Atlantic Avenue on the south, and the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway or the East River on the west. Adjacent neighborhoods are Dumbo to the north, Downtown Brooklyn to the east, and Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill to the south. Originally referred to as Brooklyn Village , it has been
2937-744: The River Café , all clustered in Fulton Landing, also home to Bargemusic , a floating venue for classical music. John Fluevog , a Canadian shoe designer, opened a store on Main Street in November 2017. The first public space in the neighborhood was Fulton Ferry , followed by Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park . The first six acres of Brooklyn Bridge Park , a joint state/city venture under development, were opened in March 2010. The Cliffs at DUMBO
3026-572: The Underground Railroad ". To dramatize the plight of those held in captivity, Beecher once brought a female slave to the church and held an auction, with the highest bidder purchasing not the slave, but her freedom. Beecher also raised money to buy other slaves out of captivity, and shipped rifles to abolitionists in Kansas and Nebraska in crates labelled "Bibles", which gave the rifles the nickname " Beecher's Bibles ". The completion of
3115-638: The WPA Guide to New York City reports that before the Civil War, these streets, along with Poplar and Willow Streets , were named after prominent families, but that a member of the Middagh family expressed her dislike of these families by replacing the street signs with botanical names. The city would restore the proper names, and Middagh would put back her own signs. Several iterations of this game ended when Middagh's new names were given official status by
3204-879: The World Cup . The trailer for Joker , the 2019 film by Todd Phillips, features actor Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker running through the archway. The Archway also hosts the Brooklyn Flea every Sunday from April to October. The outdoor market features 80 vendors, and the products range from secondhand goods to custom-made jewelry. Gleason's Gym , located on Water Street, is the oldest boxing gym in New York. Many champions have trained there, including Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson . The gym has been located in DUMBO since
3293-484: The 1980s. It moved from 77 Front Street to its current location at 130 Water Street in 2016. The legendary boxing coach Hector Roca still teaches at the Water Street location. In addition to boxing champions, Roca has trained many actors, including Wesley Snipes , Hilary Swank , Jennifer Lopez , and John Leguizamo . The renovation of Empire Stores on Water Street was completed in 2017. Previously, it had been
3382-850: The Breads Bakery and DUMBO's renowned pizzeria, Juliana's . Dumbo has New York City's highest concentration of technology firms by neighborhood. Dumbo is home to 25 percent of New York City-based tech firms. Within a 10-block radius are 500 tech and creative firms that employ over 10,000 people. It also contains the corporate headquarters for e-commerce retailer Etsy and home furnishing stores company West Elm. The City of New York, in conjunction with New York University , installed an incubator in Dumbo to support development of tech start-ups. Dumbo's average office rent of US$ 25 per square foot ($ 269/m ) made it (as of 2013) more attractive to start-ups than Manhattan, where rents averaged $ 40 per square foot ($ 431/m ) in 2013. The neighborhood contains
3471-768: The Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge walkways to Dumbo. In June 2011, NY Waterway started service to points along the East River. On May 1, 2017, that route became part of the NYC Ferry 's East River route, which runs between Pier 11/Wall Street in Manhattan's Financial District and the East 34th Street Ferry Landing in Murray Hill, Manhattan , with five intermediate stops in Brooklyn and Queens. One of
3560-427: The Brooklyn Bridge to the west, Brooklyn Heights to the south, and Vinegar Hill to the east. Dumbo is part of Brooklyn Community Board 2 . Dumbo has historically been known by several names, including Gairville, Rapailie, Olympia, and Walentasville. The area was originally a ferry landing, characterized by 19th- and early 20th-century industrial and warehouse buildings, Belgian block streets, and its location on
3649-651: The Brooklyn Heights Promenade, is sometimes considered to be its own neighborhood. Brooklyn Heights is part of Brooklyn Community District 2 , and its primary ZIP Code is 11201. It is patrolled by the 84th Precinct of the New York City Police Department . The New York City Fire Department operates two fire stations near Brooklyn Heights: Engine Company 205/Ladder Company 118 at 74 Middagh Street, and Engine Company 224 at 274 Hicks Street. Brooklyn Heights occupies
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3738-469: The Brooklyn Heights branch shared the site with the Business & Career Library. In 2013, BPL announced its intent to sell 280 Cadman Plaza West, and as part of this announcement, the Business and Career Library's functions were relocated to BPL's Central Branch . BPL then sold the Brooklyn Heights branch to developer Hudson Companies. Hudson Companies then demolished the structure and replaced it with
3827-617: The Brooklyn Tech Triangle" thanks to its thriving community of tech startups. This designation coincided with its rise to become Brooklyn's most affluent neighborhood and the fourth-wealthiest community in New York City; this is owing in part to its large concentration of technology startups , its close proximity to Manhattan, and its large number of former industrial buildings that have been converted into spacious luxury residential lofts . The neighborhood contains
3916-479: The East River by the imposing anchorage of the Manhattan Bridge. A large number of the buildings in Dumbo were bought by developer David Walentas and his company Two Trees Management in the late 20th century, and remade into an upscale residential and commercial community—first becoming a haven for art galleries , and currently a center for technology startups . Dumbo earned the nickname "the center of
4005-516: The East River, and to this end he became a prominent investor in Robert Fulton 's New York and Brooklyn Steam Ferry Boat Company, using his influence on Fulton's behalf; he eventually became a part owner and a director of the company. Fulton's ferry began running in 1814, and Brooklyn received a charter as a village from the state of New York in 1816, thanks to the influence of Pierrepont and other prominent landowners. The city then prepared for
4094-401: The Heights could leave the office at three o'clock, have dinner at home at four o'clock, and still have time for a "leisurely drive to the outskirts of town", a "middle class paradise". The community's development was helped by the yellow fever epidemic of 1822, when many of the rich from the city abandoned it for an area that was advertised as "elevated and perfectly healthy at all seasons ...
4183-633: The Heights, near the intersection of Montague and Court Streets. A plaque on the office building that replaced the Dodgers' old headquarters at 215 Montague Street identifies it as the site where Jackie Robinson signed his major league contract. Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims and Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Cathedral are located in Brooklyn Heights, as are the First Unitarian Congregational Society ,
4272-550: The Livingston estate, plus the Benson, De Bevoise and Reemsen farms – on what was then called "Clover Hill", now Brooklyn Heights, and built a mansion there. Pierrepont purchased and expanded Philip Livingston 's gin distillery on the East River at what is now Joralemon Street, where he produced Anchor Gin. Wishing to sub-divide and develop his property, Pierrepont realized the need for regularly scheduled ferry service across
4361-596: The Manhattan Bridge Overpass ) is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn . It encompasses two sections: one situated between the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges , which connect Brooklyn to Manhattan across the East River , and another extending eastward from the Manhattan Bridge to the Vinegar Hill area. The neighborhood is bounded by Brooklyn Bridge Park to the north,
4450-508: The Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges to buildings near the waterfront in Dumbo and Vinegar Hill. At the height of operations, it had spurs into several buildings, a car float bridge on Bridge Street, and a yard with capacity of 120 cars. The tracks were abandoned in 1959, though the railroad's tracks are still visible on streets in Dumbo. In 1968, there was a proposal to relocate the Fort Greene Meat Market to Dumbo, though
4539-676: The Pierrepont (1928), among others – were constructed. By the beginning of the Great Depression , most of the middle class had left the area. Boarding houses had become rooming houses, and the neighborhood began to have the appearance of a slum. During the 1940s and 1950s, the building of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) badly affected the neighborhood, as it took away the neighborhood's northwest corner, destroying whole rows of brownstones . At about
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#17327838940874628-401: The area's major landowners. Pierrepont had accumulated 60 acres of land, including 800 feet which directly overlooked the harbor, all of which he planned to sub-divide. Since his intention was to sell to merchants and bankers who lived in Manhattan, he needed easy access between Brooklyn Heights and New York City, which Fulton's company provided. Pierrepont bought 60 acres (24 ha) – part of
4717-508: The citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In addition, 14% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Eighty-eight percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is slightly higher than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 86% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", more than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene, there are 12 bodegas . Brooklyn Heights
4806-587: The compromise plan despite strong opposition from the preservation community, including the North Heights Community Group. As a result, 1,200 residents were removed from their houses and apartments in late 1961 and early 1962 as construction began on the modified plan. One positive development came about when community groups – prominently the Brooklyn Heights Association, founded in 1910 – joined with Moses in
4895-436: The corporate headquarters for e-commerce retailer Etsy and home furnishing stores company West Elm . The name is an acronym of "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass". The area has been known variously as Rapailie, Olympia, and Walentasville; the developer who began its current gentrification is Two Trees Management, led at the time by David Walentas. The "Olympia" name came from Comfort and Joshua Sands , who bought
4984-713: The creation of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade , also called the Esplanade, which was cantilevered over the BQE. It became a favorite spot among locals, offering magnificent vistas of the Statue of Liberty , the Manhattan skyline across the East River , the Brooklyn Bridge , the Manhattan Bridge , and spectacular fireworks displays over the East River. Moses originally proposed to build the BQE through
5073-478: The difficulty of building there. They later sold part of their land to John Jackson, who created the Vinegar Hill community, much of which later became the Brooklyn Navy Yard . Brooklyn Heights began to develop once Robert Fulton 's New York and Brooklyn Steam Ferry Boat Company began regularly scheduled steam ferry service in 1814, with the financial backing of Hezekiah Beers Pierrepont , one of
5162-639: The earliest large-scale reinforced concrete factory buildings in America. On December 18, 2007, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to designate Dumbo as the city's 90th historic district. The Dumbo historic district consists of properties bounded by John Street to the north, York Street to the south, Main Street to the west, and Bridge Street to the east. The area has emerged as one of New York City's premier arts districts, with
5251-485: The early 2020s, increasing numbers of celebrities were moving to the neighborhood. Brooklyn Heights was the first neighborhood protected by the 1965 Landmarks Preservation Law of New York City . The neighborhood is largely composed of blocks of picturesque rowhouses and a few mansions. A great range of architectural styles is represented, including Greek Revival , Italianate , Second Empire , Victorian Gothic , Romanesque , Neo-Grec , and Classical Revival , as well as
5340-465: The end of the 20th century, as property became more and more expensive in Manhattan, Dumbo became increasingly gentrified . Even so, the acronym "Dumbo" was largely unknown as late as 1997, and the area itself was very inclusive, serving mainly as an enclave for artists located along the East River and under the Manhattan Bridge . At this stage there were still many air conditioner repair shops, auto shops, and "seedy back alleys and wharves"; and, because
5429-426: The establishment of a street grid, although there were competing plans for the size of the lots. John and Jacob Hicks, who also owned property on Brooklyn Heights, north of Pierrepont's, favored smaller lots, as they were pitching their land to tradesman and artisans already living in Brooklyn, not attempting to lure merchants and bankers from Manhattan as Pierrepont was. To counter the Hickses' proposal, Pierrepont hired
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#17327838940875518-666: The ferries went between the current Fulton Street and Peck Slip in Manhattan, and was run by Cornelius Dirksen. The ferry service helped the lowland area to thrive, with both farms and some factories along the water, but the higher ground was sparsely used. The area was heavily fortified prior to the Battle of Long Island in the American Revolutionary War . After British troops landed on Long Island and advanced towards Continental Army lines, General George Washington withdrew his troops here after heavy losses, but
5607-537: The following year. Through the 1940s and 1950s the building was used for office space and stores, while a bowling alley operated out of the basement. In 1966 the building was purchased for use as a school by the nearby St. Ann's Episcopal Church for the sum of $ 365,000. By 1982, the school had become a separate entity from the Church. In 2000, the School paid $ 1 million to have the building's facade renovated. The building
5696-467: The heart of Brooklyn Heights. Opposition to this plan led to the re-routing of the expressway to the side of the bluff, allowing creation of the Promenade. By the mid-1950s, a new generation of property owners had begun moving into the Heights, pioneering the "Brownstone Revival" by buying and renovating pre-Civil War period houses, which became part of the preservationist movement which culminated in
5785-442: The institution of a watch. After 1823, farms begin to be sub-divided into 25-by-100-foot (7.6 by 30.5 m) lots, which were advertised as suitable for a "country retreat" for Manhattanites, leading to a building boom that resulted in Brooklyn Heights becoming the "first commuter suburb ", since it was easier and faster to get to Manhattan by ferry than it was to commute from upper Manhattan by ground transportation. A resident of
5874-405: The land in 1787 and were planning to develop the land as a summer place for New Yorkers. Through the 18th and 19th centuries, the area now known as Dumbo was considered part of Vinegar Hill . In the 1890s, the western portion of the neighborhood was known as Fulton Landing , after the ferry stop that connected it to Manhattan before the Brooklyn Bridge opened. At that time, it was primarily
5963-551: The largest ensembles of such housing in the nation, and the human scale of the three, four- and five-story buildings creates a neighborly atmosphere. Brooklyn Heights has very few high-rise buildings. Among these buildings are 75 Livingston Street , Hotel St. George , and the Concord Village co-op development on Adams Street. Additionally, Jehovah's Witnesses had its world headquarters in the northern part of Brooklyn Heights at 25 Columbia Heights. The organization restored
6052-551: The last of what could be considered a true arts community in New York." The DUMBO Historic District, a historic industrial complex and national historic district in Dumbo, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. It consists of 95 contributing buildings; the manufacturing concerns located in this district included Benjamin Moore & Co. (paint), Arbuckle Brothers (coffee and sugar), J.W. Masury & Son (paint), Robert Gair (paper boxes), E.W. Bliss (machinery), and Brillo (soap pads). The district includes
6141-410: The late 19th/early 20th centuries. Organized in 1884, the club rapidly grew to 1,500 members by 1902, at which time it was decided to build a new clubhouse. Brooklyn architect Frank Freeman was commissioned to design the building, which was completed in 1906. By the 1920s, membership of such clubs was in decline, and in 1939 the Crescent Athletic Club filed for bankruptcy, vacating its Brooklyn clubhouse
6230-404: The main campus at 129 Pierrepont Street. Packer Collegiate Institute , a K–12 school, has also been located in the neighborhood, at 170 Joralemon Street, since its 1845 founding. St. Francis College is located on Remsen Street and occupies half a city block. It was founded as St. Francis Academy in 1859 by the Franciscan Brothers and was originally located on Baltic Street. St. Francis College
6319-460: The market was ultimately moved to Sunset Park instead. With the deindustrialization of New York City, Dumbo began to become primarily residential; artists and other young homesteaders seeking relatively large and inexpensive loft apartment spaces for studios and homes began moving there in the late 1970s. The acronym "Dumbo" arose in 1978, when new residents coined it in the belief such an unattractive name would help deter developers. Near
6408-568: The neighborhood and the perceived loss of the specialness and "quality" began to drive out the merchants and patricians who lived there; in time their mansions were divided to become apartment houses and boarding houses. Artists began to move into the neighborhood, as well as writers, and a number of large hotels – the St. George (1885), the Margaret (1889), the Bossert (1909), Leverich Towers (1928), and
6497-709: The neighborhood was still gentrifying from its industrial past, it lacked even a bookstore, coffee shop, or laundromat . The efforts of Joy Glidden , the Founding Director of the Dumbo Arts Center (DAC) and co-founder of the Dumbo Art Under the Bridge Festival, achieved successful development in Dumbo, which is now a model for similar waterfront developments around the world. Glidden stated of Dumbo's gentrification, "It may be one of
6586-439: The now historic Brooklyn Bridge in 1883, the Brooklyn end of which was near Brooklyn Heights' eastern boundary, began the process of making the neighborhood more accessible from places such as Manhattan. The Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT)'s Lexington Avenue subway line , which reached Brooklyn Heights in 1908, was an even more powerful catalyst in the neighborhood's development. The resulting ease of transportation into
6675-586: The passage in 1965 of the Landmarks Preservation Law. In 1965, community groups which later became the Brooklyn Heights Association, succeeded in having the neighborhood designated the Brooklyn Heights Historic District by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission , the first such district in the city. This was followed in the following decades by the further gentrification of the neighborhood into
6764-522: The pastor of Plymouth Church , now the Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims. Beecher was a nationally known figure famous on the lecture circuit for his novel oratorical style, in which he employed humor, dialect, and slang. Under Beecher, so many slaves passed through Plymouth Church on their way to freedom in Canada that later generations have referred to the church as the " Grand Central Station of
6853-418: The pedimented windows. Arising directly from the segmental arches of these window pediments is the third level of windows, an unusual arrangement which serves to enhance the overall illusion of decreased height. Above this level is a second cornice with more balustraded balconies, from which the final level of double-height windows arises. At the top of the building is a row of smaller attic windows, "set within
6942-405: The percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 39% in Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene, lower than the citywide and boroughwide rates of 52% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018 , Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene are considered to be high-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying . Brooklyn Heights is patrolled by the 84th Precinct of
7031-559: The population of Brooklyn Heights was 22,887, a change of 339 (1.5%) from the 22,548 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 235.86 acres (95.45 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 97 inhabitants per acre (62,000/sq mi; 24,000/km ). The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 75.2% (17,210) White , 5.5% (1,259) African American , 0.2% (37) Native American , 8.8% (2,003) Asian , 0% (3) Pacific Islander , 0.4% (82) from other races , and 2.7% (618) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.3% (1,675) of
7120-514: The population. The entirety of Community Board 2, which comprises Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene, had 117,046 inhabitants as of NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 80.6 years. This is slightly lower than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are middle-aged adults and youth: 15% are between the ages of 0–17, 44% between 25 and 44, and 20% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents
7209-535: The same time, plans began to be developed by New York's "master builder", Robert Moses , wielding the Housing Act of 1949, to replace brownstone rowhouses – which were the typical building form in the neighborhood – with large luxury apartment buildings. A prominent example of the intended outcome is the Cadman Plaza development of housing cooperatives in the northern part of the neighborhood, located on
7298-528: The site where the Brooklyn Bridge trolley terminal once stood. In 1959, the North Heights Community Group was formed to oppose destroying cheap low-rise housing in order to build the high-rise Cadman Plaza towers. Architect Percival Goodman presented an alternate plan to maintain all sound structures, which garnered 25,000 supporters. In early 1961, a compromise proposal came from City Hall calling for two 22-story towers with over 1,200 luxury and middle income units. The Brooklyn Heights Association fully supported
7387-472: The time changed over the decades. Throughout the 19th century, Brooklyn Heights remained an elegant neighborhood, and became Brooklyn's cultural and financial center. Its development gave rise to offshoots such as Cobble Hill and, later, Carroll Gardens . Prior to the Civil War , Brooklyn Heights was a locus of the Abolitionist movement, due to the speeches and activities of Henry Ward Beecher ,
7476-492: The top baccalaureate colleges in the north. Brooklyn Heights is also the location of Brooklyn Law School , founded in 1901. The Brooklyn Public Library (BPL)'s Brooklyn Heights branch is located at 286 Cadman Plaza West. The branch was formerly located at 280 Cadman Plaza West, which was shared with the Business & Career Library , but that site was sold to a developer and demolished. Brooklyn Heights' first library
7565-472: Was able to make a skillful retreat across the East River to Manhattan without the loss of any troops or his remaining supplies. After the war, the 160-acre tract of land belonging to John Rapeljie, who was a Loyalist , was confiscated and sold to the Sands brothers, who tried to develop the part of the land on the palisade as a community they called "Olympia", but failed to make it come about, partly because of
7654-602: Was founded in 1857 by the Mercantile Library Association of the City of Brooklyn. The first BPL branch in the neighborhood, the Montague Street branch, was opened in 1903. The Brooklyn Heights branch building at 280 Cadman Plaza West opened in 1962 and originally contained an auditorium and children's room. It was renovated and expanded from 1990 to 1993, and upon the completion of the renovation,
7743-467: Was lower, at 9% and 12% respectively. As of 2016, the median household income in Community Board 2 was $ 56,599. In 2018, an estimated 22% of Brooklyn Heights and Fort Greene residents lived in poverty, compared to 21% in all of Brooklyn and 20% in all of New York City. One in twelve residents (8%) were unemployed, compared to 9% in the rest of both Brooklyn and New York City. Rent burden, or
7832-522: Was protected from unchecked development by the creation of the Brooklyn Heights Historic District , the first such district in New York City. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. Directly across the East River from Manhattan and connected to it by subways and regular ferry service, Brooklyn Heights is also easily accessible from Downtown Brooklyn. Columbia Heights, an upscale six-block-long street next to
7921-552: Was the first private school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn . As of 2010 , 2,000 full-time students and more than 400 part-time students from 80 countries attend the college. St. Francis College has been ranked by The New York Times as one of the more diverse colleges in the United States. The college has also been ranked by both Forbes magazine and U.S. News & World Report as one of
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