- nbhd -
greenpoint

Perched up at the tippy top of Brooklyn, a lot closer to Queens than to its own borough, Greenpoint feels visually distinct and physically far away. The historically Polish neighborhood has fuzzy borders with the historically Jewish neighborhood of Williamsburg. Today, besides some visual cues in the form of shop signs, the two neighborhoods are practically one big entity of the hip and trendy young professional vaguely creative crowd. With enough disposable income to afford rent, enough personality to avoid Manhattan, and enough freedom to (basically not be a parent or a student). These days, it seems everyone in the neighborhood is the same genre of 20 or 30 something hipster sporting a personality tote bag and an air of nonchalance.

Though it has been rapidly changing in the past few years as luxury condo buildings shoot up along the waterfront, and though it is still only served only by the unreliable G train, Greenpoint retains its allure. It’s surrounded by water on three sides, with stunning views of the Manhattan skyline across the East River. And even though you can see the contemporary urbanism of LIC encroaching, it still has a bit of a small town feel, with quiet tree-lined streets, historic architecture, so so many railway style apartments and a thriving Polish-American community.

On one end, it feels very industrial. The area connecting Williamsburg and Greenpoint next to McCarren Park is an artist and developers playground. It seems like every other month there is a new trendy restaurant or shop popping up there. On weekends it attracts a crowd of cool kids looking to thrift and brunch and drink their coffees while meandering the converted warehouses. As you make your way up the waterfront, there are even more neighborhood gems alongside new pop ups. Along Manhattan Ave, extending from the gingerbread house of a church, neighborhood mainstays coexist with trendy shops and restaurants that are rapidly changing the streetscape. It’s the kind of scene that is taken for granted by those in the neighborhood and a novelty for those who venture in from the city (or beyond).

To Brooklynites, it’s gentrified. To Manhattanites, it’s charming. To Greenpointers, the “real” neighborhood exists in the precious few blocks around McGolrick Park, on the other side of McGuinness. Regardless, Greenpoint is well into its cool kid years, no longer fringe, not quite yet mainstream. Filled with small businesses old and new, thriving. More and more of the buzzy creative restaurants and shops are opening up here but not yet chain retail taking over Williamsburg. Perhaps the one thing keeping it precious is the inconsistency of the G train on the weekends.