Neighborhood Overview

Greenpoint is the northernmost neighborhood in Brooklyn, known for its Polish heritage, industrial waterfront, and growing creative community. The 2005 Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning opened the waterfront to residential development, bringing a wave of new towers alongside the neighborhood's traditional low-rise character.

Common Property Types

Row houses and small apartment buildings in the interior, new luxury high-rises along the waterfront, converted industrial buildings, and remaining manufacturing uses. The Greenpoint Historic District protects the residential core.

Typical Building Ages

Row houses and tenements from the 1890s-1920s in the interior. Industrial buildings from the early 1900s along the waterfront. New construction from the 2010s-2020s concentrated on the waterfront.

Common Violations

Construction violations from waterfront development, HPD housing code violations in older walk-ups, environmental violations related to the former Greenpoint oil spill area, facade maintenance, and illegal conversion violations.

Property Tax Information

Interior row houses have moderate Tax Class 1 assessments with caps. New waterfront condos face market-rate assessments, some with 421-a abatements. The disparity between old and new Greenpoint is reflected in tax assessments.

Zoning Information

Interior: R6B contextual residential. Waterfront: R6, R6A, R8A from the 2005 Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning. Greenpoint Historic District (designated 1982) covers the residential core. Manufacturing zones remain along parts of the waterfront.

Notable Developments

Greenpoint Landing (a multi-building mixed-income waterfront development) is transforming the western waterfront. Environmental remediation of the Newtown Creek and Greenpoint oil spill area continues.