Prospect Lefferts Gardens is a residential neighborhood in the
Flatbush area of the
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
In the Middle A ...
of
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
. The community is bounded by Empire Boulevard (formerly Malbone Street) to the north, Clarkson Avenue to the south, New York Avenue to the east, and
Ocean Avenue/
Prospect Park to the west. Prospect Lefferts Gardens was designated a NYC Landmark area in 1979 and called the Prospect Lefferts Gardens Historic District.
The neighborhood contains an ethnically diverse community with a largely
Caribbean-American and
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...
population. Since the 2000s, Prospect Lefferts Gardens has been
gentrifying
Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and planning. Gentrification often increases the ec ...
quickly. Real estate development has increased and new residents from other groups have increased.
Prospect Lefferts Gardens is part of
Brooklyn Community District 9, and its primary
ZIP Code is 11225.
It is patrolled by the 71st Precinct of the
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...
.
Politically it is represented by the
New York City Council's 40th District.
Name
The name Prospect Lefferts Gardens was created in 1968 by the Prospect Lefferts Gardens Neighborhood Association (PLGNA). Prospect Lefferts Gardens is a combination of the names of three nearby locations:
Prospect Park,
Lefferts Manor, and the
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) is a botanical garden in the borough of Brooklyn, New York City. It was founded in 1910 using land from Mount Prospect Park in central Brooklyn, adjacent to Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Museum. The garden holds ...
. Lefferts Manor is named for the Dutch colonial family who built it; they were also one of the largest owners of slaves in Brooklyn.
History
The area was originally settled by a
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
family in 1660, at which time it was within the
Town of Flatbush. In 1893 the Lefferts estate was divided by James Lefferts into 600 building lots, now known as Lefferts Manor, and sold to developers. Lefferts observed construction from the
Lefferts homestead, then located on Flatbush Avenue between Maple and Midwood Streets (now a historic museum located in Prospect Park).
In order to ensure that the neighborhood would contain homes of a substantial nature, Lefferts attached land-use deed restrictions, dictating that each lot contain a single family residence built of brick or stone at least two stories in height, among other restrictions. The
land-use covenant still exists in Lefferts Manor. Houses in Lefferts Manor were mostly constructed during the late 19th century and early 20th century, the last of which were constructed in the early 1950s. Patio Gardens, the last large development built before the wave of gentrification in the mid-2000s, was constructed in the early 1960s.
Lefferts Manor and parts of Lefferts Avenue and Sterling Street, not in the single-family covenant, were granted landmark status by the
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and cu ...
on October 9, 1979.
The
Lefferts Manor Historic District was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 1992.
In 2009 the neighborhood gained a second landmark district when the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Ocean on the Park Historic District. As a small, early 20th century enclave that is set-back from the street, this historic district consists of only 2 brick and 10 limestone townhouses. Yet it stands in striking architectural contrast to the long line of large and stately apartment buildings which otherwise dominate Ocean Avenue at the southeastern border of Prospect Park. In 2014 a third small historic district–Chester Court, a cull-de-sac off the west side of Flatbush Avenue, near Rutland Road, was designated. The Chester Court Historic District has 18 Tudor-revival townhouses, similar to those on Rutland Road in the main Historic District.
![Marvinplgarts2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Marvinplgarts2.jpg)
Concurrent with the development of Lefferts Manor was the growth of the surrounding area, now known collectively as Prospect Lefferts Gardens. Many one and two family homes were constructed in the early 20th century.
Presently, other areas of Prospect Lefferts Gardens contain a mixture of single-family and multi-family homes as well as larger apartment houses.
Since the 1960s, Caribbean immigrants have settled in Prospect Lefferts Gardens as well as in surrounding areas such as
East Flatbush
East Flatbush is a residential neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. East Flatbush is bounded by Crown Heights and Empire Boulevard to the north; Brownsville and East 98th Street to the east; Flatlands, Canarsie and the ...
,
Flatbush, and
Crown Heights. The overlapping sections of these neighborhoods were nicknamed ''Little Caribbean'' on
Google Maps
Google Maps is a web mapping platform and consumer application offered by Google. It offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, 360° interactive panoramic views of streets ( Street View), real-time traffic conditions, and rou ...
.
Community organizations
Prospect Lefferts Gardens has a long tradition of community participation and involvement. In 2009, PLG Arts transformed multiple drab-looking construction facades into murals that reflected the area and its artists. LinRoFORMA, founded 2010, organizes Lincoln Road residents and businesses to revitalize the street and neighborhood. PLG Community Supported Agriculture links the community and a
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
farm, bringing organic produce and vegetables to residents and providing sustainability for future growth. Strong interest in improved food options led to the formation of the Lefferts Community Food Cooperative in 2009, a market that uses cooperative principles to sell socially responsible and healthy food products. The Maple Street Community Garden, founded in 2012 at 237 Maple St., is a communally managed organic vegetable garden open to the public, and runs an active composting program. Other organizations include the Lefferts Manor Association, which was founded in 1919 to enforce the single family covenant; and PLGNA, the Prospect Lefferts Gardens Neighborhood Association, founded 1968.
Demographics
Based on data from the
2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servi ...
, the population of Prospect Lefferts Gardens was 67,459, a change of -2,841 (-4.2%) from the 70,300 counted in
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...
. Covering an area of , the neighborhood had a population density of .
[Table PL-P5 NTA: Total Population and Persons Per Acre - New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010]
Population Division - New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
Department of City Planning, February 2012. Accessed June 16, 2016. The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 9.6% (6,495)
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 76.5% (51,578)
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.2% (155)
Native American, 1.6% (1,063)
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0% (17)
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.4% (292) from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.8% (1,231) from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 9.8% (6,628) of the population.
[Table PL-P3A NTA: Total Population by Mutually Exclusive Race and Hispanic Origin - New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010]
Population Division - New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
Department of City Planning, March 29, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2016.
The entirety of Community Board 9, which covers Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Crown Heights South, had 98,650 inhabitants as of NYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 81.2 years.
This is equal to the median life expectancy of all New York City neighborhoods.
Most inhabitants are middle-aged adults and youth: 22% are between the ages of 0–17, 30% between 25–44, and 25% between 45–64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 9% and 14% respectively.
As of 2016, the median household income in Community Board 9 was $51,072.
In 2018, an estimated 22% of Crown Heights South residents lived in poverty, compared to 21% in all of Brooklyn and 20% in all of New York City. One in nine residents (11%) were unemployed, compared to 9% in the rest of both Brooklyn and New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 55% in Crown Heights South, higher than the citywide and boroughwide rates of 52% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, , Crown Heights South is considered to be gentrifying.
According to the 2020 census data from
New York City Department of City Planning, there were between 20,000 to 29,999 Black residents, 10,000 to 19,999 White residents, and 5,000 to 9,999 Hispanic residents.
Police and crime
![71 Pct NYPD Malbone St NY Av jeh](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/71_Pct_NYPD_Malbone_St_NY_Av_jeh.jpg)
Prospect Lefferts Gardens is patrolled by the 71st Precinct of the
NYPD
The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...
, located at 421 Empire Boulevard.
The 71st Precinct ranked 46th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. , with a non-fatal assault rate of 73 per 1,000 people in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, rates of
violent crime
A violent crime, violent felony, crime of violence or crime of a violent nature is a crime in which an offender or perpetrator uses or threatens to use harmful force upon a victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objecti ...
s per capita are greater than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 598 per 100,000 people is also greater than that of the city as a whole.
The 71st Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 82.7% between 1990 and 2018. The precinct reported 8 murders, 26 rapes, 166 robberies, 349 felony assaults, 143 burglaries, 464 grand larcenies, and 68 grand larcenies auto in 2018.
Fire safety
The
New York City Fire Department
The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), is an American department of the government of New York City that provides fire protection services, technical rescue/special operations services, ...
(FDNY) operates two fire stations in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. Engine Co. 281/Ladder Co. 147 is located at 1210 Cortelyou Road, while Engine Co. 249/Ladder Co. 113 is located at 491 Rogers Avenue.
Health
,
preterm birth
Preterm birth, also known as premature birth, is the birth of a baby at fewer than 37 weeks gestational age, as opposed to full-term delivery at approximately 40 weeks. Extreme preterm is less than 28 weeks, very early preterm birth is between 2 ...
s in Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Crown Heights South are more common than in other places citywide, though births to teenage mothers are less common than in other places citywide. There were 91 preterm births per 1,000 live births in Prospect Lefferts Gardens (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide) and 14.8 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide).
Both neighborhoods have a relatively high population of residents who are
uninsured
Insurance is a means of protection from financial loss in which, in exchange for a fee, a party agrees to compensate another party in the event of a certain loss, damage, or injury. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to Hedge ( ...
, or who receive healthcare through
Medicaid
Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and per ...
.
[New York City Health Provider Partnership Brooklyn Community Needs Assessment: Final Report](_blank)
New York Academy of Medicine
The New York Academy of Medicine (the Academy) is a health policy and advocacy organization founded in 1847 by a group of leading New York metropolitan area physicians as a voice for the medical profession in medical practice and public health ...
(October 3, 2014). In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 16% in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, compared to the citywide rate of 12%.
Air pollution
Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to materials. There are many different typ ...
is in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, slightly higher than the citywide and boroughwide averages.
Eight percent of residents are
smokers, compared to the city average of 14% of residents being smokers.
In Prospect Lefferts Gardens Crown Heights South, 32% of residents are obese, 15% are diabetic, and 37% have high blood pressure.
In addition, 19% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%.
Eighty-one percent of Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Crown Heights South residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is slightly lower than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 84% of residents described their health as "good," "very good," or "excellent," compared to the city's average of 78%.
For every supermarket, there are 21
bodegas in Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Crown Heights South.
Education
Prospect Lefferts Gardens generally has a similar ratio of college-educated residents to the rest of the city . While 35% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, 16% have less than a high school education and 48% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 40% of Brooklynites and 38% of city residents have a college education or higher.
In Prospect Lefferts Gardens, reading achievement rose from 31 percent in 2000 to 37 percent in 2011, and math achievement rose from 21 percent to 47 percent within the same time period.
Prospect Lefferts Gardens' rates of elementary school student absenteeism are higher than the rest of New York City. The proportions of elementary school students who missed twenty or more days per
school year
A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compul ...
were 22% in the neighborhood, compared to the citywide average of 20% of students.
Additionally, 77% of high school students graduate on time, compared to the citywide average of 75% of students.
Schools
There are four public schools within the area's borders which are part of NYC School District 17. There are two middle schools
M.S. 002for sixth to eighth graders an
M.S. 61which serves the sixth through ninth grades
is an elementary school for kindergarten through fifth grade. In 2010, th
Lefferts Gardens Charter Schoolopened an elementary program that focuses on environmental science and experiential learning.
Library
The
Brooklyn Public Library (BPL)'s Crown Heights branch, on the border with Crown Heights, is located at 560 New York Avenue near Maple Street.
Politics
![Martyottoneals](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Martyottoneals.jpg)
The neighborhood is part of
New York's 9th congressional district
New York's 9th congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in New York City, represented by Yvette Clarke.
The district is located entirely within Brooklyn. It includes the neighborhoods of ...
, represented by Democrat
Yvette Clarke
Yvette Diane Clarke (born November 21, 1964) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 9th congressional district since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, she first entered Congress in 2007, representing ...
. It is also part of the 20th and 21st
State Senate
A state legislature in the United States is the legislative body of any of the 50 U.S. states. The formal name varies from state to state. In 27 states, the legislature is simply called the ''Legislature'' or the ''State Legislature'', whil ...
districts, represented by Democrats
Zellnor Myrie and
Kevin S. Parker, and the 42nd and 43rd
State Assembly districts, represented respectively by Democrats
Rodneyse Bichotte and
Brian Cunningham. Prospect Lefferts Gardens is located in New York's 35th and 40th
City Council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...
districts, represented respectively by Democrats
Crystal Hudson
Crystal R. Hudson (born April 14, 1983) is an American politician from New York City. A Democrat, she represents the 35th district of the New York City Council, which covers parts of central Brooklyn.
Early life and education
Born and raised i ...
and
Rita Joseph
Rita C. Joseph (born July 24, 1970) is an American politician and educator serving as a member of the New York City Council for the 40th district. Elected in November 2021, she assumed office on January 1, 2022.
Early life and education
Jose ...
.
Prospect Lefferts Gardens is served by
Brooklyn Community Board 9
Brooklyn Community Board 9 is a New York City community board that encompasses the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, and Wingate. It is delimited by Ocean Avenue and Flatbush Avenue on the west, Eastern Parkwa ...
.
Transportation
![Subway entrance sterling snow 20131214](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Subway_entrance_sterling_snow_20131214.jpg)
Prospect Lefferts Gardens is serviced by the
New York City Subway's at the
Prospect Park station and the at the
Parkside Avenue
The Parkside Avenue station is a local station on the BMT Brighton Line of the New York City Subway. It is located at Parkside Avenue and Ocean Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn. The station is served by the Q train at all times.
History
This s ...
station (both on the
BMT Brighton Line
The BMT Brighton Line, also known as the Brighton Beach Line, is a rapid transit line in the B Division of the New York City Subway in Brooklyn, New York City, United States. Local service is provided at all times by the Q train, but is joined ...
), as well as the
Sterling Street and
Winthrop Street stations on the
IRT Nostrand Avenue Line
The IRT Nostrand Avenue Line is a rapid transit line of the A Division of the New York City Subway running under Nostrand Avenue in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is served by the train at all times and is also served by the trai ...
(). Additionally, the
New York City Bus
MTA Regional Bus Operations (RBO) is the surface transit division of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). It was created in 2008 to consolidate all bus operations in New York City operated by the MTA. , MTA Regional Bus Operations ru ...
routes serve the area.
See also
*
*
Malbone Street wreck
The Malbone Street wreck, also known as the Brighton Beach Line accident, was a rapid transit railroad accident that occurred on November 1, 1918, on the New York City Subway's BMT Brighton Line (now part of the BMT Franklin Avenue Line) in the ...
, a subway accident near the Prospect Park station in 1919
*
Lefferts Historic House
The Lefferts Historic House is located within Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York City. Built circa 1783, it is the former home of enslaved persons and the family of Continental Army Lieutenant Pieter Lefferts. It currently operates as a museu ...
, a landmark house in Prospect Park
References
Notes
Further reading
*
*
External links
Across the Parkblog
blog. Archived fro
on April 30, 2008.
Archived fro
on May 31, 2008.
Map of Prospect-Lefferts Gardens Historic DistrictMap of Ocean On The Park Historic District
{{Authority control
Neighborhoods in Brooklyn
Flatbush, Brooklyn
Lefferts family
New York City designated historic districts
New York City Designated Landmarks in Brooklyn