New York City is filled with appealing architecture, but such a mish-mash of styles and periods are represented that you have to either seek out or hope to stumble upon its most distinct areas. Many of the city’s most aesthetically celebrated are old brownstone homes, and in Brooklyn these homes can be found in spades. If you’d like to absorb as much architectural beauty as possible during your stay at the NU Hotel, here are five brownstone blocks you cannot miss, organized by neighborhood.
CARROLL GARDENS
A ten-minute walk from NU Hotel Brooklyn, Carroll Gardens is a great place to start your Brooklyn brownstone tour. The numbered streets south of President (1st, 2nd, 3rd, …) between Smith and Hoyt streets showcase a splendid collection of well-preserved brownstone buildings.
PARK SLOPE
Park Slope has no dearth of beautiful brownstones, and anyone with a strong affinity for the style would do well to spend a few hours walking the neighborhood’s streets. If you only have time for a block or two, start with Garfield Place between 5th and 7th Aves. The intersection of St.Mark’s and Flatbush is also tres impressive.
FORT GREENE
Brooklyn’s beautiful Fort Greene neighborhood is mostly comprised of brownstones. The most impressive block in this neighborhood, just a mile from NU Hotel, may be the stretch on Washington Park between Myrtle and DeKalb. The brownstones are well-preserved, pride of home ownership is high, and the borough’s attractive and historic Fort Greene Park is directly across the street from them.
BED-STUY
Brooklyn has the highest concentration of brownstones anywhere in the world, and Bed-Stuy has more than any other neighborhood in Brooklyn. While you are likely to find these housing wonders near any subway stop in this well-preserved neighborhood, the stretch on Willoughby between Bedford and Nostrand is particularly stunning. The brownstones on Jefferson between Lewis and Malcolm X are also awe-inspiring.
WINDSOR TERRACE
Sandwiched between Prospect Park and Green-Wood Cemetery—two of New York’s finest green spaces—Windsor Terrace has a worthy claim to the title of Brooklyn’s most idyllic neighborhood. Proximity to green space, the prevalence of backyards, and the romantic beauty of its brownstones and wood-frame houses make one wonder how the neighborhood could possibly be made more attractive. To see some of the finest brownstones in the neighborhood, walk 16th Street between 11th Avenue and Prospect Park West.