I love my Chicago neighborhood but I'm moving to NYC — help me find a similar one! (New York: best neighborhoods)
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So I am moving from Chicago to New York City this summer for work. I am actually very excited about the move, and I'm thrilled to live in New York, however, I love the neighborhood I live in here in Chicago — passionately! I have never really spent much time in New York, so I am visiting for four days in a couple of weeks; a friend who lives in Greenpoint is going to give me tours of several Brooklyn neighborhoods, but I want to find out which ones to check out.
I'd love to see similar to where I live now! It's called Andersonville (Home), and it's lush with trees, gardens and quaint sidewalks along one-way neighborhood streets of brick two-or-three-unit apartment homes built in the 1910s and 1920s. There are some yards, but they're not much to speak of at all — it's still the city.
The people who live here are mostly middle-middle class — young professionals, university lecturers, cab drivers, modestly successful artists, dancers and writers, and other folks who make 40-70k per individual.
People tend to be in their late 20s and early 30s but there are some Middle Eastern, African and Hispanic families that are older. It's a very liberal (but about 60-65% white) neighborhood with a large, vibrant gay community. I'm not gay, but I like to live in places that are open to that because it reflects the general culture and politics I prefer.
There are single people with roommates, young couples just settling in, and a few people with young children. The place still feels like a city neighborhood (about 50/50 pedestrian/driver) but it's quiet, with beautiful 100 year-old churches and schools and stuff.
There's a commercial district made up of independent shops from Thai restaurants to hookah bars to book stores and small theaters. The neighborhood's really clean, and while it's somewhat artsy, I wouldn't call it edgy. The thing it lacks is a strong nightlife. It's not really a place people to go hang out unless it's a summer afternoon. But that's fine by me; there is nightlife 15 minutes away, and downtown is about 35 minutes away by El train.
I'm looking for a similar neighborhood in or around Brooklyn and willing to pay as much as 1200/month but preferably closer to 900 for a bedroom in a share — dramatically more than I'm paying in Chicago for the equivalent, but it's to be expected!
Any suggestions? I know I won't find an exact match — nor would I necessarily want to; each place should have its own character. But I'd love some suggestions in the same ballpark.
Thanks so much in advance!
If pertinent to the neighborhood search, stuff about me: 25-year old white straight male, originally from Missouri. Work from home as editor of a popular social news website. Interested in wine, museums, foreign films, video games, technology, jazz, blues and swing dancing. Not too counter-cultural; I listen to a wide range of music from obscure hipster stuff to U2 and Justin Timberlake, wear mostly Express and H&M. However I'm not totally boring, and sometimes wear guyliner and go to burlesque shows and stuff like that.
Looks and sounds like Carrol Gardens to me.
Forget about the 900.00/share though.
Maybe Bay Ridge would be more realistic financially.
Both are nice neighborhoods.
I would also have to second Carrol Gardens in Brooklyn. The difference here is that you described a neighborhood as middle/middle class. Here, these types of neighborhoods in Brooklyn are upper middle class and above, with the exception of some long-time residents holding on to a cheap residence for many years. You would probably love West/Greenwich Village, but that is a super duper pricey area.
I think that Prospect Park, Brooklyn(aka South Slope) would work for you. Astoria, Queens would work pricewise though its less quiet and more vibrant than Andersonville but there are some tree-lined side streets. I remember my mom buying awesome cakes up in Andersonville when we lived in Chicago, best Swetish bakery ever(I forgot the name). Carroll Gardens and Brooklyn Heights are very similar to Andersonville but you'd have to pony up at least $1,500 for a 2 BD share. Good Luck.
Windsor Terrace in Brooklyn might be a good fit for you, OP. I grew up in Chicago and lived in Edgewater for a few years as a kid, then at Foster and Damen (near Andersonville) as an adult. That was years ago, though. I'm glad to see the neighborhood looking so vibrant.
Anyway, Windsor Terrace is just south of Park Slope and adjacent to Prospect Park. The housing stock is similar to the pics you posted. Rents are cheaper than in Park Slope which has become ridiculously expensive. It's a relatively painless commute on the F train to Manhattan from the 15th Street station. Windsor Terrace is a safe neighborhood with a good mix of ages and ethnicities. I believe it used to be a predominantly Irish neighborhood - there's still a bar there, Farrell's (Google Farrell's Brooklyn), which harks back to the old days and the neighborhood's Irish roots.
You'd have good access, via the F train, to Carroll Gardens/Boerum Hill and the multitude of shops/restaurants/bars on Smith Street. You'd also be a short walk from Park Slope.
Carroll Gardens, as others have suggested, is a great neighborhood but it is closer to Manhattan and therefore more expensive than WT.
Good luck to you! As another Chicago transplant, I think you'll like it here.
I second everything people have already posted here. Chicago is definitely more livable (affordable and more options to choose from) than here in NYC. A lot of what you're looking for sounds like the old versions of Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill and even Park Slope but all of these nabes are now more expensive. You may have to bump up your budget.
You can live on the fringes of all of these neighborhoods. Cobble Hill isn't shabby and is not far from Carroll Gardens and Boerum Hill. Prospect Heights and Windsor Terrace also border Park Slope.
Good luck on your search. You may have to bump up your price range just a little bit. But otherwise, you should be fine.
A belated thanks to everyone who gave feedback. I visited New York this weekend and walked tons of neighborhoods in Brooklyn, and I have to say Cobble Hill really swept me away. It's almost exactly like my neighborhood in Chicago, with brownstones and trees and a crazy variety of small restaurants a short walk away. It is a little more expensive than I was thinking but I'm keeping my eye out for deals and I think it may be worth it.
I'm not sure if any Brooklyn (or NYC) neighborhood has an equivalent to the Hopleaf or Hamburger Mary's. I live in Chicago too and have not lived in NYC, but I know a ridiculous amount of info about NYC neighborhoods. My advice for a similar neighborhoods that are a bit cheaper than the Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill areas would be:
-Riverside in the Bronx (more families, but not as indie)
-Kew Gardens in Queens (looks more like Edgewater than Andersonville, but still pretty similar)
-Prospect Park South and Kensington in Brooklyn (parts of these neighborhoods really resemble Andersonville, but are much more compatible with pricing than CG, CH, BH and they are gaining an indie reputation)
I lived in Edgewater during the year I spent in Chicago and, like you, I quite liked it. Kensington is a pretty affordable 'hood in Brooklyn that reminds me of it - old houses, small apartment buildings, big trees, walkable and dense but not overwhelmingly urban. Caroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill would be a lot more expensive than Andersonville and a bit more urban.
In your price range you could definitely find something in Kensington or Windsor Terrace, both of which are similar to Andersonville/Edgewater.
I'm thinking Park Slope. Its one of the best neighborhoods in the city, and Natural Home magazine ranked Park Slope in the top 10 for best neighborhoods in the US. People in Park Slope make about 70,000 $. The area has a lot of beautiful trees and stuff. There are nice churches in Park Slope. I'll provide some pictures.
St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...arroll_jeh.JPG
Homes in Park Slope http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~s..._ParkSlope.gif
Restaurant in Park Slope http://www.mybestnewyorkny.com/Brook...rk%20Slope.jpg
Interior of an apartment in Park Slope
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Apartments in Park Slope
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I don't know if you'll find H & M or Express in Park Slope I've seen H & M and Express on 34th street Manhattan. You will have to raise your price a bit. Good Luck!
Last edited by bmwguydc; 04-24-2010 at 08:06 PM..
Reason: No links to individual real estate companies/brokers, thanks.
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