Downtown Brooklyn: A Neighborhood ‘in the Middle of Everything’

What You’ll Find

The boundaries of Downtown Brooklyn are a perpetual subject of debate. Known as the Special Downtown Brooklyn District, the neighborhood sits between Tillary Street to the north, Atlantic Avenue to the south, Clinton Street to the west and Ashland Place to the east. That roughly correlates with the boundaries set by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership’s three business improvement districts, with the exception of Atlantic Avenue.

Part of the neighborhood’s appeal is that it lies “at the nexus of more idyllic Brooklyn neighborhoods,” said Cornelia H. Van Amburg, a real estate agent with Compass who represents a 59-unit condominium on Schermerhorn Street called the Symon. Residents are within walking distance of Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill to the west, and Fort Greene and Prospect Heights to the east.

“It’s really like being in the middle of everything,” said Ryan Serhant, the real estate broker whose agency, Serhant, is handling sales for Brooklyn Point, a luxury condo tower on Willoughby Street that was developed by Extell, known for its high-end Manhattan properties.

Transit access is also a huge draw: Depending on where you are in the neighborhood, it’s a one- or two-stop subway ride to Lower Manhattan. Other transportation options, from buses to Citi Bikes, are abundant.

The housing stock is largely made up of rentals, thanks to the proliferation of the towers built after the 2004 rezoning, many of which include affordable housing — among them, Hub, a 50-story building on Schermerhorn Street with about 600 apartments, and Ava DoBro on Willoughby Street, with more than 800 apartments.

But there are options for buyers, as well. BellTel Lofts was one of the neighborhood’s first condo developments when it opened in 2008, Ms. Myer said. Its loft-like apartments are in the former New York Telephone Company headquarters on Bridge Street, a landmark Art Deco building. Smaller boutique properties, like the one Ms. Van Amburg represents, can also be found throughout the neighborhood.