Prospect Park South

Prospect Park South is charming. This south Brooklyn neighborhood feels like a suburb within the city. Its namesake Prospect Park bounds the area to the north, Ocean and Coney Island Avenues to the East, and Beverley road to the South. Known for its large houses, yards, and charming neighborhood eateries, Prospect Park South gives its residents a serene home environment, with proximity to Manhattan. The B, Q, and F trains, as well as public buses service the neighborhood, which makes for a quick commute to Manhattan.

The neighborhood is known as a center of Victorian architect. It originated in the early 1900s when Dean Alvord designed a six-block-by-two-block grid of elegant residences with mainly Victorian-style influences. For resident Maria Cheung, "It's almost like walking into another era.” According to an article by the New York Times, Alvord had an emphasis on his home country and gave British names to the streets. He also made sure utility lines and the subway being built went in below street level. But he played up their convenience. By 1905, the community had become a model for nearby areas such as Ditmas Park and Fiske Terrace. Prospect Park South is known for its outstanding freestanding homes with lawns and some space to breathe, as well as a close proximity to the 526-acre Prospect Park. The park offers ice-skating in the winter, paddle boating in the summer, as well as a wildlife center. 

Prospect Park South has a lot to offer in terms of family oriented neighborhood entertainment. On weekends in the area, children compete in soccer matches at the 39.5-acre Parade Grounds, the site of military parades after the Civil War, also the site of the Prospect Park Tennis Center, which has 10 clay courts. In the early fall months there is a street fair called the Flatbush Frolic, along Cortelyou Road, which serves as the retail hub for the neighborhood. Here residents have access to some sixty plus stores, lots of neighborhood bars, restaurants and cafes, like Sycamore Bar and Flower Shop, The Castello Plan, and even Flatbush Food Co-op (a natural food outlet with over 1,200 members and growing). 

Prospect Park South is mostly zoned for single-family homes, so the real estate in the area conjures a variety of architectural styles. From Colonial and French Revival to Victorian and Spanish Mission, the homes in this neighborhood are a nice change from the typical New York apartments. The median sales price in Prospect Park South hovers around $2.45 million.  There are fewer condos, which help to keep the neighborhood’s signature look. There are also fewer co-ops in the area than other parts of southern Brooklyn.