Living in Boston's Chinatown...how safe is it? (Boylston, Washington: apartment, neighborhood)

[mccoysad]

Our daughter is considering an apartment in Chinatown. How safe is this move? Any recommendations or tips for the area? Your honest and candid feedback is greatly appreciated.

[Bostonian08]

Originally Posted by mccoysad

Our daughter is considering an apartment in Chinatown. How safe is this move? Any recommendations or tips for the area? Your honest and candid feedback is greatly appreciated.

It's ok. There's still some residual seediness from the old "Combat Zone" days where the Europe-bound WW2 soldiers congregated for burlesque shows. Change shakers and pot dealers are frequently seen at Washington and Kneeland and there is a homeless shelter on Boylston & Wash. But things are coming along. New high rises have and are being built. Now that they are done with the Big Dig CT now boasts front seat access to the brand new Rose Kennedy Greenway and all its developing amenities.

I'd say the worst thing about CT is it's filthy - and losing it's Asian population to Yuppies. Pretty soon the only thing Asian about CT will be Pho Pastuer and a few other restaurants.

[Cart24]

I live in one of those "Yuppie" buildings in Chinatown everyone complains about

I really enjoy living in the area though, it has great dining options and you can access basically any part of the city by either foot or T (walking distance to 4 different T lines). I also believe it is one of the most truly urban areas in Boston, you have so many different races and economic groups living and interacting on a daily basis. Safety wise my wife and I have had no issues at all and I also think that late at night it is one of the few areas where you have street traffic early into the morning.

As far as Chinatown turning "non-asian" I doubt it. The neighborhood is still over 75% Asian and I can personally think of at least 40 different restaurants and bakeries off the top of my head that are constantly filled on a nightly basis.