One of the best kept secrets in Brooklyn... Next to Marine Park, there is no other area in Brooklyn that we love as much as Ocean Parkway. It was built between 1874 and 1876. While it is not the longest street in Brooklyn (that designation goes to Bedford Avenue) it is certainly one of the most beautiful, largely due to beautiful tree-lined grassy paths along the service roads and plenty of benches for sitting. On a beautiful sunny day you will find many folks sitting under a tree, playing checkers or bicycling along these paths. And while Ocean Parkway is a boulevard rather than a neighborhood, the Parkway runs through some very desirable zip codes and neighborhoods. The main thoroughfare lanes were originally designed for horse-drawn carriages but now are for cars only. The bicycle path runs along Ocean Parkway for its entire length. It was built in 1894 and is the oldest bike path in America. Horseracing was a popular sport along Ocean Parkway until betting was banned in 1908. The bridle path was discontinued in the 1970’s when restoration was going on. Real estate in Ocean Parkway... Some of the most beautiful co-op buildings are local landmarks, such as 370 Ocean Parkway with its beautiful white triangular arch. One of our favorite buildings is 770 Ocean Parkway in Kensington. It is one of the few buildings that has a washer/dryer on every floor! The apartments are lovely and the maintenance is not bad either. Over the past decade, new luxury condos have been popping up along Ocean Parkway. Right now, many of the private homes and mansions going up for sale are being sold to condo developers for further condo construction. |