SunsetPark offers some of the best panoramic views of Manhattan, so it's only fitting that the neighborhood was named after its greatest asset - that western view.
Populated in the early 1900s by Irish, Italian and German immigrants, and more recently by Latino and Asian families, it's one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Now, as sky-high rents are forcing many people to move out of neighborhoods closer to the city, new construction is cropping up, and more long-time residents are moving out as an influx of young professionals and artists move in.
The boundaries of Sunset Park are much contested, but no matter how you define it, this vast area is bordered by an eclectic group of neighborhoods, including Park Slope, Borough Park and Bay Ridge. It's also home to Brooklyn's Chinatown, The Green-Wood Cemetery and some of the most authentic and affordable Chinese and Mexican food around.
In September, this populous area will get a long-awaited, brand-new high school, and a waterfront recreation area on the East River is projected to be completed within the next two years.
The Buzz
Gentrification. Throughout Sunset Park, you see signs of the old neighborhood meeting the new: Traditional pre-war homes stand side-by-side with new condo high-rises; hipster joints open next door to mom-and-pop Spanish shops; mommies power-walk with Bugaboo strollers that cost more than their neighbor's car. Those born and raised here scoff at the prices of new properties, and note that they would not pay the same money to move here now.
Find It
Sunset Park is bounded by approximately 17th Street to the north, Ninth Avenue to the east, 65th Street to the south and Upper New York Bay to the west.
DID YOU KNOW?
Scenes from "The Departed" were filmed in one of the neighborhood's oldest bars, Irish Haven on Fourth Avenue between 57th and 58th Streets.
On Aug. 8, 2007, a tornado with 135 mile-per-hour winds crushed cars and tore the roofs off houses in Sunset Park.
The population of Sunset Park as of 2000 was 120,063, which was a 17% increase from 1990. Fifty-two percent of those residents were of Hispanic origin.
TO SHOP
While Sunset Park doesn't have any big department stores, the area does have many stores that cater to locals. Fifth Avenue from the park to the 60s is packed with inexpensive clothing stores for all ages, electronics shops and a handful of party-related stores selling items for communions, weddings and sweet 16s. In Chinatown, markets offer sidewalk-side fresh fish and cheap fruit and vegetables.
Keonar Dos Sports Shop
6011 Fifth Ave. between 60th and 61st streets, 718-442-8482
Your inner athlete - especially soccer player - can find everything you need to dominate on the field at this sporting goods store. Along with what you'd expect, including jerseys, shoes and balls, you can find metallic wrestling masks that work equally as well for Halloween.
Mr C's Cycles
4622 Seventh Ave. at 46th Street, 718-438-7283
Avid cyclists, or those looking to become one, can check out Mr C's for low prices on a huge selection of bikes and cycling accessories. The two-floor store houses everything from city, mountain and road racing bikes, to family bicycles with baby seats. Since it has been owner-operated for 26 years, you'll find great, attentive and knowledgeable service.
My Secret Place
6118 Fifth Ave. between 61st and 62nd streets, No phone listed
Self-described as a "cheap and chic boutique" this thrift store has some decent finds if you're willing to carefully pick through its racks. Hipsters and/or their grandparents can find good deals, including jeans for under $10, leather jackets for $35 and if you're lucky, even some trendy clothes, like a Bohemian lace-trimmed shirt for just $4.
TO PLAY
Nightlife in Sunset Park is sparse, with just a few bars and clubs, and that fits this family neighborhood just fine. Some restaurants turn into bars with live music at night, but for wholesome fun, locals visit the Melody Lanes. Others head to the northern part of Sunset Park (which some refer to as Green-Wood Heights, or South Slope) and check out the local watering holes there.
Coraline Caf‚
480 62nd St. at Fifth Avenue, 718-492-6698
This corner bar with internet cafe is close to the Bay Ridge border. Grab a coffee and pre-pay some internet time so you can surf while you swig. Or if you prefer your entertainment to be more of the gaming variety, you can enjoy a pool table, darts, and video games. The beer selection is large, with about 35 bottles and another 15 bottles of specialty drinks, such as hard cider. Drinks here won't break the bank, with the average draft costing $4.
Feeney's Pub
6202 Fifth Ave. at 62nd Street, 718-439-6020
To look at Feeney's Pub, you'd think the place was here for years. And the ridiculously low prices ($3.25/pint) support that theory. But this dead-ringer for a nice VFW hall has only been open for three years. Catering to a mature crowd, Feeney's is big, friendly and pours a great pint of Guinness.
Melody Lanes Bowling Center
461 37th St. at Fifth Avenue, 718-832-2695
Those who are nostalgic for the good old days bowl at Melody Lanes. Offering inexpensive fun in same location since 1958, the low prices and charming d‚cor attract families from all over Brooklyn on the weekends, league bowlers during the week, and many couples at night - especially for the midnight madness special. Melody features 26 lanes, a snack counter and a bar that opens at 5 p.m. every day, so you can throw back some beers after you throw some balls.
Toby's Public House
686 Sixth Ave. at 21st Street, 718-788-1186
This cozy, neighborhood bar offers its customers great local beer, an early (4-6 p.m.) and late night (11 p.m.-1 a.m.) happy hour, sports on four flat screens, and outdoor seating. In addition to a relaxed atmosphere, Toby's offers great food; the wood-burning oven turns out some top-notch pizza, and patrons love bartender Bam's unique flavors of home-made beef jerky.
TO EAT
Sunset Park's dining scene matches the ethnicities of its residents, with Latino and Asian food dominating the region. Most of these restaurants are inexpensive, authentic and offer standout fare for the low cost. On Fifth avenue, taquerias and Mexican bakeries are abundant while Eighth avenue offers myriad Chinese restaurants, noodle shops and specialty stores with tapioca and milk drinks. People from all over visit Sunset Park for a tamale from a sidewalk stand or a dim sum breakfast in Brooklyn's Chinatown.
Caf‚ Con Pan Bakery Corp.
5401 Fifth Ave. at 52nd Street, 718-439-0041
There are many Mexican bakeries in Sunset Park, and Caf‚ Con Pan is typical of them with high-quality, low-cost baked goods. A slice of cheesecake is $1.50 and you can get a quarter pound of perfectly crumbly bakery cookies for just $2.25. If you're hungry for more than sweets, their grill turns out cheap breakfast fare, like eggs and home fries, for a mere $3.50.
Euro Trip
667 Fifth Ave. between 19th and 20th streets, 718-285-9425
This new restaurant and bar is less than a year old, and draws Europeans from all over the five boroughs for the Central-European menu. Featuring dishes from Poland, Armenia, Hungary and Germany - among others - Euro Trip has comfort food everyone can enjoy, such as latkes and wurst platters. Their bar menu has house drinks featuring "distinctive European spirits," and it also offers happy hour specials from 4-8 p.m. daily.
Tacos 2004
3913 Fifth Ave. at 39th Street, 718-853-0707
Tacos 2004 is a bit off-putting on the outside, but don't let the bars on the windows deter you; it's worth a trip for the fresh food made by hand while you wait. Prices are insanely low for the high quality; for just $2 you can get a flavorful steak taco with home-made guacamole. The most expensive item on the menu is a $12 shrimp fajita, but most dishes are $7-8. Tacos 2004 has a good tequila selection, as well as a bar menu that features the greatest hits of the `80s, like Sex on the Beach and White Russians.
Yunnan Flavour Snack Shop
775A 49th St. at Eighth Avenue, 718-633-3090
This tiny snack shop is more of a store than restaurant with no tables, with counter seating for about 10. But they offer a large selection of noodle soups in generous portions with most dishes costing just $4.25. Watch the owners make your meal behind the counter as they mix the fresh ingredients in a huge caldron-like pot. Favorites are the pork soup with rice noodles and spicy dumpling soup.
THE ONE THING YOU MUST DO
Sunset Park
After walking up three flights of steps to get to the top of Sunset Park -- which seems strangely bereft of trees and barren from the street -- you realize what the attraction is: an incomparable, panoramic view ranging from the Statue of Liberty to the Empire State Building. The best way to soak in the view is grab a snack, cozy up on a bench at the top of the park, and stay there until sunset so you can fully appreciate how the park got its name. If you prefer a bit more activity, walk toward the east side of the park, where you can find basketball courts, a sand volleyball court and a playground.
TO SEE
Sunset Park offers activities as diverse as its residents. Whether you want to learn about the past at Green-Wood or the Navy Yards, check out present-day Chinatown or see the melting pot of a neighborhood before the future of gentrification changes it, Sunset Park is rich in history and sights.
Green-Wood Cemetery
500 25th St. between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Fifth Avenue
Although it's the final resting place of nearly 600,000 people, including Gotham political legend Boss Tweed and graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, this 478-acre site is more tourist attraction than scary, ghost-filled clich‚. A landmark, it features beautiful mausoleums, a plethora of bird life and the most quiet space you'll find in the area, especially this close to the Jackie Robinson bus depot. Wander alone or take a guided tour.
Chinatown
Running from Eighth Avenue in the 40s through the 60s, Chinatown is the place to go for inexpensive and authentic cuisine. Some restaurants' windows showcase the requisite hanging ducks, but you should go inside if you want to get a true picture of how fresh the seafood is. Eels, fish and other creatures of the deep swim around in small aquariums awaiting their demise in the freshest of Chinese restaurants. Don't be afraid to eat food from vendors in telephone booth-like "kitchens" where fresh Chinese pastries are often made and sold.
Sunset Park Play Center
A NYC Parks Department endeavor, this WPA-built complex opened in 1936 on the east side of Sunset Park. Featuring a pool, computers, a library, and programs for kids, this recreation center offers a well-equipped gym with indoor pool that adults can join for just $50 a year. A nod to this neighborhood's commitment to its residents can be seen in the hand-painted murals by local school children.
REAL ESTATE
No matter where Park Slope "officially" ends and Sunset Park begins, this neighborhood offers housing with lower prices than its neighbors. Young families and twenty-somethings are moving into more affordable condos and into the more traditional, four-story co-ops that line the park, which were built by Finnish immigrants between 1910 and 1928. Living here is also attractive for young professionals because it's easily accessible by the N, R, M and the D express train, which can get you to Manhattan in just 20 minutes.
FOR SALE
550-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bath top-floor co-op on the park with great city views at 637 41st St.: $212,500
700-square-foot two-bedroom, one-bath third-floor co-op on the park at 566 44th St.: $240,000
700-square-foot two-bedroom first-floor co-op on the park at 661 41st St.: $300,000
Contact: Peter Bracichowicz
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Corcoran Park Slope
347-342-8370, peb@corcoran.com
FOR RENT
600-square-foot studio with super and laundry on site at 845 43rd St.: $950
700-square-foot rent-stabilized one-bedroom with recently renovated kitchen at 205 30th St.: $1,100
800-square-foot two-bedroom with hardwood floors and eat-in kitchen at 417 40th St.: $1450
900-square-foot three-bedroom at 503 56th St.: $1,500 with a two-year lease
Contact: Robert Santos Jr.
All Points Real Estate
718-907-5449, rsantos@allpointsre.com
Q and A with Joe Borgia, manager of Melody Lanes
Q: How has Sunset Park's residential makeup changed in the
past 30 to 40 years?
A: In the '70s, it was mostly Italian, Irish and German, and then came
Puerto Ricans and Mexicans, and now it's switching back to a variety. It's a
big mixture of everything, all different nationalities.
Q: What are the best things about the neighborhood?
A: There's a big variety of people and places. There's a lot of shopping on
Fifth Avenue. You can take a tour of Green-Wood. And it's very convenient to
get into Manhattan; you got four trains that can get you there in just 15
minutes to the city. And then there's the park, and a lot of people like to
go down to Shore Road and walk along the water.
Q: What's not so good about the neighborhood?
A: Really just the parking. I hate the parking here. Crime used to be an
issue but not anymore; the police are very involved and the store owners are
very involved, too, as it's in their best interest to keep the area safe.
Q: Who would be best-suited to move here?
A: Both families and single people are moving here because it's a nice area
and it's easy to get into the city.
