Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn
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Sheepshead Bay is a bay separating the mainland of Brooklyn, New York City from the eastern portion of Coney Island, the latter originally a barrier island but now effectively an extension of the mainland with peninsulas both east and west.
The bay itself was originally the easterly entrance to Coney Island Creek but filling of the central part of this waterway during the 1930s in conjunction with construction of the Shore Parkway portion of the Belt Parkway eliminated access to the creek. At the same time the bay was widened at its western end, deepened and bulkheaded. It is now the home of recreational fishing fleets. At the Western end of the bay, there is a holocaust memorial park, which is used throughout the year for commemorative events.
In the last decade of the 20th century, a real estate boom brought the reopening of the landmark Lundy Brothers seafood restaurant, as well as the opening of Russian-themed restaurant/nightclubs such as Paradise and Baku Palace, turning the waterfront into a party destination. Capitalizing on the views, the waterfront also experienced a growth of condominium developments. The northern shore of the bay contains piers with an active seafood market, tour boats, and casino boats.
Sheepshead Bay is named for the sheepshead, an edible fish once found in the bay's waters.
[edit] Community and location
The community on the mainland shore of the bay is also known as Sheepshead Bay, while that on the Coney Island side is known as Manhattan Beach. Sheepshead Bay is a mostly residential community, with significant restaurant and tourist facilities near the shore, businesses which had fallen into decline after World War II but have enjoyed substantial revival, especially with the influx of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, China, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Poland.
Sheepshead Bay is served by the BMT Brighton Line's Avenue U, Neck Road, and Sheepshead Bay stations, the latter of which is an express station.
[edit] External links
- Snow-Covered Sheepshead bay (photo gallery) Sheepshead bay in Springtime
Sheepshead Bay is located at .
