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Calling Bronx-sperts: Burr Ave and 196th Street is near some crazy major intersections and not far from Mall at Bay Plaza and Co-op City. Would traffic noise be a significant nuisance in a low-floor apartment there? Any other issues with the neighborhood?
It's a nice little area there.I looked at co ops in 1874 and 1910 Pelham Parkway and 2015 St Paul Ave.Decent shopping area with all the necessities,very close subway stop,very close to Pelham Bay Park and close to highways.Very decent,low crime spot in there.
One of the apartments I looked at in 1910 Pelham Parkway( corner of Burr) was on the 6th floor ,East side of the building facing Burr Ave and 95 and I could hear the traffic on 95 .It might have also been worse because it was higher up with no trees or shrubs or anything as a buffer.
I think it will depend on whether the apartment is on Burr Ave facing 95 or whether it faces South or West or if it's on 196th st and not on Burr at all.If it's not actually facing 95 you should be ok.Definitely worth a look though if you haven't looked already.You can open a window and tell right away.
Thanks for the usual helpful comments Bluedog. It never occurred to me that being on a lower floor might be *better* from a traffic noise standpoint but that makes sense. I lived on West 86th St. in Manhattan for 20 years in a studio on the 11th floor with a window facing the street. There was no building at that height on the other side, so I had a fairly nice view—but I did hear quite a bit of street noise. I didn't mind it, in fact I sort of liked it. But that was Manhattan crosstown traffic, not the roar of an interstate highway. I'm thinking as you said that it all may depend on exactly where the windows are.
I'm glad to hear you feel the neighborhood is OK otherwise.
Thanks for the usual helpful comments Bluedog. It never occurred to me that being on a lower floor might be *better* from a traffic noise standpoint but that makes sense. I lived on West 86th St. in Manhattan for 20 years in a studio on the 11th floor with a window facing the street. There was no building at that height on the other side, so I had a fairly nice view—but I did hear quite a bit of street noise. I didn't mind it, in fact I sort of liked it. But that was Manhattan crosstown traffic, not the roar of an interstate highway. I'm thinking as you said that it all may depend on exactly where the windows are.
I'm glad to hear you feel the neighborhood is OK otherwise.
I was tempted to buy an apartment there but all of the co op buildings are 1950 to 1970's construction and the apartments were on the small(650 or 700sq ft 1 br's) size. In the end I decided I definitely wanted only a prewar building with more space and light.I eventually found a 1,000 sq ft 1 br w/3 exposures.
I remember a really nice looking prewar building on Burr at 196th St that I wished was a co op every time I went to the neighborhood but it is a rental.There are also some deco buildings (rental) down the block a bit on 196th.
LOL,this is the building I wanted to be co op but it isn't.
Sound travel can be tricky and it depends on a lot of things.Many years ago I rented an apartment on Amsterdam and 79th St,on the 14th floor, facing Amsterdam.I thought it would be above all the ruckus but the noise was actually much worse in the apartment than it was at street level ! Something about all the surrounding buildings,etc created some kind of sound magnification or something.People down the hall,facing 79th st,couldn't hear a thing.I couldn't stand to ever open the windows it was so noisy and was always glad to get down on the street where it was much quieter! I couldn't even really talk on the phone. Didn't stay there too long.That was where I learned the lesson about always opening windows when looking at apartments in NYC.
Haha, I'm pretty sure that's the building I had in mind. No address was given and location description was slightly misleading, but I kind of figured that out and the listing agent confirmed to my broker that it was on Burr. Yesterday it was a possibility for Friday viewing... today I'm told some other agent has an application on the apartment. I'm getting a lot of that. The prewar vs. postwar issue is another frustrating aspect of the search so far. I would much prefer prewar, but so would most people, and there seems to be a bait-and-switch tendency around that. I got pretty excited about one prewar apartment I found via Streeteasy, and of course that one's not really available, but the broker who listed it does have one in another building she's sure would suit—ca. 1954. Thanks a bunch. I'm having a bad day, bad enough to wonder how far from NYC I'd have to go to get away from the sleazemeisters in this business. Probably a long way. Maybe the next galaxy. And the black mood is probably a signal to take a break, even though I feel like I don't have a lot of time.
A nasty lesson your Amsterdam Ave. apartment gave you. I have learned similarly where I am now. I thought this apartment was the bomb because it cross-ventilated. But one side faces a closed square, formed by the mirror relationship of two similarly shaped buildings. I'm at mid-height and the echo-chamber effect is horrendous. Not to mention the cross-ventilation ain't nothin' to write home about either.
I have lived at 2015 St Paul Ave and 1820 Mayflower Ave.
I lived in the co-op spoken about at 2015 St Paul Ave and it was great. A block or so to the subway, quiet, clean, and I paid $750 for a studio. There was a small parking lot for the condo owners but I chose not to pay $150 a month for it. The parking isn't ample on St Paul and I constantly was moving my car. The condo was right by the train but you couldn't hear the train really. Since many buses stop at Pelham Bay and since it is the last stop you get a bit of traffic at times and you get some creeps that you wouldn't get in a less dense area. Overall that section is convenient since you can jump on the highway, take a bus to City Island, or take the train, but overall I prefer where I am now by Buhre Avenue. I live two blocks from the subway and I am close to St Theresa church. Buhre Ave has a lot more shopping and on Mayflower it is a lot easier to park. I pay $1500 for a two bedroom apt. Overall both are nice places
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And the black mood is probably a signal to take a break, even though I feel like I don't have a lot of time.
