Getting off the 4 train at Utica Avenue was like a new adventure waiting to happen. At the intersection of Eastern Parkway and Utica Avenue were the crossroads of two very diverse and interesting communities. Walking along Eastern Parkway was a very beautiful residential neighborhood, but walking along Utica Avenue was mainly a commercial area with building and stores that looked like they have been part of the community for many decades. Both these areas of Crown Heights seemed very established and it would be an interesting walk to see how the two neighborhoods differed.

It was a Sunday afternoon, the day after a mild snowstorm. It was a beautiful day, the sun was out and it was warm enough to wear only a light coat. My first impression from exiting the train was a sense of relief. I’m going to be honest, from the stories I had heard and the news I had seen, I was a little anxious about coming to visit Crown Heights. But when I walked out and looked around, the neighborhood seemed similar to the area around Brooklyn College. I first began my exploration by walking down Eastern Parkway. The street was very wide and large homes lined the avenue. The homes seemed modern, and were very grand; with beautiful entrances, three floors, and neatly painted decks, balconies, and meticulous front yards. Even the snow was perfectly plowed! It looked like a scene out a movie, where everything was just perfect. I took a seat on one of the benches that lined the street, and waited. Since it was a nice day, people were out and about. A good deal of homeowners were still shoveling snow out of their driveways and walkways. I did see some mothers steering strollers down the sidewalk with their children. Everyone was in a good mood because it was so lovely out, so I believe I chose a nice day to visit. The population that was mainly prevalent was Jewish. I even saw a synagogue which means that the Jewish people have been living there for a long time. Overall in that part of Crown Heights, the general atmosphere was of calmness and I felt a sense of pride at having such a nice residential neighborhood.

The next part of Crown Heights that I went to was Utica Avenue. When you get to the intersection of Eastern Parkway and Utica Avenue, the scene completely changes. All of a sudden, all of the grand houses are gone, and are replaced with small businesses based out of older brick buildings. There were literally hundreds of stores lining the street, from a laundromat to a 99¢ store to a small deli on the corner to a wonderful little corner store named ‘Al Heights Crown’. It seemed to me that stores were on the first floor of three story brick buildings, and the other two floors were used for housing. The buildings seemed old; the color of the brick was faded, and the entire building was covered in a uniform layer of dust, grime, and dirt. The population of the neighborhood was mainly African American and Caribbean. It was hard to tell which population was more prevalent since I didn’t really communicate with anyone. Also, I did notice some graffiti on an older building that looked like an old abandoned auto shop. I walked around for about 25 minutes and kept seeing the same pattern over and over again: African Americans/Caribbeans walking around, going about their daily shopping needs. The atmosphere in that part of Crown Heights was very casual and busy, because everyone was running errands.