For decades, Smith and Court streets have been the main shopping corridors of the brownstone neighborhood of Carroll Gardens. Over the past 15 years or so, those parallel thoroughfares have become even livelier as dozens of restaurants and boutiques have opened up, drawing newcomers from Manhattan and other parts of Brooklyn seeking tree-lined blocks with turn-of-the-century townhomes.
Now, the sidewalks along Smith and Court are filled with new families and young professionals who share the neighborhood with longtime residents in the area.
Situated just south of Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens was considered a part of Red Hook before the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway was built and divided the area. Carroll Gardens, historically home to a large population of Italian-Americans, has become more diverse over the years as new residents have moved in.
Families with school-age children are among those currently buying up a lot of the townhomes and new condominiums in the area, said Immacolata Giocoli of Prudential Douglas Elliman. "The school district is a tremendous draw," she said.
While the influx of restaurants and bars have brought added cachet to Carroll Gardens, the area is still characterized by its brownstones and brick townhomes along the quite, residential side streets. Finding a home in the neighborhood can be tough because of the popularity of the district, according to brokers.
And living in Carroll Gardens isn't without its headaches. Subway maintenance along the F and G lines has been frequent this past year. The Smith-Ninth Street station is also closed for rehabilitation until next spring.
But the neighborhood has remained hot during the economic downturn. Bidding wars have even returned for some properties.
"I think it's different than it was 2007. People are a lot more restrained in those situations" where there are multiple bids, said Lindsay Barton Barrett of Corcoran Group. But "sometimes that's what it takes to get the apartment."
A penthouse at 321 Union St., a seven-unit condo building, had six offers after less than a week on the market, Ms. Barrett said. It ended up selling for about $1.5 million.
Home prices in Carroll Gardens are similar to those in other brownstone neighborhoods in Brooklyn. The median asking price for Carroll Gardens homes is $792,500, or $682 a square foot, according to real-estate site StreetEasy. In Cobble Hill, it is $687 a square foot, and to the east in Park Slope, it is $676, according to StreetEasy.
The housing stock is still primarily made up of townhomes that are either owner-occupied or used as rentals. Due to a lack of available land in the area, there weren't very many large condo projects built over the years.
One of the largest and newest condo projects in the area near the Gowanus Canal is Third & Bond, which has 44 units with a modern townhouse look. Sales began in 2009 and most of the condos there have been sold. A couple of studios are left with an asking price of about $316,000 and a one-bedroom is on the market for $644,000.
Court Street Lofts was another large project. The 10-story building with more than 100 units was renovated and converted into loft-style condos a few years ago.
The building's amenities include a gym, a park and bike storage. There are a few units on the market there with asking prices ranging between $475,000 and $899,000.
The Terraces at Court Street is another condo project developed in recent years. It's a six-story building with 25 units. Some units have 20-foot ceilings and industrial-size windows. The building also has a shared roof deck. There is a one-bedroom unit on the market there for $415,000 and a two-bedroom for $611,000.
Parks: Carroll Park is one of the few parks in the neighborhood. During the summer, it hosts children's concerts. It also has picnic areas, basketball courts and a baseball field.
Schools: Carroll Gardens public schools are in District 15, and include P.S. 146 and the Carroll School and John M. Harrigan, both primary schools.
In 2010, 61.4% of District 15 students in grades three through eight received a proficient score on the math exam, and 52.1% of students received a proficient score on the English Language Arts exam. In 2006, the results were 61.5% for math and 57% for reading.
Private schools in the area include the International School of Brooklyn, running from preschool to elementary school and the Hannah Senesh Community Day School, a primary and middle school. Also in the area is Rivendell School, a Montessori preschool.
Restaurants: Carroll Gardens has had an influx of restaurants open up along Court and Smith streets. Standouts include Buttermilk Channel, a new American restaurant, Prime Meats, which specializes in farm-to-table cuisine, and Lucali, famous for its pizza.
For classic Italian sandwiches, try G. Esposito & Sons Jersey Pork Store, and for Cuban food, there is Cubana Café.
Shopping: Numerous banks, pharmacies and grocery stores line Smith and Court streets. There are also small boutiques such as Smith + Butler and independent bookstores like Community Book Store.
Entertainment: The Bell House near the Gowanus Canal is a music venue. Arts spaces nearby include Proteus Gowanus and Brooklyn Artists Gym. On Court Street in nearby Cobble Hill, there is the Cobble Hill Cinemas.
