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I'm looking for a place to live that will give me easy access to midtown via the 1 Train. My impression from this forum is that the further north you go, the more problematic the areas become. I'm currently looking at places near the 157th St. Metro Station, near the Presbyterian/Columbia Hospital. When I look on Google Street View, the area looks fine, I don't see people loitering around buildings. Would this area be safe between 6am-8pm? Would someone wearing a suit be seen as an easy victim around there? Is the Manhattan safety map still accurate?
I'm starting a new job in midtown near 30 Rock, and due to the snow, there is NO way I can commute from NJ. Too many variable and too much time will be tied up in commuting.
Dont believe the hype of maps saying one area is worse than another. Some people get panicked if theres not a starbucks or duane reade on every corner and the majority of people are not white (yeah i sad it)
You think no one wearing a suit and works in midtown lives above 157st. Just find someplace you can afford, what is your max budget, if you want to have everyday right outside your door steps like cafes, shops, nightlife you might not get everything. As long as you know your way around the subway, foot, cabs, buses, you can do and go anywhere, just learn how to spend your money.
Some people (myself included) will tell you that area is fine, others will try to scare the heck out of you. All areas have pros and cons. If you have an ounce of street smarts and have experience with many types of people with different backgrounds than yours, you should be fine.
There is no problem there. It's slightly grubby on Broadway and east, but west toward Riverside Drive is quite middle class and even upper middle class. At night take the usual precautions, but during the day, no problem really at all.
You might look into Inwood - northern extreme of Manhattan Island -- close to your preferred subway line -- diverse, generally safe (I think most of it is safer than the West 130-150's) - just a little bit longer on the train ride.
You think no one wearing a suit and works in midtown lives above 157st. Just find someplace you can afford, what is your max budget, if you want to have everyday right outside your door steps like cafes, shops...Some people (myself included) will tell you that area is fine, others will try to scare the heck out of you. All areas have pros and cons. If you have an ounce of street smarts and have experience with many types of people with different backgrounds than yours, you should be fine.
Not being from the area, I only have the previous threads + stereotypes to go off. The remedy to this was to get more info + walk around the area tomorrow. I didn't mean to say people in that area don't have good jobs. I've been to Brooklyn and people there were quite relaxed in terms of appearance and I would look like an outsider in a suit/tie there as well. My point was, will I look like an outsider and thus an easy target. It seems like, the answer is 'no.'
I don't want to spend more than $900/mo, inclusive of utilities. I don't care about cafes or the arts. I just need a safe, quiet place.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MisterStereoman
You might look into Inwood - northern extreme of Manhattan Island -- close to your preferred subway line -- diverse, generally safe (I think most of it is safer than the West 130-150's) - just a little bit longer on the train ride.
I will look, thank you. I recall that area had a huge Eastern European Jewish population? Something about an airlift during WWII.
What I would really like is access to the D train to the concourse level at 30 Rock. That runs along Central Park but it's quite expensive!
Last edited by AnalystTherapist; 02-17-2015 at 10:26 PM..
I don't want to spend more than $900/mo, inclusive of utilities. I don't care about cafes or the arts. I just need a safe, quiet place.
Are there really still apartments in ok neighborhoods with subways nearby for $800? I assume this is what you meant by paying $900 including utilities. Actually, my utilities are easily well over $100 if you include electric, gas and cable, so you might have to search for something more in the range of $750 if you want your $900 amount to include utilities cost.
I would love to know if there are still apartments out there for that range. I pretty much thought that if you didn't have a budget of $1000 per month at the very minimum (not including utilities) that you're out of luck. I know that in Queens, apartments in neighborhoods that have good subway access are more like $1200+. minimum.
If you are doing a walk-around tomorrow, you should try to ring some bells for supers on the buildings that you pass by. I have heard of some people finding apartments that way.
Are there really still apartments in ok neighborhoods with subways nearby for $800?...If you are doing a walk-around tomorrow, you should try to ring some bells for supers on the buildings that you pass by. I have heard of some people finding apartments that way.
Sorry, I should've clarified, I'm looking for rooms in apartments. Hence the $800
I lived right there at Riverside and W. 160th St. for a year, last year. I'd say the area is more safe than quiet! It's predominantly Dominican, but has a mixture of everybody else, too.
People aren't "loitering" on streets. They live there, in big apartment buildings with no yards. The sidewalk is their front porch. It's a very social community. People visit each other outdoors in good weather, share a smoke, laugh with friends, play music and sometimes dance. It's not threatening but it can be noisy and surprising at first.
6 am - 10 p.m. I felt absolutely safe. It's a family-oriented neighborhood, with men and women of every age on the streets well into the evening; children near their parents, and teens circling around with each other.
On weeknights by 10 p.m., the mature women went inside so the street was mostly male and felt different to me.
On weekends, there's a lot of family partying on the streets sometimes until 1 or 2 a.m. It's not threatening but can be obnoxious (noisy!) when you're trying to fall asleep. For this reason, look for an apartment whose windows look out onto the back or inner courtyard of the building, rather than onto the street itself, even if you have less of a view. Even facing onto the back of a building, though, you'll hear plenty of Spanish radio music, several stations at once, coming out of windows. If you can't stand that, don't live in that neighborhood because it's really never "quiet" there except maybe from 2 a.m. - 8 a.m.
When I came home around midnight, I was amazed at how many people were still on the 1 subway coming home from work and walking towards home.
West of Broadway feels safer than east of Broadway. Broadway itself is lively and full of stores and people, so if you basically enjoy walking around and among people, you'll like Broadway. Stay alert and friendly, without getting into anyone's business. As one guy there expressed it, "just don't be a jerk."
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