Quincy neighborhoods...seeking info (Boston, Milton: middle-class, apartment complexes, for rent)

[angiemcc]

Hi,

I was wondering if any current or former Quincy residents would be willing to share their thoughts on Quincy's different neighborhoods -- what they're called (for instance, what's "The Neck"), and what they're like in terms of affordability for renters/buyers, where the restaurants/shopping/pubs are located and which neighborhoods, if any, are more prone to crime/violence (which we would avoid in our search).

We may be moving to Quincy shortly but I'm not familiar with it. We have no kids so no worries about schools.

And my apologies if I overlooked a previous post on this specific subject. All I have found so far is a loud cheer in support of Quincy itself.

Many thanks in advance for your thoughts!!

[goyguy]

"Da Neck" = Houghs (pronounced "How's") Neck. This, as you may have guessed, is a peninsula. Its main street is Sea St, which leads right into Quincy Center, becoming Coddington St at the high school and YMCA. Once a weekend/summer retreat for blue-collar (mostly if not entirely Irish-American) families, it's long since seen its modest cottages become winterized homes. The area remains predominantly Irish, but the Germantown public-housing development on one fork of the end of the peninsula has some AA, Hispanic, and perhaps - now - Asian residents. While the complex may be a "project," there is little crime to speak of there or elsewhere around Da Neck.

Traveling "inbound" on Sea St, the next community is known as Adams Shore. The income level is a notch or two up the ladder, compared to Da Neck, here. Most of the houses are suburban-style single-family dwellings from the mid-20th Century, with a few dated apartment complexes along the main drag. Its more upscale sector is known as Merrymount, which flanks Quincy Shore Dr in its first blocks northward from Sea St.

Toward the Boston end of town, another important Quincy community is Wollaston. Served by an MBTA Red Line station, it's anchored by a thriving commercial district: CVS and Dunkin Donuts have stores there, but most of the businesses are locally owned. You don't need to leave the neighborhood when you need a photo portrait or religious icons - or sushi or a pint of Guinness. On either side of the Red Line tracks, but particularly east of Hancock St, the side streets are shaded and peaceful. The one- and two-family homes mainly date back to the early 1900's, with some more recent construction here and there. A few big brick apartment buildings are atop the shops, restaurants, and offices in the commercial center. Along the shoreline rises one tall apartment/condo building after another; while the tenants relax on the balconies and watch the ocean at sunset and after dark, kids gather on the beach to do whatever kids do (and then deny ever having done when their own kids get caught doing the same thing!)

Northernmost in the city are "Atlantic" (along the Red Line and Newport Ave) and "Squantum" (on another peninsula), anchored by the North Quincy MBTA stop. Atlantic is a working-to-middle-class enclave of single-and multi-family, early-20th-Century dwellings. Squantum is a tad bit "better off," though the homes tend to be more in the style of cottages and bungalows than is true in Merrymount. At the "fa rend" (far end in Bostonese, lol) of East Squantum St lies Marina Bay, a massive 1990's-vintage cluster of luxury high-rises and trendy night spots.

The latest development boom in Quincy is concentrated in its southern reaches. Former granite quarries, long favored as "dare you" swimming holes - sometimes with tragic results - by adolescents from throughout the area, are being filled in. In their place are good-sized condo and apartment buildings, with Falls Blvd providing one example. The Red Line's newest station, called Quincy Adams, is helping to pique interest in this part of town, as is its immediate proximity to I-93 and Route 3.

West Quincy - toward Milton - is much the same as Wollaston, but lacks for much in the way of local businesses until one either approaches the Quincy Center "T" station or crosses the city limits into East Milton Square.

"The City of Presidents" (birthplace of both Presidents Adams) is garnering attention and kudos now for not only its convenience to Boston but also for its social progress. Suburbanite-legislated cross-district school busing left wounds that are only now, some 30-35 years later, beginning to heal. Quincy and the "South Shore" saw a tremendous influx of White urban refugees, who brought their attitude problems with them. Aside from shopping at "destination" businesses such as wholesale butcher Roxie's, AA and other "minority" persons knew better than to set foot in the city. When Southeast Asian refugees began flocking to Boston in the 1980's, those who settled in Quincy Center and in the Atlantic neighborhood were subjected to continual harassment while the city's "finest" turned a blind eye. But now a new millenium has gotten underway. Many of the hard-core "haters" have mellowed or moved out. Non-White faces are no longer an unusual sight, and more and more of them belong to residents. Even the city government is starting to see more "diverse" representation. Because of this welcome and discernible shift, I'm on the bandwagon of Quincy boosters today. When I involuntarily lived in one of the aforementioned "dated" apartment complexes on Sea St some twenty years ago my sentiments were almost 100% the opposite.

BTW there've indeed been numerous previous C-D threads focused on, or mentioning, Quincy. Some have my rambles included. But that's all right. My philosophy is, while I may have answered the same question 1,000 times it's your first time asking.

[angiemcc]

Thanks, Goyguy! Spectacular info as always!

[RESouthShore]

I lived in Hough's Neck for about 10 years and I loved it. The area I lived was near to the Quincy Yacht Club, Public Landing and lots of great areas to walk. It has a really small town feel and the people who live there are very down to earth. You can see the water (and often the Boston skyline) from many streets and there are a couple of places to eat. It is a little bit removed from things - getting on the highway is about 10-15 minutes going either south or north to Boston - but it is a nice, easy drive.

[99 ISLAND AVE]

Originally Posted by goyguy

"Da Neck" = Houghs (pronounced "How's") Neck. This, as you may have guessed, is a peninsula. Its main street is Sea St, which leads right into Quincy Center, becoming Coddington St at the high school and YMCA. Once a weekend/summer retreat for blue-collar (mostly if not entirely Irish-American) families, it's long since seen its modest cottages become winterized homes. The area remains predominantly Irish, but the Germantown public-housing development on one fork of the end of the peninsula has some AA, Hispanic, and perhaps - now - Asian residents. While the complex may be a "project," there is little crime to speak of there or elsewhere around Da Neck.

Traveling "inbound" on Sea St, the next community is known as Adams Shore. The income level is a notch or two up the ladder, compared to Da Neck, here. Most of the houses are suburban-style single-family dwellings from the mid-20th Century, with a few dated apartment complexes along the main drag. Its more upscale sector is known as Merrymount, which flanks Quincy Shore Dr in its first blocks northward from Sea St.

Toward the Boston end of town, another important Quincy community is Wollaston. Served by an MBTA Red Line station, it's anchored by a thriving commercial district: CVS and Dunkin Donuts have stores there, but most of the businesses are locally owned. You don't need to leave the neighborhood when you need a photo portrait or religious icons - or sushi or a pint of Guinness. On either side of the Red Line tracks, but particularly east of Hancock St, the side streets are shaded and peaceful. The one- and two-family homes mainly date back to the early 1900's, with some more recent construction here and there. A few big brick apartment buildings are atop the shops, restaurants, and offices in the commercial center. Along the shoreline rises one tall apartment/condo building after another; while the tenants relax on the balconies and watch the ocean at sunset and after dark, kids gather on the beach to do whatever kids do (and then deny ever having done when their own kids get caught doing the same thing!)

Northernmost in the city are "Atlantic" (along the Red Line and Newport Ave) and "Squantum" (on another peninsula), anchored by the North Quincy MBTA stop. Atlantic is a working-to-middle-class enclave of single-and multi-family, early-20th-Century dwellings. Squantum is a tad bit "better off," though the homes tend to be more in the style of cottages and bungalows than is true in Merrymount. At the "fa rend" (far end in Bostonese, lol) of East Squantum St lies Marina Bay, a massive 1990's-vintage cluster of luxury high-rises and trendy night spots.

The latest development boom in Quincy is concentrated in its southern reaches. Former granite quarries, long favored as "dare you" swimming holes - sometimes with tragic results - by adolescents from throughout the area, are being filled in. In their place are good-sized condo and apartment buildings, with Falls Blvd providing one example. The Red Line's newest station, called Quincy Adams, is helping to pique interest in this part of town, as is its immediate proximity to I-93 and Route 3.

West Quincy - toward Milton - is much the same as Wollaston, but lacks for much in the way of local businesses until one either approaches the Quincy Center "T" station or crosses the city limits into East Milton Square.

"The City of Presidents" (birthplace of both Presidents Adams) is garnering attention and kudos now for not only its convenience to Boston but also for its social progress. Suburbanite-legislated cross-district school busing left wounds that are only now, some 30-35 years later, beginning to heal. Quincy and the "South Shore" saw a tremendous influx of White urban refugees, who brought their attitude problems with them. Aside from shopping at "destination" businesses such as wholesale butcher Roxie's, AA and other "minority" persons knew better than to set foot in the city. When Southeast Asian refugees began flocking to Boston in the 1980's, those who settled in Quincy Center and in the Atlantic neighborhood were subjected to continual harassment while the city's "finest" turned a blind eye. But now a new millenium has gotten underway. Many of the hard-core "haters" have mellowed or moved out. Non-White faces are no longer an unusual sight, and more and more of them belong to residents. Even the city government is starting to see more "diverse" representation. Because of this welcome and discernible shift, I'm on the bandwagon of Quincy boosters today. When I involuntarily lived in one of the aforementioned "dated" apartment complexes on Sea St some twenty years ago my sentiments were almost 100% the opposite.

BTW there've indeed been numerous previous C-D threads focused on, or mentioning, Quincy. Some have my rambles included. But that's all right. My philosophy is, while I may have answered the same question 1,000 times it's your first time asking.

My connection goes back to 1920 when my Great Grandparents purchased 99 Island Ave, Houghs Neck. It was the Taylor Homestead until 1980 when the 3rd generation daughter June [Taylor] Sampson sold it upon the death of her father Harold Clark Taylor. I am trying to find the current owners to see if they would like photos of the Homestead in 1920 and 1936.

[99 ISLAND AVE]

This was my first try, I did not mean to 'attach' to the end of GOYGUY. I truly apologize for my inadvert bad manners.

[ConceivedinKY51]

The area of Quincy called Wollaston is a nice place. If you're looking to move to Quincy I suggest looking for a place to live in Wollaston. I can't imagine anyone not liking this area of Quincy!

[crazyworld]

Originally Posted by 99 ISLAND AVE

My connection goes back to 1920 when my Great Grandparents purchased 99 Island Ave, Houghs Neck. It was the Taylor Homestead until 1980 when the 3rd generation daughter June [Taylor] Sampson sold it upon the death of her father Harold Clark Taylor. I am trying to find the current owners to see if they would like photos of the Homestead in 1920 and 1936.

99 Island.get in touch with Tom Galvin (I believe that is his name) he is a historian and he posts a lot of his old pictures in our local newspaper called The Quincy Sun located at 1372 Hancock Street Quincy MA 02169
Publisher is Henry Bosworth and Editor is Robert Bosworth
telephone # 617 471 3100

I found his e-mail address tmgalvin@verizon.net

Good Luck