Why Bed-Stuy is a great place to live
Bedford-Stuyvesant, known as Bed-Stuy to New Yorkers, is a unique mix of old and new, south of Bushwick and Williamsburg and accessible on the A, C, J and G trains. It’s also home to our Bed-Stuy House and just a short walk from our Bushwick, East Bushwick and South Williamsburg houses. Read on for our top reasons to live in Bed-Stuy.
The history
Bed-Stuy, like neighboring Bushwick and Williamsburg, is now a major hub for young artistic types, but it has nevertheless kept its rich cultural history. The neighborhood is famous for its authentic brownstone homes and you can find Anne and Romanesque Revival architecture juxtaposed against modern coffee shops and new builds, especially along Nostrand Avenue and Halsey Street.
Bed-Stuy is rich in 18th-century Dutch history and Revolutionary War heritage, as well as black American civil rights history, with monuments like Restoration Plaza on Fulton Street. It is the site of Our Lady of Victory, a neo-Gothic, 19th-century Catholic church, at 583 Throop Ave. Check out the full list of the area’s historic buildings here.
The art scene
Bed-Stuy is an artist’s paradise, in part due to the emerging artists who have made the neighborhood their home in recent years. Just walking along the street will lead you to an array of murals, such as the Biggie mural on the corner of Bedford Ave. and Quincy St., and the artistic tribute to rapper OBD, one of the founding members of the Wu-Tang Clan, at 448 Franklin Ave.
Explore emerging and established artists at the Richard Beavers Gallery and The Bishop Gallery. But it doesn’t stop there; art is woven into the very fabric of Bed-Stuy living. Local coffee shops like Mary’s Coffee Shop, just a short walk from our Bed-Stuy House, are filled with local art hanging on the walls, and spaces like the Living Gallery at 1094 Broadway hold regular art classes and live music performances, with a rotating display of art at your fingertips.
The particularly eclectic mix of food, drink and culture
Bed-Stuy has significant Caribbean, Trinidadian and Haitian communities, which means there are a variety of authentic eateries on offer. Try Grandchamps, at 197 Patchen Ave., for amazing Haitian food, including bone-in stewed chicken, fried fish and griot. Get delicious French food at the Georges-Andres Vintage Cafe, or grab an Eastern European coffee at Zabka Eastern European Cafe.
Bed-Stuy is a true mix of old and new. Find historic community options peppered with modern coffee shops, restaurants, bars and, of course, affordable vintage stores. The crowning jewel of the latter is Harold and Maude Vintage, with genuine vintage pieces at affordable prices. Another favorite, The Meat Market, at 380 Tompkins Ave., may look like a butcher shop outside, but inside you’ll find a range of high quality, ethical picks. Bed-Stuy is also rich in artsy bars like C’mon Everybody, which hosts up-and-coming musicians and special events, including regular burlesque shows.
The green spaces
Green space is hard to come by in New York City. One of the best parts of Bed-Stuy is the unexpected abundance of parks and green spaces that this neighborhood holds. Herbert Von King Park, one of Brooklyn’s first parks, is a green oasis right in the middle of Bed-Stuy, designed by Frederick Law Olsted (of the same duo who designed Central Park and Prospect Park). Find fitness equipment, a baseball field and even the outdoor Eubie Blake Auditorium, where you can find free jazz concerts in the summer. Or in the south end of Bed-Stuy, find beautiful Fulton Park, a little slice of Washington Square Park brought east into Brooklyn, with chess tables and flowers galore. This community-feeling park is home to an annual art fair in the summer and a Halloween parade in the fall.
Bed-Stuy is also just a short walk from Brooklyn’s largest and most famous park, Prospect Park. This 526-acre has specially designated cycle tracks, à la Central Park, and even a zoo. Take a picnic lunch and whittle away a Sunday afternoon on the grass. Environmentalists will love the Magnolia Tree Earth Center on Lafayette Ave., dedicated to urban beautification and community sustainability, as well as the large number of community gardens scattered around the neighborhood.
