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Originally Posted by Henna
I visited a friend at 4705 Center Blvd a few times. It's a large new construction building by the water. I found it to be much too isolated and far from the train. I personally would much prefer to live in a nice neighborhood-y part of Astoria over anywhere in LIC. I also have visited a friend who lives right around the corner from the Vernon Jackson stop. There are a few blocks on Vernon Ave that are pretty nice, but it's nothing compared to what Astoria offers. Just my 2 cents.
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It is *your* 2 cents!
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Hunters Point is for true modern day Yuppies! It is a modern newly built CLEAN environment. It is for people who would or have lived in Manhattan. HP provides Manhattan style *tower* living with EXCELLENT amenities, at a significant discount from equivalent Manhattan rents, AND you get more space (or so it w/seem).
For example you c/pay $3500 for a 1 or 2 bedroom which would cost $5K in Manhattan, this is the lure. In addition, you get water views of the river AND Manhattan, day and night! You also get the satisfaction of being a part of something *new*.
Literally, *all* of the modern towers have doorman, some with concierge, (1 or 2 may have valet parking, I forget), refrigerated Fresh Direct Rooms, Gyms, Pools, central a/c, common entertainment rooms, baldconies, on site management, a host of amenities which tend to reflect luxury in NYC.
If you are used to and expect the sort of typical middle class rental **complex** found in most of America, especially the South and West, then HP may be for you. Particularly, if you want that in a NYC package!
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Besides the amenities the buildings provide, there is Gantry Park, which is a brand new park, situated directly on the water facing Manhattan!! What c/b better.
Parking is available for an additonal cost, $200 per month, I believe is typical. Street parking is available, but has become a bit crowded, and becomong more difficult, as the population grows.
HP is an old area, that has and continues to be *RE-developed on a LARGE scale. Commuting is by "7" train into Manhattan, which is just 2 stops away. The great thing is that the first stop in Manhattan is Grand Central Station, which is in the heart of the Midtown/East Side business district! There is no shorter subway commute from the Boroughs.
As Henna complains, yes there is a relatively short, roughly 4 block walk to the subway, BUT your door to door time is FAR shorter than Henna's (Jackson Heights?), and shorter than Astoria's door to door. In any event, it is the small price for the incredible river views.
The equivalent to Hunters Point is Battery Park City downtown Manhattan. If you are attracted to BPC, but find the cost prohibitive, then HP may be just for you.
HP does NOT have the *nightlife* of Manhattan, nor trendy Brooklyn neighborhoods like Williamsburg, but WB and Greenpoint are just a very short cab ride away, as is Manhattan!
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That said, there are a growing number of restaurants, bars, and coffee spots, as well as The Cellar Suppermarket (which is somewhere between Whole Foods and say Publix (for those so familiar). It is not, imo, like the typical family market found in Suburbia, but rather a market catering to Yuppie/prosperous singles and couples w/o children. Lots of organic food, prepared food, as well as exotic and expensive beer.
The post college/grad school crowd with *good* starter jobs! I've noted a significant of Ivy grads! There are NO "hipsters", as HP is relatively contrary to such values, plus the average hipster c/n afford the area. The area is more corporate youth, as opposed to hipster arty.
If you hadn't surmised, HP is the one place in Queens, which is virtually immigrant free!! American culture and English are the dominant culture!!! For the most part, an American will not feel like an immigrant in your own country, as you may in most (Western) Queen's neighborhoods!
Friday nights and thru the weekend, nightime, the restaurants are full, and the area has a mild buzz of energy; but, nothing yet like Manhattan, nor the trendy areas of Brooklyn.
Comparatively, if you can afford Brooklyn Heights, and the better housing of Park Slope, and the other brownstone communities, BUT you don't want the family atmosphere, and can do w/o brownstones, and want a more youthful(, but not college juvenile) atmosphere, then HP may be for you.
HP is a truly up and coming, developing area, which in 10 years will be an extension of Manhattan in Queens. Discounting the housing stock, HP reminds me a bit of early gentrifying Park Slope, in that a sort of community is developing. In my eye, because most residents share culture, language, school, and work, there exists commonalities which foster interaction among those who were formerly strangers. I guess its kinda college like! Yet, an atmosphee not found in other ( Western) Queens areas.
There are certain negatives, most of which, I'll leave to another post; but, besides the walk to the subway (offset by building amenities, the park and views), the subway is VERY crowded. You may have to wait a train or two, before you can push your way on, mornings, during rush hour. Fortunately, it is just a couple of stops and you're off! Though, such may add to your commute time.
Also, the MTA is presently in the middle of a lengthy program to upgrade the subway track/switches (in a presumed effort to eleviate overcrowding and move more trains faster.) I also believe that they have plans to renovate/rebuild the subway stations of HP. Fortunately, this work is *not* continuous, but periodic! Yet, it does result in major disruption. Though, evetually, the work w/b completed.
The other major caveate, is the expense! HP while *cheaper* than equivalent housing in Manhattant, is still at the high end in Queens and/or Brooklyn. Only the most luxurious towers in Forest Hills are equal in cost; and, equally as expensive as most brownstone areas of Brooklyn, DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Cobble Hill, etc.
So, a tight budget won't work, and neither will 10 zillion roommates!!
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