Monthly Archives: September 2013

In the words of Joe DiFiore, a Century 21 Real Estate broker and long time resident , the neighborhood of Gravesend is a “minestrone soup- a jumbled-up mix of ingredients that somehow fit together.” From when the town was originally founded by a London widow named Lady Deborah Moody in the 1600’s, the southern section of Brooklyn had largely been occupied by Dutch and English settlers tending to huge areas of farmland. Yet, in the beginning of the 20th century the town developed three race tracks, built the central Ocean Parkway, and established electric rail service. From then on and specifically in the 1990’s, a tidal wave of middle class immigrants flooded the area, bringing incredible residential development and ethnic diversity. Within the mile and a half square layout, there exists an expanding Russian, Asian, and Mexican immigrant population, as well as established Italian, Irish, and Middle Eastern Sephardic Jewish communities, hailing from Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Iraq.

Belonging to the Community Board number 11, Gravesend is a dense and rapidly growing area with a population of 71,578 according to the 2012 census. The neighborhood stretches from Shore Parkway in the south to Kings Highway in the north, and from Stillwell Avenue in the west to Coney Island Avenue in the east. The public transportation is conveniently offered in the form of the three local subway lines and various bus routes that blanket the town.

The large majority of the area is family households, totaling 68.4%. Especially in the Sephardic Jewish community, there is a huge emphasis placed on remaining within the tightly-knit neighborhood. Because of this the demand for housing units has skyrocketed, with only 10% of the 22,600 units left unoccupied. The real estate value of the area remains a mixed bag however, where one can find prices ranging from $600,000 or all the way to multi-million dollar single family homes on Ocean Parkway, strategically placed within walking distance of schools, restaurants, and places of worship. The neighborhood is a collection of one and two family brick houses, and seven or eight story condominium buildings.

The area is host to over 10 public schools, including standouts Lafayette and Abraham Lincoln High School. There are also religious private schools, such as Our Lady of Grace School, and about a dozen religious Yeshivahs, a few with enrollment totals just under 100o students. Nearby are two institutions, Touro College and Brooklyn College. The major religions in the neighborhood are accommodated with numerous churches and over 35 Syrian- Lebanese Synagogues.

Within minutes, a local in Gravesend can quench any type of shopping thirst in the main streets of Kings Highway and Coney Island Avenue. On about 14 blocks of Kings Highway, more than 225 stores line both sides of this busily packed street. While searching for an elusive parking spot down the stretch of businesses, a variety of languages can be heard as the great diversity of the neighborhood shines through in the form of specialty stores and small culturally specific shops. The street contains everything a shopping enthusiast might crave, from bargain shoe stores to lavishly expensive Versace gowns with prices in the thousands. On both Kings Highway and Coney Island Avenue, residents have found a niche opening groceries, electronic stores, laundromats, and a huge selection of quality restaurants. The streets also contain larger chain stores including Duane Reade, Rite Aid, and Walgreens.

The neighborhood of Gravesend had faced an enormous influx of immigrants in the 1990’s, and as the population size continues to expand, adequate space for residents to live is continually in need. While some have resorted to moving out of the community to find more modest real estate prices, others have undertaken large condominium construction to fill this need, which is undoubtedly a source of conflict among locals. It is clear that the area is a strong, vibrant, and attractive haven for immigrants of all kinds to flock to, and the progress is expected to continue for years to come.