BROOKYLN

Greenpoint Neighborhood Guide

Full of brand new constructions and street art, at first glance, Greenpoint may seem like a post-industrial neighborhood, but what it lacks in initial appearances, it makes up for in a thriving community with ideal riverside views. Brooklyn’s Greenpoint is a secret neighborhood haven tucked away from Manhattan. With hidden gems around every corner, every resident has their favorite secret restaurant, cafe, or shop within the neighborhood. It’s quiet and peaceful, yet extremely Brooklyn hip, and chic. Bordered north to south with Paidge Avenue to Nassau Avenue and east to west from Meeker Avenue to the East River, Greenpoint is the northernmost point in Brooklyn, and it is, therefore, almost completely surrounded by water. Come to Greenpoint for a diverse array of amazing shopping and eating and stay a while, or forever, to discover your own favorite hidden gems.

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MEDIAN SALE PRICE

$1,750,000

MEDIAN RENTAL PRICE

$4,469

An Abbreviated History of Greenpoint

During the early agricultural era and the European settlement in New York, Greenpoint was inhabited by a sub-tribe of the Lenape called the Keskachuage. The area was known to have a lot of greenery and charm, and was overall remarkably beautiful. The Dutch West India Company negotiated the right to settle in Brooklyn in 1638, with the first recorded settler of Greenpoint said to be Dirck Volckertsen of Norwegia who later received rights to the land. Beginning in the early 1650s, Volckertsen started to sell and lease his properties to Dutch colonists, up until his death in 1678, when he left his land to his grandsons who sold it to Captain Pieter Praa, a prominent figure in shaping the early days of Greenpoint. At that point in 1718, the population of Greenpoint in its entirety was five related families and their relatives. Significant changes in Greenpoint began during the 19th century industrialization, largely because of Neziah Bliss, an entrepreneur who purchased the land in the 1830’s. Bliss helped establish a ferry system from Greenpoint to Manhattan, rapidly transforming Greenpoint into a manufacturing district, thus creating more job opportunities. Today, the neighborhood of Greenpoint is on the National Register of Historic Places.

NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARIES

  • East River to the West
  • Newton Creek to the North
  • Brooklyn Queens Expressway to the East
  • 12th Street to the South
 

 

Greenpoint Ave – Nassau Ave G

Residents Love This Neighborhood Because

  • Quaint streets with excellent cafes & restaurants
  • Hip vibe
  • Street graffiti
  • Waterside views
  • Relatively affordable luxury buildings with unrivaled views of Manhattan
  • Excellent vintage shopping

What to expect

Cafés

+50
Colleges / Universities

1
Community Gardens

2
Hospitals

1
Libraries

1
Parks

2

Playgrounds

2

Restaurants

+80

Yoga Studios

5
Wnyc,Transmitter,Park,In,Greenpoint,Brooklyn,New,York

Greenpoint Landmarks and Cultural Institutions

A NEIGHBORHOOD TOUR

Get to know the neighborhood by visiting its most notable landmarks and sites. From museums and sculptures, to parks, markets, and hidden neighborhood gems, you’ll find everything you need to know about the neighborhood’s most unique and historical attractions.

The Astral Apartments

The Astral Apartment building, located on Franklin Street in Greenpoint, was built in 1885 originally as affordable housing for employees of Astral Oil Works. The building was given landmark status in 1983 and is considered one of the most important 19th century apartment buildings in New York because many of its features were innovative and radically different from the contemporary standards of the time for workers’ housing, representing a historical shift in the American social housing movement.

The Eberhard Faber Pencil Factory

Located on Greenpoint Avenue, the Eberhard Faber Pencil Factory opened in 1924 and introduced colored pencils to the world. The building was listed as a landmark because it represents the development of industrial architecture in Brooklyn as well as the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company’s rise to national prominence.

Manhattan Avenue Sidewalk Clock

‘Street furniture,’ including street clocks, sign posts, benches, and lamp posts, are essential and historic parts of the streets of New York. The Manhattan Avenue Sidewalk Clock was landmarked in 1981 and is the last sidewalk clock standing in all of Brooklyn. Sidewalk clocks were introduced in the 1860s, and were a very popular form of advertising because businesses would purchase the clocks and display them in front of their shops. The last clock standing was originally owned by and was an advertisement for the Bommelstein Jewelers, but now reads “Greenpoint” along the top as a representation of its home.

Winthrop Park Shelter Pavilion

McGolrick Park is home to the landmark of the Winthrop Park Shelter Pavilion and is one of the oldest landmarks in Greenpoint. The structure was built in 1910 and resembles the Grand Trianon at Versailles with its arrangement of windows and the coupled columns, making any passing admirer feel like they are in the presence of royalty.

Greenpoint Terminal Market

The Greenpoint Terminal Market is a one-of-a-kind market that features food vendors, local shops, and creative pop ups. It is located on Noble Street and happens every weekend, rain or shine. Some of the regular vendors at the market include remainsnyc, Rustic Pan, and Moonrise Candle Co.

Sunshine Laundromat & Pinball

Laundry for locals of Greenpoint is anything but a boring chore thanks to the Sunshine Laundromat & Pinball. This seemingly normal laundromat from the front also doubles as an arcade and a bar!

Wnyc Transmitter Park

Nestled between two piers on the border between Greenpoint and Williamsburg lies a quaint waterfront park, one of the best parks in Brooklyn. Formerly a WNYC radio transmission station, this park was opened to the public in 2012. Offering a low-key, relaxing space, the park provides scenic East River views, a children’s play area, pedestrian bridge, and a large open lawn making it ideal for sunny picnics and park parties. Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for graffiti murals and street art as you explore the brick walls that surround the park.

Architecture in Greenpoint

Architecture Outlines_Italianate

Italianate

Greek Revival

Neoclasical

Romanesque Revival

Victorian

Gothic Revival

Notable New Yorkers

Who Have Lived in Greenpoint

AWKWAFINA

Actress

PAT BENATAR

Singer

RALPH ALBERT BLAKELOCK

Painter

MARGARET WISE BROWN

Writer

BULL DEMPSEY

Wrestler

MICKEY ROONEY

Actor

MAE WEST

Actress

Popular Food & Drink

Tacos

OXOMOCO

128 Greenpoint Ave

Pizza

PAULIE GEE'S

60 Greenpoint Ave

DI AN DI

68 Greenpoint Ave

GLASSERIE

95 Commercial Street

CHEZ MA TANTE

90 Cayler Street

RAMONA

113 Franklin Street

LE FANFARE

1103 Manhattan Ave

ACHILLES HEEL

180 WEst Street

All Notable New Yorker photos courtesy of Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons. Photo of Awkwafina by Casi Moss; Photo of Pat Benatar by Heidy Escobar from VALPARAISO; LAGUNA VERDE, CHILE; Photo of Ralph Albert Blakelock by Unidentified photographer; Photo of Margaret Wise Brown by Consuelo Kanaga;Photo of Bull Dempsey by Miguel Discart; Photo of Mickey Rooney by Studio publicity still; Photo of Mae West by Unknown journalist photographer;

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