About Brooklyn, New YorkDecades ago, Brooklyn, New York was a city that looked with nostalgia to the glory days of Coney Island, the Victorian Gold Coast, and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Some even gave up on their neighborhoods and moved away. But others―committed residents, nonprofit community development groups, artists, and a few hearty pioneers― refused to budge and stayed behind to rebuild. Their work was reinforced by innovative New York City policies, the Community Reinvestment Act, which encouraged bank lending, and housing tax credits, which encouraged new development.
Then the private sector came along, liked what it saw, and the result has been one of the hottest housing booms in the country.
Brooklyn's optimistic business community, elected officials, and local residents are a special breed. They believe in the potential of all people in the borough and continue to work to ensure that everyone benefits from its renaissance. They also recognize the strength of Brooklyn's diversity and appreciate hardworking newcomers who unpack their dreams here as millions have done before them.
As a result, Brooklyn today is a city that is looking forward, and there is much to look forward to.
- The waterfront, vibrant until the 1950s when the rise of the interstate highway system robbed the maritime industry of its monopoly on moving goods, is being restored to its 19th Century glory as a destination for tourists, parks, housing, and even cruise lines;
- Luxury condominiums in Brooklyn, New York are replacing vacant lots in formerly forlorn areas;
- Brooklyn is changing zoning laws to preserve the character of residential neighborhoods, but is encouraging higher rise development along commercial corridors and in downtown Brooklyn;
- A minor league baseball team, the Cyclones, draws thousands of fans to Coney Island each season;
- Brooklyn's beaches bring millions to the shore every year;
- Residents can see sublime performances at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the finest art at the Brooklyn Museum;
- Prospect Park has been restored to its 19th Century grandeur, offering along with the Parade Grounds and other parks in Brooklyn, Little League ball fields, soccer fields, tennis courts, swimming pools, and a skating rink, proving that the city is a terrific place to raise kids;
- The Dyker Heights and Marine Park golf courses, easily reachable by public transportation, erase thoughts of suburban country clubs;
- Large retail chains such Target, Home Depot, and Lowes have realized the potential of the Brooklyn market and have established a presence;
- Brooklyn may have its first major league team since the 1950s, the Brooklyn Nets, when the soon to be Brooklyn basketball team gets its own arena on Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues.
The world has fallen in love with Brooklyn again, and as with any first love, one thinks the other 2.5 million residents couldn't possibly be more devoted suitors. But the beauty of Brooklyn is that old timers as well as greenhorns are always discovering nuggets of the borough's rich history as well as uncovering its great potential.
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