Prospect Lefferts Gardens

Anyone who has ever walked into a place and felt like they "belonged" will be drawn to life in Prospect Lefferts Gardens (PLG). The tree-lined streets nestled between Empire Boulevard to the north, Clarkson Avenue to the south, New York Avenue to the East, and Ocean Avenue/Prospect Park to the west is like that kid no one seemed to notice in middle school. You know, the one who turned out to be an ultra-successful adult. PLG is quiet and unassuming, but rich with culture, history, and a low buzz of energy that can best be described as cool. 

With all of Brooklyn and Manhattan just a short ride away, new home buyers are beginning to see PLG for precisely what it is: a great bedroom community in which to put down roots. Those young families pushing their Maclarens and Bugaboos down PLG sidewalks might be surprised to know how much they resemble families at the turn of the 20th century, hungry for a warm place to call home. They didn't want to be too close to the noise of the big city, but did want to commute there as needed. Funny how much, and how little, changes in 120 years. 

One refreshing aspect of this cool-but-humble neighborhood is how heavily it continues to rely on family-owned stores, restaurants, salons, and Caribbean bakeries – staples established by those who helped shape the place. Sure, trendy new storefronts have popped up in order to keep up with demand, but the tried-and-true mom-and-pop shops are what gives PLG its flavor.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission once called PLG "one of the finest enclaves of the 19th and early 20th century housing in New York City." That designation alone helps make the annual Prospect Lefferts Gardens House and Garden Tour such a rousing success each spring. People may come out to visit stunning examples of 1890s – 1920s architecture, but they frequently stay to enjoy Prospect Park, located on the western edge of the neighborhood. Whether they visit the Audubon Center at the Boathouse, Lakeside Center, Prospect Park Zoo, Lefferts Historic House, or the 1912 Carousel, one spring day in PLG is worth a dozen in a less extraordinary neighborhood.