Bad Areas Turned Good (Hempstead, Babylon: crime rate, hotels, homes)

[REM1]

What are some areas on Long Island that were once considered a bad area now making a turn for the better? I always hear of the opposite.

[TomMoser]

When I was a teenager (in the 70's) Long Beach was down right dangerous. I think it's one of Long Island's great turn around stories.

[S.I.B.]

while Babylon has, for the most part, always been "nice"...the Main Street/Deer Park Ave. area looks better and has much more going on than 20-25 years ago.

[TomMoser]

I think downtown Bayshore is on the upswing as well.

[Pequaman]

Can't speak for Suffolk (although Amityville Village could be one), but I can't think of any in Nassau.
Maybe the Home Depot shopping center in Hempstead...which has definitely improved that particular spot. Otherwise most of the good areas have always been good. Most of the bad areas always been bad or turned bad over the years.

[LongIslandCitizen]

I would have to say Riverhead.

Lots of shopping, new hotels and attractions. Much better than it was 20 years ago.

[LongIslandEddie]

North Amityville- Gt. Neck Rd. & Albany Avenue...

[LongIslandPerson]

Believe it or not, I think North Amityville is a candidate. North Amityville was a lot worse than it is now, there's no denying that there has been notable improvement. But it will probably ALWAYS be seen as a bad area because of it's racial makeup so I don't even know why i'm even wasting my time typing this.

- Amityville School District which serves the majority of NA has been slowly but surely improving in terms of the rate of graduation. Many students also believe the overall quality has been improving.

- There are new fast-food restaurants and stores opening up in the area (whether you see it as progress or not it's still a good sign if an area can support such businesses)

- Even though it still does have a higher-crime rate compared to many other LI communities, it's definitely not as bad as it used to be. I remember hearing stories about a certain street intersection in the area being an open-air drug market. Constant gang, shootings and drug activity, etc.

- And the town/hamlet just looks better nowadays and more people are investing money into their homes then I remember in previous decades... There's also a very large new/under construction luxury subdivision off of Albany Avenue before you reach the Public Pool/'New Highway' which is adjacent to another older large luxury subdivision which was a huge success and very beautiful.

AS FOR it being a 'good area', I still don't think it has reached that point yet but i'm definitely seeing an improvement and you have to be blind not to see the potential. And yes, they have some neglected/rough looking blocks in North Amityville but it's improved as a whole. Plus, even when things improve further it will probably still be seen as a bad area because of it's racial makeup which doesn't surprise me..

Another area which have been looking better nowadays is Bay Shore.

[LongIslandCitizen]

Originally Posted by LongIslandPerson

Believe it or not, I think North Amityville is a candidate.

um, no

[fred5]

Originally Posted by LongIslandPerson

Believe it or not, I think North Amityville is a candidate. North Amityville was a lot worse than it is now, there's no denying that there has been notable improvement. But it will probably ALWAYS be seen as a bad area because of it's racial makeup so I don't even know why i'm even wasting my time typing this.

- Amityville School District which serves the majority of NA has been slowly but surely improving in terms of the rate of graduation. Many students also believe the overall quality has been improving.

- There are new fast-food restaurants and stores opening up in the area (whether you see it as progress or not it's still a good sign if an area can support such businesses)

- Even though it still does have a higher-crime rate compared to many other LI communities, it's definitely not as bad as it used to be. I remember hearing stories about a certain street intersection in the area being an open-air drug market. Constant gang, shootings and drug activity, etc.

- And the town/hamlet just looks better nowadays and more people are investing money into their homes then I remember in previous decades... There's also a very large new/under construction luxury subdivision off of Albany Avenue before you reach the Public Pool/'New Highway' which is adjacent to another older large luxury subdivision which was a huge success and very beautiful.

AS FOR it being a 'good area', I still don't think it has reached that point yet but i'm definitely seeing an improvement and you have to be blind not to see the potential. And yes, they have some neglected/rough looking blocks in North Amityville but it's improved as a whole. Plus, even when things improve further it will probably still be seen as a bad area because of it's racial makeup which doesn't surprise me..

Another area which have been looking better nowadays is Bay Shore.

North Amityville has always had (it wasn't always just the "corner"), and of course still has, some very nice blocks, neighborhoods. People can deny that all they want, especially if they haven't really ventured all around all of North Amityville so they really wouldn't know.