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I have found a job at Mt. Sinai Hospital (Madison avenue, 100th street) and will be moving to the city. My wife works at Times square. We are looking for a 1 bedroom apartment in the range of 1600-1800. I am not too familiar with the city except lower manhattan. After doing some apartment hunting online I was able to find several one bedroom apartments within my price range in localities like East Harlem, Upper east side (around 100th street), upper manhattan (harlem, washington hts, inwoods etc), brooklyn (prospect park, Bed Suy and Ditmars, crown heights).
I am not too familiar with these places and I was wondering if you guys could help me with few suggestions. I am a big fan of new york and this is my chance to get a taste of city life. So we are looking for a place which is safe (especially for my wife, as at times she works late), have nice neighborhood and commute to manhattan isn't too long. Additionally, it would be great to know of localities which is full of restaurants, cafe, bars.
Any suggestions to help me decide which area would be suitable would be greatly appreciated.
At that price range you might be able to find something in East Harlem/Spanish Harlem. I say might because I am not up to the minute on rents. Washington Heights/Inwood will be a tough commute for you. It's doable but it will probably be a train to a crosstown bus type of commute. It ain't the longest commute but you might tire of it. The crosstown buses are annoying. Not a bad bike ride through the park if that's your thing. You can also look into Central Harlem, but personally I think west and East have more attractive areas.
I'll leave brooklyn to those who know more about it.
I would consider adding queens to your search. Astoria is a quick commute to east side of Manhattan.
Last edited by NooYowkur81; 08-20-2014 at 10:57 AM..
Hi!- Seeing that you are working on the East Side in the 100's, why not try Spanish Harlem? I have been up there and I think it is fine up until 106th street or so. Also people forget that the Upper East Side is probably the most affordable "nice" section of Manhattan, as long as you stay from the tonier avenues: Fifth, Madison, Park and I should include Lexington. You can find a quite "affordable studio/1 BR in the Yorkville section in the high 80's and 90's very far East. But it will be small. My co-worker has a studio on 86th and York and pays 1600, but it IS tiny. It is also quite a walk to the subway, but you work up in the area.
I absolutely love Harlem, Inwood and Washington Heights, the only reason I don't suggest them is because you work on the Eastside, and it is a pain to get from the West to the East Sides no matter where you come from IMO. I live along the A line in Brooklyn and have to get to Madison Avenue for work and I depise switching trains..
But I would say try the southern reaches of Spanish Harlem or Yorkville!
I came to like the M4 bus from the southernmost tip of Washington Heights to the East Side. I'd start where I lived around W158th/Broadway/Fort Washington Ave. M4 ran down B'way, turned left on Cathedral Pkwy, went crosstown to 5th Ave, then turned right heading south. If you got off at 5th Ave around 100th, you'd just be a long block from Madison. The commute might be around 45 minutes but you're aboveground the whole way so can work (yay?).
I preferred taking one bus to taking a subway-to-crosstown bus (1 subway to 96th st xtown bus). It does stop every 2 blocks, so some folks can't stand any bus.
Check out Sunnyside, Queens. I think you might be able to find a one bedroom for $1800. It's on the 7 train, so a very quick ride to Times Sq. Also for you, you could take the 7 to the 6 train.
Woodside, which is a few stops further into Queens on the 7 train, would also work but I prefer Sunnyside. If you do Google street view, check out Skillman Ave in Sunnyside https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7465...TrKamlA42A!2e0
Since you will be working at Mt. Sinai Hospital, I would recommend East Harlem, Upper east side (around 100th street) as the easiest and your wife can commute by subway to Times Square. In Queens, I would suggest either Astoria or Sunnyside as good options.
Thank you guys for all the suggestions. After reading your reply it seems like upper manhattan will be a challenge to commute and honestly speaking I do not want to spend an hour to 45 minutes travelling. I have had my share of travelling through LIRR. So should I eliminate Upper manhattan?
So far from your suggestions- spanish harlem, yorkville, sunnyside, astoria looks like good options. Any suggestions on Brooklyn area? I have heard parts of brooklyn is very good to live but not sure which parts and will I be ableto get something in my range of 1600-1800.
Also speaking of Spanish harlem- I have very mixed reviews on safety. People have commented on staying away from this area and rather go for brooklyn or queens? Any suggestions?
Thank you guys for all the suggestions. After reading your reply it seems like upper manhattan will be a challenge to commute and honestly speaking I do not want to spend an hour to 45 minutes travelling. I have had my share of travelling through LIRR. So should I eliminate Upper manhattan?
So far from your suggestions- spanish harlem, yorkville, sunnyside, astoria looks like good options. Any suggestions on Brooklyn area? I have heard parts of brooklyn is very good to live but not sure which parts and will I be ableto get something in my range of 1600-1800.
Also speaking of Spanish harlem- I have very mixed reviews on safety. People have commented on staying away from this area and rather go for brooklyn or queens? Any suggestions?
Thanks a lot guys!!
The words Spanish Harlem are still boogie man words and still produce fear in a lot of people. The reality is the area is a mixed bag. It's gentrifying but still has pockets of crime and quality of life issues but there is a lot of variance from block to block. Check it out for yourself. If you don't feel comfortable or have doubts don't move in. That part of the equation is very subjective.
Thank you guys for all the suggestions. After reading your reply it seems like upper manhattan will be a challenge to commute and honestly speaking I do not want to spend an hour to 45 minutes travelling. I have had my share of travelling through LIRR. So should I eliminate Upper manhattan?
So far from your suggestions- spanish harlem, yorkville, sunnyside, astoria looks like good options. Any suggestions on Brooklyn area? I have heard parts of brooklyn is very good to live but not sure which parts and will I be ableto get something in my range of 1600-1800.
Also speaking of Spanish harlem- I have very mixed reviews on safety. People have commented on staying away from this area and rather go for brooklyn or queens? Any suggestions?
Thanks a lot guys!!
Brooklyn is great to live in, but the places that are nicest and closest to Manhattan are very expensive. You will not be able to find something in your price range. In order to stay within range in Brooklyn, you'd have to go out to neighborhoods like Bay Ridge and Ditmas Park, and that doesn't make sense when you are commuting up to 100th and Madison.
Thank you guys for all the suggestions. After reading your reply it seems like upper manhattan will be a challenge to commute and honestly speaking I do not want to spend an hour to 45 minutes travelling. I have had my share of travelling through LIRR. So should I eliminate Upper manhattan?
So far from your suggestions- spanish harlem, yorkville, sunnyside, astoria looks like good options. Any suggestions on Brooklyn area? I have heard parts of brooklyn is very good to live but not sure which parts and will I be ableto get something in my range of 1600-1800.
Also speaking of Spanish harlem- I have very mixed reviews on safety. People have commented on staying away from this area and rather go for brooklyn or queens? Any suggestions?
Thanks a lot guys!!
The parts of Spanish Harlem near Mt. Sinai are pretty nice and safe. There are bad parts of Spanish Harlem, particularly around 125 and Lexington or around 117 Street. I'd say stay around 105th Street and below. You'll find Yorkville (3rd Avenue and West) cheaper on the Upper East Side too and probably within your range.
Washington Heights is out of the way for you, no need to go there. In just two years or so the Second Avenue subway will give you a direct connection to Times Square.
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