BP MARKOWITZ COMMENDS SOUTH PORTLAND AVENUE IN
FORT GREENE ON BEING NAMED TIME OUT’S
“BEST BLOCK IN NEW YORK CITY”

Fourteen Brooklyn blocks make Top 50 list, including five of Top 20.

"Brooklyn’s identity is rooted in the diversity and strength of our tightly knit neighborhoods, and nothing demonstrates those qualities better than the individual blocks that our residents care for and work constantly to make the best places to live anywhere. The fact that South Portland Avenue in Fort Greene was named Time Out’s “Best Block in New York City” may have come as a surprise to some, but for Brooklynites familiar with our beautiful architecture, particularly our historic brownstones, it’s a no-brainer. The South Portland block between Lafayette and Dekalb Avenues is just one of hundreds of stunning Brooklyn blocks that display textbook examples of the Italianate, Neo-Gothic, Greek Revival, and other styles. And its proximity to gorgeous Fort Greene Park, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, top-notch dining and services, and virtually every subway line within minutes are quintessential assets of the good life we celebrate in Brooklyn.

The other 13 Brooklyn blocks that made the Top 50 are hardly runner-ups: from Greenpoint to Sheepshead Bay, Ditmas Park to Park Slope, Clinton Hill to Brooklyn Heights, and Red Hook to Prospect Heights, each block is distinctive, compelling, and representative of a unique community bonded by a dedication to improving the way it looks, which in turn makes us all prouder of the place where we live. In truth, it doesn’t matter if you live in a Victorian mansion or an Art Deco apartment building or public housing; the important thing is to care about your neighborhood, to participate in beautifying your block, and to join Brooklynites in making our quality of life the best it can be. Some call that civic pride, but around here we call it the Brooklyn attitude — and these blocks have it to spare!”

—Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz