Sunset Park/Greenwood Heights

Once Native American farmland, this area was sold to the Dutch in the 1600s and has seen every subsequent wave of immigration to New York City. The rise in importance of the working waterfront led to a boom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when many of the existing row houses were built. In the 1940s an elevated highway bisected the neighborhood just as shipping became less essential, leading to an era of decline. Today, new parks and office spaces — and rising rents elsewhere in the borough — have put this area back on the map.

 

Colorful commercial avenues crossed with quiet residential streets.

You get the feeling that Sunset Park hasn’t changed much in the last 50 years — and didn’t need to. A divide between busy commercial avenues and residential cross streets make the area welcoming, liveable and predictable in the best kind of way.

 

Many families have been in the area for generations, preserving a great sense of community within the diverse mix of residents. Stoop life thrives as kids bicycle the streets and families walk to always-bustling 4th Ave. to shop.

Traveling by ferry.

The city’s subsidized ferry service is continually expanding, and the Sunset Park stop offers quick access to Wall Street, Red Hook, Brooklyn Bridge Park and Bay Ridge, with transfers available all along the East River. You’ll also be one stop from Rockaway for quick escapes to the beach.

Reasonably priced row houses, with a few large apartment buildings and condos.

In 2009, height restrictions were created to preserve the character of Sunset Park’s residential streets, which are filled with 2- and 3-story row houses with wide stoops that date back to the late 19th and early 20th century. There’s a mix of single- and multi-family setups, and many are still reasonably priced. A few condos and larger apartment buildings are available, generally on the busier thoroughfares.

Evenings in the namesake park.

It feels as if the entire neighborhood comes together in the park that shares its name. High on a hill, it offers stunning sunset views from a lawn that’s popular for family picnics. On a typical evening, you’ll also find traditional dance lessons, a wide variety of sports, and locals filling the benches to soak up the view.

 

Where families — and small businesses — thrive beside a 19th century tourist magnet.

Greenwood Heights may have more famous residents than any other neighborhood in New York City thanks to its namesake Green-Wood Cemetery. Much like Paris’s Cimetière du Père Lachaise, it draws visitors from around the globe to stroll its verdant hills and admire its views, and has since the 1830s when it was the country’s second most popular tourist destination, after Niagara Falls. This small neighborhood has also seen the transition from a working waterfront to a mix of industry, small residences and startup culture. It’s now an unpretentious, welcoming spot drawing the artists and families that once flocked to nearby Park Slope.

 

A blend of Sunset Park and Park Slope that’s more laid back than both.

This quiet neighborhood’s borders are often debated, reflecting its status as a hybrid of its neighbors. To the south, Sunset Park is visually similar, sharing the mix of industry, residences and busy commercial thoroughfares. To the north, Park Slope’s popularity has outpaced demand, bringing families and artists south to settle in Greenwood Heights.

 

Mellow and diverse, the community can change from block to block.

Many of the families have been here for generations and you’ll find a diverse mix on the quiet streets. The vibe is unpretentious, with practical businesses — grocery stores and the like — dominating commercial thoroughfares like 4th and 5th Ave.

 

The hilly setting affords exceptional views to certain streets and units.

The waterfront is still industrial, but the area’s hills give it great vistas. Green-Wood Cemetery claims the highest natural point in the borough, with views of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan.

 

Mostly 1- and 2-family homes on rolling hills, with some luxury condos.

Historically the area has been made up of low 1- and 2-family homes. In the mid-2000s rezoning opened the area to condos, while new height restrictions in neighboring Park Slope continue to drive up prices there, and to draw families into this area.

 

Weekends at Industry City.

Best known for providing light filled offices to independent businesses, Industry City also offers a lot for locals. Bespoke hats, exceptional takeout and beautiful bakeries fill its ground floor halls. On summer weekends, food vendors and vintage wares draw a crowd.