Neighborhood turning points in Bronx? (Ithaca, St. James: gated, living in, gym)

[Elvira Black]

Exactly. "Crazy" white people also live in closet sized run down apts or share with multiple roomies to be in Manhattan. Everyone does what is right for them at the time.

[Guywithacause]

I think it is crazier that many of my friends pay up the nose to live in closets that they share with 3 other roommates, share a tiny bathroom, and non-existent kitchen (or rather kitchen-ette)....or pay $2,500 a month is rent for a tiny 1 bedroom. However, now that they have been introduced to the affordability, spaciousness, and outdated reputation of places like Mott Haven, many are getting a little older, want more space (and their own space) at an affordable price, and still want to be close to their other friends, jobs, and nightlife of the city, they are reconsidering what it means to live in places that are termed "the ghetto."

[Elvira Black]

On a Brooklyn thread, two people who live in an area near Park Slope said they bought a coop before prices went through the roof, and now of course their coops are worth much much more and they have a great quality of life. True, the areas there may be "nicer," but the fact remains that if you can look beyond the present state of a neighborhood, and also the many benefits of ownership, it's not crazy at all.

Some people still consider the Lower East Side a dump, but my ex-b/f and I sold our very nice one bedroom with river view this year for 450K. We bought it for 8K in '91 and it subsequently went private/market rate. If the LES is still a dump, it's becoming a helluva expensive one. Newly built condos in the area are bringing the truly wealthy in as well.

[Jrock247]

I'd rather live in cramped apartment with three friends, than live in that area. Its a poor immigrant neighborhood. I couldn't reccomend an area to people where murders are so common. Anyone hear about the staring match that ended with a shooting a death on saturday at 11 on Fordham and University Ave? I hate to burst your bubble stuff like this rarely happens in nice neighborhoods and when it does it makes news.

[mead]

I disagree. There are a couple of neighborhoods in the Bronx where it is perfectly fine for a white person to live. I live in one such neighborhood. There's no real violence or crime here except for random drunk Irish brawls. There are plenty of ammenities (corner stores, bars, pizza parlors, chinese place, laundry mat, C-town grocery, pharmacy, barber, library, nearby park, and good access to the subway, via the bus, and a local Metro North station) and the public K-8 school is actually pretty good (which is a rarity in the Bronx).

Now for a white person to live in an area like the South Bronx, then yeah I'd have to say thats pretty crazy. Personally I have a fairly high tolerance for unnecessary ghetto/thug behavior that you will find in my areas of the Bronx, however there's no way in hell that I'd ever live in the South Bronx. I know my limitations.

Originally Posted by Jrock247

Fordham road is the most ghetto shopping in strip in america. Ladies whats up with the muffin tops? When you look in the mirror do you miss that layer of blubber dripping down over the top of your too tigh jeans?


The bronx ain't going anywhere. The east bronx (formerly italian) and riverdale will stay nice. The rest..........****ty urban planning, lousy public transportation, terrrible pollution and horrible schools pretty much seal the deal.

And whoever said that you'd have to be be crazy to be white and live some areas of the bronx, I agree with you 100%. Its not racism, its self preservation.

[Jrock247]

Originally Posted by mead

I disagree. There are a couple of neighborhoods in the Bronx where it is perfectly fine for a white person to live. I live in one such neighborhood. There's no real violence or crime here except for random drunk Irish brawls. There are plenty of ammenities (corner stores, bars, pizza parlors, chinese place, laundry mat, C-town grocery, pharmacy, barber, library, nearby park, and good access to the subway, via the bus, and a local Metro North station) and the public K-8 school is actually pretty good (which is a rarity in the Bronx).

Now for a white person to live in an area like the South Bronx, then yeah I'd have to say thats pretty crazy. Personally I have a fairly high tolerance for unnecessary ghetto/thug behavior that you will find in my areas of the Bronx, however there's no way in hell that I'd ever live in the South Bronx. I know my limitations.

I agree with you, theres middle class nabes in the bronx, but Fordham isn't one of them. You think that your average white person, would fit in the Fordham area? I mean theres no Gap or Old Navy! Dr. jays's just doesn't have the khakis us crackers live and die in. Seriously though, poverty has a way of making people hungry and vicious, I wouldn't want to stick out in an area like that, just like I'm sure you wouldn't want to be a poor dominican in a nebraska trailer park.

[Elvira Black]

OK, like I said, what's crazy for one is sane for another.--or even the same person, depending on where they are in their lives.

We were attacked on 9/11, remember? Now, if you live in Manhattan, you're more likely to be near ground zero than I am in the Bronx--not by much, mind you, but I'm probably breathing in less toxic debris on any given day than some in Manhattan are, esp downtown.

I am middle aged now, and I need sufficient space. I've been there, done that Manhattan scene for 25 plus years. I don't wander around at night on Fordham Road, and I'm more of a homebody, so there's less odds I'll get offed. Stuff goes on in every borough, every day--the news has time limits, but they cover plenty of murders in Brooklyn, Queens, even Staten Island and -gasp--Manhattan. You can run, but you can't hide.

In my gated complex, I have 24 hour security (guard booths at both entrances) and there's a double intercom--if someone comes to see you, the guard rings your phone. Then when the person gets to your bldg in the complex, they have to ring you to buzz them in. Plus one of the cable channels shows you who's buzzing from your tv. So who's ultimately safer from random crime?

People here are homeowners and cooperators, and take great pride in their property, and it is indeed beautiful. No ghetto mentality--in fact it's very anti-ghetto (middle class, mostly middle aged and older, black).

So that's part of why I may be crazy, but I'm not that crazy that I don't know a good thing when it stares me in the face.

I have a panoramic river view, and each day is like seeing a different painting. Boats of all kinds on the river all day long--the Circle Line, speedboats, crew teams, and on and on. What's that worth as far as "quality of life" is concerned?

You presume to know what every white person wants. I have zero prob being in this neighborhood. I cook a lot so the 2 takeout options are sufficient for me. I don't give a ----if they're purple polkadot. And that's the truth.

[SuperMario]

Originally Posted by Jrock247

I'd rather live in cramped apartment with three friends, than live in that area. Its a poor immigrant neighborhood. I couldn't reccomend an area to people where murders are so common. Anyone hear about the staring match that ended with a shooting a death on saturday at 11 on Fordham and University Ave? I hate to burst your bubble stuff like this rarely happens in nice neighborhoods and when it does it makes news.

Everything seems to happen in that area. On W 183rd st and Andrews Ave on Saturday evening, shots were fired. I look out my window and the street was closed. There were 9 police cars lined up in the area. Either the guy who shot it hit someone, he is a well known criminal, or they had a drug bust. This was the second time I heard shots in a span of two weeks. Area is going down the gutter.

[Elvira Black]

Well that's just fine and dandy, SuperMario and Jrock--to each his own.

[Concept]

white boy living in fordham ? well, if u dont wana use the word crazy....u can say very ballzy. i dont think shopping on fordham road itself, durin the day, is dangerous...but living in the fordham area day in and day out something is bound to happen sooner or later. those blocks that stretch south of fordham have a zoo like atmosphere. drive through on a weekend night during the summer and then picture a white boy wandering down that hood haha.....JACK CITY.

theres a reason why theres only 1% whites that live in the south bronx (and that 1% are cracked out ghetto whites lol)