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The next month, end of february, I'll spend a week in NYC with my wife for vacations and we will stay on 132nd & Lenox ave. in Harlem.
It's not our first time visiting Harlem but the first time staying there. We also actually never had a problem.
Still we were trying to figure out if the specific blocks we stay at are known to be safe or unsafe. What we could find is very controversial, some say it's totally safe, others say it's not, specifically mentioning that the crime had increased a lot during the last 2 years.
We will definitely get around the city with the metro and also we'd like to explore the neighbourhood. Our main concern is getting back late night with the metro to the 135th St. station and walk back to our place. We are kind of street smart but still every block is different and some should be avoided. Also does anybody know if the metro runs 24/7 or is there a schedule break during some night hours? Probably that will also have an affect on security if we walk back on 11 pm or 2.30 am.
We're grateful for everyone that knows the area and can give us their opinion. Thanks in advance!
That area is very much a block by block thing. I did not feel comfortable walking along Lenox years back in that area, but perhaps if you are Black and used to the hood environment, you may think it's fine, but I just didn't like the vibe and I'm a native New Yorker. There has been gentrification in some parts of West Harlem, and I think some of the old-timers display some hostility in some areas of Harlem to those they deem as "outsiders". Near 125th however, I've felt more comfortable walking about. More of a mixed crowd there too.
The subway runs 24/7 but sometimes there's track work on certain lines that will close certain stations or reroute trains for a specific period of time. These are called Planned Service Changes and you can find out in advance if your station or train line will be rerouted. Generally this only happens late nights (like midnight to 5 am) or anytime on a weekend.
You don't really have to keep up with the alerts if you habitually use an app that does the route planning for you. Some people like Citymapper. I just use Google maps transit directions.
If you sense discomfort once in the area, then switch from taking the subway to an Uber late nights.
That area is very much a block by block thing. I did not feel comfortable walking along Lenox years back in that area, but perhaps if you are Black and used to the hood environment, you may think it's fine, but I just didn't like the vibe and I'm a native New Yorker. There has been gentrification in some parts of West Harlem, and I think some of the old-timers display some hostility in some areas of Harlem to those they deem as "outsiders". Near 125th however, I've felt more comfortable walking about. More of a mixed crowd there too.
some of the old-timers display some hostility in some areas of Harlem to those they deem as "outsiders".
Well done. I believe this applies to any place across America.
I worked for many years in Harlem. An outsider but familiar face. I remember times when locals step in with a
" he's cool " whenever confronted or confrontational. " Maybe flashing a Rock T Shirt or yelling at someone to stop
pissing in the street." All in all felt very comfortable walking the streets 24/7.
Fast forward 50 years and I agree, the vibe is different.
Then again I am much older and more in line of becoming a target of opportunity.
So.............stay close to a low crime neighborhood and in the house when the sun goes down.
That area is very much a block by block thing. I did not feel comfortable walking along Lenox years back in that area, but perhaps if you are Black and used to the hood environment, you may think it's fine, but I just didn't like the vibe and I'm a native New Yorker. There has been gentrification in some parts of West Harlem, and I think some of the old-timers display some hostility in some areas of Harlem to those they deem as "outsiders". Near 125th however, I've felt more comfortable walking about. More of a mixed crowd there too.
Well we are both light-skinned, but my wife is from Ecuador so we spend some time every year in Latin America. We expected it to be kind of "block by block" thing so that's why we are curious about the specific ones we're staying at.
In that area I don’t think you’ll have much of a problem if you don’t act like clueless vacationers and use your street smarts. Act like a native: Some loud conversation in Spanish might help with that. And you are near Harlem Hospital, where plenty of white folks go in and out at all hours, so being fair-skinned won’t attract that much attention. I don’t think you’ll have a hard time with a three-block walk late at night.
Last edited by citylove101; 01-26-2023 at 09:45 PM..
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