Roll Call! What NYC neighborhood do you live in? and name a few pros and cons about it.... (New York: violent crime, houses)

[Tumbler13]

Pelham Parkway, The Bronx:

Pros:
Affordable, spacious apartments
Nice pre-war buildings
A decent mix of chain and local stores in the area; if you don't like any of them, hop on the BX12 and head west (to Fordham Road) or east (to Bay Plaza)
Good access to mass transit: the 2 and 5 trains pass through the area, as well as the Bx12 and a few other buses
Quiet at night
Relatively safe, at least for the Bronx
A hop, skip and a jump away from the Bronx Zoo, the Botanical Gardens, Arthur Ave., and Fordham University. City Island and Orchard Beach aren't that far away, either.
No hipsters. Yet.

Cons:
Not glamorous (It's the Bronx. You want glamour? Move to Manhattan.)
Not much nightlife
Some gang activity in the area (I haven't seen any sign of it apart from some amateur music videos on YouTube and a little graffiti here and there)
White Plains Rd. very spooky late at night
2 train is ass-crowded during rush hour; the 5 train is a little better going through most of the Bronx, but it also gets crowded once you hit Manhattan

Overall, I haven't had any bad experiences here, but I'm not sure yet if I want to make it my permanent home. I plan on sticking around at least for a little while and seeing what happens to the neighborhood as time goes on.

[Guywithacause]

Tumbler you are basing the idea that there is gang activity in Pelham Parkway because you saw a u-tube video, and even more silly, some graffitti? There is no doubt, however, that there is some gang activity across the city, as gangs have had a place in the city for well over 150 years...with no end in sight.

[Tumbler13]

I should've put the word "apparently" at the beginning of that line. I didn't even know there were gangs in the area until recently, when someone added a "social problems" section to P.P.'s Wikipedia entry that mentions the A.B.I. That's how I found this forum, in fact, by Googling that term with the word "gang". I have to admit, I was rather shocked by some of the stuff I read here. I haven't been here that long, but I've always thought this was a pretty quiet area on the whole.

To be honest, I'm not even certain how I should feel about it. A lot of people would take up and go as soon as they even hear the word "gang". I'm not so sure I want to do that. This place has a lot of good things going for it, and I want to give it a chance.

[Q-d0g_Bronx]

bloods been in pelham parkway since like 99-2000

[Guywithacause]

I would not be worried if I were you tumbler..there is a reason why you had no idea there were gangs in your area..because it is not the issue that posters on here claim it is. Many posters on here, in my experience, try very hard to scare people (white people in particular) out of "their" neighborhoods because they foolishly believe white people are evil and out to get them. Alot of these posters have sinister motives when they post these scary stories...it isn't to "advise" you or "keep you safe"...it is to keep their rent cheap and keep white people out. Don't believe alot of the hype...your personal experiences LIVING in the area is far more accurate than somebody's posting who likely has alterior motives. Question everything/everyone you read on here.

[Jrock247]

Theres definitely some shady characters by white plains road and boston post road. The further you east you go the nicer it is. I live down towards jacobi and find the biggest downside to the neighborhood is that the 5 doesn't run past 180th late night making going into the city and getting home a pain in the ass since I never seem to hang out anywhere near the 2.

By the way Guy, Pelham Parkway was a traditionally WHITE (Italian and Jewish) neighborhood with most of the hispanic population residing closer to white plains road and the parks. Its been becoming increasingly HISPANIC and BLACK with a very large Albanian population. The PJs up here used to be almost entirely white until 20 years ago.

[Tumbler13]

Originally Posted by Jrock247

Theres definitely some shady characters by white plains road and boston post road. The further you east you go the nicer it is. I live down towards jacobi and find the biggest downside to the neighborhood is that the 5 doesn't run past 180th late night making going into the city and getting home a pain in the ass since I never seem to hang out anywhere near the 2.

I live closer to White Plains Rd., actually. WPR doesn't seem bad at all during the day, just at night it's spooky. I rarely go near Boston Post Rd., though. And, you are right about the neighborhood getting nicer as you go east. Part of the draw to living so close to the 2 was so I wouldn't have to take cabs home late at night (often expensive, and I hate giving directions). If it's true, though, that the area around the 2 stop is bad for muggings, I may have to change my mind about cabs.

Sorry if I'm derailing the thread. I'm new here.

[Guywithacause]

Jrock....lest you forget I am a 3rd generation bronxite..so I am well aware of Pelham Pkway and its changing demographics. What exactly is your point by saying it is becoming more Hispanic/Black? I believe that has been occuring all across he borough for about 40 years.

[NooYowkur81]

Aren't Albanians White? Oh that's right, they haven't quite been here long enough, so they are still a little too ethnic for people.

[Jrock247]

Originally Posted by Guywithacause

it is to keep their rent cheap and keep white people out. .

Then what was the point of this reponse? You constantly contradict yourself and paint false pictures of bad neighborhoods. Its was up until very recently a white neighborhood, no one is trying to keep white people out of it. The bronx got ****ed by ****ty urban planning that drove the middle class out. Its not an burned out shell anymore but it still has alot fo problems.