Well on its way to becoming one of the nation's most exciting modern, urban centers, Downtown Brooklyn (DTB) is already recognized as a nexus of higher education - more than 35,000 students attend classes at seven of the City's top public and private universities in the area. Its relatively affordable housing options, access to major public transport networks, wealth of arts institutions, and rapid rise in new development are currently attracting more and more students.

An increasing population along with a proliferation of retail, entertainment, recreational, and residential opportunities is transforming Downtown Brooklyn into a 24/7 hub of activity, and a safe, attractive neighborhood in which to live.

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Whether or not attending Long Island University, Brooklyn Law School, New York City College of Technology, or another university located in DTB, students and young professionals are drawn to Downtown Brooklyn's very diverse, lively, and friendly streets & communities.

Here, you'll find students shopping major chain retailers in the Fulton Mall, studying in the area's world-class libraries or comfortable open spaces, taking in live music at local coffeehouses, or browsing fresh produce at the year-round Greenmarket, located in Fort Greene Park. Also popular are Cadman Plaza, a lush, recently-renovated park, and the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, a breathtaking 52-acre oasis of calm and beauty in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn.

Students also enjoy the area's several well-known restaurants, offering a smorgasbord of worldwide cuisine, and several of which are neighborhood institutions, like Junior's (home to the best cheesecake in the borough) and Grimaldi's (famed, historic pizzeria).

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Just 5-10 minutes from Lower Manhattan, DTB is a major center of public transit, containing two of Brooklyn's most extensive transportation hubs: Jay Street/Borough Hall Station and Atlantic Terminal. If you are traveling by car, Downtown Brooklyn offers convenient access to major highways, tunnels, and bridges, including the BQE, the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, and the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges.

The area is easily accessible by the following forms of transit:

• 14 subway lines: A, C, B, D, F, G, 2, 3, 4, 5, N, Q, R, W
• 16 bus lines, including: B45, B51, B54, B57, B61, and B75
• Long Island Railroad at Atlantic Avenue/Pacific Street Station
• Ferry access to Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island

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Downtown Brooklyn is a thriving cultural district, home to the Brooklyn Museum and the New York City Transit Museum - a one-of-a-kind museum dedicated to the history of urban transportation. DTB also houses thriving dance groups - the Mark Morris Dance Group, Creative Arts Outlet, and the Danspace Project - which all showcase innovative choreography and stunning performances. UrbanGlass is a community institution where the glasswork of local artists is on display, while The Gloria Kennedy Gallery in nearby DUMBO showcases contemporary work by local artists. Finally, the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is the centerpiece of Downtown Brooklyn's designated cultural district. It is an internationally-acclaimed urban arts center, featuring a gorgeous Opera House, cinema, and theatre.

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Complimenting the explosion of residential construction occurring Downtown (over 14,000 units of housing are slated for development in upcoming years), over $400 million is being put towards several public infrastructure improvements to enhance the overall pedestrian experience to create more open space and public plazas.

Exciting new development projects include the new BAM Cultural District, CityPoint (a 1.62 million square foot mixed-use development), and the new Brooklyn Bridge Park.

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