Is Baldwin THAT bad? (New York, Hempstead: buy, schools, college)

[llama8]

In my experiences with Baldwin, I find that it is a transitional area. This means that some parts are nice, but other parts are a bit seedy. Looking at the way the South Shore of Long Island is going (trends) I would make the assumption that Baldwin would probably only get worse, not better. Also the surrounding towns are not very nice and the spillover will go into Baldwin.

I would not invest that much into an area that is very questionable for the future. With your budget, I am sure you can find a more stable location. No town is guarenteed not to change...but Baldwin is already undergoing the process of change for the worse. Why take such a risk with your investment? I would not be afraid to drive through Baldwin, but I wouldn't want to live there. Good Luck!

[DivisionInspect]

I grew up in Oceanside, had my first apartment in Baldwin, (Miburn Ave), and now live in Massapequa at the border of Seaford.

My brother raised his children in Baldwin and they went through the Baldwin school system. They are not druggies, gang bangers, weird, obnoxious and/or scary. They both attended good colleges and have done well for themselves. (And to think they actually grew up in Baldwin.)

My house in Massapequa was burglarized last summer.

At times I see weird people walking down my street. (I don't run for the hills)

I go to Baldwin on a regular basis as I see houses there 2 - 3 times a month.

I really don't have a problem stopping at local merchants.

I don't get scared driving or walking through the town.

I have seen some very nice houses in Baldwin.

I have seen some trashed houses in Woodbury, Seaford, Massapequa, Roslyn, Oceanside,...

Just another perspective.

[DonnaReed]

Those of us who are approaching middle age and those beyond...

who have lived and/or are otherwise familiar with Long Island AND the city have seen LI areas such as Hempstead, Uniondale, Roosevelt, Westbury change significantly.
Yet one can still find some blocks with nice clean streets, and very nice homes.

Now add Freeport, Baldwin and other areas to the list (where there are increasingly seedy areas and there remain as well some very nice homes, manicured lawns and all).

Says to me that that is the direction that south shore is going, overall -
seediness will spread to more areas, here and there, more or less...
perhaps the majority of areas of Long Island.

I think, particularly if one has no school age children, paying more money for the home, less for taxes is a better bet in nice areas of Northern Queens, Riverdale in the Bronx, Park Slope or Brooklyn Heights or what have you.

I'm not a big fan of LI anymore and the high taxes and more gas required to get to the boroughs.

BTW, I'm in Baldwin often. I have no problems there, but I sure see a lot of "for sale" signs.

[VillageOfWestbury]

Originally Posted by DonnaReed

Those of us who are approaching middle age and those beyond...

who have lived and/or are otherwise familiar with Long Island AND the city have seen LI areas such as Hempstead, Uniondale, Roosevelt, Westbury change significantly.
Yet one can still find some blocks with nice clean streets, and very nice homes.

Aside from Westbury being "diverse", why would it be on this list? Most kn ow the s.d. performance is driven primarily by New Cassel students. BTW if you look at the most recent school data the schools aren't the worst by any means. From a socio-economic standpoint, the other areas on your list aren't even close. I know that most of my neighbors are middle to upper-middle-class. So except for the "diverse" thing or "assumed white-flight" I don't see how Westbury compares...

[I_Love_LI_but]

Originally Posted by VillageOfWestbury

Aside from Westbury being "diverse", why would it be on this list? Most kn ow the s.d. performance is driven primarily by New Cassel students. BTW if you look at the most recent school data the schools aren't the worst by any means. From a socio-economic standpoint, the other areas on your list aren't even close. I know that most of my neighbors are middle to upper-middle-class. So except for the "diverse" thing or "assumed white-flight" I don't see how Westbury compares...

I have an uncle who lives in Old Westbury and I will be the first to say your town can be VERY NICE

As for the perception in general of Westbury as a declining area, that is a little more complicated. Maybe it has to do with the main drags over there and the reported sights of illegal aliens, pitbulls biting people (another thread), dirty streets, etc. Maybe most of the people who don't know Westbury well just don't see the good parts. Face it, outsiders are not going to be driving around Old Westbury on their way to go shopping or eat in a restaurant. They will be driving past industrialized and commercial areas. I don't know Westbury all that well so I can't put a finger on it exactly for you, but I know what you mean that it is not a total ghetto.

In another thread I made a thoughtless comment about Bellerose in general that was not complimentary based on the only area in Bellerose I go to. Then people corrected me and said there were some very nice parts and I was wrong. I apologized because I was wrong! THAT'S HOW PERCEPTIONS CAN LEAD TO WRONG CONCLUSIONS AND GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT A TOWN.

The Green Acres Mall is often seen as the bugaboo of Valley Stream:

"Look out for Mr. Stranger Danger in the GA Mall!!! Valley Stream is going down! Just look at that mall! If Roosevelt Field Mall started having a lot of crime by God I'd still shop there ... at least the criminals will most likely be white! I don't want to go to GA Mall just because there are too many minorities there! Doesn't matter if no one harms a hair on my head at GA and I get carjacked at Roosevelt Field every other week!"

The truth about the GA Mall? Some years ago it got a reputation for car theft and other crimes. When the police began looking into it closely to try and deter further crime, they found that in cases of car theft many people LIED and said their car was stolen from the GA parking lot because they simply wanted to get the insurance money. This is true. Many people were arrested for insurance fraud for claiming their car was stolen in the GA parking lot. Now miraculously it is NOT such a hot spot for "car thieves!" Gee I wonder why? Because in reality it was a hot spot for LIARS and did not attract anymore car thieves than anywhere else.

Then people of color from Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx started shopping in GA Mall more frequently:

"Uh oh! Valley Stream is now ghetto! That proves it right there; look who is in the mall that has a Valley Stream address."

However, in order to get to the GA Mall from any of the boroughs, YOU DO NOT EVEN TRAVEL INTO VALLEY STREAM. The GA Mall is off by itself right next to Rosedale, Queens on Sunrise Highway. Most of the "scary" shoppers from the boroughs never even go into Valley Stream proper at all.

THAT'S HOW PERCEPTIONS CAN LEAD TO WRONG CONCLUSIONS AND GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT A TOWN.

[VillageOfWestbury]

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

I have an uncle who lives in Old Westbury and I will be the first to say your town can be VERY NICE

As for the perception in general of Westbury as a declining area, that is a little more complicated. Maybe it has to do with the main drags over there and the reported sights of illegal aliens, pitbulls biting people (another thread), dirty streets, etc. Maybe most of the people who don't know Westbury well just don't see the good parts. Face it, outsiders are not going to be driving around Old Westbury on their way to go shopping or eat in a restaurant. They will be driving past industrialized and commercial areas. I don't know Westbury all that well so I can't put a finger on it exactly for you, but I know what you mean that it is not a total ghetto.

In another thread I made a thoughtless comment about Bellerose in general that was not complimentary based on the only area in Bellerose I go to. Then people corrected me and said there were some very nice parts and I was wrong. I apologized because I was wrong! THAT'S HOW PERCEPTIONS CAN LEAD TO WRONG CONCLUSIONS AND GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT A TOWN.

The Green Acres Mall is often seen as the bugaboo of Valley Stream:

"Look out for Mr. Stranger Danger in the GA Mall!!! Valley Stream is going down! Just look at that mall! If Roosevelt Field Mall started having a lot of crime by God I'd still shop there ... at least the criminals will most likely be white! I don't want to go to GA Mall just because there are too many minorities there! Doesn't matter if no one harms a hair on my head at GA and I get carjacked at Roosevelt Field every other week!"

The truth about the GA Mall? Some years ago it got a reputation for car theft and other crimes. When the police began looking into it closely to try and deter further crime, they found that in cases of car theft many people LIED and said their car was stolen from the GA parking lot because they simply wanted to get the insurance money. This is true. Many people were arrested for insurance fraud for claiming their car was stolen in the GA parking lot. Now miraculously it is NOT such a hot spot for "car thieves!" Gee I wonder why? Because in reality it was a hot spot for LIARS and did not attract anymore car thieves than anywhere else.

Then people of color from Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx started shopping in GA Mall more frequently:

"Uh oh! Valley Stream is now ghetto! That proves it right there; look who is in the mall that has a Valley Stream address."

However, in order to get to the GA Mall from any of the boroughs, YOU DO NOT EVEN TRAVEL INTO VALLEY STREAM. The GA Mall is off by itself right next to Rosedale, Queens on Sunrise Highway. Most of the "scary" shoppers from the boroughs never even go into Valley Stream proper at all.

THAT'S HOW PERCEPTIONS CAN LEAD TO WRONG CONCLUSIONS AND GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT A TOWN.

Excellent post! Unfortunately true.

[sean sean sean sean]

Rep points for I_Love_LI, I think everyone's been guilty of that at one time or another. I know I have on at least a few occasions.

About Westbury, a lot of people just simply think that New Cassel is Westbury, or a "part" of Westbury somehow. My parents lived in New Cassel and don't even know it. Post Ave seems to draw a lot of criticism, but I don't see where these problems are myself.

[DonnaReed]

Originally Posted by VillageOfWestbury

Aside from Westbury being "diverse", why would it be on this list? Most kn ow the s.d. performance is driven primarily by New Cassel students. BTW if you look at the most recent school data the schools aren't the worst by any means. From a socio-economic standpoint, the other areas on your list aren't even close. I know that most of my neighbors are middle to upper-middle-class. So except for the "diverse" thing or "assumed white-flight" I don't see how Westbury compares...

YOU SAY: "Aside from it being diverse why would it be on the list"

Is "diversity" a negative?

It's on my list because overall, like many areas on the South Shore, it isn't as nice as it was when I used to visit some years ago.

You and your neighbors may be middle to upper middle-class, but I wouldn't venture that that is the economic status of all Westbury residents overall.
Then again, I suppose it depends on how you define middle-class and upper middle class. The areas now include "working class"....

IT VARIES...is my point in my earlier post.

There are still middle and upper-middle class folk who live well in nice homes in many areas that have changed.

[DonnaReed]

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

I have an uncle who lives in Old Westbury and I will be the first to say your town can be VERY NICE

As for the perception in general of Westbury as a declining area, that is a little more complicated. Maybe it has to do with the main drags over there and the reported sights of illegal aliens, pitbulls biting people (another thread), dirty streets, etc. Maybe most of the people who don't know Westbury well just don't see the good parts. Face it, outsiders are not going to be driving around Old Westbury on their way to go shopping or eat in a restaurant. They will be driving past industrialized and commercial areas. I don't know Westbury all that well so I can't put a finger on it exactly for you, but I know what you mean that it is not a total ghetto.

In another thread I made a thoughtless comment about Bellerose in general that was not complimentary based on the only area in Bellerose I go to. Then people corrected me and said there were some very nice parts and I was wrong. I apologized because I was wrong! THAT'S HOW PERCEPTIONS CAN LEAD TO WRONG CONCLUSIONS AND GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT A TOWN.

The Green Acres Mall is often seen as the bugaboo of Valley Stream:

"Look out for Mr. Stranger Danger in the GA Mall!!! Valley Stream is going down! Just look at that mall! If Roosevelt Field Mall started having a lot of crime by God I'd still shop there ... at least the criminals will most likely be white! I don't want to go to GA Mall just because there are too many minorities there! Doesn't matter if no one harms a hair on my head at GA and I get carjacked at Roosevelt Field every other week!"

The truth about the GA Mall? Some years ago it got a reputation for car theft and other crimes. When the police began looking into it closely to try and deter further crime, they found that in cases of car theft many people LIED and said their car was stolen from the GA parking lot because they simply wanted to get the insurance money. This is true. Many people were arrested for insurance fraud for claiming their car was stolen in the GA parking lot. Now miraculously it is NOT such a hot spot for "car thieves!" Gee I wonder why? Because in reality it was a hot spot for LIARS and did not attract anymore car thieves than anywhere else.

Then people of color from Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx started shopping in GA Mall more frequently:

"Uh oh! Valley Stream is now ghetto! That proves it right there; look who is in the mall that has a Valley Stream address."

However, in order to get to the GA Mall from any of the boroughs, YOU DO NOT EVEN TRAVEL INTO VALLEY STREAM. The GA Mall is off by itself right next to Rosedale, Queens on Sunrise Highway. Most of the "scary" shoppers from the boroughs never even go into Valley Stream proper at all.

THAT'S HOW PERCEPTIONS CAN LEAD TO WRONG CONCLUSIONS AND GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT A TOWN.

Westbury and OLD Westbury are not the same.

The difference looks like this...$$$$$$

I have a friend who lives in Westbury who owns a store. He doesn't live bad at all.

I have two friends in OLD Westbury. One is a surgeon. The other is a superintendent of schools.

Significant difference in their income levels.

I go to the Green Acres Mall often. Never had a problem.

But neither have I had any problems in Baldwin...or Queens or wherever.

[Walter Greenspan]

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

About Westbury, a lot of people just simply think that New Cassel is Westbury, or a "part" of Westbury somehow.

People think that the Hamlet of New Cassel is part of "Westbury" because people have been mistaught by NEWSDAY, The New York Times, WCBS radio, WINS radio, NEWS12 Long Island, etc., etc., that a place is in the community that is in that place's mailing address, and because all of the Hamlet of New Cassel has a "Westbury, NY 11590" mailing address, New Cassel must be in "Westbury".