Bedford Stuyvesant Apartments & Rentals

Renting a Bedford Stuyvesant apartment will place you in a neighborhood famous for producing Spike Lee, Chris Rock, and the Notorious B.I.G. Referred to as Bed-Stuy for short, this well-known Brooklyn center came together in 1930. It has long served as a cultural nexus for Brooklyn's black population. Bedford-Stuyvesant nests roughly between Flushing Avenue, Bedford Avenue, Broadway, and Atlantic Avenue.

Bedford-Stuyvesant takes its name from the Village of Bedford and Stuyvesant Heights, two of four neighborhoods that Bed-Stuy enveloped when it was created. Bedford hosted one of the oldest free black communities in the United States. In 1936, when the subway connected Bedford with Harlem, African-Americans moved here in large numbers. They left the crowded north end of Manhattan and the southern states to create a community in Brooklyn. In the 1960s and 70s, race riots and poverty took a harsh toll on Bed-Stuy. Lately, however, gentrification has come hand in hand with a significant decrease in crime levels. Now, the neighborhood presents affordable opportunity to those seeking culture matched with convenience.

The neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant has recently blossomed with restaurants, boutiques, cafes, and bars. While there have always been popular businesses in the area, a new, hip wave has hit. One recent restaurant arrival, Peaches, serves southern-style feasts of shrimp and grits. Then there's the Neapolitan pizza at Saraghina. For drinks and dancing, try Amarachi Lounge or Brown Sugar Club.

Fulton Street is the main shopping drag in Bedford-Stuyvesant. You can buy everything from a bicycle to Aeropostale clothes. Groceries and other essentials are also easy to find here. Bed-Stuy is spotted with parks and playgrounds. Herbert Von King Park is one of the larger green spaces in the neighborhood.

You'll find middle-income families, hipsters, immigrants, artists, professionals, and students from the nearby Pratt Institute all living on the same block. Your housing options can range from brownstones, to brick townhouses, newer condos, and upscale apartments. One-bedrooms rent for $1,000 to $1,500 a month, depending on where you're looking. On the whole, Bed-Stuy remains affordable.

You won't have much trouble finding transportation in Bed-Stuy. The IND Fulton Street line takes you to lower Manhattan in 15 minutes. You can be in Midtown in half an hour. The IND Crosstown line and the BMT Jamaica Line also aid commuters. New York City Transit buses crisscross Bedford-Stuyvesant and the Long Island Railroad operates two stations here as well.

Among the excellent events in Bed-Stuy, keep an eye out for the International African Arts Festival, a part of neighborhood life for 40 years. Bed-Stuy supports several schools, including the Boys and Girls High School and Success Academy Bed-Stuy 1 and Success Academy Bed-Stuy 2. There are a few post offices in the neighborhood. Check out the Brooklyn Public Library on Lewis Ave and Macon Street or one of the branch libraries. Brooklyn Community Board 3, Community Board 8, and Community Board 16 serve the area.

Zip codes serving Bedford Stuyvesant are 11205, 11206, 11216, 11221, and 11238.