540 Waverly

Bordered by the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard, this hill-top neighborhood exudes a quirky college-town feel – it is home to St. Joseph’s College and the Pratt Institute. Lovers of old delights enjoy Clinton Hill’s grandiose 19th-century architecture, while art enthusiasts can find many public installations to enjoy. Recently, tasteful developments have cropped up in its Clinton Hill commercial retail space along the Atlantic Avenue retail corridor and Myrtle Avenue, which houses a mix of retail and restaurant tenants, including grocers, nail salons, and a broad range of food and beverage establishments – everything from dive bars to high-end eateries. 

Originally devised as a rural retreat for those “determined to escape from the closeness of city life,” according to poet Walt Whitman, who lived there in 1855 when Leaves of Grass was published, Clinton Hill is one of Brooklyn’s most desirable communities for today’s young professionals and families. Though primarily a residential neighborhood, Clinton Hill offers fun, quality shopping for those whose tastes tend toward unique small businesses.