Roll Call! What NYC neighborhood do you live in? and name a few pros and cons about it.... (Roosevelt: section 8, affordable apartments)

[SeventhFloor]

I'll set it off...

Far Rockaway, NY (Queens get the money long time no cash!!!)

Pros: Beachfront access, cheap rents/mortgage, proximity to JFK, everybody has a real sense of community, most people on my block have owned their house for 20+ years, and my neighborhood made me the man I am today (learned my street smarts)

Cons: Cold as hell in the winter (but u get used to it), an hour to lower manhattan during rush hour, we have 6 (count em 6) public housing developments that contribute to the majority of violent crime...25% of public housing in queens is out here but the rockaways is only 5% of the land area for queens. and forget about trying to get a bite to eat, its pretty much pizza, chinese food, spanish, or west indian restaurant. the usual hood choices. and to top it off, no movie theater. public schools aint that great either.


Keep this one going, as I think it will help people wanting to know about NYC and its neighborhoods in general! If it gets enough replies, I'll make it a sticky.

Click on the link for some pics of around my way i posted in an earlier thread:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-y...-rockaway.html

[jeffcon0]

Nice topic Seventhfloor, I'll be interested what people say. My neighborhood:

Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Pros:
Great subway access. I have the C and G train on my block and a 5 minute walk to just about any subway line in the city at Atlantic Ave. It's mostly a landmarked historic district with many beautiful brownstones, old trees, and loads of character. Many homes are being beautifully restored as this is quickly becoming part of "prime" Brooklyn (if it is not there already). Fort Greene park and it's farmer's market is easily accesible from most parts of the neighborhood and is one of only a few Olmstead designed parks in the US (also the designer of Central and Prospect Parks). It's only a couple stops to downtown Manhattan and 30 mins to midtown. I've heard this neighborhood referred to as "Sesame Street" becuase of the (mostly) harmonious diversity here. You see as many white professionals, families, hipsters, etc. as you do longtime African American residents. Doesn't seem to be the bitterness here that this sort of mixing can breed in other neighborhoods. Many great dining options -- Smoke Joint for BBQ, 67 Burger, Middle Eastern, Indian, Sushi, French bistros, veggie, and all the standard take-out spots.

CONS:
Rents on the rise. I pay $1350 for a studio and that is going up even more. Studios generally above $1300, one bdrms upwards of $1500-1600. Not too bad by NY standards but it's getting worse. Brownstones are selling well above $2MM, a studio co-op is going for close to $300k. Other than the price I can't think of many negatives but I'm sure that ca be said for MANY neighborhoods in this city.

[SuperMario]

University Heights Bronx, NY

Bordering neighborhoods

North = Kingsbridge
West= Inwood (Manhattan)
East= Tremont, Fordham
South= Morris Heights

Boundaries

(188th st)Fordham rd to the North (some extend it to Kingsbridge rd)
Harlem river to the West
Jerome avenue to the East
(180th st)Burnside Avenue to the south

Area is 95% Black and Hispanic
Served by Community Districts 5 and 7
Served by the 46th and 52nd precincts
Zip codes 10453, 10468

PROS: Easy subway acess (4 train Burnside/183rd/Fordham rd /Kingsbridge rd) Easy bus access (BX 3, BX 12) Commercial strip (W Fordham rd, W 183rd, W Kingsbridge, W Burnside)
CHEAP (section 8, welfare, cheap apartments) Parks(Devoe Park, St James) Churches (University Heights, ST Nick of Tolentine), Schools (Ms 206B, PS 91, PS 291, PS 15, University Heights HS, BCC) Library (NYPL) Bodegas, Supermarkets etc..CLUBS (X-bar) Metro North

Basically you name and it's in University Heights. Other positives are that you are walking distance from Manhattan (University Heights Bridge) and there are no projects in the immediate area.

CONS: High crime rate, Poverty, DRUGS (W 183rd st among heaviest drug blocks in the city) Gangs (Bloods, Latin Kings, DDP, Trinitario, Crips) Graffiti
(pretty much everywhere) Dirty (trash on floor) Mostly Tenements (few houses)

Basically the ghetto.

Here are some pics

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[crisp444]

I live where three neighborhoods converge: Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, and Cobble Hill. If I want to impress people I tell them I live in Brooklyn Heights, but the truth is that I am closer to Fulton Mall and Downtown Brooklyn than I am to the streets that are quintessentially Brooklyn Heights.

Pros: 1) Great subway access. Within a 5 minute walk from my apartment building I can catch the 2/3, 4/5, F, G, M, R, and A/C trains. 2) Decent shopping along Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights and Smith/Court streets in Cobble Hill. 3) Generally safe area. 4) Lots of restaurants along Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights and Smith/Court streets in Cobble Hill. 5) One stop to Lower Manhattan! 6) Close to everywhere I go for dining and entertainment: Manhattan, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, DUMBO, etc.

Cons: 1) Expensive! 2) Downtown Brooklyn is eerie and deserted at night and doesn't seem like a good place to be walking around. 3) The subway stations are pretty run down and gross, but that seems to be the case througout the city.

[Biskit]

Woodside, Queens

Pros: Excellent ethnic food, safe, multicultural, 20 minutes to midtown

Cons: Loud ass 7 trains, airplanes, BQE, pubs, clubs etc, kinda dull, a bit dense, did I mention it's loud?

I'm gonna move back to Astoria after my lease is done. The area from 21st street to Steinway and Broadway to Ditmars is the ideal neighborhood to live in NYC in my opinion. Nothin beats it!

[Henna]

Jackson Heights, Queens

Pros: excellent transportation and quick to midtown (3 stops from Manhattan on E or F) plus the R,V and 7 stop here too
beautiful pre-war architecture throughout historic district
tons of ethnic restaurants (foodie destination)
lots of amenities (groceries/other stores)
large apartments
cheap rents
safe
multicultural/diverse
busy/thriving
strong family network &community - esp. good for young couples with babies (who seem to be moving here in droves)
some arts events, films, etc.

cons: no green space, difficult to find street parking, car congestion, no good bars, bookstore or good gym, area near Roosevelt Ave can seem sketchy at night, compared to Brooklyn it's missing the 'hip' factor, but this could just as easily be a pro rather than a con; if you're single and looking for a place to hang out - this isn't really it (try Astoria)

[UpstaterInBklyn]

Gerritsen Beach, Brooklyn

Most people in NYC (even life long residents), probably don't know much about it. It is a small waterfront residential neighborhood located in Southeastern Brooklyn. The Gerritsen Beach neighborhood is actually a peninsula formed by Plumb Creek Channel and Shell Bank Creek (which actually more of a small bay than a creek). Sheepshead Bay is to the west. Marine Park (the park) is the Eastern border. Marine Park (the neighborhood) lies to the North.

The neighborhood's southern half is very distinctive for its narrow streets and single-family houses closely packed on small lots. Many of the houses are right on the waterfront. It used to be a cottage community in 1920's and evolved in a year-round neighborhood. The northern half is mostly attached single-family homes, plus several larger co-op buildings.

Pros: Affordable, safe and quiet. Very family oriented, close-knit community with strong institutions. Easy access to Marine Park: In five minutes, you are amongst 6-foot tall reeds next to a quiet body of water, or on a quiet beach. You'd never believe you were in Brooklyn. Easier to own a car with no alternate parking, but car is also pretty essential here, since there there are few necessities within a short walking distance.

Cons: Long commute to Manhattan (75-90 minutes). No subways nearby, although the B31 bus is a pretty reliable way to get to the Q train, and two express bus routes are available. Sometimes its a little "too quiet"

[beachespeaches]

This is a fantastic thread for those of us soon to be moving to NY....keep it going!

[dee5543]

Mott Haven, Bronx

Pros:
Close to the city (was able to walk to Harlem during the transit strike, in 20 minutes)
Close to shops
Great food
Beautiful views of the city
Affordable

Cons:
Crime
Drugs
Certain areas a bit rundown

[mead]

Woodlawn, Bronx

Pros:
Affordable apartments
Very safe for the Bronx
MetroNorth Station on the edge of the neighborhood (30 minutes to Grand Central)
Lots of bars
Good community spirit
Has one of the best K-8 public schools in the Bronx, and 2 good parochial schools

Cons:
No subway station in the neighborhood (you have to take the bus to the subway)
MetroNorth trains don't run that frequently
Food options are limited to Pizza, Chinese-takeout, Burgers, and Irish food
Parking situation is pretty bad (although there is no alternate side of the street parking)