Fort Greene is a neighborhood located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, New York. It is rich in history, landmarks, and tourist attractions which makes Fort Greene a perfect place to live. The neighborhood is listed on the New York State Registry and is a New York City-designated Historic District. The neighborhood is located in northwest Brooklyn just above Prospect Park and bounded by Navy Street, Prince Street, Ashland Avenue, Flatbush Avenue Extension, Nassau Street, Flushing Avenue and Atlantic Avenue.
As of 2010 census, there were 26,079 people, 11,273 households, and 5,090 families residing in the area. The median income for a household in the village is $57,414. The elevation is 59 feet. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 2.
The community was named after for Nathanael Greene of Rhode Island, an American Revolutionary War hero that aided General George Washington during the Battle of Long Island in 1776. At the same year, the era Fort Putnam was constructed and later renamed after Greene, the fort was a star-shaped earthwork that mounted six 18-pound cannons, and was the largest on Long Island.
After the American defeat in the Battle of Long Island, General George Washington smartly withdrew his troops from the Fort under the cover of darkness, a brilliant move that saved the outnumbered American army from total defeat by the British. In an early 2000s, it saw the influx of many new residents and businesses to Fort Greene. The area stands as many as one of the best examples of a truly racially and economically diverse neighborhood. In fact, the New York Times referred to as a “prevailing sense of racial amity that intrigues sociologists and attracts middle-class residents from other parts of the city.”
The Fort Greene Park originally called Washington Park became Brooklyn’s first park that was constructed in 1847. It is the most famous park in the area because of its distinctive features that includes the high ground where the Continental Army built Fort Putnam during the American Revolutionary War. Its name was changed to Fort Greene Park in 1896. Fort Greene is known for its many graceful, tree-lined streets and elegant low-rise housing. Houses ranging in style from the Greek Revival of the early 1850’s to Italianate of the 1860’s and the neo- Grecian of the 1870’s.
Prices of renovated two-family brownstones range from $150,000 to $250,000. Fort Greene is maybe the most convenient to public transportation with major subway lines and the Long Island Rail Road converging at the Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street stations. There are also several important cultural institutions like the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Brooklyn Music School, The Paul Robeson Theater, Urban Glass Works, 651 Arts performing center for African-American presenters, and Lafayette Church. The Brooklyn Academy of Music features outstanding programs of dance, theater and music. Many good quality schools are within the community. The Brooklyn Technical High School is one of New York City’s most competitive public schools.
