Midwood

Midwood is a suburban recluse in the concrete jungle. The streets of this family-friendly Brooklyn neighborhood are wide and lined with gorgeous trees, and many of the single-family homes have front lawns.  The area has a mix of Bangladeshi supermarkets, Kosher specialty stores and Jewish bakeries with some Eastern European influence, and a mix of students who attend nearby Brooklyn College. Its boundaries are Kings Highway to the South, Nostrand Avenue and Ocean Parkway to the East and West.

In the 1960s and the early 1970s, Nostrand Avenue between Avenues M and N was considered one of New York's best streets for shopping by New York magazine. The area still has many options for shopping, especially along Avenues M and I. One popular shopping destination is The Yellow Door. Open for over 45 years, this store has been described as “the savvy shopper’s secret weapon” and it draws fashion-forward shoppers from all over the country. Joan Hamburg, WOR Radio personality and leading consumer reporter states, “After one visit to The Yellow Door, you’ll never shop elsewhere for your own jewelry and for gifts.” The area near Brooklyn College has many shops as well, including a Target store. There are also many neighborhood staples where residents can grab a bite, like popular pizza spot, Di Fara Pizza, located just on the corner of Avenue J and East 15th streets, and Café K and Sophie’s Bistro Lounge which are both known for their Kosher options.

Midwood has played a part in Brooklyn’s television and film production history. In 1952, NBC Television purchased part of the Vitagraph Studios, which then became known as NBC Brooklyn. Studio 1 and the new larger studio known as Color Studio 2 located on the northwest corner of its intersection with Avenue M were the set locations of early tapings of The Cosby Show, Saturday Night Live, and The Sammy Davis, Jr. Variety Show. As a matter of fact, many famous New Yorkers came out of Midwood. Filmmaker Woody Allen, Actress Marisa Tomei and playwright Arthur Miller all lived in the area.

Living in Midwood feels like living in a suburban haven. The area is quiet, traditional and low-key compared to other Brooklyn neighborhoods.  Midwood mostly consists of single-family homes, co-ops and a few condo buildings. Some of the homes in Midwood are large (and getting larger), with some taking up two or more lots with some homes having multiple car garages and outside gates around the property. One part of the neighborhood nicknamed “Midwood Manor”, between Avenues I and K, East 7th and East 10th streets, has some of Brooklyn’s most remarkable homes, in many sizes, and architectural style. The area doesn’t have a high turnover rate so finding a dream home in Midwood costs an average of $720 million and about $1400 for rentals.

Commuters in Midwood have access to the B and Q local and express trains, as well as the F, 2 and 5 trains, for a 45-minute ride to Manhattan.