Prospect Lefferts Gardens
Prospect Lefferts Gardens | ||
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Median income $39,319 | | |
ZIP Codes | 11225 | |
Area code | 718, 347, 929, and 917 |
Prospect Lefferts Gardens is a residential neighborhood in the
The neighborhood contains an ethnically diverse community with a largely
Prospect Lefferts Gardens is part of Brooklyn Community District 9, and its primary ZIP Code is 11225.[1] It is patrolled by the 71st Precinct of the New York City Police Department.[7] Politically it is represented by the New York City Council's 40th District.[8]
Name
The name Prospect Lefferts Gardens was created in 1968 by the Prospect Lefferts Gardens Neighborhood Association (PLGNA). Prospect Lefferts Gardens is a combination of the names of three nearby locations: Prospect Park, Lefferts Manor, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.[9][10] Lefferts Manor is named for the Dutch colonial family who built it; they were also one of the largest owners of slaves in Brooklyn.[11]
History
The area was originally settled by a
Lefferts Manor and parts of Lefferts Avenue and Sterling Street, not in the single-family covenant, were granted landmark status by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission on October 9, 1979.[4] The Lefferts Manor Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.[14] In 2009 the neighborhood gained a second landmark district when the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Ocean on the Park Historic District. As a small, early 20th century enclave that is set-back from the street, this historic district consists of only 2 brick and 10 limestone townhouses. Yet it stands in striking architectural contrast to the long line of large and stately apartment buildings which otherwise dominate Ocean Avenue at the southeastern border of Prospect Park.[15] In 2014 a third small historic district–Chester Court, a cull-de-sac off the west side of Flatbush Avenue, near Rutland Road, was designated. The Chester Court Historic District has 18 Tudor-revival townhouses, similar to those on Rutland Road in the main Historic District.
Concurrent with the development of Lefferts Manor was the growth of the surrounding area, now known collectively as Prospect Lefferts Gardens. Many one and two family homes were constructed in the early 20th century.[12] Presently, other areas of Prospect Lefferts Gardens contain a mixture of single-family and multi-family homes as well as larger apartment houses.[6]
Since the 1960s, Caribbean immigrants have settled in Prospect Lefferts Gardens as well as in surrounding areas such as
Community organizations
Prospect Lefferts Gardens has a long tradition of community participation and involvement. In 2009, PLG Arts transformed multiple drab-looking construction facades into murals that reflected the area and its artists. LinRoFORMA, founded 2010, organizes Lincoln Road residents and businesses to revitalize the street and neighborhood. PLG Community Supported Agriculture links the community and a Connecticut farm, bringing organic produce and vegetables to residents and providing sustainability for future growth. Strong interest in improved food options led to the formation of the Lefferts Community Food Cooperative in 2009, a market that uses cooperative principles to sell socially responsible and healthy food products. The Maple Street Community Garden, founded in 2012 at 237 Maple St., is a communally managed organic vegetable garden open to the public, and runs an active composting program. Other organizations include the Lefferts Manor Association, which was founded in 1919 to enforce the single family covenant; and PLGNA, the Prospect Lefferts Gardens Neighborhood Association, founded 1968.
Demographics
Based on data from the
The entirety of Community Board 9, which covers Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Crown Heights South, had 98,650 inhabitants as of NYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 81.2 years.[20]: 2, 20 This is equal to the median life expectancy of all New York City neighborhoods.[21]: 53 (PDF p. 84) [22] Most inhabitants are middle-aged adults and youth: 22% are between the ages of 0–17, 30% between 25–44, and 25% between 45–64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 9% and 14% respectively.[20]: 2
As of 2016[update], the median household income in Community Board 9 was $51,072.[23] In 2018, an estimated 22% of Crown Heights South residents lived in poverty, compared to 21% in all of Brooklyn and 20% in all of New York City. One in nine residents (11%) were unemployed, compared to 9% in the rest of both Brooklyn and New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 55% in Crown Heights South, higher than the citywide and boroughwide rates of 52% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018[update], Crown Heights South is considered to be gentrifying.[20]: 7
According to the 2020 census data from New York City Department of City Planning, there were between 20,000 to 29,999 Black residents, 10,000 to 19,999 White residents, and 5,000 to 9,999 Hispanic residents.[24][25]
Police and crime
Prospect Lefferts Gardens is patrolled by the 71st Precinct of the NYPD, located at 421 Empire Boulevard.[7] The 71st Precinct ranked 46th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010.[26] As of 2018[update], with a non-fatal assault rate of 73 per 1,000 people in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, rates of violent crimes per capita are greater than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 598 per 100,000 people is also greater than that of the city as a whole.[20]: 8 [20]: 8
The 71st Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 82.7% between 1990 and 2018. The precinct reported 8 murders, 26 rapes, 166 robberies, 349 felony assaults, 143 burglaries, 464 grand larcenies, and 68 grand larcenies auto in 2018.[27]
Fire safety
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) operates two fire stations in Prospect Lefferts Gardens.[28] Engine Co. 281/Ladder Co. 147 is located at 1210 Cortelyou Road,[29] while Engine Co. 249/Ladder Co. 113 is located at 491 Rogers Avenue.[30]
Health
As of 2018[update], preterm births in Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Crown Heights South are more common than in other places citywide, though births to teenage mothers are less common than in other places citywide. There were 91 preterm births per 1,000 live births in Prospect Lefferts Gardens (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide) and 14.8 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide).[20]: 11 Both neighborhoods have a relatively high population of residents who are uninsured, or who receive healthcare through Medicaid.[31] In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 16% in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, compared to the citywide rate of 12%.[20]: 14
Air pollution is 0.0078 milligrams per cubic meter (7.8×10−9 oz/cu ft) in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, slightly higher than the citywide and boroughwide averages.[20]: 9 Eight percent of residents are smokers, compared to the city average of 14% of residents being smokers.[20]: 13 In Prospect Lefferts Gardens Crown Heights South, 32% of residents are obese, 15% are diabetic, and 37% have high blood pressure.[20]: 16 In addition, 19% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%.[20]: 12
Eighty-one percent of Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Crown Heights South residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is slightly lower than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 84% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", compared to the city's average of 78%.[20]: 13 For every supermarket, there are 21 bodegas in Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Crown Heights South.[20]: 10
Education
Prospect Lefferts Gardens generally has a similar ratio of college-educated residents to the rest of the city as of 2018[update]. While 35% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, 16% have less than a high school education and 48% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 40% of Brooklynites and 38% of city residents have a college education or higher.[20]: 6 In Prospect Lefferts Gardens, reading achievement rose from 31 percent in 2000 to 37 percent in 2011, and math achievement rose from 21 percent to 47 percent within the same time period.[32]
Prospect Lefferts Gardens' rates of elementary school student absenteeism are higher than the rest of New York City. The proportions of elementary school students who missed twenty or more days per
Schools
There are four public schools within the area's borders which are part of NYC School District 17. There are two middle schools: M.S. 002 for sixth to eighth graders and M.S. 61 which serves the sixth through ninth grades. P.S. 92 is an elementary school for kindergarten through fifth grade. In 2010, the Lefferts Gardens Charter School opened an elementary program that focuses on environmental science and experiential learning.
Library
The Brooklyn Public Library (BPL)'s Crown Heights branch, on the border with Crown Heights, is located at 560 New York Avenue near Maple Street.[33]