Life in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

Life in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

Alongside the Columbia Street Waterfront District and sandwiched between Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, and Carroll Gardens lies the beautiful neighborhood of Cobble Hill, the stuff New York dreams are made of. Cobble Hill represents a slice of ‘Old World’ Brooklyn––a place where stoops and tree-lined streets welcome you home if you’re lucky enough to live there.

You’ll find families that have been living in Cobble Hill for decades, some for more than 100 years, as well as newcomers making the shift from other parts of the city. All in all, if you ask residents in this pocket of NYC about their home sweet home, they’ll likely tell you how much they love living in Cobble Hill.

Although the neighborhood spans a mere 40 blocks, there’s a hefty selection of mom-and-pop shops as well as a dusting of brand-name stores like Buffalo Exchange, Urban Outfitters, and Starbucks.  Even though the Seattle-based chain keeps a presence in the neighborhood, Cobble Hill promises a legitimate local coffee culture. That means you can get your caffeine fix at spots like Bien Cuit and Cobble Hill Coffee Shop.

There’s plenty else to keep you out and about in Cobble Hill, too. There’s no shortage of Cobble Hill restaurants or storefronts. Take a stroll through the neighborhood and you’ll run into most of the shops and eateries along Court and Smith, where bookstores, cafes, and watering holes dot the streetscape. Cobble Hill Cinemas screens children’s movies and arthouse films, and on Clinton Street between Verandah Place and Congress Street, Cobble Hill Park guarantees a quiet respite from city streets.

One drawback: transit isn’t the most convenient in Cobble Hill. The F and G trains stop at Bergen Street, but the F isn’t always reliable (as most New Yorkers will vouch), and the G does not provide service to Manhattan. You can pick up the A or C at Jay Street and the 2/3 or 4/5 at Borough Hall, but the walk is about 10 or 15 minutes minimum, depending on where you are in the neighborhood.

Much of what’s great about Brooklyn is steps away, however. Living in Cobble Hill provides easy access to Barclay’s Center, Downtown Brooklyn, and l that Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, and the surrounding area has to offer.

Cobble Hill real estate, like most of New York City’s, is not inexpensive. One-bedroom rentals start in the $2,500 range but can go up as high as $4,000 depending on the amenities. A large one-bedroom co-op could cost anywhere from $700,000 to more than $1 million. Have your eyes on one of those charming brownstones? Hope you’ve been saving your hundred dollar bills. Those list in the $4 to $5 million range.

How do you feel about living in Cobble Hill? Looks like bliss to me. 🙂

Many thanks to Eric Barao for the photos in this post.

Also Greenpoint is another great Brooklyn neighborhood.