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Hi all - I'm going to graduate school this fall at Columbia, and my boyfriend is going to Fordham. We would would like to live together, and I would really prefer being within biking/walking distance from Columbia. He would take public transit to Fordham. I would be willing to take public transit to Columbia if it seems like a better option, though we would like to stay on Manhattan. Doesn't seem like there are a ton of options where we could live but here are some ideas:
- Living near 125th St. station area (B/D train) in Morningside Heights/West Harlem, I walk to school and he takes the B/D
- Living near 145th St. Station area (B/D) in Hamilton Heights/Sugar Hill, I walk/bike to school and he takes the B/D
- Living in Inwood, I take the 1 train and he takes the bus to Fordham.
Any thoughts on this? Anything I'm missing? Anyone who went to Fordham, lived in Manhattan, and did a similar commute? I know it may some of these options may be a little inconvenient for each of us, but we would love to live together!!!!!!
If you live in inwood, you may not be able to sleep at night due to all the loud music and racket out on the street - especially during the summer. I lived on the west side of Inwood (the so-called quiet part) but had the bad experience of someone moving below me who would play loud music and throw parties all night long. It was a big nightmare as I worked during the day (had to be at work at 7:30am), did my masters in the evenings, and would then get home at 10pm - only to hear loud music. I commuted from Washington square (NYU) hence the reason I came home so late.
As for the two other areas, they seem checkered to me.
Out of the three, I'd go with Hamilton Heights/Sugar Hill (preferably west of St. Nicholas Avenue). It's nicer than the area by 125th Street, and commute-wise it works out better for both of you. (The D runs express in the PM rush hour and it's 2 stops to Fordham from 145th Street)
Either of the first two make more sense with whichever one you go with dependent on the housing available and budget.
I like Inwood a lot, but I remember the Bx12 being a bit frustrating and biking through that part of the Bronx being unpleasant at times. That being said, that was over a decade ago, so perhaps it's gotten better.
Hi all - I'm going to graduate school this fall at Columbia, and my boyfriend is going to Fordham. We would would like to live together, and I would really prefer being within biking/walking distance from Columbia. He would take public transit to Fordham. I would be willing to take public transit to Columbia if it seems like a better option, though we would like to stay on Manhattan. Doesn't seem like there are a ton of options where we could live but here are some ideas:
- Living near 125th St. station area (B/D train) in Morningside Heights/West Harlem, I walk to school and he takes the B/D
- Living near 145th St. Station area (B/D) in Hamilton Heights/Sugar Hill, I walk/bike to school and he takes the B/D
- Living in Inwood, I take the 1 train and he takes the bus to Fordham.
Any thoughts on this? Anything I'm missing? Anyone who went to Fordham, lived in Manhattan, and did a similar commute? I know it may some of these options may be a little inconvenient for each of us, but we would love to live together!!!!!!
This seems like a relatively infrequent situation where a New Yorker might need to own a car. Public transportation between the western upper Manhattan and the Bronx is really not good at all for daily commute, it seems as though multiple transfers would be needed, and it would take forever. You could live in the Upper West Side, and he could drive to the Bronx. While I have never been in Fordham area, I own a crashpad (not the primary home) elsewhere in the Bronx, and I get the police blog for a part of the borough. The western Bronx seems to be rife with violent crime at all times, and driving might be better than public transportation for that reason too. Consider it.
I love Inwood, so I'd probably pick that option with the BX12 Select Bus. Although it's true that it can be crowded and frustrating, it would leave him right at Fordham U's gate. I wouldn't choose to have a car in Inwood (parking is hell). Crime wise, the 52nd precinct is comparable to Inwood's. Belmont's precinct is a lot worse (that's where Fordham students tend to live). I wouldn't be crazy about walking from the D train on Fordham Road every day, not for danger, but it's just unpleasant. At least the commute from Inwood avoids that.
If you had the budget for it, living close to the Lincoln Center campus would be great since Fordham runs a shuttle bus between the two campuses, and you could take the subway to Columbia.
This seems like a relatively infrequent situation where a New Yorker might need to own a car. Public transportation between the western upper Manhattan and the Bronx is really not good at all for daily commute, it seems as though multiple transfers would be needed, and it would take forever. You could live in the Upper West Side, and he could drive to the Bronx. While I have never been in Fordham area, I own a crashpad (not the primary home) elsewhere in the Bronx, and I get the police blog for a part of the borough. The western Bronx seems to be rife with violent crime at all times, and driving might be better than public transportation for that reason too. Consider it.
It would be a one-seat ride on the B/D from 145th or 125th street station with no transfers unless they want to shorten the ten minute or so walk from the Fordham Road station to the university with a bus ride. This totals less than forty minutes, less than thirty if you live very close to the station and happen to go down when the train arrives. With traffic, just the drive would be as long or longer without including looking for parking. Your suggestion is liable to make it worse for both commutes and you definitely don't seem to know the subway system here very well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by yodel
I love Inwood, so I'd probably pick that option with the BX12 Select Bus. Although it's true that it can be crowded and frustrating, it would leave him right at Fordham U's gate. I wouldn't choose to have a car in Inwood (parking is hell). Crime wise, the 52nd precinct is comparable to Inwood's. Belmont's precinct is a lot worse (that's where Fordham students tend to live). I wouldn't be crazy about walking from the D train on Fordham Road every day, not for danger, but it's just unpleasant. At least the commute from Inwood avoids that.
If you had the budget for it, living close to the Lincoln Center campus would be great since Fordham runs a shuttle bus between the two campuses, and you could take the subway to Columbia.
I do wonder if the Bronx bus system has gotten better. They did put bus lanes up after I left the area already, so I assume that makes some difference. Last I was in the Belmont area, and walking down from Fordham to and from the B/D stop specifically was pre-pandemic when they were doing the Bronx night market. The sidewalks are busy and loud, but I don't find it that unpleasant and definitely better than from what I remember a decade ago.
OP, if you do end up living close to the 125th or 145th street stop with your bf taking the train, there are station entrances both on the north and south side of Fordham Road where he'd get out and the road from the station to Fordham U is plied by two bus services. It's a short ten minute or less walk from the station, but if he really wants to for whatever reason, bus service to and from the station is pretty frequent and the transfer from the subway is free.
Last edited by OyCrumbler; 05-25-2021 at 04:42 PM..
It would be a one-seat ride on the B/D from 145th or 125th street station with no transfers unless they want to shorten the ten minute or so walk from the Fordham Road station to the university when getting off on Fordham. This totals less than forty minutes, down to thirty if you're lucky with getting to the station right when the train arrives. With traffic, just the drive would be as long or longer without including looking for parking. Your suggestion is liable to make it worse for both commutes and you definitely don't seem to know the subway system here very well.
I do wonder if the Bronx bus system has gotten better. They did put bus lanes up after I left the area already, so I assume that makes some difference. Last I was in the Belmont area, and walking down from Fordham to and from the B/D stop specifically was pre-pandemic when they were doing the Bronx night market. The sidewalks are busy and loud, but I don't find it that unpleasant and definitely better than from what I remember a decade ago.
OP, if you do end up living close to the 125th or 145th street stop with your bf taking the train, there are station entrances both on the north and south side of Fordham Road where he'd get out and that pathway from the station to Fordham U going on Fordham Road is plied by two bus services. It's a short ten minute or less walk from the station, but if he really wants to, bus service to and from the station is pretty frequent and the transfer from the subway is free.
Re: Fordham Rd., I meant unpleasant in the sense of aesthetically unpleasing more than anything else (tacky). I've taken that select bus to Inwood a few times during the pandemic and it was pretty quick and uncrowded, but it wasn't rush hour. And the good thing about getting on in Inwood is that you'll get a seat because it's the first stop.
When I lived in Inwood I'd sometimes spend an incredible amount of time looking for parking, especially in the summer. It only made sense to deal with a car because I was commuting outside the city. It was a long time ago but I can't imagine it's gotten any better. The other locations under consideration have to be similar parking-wise.
Re: Fordham Rd., I meant unpleasant in the sense of aesthetically unpleasing more than anything else (tacky). I've taken that select bus to Inwood a few times during the pandemic and it was pretty quick and uncrowded, but it wasn't rush hour. And the good thing about getting on in Inwood is that you'll get a seat because it's the first stop.
When I lived in Inwood I'd sometimes spend an incredible amount of time looking for parking, especially in the summer. It only made sense to deal with a car because I was commuting outside the city. It was a long time ago but I can't imagine it's gotten any better. The other locations under consideration have to be similar parking-wise.
I understand that--it reminds me of Fulton mall in downtown Brooklyn from over a decade ago with the same sort of shops. I actually like that it's so busy.
I'm not up there often, but I'd like for them to stay in business just in case I am!
Last edited by OyCrumbler; 05-25-2021 at 06:19 PM..
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