Bensonhurst Stays Charming Despite Real Estate Boom
The Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn was born in the late1880s. Since then, Bensonhurst has seen many changes: from the arrival of the Fourth Avenue Subway line in 1915, to the population’s continuing culture shift, to the current boom of new housing developments.
Once considered to be the picture of the Italian-American experience, Bensonhurst was the backdrop for the 1977 hit movie Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta. Although there is still a very strong Italian presence, the neighborhood has seen a surge in Asian, Russian, and Middle Eastern immigrants in recent years.
The neighborhood’s landscape is also experiencing change. Now, multi-family apartment buildings are rising among the classic brownstones and two-story townhomes. While complementing the scene, these new developments are also a relief to the growing pains of a rapidly increasing population.
Still, with all of its growth, Bensonhurst has maintained its charm. Every year the community comes together to celebrate the Feast of Padre Pio in June and the Feast of Santa Rosalia in late August and early September. Warm months welcome shopping at outdoor fruit and vegetable markets on 86th Street and afternoons at the 17.5 acre Bensonhurst Park or the smaller Seth Low Park.
Bensonhurst also offers several dining attractions such as Ten Zan Japanese restaurant, Naniwa Sushi, Dolce Pastry Shop, the Russian-inspired Passage Palace and local favorites Il Colosseo and Villa Paradiso pizzerias.
Aside from fine dining, Bensonhurst can also stake claim to a remarkable school system. The neighborhood has 13 public elementary schools, three main high schools and several private Jewish and Catholic schools, all with test scores at or above the national average. The Touro College main campus is also located in the neighborhood and CUNY's Kingsborough College is just minutes away.
Bensonhurst is definitely New York at its finest, continuously demonstrating its ability to grow and embrace change without losing its charm.
Once considered to be the picture of the Italian-American experience, Bensonhurst was the backdrop for the 1977 hit movie Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta. Although there is still a very strong Italian presence, the neighborhood has seen a surge in Asian, Russian, and Middle Eastern immigrants in recent years.
The neighborhood’s landscape is also experiencing change. Now, multi-family apartment buildings are rising among the classic brownstones and two-story townhomes. While complementing the scene, these new developments are also a relief to the growing pains of a rapidly increasing population.
Still, with all of its growth, Bensonhurst has maintained its charm. Every year the community comes together to celebrate the Feast of Padre Pio in June and the Feast of Santa Rosalia in late August and early September. Warm months welcome shopping at outdoor fruit and vegetable markets on 86th Street and afternoons at the 17.5 acre Bensonhurst Park or the smaller Seth Low Park.
Bensonhurst also offers several dining attractions such as Ten Zan Japanese restaurant, Naniwa Sushi, Dolce Pastry Shop, the Russian-inspired Passage Palace and local favorites Il Colosseo and Villa Paradiso pizzerias.
Aside from fine dining, Bensonhurst can also stake claim to a remarkable school system. The neighborhood has 13 public elementary schools, three main high schools and several private Jewish and Catholic schools, all with test scores at or above the national average. The Touro College main campus is also located in the neighborhood and CUNY's Kingsborough College is just minutes away.
Bensonhurst is definitely New York at its finest, continuously demonstrating its ability to grow and embrace change without losing its charm.
posted by Lisa Maysonet at 1:39 PM
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