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Belgian-blocked residential street in the West Village Belgian-blocked residential street in the West Village

Belgian block streets can still be found throughout many historic neighborhoods in New York City. In some areas, they form the entire street surface, while in others, they may be partially exposed due to the wear and tear of asphalt pavement, revealing the historical roadbed underneath. These cobblestone streets exist within and outside of historic districts officially designated by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Within these districts, historic cobblestones are protected as an essential part of the district's overall character, just like the building architecture.

The stone pavement commonly found on streets throughout New York City is not cobblestone but rather a tooled type of granite called Belgian blocks. According to a 2017 report by the Historic Districts Council (HDC), these granite blocks are primarily rectangular and were used in various cities across the United States. They are distinct from cobblestones, which are naturally rounded, unprocessed stones that were used until around 1860.

 

The Meatpacking District has replaced many of its Belgian block streets with new stones as part of a recently completed streetscape enhancement project. (CityRealty)

In this article:

Superior Ink, 400 West 12th Street
Superior Ink, 400 West 12th Street West Village
140 Jane Street
140 Jane Street West Village
167 Perry Street
167 Perry Street West Village
8 Charles Lane
8 Charles Lane West Village
Sopilia Soap Factory Condominium, 166 Bank Street
Sopilia Soap Factory Condominium, 166 Bank Street West Village
In various Lower Manhattan and northern Brooklyn neighborhoods such as SoHo, Tribeca, the Meatpacking District, Red Hook, and DUMBO, these Belgian-blocked streets play a pivotal role in defining neighborhood character. Despite their status as protected features within historic districts, many of these pavements are gradually disappearing as utility companies remove stones haphazardly and replace them inadequately. Instead of using the original blocks, they often patch areas with asphalt or other cement-like materials, creating uneven and unsightly surfaces. This practice has been especially prevalent in DUMBO, where the historic streets and railroad tracks are integral to the neighborhood’s industrial identity.
NYC DOT In DUMBO, tens of thousands of cobblestones were removed, restored and returned to their original streets. In all, 25 blocks had their cobblestones restored and one additional block was converted from asphalt to cobblestone. Credit: NYC DDC | https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2025/city-completes-historic-street-restoration-dumbo.shtml
In some positive news for these cherished streets, the NYC Department of Transportation and partner agencies recently completed a major $108 million restoration of DUMBO’s historic Belgian block streets, one of the most significant projects of its kind in the city.

Over 26 blocks were rebuilt with restored or new Belgian blocks, upgraded drainage systems, new granite bike lanes, and historically accurate curbs and sidewalks. Tens of thousands of stones were removed, cataloged, and returned to their original locations, and even an asphalt block on Gold Street was converted back to full cobblestone. The project also delivered the new Pearl Street Plaza and unearthed nearly 2,800 artifacts dating back as far as the 1600s. The restoration not only preserves DUMBO’s iconic character but also makes these streets safer, smoother, and more resilient for future decades to come.
Late 1700s-mid 1800s animal bones, a copper belt buckle, a slip-decorated redware plate fragment, a bone/wood handle iron knife, and two mid-20th century soda bottles that were unearthed by construction crews on Front Street between Main Street and Washington Street. Credit: NYC DDC
As a tribute to these beloved streets, discover below a variety of available homes within buildings that front at least one cobblestone street. While most listings are situated in quieter locations of the city, cobblestone streets may pose challenges, including increased noise and difficulties for cyclists and pedestrians. Over the decades, poorly maintained cobblestone streets have become tripping hazards, leading to their gradual removal. Nonetheless, community advocacy groups have been pushing to preserve these historic streets and encourage the DOT to replace them with smoother blocked surfaces.




Select listings in buildings on Belgian block-cobblestone streets


354 West 12th Street, #5B (Compass)

The Cezanne, #9S (Christies International Real Estate Group LLC)

The Broad Exchange Building, #10K (Serhant)

The Conover, #3H (Corcoran Group)

The Walton, #PHA (Corcoran Group)

70 Washington Street, #8H (Compass)

272 Water Street, #5R/6R (Christies International Real Estate Group LLC)

8 Charles Lane, #C (Compass)

477 Broome Street, #53 (Corcoran Group)
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The Clocktower Building, #5H (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)

The Leonard, #2E (Compass)

139 Wooster Street, #4B (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)

109 Greene Street, #5A (Compass)

167 Perry Street, #4ACD (Corcoran Group)

The Cobblestone Lofts, #3B (Compass)

152 Wooster Street, #5B (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)

450 Washington Street, #809 (Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group)

Superior Ink, #3E (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)

111 Wooster Street, #PHC (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)

63 Greene Street, #4DLOFT (Corcoran Group)

84 Mercer Street, #2 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)

72 Mercer Street, #5W (Corcoran Group)

134 Beekman Street, # (Corcoran Group)

60 Beach Street, #3C (Compass)

The Loft, #4B (Compass)

63 Greene Street, #PHA (Serhant)

45 Crosby Street, #4S (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)

140 Jane Street, #2S (Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group)

15 Leonard Street, #PH (Compass)

54 Bond Street, #PH (Compass)

9 Jay Street, # (Compass)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
  1. Select which properties are of interest to you:

Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?