Greenpoint Is One Of The City's Neighborhoods To Watch This Year

GREENPOINT, BROOKLYN — The new-and-improved Norman Avenue library and a host of new apartment buildings has made Greenpoint "where it's at" this year, a study by real estate experts found.

The neighborhood landed on a recent list of "NYC Neighborhoods to Watch in 2019," developed by data scientists Localize.city. The group of experts looked at the top places across the city that have "shiny new things" coming in the new year.

In Greenpoint, 1,754 units and 42 buildings under construction, mainly on the northern Brooklyn neighborhood's waterfront, landed it fifth on the list of nine.

“The opening of developments like the Gibraltar, the Greenpoint and Greenpoint Landing’s One Blue Slip is the start of a major transformation of Greenpoint’s waterfront to an upscale residential district,” Localize.city urban planner Beth Kancilia said. “While projects had been slow to start following a 2005 rezoning, today, no fewer than five major developments are underway."

Amazon's move to the neighborhood next door will also likely increase buyers and renters interest in the area, the report said. The median monthly one-bedroom price to live in the neighborhood is $2,400.

The report also pointed out a new two-story building that will replace the Norman Avenue library, which was demolished a couple of years ago, as a major draw to Greenpoint. The new building, likely to open in the summer, will offer books, an Environmental Education Center, green roofs and gardens, a public plaza, outdoor classrooms and performance space.

Transit improvements to the G line to prepare for the now-unlikely L train shutdown were also on the reasons to move to Greenpoint. The report was published before Governor Andrew Cuomo made a surprise announcement that the 15-month shutdown of the L line planned for April won't need to happen.

It is unclear whether the increased service to the G line will still be put in place.

Other Brooklyn neighborhoods also made Localize.city's list, including East New York and Downtown Brooklyn.

You can check out the full report here.

Photo from Shutterstock.