Midwood

Midwood is a fairly affluent Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn, where the religion and culture can be seen in nearly every aspect of life. There are dozens of synagogues and yeshivas in this neighborhood, and most stores are closed on Saturdays, in observance of the Jewish Sabbath. Although there are quite a few stores, particularly on Avenue M, Coney Island Ave., and Avenue J, the area is mostly residential. The vast majority of the stores that do exist here are Jewish. There are lots of kosher restaurants and stores; there are even kosher pizzerias. While there are some rental properties, co-ops, and multi-family homes here, the vast majority of the housing options in Midwood are single-family detached houses. Smaller homes, apartments, and condos tend to be unpopular here since most families are very large (in keeping with Orthodox tradition). While most of the kids in this town attend local yeshivas, Midwood does boast an excellent public school system. P.S. 193 and Midwood High School are particularly well regarded. This is a very quiet town. Traffic can get pretty bad on the busy commercial streets, but it gets very quiet on the weekends as stores close on Saturdays and the Orthodox Jewish residents don't drive on the Sabbath.

I think most people know of Midwood for two reasons: (1) Di Fara's Pizzeria and (2) the Jewish Orthodox community. The neighborhood isn't exactly the most glamorous place to visit if you are from out of town (other than Di Fara's), but if you are looking to settle down and want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan, then its not a bad place to consider.

My girlfriend and I are keeping a blog of our home search and if you want to read our full report on Midwood, you can check it out here:

http://iwantawalkup.tumblr.com/post/1251127164/review-midwood-brooklyn

Midwood is located in Brooklyn, NY and it is a mostly Jewish neighborhood, which results in stores being closed early on Friday evenings and most of the stores are closed Saturdays.

It is a very pretty and quiet area, surrounded by trees and nice large houses with well taken cared of lawns. Avenue M can be a hopping area to be with their store, Bargain Hunter, and a 24 hour Dunkin Donuts. There are some key restaurants, plus Chirkrun, a 50% off sushi restaurant. There is also Chinese food and Pete's Pizza, which has pretty good wings! There's plenty of laundromats as well. There is not much of a night life in Midwood but Park Slope is close enough to hop on the train and head there to go to a bar!

It is a very quiet place at nice, with no loud noise. It is easy to hop on the Q subway train, which is Ave M, J, and H and head into Manhattan, which is about 45 minutes away. Brooklyn College is also in Midwood.

The Midwood area of Brooklyn is a great little neighborhood that would be a wonderful place to live, if I had the money to afford one of those old, charming houses on the side streets off Bedford Avenue and around the Brooklyn College area. I've been fortunate enough to spend enough time in the area to know it pretty well. I have good friends in Midwood and have been able to go inside some of the older homes. They are awesome, as is the entire neighborhood. I think that Brooklyn College really anchors Midwood and keeps it vibrant, without making it ostentatious.

Midwood has changed over the years, but I still enjoy walking around "the Junction" (the intersection of Flatbush and Nostrand Avenues, where the subway line ends) and watching all of the people coming and going. I love going into some of the ethnic markets and seeing what's for sale. I also like walking along Avenue J and sampling some of the Russian, Jewish and local foods. You can't beat New York for the type and variety of food, especially in the local neighborhoods. You don't find chains here. Most of the stores are still independently owned and have been passed down through the generations.

What is kind of sad about Midwood is that it has some beautiful homes, but many of them need some work (new roofs, a paint job, some general clean up). I think it's because they are owned by senior citizens who just can't afford to keep them up. There's a really pretty house on E. 24th Street that I've admired for years. One of these days I may have enough money to buy it.

This is a great neighborhood for almost anyone, unless they are looking to be loud, noisy and annoying. That's one of the reasons I like it here. It is like suburbia, but still close enough to midtown Manhattan.

I was born and raised in Brooklyn and lived there most of my life (in various neighborhoods), but ended up living in Midwood before I moved. I still go back to visit frequently and I have to say that there is no place like Brooklyn any where else in the world.

Midwood is a very pleasant, family-oriented, middle class neighborhood. It has its share of lower-income tenements but at the other end of the spectrum, it has some of the loveliest, older single-family and duplex homes in the borough of Brooklyn. When I think of Midwood, I think of Midwood High School and the adjacent Brooklyn College (my alma mater). Brooklyn College is part of the City University of New York system and a fine academic institution with outstanding faculty.

Although Midwood is not one of the city's "hot spots" in terms of night life and/or entertainment, it has some of the best little restaurants, delicatessens and eateries around. Because the area has a large Jewish population, you don't have to go far to find a good Jewish deli that serves knishes or pastrami on rye (two things I dearly miss since moving out of state). When I go back, I stock up on Brooklyn knishes and bring them back home!

One of the best things about the Midwood neighborhood is that it really is central to everything in New York (or as central as you can be without being right in the middle of things). You can get to Manhattan in about 45 minutes by public transportation. There bus lines are convenient and travel to places where you'd want to go (Coney Island, Bensonhurst, "Downtown" Brooklyn). You can still have a car in Midwood and find a place to park, even though you may need to walk a block or two.

Shopping is good, with a mix of chain stores and little independent stores. Medical care is adequate. The overall quality of life is good, as Midwood is still small enough to have people caring about their neighbors, but large enough that you can remain invisible, if you want to.

Although it has changed quite a bit since I've actually lived in Midwood, it still retains much of its charm and intrigue. The people who live there and own their own homes still take pride in the way their property looks, so that is an indicator to me about the strength of the neighborhood and the commitment to keep it safe for generations to come.

Midwood is a neighborhood located in south central Brooklyn. It is surrounded by numerous other Brooklyn neighborhoods like Flatlands, Marine Park, Sheepshead Bay, Borough Park, and Kensington. In the 1980s underwent a major resurgence, which continues to this day. Residents are drawn to this area due to the quiet and peaceful ambience.

Main shopping areas are located along Kings Highway, Avenue J, Avenue M, and Flatbush Avenue. Also, will you find retail stores, shops, and service centers along Nostrand and Coney Island Avenues which travel through the neighborhood. Specifically, on Avenue J you will find stores that reflect the Midwood community, like Kosher restaurants, delicatessens, pizzerias, and butchers. If you like Russian bread, or just want to try some, check out Ostrovitsky’s Bakery - their buttery cookies will melt in your mouth. Avenue J does get quite hectic on the weekdays and you have to constantly be on the look out for pedestrians.

There are at least a dozen yeshivas in the neighborhood, and most Orthodox children attend these schools. The playing fields of Brooklyn College and nearby Midwood High School are open to the public when school is not in session and here you will find lots of kids and families hitting the ball around.

Over the past several years, housing prices in Midwood have risen, most in part to an increasing population of professionals and extended Orthodox Jewish families. House prices are now deemed so high, that neighboring Marine Park is drawing much of the crowd.

Midwood is heavily Jewish neighborhood, filled with temples, synagogues, and Jewish schools, including Brooklyn College. Today, this middle class neighborhood is home to diverse array of ethnicities, adding to the purely Brooklyn atmosphere.

Bordered by Avenue H, Flatbush Avenue, Kings Highway and Coney Island Avenue, including the City College of New York.

Midwood is home to the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) studios, located at E. 13-14th Streets from Avenue M to Locust Ave. Since 1953, many famous television shows as well as classic movies, including the Godfather, were filmed here and on the streets of Midwood, adding to the rich and vibrant history of this great neighborhood.. Shopping in this area is prominent as well as dining, offering food as diverse as its residents.

The picturesque homes in Midwood have been the representation of Brooklyn living in television and in film. Most one or two family homes, and mainly brownstones, Midwood turn of the century architecture symbolizes classic Brooklyn living. In Midwood, a one bedroom/one bathroom apartment goes for as much as $300,000 and larger more luxurious units sell easily for over $1 million.

Entertainment in this neighborhood is uniquely Midwood, steeped in tradition, and fun to observe. Shopping as well as dining in this area is prominent, offering food as diverse as its residents. Pedestrian Rest Areas, used primarily for card-playing and “shooting the breeze,” are available throughout the neighborhood, not to mention the track and field parks located at Midwood High School and Brooklyn College which can be accessed by the public.

In & Around Midwood:

Parks & Rest Areas:
Sgt. Joyce Kilmer Square - Kings Highway and Quentin Road (E. 12th-13th Streets)
Midwood High School - E. 17th St., Ave.'s K-L.

Transportation:
The Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn is serviced by the B, Q, F, 2, and 5 trains, as well as several public buses.

Dining:
Midwood Suites - 1078 E. 15th St.
Jerusalem II Pizza. - 1312 Ave. J
Di Fara Pizza - 1424 Ave. J
Oh! Nuts- The Kosher Willy-Wonka. 1503 Ave. J

Shopping:
Diva- girl’s clothing with an attitude - 1409 Ave. M
Tuesday's Too- children’s haute-couture - 1904 Ave. M
Esti's - 1888 Coney Island Ave.
Olga's Corset & Specialty Shop - 2753 Nostrand Ave.

Nightlife
Starlite Lounge - 1213 Mcdonald Ave