Williamsburg

Character: Running along the waterfront area of Brooklyn just east of 14th street in Manhattan is Williamsburg. Once an inexpensive artists area, full of illegal lofts and warehouse spaces, Williamsburg has become the artist/hipster mecca - and much more expensive than its former "starving artist" residents could possibly afford.

Home of many art galleries and artist studios, Williamsburg has a truly creative vibe. The main drag of Bedford Avenue is buzzing at all hours with fashionable artsy folk, mostly in their 20s-30s with the occasional artsy family.

Many boutiques sell one-of-a-kind artist's wares, and the bars and clubs provide a variety of genres and events at a much cheaper cost than those in Manhattan. The restaurants are great, ranging from Polish fare from neighboring Greenpoint, to vegetarian friendly to asian, with many outdoor cafés as they have the space for it.

The area is somewhat gritty, being largely converted from crude warehouses - don't expect a lot of trees or vegetation. Some love it and rarely leave the area to socialize, finding everything they need in the area, while others finding the constant buzz and fashion show to be too much pressure. The recent popularization of the area has attracted the “yuppy” crowd who are beginning to trickle in.

Apartments & Real Estate

Apartments range from do it yourself warehouses (basically, you build the walls to your room, and expect a utility style bathroom) to older homes and new buildings.

Many are “railroad” or “shotgun” style, which means one room leads into the next- a problem for roommates/privacy. Many old buildings' electrical systems have not been updated, so if you work from home and use many appliances, it may be a problem.

Selected Rental Buildings

• 145 Borinquen place (Williamsburg) {2 available apts}
  A low-rise walk-up building.
• 177 Maujer Street (Williamsburg)
  A low-rise walk-up building.
• 180 Borinquen Pl (Williamsburg) {2 available apts}
  A low-rise walk-up building.
• 181 Maujer Street (Williamsburg)
  A low-rise walk-up building.
• 184 Kent Avenue (Williamsburg)
  A doorman building.

See all Williamsburg Rental Apartment Buildings (13 buildings)

Selected No-Fee Rental Listings

• $1,895 2-Bedroom at 145 Borinquen place available 16/Nov/2009 posted 06/Nov/2009.

See all Williamsburg No Fee Rental Apartments (4 total)

Condo & Co-op Buildings

• 111 Kent (111 Kent Avenue, Williamsburg)
  A mid-rise doorman elevator building.
• 20 Bayard Street (Williamsburg)
  A mid-rise doorman elevator building.
• The Jacksonia (131-145 Jackson Street, Williamsburg)
  A townhouse-style building.

See all Williamsburg Condo Apartment Buildings (30 buildings)

Links and Resources

• Williamsburg @ Brownstoner - Williamsburg section of the Brooklyn blog.

News and Updates

• 21/Aug/2009: 229 North 8th Street (BK) is Now a Rental
• 11/Aug/2009: Miller Samuel: Shadow Inventory Lurks

Read all Williamsburg News