Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Fort Greene | |
|---|---|
Historic building at 144 South Oxford Street | |
Location in New York City | |
| Coordinates: 40°41′13″N 73°58′30″W / 40.687°N 73.975°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| City | New York City |
| Borough | Brooklyn |
| Community District | Brooklyn 2 |
| Named after | A fort named after Nathanael Greene |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.42 km2 (0.548 sq mi) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 32,938 |
| • Density | 23,000/km2 (60,000/sq mi) |
| Ethnicity | |
| • White | 34.5% |
| • Black | 30.0% |
| • Hispanic | 17.0% |
| • Asian | 11.9% |
| • Others | 6.6% |
| Economics | |
| • Median income | $107,633 |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 11238, 11201, 11205, 11217 |
| Area code | 718, 347, 929, and 917 |
Fort Greene is a neighborhood in the northwestern part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Flushing Avenue and the Brooklyn Navy Yard to the north, Flatbush Avenue Extension and Downtown Brooklyn to the west, Atlantic Avenue and Prospect Heights to the south, and Vanderbilt Avenue and Clinton Hill to the east. The Fort Greene Historic District is listed on the New York State Registry and on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a New York City designated historic district.
The neighborhood is named after an American Revolutionary War era fort that was built in 1776 under the supervision of General Nathanael Greene of Rhode Island. General Greene aided General George Washington during the Battle of Long Island in 1776. Fort Greene Park, originally called "Washington Park" is Brooklyn's first. In 1864, Fort Greene Park was redesigned by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux; the park notably includes the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument and crypt, which honors some 11,500 patriots who died aboard British prison ships during the American Revolution.
Fort Greene contains many examples of mid-19th century Italianate and Eastlake architecture, most of which is well preserved. It is known for its many tree-lined streets and elegant low-rise housing. Fort Greene is also home to the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower, which, for over 80 years, was the tallest building in Brooklyn. The neighborhood is close to the Atlantic Terminal station of the Long Island Rail Road and has access to many New York City Subway services.
Fort Greene is part of Brooklyn Community District 2, and its primary ZIP Codes are 11201, 11205, 11217, and 11238. It is patrolled by the 88th Precinct of the New York City Police Department. Politically it is represented by the New York City Council's 35th District. Fort Greene, a largely African-American neighborhood in the 20th century, has been significantly gentrified over the years, with the Black population decreasing from 41.8% in 2000 to 25.8% in 2017.