Sunset Park West Is A Thing Now, Says New York Times

A recent New York Times article highlighted five of New York City’s “Next Hot Neighborhoods” and, unsurprisingly, they flagged Sunset Park West — aka the narrow strip of residential blocks west of Third and Fourth Avenues — as one neighborhood that will soon see surging property values. The other four communities singled out are Flatbush, Ridgewood, the Rockaways, and East Harlem.

Your first reaction might be the same as ours: what in the world is “Sunset Park West”?

This mythical real estate agent-crafted “neighborhood” situated west of the Gowanus Expressway and Third Avenue is described by Times reporter Michelle Higgins as “mostly low-slung warehouse buildings with a smattering of residences mixed in” that appeal to workers coming to Industry City, Bush Terminal Park, and other waterfront businesses.

Now, redevelopment along the water’s edge is drawing interest toward the western fringe, an area that requires visitors coming from the subway to pass under the elevated Gowanus Expressway, which cuts through the neighborhood along Third Avenue.

“There is so much office-related tenancy there and people want to be close to their work,” said Joshua Zegen, a founder of Madison Realty Capital, which purchased the Brooklyn Whale Building at 14 53rd Street last year and is turning the 400,000-square-foot industrial property into a technology, media and creative office hub. “That will drive residential momentum.”

Higgins also references all the business investment and big-name tenants such as new arrival Time Inc., 3-D printing company MakerBot, the Brooklyn Nets, Brooklyn Flea/Smorgasburg, and Design Within Reach, as well as new “coffee shops and cafes like Parkette Brooklyn and Parlay” as indicators of growth.

Such attractions are “drawing a lot of people who were not aware of the neighborhood,” said Peter Bracichowicz, an associate broker at the Corcoran Group who specializes in the area. Until recently, he said, the western reaches. . . were “really not focused on by most of the buyers.” But the waterfront activity, combined with the appealing prices in the more industrial blocks, has begun to change that.

Single- and two-family houses near the park are going for between $1.1 million and $1.3 million, he said. But in the low 40s between Bush Terminal Park and Industry City, he noted, “you could buy a two-family house for $700,000.”

While not enough housing stock is available to establish a trend, he added, “pure demand” is driving interest. “I believe it’s a matter of time before more people discover this neighborhood.”

But, of course, this neighborhood is far from being undiscovered. Sunset Park has long been a neighborhood strong in community for generations of immigrants from Norway, Mexico, Puerto Rico, China, and elsewhere. From 65th Street and Bay Ridge to the south, Greenwood Heights and Park Slope to the north, and Borough Park to the east, Sunset Park has its own gorgeous park, grand churches like Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Michael’s, historic cemetery at Green-Wood, intergenerational vibrancy. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places!

Sunset Park has long been a “hot” neighborhood to live, work, and raise a family in. What do you think of more people finding out about this fact?

With reporting by Sarah Crean.