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Hey everyone, like many people on the board, I'm seeking some advice with respect to rentals and particular neighborhoods.
Here is some of my relevant information, but I'll provide more as needed if it matters.
I'm a single white male in my early 30s and I'm going to be commuting to Columbia Law School for work 5x a week (mostly weekdays, with an occasional weekend and some evenings). I don't plan on having a car with me and won't be able to afford relying on cabs on a regular basis, so easy access to transit (trains preferred, but buses can work) is a huge consideration. Walkable to work would be great, but Morningside Heights seems to be (largely) out of my price range.
Speaking of price range, I'd strongly prefer not to live with a roommate, and my housing budget can (in theory) be stretched up to $1,500 monthly. More realistically, since I'd like to have a more varied diet than just cat food, I'd be much more comfortable around $1,250 or less.
I'm not wed to the idea of living in Manhattan, but please keep in mind the commute I'll be making on a regular basis, so being able to get up to around 116th and Broadway without much trouble is key. Around 45 minutes each way on train/bus is the goal, but shorter obviously is better. That time frame eliminates some of the affordable outer reaches of the outer boroughs. Anything on the 1 line works great and some of the A/C or 2/3 options are possible as well. I'm not as familiar with the bus options.
I'm moving up from Florida at the start of March, but won't have a ton of time to apartment hunt before work begins (3/15), so I'd like to have a focused search as much as possible. I do have a place to stay short term, but it is well North of the city and a longer commute than I would like (~2 hours each way) so I would prefer not to do that for any extended period of time.
Based on the research I've done so far (primarily open web research and talking with people who live in/around NYC now), here are some of the neighborhoods that would seem to be worth exploring. If you have feedback on any of them or have another area I should consider, I really appreciate the help.
Washington Heights, Manhattan - Near 168th would seem to be a desirable spot: trains - 1; A/C & New York Presbyterian Hospital nearby. That said, I wonder a bit about the noise associated with the hospital and I've also read some comments suggesting that Audubon Avenue and the nearby blocks in Washington Heights are particularly unsafe neighborhoods.
Inwood, Manhattan - Prices seem considerably lower here than the rest of Manhattan, with some within my range (and a handful closer to what I'd be comfortable with). It has train access with the 1, which is perfect for my commute, and also the A, which apparently goes express at times so I can get to lower Manhattan/Brooklyn somewhat quickly (at times). Inwood also seems to offer a bit of a blend of city density, with some parks/green-space readily available. West of Broadway is apparently the nice part of the neighborhood. East of Broadway is widely considered less desirable than West, but just how undesirable in terms of safety (drugs, in particular?) and nuisance (free Bachata late into the night, especially in summer) isn't clear.
Harlem, Manhattan - Harlem seems to be one of the neighborhoods where the block is of vital importance. To train to work I'd have to transfer, but that's do-able. There seem to be some bus options and, if I'm near Morningside Park, perhaps even walkable. I'm not very familiar with Harlem, so if anyone has blocks/cross-streets to target, that'd be great.
Kingsbridge, Bronx/Marble Hill, Manhattan - I group these two together because of their geographic proximity and the fact I haven't found a ton of information differentiating the two. There may be drastic difference though, so if you know of them, please share the info. Transit-wise, it looks like only the 1 goes up that far, which would be fine for commuting but would complicate travel to lower Manhattan and other areas.
Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn - This is pretty close to the edge of my transit area for commuting, I think. Seems like using the A/C line and transferring to the 1 is between 45-50 minutes from the train station in Bed-Stuy to Columbia Law. Impressions of Bed-Stuy seem to be very split - some people still really question its safety and desirability, while other speak of it as a "up-and-coming" neighborhood for young professionals.
So those are 5 I've been considering so far, but I'm very open to other ideas, anywhere in the metro area. Where else would you recommend?
Harlem, Manhattan - Harlem seems to be one of the neighborhoods where the block is of vital importance. To train to work I'd have to transfer, but that's do-able. There seem to be some bus options and, if I'm near Morningside Park, perhaps even walkable. I'm not very familiar with Harlem, so if anyone has blocks/cross-streets to target, that'd be great.
Manhattanville. Just above Columbia. You might actually find something in your price range, even higher on Convent, you can still walk to Columbia.
I would avoid 3333 Broadway, although that complex will change vastly - already is.
You can walk to Columbia from 130s and St. Nicholas (20 minutes ?), I have seen some places lately and all below $1,500.
There are buildings on St. Nicholas Terrace, nice (the Terrace is not) but I think out of your price range.
35 St. Nicholas Terrace ? Building they are trying to turn around and they will. The renovated places are nice. Big prewar building. The others are at 128th Street - more expensive.
Look on craigslist.
Don't move to Harlem areas where you need to watch your back.
Sometimes they don't look so bad but you will regret it.
I would stay west of St. Nicholas Park.
Could consider some places on St. Nicholas Avenue - right now some of the buildings are being completely taken back and this will really change many blocks.
I’m a single white male like you and live in the South Bronx. There’s a lot of South Bronx bashing going on in this forum, but after 3 years up here I would say that roughly 98% of it is based on inaccurate information (or is just value envy to begin with). I used to live in Mott Haven (and loved it), but now I live in a coop elevator/laundry building in the Grand Concourse area (and love it even more). Here’s the lowdown of my specific place:
- between your “comfortable price point” and “stretched price point” (but closer to the former) for a gut-renovated 700 sq.ft. 1BR/1BA fifth-floor corner apartment (heat & hot water included)
- prewar building, but everything works (water pressure and heat are great!); pet-friendly
- onsite super, handyman, porters
- after 6 months, still no roaches or rats or anything like it; the apartment continues to appear brand-new
- 6 minutes walking distance to ‘4’ and ‘D’ express trains, and ‘B’ local train (which would get you to your school in 15 minutes)
- 9 minutes walking distance to ‘2’ and ‘5’ express trains
- 8 minutes walking distance to Gateway Mall (Staples, Target, Home Depot, Best Buy, etc.)
- 6 minutes walking distance to new Blink gym
- four small parks within 2-10 minutes of walking
- delis, grocery stores, movie theater, BofA branch, post office, etc. all within 10 minutes of walking
This area could have better eateries, but other than that, I feel like I have found my own personal paradise and I cannot believe that people actually bash it. I don’t care because to me this is the best place I have ever lived at (and I already said that about my last place). I like to take long walks at night and have not encountered a single problem – this area clearly turns hood at night (after most of the legal and public service professionals are gone), but everybody’s been indifferent to me – it’s just a lot of poor people around here, not criminals. At a lot of people on this forum are constantly in fear, but I’m very secure and not easily scared, so that may play a role. On the other hand, a 5’0 female friend in her 20s from the South has been living with me for the past two months and she has not encountered any issues either (and we like to do our own things independently from each other; she actually just right now came home at 2:20 a.m. after touring bars looking for a job).
The people in my building are also great, but since it is a coop, it required an approval process (management company AND board). Just like my previous place in Mott Haven, I found this on Craigslist.
Anyway, based on your preferences and constraints, I would definitely recommend considering the South Bronx. Again, there will be lots of anti-Bronx bla-bla in response to my post, but that’s just how things work on this forum – a lot of bashing of various neighborhoods, and the South Bronx is a preferred target (as stated previously, I'm most certainly not going to get into an argument over my own experience). Many of those fellow posters will bring up safety concerns – but as far as safety is concerned, I already made the following posts a while ago when I was still living in Mott Haven:
Personally I would not live in Harlem but there is some cool **** there. Used to go to a butcher shop called Harlem Shambles, loved it
You would if you were involved with Columbia. It is completely convenient, and frankly, the places most can afford are a lot nicer than the area below or closer to Columbia.
We were unsure about some of the meat at Harlem Shambles, and it is not free-range meat in a any case, so we no longer go there, even once in a while.
Look into Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Good, safe neighborhood but you need to be walking distance to the B train. Should be 45mins to 1hour commute, but for 1250 you will find something really nice in a good part of Brooklyn.
My thought is that Washington Heights / Inwood is the most practical choice. East of Broadway isn't the best but it's probably better than much of Harlem. Either way, you could probably find something west of Broadway in your price range. Often west of Broadway in Washington Heights is marketed as "Hudson Heights". There's also nice parks nearby, Inwood and Fort Tryon.
Last edited by nei; 02-08-2013 at 11:06 AM..
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