ProCro (Prospect Heights + Crown Heights)

“ProCro” (Prospect Heights + Crown Heights) is a neighborhood nickname that was popularized by the article “Prospect Heights Edges Into Crown Heights” in the February 18, 2011 Wall Street Journal. The nickname met with some opposition; State Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries announced in April 2011 that he would introduce a bill to prevent real estate brokers from using made-up monikers like “ProCro” without approval of local community boards, the City Council and the mayor.
   
The originator of “ProCro” has not been identified in any of the news articles. A September 2006 blog post (see below) was titled, “Caveat emptor at Pro-Cro Heights condos now on sale.”
     
 
Wikipedia: Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Prospect Heights is a neighborhood in the northwest of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The traditional boundaries are Flatbush Avenue to the west, Atlantic Avenue to the north, Eastern Parkway to the south, and Washington Avenue to the east. In the northern section of Prospect Heights are the Vanderbilt Railyards, which could become part of the massive and controversial Atlantic Yards project.
 
Wikipedia: Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Crown Heights is a neighborhood in the central portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The main thoroughfare through this neighborhood is Eastern Parkway, a tree-lined boulevard designed by Frederick Law Olmsted extending two miles (3 km) east-west.
 
Originally, the area was known as Crow Hill. It was a succession of hills running east and west from Utica Avenue to Classon Avenue, and south to Empire Boulevard and New York Avenue. The name was changed when Crown Street was cut through in 1916.
 
Crown Heights today is bounded by Washington Avenue (to the west), Atlantic Avenue (to the north), East New York Ave (to the east) and Empire Blvd (to the south). It is about two miles (3 km) long and two miles (3 km) deep. These neighborhoods border Crown Heights: Prospect Heights (to the west); Flatbush(to the south); Brownsville (to the southeast); and Bedford-Stuyvesant (to the north).
 
set speed aka onehansonplace.com
9/15/2006
Caveat emptor at Pro-Cro Heights condos now on sale
We first reported on these condos about 6 months ago. Located on St. Marks Ave between Washington and Grand, they had a Corcoran banner on them.
 
Wall Street Journal
NY REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL
FEBRUARY 18, 2011.
Prospect Heights Edges Into Crown Heights
By ROBBIE WHELAN
(...)
Now, the attack of the fish-tank condos is pushing the boundary of Prospect Heights eastward into Crown Heights, an in-between neighborhood that realtors and developers have dubbed ProCro. The result is a mingling of million-dollar condos and sleek wine bars with creaky, rent-controlled buildings and graffiti-pocked bodegas.
   
Prospect Heights, NY Patch
Do You Live in Prospect Heights, Crown Heights or is it ‘ProCro?’
Depends on how much you paid for your place.
By Amy Sara Clark | February 19, 2011
(...)
But according to an article in the Wall Street Journal, it’s now – in the spirit of Dumbo and BoCoCa – ProCro.
 
But the name has yet to catch on. A Craig’s List search for ProCro apartment pulled up not a single entry.
 
Gothamist
Video: Crown Heights Locals React To Hot New “Pro Cro” Neighborhood
By John Del Signore in News on April 6, 2011 2:04 PM
It was recently reported that real estate brokers and developers were calling part of Crown Heights “Pro-Cro,” in an attempt to lure new residents who prefer the supposedly more desirable Prospect Heights. It’s generally agreed that the eastern border of Prospect Heights is Washington Avenue, but as newcomers find themselves increasingly priced out, realtors have been bringing the neighborhood to them. So we stopped by Pro-Cro recently with filmmaker Gregory Stefano to find out how local residents feel about the ‘hood’s hip new name.
 
Gothamist
Assemblyman Hates Invented Neighborhoods Like ProCro
By John Del Signore in News on April 19, 2011 5:18 PM
(...)
“It’s the Wild West in New York City right now,” State Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries tells City Room. “Brokers are allowed to essentially pull names out of thin air in order to rebrand a neighborhood and have the effect of raising rents or home prices.” He’s introducing a bill next week that would require local community boards, the City Council and the mayor to sign off on new neighborhood names. The bill would also fine brokers and even revoke their licenses if they use the ProScribed names.
 
am New York
4/19/11
By Graham Wood
Pol says no mo’ ProCro, SoBro
Realtors may be calling places like ProCro and MiMA the next hot neighborhoods, but a Brooklyn assemblyman thinks the neighborhood-rebranding trend needs to go out of fashion.
 
Democrat Hakeem Jeffries plans to introduce a bill next week that would stop brokers from marketing these new monikers without official approval from the community board, the City Council and even the mayor.