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If you could live in the Williamsburg area off the G train (not the L...) or live in the Park Slope/South Slope area near Prospect Park, which would you choose, especially if you were working in the financial district? and why? Also we have dogs.
I'd love more information about both of these areas from those who live there, and also about the trains that service the area. We live off the 4/5/6 in UES right now and are moving to Brooklyn in a few months. I'm a young, white, soon to be college grad, and hopefully I will be working in Brooklyn or lower Manhattan, but I don't know where, and my boyfriend works downtown!
So, just looking for opinions, nothing big, obviously we have and will continue to spend time in the area, so, just seeing what everyone thinks!
I live in Park Slope/South Slope depending on who you talk to (13th Street) and much prefer it to Williamsburg. South Slope has been developing a real "Williamsburg-lite" feel. There are a good number of bars, restaurants, etc. catering to a relatively hip 20-something crowd, but the people around here seem to have jobs and real lives as well... there isn't the same scenester thing happening as in Williamsburg.
People complain about the R train but it's far better than being on the L for getting to work downtown. I work downtown off the Rector Street station and it takes 25-30 minutes door to door... only about 15 minutes on the train (from 9th Street). Also, at Atlantic-Pacific, you have access to so many trains that you can get just about anywhere in the city with one transfer. And compared to the G... I don't hate the G as much as some, but there's really no contest in terms of convenience.
McCarren Park is no Prospect Park.
Williamsburg is a better place to hang out every once in a while, in my opinion, but I wouldn't want to live there. Anecdotally, it seems like every year I hear of more and more people graduating from my college and moving to this area instead of North Brooklyn... Williamsburg seems like it's kind of over in a sense, but maybe that's just the crowd that I'm a part of.
I would totally agree with dixiecupdrinking.I used to live in Williamsburg and have spent time in Park Slope and Park Slope is a much nicer area to live in.Williamsburg,for the most part, is pretty grimy looking and there are a lot bars ,thai restaurants and boutiques but not many neighborhood amenities(like real supermarkets) for the most part.The G is bad and now there are blocks and blocks of unfinished condo projects and abandoned construction sights that may not get finished for a long time... and there is way too much graffiti because it is considered "art" in Williamsburg.Dixiecupdrinking might be right... Williamsburg might be over.Go there to hang out once in a while but don't subject yourself to living there.
Thanks, all. I'm sure that I will be better off in the Park Slope area because I am not at all hipster and I don't really like to go to bars or anything.
I should mention that we'll be looking for an apartment that is no more than, but can be up to $2,000/mo, but we have requirements. The most important one and the one that I don't think we can compromise, would be to have an exclusive yard, patio or roof deck. The apartment must be at least 500sq ft, and have no less than laundry in the building, but a w/d in the unit, or hookups, or permission to use a portable washer that hooks up to the sink is a MUST. I refuse to leave the building to do laundry any longer. Also, a dish washer is much preferred and a larger kitchen than what I've got now. And it has to be dog friendly. So... all of that is what we need, and proximity to the park, where it costs more!
Can anyone tell me more about South Park Slope, and the area just below Prospect Park, and also I forgot to ask about Prospect Heights. Safety is a concern to me, thats why we currently live in the UES. I feel very safe here and would like a similar comfort level, though having private outdoor space to let the dogs out late at night will somewhat ease that. Also I will be getting a car, so ease of parking on street OR a nearby garage is important, but it can be compromised because if I could find a garage a few subway stops away that would be alright, too, I suppose.
Another good reason to go with park Slope.The rents in Williamsburg are the highest in Brooklyn and more than most of Manhattan.Your 2,000 might get you a real apartment in Park Slope.In Williamsburg it will get you a small dump.
i agree with everything everybody said above. williamsburg is cool to hang out, park slope is better to live in. i dont think i've ever seen a rite-aid or cvs in williamsburg.
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"The man who sleeps on the floor, can never fall out of bed." -Martin Lawrence
Ya I think Willy-B is out. haha
Wait one more thing let me expand it... basically, best areas you think I'd like to live in anywhere within close proximity to Prospect Park, on any side, though it seems like west of it is bad. No? How about just south? Anyway I think I am going to try to keep EDIT: WEST!! I meant west not east. Don't know why I wrote east!!!!
Last edited by canyontothesky; 01-20-2009 at 07:21 PM..
Ya I think Willy-B is out. haha
Wait one more thing let me expand it... basically, best areas you think I'd like to live in anywhere within close proximity to Prospect Park, on any side, though it seems like west of it is bad. No? How about just south? Anyway I think I am going to try to keep east.
the west and southwest sides of prospect park are much safer. the west side of prospect park is park slope and the southwest side is windsor terrace. nice brownstones, a few pre-war buildings and newer condos thrown in the mix. you have the F train at prospect park west and 15th street, the Q train is more of a hike to get to from that side of the park because the Q runs on flatbush.
the south and east sides of prospect park is called prospect-lefferts gardens, which is part of the larger neighborhood of flatbush. PLG has gotten better over the years, and i have family in the area, but i still consider it one of the more dangerous parts of flatbush because there's just blocks and blocks of buildings, and a lot of miscreants that hang out on the streets. labor day weekend, you will be a virtual prisoner in your house, because flatbush turns into one huge street party that weekend where sometimes gangs come out and cause trouble, smoke weed in the street, etc. a couple of years ago i went to experience j'ouvert, which is the pre-celebration to the labor day parade, and i was at parkside ave and ocean ave at 4 AM and boy was i nervous. but nothing happened over there. at night time i dont like to walk around there because some streets arent lit well. but i dont feel scared because i am familiar with the area. i wouldnt advise somebody with no experience of living in a moderate crime neighborhood to move there because you defintely have to have street smarts in this area. but the plus side is that they have huge pre-war apartments on this side of the park. i've seen 1 bedrooms for $1000 on woodruff avenue. also, you can get to canal street from church avenue on the Q train in 10 minutes (i've done this during morning rush hour at 7 AM).
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"The man who sleeps on the floor, can never fall out of bed." -Martin Lawrence
the west and southwest sides of prospect park are much safer. the west side of prospect park is park slope and the southwest side is windsor terrace. nice brownstones, a few pre-war buildings and newer condos thrown in the mix. you have the F train at prospect park west and 15th street, the Q train is more of a hike to get to from that side of the park because the Q runs on flatbush.
the south and east sides of prospect park is called prospect-lefferts gardens, which is part of the larger neighborhood of flatbush. PLG has gotten better over the years, and i have family in the area, but i still consider it one of the more dangerous parts of flatbush because there's just blocks and blocks of buildings, and a lot of miscreants that hang out on the streets. labor day weekend, you will be a virtual prisoner in your house, because flatbush turns into one huge street party that weekend where sometimes gangs come out and cause trouble, smoke weed in the street, etc. a couple of years ago i went to experience j'ouvert, which is the pre-celebration to the labor day parade, and i was at parkside ave and ocean ave at 4 AM and boy was i nervous. but nothing happened over there. at night time i dont like to walk around there because some streets arent lit well. but i dont feel scared because i am familiar with the area. i wouldnt advise somebody with no experience of living in a moderate crime neighborhood to move there because you defintely have to have street smarts in this area. but the plus side is that they have huge pre-war apartments on this side of the park. i've seen 1 bedrooms for $1000 on woodruff avenue. also, you can get to canal street from church avenue on the Q train in 10 minutes (i've done this during morning rush hour at 7 AM).
I agree with this but I would just add that there is a portion of the Park Slope historic district that is located practically on top of the Q train at the 7th Ave. stop (i.e. St. Johns Pl. and 7th Ave)
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