I hate to even ask (where to live)... (Murray, Madison: apartments, rent)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well I did just stumble upon something about Midtown West having a higher crime rate (5 murders in 2009), so that gives me pause.
What do you mean by "less conveniences nearby?" I didn't mention in my first post, but I assumed I'd be able to grab things like groceries fairly close to just about any manhattan apartment. Could you clarify, please?
I need to look at the subway maps and see just how far I might have to walk to get to a stop. I'm a habitually late riser, so being close to a subway is more of big deal than I let on. Sounds like Murray Hill is in the same boat, just from what I've read on these forums.
A lot of the new buildings with tons of "luxury" amenities are on the far western fringe of Midtown West (not all, but the one's where you're likely to find a REALLY good rent deal & granite/stainless/ other things that are normal in other cities but not NYC). That's a 4 block cross-town walk (~1 mile) to the closest subway lines on 8th Ave. Some of the big buildings on 42nd street actually run shuttles to 8th Ave because it's so far. There is not a ton of commerce along 10th-12th Aves. In many buildings, it will be more than a few blocks to the grocery store, drug store, etc.
In Murray Hill or Chelsea (W 20's between 6th-8th Ave) or along 8th-9th Aves in Midtown West, you will generally have much better access to subway & other everyday needs.
You know questions like these are a bit irritating, and the responses as well. A true NYer knows overall it doesn't matter what neighborhood you live in. You're not locked into your neighborhood!
The only things that matter for average NYers is, Safety and finding the most Comfortable apartment at the most Affordable price. ONLY if one can afford above the average need one be concerned with a neighborhoods Mpersonality'. It doesn't matter what music or movies, nor anything of that sort, which you may or may not like.
Because transportation, subway and bus, is so cheap and prolific, generally within Manhattan you can get anywhere (with some exception) in 30 minutes or less. So one could live uptown and hangout downtown, live westside and hangout eastside; or even live in parts of, Brooklyn, Queens, New Jersey, and still be within a 30 minutes of most of Manhattan.
So, if money is an issue, then simply seek the safest, best quality, most affordable apartment within 30 to 60 minutes of Manhattan.
If you can afford $3000 for a 1bdrm in Manhattan (110th St. And below) THEN you can be a little picky. The more above 3K the more picky you can be. Generally, if can't afford 3K then you can't afford to be choosy re neighborhood personality, the ONLY thing that should matter is SAFETY.
In the boroughs (areas outside Manhattan), if you can afford $2000 for a 1bdrm, then you can be a little picky, the more above 2K the more picky re neighborhood personality, but overall the major factor is Safety.
New York is Manhattan central, you can reach Manhattan from half of the NY region within 30 minutes; and from the furthur half within 60 minutes.
The whole point of the above is to strongly convey that, for most, only safety, affordability, and quality, matters, not whether the neighborhood is hip, cool, exicting, has or hasn't nightlife, etc. Whatever it is you desire is only just 30 minutes or less away (in most instances). THIS is the true amazing fact about NYC.
Murray Hill's problem for you is that it sounds like you're working in Midtown West (west of 5th Ave). If so, then you need to live on the subway lines that go through Midtown West: Upper West Side, midtown West, Chelsea, West Village. That way you don't have to get across town via walking or bus or another subway transfer.
Other than that, it's a nice neighborhood. You may feel a bit old for it as it's "core" population is the right out of college, party in a fratty bar on 3rd Avenue every night crowd. I think it gets a bad rap on this board because 1) it's not hipster/ downtown cool and 2) many if the regular posters on the NYC board don't live in Manhattan and tend to steer posters to the other boroughs because they assume no one can afford Mannattan (and if they can, it's a waste of money)- obviously this isn't true, but it's a prevailing attitude on the forum.
In Murray Hill or Chelsea (W 20's between 6th-8th Ave) or along 8th-9th Aves in Midtown West, you will generally have much better access to subway & other everyday needs.
Thanks for all of the help, again.
Murray Hill was my first choice mainly because it seemed like I would be able to walk home or take a cheap cab ride if the subway wasn't viable for whatever reason. Is the "frat boy" comment I'd previously alluded to really an issue? I pictured hundreds of drunk alpha males trying to start fights as soon as I heard that...if you guys don't think it'd actually be an issue, I like the location of Murray Hill.
Murray Hill was my first choice mainly because it seemed like I would be able to walk home or take a cheap cab ride if the subway wasn't viable for whatever reason. Is the "frat boy" comment I'd previously alluded to really an issue? I pictured hundreds of drunk alpha males trying to start fights as soon as I heard that...if you guys don't think it'd actually be an issue, I like the location of Murray Hill.
I would imagine you will be using the subway at least twice a day and only use cabs very late at night or for a special occasion. So it makes more sense to get a place that is very convenient to a subway that brings you directly to your work location. When you are looking for good subway access, you need to look up and down (north-south) on the Manhattan map as subways crosstown are very limited. This does make a BIG difference!
For this reason, Murray Hill is not the first place I would look if I were you. I would look at Upper West Side & Chelsea. Chelsea has quite a few new buildings, and some are convenient to the subway, at least more convenient than the new condos going up all over the FAR FAR west side in midtown.
I would imagine you will be using the subway at least twice a day and only use cabs very late at night or for a special occasion. So it makes more sense to get a place that is very convenient to a subway that brings you directly to your work location. When you are looking for good subway access, you need to look up and down (north-south) on the Manhattan map as subways crosstown are very limited. This does make a BIG difference!
For this reason, Murray Hill is not the first place I would look if I were you. I would look at Upper West Side & Chelsea. Chelsea has quite a few new buildings, and some are convenient to the subway, at least more convenient than the new condos going up all over the FAR FAR west side in midtown.
I'm starting to notice that (north/south subways). I just now realized that google maps will show the routes if I just click on the "M" - pretty cool.
I've heard great things about the UWS from a friend that went to Columbia. Isn't Chelsea the "gay" neighborhood? I don't have a problem with gays at all. But, being a single 30 year old, I don't want to necessarily give people any reason to think that I'M gay...Of course, once they see how I dress they probably wouldn't even imagine that as a possibility!
Lots of nice neighborhoods in Manhattan but Murray Hill isn't one of them.It's not even really much of a neighborhood.If you live there you will probably not want to hang out in your own neighborhood at night and on weekends.You will always want to be somewhere else and use your apartment as a crash pad.
Murray Hill is also the #1 neighborhood for recently divorced or waiting to be divorced UES men.They go there to rekindle their pre marital years with the frat boys and the young women who are attracted to frat boys and divorced or nearly divorced UES type guys.
Go Murray Hill. Its a great area and its packed with hot chicks. I would avoid the West/East Village: too many weirdos. Murray Hill is much more mainstream and coming from East Texas you'll like it better. Murray Hill is a short walk to Times Square on a nice day too.
I'm starting to notice that (north/south subways). I just now realized that google maps will show the routes if I just click on the "M" - pretty cool.
I've heard great things about the UWS from a friend that went to Columbia. Isn't Chelsea the "gay" neighborhood? I don't have a problem with gays at all. But, being a single 30 year old, I don't want to necessarily give people any reason to think that I'M gay...Of course, once they see how I dress they probably wouldn't even imagine that as a possibility!
Both Chelsea and the West Village to it's south have a prevalent gay culture. While 4% of all of NYC is gay, about 10% of Chelsea's residents are gay. Of course, more gays come to the gay bars & shops & clubs in the area.....but to think that all Chelsea has IS gay culture is very narrow-minded.
There's a tremendous amount of useful retail in Chelsea- Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, The Container Store, etc are all along 6th Avenue (believe me, these are not common store in NYC- Container Store only has 1 other NYC location). There's Chelsea Market on the neighborhood's south end with excellent restaurants Buddakan, Morimoto, and others, along with tons of specialty food shops (Thai market, fresh breads & pastries, etc). Koreatown is in the low 30's off 6th Ave (kind of in Chelsea's east border). The Hudson River promenade is a great place to run, blade, cycle. Chelsea Piers is awesome and offers tons of intramural sports, as well as a driving range, bowling alley, etc. You are in the middle of half a dozen or more subway lines, giving easy access to many neighborhoods. Not saying you have to live there, but it's worth a look- especially in the 14th-20th Street area, where you would be super close to
Union Square and the Meatpacking District, both great nightlife areas.
I immediately thought of the UWS for you because of your budget, commute needs, and how you described yourself. It's a great 30-something area- lots of singles, but also families and couples so it feels like a real neighborhood community. There is some nightlife, but you don't feel like you're living in a bar or frat house. Central Park is right there and as someone who moved from TX to NYC myself, it's so refreshing to live a few blocks from the park and breathe fresh air and see trees and water in the oasis that is the park.
Hopefully you have time to come visit and spend time in a couple of neighborhoods before signing a lease!
Both Chelsea and the West Village to it's south have a prevalent gay culture. While 4% of all of NYC is gay, about 10% of Chelsea's residents are gay. Of course, more gays come to the gay bars & shops & clubs in the area.....but to think that all Chelsea has IS gay culture is very narrow-minded.
There's a tremendous amount of useful retail in Chelsea- Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, The Container Store, etc are all along 6th Avenue (believe me, these are not common store in NYC- Container Store only has 1 other NYC location). There's Chelsea Market on the neighborhood's south end with excellent restaurants Buddakan, Morimoto, and others, along with tons of specialty food shops (Thai market, fresh breads & pastries, etc). Koreatown is in the low 30's off 6th Ave (kind of in Chelsea's east border). The Hudson River promenade is a great place to run, blade, cycle. Chelsea Piers is awesome and offers tons of intramural sports, as well as a driving range, bowling alley, etc. You are in the middle of half a dozen or more subway lines, giving easy access to many neighborhoods. Not saying you have to live there, but it's worth a look- especially in the 14th-20th Street area, where you would be super close to
Union Square and the Meatpacking District, both great nightlife areas.
I immediately thought of the UWS for you because of your budget, commute needs, and how you described yourself. It's a great 30-something area- lots of singles, but also families and couples so it feels like a real neighborhood community. There is some nightlife, but you don't feel like you're living in a bar or frat house. Central Park is right there and as someone who moved from TX to NYC myself, it's so refreshing to live a few blocks from the park and breathe fresh air and see trees and water in the oasis that is the park.
Hopefully you have time to come visit and spend time in a couple of neighborhoods before signing a lease!
Thanks for explaining that. UWS has always been on my list. Everyone I know that's actually visited NYC has always said the UWS was "cool."
Chelsea sounds pretty awesome. And, like I said, I'm fine with gays but hearing it's only 10% just sets my mind at ease and I'll put it on my list. I know I've seen some really nice apts in that area online.
You mentioned something that I had forgotten about - intramurals. I miss that tremendously. One of the reasons I'm moving to NYC is so I can be more involved with my community (i travel a lot now), and one way I plan on doing that is playing some sports again (finally). You mentioned Chelsea Piers as being a good area for that, but I assume UWS would be good too?
Yes, I will have upwards of 2 weeks to apartment shop if I need it. But NYC is just SO immense, I was hoping to go ahead and figure out a plan before I get up there. I'm expecting to hear from my relocation associate soon and I was going to try to at least give them a couple of neighborhoods instead of "manhattan." I'm also completely open to Brooklyn/Queens if there's a convenient metro to midtown and it otherwise fits my needs. Just an FYI.
TurtleCreek - as in Oak Lawn in Dallas? Is that where you're from?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
