Queens neighborhoods-Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside, Rego Park and Elmhurst (Union: transplants, renting)
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Yes, it really is that bad. It is of course nicer in F.Hills but of course more expensive. The other person to post was correct - it was so grey, dull and depressing. Add dirty on top of it and it is not very appealing.
Location: Concrete jungle where dreams are made of.
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Astoria can be affordable if you really look. I just moved into a 1 bedroom on the border of Astoria/E. Elmhurst for only $750 a month and no roommate. I'm right by the 49th st/Astoria blvd bus station. It's a legal apartment too. I paid a broker fee, but it's worth it for this price, also considering how big this place is.
Most of Queens is relatively safe compared to many other cities. The places that aren't crowded have a transportation problem. For instance, if you go to south-eastern Queens, south Rockaway Blvd, the place isn't crowded, but it has no transportation to the city. Elmhurst, Astoria, Long Island City, and Sunnyside usually have a lot of traffic dring the day. They all have fast and easy transportaion. Kew gardens and Forest Hills are a lot safer and still have good transportation. They are also much less crowded. I'd recommend an apartment near the place where Kew Gardens Road, Lefferts Blvd, and Queens Blvd are. Its a nice and safe area, close to the E, F, G, R, and V trains which all run to Manhattan.
I think some of you need to explore the area a bit more (referencing Rego Park). The south side of Queens blvd is pretty decent, especially the crescents area. Many areas of Rego Park overlap with Forest Hills as well. Walking down Queens Boulevard will not paint the picture for you. And someone mentioned Austin Street being 'dull'? That wouldn't make sense considering the high cost of rent for the stores there and the even higher cost of living. I have friends who live in Astoria that prefer that area than the 'Steinway Street' scene..and with good reason. Austin street and the surrounding area is very lively and there is a lot to do when comparing it to other places in Queens. Metropolitan Avenue, further down, is also not a bad place to cruise, though has recently become less popular. I really don't like Astoria all that much. It's too crowded, too dirty, and forgive me for sounding non-PC, but a little too diverse for me.
I've been reading this thread and decided to chime in with my opinions.
I've lived all over NYC almost my entire life and now currently reside in Forest Hills.
There seems to be a lot of negativity towards Rego Park, which can be well understood. However, as biggyboy said, Rego Park is not just Marshall's or 63rd Drive. In fact, it stretches from the LIE overpass near Goldfingers strip club to 67th Road, and well north and south of QB, and IMHO, the closer you get to 67th, the better the neighborhood becomes. Some great bargains can be found near that area and it's right by the GVR subway stop. In addition, the Crescents is a very nice residential area albeit a bit far from QB and the subways. I agree that the north side of QB and 63rd Drive is a bit hectic, but you have to realize that it is not any worse than Steinway Street, plus there are large chain stores, such as Circuit City, Marshall's, Sears, Old Navy, BB&B, and Loehman's. Soon, Home Depot and Century 21 are set to open right around the block, so congestion is expected. Moreover, the area is home to several huge 20-30 story apartment buildings, so it's inevitable that you'll see people walking around, and if you don't understand this, you need to get your head examined. Given all this, I think the congestion problem is really not that bad. Plus, after 6PM, it usually becomes very quiet.
And here are my opinions on the other nabes of Queens. Remember, these are my opinions, so don't shoot me.
Astoria - overrated and dirty. Yes, it has the "cool" vibe. It's got the restaurants, cafes and bars, but but it's still very dirty and somethings tells me that the dirtiness will never leave Astoria. Most apartments are pretty dirty and old, and if they've been renovated, be prepared to pay a premium. If you're a young, early-20s starting out in NYC and can't afford Manhattan, this should be fine, but the rent prices are definitely rising and the area is still full of punks and trouble-makers (Think A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints 20 years later). Although I'd consider most areas of Queens safe, this isn't at the top of my list. But the Beer Garden is definitely on my "cool" list.
Long Island City - cold, barren, isolated. What can I say? The LIC boom never really caught on. The luxury condos are nice, if you can afford it, but most can't. At those prices, you might as well live in Manhattan. There are absolutely nothing, I mean NOTHING, in terms of restaurants or bars in the area and many parts are still very desolate and seedy at night. Yes, Tournesol is nice, especially their brunch, and that Italian restaurant down the block is also good, but a walk around the area will tell you that this was once a very industrial area filled with drug dealers and crack addicts. Definitely on the bottom of the safety list due to some of its very seedy areas.
Sunnyside - gentrified, gentrifying, and losing diversity. Sunnyside of the 80s and 90s are all but gone. The area used to be primarily Hispanic on the south side of QB and Korean, Turkish and Eastern European on the North side. Most Koreans have left and so have their restaurants, but a few remain. There are still some remnants of the Turks and Eastern European influences on the north side, but they are slowly being taken over by the new "hipper" restaurants and the Starbuxes. Parking is a b#tch during the weekdays and rent has risen faster than most other Queens nabes due to its proximity to Manhattan and the "gentrification". Other than the beautiful Sunnyside Gardens area a few blocks north of QB which most can't afford, most rentals are small pre-war 6 story buildings. You will also find many walkups, but because of that you may find some deals if you're willing to walk to the top floors. A lot of the apartments are in pretty bad shape. The north side is pretty safe. The south side, less so. The further south you go towards the LIE/BQE, the rent gets significantly cheaper. Also, it should be noted that you are only serviced by the 7 (above-ground) subway which is notorious for being crowded and being delayed (think 2-3 times a week). And when it snows, there are always switch problems on the subway.
I will write up my opinions on Woodside, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Forest Hills later today as I have to have some lunch now. Feel free to ask any questions.
since you are writing more anyway, it would interesting to hear also how you feel these areas compare to those areas in brooklyn that have comparable rents to the areas of queens that are being discussed. This would include bay ridge, lefferts gardens, ditmas park, crown heights, bed stuy, midwood, parts of kensington.
while I think I ended up in a pretty cool neighborhood for various reasons (jackson heights), I also go through periods of missing brooklyn.
When I used to work downtown, Brooklyn (but not every part of Brooklyn) was much more convenient than Queens. However, now that I work in midtown, I would never consider moving to Brooklyn. In general, Queens gives you more bang for your buck in terms of rent. You'll generally find larger, cleaner apts in nicer, safer neighborhoods for the same price than you would in Brooklyn. Everyone knows that for the price you'd pay in Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hills, Park Slope, Williamsburg and DUMBO, you can double your apt size in Queens (except LIC luxury apts).
The areas you listed are interesting in that for the most part, the prices are still relatively cheap. However, outside of Bay Ridge, safety can be a concern in the other areas, however "gentrified" they have become. I'm now in my early 30s, and have decided that my family's safety, school district and a peace of mind (when it comes to parking my car on the street) are more important than hip bars and restaurants down the block. Of course, that's just me, but to you or anyone else, this may not be the deciding factor.
It's really amazing how expensive rent has become in areas like crown heights, bed stuy, midwood, bushwick, and even to a certain extent, east NY and brownsville, given how dangerous these areas are and were even 10 years ago.
Again, if you work anywhere near midtown or uptown for that matter, it would not be prudent to live in Brooklyn, especially Bay Ridge, and commute 1.5 hours each way. I've done that and trust me, it's not fun. And in general, as a foodie, I prefer Queens much more for its selections and price over Brooklyn. As for Jackson Heights, I love your area. My update will soon follow.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Henna
since you are writing more anyway, it would interesting to hear also how you feel these areas compare to those areas in brooklyn that have comparable rents to the areas of queens that are being discussed. This would include bay ridge, lefferts gardens, ditmas park, crown heights, bed stuy, midwood, parts of kensington.
while I think I ended up in a pretty cool neighborhood for various reasons (jackson heights), I also go through periods of missing brooklyn.
So here are my opinions on the second set of nabes of Queens. Again, these are my opinions, so don't shoot me.
Woodside - Hidden gem, but might not be for you. Woodside is also a rather large neighborhood in Queens and one of the oldest. Today, it is home to a diverse group of people and is mostly residential. It has a good mix of pre-war buildings to attached detached and semi-attached homes as well as tall 30 story buildings. The center is considered the 61st St 7 train stop but it borders Sunnyside, Astoria, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Maspeth. There's a good # of restaurants including the awesome Sripraphai and other nondescript small local places. The area is safe and the rent is still relatively affordable given that it's on the 7 train's express stop, if you're near 61st. But even if you're not, it's still less than 30 minutes to midtown. The area around 61st can get loud at night, however, given the large # of Irish bars and hard core Irish patrons (construction workers straight from Ireland) who will sometimes start fights with you. Again, it is super convenient because of its subway lines (7,R,V), the LIRR, and the BQE and the LIE. Also Queens Blvd runs right through it. South of QB, and the Big 6 APT Complex (behind Gold's Gym, Key Food), the area becomes extremely residential and quiet. North of Roosevelt Ave, it becomes a bit dingier and the rent prices fall. Along Broadway and closer to Northern Blvd, the R and V subway lines make it convenient to reach Manhattan, however, it is right near the housing projects and becomes not so safe, especially at night. Of course, the rent is significantly cheaper in this area.
Jackson Heights - Diversity diversity diversity. You want diversity, you got it in Jackson Heights. Yes, it is ALWAYS congested, crowded, noisy, but you have access to just about any type of cuisine in the world at a low low price, if that's what's important to you. Traditionally home of Indians, Pakistanis, Koreans, Hispanics, the area is always bustling with life. Indians in the Tri-State area drive to Jackson Heights on the weekends to buy groceries, clothes, rent movies, etc. etc, so driving along the Indian strip on the weekends should be avoided like the plague. Chinese and Korean supermarkets are great sources of ethnic products and hot new restaurants have started popping up left and right (UFC, Zabb Thai, the Vietnamese on Broadway), that I can't even keep up with them. Yes, the buildings are mostly pre-war and old, but they do have their charm and the rent is still pretty cheap. If you have a car, unfortunately, it is very difficult to find parking and driving can be a nightmare, especially given that the BQE (with its never ending construction) is a joke. However, you have access to not only the 7 train, but the E,F,G,R,V all at the same station. All in all, you'll get the most bang for your money in Jackson Heights. Moreover, a walk further east along Roosevelt Ave or a couple of train stops will open up to the neighborhood of Corona, home of one of the most diverse Hispanic neighborhoods with the best, and cheapest Peruvian, Ecuadorian, Colombian, Argentinean, Venezuelan and Mexican restaurants in the city. I gotta say Jackson Heights has become one of the safer neighborhoods in Queens.
Elmhurst - Dirty but cleaned up and growing. Elmhurst has always been traditionally Chinese, Korean, Indian and Hispanic. Any area not near Lefrak City and Junction Blvd is pretty safe in my opinion. If you don't bother them, they won't bother you. About 20 or so years ago, there were some Chinese gangs in the area, but they are now long gone. Many old and new restaurants can be had for cheap and the rent is still affordable. Driving down Broadway anytime before 11PM can be a pain, but that's true for most any area of Queens. Elmhurst around the Queens Center Mall, especially around the shopping season, can get very very very hectic, and that's an understatement, but it's good for the area's thriving businesses. There's nothing pretty about Elmhurst, but it's a good place for young people given the close proximity to subway stations, the Mall and Target.
Forest Hills - old Jewish people, middle class, quiet. To set things straight, I have nothing against old people or the Jews. It's just that Forest Hills has traditionally been home to a large population of Bukharian Jews and as they got older, so did the demographics of the area. Although most apts have become co-ops, the older generations are still living in cheap, rent-stabilized apartments (heck, I'd do the same if I were them). The area is generally thought to be more affluent than other areas of Queens and boasts the Austin Street shopping area - a strip of 7-8 blocks just south of QB with well-known stores such as B&N, TGIF, NYSC, Anne Taylor, Banana Republic, Gap, Sephora, Benetton, Bath & Body Works, Body Shop, etc. The only thing lacking here is a good selection of restaurants and bars and they are mostly subpar, except 5 Burro and DB Wine Bar. There's a good movie theater, a myriad of banks and doctors, and is accessible by the LIRR and the E,F,G,R,V subway lines. The Grand Central Pkwy and the Van Wycke Expy are right here as well as Flushing Meadows park and Forest Park. In addition, the new Trader Joe's is a short drive away, depending on where you live. Forest Hills Gardens is one of the few high-end closed communities in NYC where you need to be a resident to park on the streets. It is absolutely beautiful in there but the homes are rarely on the market. Rent in Forest Hills is a bit higher than other Queens neighborhoods, but not significantly higher. A decent 1BR in a non-luxury apt will be anywhere between $1400 and $1800 depending on how close you are to the 71st-Continental subway stop which is 25 minutes to midtown. This is one of the safest neighborhoods in Queens as there has not been a murder in a couple of years, at least, and is home to one of the bet public school districts in all of NYC.
Another area not mentioned if Kew Gardens, which is directly east of Forest Hills, another superb area.
So there it is. If I sounded impartial to Forest Hills, well, I am because that's where I live, for all the reasons I listed above.
Feel free to ask any questions you may have about anything I wrote.
An article I've read in the paper mentioned that the Bukharian Jewish community in particular, contribute to the high prices of homes in Forest Hills. It seems that there are never-ending projects of property purchases, demolitions, and essentially starting from scratch and building those mini-mansions found on every block. I must hand it to them, the area of Forest Hills outside of Forest Hills Gardens is becoming more comparable day by day (in terms of value). The neighborhood walking distance to it, Kew Gardens, is pretty pricey as well (but worth it, IMO).
And if anyone else wants an accurate description of Queens, read oc200 posts.
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To clear things up
