South Boston / Andrews Station (Dudley, Southampton: apartments, rental, condos)

[pdiddy17]

Anyone have any opinion or thoughts on the area near Andrews Station in South Boston. We are relocation back to Boston and see some development down there with reasonable price/sq foot. However, concerned about proximity to North Dorchester / South Bay area. Should there be concern?

How are the restaurants in Southie? Any recommendations? We didn't venture down that way for food... Thanks.

[Cliff Clavin]

I've got a buddy who owns a multi family on Rawson St, just outside of Andrew Sq. It's a decent neighborhood. It's been slower to gentrify than the rest of Southie, but I don't believe crime is much of an issue. There is a large Polish population in that area.

[Urban Peasant]

Andrew Square to me is not the prettiest of places but crime is definitely not a major issue there. I would say it is decent enough to invest in. The South Bay Center is an outdoor shopping center and is safe to visit as well. Just avoid the area in North Dorchester beyond South Bay Center around Columbia Road and New Dudley Street, a place known as Uphams Corner, but that area isn't really near Andrew Square. You should be fine.

[xS☺B☺s]

The PP's are exactly right. Andrew Sq is pretty ugly actually. It's not gentrified yet but I have seen some progress. Southampton St on the way to South Bay is filthy, as is most of South Bay. But that's coming along too. Will it be nice in ten years or twenty? Maybe, maybe not. I've never felt unsafe over there and often went there to Carson Beach, Blockbuster etc. The biggest issue is it is smack dab in the middle of the most blighted sections of BOS - South Bay and the Old Colony Ave area. They are industrial zoned dumps that have a long way to go to jazz up.

Restaurants in Southie? Well there's a few, but southie is more known for its beaches, Castle Island, shops and pubs. But hop on the Red line at ANdrew Sq for a five minute ride to Park St Station and all the best of everything is right there.

It will take a while before Andrew Sq is sweet. The best thing about AS is it is immediately adjacent to all that is sweet in BOS.

[pdiddy17]

Thanks everyone for your responses. We appreciate the feedback. Cheers.

[Andrew Square Resident]

Most important features of this busy South Boston spot:
1. Andrew Station Red Line stop and major bus hub for the city.
2. Safe and affordable neighborhood for the most part.
3. Carson Beach and waterfront area for recreation.
4. South Bay Shopping Center within 10 minute walk has Super Stop and Shop, Home Depot, Super Target, Best Buy, Marshalls, Office Max, Panera Bread, Applebee's, Olive Garden, Citizens Bank, Bank of America, Old Navy, an Asian supermarket called Super 88, and a mattress store.
5. NO CAR NEEDED

I've lived and invested in Andrew Square since 1994. Thanks in large part to a great neighborhood association with very active members, I've seen it come from being a drab, depressing area with drab housing to a nicely liveable neighborhood with a good ethnic mix (including a large population of Polish people).

It now has a good amount of upscale condo and rental housing, one very successful small Polish restaurant (though not a fan myself of this particular kind of food), very safe and walkable, well lit at night, strong police presence due to the Dunkin Donuts , a couple of lousy pizza joints (one is under renovations and will hopefully be more upscale), lots of parking including a large church parking lot that only costs $70 per month on Dorchester Avenue (best deal in town!) [URL="http://www.ourladyofczestochowa.com/"]http://www.ourladyofczestochowa.com/[/URL]
There are also two old school local bars that don't serve food. Whitey was supposedly spotted there a few years back!

The city of Boston is now in the final renovation phases of a total re-do of Andrew Square. New lighting, sidewalks, safer pedestrian crossings, new trees and planting areas to make it a greener and cleaner spot, new traffic lighting, etc. In total, several million dollars are being spent. This will make the whole of Andrew Square a more pleasant and "sexier" area. I have no doubt that it will further interest developers who will continue renovating old properties into modern apartments or condos.

Finally, it has the red line, buses and the beautiful Carson Beach down the street 5 minutes away.

What it now continues to lack are a couple of good neighborhood restaurants with a full pouring liquor license. Anyone wanna put one here?

Sign me quite satisfied as an Andrew Square Resident!

[claudiusmaior]

I don't know Boston well but may have to move there. What worries me about all of South Boston is parking. Most of the condos I look at on line have no parking. Same true around Andrew Square? Many break ins in that area?

[Cliff Clavin]

Originally Posted by claudiusmaior

I don't know Boston well but may have to move there. What worries me about all of South Boston is parking. Most of the condos I look at on line have no parking. Same true around Andrew Square? Many break ins in that area?

Street parking in South Boston is easier than a lot of neighborhoods in Boston. After a period of time you'll figure out on what streets spaces are available, and at what times. It can be a PITA, but you get used to it.

I assume you mean car break ins? Sure, they'll happen anywhere. Just keep valubales out of sight, and I wouldn't worry about it. I've been in South Boston for over 10 years and my car has never been broken into. In fact I've had friends in Beacon Hill and the South End experience more break ins than anyone I know in Southie.

[Charliekeet]

Ah, parking in South Boston... unless you have a driveway, or are on an oddly separate little street where only the people who live there need the spaces, or you don't drive much... it's a pain in the neck.

If you're young, don't have time-sensitive family obligations, are relatively care-free - you'll find parking in Southie an acceptable frustration for part of your life. I used to work late, come home & sometimes circle for 15, 20, 30 minutes to find a space within a few blocks, especially if there was snow on the ground, but who cared, really - I was just going to go out and have fun & be up late anyway. But if you've got kids, or aren't good at squeezing into spaces, etc - it''' wear on you!

Re: Andrew, yes, there are car break-ins due to theft by addicts, for example.

[claudiusmaior]

Thank you very much for your responses. Actually, I meant home break ins. My home here in Miami has been broken into twice.