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Bushwick, Brooklyn
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Bushwick is a neighborhood in the northern part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bounded by the neighborhood of Ridgewood, Queens, to the northeast; Williamsburg to the northwest; the cemeteries of Highland Park to the southeast; and Bedford–Stuyvesant to the south and southwest.[3]
Key Information
The town was first founded by the Dutch as Boswijck during the Dutch colonization of the Americas in the 17th century. In the 19th century, the neighborhood became a community of German immigrants and their descendants. The 20th century saw an influx of Italian immigrants and Italian-Americans up to the 1980s. By the late 20th century, the neighborhood became predominantly Hispanic as another wave of immigrants arrived. Formerly Brooklyn's 18th Ward, the neighborhood was once an independent town and has undergone various territorial changes throughout its history.
Bushwick is part of Brooklyn Community District 4, and its primary ZIP Codes are 11206, 11207, 11221, and 11237.[1] It is patrolled by the 83rd Precinct of the New York City Police Department.[4] Politically it is represented by the New York City Council's 34th and 37th Districts.[5]
Geography
[edit]
Bushwick's borders largely overlap those of Brooklyn Community Board 4, which is delineated by Flushing Avenue on the north, Broadway on the southwest, the border with Queens to the northeast, and the Cemetery of the Evergreens on the southeast. The industrial area north of Flushing Avenue, east of Bushwick Avenue, and south of Grand Street is commonly considered to be either East Williamsburg or part of Bushwick, occasionally with the modifier "Industrial Bushwick".[6][7]
The town of Bushwick—which, along with Brooklyn and Bedford, became incorporated as the city of Brooklyn on January 1, 1854—included present-day Williamsburg and Greenpoint.[8][9] Prior to the merger, in the early 19th century, residential development in the area had begun when the new district of Williamsburg was laid out in western Bushwick. Williamsburg was incorporated in 1827 and officially severed from Bushwick in 1839.[8] Present-day East Williamsburg, which was not part of the city of Williamsburg, was originally organized primarily as Brooklyn's 18th Ward from the annexation of Bushwick.[10] Now part of Brooklyn Community District 1, the area of East Williamsburg is nevertheless considered by some to be part of Bushwick.[11][12][13]
For its entry on Bushwick–Ridgewood, the American Institute of Architects' AIA Guide to New York City uses the area bounded by the Cemetery Belt on the south, Bushwick Avenue on the west (save for a short distance between Bushwick Avenue's northern terminus and the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway, where Woodpoint Road and Kingsland Avenue are the western boundaries), the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway on the north, and the Brooklyn–Queens border on the east—thus including the industrial area north of Flushing Avenue and east of Bushwick Avenue.[14]
The centroid, or geographic center, of New York City is located on Stockholm Street in Bushwick, on the block between Wyckoff and St. Nicholas Avenues.[15][16]
History
[edit]Bushwick township
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| Fortifications: |
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| The Patroon System |
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| People of New Netherland |
| Flushing Remonstrance |
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In 1638, the Dutch West India Company secured a deed from the local Lenape people for the Bushwick area, and Peter Stuyvesant chartered the area in 1661, naming it Boswijck, meaning "neighborhood in the woods" in 17th-century Dutch.[17][18] Its area included the modern-day communities of Bushwick, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint. Bushwick was the last of the original six Dutch towns of Brooklyn to be established within New Netherland.
The community was settled, though unchartered, on February 16, 1660, on a plot of land between the Bushwick and Newtown Creeks[17] by fourteen French and Huguenot settlers, a Dutch translator named Peter Jan De Witt,[19] and one of the original eleven slaves brought to New Netherland, Franciscus the Negro, who had worked his way to freedom.[20][21] The group centered their settlement on a church located near today's Bushwick and Metropolitan Avenues. The major thoroughfare was Woodpoint Road, which allowed farmers to bring their goods to the town dock.[22] This original settlement came to be known as Het Dorp by the Dutch, and, later, Bushwick Green by the British. The English would take over the six towns three years later and unite them under Kings County in 1683.
Many of Bushwick's Dutch records were lost after its annexation by Brooklyn in 1854.[23] Contemporary reports differ on the reason: T. W. Field writes that "a nice functionary of the [Brooklyn] City Hall ... contemptuously thrust them into his waste-paper sacks",[24] while Eugene Armbruster claims that the movable bookcase containing the records "was coveted by some municipal officer, who turned its contents upon the floor".[25]
At the turn of the 19th century, Bushwick consisted of four villages: Green Point, Bushwick Shore[26] (later known as Williamsburg), Bushwick Green, and Bushwick Crossroads (at the spot where today's Bushwick Avenue turns southeast at Flushing Avenue).[27]
Bushwick's first major expansion occurred after it annexed the New Lots of Bushwick, a hilly upland originally claimed by Native Americans in the first treaties they signed with European colonists granting the settlers rights to the lowland on the water. After the second war between the natives and the settlers broke out, the natives fled, leaving the area to be divided among the six towns in Kings County. Bushwick had the prime location to absorb its new tract of land in a contiguous fashion. New Bushwick Lane (Evergreen Avenue), a former Native American trail, was a key thoroughfare for accessing this new tract, which was suitable mostly for potato and cabbage agriculture.[28] This area is bounded roughly by Flushing Avenue to the north and Evergreen Cemetery to the south. In the 1850s, the New Lots of Bushwick area began to develop. References to the town of Bowronville, a new neighborhood contained within the area south of Lafayette Avenue and Stanhope Street, began to appear in the 1850s.[29][30]
The area known as Bushwick Shore was so called for about 140 years. Bushwick residents called Bushwick Shore "the Strand", the Dutch term for "beach".[31] Bushwick Creek, in the north, and Cripplebush, a region of thick, boggy shrubland extending from Wallabout Creek to Newtown Creek, in the south and east, cut Bushwick Shore off from the other villages in Bushwick. Farmers and gardeners from the other Bushwick villages sent their goods to Bushwick Shore to be ferried to New York City for sale at a market located at the present-day Grand Street. Bushwick Shore's favorable location close to New York City led to the creation of several farming developments. Originally a 13-acre (53,000 m2) development within Bushwick Shore, Williamsburgh rapidly expanded during the first half of the 19th century and eventually seceded from Bushwick to form its own independent city in 1852.[32] Both Bushwick and Williamsburgh were annexed to the City of Brooklyn in 1854.[23]
Early industry
[edit]When Bushwick was founded, it was primarily an area for farming food and tobacco. As Brooklyn and New York City grew, factories that manufactured sugar, oil, and chemicals were built. The inventor Peter Cooper built a glue manufacturing plant, his first factory, in Bushwick. Immigrants from western Europe joined the original Dutch settlers. The Bushwick Chemical Works, at Metropolitan Avenue and Grand Street on the English Kills channel, was another early industry among the lime, plaster, and brickworks, coal yards, and other factories that developed along English Kills, which was dredged and made an important commercial waterway.[33]
In October 1867, the American Institute awarded Bushwick Chemical Works the first premium for commercial acids of the greatest purity and strength.[34] The Bushwick Glass Company, later known as Brookfield Glass Company, established itself in 1869, when a local brewer sold it to James Brookfield.[35] It made a variety of bottles and jars, as well as large numbers of glass electrical insulators for telegraph, telephone and power lines.

In the 1840s and 1850s, a majority of the immigrants were German, which became the dominant population. Bushwick established a considerable brewery industry, including "Brewer's Row"—14 breweries operating in a 14-block area—by 1890.[36][37] Thus, Bushwick was dubbed the "beer capital of the Northeast". The last Bushwick breweries, the Schaefer's and Rheingold Breweries, closed its doors in 1976.[38][37] As late as the 1980s, there were unsuccessful efforts to revive the Rheingold Brewery.[39] The William Ulmer Brewery at Beaver and Belvidere Streets was given landmark status by the city in 2010, becoming the first brewery with such a status.[40]
As late as 1883, Bushwick maintained open farming land east of Flushing Avenue.[41] A synergy developed between the brewers and the farmers during this period, as the dairy farmers collected spent grain and hops for cow feed. The dairy farmers sold milk and other dairy products to consumers in Brooklyn. Both industries supported blacksmiths, wheelwrights, and feed stores along Flushing Avenue.[42]
Railway hub
[edit]

In 1868, the Long Island Rail Road built the Bushwick Branch from its hub in Jamaica via Maspeth to Bushwick Terminal, at the intersection of Montrose and Bushwick avenues,[43][44] allowing easy movement of passengers, raw materials, and finished goods. Routes also radiated to Flushing, Queens.
The first elevated railway ("el") in Brooklyn, known as the Lexington Avenue Elevated, opened in 1885. Its eastern terminus was at the edge of Bushwick, at Gates Avenue and Broadway.[45] This line was extended southeastward into East New York shortly thereafter. By the end of 1889, the Broadway Elevated and the Myrtle Avenue Elevated were completed, enabling easier access to Downtown Brooklyn and Manhattan and the rapid residential development of Bushwick from farmland.
With the success of the brewing industry and the presence of the els, another wave of European immigrants settled in the neighborhood. Also, parts of Bushwick became affluent. Brewery owners and doctors commissioned mansions along Bushwick and Irving Avenues at the turn of the 20th century. New York mayor John Francis Hylan kept a townhouse on Bushwick Avenue during this period.[46]
Bushwick homes were designed in the Italianate, Neo Greco, Romanesque Revival, and Queen Anne styles by well-known architects. Bushwick was a center of culture, with several Vaudeville-era playhouses, including the Amphion Theatre, the nation's first theatre with electric lighting.[47]
The wealth of the neighborhood peaked between World War I and World War II, even when events such as Prohibition and the Great Depression were taking place. After World War I, the German enclave was steadily replaced by a significant proportion of Italian Americans. By 1950, Bushwick was one of New York City's largest Italian American neighborhoods, although some German Americans remained.[36]
The Italian community was composed almost entirely of Sicilians, mostly from the Palermo, Trapani, and Agrigento provinces in Sicily. In particular, the Sicilian townsfolk of Menfi, Santa Margherita di Belice, Trapani, Castelvetrano, and many other paesi had their own clubs (clubbu) in the area. Il Circolo di Santa Margherita di Belice, founded in Bushwick, remains the oldest operating Sicilian organization in the United States. These clubs often started as mutual benevolence associations or funeral societies. They transformed along with the needs of their communities from the late 1800s until the 1960s, when many began to fade away.
St. Joseph Patron of the Universal Church Roman Catholic Parish was the hub of the Sicilian community, and held five feasts during the year, complete with processions of saints or Our Lady of Trapani. St. Joseph opened in 1923 because the Italian community had been rapidly growing in Bushwick since 1900. This Sicilian community first was centered in Our Lady of Pompeii parish on Siegel Street in Williamsburgh.
As industry expanded along Flushing Avenue, the Sicilian population expanded with the growing need for labor by factory operators. St. Leonard's parish was the large German Catholic parish in the area, but the Italian community was not welcome there and was thus compelled to open its own parish. St. Leonard's closed in 1973. St. Joseph's is now a large and vibrant Latino parish run by the Scalabrini Order of priests, an Italian missionary order that caters to migrants.
Postwar transition and decline
[edit]The demographic transition of Bushwick after World War II was similar to that of many Brooklyn neighborhoods. The U.S. census records show that the neighborhood's population was almost 90% white in 1960, but dropped to less than 40% white by 1970.[48] During this transition, white-collar workers were being replaced by those migrating from the south. Puerto Ricans, African Americans, among other Caribbean American families, moved into homes in the southeastern edge of the neighborhood, closest to Eastern Parkway. By the mid-1950s, migrants began settling into central Bushwick. The availability of block association housing helped many neighborhoods survive the economic and social distress of the 1970s.[48]
This change in demographics coincided with changes in the local economy. Rising energy costs, advances in transportation and the change to the use of aluminum cans encouraged beer companies to move out of New York City. As breweries in Bushwick closed, the neighborhood's economic base eroded. Discussions of urban renewal took place in the 1960s, but never materialized, resulting in the demolition of many residential buildings with the intent of replacing these structures with public housing, but nothing new was built in its place as these proposals were scrapped. Another contribution to the change in the socioeconomic profile of the neighborhood was the John Lindsay administration's policy of raising available rent for welfare recipients. Since these tenants could now bring higher rents than tenants would on the open market, landlords began filling vacant units with such tenants. By the mid-1970s, half of Bushwick's residents were on public assistance.[49]
According to The New York Times, Bushwick was "a neatly maintained community of wood houses" by the mid-1960s. Within five years, it had become "what often approached a no man's land of abandoned buildings, empty lots, drugs and arson."[50]

On the night of July 13, 1977, a major blackout cut power to nearly all of New York City, and arson, looting, and vandalism occurred in low-income neighborhoods across the city. Bushwick suffered some of the most devastating damage and losses. While store owners along Knickerbocker and Graham avenues were able to defend their stores, the Broadway shopping district was heavily looted and burned. Twenty-seven stores along Broadway were burned, and looters and some residents saw the blackout as an opportunity to get what they otherwise could not afford.[51]: 104
Newspapers around the country published UPI and the Associated Press's photos of Bushwick residents with stolen items and a police officer beating a suspected looter, and Bushwick became known for riots and looting.[52] Fires spread to many residential buildings as well. After the riots were over and the fires were put out, residents saw unsafe dwellings and empty lots among surviving buildings, leading one author to describe the scene as "some streets that looked like Brooklyn Heights, and others that looked like Dresden in 1945":[51]: 181 The business vacancy rate on Broadway reached 43% in the wake of the riots.[47]
The 1977 blackout and resulting riots left Bushwick without a commercial retail hub. Middle-class residents who could afford to leave did so, in some cases abandoning their homes. New immigrants continued to move to the area, many from Hispanic America, but renovation and new construction was outpaced by the demolition of unsafe buildings, forcing overcrowded conditions at first. As buildings came down, the vacant lots made parts of the neighborhood look and feel desolate, resulting in a greater outflow of residents and a growth of the illegal drug trade due to a lack of job opportunities.[53]
Author Jonathan Mahler described the social and economic hardships of Bushwick after the blackout in his book Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx is Burning, explaining that the majority of neighborhood residents were living on less than $4,000 a year, and had to rely on some form of public assistance. By the 1980s, the Knickerbocker Avenue shopping district was nicknamed "The Well" for its seemingly unending supply of drugs.[53] Even through the 1990s, it remained a poor and relatively dangerous area, with 77 murders, 80 rapes, and 2,242 robberies in 1990.[54]
Gentrification
[edit]Since 2000, the rise of real estate prices in nearby Manhattan has made Bushwick more attractive to younger professionals.[55] In the wake of reduced crime rates citywide and a shortage of affordable housing in nearby neighborhoods such as Park Slope and Williamsburg, numerous young professionals and artists have moved into converted warehouse lofts, brownstones, limestone-brick townhouses, and other renovated buildings in Bushwick.
A flourishing artist community has existed in Bushwick for decades and has become more visible in the neighborhood. Dozens of art studios and galleries are scattered throughout the neighborhood. Several open studios programs are conducted that enable the public to visit artist studios and galleries,[56] and several websites are devoted to promoting neighborhood art and events. Bushwick artists display their works in galleries and private spaces throughout the neighborhood. The borough's first and only trailer park, a 20-person art collective established by founder, Hayden Cummings[57] and ZenoRadio's Baruch Herzfeld,[58][59] was established within a former nut roasting factory for live/work spaces.[60] A Bushwick-centered news site, entitled Bushwick Daily, was founded in 2010 by Katarina Hybenova, and features community issues, events, food, art and culture.[61]
Starting in the mid-2000s, the city and state governments began the Bushwick Initiative, a two-year pilot program spearheaded by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and various community projects. The group's goal was to improve quality of life in the twenty-three square blocks surrounding Maria Hernandez Park through various programs such as addressing deteriorated housing conditions, increasing economic development opportunities, and reducing drug dealing activities.[62] The group's crime-reduction activities included collaboration with the HPD's Narcotics Control Unit and the New York City Police Department's 83rd Precinct and Narcotics Division to reduce drug-dealing.[62]
To reduce lead hazards in buildings, HPD and DOHMH created a grant program focusing on residential buildings in the initiative's coverage area, which resulted in fines for dozens of landlords with lead paint hazards. The Bushwick Initiative's economic development efforts were also focused on revitalizing the Knickerbocker Avenue commercial district, and adding a thousand rat-resistant public trash cans to reduce litter.[62]
In 2019, the New York City Department of City Planning released a Bushwick rezoning plan covering 300 city blocks. The plan would allow for high-density development on Broadway and Myrtle and Wyckoff Avenues.[63]
Demographics
[edit]
The entirety of Community Board 4 had 112,388 inhabitants as of NYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 80.4 years.[64]: 2, 20 This is lower than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods.[65]: 53 (PDF p. 84) [66] Most inhabitants are middle-aged adults and youth: 24% are between the ages of 0 and 17, 35% between 25 and 44, and 20% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 12% and 9% respectively.[64]: 2
As of 2016, the median household income in Community Board 4 was $50,656.[67] In 2018, an estimated 25% of Bushwick residents lived in poverty, compared to 21% in all of Brooklyn and 20% in all of New York City. One in eight residents (13%) 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 Bushwick, higher than the citywide and boroughwide rates of 52% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018[update], Bushwick is considered to be gentrifying.[64]: 7
Though an ethnic neighborhood, Bushwick's population is, for a New York City neighborhood, relatively heterogeneous, scoring a 0.5 on the Furman Center's racial diversity index, making it the city's 35th most diverse neighborhood in 2007. Most residents are Latino American citizens from the island of Puerto Rico and immigrants from the Dominican Republic. Since the turn of the 21st century, the population of native-born Americans has increased, as have other Latino groups, particularly immigrants from Mexico and El Salvador.[68]
In 2008 the neighborhood's median household income was $28,802. 32% of the population falls under the poverty line, making Bushwick the 7th-most impoverished neighborhood in New York City. More than 75% of children in the neighborhood are born in poverty.[68] Some 40.3% of students in Bushwick read at grade level in 2007, making it the 49th most literate neighborhood in the city that year. 58.2% of students could work math at grade level in Bushwick, and it ranked as 41st in the city.
Bushwick is the most populous Hispanic-American community in Brooklyn, although Sunset Park also has a large Hispanic population. As in other neighborhoods in New York City, Bushwick's Hispanic population is mainly from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. It also has a sizable population from South American nations. As nearly 70% of Bushwick's population is Hispanic, residents have created many businesses to support their various national and distinct traditions in food and other items. The neighborhood's major commercial streets are Knickerbocker Avenue, Myrtle Avenue, Wyckoff Avenue, and Broadway.
Neighborhood tabulation areas
[edit]There are two neighborhood tabulation areas that covered Bushwick as of the 2020 United States census. The total population of these districts was 120,741.[2]
Bushwick North
[edit]Based on data from the 2010 United States census, the population of Bushwick North was 57,138, an increase of 1,045 (1.9%) from the 56,093 counted in 2000. Covering an area of 570.78 acres (230.99 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 100.1 inhabitants per acre (64,100/sq mi; 24,700/km2).[69]
The ethnic and racial makeup of the neighborhood as of 2010 was 10.7% (6,098) non-Hispanic white, 9.7% (5,533) non-Hispanic black, 0.1% (82) Native American, 6.0% (3,417) Asian, 0.0% (11) Pacific Islander, 0.7% (380) from other races, and 1.0% (582) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 71.8% (41,035) of the population.[70]
Bushwick South
[edit]Based on data from the 2010 United States census, the population of Bushwick South was 72,101, an increase of 7,484 (11.6%) from the 64,617 counted in 2000. Covering an area of 923.64 acres (373.78 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 78.1 inhabitants per acre (50,000/sq mi; 19,300/km2).[69]
The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 9.5% (6,819) non-Hispanic white, 28.1% (20,281) black, 0.2% (155) Native American, 2.4% (1,734) Asian, 0.0% (21) Pacific Islander, 0.4% (268) from other races, and 1.1% (809) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 58.3% (42,014) of the population.[70]
2020 Census Tabulation
[edit]In the 2020 census data from New York City Department of City Planning, they split up the tabulations between west and east Bushwick. West Bushwick had between 30,000 and 39,999 Hispanic residents and 10,000 to 19,999 White residents; meanwhile, the Black and Asian populations were each under 5000 residents. East Bushwick had between 30,000 and 39,999 Hispanic residents, 10,000 to 19,999 White residents, and 5,000 to 9,999 Black residents while the Asian residents were less than 5000.[71][72]
Puerto Rican and Dominican communities
[edit]Bushwick and neighboring East New York are the center for the Hispanic community in Brooklyn.[73] In the post-World War II period, Bushwick was still a predominantly Irish and Italian-American community. Puerto Ricans began to migrate to New York for greater opportunities, developing Hispanic enclaves in Brooklyn, East Harlem, the Lower East Side or Loisaida, and the Bronx. Many Puerto Ricans also settled in neighboring Williamsburg, also known as Los Sures, due to the proximity to jobs at the now defunct Domino Sugar Refinery as well as at the Brooklyn Navy Yard; they expanded into other parts of Brooklyn as many ethnic Irish and some Italians moved to nearby Queens (such as Ridgewood and Middle Village).[74][75]
Salsa music, corner bodegas, and Latin cuisine are part of the cultural dynamic of the Bushwick community.[76] The neighborhood contains the largest concentration of Hispanic Americans in the entire borough, followed closely behind by Sunset Park.[77] The Williamsburg and Bushwick communities are home to their own local Puerto Rican Day Parade.[78] The parade board usually meets at the Orocovis Social Club, located off Myrtle Avenue. La Isla Restaurant, located off Myrtle Avenue and Knickerbocker, is popular for its Puerto Rican and Dominican cuisine.[79][80][81] On the corner of Broadway, Flushing Avenue and Graham Avenue, where Bushwick, Williamsburg and Bedford–Stuyvesant meet, in the shadow of Woodhull Medical Center, Graham Avenue becomes the Avenue of Puerto Rico.[82]
A campus of Boricua College and a branch of the Puerto Rico-based Popular Community Bank are located within the Bushwick area. Make the Road New York, a Latino community group, has a chapter in the neighborhood.[83] So important is the activism of local Latinos that in 2016, Democratic Party presidential candidate Bernie Sanders campaigned in Bushwick in order to reach Hispanic votes.[84] A web show, East Willy B, was created to explore the struggles of the local Latino community.
Housing
[edit]
Bushwick's diverse housing stock includes six-family apartment buildings and two- and three-family townhouses. However, three New York City Housing Authority's developments are located in Bushwick for residents of low income, which since July 18, 2019 were all converted into Section 8 RAD PACT Developments in Public–private partnership leases with private real estate developers and companies named Pennrose Properties and Pinnacle City Living including adding a social service provider onsite named Acadia Network.[85][86][87]
- Bushwick II CDA (Group E); five three-story buildings[88]
- Hope Gardens; seven four- and one fourteen-story buildings[89][90]
- Palmetto Gardens; one six-story building[91]
Median rent in 2022 was $2,180 (in 2023 dollars), an 81.7% increase since 2006, adjusting for inflation. In 2023, approximately 3.5% of rental properties were public housing units. The rate of home ownership in Bushwick was 19.6% in 2022, and 1.04% of 1–4 family units were foreclosed on.[92] Between 1990 and 2014, rental costs in Bushwick increased by 44%, the fourth-highest rise in New York City.[93]
Police and crime
[edit]The NYPD's 83rd Precinct is located at 480 Knickerbocker Avenue.[4] The 83rd Precinct ranked 52nd safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. The crime rate is lower than in the late 20th century, where there were a high number of drug-related crimes.[94] As of 2018[update], with a non-fatal assault rate of 72 per 100,000 people, Bushwick's rate of violent crimes per capita is higher than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 610 per 100,000 people is higher than that of the city as a whole.[64]: 7
The 83rd Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 80.3% between 1990 and 2018. The precinct reported 8 murders, 24 rapes, 265 robberies, 297 felony assaults, 303 burglaries, 471 grand larcenies, and 92 grand larcenies auto in 2018.[54]
Fire safety
[edit]The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) operates several firehouses in the area.[95] These include Engine Company 271/Ladder Company 124/Battalion 28, located at 392 Himrod Street;[96] Engine Company 277/Ladder Company 112, located at 582 Knickerbocker Avenue;[97] Engine Company 218, the "Bushwick Bomberos", located at 650 Hart Street;[98] and Squad 252, located at 617 Central Avenue.[99] In addition, Engine Company 222 is located at 32 Ralph Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, southwest of Bushwick,[100] Engine Company 233/Ladder Company 176/Field Communications Unit 1 is located at 25 Rockaway Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, just southwest of Bushwick,[101] and Engine Company 237 is located at 43 Morgan Avenue in East Williamsburg, just north of Bushwick.[102]
Health
[edit]Preterm births in Bushwick are about the same as citywide, though births to teenage mothers are less common. In Bushwick, there were 83 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 9.3 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide).[64]: 11 Bushwick has a high population of residents who are uninsured, or who receive healthcare through Medicaid.[103] In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 18%, which is higher than the citywide rate of 12%.[64]: 14
The concentration of fine particulate matter, the deadliest type of air pollutant, in Bushwick is 0.0081 milligrams per cubic metre (8.1×10−9 oz/cu ft), higher than the citywide and boroughwide averages.[64]: 9 Seventeen percent of Bushwick residents are smokers, which is higher than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers.[64]: 13 In Bushwick, 26% of residents are obese, 13% are diabetic, and 26% have high blood pressure—compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively.[64]: 16 In addition, 28% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%.[64]: 12
Eighty-two percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is slightly lower than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 71% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", less than the city's average of 78%.[64]: 13 For every supermarket in Bushwick, there are 31 bodegas.[64]: 10
The primary hospital in the neighborhood is Wyckoff Heights Medical Center.[103] The Woodhull Medical Center is located in Bedford–Stuyvesant, but also serves Bushwick.[104]
Post offices and ZIP Codes
[edit]Bushwick is covered by ZIP Codes 11237 northeast of Wilson Avenue, 11221 southwest of Wilson Avenue, and 11207 southeast of Halsey Street.[105] The United States Postal Service operates three post offices in Bushwick: the Wyckoff Heights Station at 86 Wyckoff Avenue,[106] the Bushwick Station at 1369 Broadway,[107] and the Halsey Station at 805 MacDonough Street.[108]
Border with Ridgewood
[edit]
Bushwick's land area lies within Kings County (Brooklyn), but shares a political boundary with Queens to the northeast. Previously, the boundary had caused confusion and debate about whether the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood was also located partly in Brooklyn. The political dispute dates to the 17th century, when Newtown, Queens (now Elmhurst) was under English rule and Boswijck was under Dutch rule. Disputes over the boundary between the two settlements continued until 1769, when a boundary line was drawn through what later became known as the Arbitration Rock.[109]: 7 [110][111]
The street grid plan in Ridgewood and Bushwick was laid out in the late 19th century. Because the Arbitration Rock lay along a diagonal with this grid plan, numerous houses were built on the Brooklyn-Queens boundary, their owners sometimes subject to taxes from both counties.[109]: 8 [110] During the 19th century, this resulted in situations where some houses received water and fire protection from what was then the city of Brooklyn, while their neighbors in Queens had to rely on volunteer firefighting squads and paid exorbitant water bills to private utilities in Elmhurst.[109]: 8
In 1925, the political boundary was adapted to the street grid, resulting in a zig-zag pattern.[110][111][a] The change resulted in 2,543 persons' addresses being reassigned from Queens to Brooklyn, and 135 persons' addresses reassigned from Brooklyn to Queens.[111] Modern addresses in the two boroughs can be distinguished by the presence or absence of a hyphen in the house number.[112] Queens's house numbering system uses a hyphen between the closest cross-street (which comes before the hyphen) and the actual address (which comes after the hyphen).[113] Streets in this area that run northeast–southwest, perpendicular to the county line, are demarcated by a jump in numbering sequence between the two boroughs. However, several avenues running northwest–southeast within Queens, parallel to the county line, follow the Brooklyn house numbering system.[112]
ZIP Code changes
[edit]When ZIP Codes were assigned in 1963, all areas whose mail was routed through a Brooklyn post office were given the 112 prefix.[114] The neighboring areas of Glendale and Ridgewood in Queens were given a Brooklyn mailing address, 11227, shared with Bushwick.[114] In addition, part of Bushwick was in ZIP Code 11237.[115] After the 1977 blackout, the communities of Ridgewood and Glendale expressed a desire to disassociate themselves from Bushwick.[116]
Following complaints from residents, Postmaster General William Bolger proposed that the ZIP Codes would be changed if United States Representative Geraldine Ferraro could produce evidence that 70% of residents supported it.[114][117] After Ferraro's office distributed ballots to residents, 93 percent of the returned ballots voted for the change.[118] The change of the Queens side to ZIP Code 11385 was made effective January 13, 1980.[119] 11237 was reassigned to cover only Bushwick, and 11227 was eliminated.[115]
Politics
[edit]Bushwick is part of New York's 7th congressional district,[120][121] represented by Democrat Nydia Velázquez as of 2013[update].[122] It is also part of the 18th State Senate district,[123][124] represented by Democrat Julia Salazar as of 2019[update],[125] and the 53rd, 54th, 55th, and 56th State Assembly districts,[126][127] represented respectively by Democrats Maritza Davila, Erik Dilan, Latrice Walker, and Stefani Zinerman as of 2021[update].[128] Bushwick is located in the New York City Council's 34th and 37th districts,[5] represented respectively by Democrats Jennifer Gutiérrez and Sandy Nurse.[129][130]
Community-based organizations
[edit]Parks and recreation
[edit]
All parks are operated by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
- Beaver Noll Park is located on Bushwick Avenue and Beaver Street. Planning started in 2012,[132] and construction was finished in June 2019.[133] It includes seating and a tot lot.
- Bushwick Park and Pool is located on Flushing Avenue between Beaver and Garden Streets, and encompasses 1.29 acres (5,200 m2). The park has a free public pool as well as a children's pool, basketball courts, a handball court, and a children's playground.[134]
- Bushwick Playground is located on Knickerbocker Avenue between Woodbine Street and Putnam Avenue, and encompasses 2.78 acres (11,300 m2). The park features handball courts, spray showers, sitting areas, and a children's playground.[135]
- Green Central Knoll Park is a 2.6 acres (11,000 m2) park located between Flushing and Central Avenues and Knoll and Evergreen Streets. The park is located on the former site of the Rheingold beer brewery. New York City took ownership of the property after the beer company closed due to failure to pay taxes, but it was not given to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation until 1997. The park includes a baseball field, sitting areas, and a children's playground.[136] A new comfort station was built in 2018–2019.[137]
- Heisser Triangle is located at the intersections of Knickerbocker and Myrtle Avenues and Bleecker Street. The triangle is named after Charles Heisser, a World War I sergeant with the 106th Infantry who was killed in action in France on September 27, 1918. The bronze war memorial at the center of the plot was sculpted by Pietro Montana in 1921.[138]
- Irving Square Park is bound by Wilson and Knickerbocker Avenues and Halsey and Weirfield Streets. It encompasses 2.78 acres (11,300 m2) and is believed to be named after Washington Irving. The park features swings, a sandpit, a spray shower, a handball court, and a basketball court. Since being renovated in 2006 and 2008, the park also features a public plaza and gardening space.[139]
- Maria Hernandez Park is a municipal park; formerly known as Bushwick Park, it is located between Knickerbocker and Irving Avenues and between Starr and Suydam Streets, near the Jefferson Street station on the L train. It has a newly renovated basketball court, a handball court, fitness equipment, spray showers, benches, and a newly built performance stage.[140] The park encompasses 6.87 acres (27,800 m2).[141]
There are also community centers
- Hope Gardens Multi Service Center is a building located on Wilson Avenue and Linden Street that serves as an elderly bingo game building, an after-school program for children from kindergarten to fifth grade, a site for karate classes, and a summer day camp for local children.
- Ridgewood Bushwick Youth Center is a youth activity center located between Gates Avenue and Palmetto Street and run by the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council (RBSCC).[142]
Nightclubs include
- Mood Ring, an astrology-themed LGBTQ-friendly bar[143]
- House of Yes, a nightclub and event space known for aerial acts and go-go dancers[144]
- Elsewhere, a venue for live music and other events[145]
Education
[edit]
Bushwick generally has lower ratios of college-educated residents than the rest of the city as of 2018[update]. Only 29% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, but 35% have less than a high school education and 37% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 38% of Brooklynites and 41% of city residents have a college education or higher.[64]: 6 The percentage of Bushwick students excelling in reading and math has been increasing, with reading achievement rising from 34 percent in 2000 to 35 percent in 2011, and math achievement rising from 27 percent to 47 percent within the same time period.[146]
Bushwick's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is higher than in the rest of New York City. In Bushwick, 22 percent of elementary school students miss twenty or more days per school year, compared to the citywide average of 20% of students.[65]: 24 (PDF p. 55) [64]: 6 Additionally, 70% of high school students in Bushwick graduate on time, lower than the citywide average of 75% of students.[64]: 6
Bushwick has thirty-three public and private schools.[147] This includes 14 public elementary schools, one charter school, four parochial schools, seven high schools, and one secondary school.
High schools:
- Academy for Environmental Leadership
- Brooklyn Latin School
- Bushwick Campus (formerly Bushwick High School) containing:
- Academy of Urban Planning
- Academy for Environmental Leadership
- The Brooklyn School for Math and Research
- Bushwick School for Social Justice
- Bushwick Community High School
- Bushwick Leaders' HS for Academic Excellence
- EBC for Public Service-Bushwick
- Grand Street Campus containing:
- High school for Legal Studies
- Progress High School
- High School of Enterprise, Business, & Technology
- MESA Charter High School
Combined middle and high schools:
- All City Leadership Secondary School
- Achievement First University Prep High School
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn operates Catholic schools in that borough. St. Brigid-St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Academy was formed from the 2019 merger of the St. Brigid and St. Frances Cabrini schools, with students at St. Brigid.[148] In 2019 it had about 100 students.[149]
Libraries
[edit]The Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) has two branches in Bushwick. The DeKalb branch is located at 790 Bushwick Avenue near DeKalb Avenue. It is a Carnegie library that opened in 1905.[150] The Washington Irving branch, located at 360 Irving Avenue near Woodbine Street, opened in 1923 and was Brooklyn's final Carnegie library.[151]
In addition, the Saratoga branch is located at 8 Thomas S. Boyland Street near Macon Street, just outside Bushwick. The branch is a Carnegie library that opened in 1909.[152] The Bushwick branch, which is actually located in East Williamsburg, is located at 340 Bushwick Avenue near Seigel Street, four blocks of Bushwick's northern border at Flushing Avenue. The Bushwick branch was founded in 1903 and its current building opened in 1908.[153]
Transportation
[edit]New York City Subway lines running through Bushwick include the BMT Jamaica Line (J and Z trains), the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line (M train), and the BMT Canarsie Line (L train).[154] The Myrtle–Wyckoff Avenues bus and subway hub was renovated into a state-of-the-art transportation center in 2007. New York City Bus lines serving Bushwick include the B13, B15, B20, B26, B38, B46, B47, B52, B54, B57, B60 and Q24.[155]
The Long Island Rail Road's Evergreen Branch used to run from northwest to southeast through Bushwick. The branch opened in 1878,[156] though passenger service on the branch ended in 1896.[157]: 92 [158] However, the Evergreen Branch continued to be used as a freight branch until it was abandoned in 1984.[159]: 56 Since then, the route of the former railroad branch have been developed, converted to parking lots, or lain vacant.[160][161][162]
During the 1960s, under the direction of Robert Moses, there were plans to build an extension of Interstate 78 through Bushwick, to connect lower Manhattan with the South Shore of Long Island.[163] The extension was to be called the Bushwick Expressway, but was never built, due to then Mayor John V. Lindsay's concerns that traffic leaving Manhattan should bypass it via the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and the project was formally killed by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1971.[163][164]
In 2010, 68% of residents used public transportation, up from 59% in 2000. Almost all residents (96%) live within 0.5 miles (0.80 km) of the subway.[146]
Notable people
[edit]- 6ix9ine (born 1996), rapper who received international attention for his 2017 breakout hit song "Gummo".[165][166]
- Eric Adams (born 1960), politician and retired police officer who is the 110th Mayor of New York City.[167]
- Eugene Armbruster (1865–1943), New York City photographer, illustrator, writer and historian.[168]
- Jules de Balincourt (born 1972), contemporary artist[169]
- Bushwick Bill (1966–2019), rapper[170]
- William Black (c. 1902 –1983), businessman and philanthropist who founded Chock full o'Nuts[171]
- Andre Charles (born 1968), graffiti artist[172]
- D-Stroy, rapper
- Da Beatminerz, hip hop production team[173]
- Maritza Davila (born 1963), politician who represents the 53rd district in the New York State Assembly.[174]
- Ryan J. Davis (born 1982), theatre director and social media director at Blue State Digital[175]
- Danny Dias (c. 1983–2017), activist and reality television personality[176]
- Ella Emhoff (born 1999), daughter of former Vice President Kamala Harris, dubbed "The First Daughter of Bushwick"[177]
- Camila Falquez (born 1989), portrait photographer[178]
- Jackie Gleason (1916–1987), actor[179]
- Rick Gonzalez (born 1979), actor[180]
- John Francis Hylan (1868–1936), former mayor of New York City[181]
- Williams Jerez (born 1992), pitcher, who played in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates[182]
- Elle King (born 1989), singer.[183]
- Timbo King, rapper[184]
- Charlie Murphy (1959–2017), comedian and actor[185][184]
- Eddie Murphy (born 1961), comedian and actor[186][187]
- Harry Nilsson, (1941–1994), singer/songwriter[188]
- O.C., rapper[184]
- Jeannie Ortega (born 1986), singer[189]
- Rosie Perez (born 1964), actress.[190]
- Q-Unique, rapper[184]
- Anthony Ramos, (born 1991), actor and performer from Hamilton[191]
- Phil Rizzuto (1917–2007), baseball player and broadcaster[192]
- Chynna Rogers (1994–2020), rapper, disc jockey, and model.[193]
- Salt (born 1966 as Cheryl James), rapper[194]
- Bernice Silver (1913–2020), puppeteer and activist.[195]
- Obi Toppin (born 1998), power forward for the New York Knicks.[196]
- Mae West (1893–1980), actor.[197]
- Dwight York (born 1945), convicted criminal and leader of the Nuwaubian Nation movement[198]
References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Traveling south from the Newtown Creek, the border traveled on the following streets:
- Southeast onto Onderdonk Avenue
- Southwest onto Flushing Avenue
- Southeast onto Cypress Avenue
- Southwest onto Grove Street
- Southeast onto St. Nicholas Avenue
- Southwest onto Palmetto Street
- Southeast onto Wyckoff Avenue
- Southwest onto Covert Street
- Southeast onto Irving Avenue
Citations
[edit]- ^ a b "NYC Planning | Community Profiles". communityprofiles.planning.nyc.gov. New York City Department of City Planning. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
- ^ a b c d "NYC Population FactFinder, Brooklyn: Bushwick (West) [BK0401], Bushwick (East) [BK0402]". NYC Population FactFinder. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
- ^ "Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, Department of Sociology, Sociology of Brooklyn Page". brooklyn.cuny.edu. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
- ^ a b "NYPD – 83rd Precinct". www.nyc.gov. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ a b Current City Council Districts for Kings County, New York City. Accessed May 5, 2017.
- ^ "Grimy, Industrial Bushwick Is a New Hotbed of Galleries". Art America. March 8, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ Vitullo-Martin, Julia. "Bushwick Buzzing, but Not Quite Ready for Prime Time". New York Sun. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
- ^ a b DOCUMENTARY STUDY: 55 GOODWIN PLACE HOUSING SITE, Borough of Brooklyn, for New York city Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Revised October 1989.
- ^ Bedford Stuyvesant/Expanded Stuyvesant Heights Historic District: Designation Report
- ^ "New York Architecture Images- Williamsburg, Brooklyn-History". www.nyc-architecture.com.
- ^ Boswijk: Town of the Woods
- ^ Jack Finnegan (2007). Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to and Living in New York City. First Books. p. 82. ISBN 9780912301723.
As if those boundaries weren't loose enough, you'll hear objections to the name East Williamsburg itself, and also to its delineations, as the area is considered by many to be part of neighboring Bushwick.
- ^ Pfizer Sites Rezoning EIS, Chapter 8: Urban Design and Visual Resources. "The Northern Sub-Area is the eight block area lying to northeast of Broadway and roughly bounded by Montrose, Manhattan and Graham Avenues on the north and east. ... This area is variously identified as being the western portion of Bushwick or part of East Williamsburg."
- ^ Elliot Wilensky & Norval White (1988). AIA Guide to New York City (3 ed.). Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Publishers. pp. 676–79.
- ^ Pollak, Michael. "F.Y.I.", The New York Times, February 27, 2005. Accessed February 2, 2017. "Q. Where is the geographic center of New York?... According to the Department of City Planning, the population center lies in Maspeth, Queens, near the intersection of Galasso Place and 48th Street, near Maspeth Creek. The geographic center is in Bushwick, Brooklyn, on Stockholm Street between Wyckoff Avenue and St. Nicholas Avenue."
- ^ Staff. "CITY'S HUB PLACED IN BUSHWICK YARD; Regional Plan Group Finds Geographic Center Is Far From Population Center", The New York Times, March 26, 1937. Accessed February 2, 2017. "The Regional Plan Association, whose offices at 400 Madison Avenue are now found to lie on the northwesterly outskirts of the city, announced yesterday that its engineers have discovered, for the first time, that a certain back yard in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn is the geographical center of New York City.... The association found, in effect, that anyone desiring to be centrally located in New York City in the literal geographic sense must live in that block of brownstone houses bounded by Reid and Stuyvesant Avenues, Van Buren Street and Greene Avenue in Brooklyn."
- ^ a b Jackson, Kenneth T., ed. (1995). The Encyclopedia of New York City. New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 171. ISBN 0300055366.
- ^ Block, Stock & Barrel Archived May 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Block Magazine.
- ^ History of Bushwick Archived September 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 19, 2006
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- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 14, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2008.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b Williams, Keith. "Bushwick, Suydam House, and the mark of the Hessians". The Weekly Nabe. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
- ^ Field, T.W. (1868). Historic and antiquarian scenes in Brooklyn and its vicinity: with illustrations of some of its antiquities.
- ^ Armbruster, Eugene (1912). The Eastern district of Brooklyn. G. Quattlander.
- ^ Greenpoint History. Retrieved November 19, 2006
- ^ HISTORY OF BROOKLYN: CHAPTER IX. BUSHWICK AND WILLIAMSBURGH, FROM THE CLOSE OF THE REVOLUTION, UNTIL 1854. Retrieved November 19, 2006
- ^ RootsWeb: NYBROOKLYN-L Archives Archived May 27, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Archiver.rootsweb.com.
- ^ RootsWeb: NYKINGS-L Archives Archived May 27, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Archiver.rootsweb.com.
- ^ Obsolete Brooklyn Street Names. Brooklyn.net (November 15, 2003).
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 9, 2007. Retrieved February 12, 2007.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 14, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2008.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "F. J. Berlenbach House Designation Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2006.
- ^ "588 History of Brooklyn". Panix.
- ^ Chemical Industries. McGraw-Hill Publishing Company. 1935. p. 20. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
- ^ a b "Bushwick Brooklyn Walking Tour | Self-Guided". Free Tours by Foot. Retrieved March 7, 2008.
- ^ a b Chaban, Matt A. V. (August 31, 2015). "Builders and Brewers Honor Brooklyn's Beer Heritage". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
- ^ Ben Jankowski (January 1994). "The Bushwick Pilsners: A Look at Hoppier Days". BrewingTechniques. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011.
- ^ Hershenson, Roberta (May 3, 1998). "Rheingold Returns With a Family Link". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
- ^ Newman, Andy (May 11, 2010). "City Raises Glass to a Brewery in Brooklyn". City Room. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
- ^ "NYBROOKLYN-L Archives:March 2000". Archived from the original on May 27, 2012. Retrieved December 24, 2006.
- ^ "How New York Ate 100 Years Ago | Beer". New York Food Museum. Retrieved December 24, 2006.
- ^ "Subways & Trains | Bushwick Branch: LIRR in Brooklyn". Forgotten NY. October 4, 2000.
- ^ "Bushwick Branch". TrainsAreFun.com.
- ^ "Early Rapid Transit in Brooklyn, 1878–1913". NYCSubway.org.
- ^ "Dr. Cook's mansion & other treasures of Bushwick". February 25, 2001. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ a b "The Bushwick Renaissance Initiative". Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council. Archived from the original on February 6, 2009. Retrieved December 24, 2006.
- ^ a b John A. Dereszewski. "Mapping Bushwick's Recovery | The Path To Ruin > Demographic Changes | Demographic Change in Bushwick in the 1950-60's". Archived from the original on August 24, 2007.
- ^ "The Death and Life of Bushwick". City Journal. July 13, 1977.
- ^ Gottlieb, Martin (February 2, 1986). "F.H.A. CASE RECALLS BUSHWICK IN 70'S". The New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ a b Goodman, James (2003). Blackout. New York: North Point Press. ISBN 978-0-86547-715-5. OCLC 52838671.
- ^ Examples:
"Policeman Discourages a Looting Suspect in the Bushwick Section of Brooklyn" (photo). United Press International. Philadelphia Daily News. July 15, 1977. – via newspapers.com
"Police Collars Looter in Bushwick Section of Brooklyn" (photo). UPI Telephoto. Florida Today (Cocoa, Florida). July 15, 1977. – via newspapers.com
"His Share of Booty" (photo). Associated Press. Muncie Evening Press (Muncie, Indiana). July 15, 1977. – via newspapers.com
- ^ a b Holloway, Lynette (November 21, 1993). "NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: BUSHWICK UPDATE; Rough Sailing in Wake of Drug Crackdown". The New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ a b "83rd Precinct CompStat Report" (PDF). Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ Sullivan, Robert (March 5, 2006). "Psst... Have You Heard About Bushwick?". The New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ Cotter, Holland (June 7, 2012). "Bushwick Open Studios". The New York Times.
- ^ Lipinski, Jed (April 29, 2011). "Artists' Trailer Park Is History". City Room. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
- ^ Schiller, Amy; Gross, Lori (March 18, 2011). "Brooklyn Artist Collective Left Homeless". Heeb. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
- ^ Bryson-Brockmann, Rachel (October 29, 2013). "'Entrepreneur' Links Immigrants to Radio Stations Back Home". Voices of NY. Archived from the original on January 8, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
- ^ Levine, Shira (December 21, 2009). "Bushwick Trailer Park Welcomes Artists". AOL Real Estate Blog. Archived from the original on January 8, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
- ^ Bushwick Daily Staff (2018), "About", Bushwick Daily, retrieved April 10, 2019
- ^ a b c Bushwick Initiative Draft.indd. (PDF).
- ^ Spivack, Caroline (April 24, 2019). "Vision to rezone Bushwick unveiled by city". Curbed NY. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Bushwick" (PDF). nyc.gov. NYC Health. 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
- ^ a b "2016–2018 Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan: Take Care New York 2020" (PDF). nyc.gov. New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
- ^ "New Yorkers are living longer, happier and healthier lives". New York Post. June 4, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
- ^ "Census profile: NYC-Brooklyn Community District 4—Bushwick PUMA, NY". Retrieved July 17, 2018.
- ^ a b "The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union – Official website of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union". Archived from the original on January 3, 2009.
- ^ a b Table PL-P5 NTA: Total Population and Persons Per Acre – New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010, Population Division – New York City Department of City Planning, February 2012. Accessed June 16, 2016.
- ^ a b Table PL-P3A NTA: Total Population by Mutually Exclusive Race and Hispanic Origin – New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010, Population Division – New York City Department of City Planning, March 29, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2016.
- ^ "Key Population & Housing Characteristics; 2020 Census Results for New York City" (PDF). New York City Department of City Planning. August 2021. pp. 21, 25, 29, 33. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ^ "Map: Race and ethnicity across the US". CNN.
- ^ "Sunday afternoon in New York City: from the Puerto Rican parade to the Egg Creams and Egg Rolls Jewish-Chinese festival". New Women New Yorkers. June 22, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
- ^ "THE STORY OF U.S. PUERTO RICANS – PART FOUR | Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños". centropr.hunter.cuny.edu. Archived from the original on May 18, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
- ^ Gilbert, Tom (August 4, 2007). "Deeper look at Domino history". The Brooklyn Paper. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
- ^ "Bio". Brooklyn Borough Hall – Official Site. July 24, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
- ^ "Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez – New York's 7th Congressional District". velazquez.house.gov. Archived from the original on May 15, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
- ^ Morales, Mark (June 28, 2013). "Brooklyn's Puerto Rican Day Parade kicks off Sunday". NY Daily News. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
- ^ Ruscoe, Emilie (March 18, 2016). "Bienvenidos a la Nueva Isla Cuchifritos en Bushwick!". Bushwick Daily. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
- ^ "La Isla – Bushwick – Brooklyn, NY". Yelp. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
- ^ "Bushwick photos". am New York. March 18, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
- ^ Iversen, Kristin (February 27, 2013). "Is Williamsburg Trying to Deny Its Puerto Rican History?". Brooklyn Magazine. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
- ^ "Make the Road New York | Participate". www.maketheroadny.org. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
- ^ Waz, Magdalena (April 6, 2016). "Local Latino Activists Meet to Support Bernie on the Eve of Big Wisconsin Win". Bushwick Daily. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
- ^ NYCHA locations in Bushwick Archived May 25, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Nyc.gov.
- ^ "ArcGIS Web Application".
- ^ "Experience".
- ^ "Bushwick II CDA (Group E)" (PDF). Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ^ Gottlieb, Martin (August 15, 1993). "Bushwick's Hope Is a Public Project". The New York Times.
- ^ "Hope Gardens" (PDF). Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ^ "Palmetto Gardens" (PDF). Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ^ "Bushwick Neighborhood Indicators". NYU Furman Center.
- ^ Warerkar, Tanay (May 9, 2016). "Behold, NYC's 15 Most Rapidly Gentrifying Neighborhoods". Curbed NY.
- ^ "Bushwick – DNAinfo.com Crime and Safety Report". www.dnainfo.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
- ^ "FDNY Firehouse Listing – Location of Firehouses and companies". NYC Open Data; Socrata. New York City Fire Department. September 10, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- ^ "The Tonka Truck FDNY L-124 | The Company Officer". Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ^ "Engine Company 277/Ladder Company 112". FDNYtrucks.com. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ "Engine Company 218". FDNYtrucks.com. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ "Squad 252". FDNYtrucks.com. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ "Engine Company 237". FDNYtrucks.com. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ "FDNY Engine 233/Ladder 176".
- ^ "Engine Company 237". FDNYtrucks.com. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- ^ a b New York City Health Provider Partnership Brooklyn Community Needs Assessment: Final Report, New York Academy of Medicine (October 3, 2014).
- ^ "Woodhull Medical Center". nyc.gov. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
- ^ "Bushwick, New York City-Brooklyn, New York Zip Code Boundary Map (NY)". United States Zip Code Boundary Map (USA). Retrieved March 10, 2019.
- ^ "Location Details: Wyckoff Heights". USPS.com. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ^ "Location Details: Bushwick". Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ^ "Location Details: Halsey". Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ^ a b c Schubel, George (1913). "Illustrated history of Greater Ridgewood, together with brief sketches of its industries, organizations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men". Ridgewood Times Printing and Publishing Company. OCLC 306313. Retrieved February 2, 2020 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ a b c Williams, Keith (May 24, 2016). "How Bushwick and Ridgewood, Once Entwined, Became Distinct Neighborhoods". Curbed NY. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
- ^ a b c d "The big rock that helped defined the Ridgewood/Brooklyn border: Our Neighborhood, The Way it Was". QNS.com. August 11, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
- ^ a b "NYCityMap". NYC.gov. New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
- ^ Bayona, Jose (August 21, 2011). "Balderdash! Queens residents question need for dash in postal addresses". nydailynews.com. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
- ^ a b c Rainie, Harrison (February 21, 1979). "Zip-zero to Queensites". New York Daily News. p. 580. Retrieved February 1, 2020 – via newspapers.com
.
- ^ a b Dereszewski, John (September 6, 2017). "ZIP Codes and Politics: How Redrawing Borough Lines Redefined Bushwick and Ridgewood". Bushwick Daily. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ Lee, Jennifer 8. (November 2, 2007). "Is Ridgewood the New East Bushwick?". The New York Times. Retrieved August 21, 2009. ISSN 0362-4331.
- ^ Rabin, Bernard (February 21, 1979). "Zip, Zip, Queensite Please Pick Your Zip". New York Daily News. p. 580. Retrieved February 1, 2020 – via newspapers.com
.
- ^ Rabin, Bernard (May 31, 1979). "Zip Code Vote Overwhelmingly for Queens". New York Daily News. p. 615. Retrieved February 1, 2020 – via newspapers.com
.
- ^ Rabin, Bernard (October 3, 1979). "Two Communities Will Receive New Zip Code Numbers". New York Daily News. p. 622. Retrieved February 1, 2020 – via newspapers.com
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- ^ Congressional District 8, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed May 5, 2017.
- ^ New York City Congressional Districts, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed May 5, 2017.
- ^ "U.S. House Election Results 2018". The New York Times. January 28, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
- ^ Senate District 18, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed May 5, 2017.
- ^ 2012 Senate District Maps: New York City, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed November 17, 2018.
- ^ "NY Senate District 18". NY State Senate. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
- ^ Assembly District 53, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed May 5, 2017.
- Assembly District 54, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed May 5, 2017.
- Assembly District 55, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed May 5, 2017.
- Assembly District 56, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed May 5, 2017.
- ^ 2012 Assembly District Maps: New York City, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed November 17, 2018.
- ^ "New York State Assembly Member Directory". Assembly Member Directory. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ "District 34". New York City Council. March 25, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ "District 37". New York City Council. March 25, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ "Coalition for Hispanic Family Services – Home".
- ^ Stremple, Paul (May 22, 2019). "City's promise to invest in Bushwick rings hollow, community says". Brooklyn Eagle. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
- ^ "Beaver Noll Park Construction : NYC Parks". www.nycgovparks.org. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
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- ^ "Bushwick Playground II". nycgovparks.org. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
- ^ "Green Central Knoll". nycgovparks.org. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
- ^ "Green Central Knoll Comfort Station Construction : NYC Parks". www.nycgovparks.org. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
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- ^ "Irving Square Park". nycgovparks.org. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
- ^ "Maria Hernandez Park Highlights : NYC Parks". www.nycgovparks.org.
- ^ "Maria Hernandez Park". nycgovparks.org. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
- ^ "Ridgewood/Bushwick Youth Center". ycgovparks.org. Archived from the original on April 26, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
- ^ Tchou, Wei. "Celestial Scenes at Mood Ring This Bushwick bar aims to be a space for queer and trans people of color, and serves a cocktail that captures the essence of each month's star sign.", The New Yorker, November 3, 2017. Accessed August 29, 2019.
- ^ Jacobs, Harrison. "I partied at the Brooklyn club named the 2nd best thing to do in the world. It was a wild night of dance parties, gravity-defying performances, and crazy costumes". Business Insider. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
- ^ Gray, Billy (December 13, 2017). "A Cavernous Indie Music Club Opens in Brooklyn". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
- ^ a b "Bushwick – BK 04" (PDF). Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. 2011. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
- ^ NYC Department of City Planning CB4 Profile Archived June 2, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. None.
- ^ Parrott, Max (September 11, 2019). "After merging Bushwick Catholic schools, Brooklyn Diocese installs new school infrastructure". QNS. Schneps Media. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ Escobar, Allyson (September 5, 2019). "First Day of School: Jitters and Excitement". The Tablet. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- ^ "DeKalb Library". Brooklyn Public Library. August 19, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
- ^ "Washington Irving Library". Brooklyn Public Library. August 22, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
- ^ "Saratoga Library". Brooklyn Public Library. August 22, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
- ^ "Bushwick Library". Brooklyn Public Library. August 19, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
- ^ "Subway Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 2025. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ "Brooklyn Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. October 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
- ^ "Manhattan Beach". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. May 16, 1878. p. 1. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
- ^ Seyfried, Vincent (1966). The Long Island Rail Road : a comprehensive history. Part four, The Bay Ridge & Manhattan Beach Divisions; L.I.R.R. operation on the Brighton and Culver Lines. Garden City, New York.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Long Island Railroad Information Bulletin. February 20, 1924.
- ^ Traffic World. Traffic Service Corporation. 1984.
- ^ "Real Estate Round Up". wyckoffheights.org. September 30, 2014. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
- ^ Walsh, Kevin (October 2000). "EVERGREEN BRANCH: another lost LIRR line – Forgotten New York". forgotten-ny.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
- ^ Boland, Ed Jr. (August 26, 2001). "F.Y.I." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
- ^ a b "Bushwick Expressway (I-78, unbuilt)". nycroads.com. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
- ^ Broadway Junction Transportation Study, New York City Department of City Planning, November 2008. Accessed December 25, 2023. "Interstate 78, the Bushwick Expressway, was intended to link the Williamsburg Bridge and Idlewild (JFK) Airport. Although one of the three proposed routes would have cut directly through Broadway Junction itself, an alignment just north of the study area, through the Cemetery of the Evergreens and Highland Park, was ultimately chosen. In 1966, Mayor Lindsay and the Regional Plan Association both agreed that the Cross-Brooklyn Expressway (I-695) was a higher priority, and in 1969, the Lindsay administration removed I-78 from the City map. Governor Rockefeller officially halted plans for I-78 in March 1971."
- ^ Mench, Chris. "Here's What You Need To Know About Controversial Brooklyn Rapper 6ix9ine & His Breakout Hit 'Gummo'", Genius (website), November 15, 2017. Accessed January 22, 2018. "Bushwick, Brooklyn rapper 6ix9ine (a.k.a. Teka$hi 6ix9ine) is one of the most controversial artists out right now, but that hasn't stopped the rise of his breakout hit 'Gummo.'"
- ^ Emmanuel C.M. "6ix9ine's "Gummo" Streaming Numbers Soar Amid Controversy", XXL (magazine), November 21, 2017. Accessed February 12, 2018. "Daniel Hernandez, better known by his stage name 6ix9ine, is a Brooklyn-born rapper who currently has one of the hottest songs on the internet. 6ix9ine's 'Gummo' has amassed over 28 million YouTube views since its release in October and has collected over 3 million streams on Spotify. From his rainbow-colored hair and matching grills, to the numerous No. 69 tattoos all over his body, the young Bushwick, Brooklyn rapper, who also goes by Teka$hi 6ix9ine, has a unique outer presence. He's been popping up more and more on the web over the last two months, however, controversy surrounds him."
- ^ Balk, Tim. "The Education of Eric Adams: How a tough kid from Queens climbed toward City Hall", New York Daily News, October 19, 2021. Accessed January 24, 2022. "In Adams' early childhood, the family scraped by in a four-story tenement in Bushwick."
- ^ Linnemann, Art. "Eugene L. Armbruster: Historian of the Area and Era", Juniper Park Civic, October 20, 2020. Accessed January 24, 2022. "Eugene Armbruster was a remarkable man.... He married Julia Meury, who came from a prominent Manhattan family, and they raised a son and daughter in their home on Bushwick's Eldert Street."
- ^ Newton, Matthew. "Life After Graduation", Art:21, April 21, 2010. Accessed October 9, 2016. "Jules de Balincourt in his Bushwick studio following his solo exhibition opening at Deitch Projects in SoHo"
- ^ Centeno, Tony M. "June 9 In Hip-Hop History: Bushwick Bill Of Geto Boys Passes Away", iHeartRadio, June 9, 2022. Accessed December 25, 2023. "Born in Kingston, Jamaica, the rapper moved to Bushwick in Brooklyn, N.Y. while he was a child, which is what inspired his stage name 'Bushwick Bill.'"
- ^ Saxon, Wolfgang. "William Black, Founder And Head Of Chock Full o' Nuts Corp., Dies", The New York Times, March 8, 1983. Accessed December 25, 2023. "Mr. Black was born in Brooklyn's Bushwick section."
- ^ "Acharlesny – Andre Charles". Archived from the original on May 9, 2009. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ Mlynar, Phillip. "Bushwick's Finest: Forgotten Heroes of the Brooklyn Hip Hop Underground", Red Bull Music Academy, April 25, 2014. Accessed October 9, 2016. "Despite the lack of a breakthrough Bushwick star though, the area has left behind a fascinating seam of mid-'90s underground hip hop, sparked by Da Beatminerz and defined by a quartet of now-cult artists."
- ^ Maritza Davila Biography, New York State Assembly. Accessed February 14, 2018. "Maritza Davila was born in Catano, Puerto Rico and moved to Bushwick, Brooklyn as a young girl, where she has lived ever since."
- ^ Blog. Ryanjdavis.blogspot.com.
- ^ Culliton, Kathleen. "MTV's Road Rules Star Danny Dias Found Dead In Bushwick, Police Say", Bushwick, NY Patch, June 8, 2017. Accessed December 25, 2023. "An MTV reality star was found dead in his Bushwick apartment, police said. Reports claimed his death followed a bad reaction to hallucinogenic drugs. Former MTV Road Rules cast member Danny Dias, 34, was found with cuts on his wrists inside 896 Flushing Ave. near Bushwick Avenue around 5 p.m. Saturday, police said."
- ^ Ernest, Maya (August 24, 2024). "All About Ella Emhoff, Kamala Harris's Stylish Stepdaughter". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
Sometimes referred to as "the First Daughter of Bushwick"—the Brooklyn neighborhood in which she lives
- ^ Beckert, Michael. "In Gods That Walk Amongst Us, Artist Camila Falquez Captures Heavenly Beauty", w, June 21, 2022. Accessed December 25, 2023. "I live and work in Bushwick, and I'm not a huge fan of the graffiti there, but there is this one piece that I love of two Indigenous people."
- ^ Staff. "Kid's Talk", News & Record (Greensboro), September 19, 1995. Accessed June 8, 2009.
- ^ Ramos, Steve. "Illegal Tender Star Rick Gonzalez Is a Mama's Boy", Vulture.com, August 23, 2007. Accessed October 9, 2016. "Taking homeboy Rick Gonzalez out of Bushwick means bright lights and enthusiastic crowds outside the Chelsea West Cinemas for the Monday-night premiere of Illegal Tender, a Latino mob movie in which Gonzalez plays a straight-arrow college kid unaware of his family's drug-dealing past."
- ^ Staff. "City's Hub Placed In Bushwick Yard; Regional Plan Group Finds Geographic Center Is Far From Population Center", The New York Times, March 26, 1937. Accessed June 9, 2009. "Its best known resident in recent years was former Mayor John F. Hylan, who lived on Bushwick Avenue."
- ^ "Grand Street Campus prospect Williams Jerez hopes to", New York Daily News, March 25, 2011. Accessed December 25, 2023. "Jerez was born and raised in Santiago, Dominican Republic, before moving to the Bushwick section of Brooklyn two years ago."
- ^ "Elle King", Hollywoodlife.com. Accessed May 17, 2016. "She currently resides in Bushwick, Brooklyn."
- ^ a b c d Rauscher, Raymond Charles; Momtaz, Salim (May 5, 2014). Brooklyn's Bushwick – Urban Renewal in New York, USA: Community, Planning and Sustainable Environments. Springer. p. 12. ISBN 978-3-319-05762-0.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel (April 12, 2017). "Charlie Murphy, Comedian and 'Chappelle's Show' Star, Dead at 57". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
- ^ Lovece, Frank. "'Beverly Hills Cop 3 – Eddie Murphy Is Back", Calhoun Times, June 1, 1994. Accessed February 12, 2018. "Murphy's used to taking knocks. Raised in the projects, in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, he saw his parents divorce when he was 3."
- ^ Eddie Murphy Biography – Facts, Birthday, Life Story. Biography.com (April 3, 1961).
- ^ Jackson, Kenneth T. The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Volume 4, Gale (publisher), 2000. ISBN 9780684806440. Accessed July 31, 2016. "Nilsson spent most of his early childhood living in an apartment at 762 Jefferson Avenue in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn with his mother and half sister, his maternal grandparents, two uncles, an aunt, and a cousin."
- ^ Jeannie Ortega: Biography Archived December 20, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Billboard (magazine). Accessed July 31, 2016. "Born Jeannette Ortega in the tough Bushwick section of Brooklyn on November 19, 1986, Ortega devoted herself to a career in show business at an early age, busking as part of an adolescent song and dance duo called Sugar and Spice by the turn of the millennium."
- ^ Brown, Ruth. "Do the write thing: Rosie Perez reveals traumatic childhood in new memoir", The Brooklyn Paper, February 21, 2014. Accessed May 17, 2016. "In her candid new memoir, Handbook for an Unpredictable Life, the Brooklyn-born and bred actress reveals her traumatic childhood in Bushwick and upstate New York, chronicling the poverty, racism, sexism, and abuse she overcame on the rocky road to stardom."
- ^ Stewart, Zachary. "Anthony Ramos Went From Baseball in Bushwick to Performing Hamilton for Barack Obama; One of the stars of Broadway's next big hit on the series of lucky shots that led him to this place.", Theater Mania, August 5, 2015. Accessed July 31, 2016. "When Anthony Ramos was growing up in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn he never imagined he'd be starring in a Broadway show, much less the most sensational musical to hit the Rialto in years."
- ^ New York Magazine Dec 24, 1984. New York Magazine. December 24, 1984. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
- ^ Anderson, Stacey. "Rapper and Model Chynna Rogers Straddles Two Worlds With Ease", The New York Times, August 7, 2015. Accessed January 24, 2022. "Now Lives In a three-bedroom apartment in Bushwick, Brooklyn, that she shares."
- ^ Smith, Dinitia. "Straight Outta Queens", New York, January 17, 1994. Accessed November 7, 2022. "James grew up in Bushwick and went to Grover Cleveland High School, which seemed overwhelmingly white."
- ^ Green, Penelope. "Bernice Silver, Impish Puppeteer and Activist, Dies at 106", The New York Times, May 21, 2020. Accessed January 24, 2022. "Bernice Silver was born Oct. 7, 1913, in Bushwick, Brooklyn, to Sam and Frances (Resnikoff) Silver."
- ^ Schulman, Jonathan (July 16, 2020). "Know the Prospect: Obi Toppin". Posting and Toasting. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- ^ Thompson, Howard. "Mae West, 76, Still Finding New Generations of Fans", The New York Times, June 25, 1970. Accessed May 17, 2016. "'Tomorrow I'm going out to Bushwick – we lived next door to Mayor [John] Hylan – to see what's left of the old place.'"
- ^ Cawthorne, Nigel (August 8, 2019). Cults: The World's Most Notorious Cults. Quercus. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-5294-0164-6.
Bibliography
[edit]- Goodman, James, Blackout. North Point Press. New York, NY 2003 ISBN 0-86547-658-6
- Jackson, Kenneth T. and John B. Manbeck, The Neighborhoods of Brooklyn, 2nd ed. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004, 4448. ISBN 0-300-10310-7
- Robert Sullivan (March 5, 2006). "Psst... Have You Heard About Bushwick?". The New York Times. Retrieved August 8, 2006.
- Christine Lagorio (December 7, 2005). "CloseUp on Bushwick, Brooklyn". Archived from the original on December 13, 2005. Retrieved August 8, 2006.
- Jeff Vandam (June 11, 2006). "BargainHunting? Stay on the LTrain a Little Longer". The New York Times. Retrieved August 11, 2006.
- Cooper, Mabusha "Push ", PUSH HIP HOP HISTORY- The Brooklyn Scene, 1st Books Library, ISBN 1-4107-9935-2
External links
[edit]
Media related to Bushwick, Brooklyn at Wikimedia Commons
Bushwick, Brooklyn
View on GrokipediaBushwick is a neighborhood in northern Brooklyn, New York City, encompassing Brooklyn Community District 4, bounded approximately by Flushing Avenue to the north, Broadway to the west, the Brooklyn-Queens border to the east, and Myrtle Avenue to the south.[1] With a population of 118,143 residents, it features a diverse demographic including significant Hispanic (around 60%) and Black communities, alongside growing numbers of white and Asian residents amid ongoing demographic shifts.[2] Originally settled by Dutch colonists in the 1630s as Boswijck—meaning "forest district" or "heavy woods"—it was one of the six original towns of Brooklyn annexed in 1855, evolving into a hub of German immigration and industry by the late 19th century.[3] The neighborhood's defining historical characteristic was its dominance in brewing, earning it the moniker "beer capital of the Northeast" with over a dozen major breweries, such as the William Ulmer Brewery and Rheingold, which capitalized on local water sources and rail access to produce lager on an industrial scale until Prohibition's onset in 1920 curtailed the sector.[3] Post-World War II, Bushwick experienced rapid population decline through white flight, peaking at near-90% white in 1960 but dropping below 40% by 1970, exacerbated by economic disinvestment, factory closures, and events like the 1977 blackout-fueled arson that devastated housing stock.[4] This led to a predominantly low-income, Puerto Rican and Dominican enclave by the 1980s, with poverty rates exceeding 30% into the 2000s.[5] Since the early 2000s, empirical indicators show revitalization through gentrification, including falling poverty from 32.9% in 2007 to 30.4% in 2013, population stabilization around 120,000, and influxes of artists utilizing cheap warehouse spaces for studios and galleries, though studies indicate limited direct displacement effects on low-income children's health outcomes.[6][5][7] Today, Bushwick balances remnants of its industrial past—evident in adaptive reuse of breweries and rail infrastructure—with commercial corridors like Knickerbocker Avenue, public spaces such as Maria Hernandez Park, and a creative economy, while grappling with rising housing costs that strain longtime residents despite overall neighborhood investment yielding lower crime rates and improved infrastructure.[3][8]
Geography
Boundaries and Physical Features
Bushwick's boundaries align closely with those of Brooklyn Community Board 4, extending from Flushing Avenue to the north, Broadway to the southwest, the Queens border to the northeast, and the Cemetery of the Evergreens to the southeast.[1] [9] These limits separate Bushwick from Williamsburg and East Williamsburg to the north across Flushing Avenue, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the west along Broadway and Bushwick Avenue, Ridgewood in Queens to the east, and Cypress Hills and East New York to the south via the cemeteries.[1] The neighborhood occupies a flat expanse of Brooklyn's glacial outwash plain, with terrain elevations typically ranging from 10 to 30 feet above sea level and no significant natural hills or valleys. This low-lying topography contributes to occasional flooding risks near former waterways like Newtown Creek, which lies just beyond the northern boundary.[10] Bushwick includes the geographic center of New York City, pinpointed at the intersection of Stockholm Street, Wyckoff Avenue, and St. Nicholas Avenue.[11] Physically, the area features densely built urban fabric dominated by low- to medium-rise structures, including historic row houses and former industrial sites, with open spaces limited to small parks and about 1.4% of land designated for recreation.[12] [13] The landscape reflects post-glacial deposition, lacking prominent natural landmarks but shaped by 19th-century infrastructure like railways and breweries that altered drainage and land use.[12]Environmental and Urban Landscape
Bushwick occupies a low-lying, relatively flat portion of Brooklyn's glacial outwash plain, with an average elevation of approximately 36 feet (11 meters) above sea level.[14] The neighborhood's terrain lacks significant topographic variation, contributing to its urban density and vulnerability to water-related hazards.[15] To the north and east, Bushwick borders Newtown Creek, a 3.8-mile tidal strait designated as a Superfund site in 2010 due to severe contamination from over a century of industrial activity, including petroleum refining, chemical manufacturing, and sewage discharges.[16] Sediments and groundwater contain elevated levels of oils, metals, volatile organic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, with ongoing remedial investigations and feasibility studies as of 2023-2025; cleanup efforts include sediment dredging in the East Branch initiated in January 2025.[16] Proximity to this waterway exposes parts of Bushwick to potential groundwater migration and air emissions from historical pollutants, though direct residential impacts are monitored through federal oversight.[16] Green spaces in Bushwick total 14 community parks and playgrounds, providing recreational facilities such as sports courts, playgrounds, and fitness areas, with 88% of residents within walking distance—exceeding the citywide target of 85%.[17] Maria Hernandez Park, the neighborhood's largest and most central green space, features urban-oriented amenities including basketball courts, a synthetic turf field, dog runs, and a rainbow-colored playground with water features, but lacks significant natural habitats; it serves as a hub for community activities following its renaming in 1989 after local activist Maria Hernandez.[18] Other notable areas include Irving Square Park for passive recreation and recent additions like Beaver Noll Park (0.5 acres), emphasizing constructed rather than wild landscapes.[17] The urban landscape consists primarily of medium-density, low-rise structures, including historic rowhouses from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, mixed-use commercial corridors along streets like Knickerbocker Avenue, and remnants of industrial architecture such as former breweries.[12] Buildings typically range from one to five stories, fostering a walkable street grid with alternating brick row houses in varied colors, though brownfield sites from past manufacturing persist amid rezoning pressures for higher density.[12] Climate risks amplify environmental challenges, with Bushwick prone to flash flooding from intense rainfall; during Hurricane Ida on September 1, 2021, surges reached up to four feet in low areas, exacerbating urban drainage limitations.[19] Newtown Creek's tidal influence heightens coastal surge potential, while broader projections indicate rising sea levels could increase tidal flooding frequency by 2080, compounded by the neighborhood's flat topography and impervious surfaces.[20]History
Early Settlement and Township Era
The area now known as Bushwick was initially purchased from the Canarsie Indians in 1638 as part of broader Dutch acquisitions in Brooklyn, though permanent settlement did not occur until later.[3] In February 1660, 23 men petitioned Director-General Peter Stuyvesant for permission to establish a new village on the eastern end of Long Island, marking the formal inception of organized settlement.[11] Stuyvesant chartered the township as Boswijck in 1661, deriving the name from Dutch words for "woods" (bos) and "settlement" or "town" (wijck), reflecting its heavily forested landscape.[21] [22] This made Boswijck the sixth and final of Brooklyn's original Dutch townships within New Netherland.[4] Early inhabitants comprised primarily Dutch settlers, supplemented by French Huguenots, Scandinavians, and English farmers from New England colonies, who cleared land for agriculture amid the rural, wooded terrain.[3] The township's economy centered on farming, with small family-operated plots producing grains, vegetables, and tobacco for export to New Amsterdam's markets, supported by gristmills and limited trade infrastructure.[23] By the English conquest of New Netherland in 1664, Boswijck—renamed Bushwick—retained its autonomous township governance under colonial patents, maintaining a sparse population of around a dozen households initially.[21] Through the late 17th and 18th centuries, Bushwick functioned as a semi-rural township with slow population growth, its 1683 census recording just 14 families across scattered farmsteads.[24] English rule introduced manorial land divisions and reinforced agricultural focus, though the area avoided major Revolutionary War disruptions due to its peripheral location.[25] By the early 19th century, the township encompassed approximately 4,500 acres, with residents engaging in mixed farming, milling, and nascent brick-making tied to local clay deposits, while church records from Dutch Reformed congregations document community cohesion among descendants of original patentees.[23] This era solidified Bushwick's identity as an agrarian outpost, distinct from urbanizing adjacent areas like Brooklyn village.[3]Industrial Expansion and Railway Boom
Bushwick's industrial expansion accelerated in the mid-19th century, driven by the influx of German immigrants and the demand for manufactured goods. Early establishments included Peter Cooper's glue manufacturing plant, which capitalized on local resources for production. By 1867, the Bushwick Chemical Works at Metropolitan Avenue and Grand Street received recognition for producing commercial acids, highlighting the area's growing chemical sector.[4] The Bushwick Glass Company, founded in 1869 and later known as Brookfield Glass Company, manufactured bottles, jars, and electrical insulators, further diversifying output.[4] The brewing industry emerged as Bushwick's dominant sector, fueled by German settlers arriving in the 1840s and 1850s who brought lager beer techniques. By 1890, "Brewer's Row" encompassed 14 breweries within a 14-block area, establishing Bushwick as the "beer capital of the Northeast" and contributing significantly to Brooklyn's total of nearly 50 breweries.[4] [26] Notable operations like the William Ulmer Brewery, built in the late 1800s, exemplified large-scale production tailored to immigrant labor and urban markets.[27] This concentration arose from access to water sources, proximity to Manhattan via ferries, and a workforce skilled in fermentation processes, enabling efficient scaling of output for regional distribution.[4] Railway development underpinned this growth by improving logistics for raw materials and finished products. The Long Island Rail Road's Bushwick Branch, constructed between 1867 and 1868 by the South Side Railroad of Long Island and extending from Jamaica through Maspeth to Bushwick Terminal at Montrose Avenue and Bushwick Place, facilitated freight connections to the East River ferries.[28] [4] Initially using horse-drawn and steam dummy engines for local segments, the line supported heavy industrial traffic, including beer kegs and glassware, reducing reliance on costly drayage. Passenger services operated until the 1920s, but freight persisted, linking Bushwick factories to broader networks.[28] Elevated railways enhanced accessibility, spurring further expansion. The Lexington Avenue Elevated, Brooklyn's first "el," opened in 1885 with its eastern terminus at Gates Avenue and Broadway, providing rapid transit to Manhattan.[4] Completions of the Broadway Elevated and Myrtle Avenue Elevated by 1889 connected Bushwick to Downtown Brooklyn and beyond, initially powered by steam locomotives before third-rail electrification around 1900, which lowered costs and increased reliability for workers commuting to factories.[4] These infrastructures causally amplified industrialization by enabling labor mobility and efficient goods movement, transforming Bushwick from agrarian outskirts to a manufacturing hub.[4]Mid-20th Century Decline and Urban Challenges
Bushwick's post-World War II decline accelerated in the mid-1960s, driven by deindustrialization as Brooklyn's manufacturing sector contracted sharply, with citywide jobs falling from over one million in the 1950s to a fraction by the 1970s due to suburban relocation of factories and rising operational costs.[29] In Bushwick, the exodus of remaining breweries and light industries, which had begun in the 1950s post-Prohibition consolidation and continued through the 1970s, eroded the working-class employment base that had sustained the neighborhood's earlier prosperity.[30] This economic erosion coincided with white flight, as the white population—predominantly German and Italian descendants—dropped from nearly 90% in 1960 to under 40% by 1970, per U.S. Census data, amid an influx of Puerto Rican and Southern Black migrants seeking urban opportunities.[4] Blockbusting tactics by real estate agents, who exploited racial fears to induce rapid turnover and commissions, hastened this exodus, leaving behind under-maintained housing stock and rising vacancy rates.[11] Urban challenges intensified in the 1970s amid New York City's fiscal crisis, which prompted cuts to municipal services including fire and police response.[31] Poverty engulfed the area, with 45% of residents below the federal poverty line by the early 1980s and nearly 60% of households led by single mothers, patterns linked to job scarcity, welfare dependency, and family fragmentation in deindustrialized enclaves.[32] Drug trafficking and associated violent crime surged, transforming once-stable blocks into high-risk zones where economic desperation fueled illicit economies. The July 13–14, 1977, blackout marked a nadir, unleashing opportunistic looting and arson that razed Bushwick's commercial spine; 88 stores were looted and 48 deliberately torched in the neighborhood alone over 24 hours, with damage concentrated along Broadway where 35 blocks suffered widespread destruction.[33] This event compounded an ongoing arson epidemic, as landlords torched unprofitable properties for insurance payouts amid abandonment; by 1975, Bushwick had endured approximately 4,000 fires, including around 900 likely arson cases, exacerbating housing loss in a context of reduced fire company staffing that allowed blazes to propagate contiguously.[33] These intertwined factors—job flight, demographic upheaval, service austerity, and predatory property practices—perpetuated a vicious cycle of disinvestment, with Brooklyn overall shedding over 500,000 residents between 1950 and 1980.[34]Late 20th to Early 21st Century Transition
During the 1980s and early 1990s, Bushwick grappled with acute urban decay, intensified by the crack cocaine epidemic that took hold in the mid-1980s, spawning drug dens, territorial gang conflicts, and elevated homicide rates.[32] Within the 83rd Police Precinct encompassing much of the neighborhood, murders peaked at 77 in 1990.[32] Arson, frequently tied to insurance scams during New York City's lingering fiscal crisis of the 1970s, had already gutted residential and commercial structures, resulting in over 500 vacant buildings by the early 1970s and contributing to ongoing abandonment.[32] Economic stagnation persisted amid deindustrialization, with 45 percent of residents below the poverty line in the early 1980s and more than half dependent on welfare.[32] Demographic pressures reflected broader patterns of white flight and influxes of low-income migrants; Bushwick's population, after plummeting 33 percent from 137,895 in 1970 to 93,099 in 1980, stabilized and edged upward to 102,572 by 1990, dominated by Hispanics at 65 percent, Blacks at 20 percent, and Whites at 9 percent.[8] A marked turnaround in public safety emerged in the mid-1990s, driven by data-centric policing reforms under Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Commissioner William Bratton, such as CompStat, which prioritized misdemeanor enforcement and felony crackdowns; murders dropped to 12 by 1998, while overall violent crime fell 66 percent from 1990 levels, with annual robberies declining by 1,500, burglaries by 1,000, and assaults by 675.[32] Entering the early 2000s, these security gains, low property values, and vast empty industrial lofts drew artists and creatives priced out of Williamsburg, who repurposed derelict warehouses for studios, underground exhibitions, and informal performance spaces, injecting nascent cultural vitality into the landscape.[35] Population growth accelerated modestly to 104,358 in 2000 and 112,634 in 2010, accompanied by a 216 percent surge in non-Hispanic White residents from 2000 to 2010, alongside stable Hispanic majorities around 65-67 percent.[8] Housing activity ticked upward, with building permits rising from 46 (92 units) in 1996 to 174 (700 units) by 2003, hinting at emerging investment amid residual poverty.[32] This era bridged entrenched dysfunction with incremental renewal, as improved order enabled opportunistic reuse of underutilized spaces without yet sparking widespread commercial resurgence.Gentrification and Contemporary Developments
Gentrification in Bushwick began accelerating in the mid-2000s, as rising rents in Manhattan and Williamsburg displaced artists and young professionals seeking affordable spaces in the neighborhood's underutilized industrial lofts and low-rent apartments.[36] This influx was driven by the area's proximity to Manhattan via subway lines like the L train, cheap warehouse conversions for studios, and post-2008 recession vacancies that attracted creative workers priced out of closer neighborhoods.[11] By the early 2010s, street art collectives and nightlife venues emerged, transforming former factories into galleries and bars, though initial changes were uneven and concentrated along corridors like Knickerbocker Avenue.[37] Housing costs rose sharply amid this transition. Median gross rent increased from $1,250 in 2006 to $2,110 in 2023, reflecting demand from higher-income newcomers investing in renovations and new builds.[6] Median home sale prices reached $899,000 by September 2025, down 5.3% year-over-year but up substantially from pre-gentrification levels, with per-square-foot values at around $1,000.[38] The anticipated 2019 L train shutdown briefly softened rents in 2016-2018 as some buyers anticipated devaluation, but its cancellation in 2019 sustained momentum, preventing a larger exodus and bolstering investor confidence in Bushwick's connectivity.[39] Demographically, the white population share grew from under 5% in 2000 to approximately 26% by 2023, alongside a slight decline in the Hispanic majority from over 70% to 45.8%, though absolute numbers of longtime residents remained stable due to high birth rates and immigration offsetting outflows.[6] [40] Influxes of younger, college-educated renters—often in tech or arts—contrasted with aging Puerto Rican and Dominican families, fostering cultural tensions but also economic revitalization through new commercial strips.[41] Contemporary developments from 2020 onward include post-pandemic rent surges exceeding 70% above national medians, prompting tenant organizing against evictions and harassment in rent-stabilized units.[42] [43] New mixed-income housing, such as 81 affordable units at $788 monthly starting in 2023 lotteries, and public housing renovations like Hylan Houses in 2025, aim to mitigate displacement, while industrial rezoning preserves manufacturing amid residential growth.[44] [45] Property investments rose over 20% in major projects since 2020, signaling sustained appeal despite affordability strains.[46] These shifts have correlated with reduced vacancy and blight from the 1970s-1990s era, though informal economies persist among displaced low-wage workers.[5]Demographics
Population Size and Trends
As of the 2020 United States Census, Brooklyn Community District 4, encompassing Bushwick, had a population of 112,388 residents.[47] Recent American Community Survey estimates place the figure at approximately 112,000 in 2023, reflecting relative stability amid broader Brooklyn growth.[47] Bushwick experienced substantial population decline from the 1970s through the 1980s, dropping from 137,895 in 1970 to 93,099 in 1980—a 33% reduction driven by deindustrialization, widespread arson during the 1977 blackout, and demographic shifts including white flight and blockbusting practices that accelerated vacancy and poverty rates exceeding 45% by the early 1980s.[8][32][48] Recovery began in the late 1980s, with steady increases fueled by in-migration from Latin American countries, stabilizing at around 112,634 by 2000 and reaching 121,000 by 2018—a 15% rise over that period, outpacing the citywide rate through factors like family formation and extended lifespans rather than net natural increase alone.[8] Between 2000 and 2010, total population dipped slightly to 104,358 amid ongoing transitions, though subsequent gentrification from the 2010s onward attracted younger, higher-income residents, contributing to renewed density in underutilized housing stock despite some displacement pressures.[8][47]Racial, Ethnic, and Immigration Composition
As of estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023, Bushwick's population of 94,851 residents is racially and ethnically diverse, with Hispanics or Latinos forming the largest group at 45.8%, followed by non-Hispanic Whites at 26.3%, non-Hispanic Blacks or African Americans at 15.8%, and non-Hispanic Asians at 6.0%.[6] The remaining approximately 6.1% includes multiracial individuals and other groups.[6]| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage of Population |
|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 45.8% |
| Non-Hispanic White | 26.3% |
| Non-Hispanic Black or African American | 15.8% |
| Non-Hispanic Asian | 6.0% |
Socioeconomic and Household Data
As of 2023, the median household income in Bushwick was $81,430, slightly exceeding the New York City median of $79,480.[6] The poverty rate stood at 19.5%, higher than the citywide figure but reflective of ongoing socioeconomic disparities amid gentrification pressures.[6] Alternative estimates from American Community Survey (ACS) data for the corresponding Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) place the median income at $84,578 and poverty at 21.2%.[47] Educational attainment among working-age residents has improved with influxes of higher-educated newcomers, though legacy populations maintain lower levels. In 2023 ACS data, the most prevalent educational level for the working population was a bachelor's degree, with 27,600 individuals holding such credentials or higher, compared to 20,200 with high school equivalency as their highest attainment.[47] Earlier benchmarks indicate persistent challenges, with 44.6% of adults aged 25 and older lacking a high school diploma in pre-2020 periods, a rate exceeding city averages.[6] Labor force participation in Bushwick was 59.0% as of recent estimates, below citywide norms and signaling barriers such as skill mismatches and informal employment sectors.[6] Unemployment rates have historically been elevated, reaching 17.2% in earlier ACS snapshots versus the city's 7.1%, though recent city-level data suggests moderation to around 5-6% amid post-pandemic recovery; neighborhood-specific figures remain disproportionately high due to concentrations of low-wage service jobs and underemployment.[6] Households in Bushwick averaged approximately 2.5 persons, derived from a population of 112,000 across 44,400 households.[47] Homeownership rates were low at 16.0-16.5%, with the vast majority (over 80%) renting, consistent with the neighborhood's dense rowhouse stock and rapid turnover from short-term leases.[6][47] Family households comprised about half, with the remainder non-family units, reflecting a mix of immigrant-led extended families and young professional singles.[50]| Indicator | Bushwick (2023) | New York City (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $81,430 | $79,480 |
| Poverty Rate | 19.5% | ~18% |
| Homeownership Rate | 16.0% | ~32% (citywide est.) |
| Avg. Household Size | ~2.5 | 2.64 |
Economy and Housing
Residential Housing Stock and Market Dynamics
Bushwick's residential housing stock consists primarily of pre-1947 buildings, with nearly 80% constructed before that year, including multi-family walk-up apartments and row houses. Over half of apartments are located in buildings with fewer than six units, reflecting a prevalence of small-scale multifamily structures in western areas and owner-occupied two- and three-family row houses in eastern sections.[51] Single-family homes comprise about 20% of the stock, multifamily buildings around 30%, and the remainder includes new developments or converted industrial spaces.[52] The neighborhood features a low homeownership rate of 16.0% as of 2023, compared to the citywide average of 32.5%, with approximately 90% of households renting. Between 2010 and 2024, Bushwick added 6,571 new housing units, of which 78% were market-rate and 22% income-restricted, alongside 6,600 units built since 2000 predominantly as market-rate rentals. New construction in 2024 included 854 units via certificates of occupancy and 198 via building permits, often in multifamily buildings where only 11% of units in structures with four or more units were low-income.[6][47][51] Housing market dynamics have shown significant appreciation, with median sales prices increasing 135% since 2009 and recent medians ranging from $899,000 in September 2025 to around $975,000, though varying monthly. Median gross rents reached $2,110 in 2023, a 68.8% rise from $1,250 in 2006, with current median base rents at $3,499 amid a 3.2% rental vacancy rate indicating tight supply. Rents rose 60% from 2000 to 2016, outpacing the citywide 32% increase, contributing to over half of households being rent-burdened.[6][38][53] These trends reflect gentrification pressures, with demand from higher-income residents driving up values and prompting efforts to preserve affordability, such as Mandatory Inclusionary Housing requiring 20-30% affordable units in rezoned areas and HPD financing for 3,376 affordable homes from 2003 to 2018. However, the share of affordable units at 80% of area median income fell to 41.0% in 2023 from prior levels, and 27.9% of households remain severely rent-burdened, exacerbating displacement risks for long-term lower-income renters amid limited new affordable supply relative to market-rate growth.[6][51][54]Commercial and Industrial Activity
Commercial activity in Bushwick primarily revolves around small-scale retail and service-oriented businesses concentrated along key corridors such as Knickerbocker Avenue, Broadway, and Myrtle Avenue. These areas feature a mix of bodegas, discount clothing stores, and ethnic grocery shops catering to the neighborhood's large Hispanic population, alongside emerging cafes, bars, and boutiques driven by recent demographic shifts.[12] In 2023, restaurants and food services employed 5,251 residents, representing 8.8% of the local workforce, underscoring the sector's dominance in daily commercial operations.[47] Industrial activity persists in pockets of Bushwick, including light manufacturing and warehousing, though it has significantly diminished from historical peaks. Firms such as Bushwick Bottling provide warehousing for dry, refrigerated, and frozen goods at facilities like 465 Johnson Avenue, supporting logistics for local distributors.[55] Small-scale manufacturers, including custom design and production outfits like Bushwick Manufacturing, operate in the area, focusing on niche products such as furniture and specialty items.[56] However, overall employment in manufacturing remains marginal, with service sectors absorbing over 60% of residents' jobs as industrial spaces increasingly convert to mixed-use or creative enterprises.[57] Total employment in the Bushwick PUMA stood at 59,512 in 2023, reflecting a 2.12% decline from 2022 amid broader Brooklyn retail resilience and industrial adaptation.[47] Commercial real estate leasing remains active, with numerous retail spaces available along Knickerbocker Avenue, signaling ongoing demand from independent entrepreneurs rather than national chains.[58] Industrial properties, including warehouses, continue to list for lease, indicating sustained but limited utilization for storage and distribution.[59]Public Safety
Crime Rates and Patterns
Bushwick experienced elevated crime rates during the late 20th century, particularly amid the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s and early 1990s, with the 83rd Precinct recording thousands of major felony complaints annually by the early 2000s.[60] From 2001 to 2024, total complaints in the precinct declined by approximately 21%, reflecting broader New York City trends driven by intensified policing strategies and socioeconomic improvements.[60] Robberies fell 38% over that period, while murders decreased 83%.[60] These reductions correlated with demographic shifts, including reduced poverty concentrations and increased residential investment, though causal links remain debated beyond policing efficacy.[61] In 2024, Bushwick's serious crime rate stood at 14.1 incidents per 1,000 residents, encompassing violent and property offenses, marginally exceeding the New York City average of 13.6 per 1,000.[6] Year-to-date through October 2025, the 83rd Precinct reported 1,316 total complaints, a 13.4% decrease from 1,520 in the comparable 2024 period.[60] Violent crimes showed mixed results: murders rose to 7 from 2 (a 250% increase, albeit from a low base), rapes declined 23% to 24, robberies dropped 39% to 176, and felony assaults fell 16% to 301.[60] Property crimes dominated recent patterns, consistent with Brooklyn-wide trends where such offenses comprise about 80% of major felonies.[62] Burglaries decreased 36% year-to-date to 113, grand larceny auto fell 13% to 151, but grand larceny increased 10% to 544, potentially linked to higher population density and commercial activity in gentrifying zones.[60] Over the prior 28 days ending October 19, 2025, total complaints edged up 5.6% to 150, driven by a 65% surge in grand larceny to 79, while robberies declined 36%.[60] Concentrations of violent incidents, including assaults and robberies, persist in areas with lingering socioeconomic challenges, though overall precinct violence remains below historical peaks.[60]Policing and Community Safety Measures
The 83rd Precinct of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) oversees policing in Bushwick, with Captain David Poggioli serving as commanding officer since at least 2023.[63] The precinct employs Quality of Life Teams (Q-Teams) to address local concerns such as disorderly conditions and build community ties through proactive enforcement and problem-solving.[63] Community Affairs Officers, dedicated to each precinct including the 83rd, facilitate ongoing dialogue with residents, faith leaders, and organizations to identify safety issues and coordinate responses.[64] Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCOs), assigned under NYPD's neighborhood policing model, conduct regular foot patrols and engage directly with Bushwick residents to foster trust and gather intelligence on potential threats.[65] In Bushwick Houses, a public housing complex within the neighborhood, NCOs collaborate with the Mayor's Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety (MAP) team on youth empowerment sessions and conflict mediation, though community feedback highlights the need for expanded, transparent interactions with all precinct officers to enhance mutual respect.[66] Precinct-led roundtable meetings with community leaders, such as the August 2024 session on park and traffic safety, exemplify structured forums for prioritizing enforcement and prevention strategies.[67] Crime prevention efforts include security surveys for homes and businesses, VIN etching for vehicles, and distribution of safety tips by the precinct's Crime Prevention Division, targeting burglary and theft vulnerabilities common in mixed residential-commercial areas.[64] Youth Strategies programs divert at-risk individuals through intervention and education to curb involvement in violence, with precinct-specific adaptations for Bushwick's demographics.[64] The Bushwick Watch Program supplements these by disseminating email alerts on local threats, enabling resident vigilance alongside NYPD patrols.[68] Historical measures like the 2006 Bushwick Initiative increased nighttime police presence and mobility via scooters, contributing to sustained reductions in certain offenses, though contemporary efforts emphasize sustained community integration over temporary surges.[69]Government and Politics
Local Governance Structure
Bushwick lacks independent municipal governance and operates within the framework of New York City's centralized structure, where neighborhoods are served by advisory community boards and elected citywide officials. The primary local advisory body is Brooklyn Community Board 4 (CB4), established under the 1975 New York City Charter to facilitate resident input on land use, zoning, service delivery, and budgeting.[70] CB4 exclusively covers Bushwick, with boundaries defined as Flushing Avenue to the north, Broadway to the southwest, the Queens border to the northeast, and the Cemetery of the Evergreens to the southeast; it holds monthly public meetings on the third Wednesday at 6:00 PM, except in July and August, to deliberate on community issues and recommend actions to city agencies.[70] Current leadership includes Chairperson Robert Camacho and District Manager Celestina León, who coordinate committees on topics such as housing, public safety, and economic development.[70] For legislative representation, Bushwick spans two New York City Council districts. The majority falls within District 37, represented by Sandy Nurse since 2022, encompassing Bushwick alongside Cypress Hills, East New York, Brownsville, and City Line; Nurse focuses on issues like affordable housing preservation and community safety initiatives.[71] Northern portions, particularly near Williamsburg, lie in District 34, held by Jennifer Gutiérrez since 2022, which includes parts of Bushwick, Williamsburg in Brooklyn, and Ridgewood in Queens; Gutiérrez emphasizes tenant protections and environmental justice.[72] These council members influence local policy through legislation, oversight of city agencies, and district-specific funding allocations. Oversight at the borough level is provided by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, elected in 2021, who appoints half of CB4's 50 members (with the other half elected by residents), reviews community board recommendations, and allocates discretionary funds for neighborhood projects.[73] Reynoso, a former City Council member for District 34 that included parts of Bushwick, prioritizes borough-wide priorities like public health and housing that indirectly shape local outcomes.[74] Community boards like CB4 hold no binding authority but serve as conduits for resident advocacy, often mediating between locals and city hall on zoning variances and service complaints.[70]Political Representation and Voter Trends
Bushwick falls within New York's 7th Congressional District, represented by Democrat Nydia Velázquez since 1993.[75] At the state level, the neighborhood is part of Senate District 18, held by Democrat Julia Salazar since 2019, and Assembly District 53, represented by Democrat Maritza Dávila since 2013.[76][77] Locally, Bushwick spans New York City Council Districts 34 and 37; District 34, covering southern portions including areas near Myrtle Avenue, is represented by Democrat Jennifer Gutiérrez since 2022, while District 37, encompassing much of central and northern Bushwick, is held by Democrat Sandy Nurse since 2022.[72][78] Voter registration in Brooklyn Community District 4, which includes Bushwick, shows approximately 85% Democratic enrollment as of recent analyses, with Republicans comprising under 5% and the remainder independents or minor parties. Turnout remains below city averages, though gentrification has increased participation among younger residents; in the 2024 general election, overall Brooklyn turnout hovered around 60%, with neighborhood-level data indicating persistent low engagement in off-year cycles.[79] In the 2020 presidential election, Bushwick precincts delivered over 85% of votes to Joe Biden, aligning with broader Brooklyn trends where Democrats exceeded 80% citywide.[80] The 2024 contest saw Kamala Harris securing similarly lopsided margins, though Donald Trump improved by 2-4 percentage points across precincts compared to 2020, reflecting minor national shifts rather than local realignment.[81] State and local races mirror this: Dávila won reelection in Assembly District 53 with over 95% in both 2022 and 2024 general elections, unopposed by viable Republican challengers.[82][83] Gentrification since the 2010s, driven by influxes of young professionals, has amplified progressive influences within Democratic primaries, boosting support for candidates emphasizing tenant protections and anti-displacement policies, as seen in Nurse's 2021 victory over incumbents in District 37.[78] However, the neighborhood's core Latino working-class base sustains machine-style Democratic loyalty, limiting broader ideological shifts; Republican vote shares rarely exceed 10% in local contests, underscoring entrenched one-party dominance despite demographic changes.Policy Impacts on Neighborhood Development
New York City's zoning policies have significantly shaped Bushwick's development trajectory, with much of the neighborhood zoned for manufacturing (M1 districts) since the mid-20th century, limiting residential conversion and preserving industrial uses amid deindustrialization.[51] These restrictions constrained housing supply growth until targeted rezonings in adjacent areas like East Williamsburg in the early 2000s under Mayor Bloomberg, which permitted higher-density residential development and contributed to initial influxes of artists and young professionals by easing buildable floor area ratios.[84] However, core Bushwick zones remained largely unchanged, fostering a dual character of preserved warehouses repurposed for lofts alongside pressures for upzoning that risked displacing light industry.[85] Tax incentive programs, particularly the 421-a property tax abatement extended in 2017, accelerated multifamily rental construction in Bushwick by exempting new developments from property taxes for up to 25 years in exchange for initial rent stabilization, resulting in thousands of additional units citywide and spurring local projects that boosted housing stock amid rising demand.[86] [87] In Bushwick, this led to rapid condo and rental tower builds, with median gross rents rising 68.8% from $1,250 in 2006 to $2,110 in 2023, reflecting increased supply but also market-driven price escalation that outpaced income growth.[6] Enforcement issues emerged, as evidenced by 2022 indictments of Bushwick developers for falsely certifying low rents to qualify for abatements while charging market rates, undermining affordability mandates and highlighting implementation flaws.[88] Under Mayor de Blasio's Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) program, implemented via rezonings from 2016 onward, new developments in eligible Bushwick corridors were required to designate 20-30% of units as permanently affordable at levels tied to area median income (e.g., 60% AMI for families of four, approximately $60,000 in 2019 dollars), yielding hundreds of subsidized apartments in mixed-income buildings but often at the expense of deeper affordability for the lowest-income residents.[85] Outcomes included net additions to affordable stock in rezoned sites, though preservation of existing rent-stabilized units lagged, with community plans advocating tools like commercial overlays to fund anti-displacement measures amid 63% rent hikes from 2011-2021.[89] [90] Broader policing reforms from the 1990s, including CompStat data-driven strategies, indirectly supported development by slashing violent crime rates—Bushwick's murders dropped from peaks exceeding 20 annually in the early 1990s to under 5 by 2010—enhancing investor confidence without direct housing policy ties.[91] The 2019 cancellation of the L train shutdown reconstruction plan, initially slated for 2019-2025, preempted anticipated development surges by alleviating fears of transit disruption, yet ongoing brownfield remediation under NYC's Brownfield Opportunity Area program has enabled site-specific redevelopment, converting contaminated industrial parcels into mixed-use spaces while prioritizing job retention over wholesale residential conversion.[89] These policies collectively drove Bushwick's revitalization from post-1970s decline, increasing median household incomes 55% over the decade to 2021, but empirical data indicate limited mitigation of displacement, with grassroots tenant organizing filling gaps left by top-down incentives.[43] Collaborative efforts like the 2018 Bushwick Community Plan propose zoning reforms for transit-oriented density and small business protections, aiming to balance growth with equity absent in prior market-favoring frameworks.[92]Culture and Arts
Street Art, Murals, and Creative Economy
Bushwick's street art scene gained prominence in the early 2000s amid the neighborhood's post-industrial vacancy, with abandoned warehouses providing canvases for graffiti and murals that reflected local themes of urban decay and social issues.[93] The Bushwick Collective, established in 2011 by native resident Joe Ficalora, formalized this activity by securing walls from property owners for legal murals, starting with a single artwork on a childhood friend's building to counter blight.[94] [95] By 2024, the Collective encompassed dozens of sites along streets like Troutman and Jefferson, featuring contributions from artists worldwide, including portraits of figures like Biggie Smalls and politically charged pieces on police brutality.[96] [97] This mural ecosystem has anchored a burgeoning creative economy, attracting artists to affordable studios in former factories and spurring gallery proliferation. Bushwick now hosts over 100 art spaces, including artist-run venues like Amos Eno Gallery, founded in 1974 and focused on emerging and mid-career exhibitors, and experimental spots like 3rd Ethos, emphasizing artist autonomy.[98] [99] Annual events, such as the Bushwick Collective Block Party initiated around 2012, draw thousands for live painting and performances, generating revenue for nearby businesses through increased foot traffic and tourism.[100] Yet the economic uplift from street art has intertwined with gentrification dynamics, elevating property values and rents—Bushwick's average rent rose 44% from 1990 to 2014, exceeding New York City's 22% increase—while displacing lower-income residents and original artists facing commercialization pressures.[101] [102] Proponents credit murals with fostering community pride and alternative economies reliant on self-employment among creatives, but critics note conflicts, such as property owner disputes over unauthorized tags overwriting commissioned works, highlighting tensions between grassroots expression and curated beautification.[96] [103] Despite rising costs, the scene persists as a draw for symbolic capital, enabling artists to build careers through neighborhood reputation before broader market integration.[104]Music, Nightlife, and Social Scenes
Bushwick has developed a prominent independent music scene since the early 2010s, characterized by DIY venues hosting punk, indie, electronic, and experimental acts amid industrial warehouses and affordable spaces. Market Hotel, established as a key hub, has hosted underground performances and earned recognition as a cornerstone of Brooklyn's indie circuit. However, the scene faces ongoing challenges from regulatory enforcement and rising operational costs, leading to closures like Silent Barn in 2018 despite its efforts to operate legally under zoning and safety rules.[105][106][107] Newer venues such as Elsewhere, a multi-space complex with concert halls and dance floors, and Brooklyn Made, which opened in 2021 with a 500-person capacity, have sustained live music programming focused on emerging artists. DIY operations like Our Wicked Lady, founded in 2015, continue to book small-scale shows but confronted shutdown threats in January 2025 due to escalating rents and declining attendance for intimate gigs. These tensions reflect broader pressures from New York City's building codes and noise complaints, which have shuttered sites including Palisades for violations in the late 2010s.[108][109][110] Nightlife in Bushwick has surged as a destination for electronic dance music and late-night parties, with weekend foot traffic more than doubling since 2017 according to location analytics. Venues like House of Yes offer immersive club experiences with themed events, while Bossa Nova Civic Club specializes in vinyl-spinning DJ sets drawing international crowds. This growth outpaces areas like Williamsburg, driven by lower rents enabling warehouse conversions into clubs, though smaller bars such as Keybar and Boobie Trap provide casual socializing with craft drinks and outdoor seating.[111][36][112] Social scenes revolve around these venues as informal gathering points for artists, locals, and visitors, fostering community through after-hours events and pop-up parties that blend music with visual arts. Affordable dive bars like those highlighted in local guides emphasize resident-friendly atmospheres over tourist draws, countering gentrification's displacement effects on longstanding DIY networks. Despite a perceived decline in the raw 2010s warehouse-party ethos, the area's nightlife sustains diverse interactions, from queer-inclusive raves to indie listening sessions, though economic strains have reduced venue viability for non-commercial acts.[113][114][115]Community Festivals and Traditions
Bushwick hosts several annual community events that reflect its diverse Hispanic heritage and vibrant street art culture. The Knickerbocker Avenue Puerto Rican Day Parade, held each June, celebrates Puerto Rican traditions and draws thousands of participants from the neighborhood's large Boricua population, featuring floats, music, and cultural performances along the avenue from Woodbine Street to Palmetto Street.[116][117] In its seventh edition in 2025, the parade underscores Bushwick's historical role as a hub for Puerto Rican immigrants since the mid-20th century, with community leaders like U.S. Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez serving as grand marshal to highlight local activism and heritage preservation.[116][118] The Bushwick Collective Block Party, organized annually by the Bushwick Collective nonprofit, transforms streets near Troutman Street into a celebration of graffiti and street art, attracting artists, musicians, and food vendors since its inception in the early 2010s.[119] Held on the last Saturday of May—such as May 31, 2025, for its 14th iteration—the event includes live painting, DJ sets, and community gatherings that foster interaction between residents and the influx of creative professionals drawn to the area.[119][120] This festival aligns with Bushwick's evolution into a center for urban art, where murals and block parties serve as informal traditions bridging longstanding neighborhood ties with gentrification-driven cultural shifts.[119] Other recurring gatherings, such as the Bushwick Starr's Summer Arts Festival in Maria Hernandez Park on August 18, offer free family-oriented activities including performances and local food, emphasizing accessible community recreation amid the area's parks and open spaces.[121] These events, while not rooted in ancient customs, perpetuate modern traditions of communal expression, with participation peaking during warmer months to counter urban density through shared public spaces.[122]Education and Health
Public Schools and Educational Outcomes
Public schools in Bushwick operate under New York City Geographic District #32, which encompasses the neighborhood and serves 8,826 K-12 students as of the 2023-24 school year.[123] The district includes several elementary and intermediate schools such as P.S. 123 Suydam and P.S./I.S. 81Q The Jean Paul Richter School, alongside high schools like Bushwick Community High School (K564), Bushwick Leaders High School for Academic Excellence (K556), and EBC High School for Public Service (K545).[124] These schools primarily serve a student body that is predominantly Hispanic/Latino, with significant portions classified as economically disadvantaged and English language learners, contributing to demographic factors influencing performance.[8] Educational outcomes in Bushwick public schools generally fall below New York State averages. For instance, at Bushwick Leaders High School, math proficiency rates range from 30-34%, compared to the state average of 52%, while reading proficiency is similarly subdued.[125] Bushwick Community High School reports reading proficiency below 50% and ranks in the bottom 50% of New York high schools, with historical graduation rates for its cohorts often under 60% in prior years before improvements in some metrics.[126][127] District-wide, the concentration of poverty—around 27% of neighborhood residents below the poverty line—and foreign-born students (37%) correlates with these lower proficiency levels, as empirical data from state assessments indicate persistent gaps in core subjects like math and ELA.[8][128] Charter schools within Bushwick, such as Achievement First Bushwick Charter School, show marginally higher performance, with 46% of students proficient in math and 54% in reading, outperforming some district counterparts but still trailing state benchmarks in absolute terms.[129] Graduation rates across Bushwick high schools vary, with some like Bushwick Leaders achieving around 75% four-year rates in recent cohorts, though overall neighborhood trends reflect lower postsecondary readiness compared to citywide figures of approximately 80-85%.[130][131] These outcomes underscore causal links between socioeconomic demographics and academic achievement, as evidenced by state report cards tracking cohort progress and standardized test results.[132]

