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I have visited Brighton Beach in Brooklyn this summer and have really liked it!! I speak Russian and it was such an amazing culture shock just people speaking russian all over!!
For the first time in nine years of living in America I did not feel "different" when speaking Russian in public. It felt great in my opinion. Plus hundreds of people where just mingling at the beach boardwalk! Resturants, priests, children, couples holding hands.. nothing i've ever seen living the west in that special regard. . Lol
Now knowing that even though it was such a great culture shock for me I only stayed there for an hour and a half at night. So I have not seen the full Brighton Beach community.
I want a realistic perception on what people think of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. What are its pro's and con's.
The pro's I found was .. besides thousands of native russian speakers. Brighton Beach was right by the ocean. There was a boardwalk, and Coney Island is about a mile away.
So what are the pro's and con's?
What is your critique about this area???
I've lived in Brighton Beach for about 6 years (I now live in Staten Island), and this is my opinion:
Pros:
A lot of stores selling Russian food
Close to the beach
Close to transportation
There is a decent amount of shopping and entertainment (the nearest movie theaters are in Sheepshead Bay and Midwood, but there is a Millenium Theater that sometimes puts on plays)
Cons:
Schools aren't too good
The train is loud! (especially standing by the Brighton Beach station, which is before a big curve that the trains screech around)
Crime is a little higher than the city average (and I'm not just referring to the recent shooting on the boardwalk), and I've been there at night, and some parts can be sketchy.
Parking is hard (my family parked our car in a garage in Sheepshead Bay, since the lot by our building filled up)
I've also noticed that there is a large senior population. Take that however you want to: A lot of the things in the community are geared towards seniors, but there aren't as many child-oriented things as you would expect.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vincentnyc
the con: if u get off the brigton beach subway station....there is some big ass pj's complexes west of it...about 10-15 min walk. it maybe alot of russians..but it is also not nice to some of the biggest pj's complex in nyc next to where u live, coney island is full of pj's. another con i can think of is if u buy property there...mortgage company make sure u have flood insurance. that area is consider a high level flood zone area during a storms/hurricanes.
When I lived there, I didn't remember any housing projects (there might be some behind thw West 8th Street subway station, but that's further west). The buildings you are referring to may be the Trump Towers, which are around Ocean Parkway. Those are just average apartment buildings.
I recall that there were some tenement-style buildings in the area, but they were decently maintained.
I have lived near Brighton Beach since I came to this country 20 years ago. It's the place to go if you're a russian speaker. Being close to the beach is the best, and over the years it's become very family friendly. There's nothing but grannies and parents with their toddlers there now. Also, all the russian restaurants. All the jewish weddings, birthdays, anything and everything is celebrated there. Authentic russian/jewish food in numerous groceries, russian books, music. Also Millenium theater where they have concerts. Brighton is very crowded and loud, but that's what makes it great.
Brighton Beach is like a little village. A lot of people and stores.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vincentnyc
the con: if u get off the brigton beach subway station....there is some big ass pj's complexes west of it...about 10-15 min walk. it maybe alot of russians..but it is also not nice to some of the biggest pj's complex in nyc next to where u live, coney island is full of pj's. another con i can think of is if u buy property there...mortgage company make sure u have flood insurance. that area is consider a high level flood zone area during a storms/hurricanes.
The Pj's is different in Brighton than it is in Coney.
Quote:
Originally Posted by checkmatechamp13
Pros:
Close to the beach
Close to transportation
Cons:
Schools aren't too good
The train is loud! (especially standing by the Brighton Beach station, which is before a big curve that the trains screech around)
Crime is a little higher than the city average (and I'm not just referring to the recent shooting on the boardwalk), and I've been there at night, and some parts can be sketchy.
Parking is hard (my family parked our car in a garage in Sheepshead Bay, since the lot by our building filled up)
All the beaches around the area are horrible. You will never get me on the beach in NYC. The only time I go to the beach is when I go on vacation. The good thing about NYC is the trains and buses. It's close to all the stores. Any part of the City can be sketchy at night. Parking is just terrible anywhere in Sheepshead Bay. You made the right move to move to SI.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nightcrawler
yeah, well I think it sucks, I hate listening to Russian when I am walking down the street in my neighborhood.
It turns my stomach.
and I would never in a trillion years ever go to Brighton beach to hear Russian all day long.
This is America speak English already. !!
My family is 100 percent Greek and we talk English on the streets, because we want to be American.
I also get mad whenever I hear the Russian language.We live in America, not Russia. I also hate when people come up to you and ask you if you speak Russian. This one person asked me why I don't speak Russian. lol
I have a few questions to add to this discussion...when did the Russians first move into Brighton beach? How "russian" was the area until recently? Is it being gentrified with new arrivals? Finally, are the Brighton Beachers predominanetly Jewish Russian?...just curious.
I have a few questions to add to this discussion...when did the Russians first move into Brighton beach? How "russian" was the area until recently? Is it being gentrified with new arrivals? Finally, are the Brighton Beachers predominanetly Jewish Russian?...just curious.
From the brief stuff I know about it, it used to be a Jewish-American neighborhood. Then came Russian Jews, other Russians, Ukrainians, etc.
I don't see it being invaded by hipsters anytime soon.
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