Navy Yard

Dear old John Adams. By all accounts, Adams could be pugnacious, passionate, and quick to temper. In fact, after the Declaration of Independence was signed, the British created a list of signers they would be willing to forgive if the Americans would simply retract their demand for independence. Mr. Adams was not on that list. John Adams was old-school tough, which makes the fact that he was the one to first commission the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1801 so incredibly cool. 

The Navy Yard neighborhood is built on a solid foundation of determined Americans, and that is one of the things that make this area intensely sought-after. There is a resolute spirit that clings to everything that takes place, whether it's the restoration of an old building or opening of a hip new roasting company. Everything old is new, and everything tired is repurposed.

Wonder what ever happened to the shipyard where some of the most notable vessels in American history were built between 1820 and 1979? It's alive, well, and thriving. Steiner Studios – one of the three major film studios in NYC – has made its home in the old shipyard, as have 200 other businesses. Building 92 is now the Brooklyn Navy Yard Center. In addition to hosting a myriad of events for children and adults, Building 92 houses the exhibition "Brooklyn Navy Yard: Past, Present and Future."

And that's the thing about Navy Yard. There is alwaysa future to be considered, ideas to be dreamt and fulfilled. Brooklyn has long been an oasis for artists, people who see the world in a different way. For years, they wrote their poetry and painted their murals wherever rent was cheap. Today, they're buying lofts in converted old industrial buildings along Washington Avenue. They're moving in next door to teachers, doctors, and accountants – each with a dream of their own. 

They pass each other at Foragers Market (on Adams Avenue, sweetly enough), have coffee at The Brooklyn Roasting Company, grab a sandwich at J & J Navy Yard Sub Shoppe, or sit down for a nice meal at Il Porto. The point is, they're neighbors, and they're building something pretty great together. At the end of the day, they can even gather at NYC's oldest operating whiskey distillery, Kings County Distillery, to talk about what's next – much like John Adams might have.