Question about Columbus Park in Mamaroneck (New Rochelle, White Plains: low income, for sale, real estate)

[KBF30]

Can anyone tell me about Columbus Park, the park that is between the Parkview Station Condos and the Mamaroneck train station?

My husband and I are looking at homes in Mamaroneck, but we also found a gorgeous condo for sale in this building.
I have heard bad things about the park though - that is the pickup spot for day laborers, and that a lot of people hang out in the park at all hours and drink. Is this true? As a young woman, would I be comfortable walking through the park at all hours of the day and night alone? I looked at the Mamaroneck police blotter, and it does appear that there were a few arrests last summer for open containers/drinking in the park.

Thank you for your help.

[jjinla]

Is that the park with the blue equiptment right behind the Hess station etc.? If so, I'll say that I went one time with my kids, and since then have made it a point to drive all the way to Larchmont whenever I go to a park with the kiddos, which is a LOT.

I just didn't feel comfortable there. I dislike that whole area in general around Mararoneck Avenue and the bottom of Old White Plains Road. In the warmer months especially, there are always sketchy looking people and rough looking teenagers loitering on store fronts, door steps, in the park, ect. I don't know that they are dangerous, per se, but it's not the neighborhood vibe that I'm looking for.

I know that they subdivide a ton of the apartments in the area, so the area itself is very congensted and attracts a lot of very low income people. I'm not saying that they are bad people by any stretch, but many don't speak English and such and are recent immigrants so that may or may not be what you are looking for.

[KBF30]

Yes, it is the park with the blue play equipment right next to the train station.
Thanks for your input, I had the same sense of the area.

[apple101]

I moved into Parkview Station a year ago. I love it. The condo is truly beautiful and the quality of the building is top notch. The neighbors are all young professionals, business men and attorneys, etc. I am a young woman and I walk through the park every day to take the metro north to work. I often come back late at night and I have never felt unsafe. My husband also walks through the park every day to get to the train station and has never had any problems. Yes, there are sometimes Spanish speaking people in the park, mostly with small children, in the middle of the day on weekends. Sometimes some teenagers play basketball in the park. None of them look dangerous and we've never experienced any problems.

[KBF30]

Apple101, thank you so much for your response! I am happy to hear that you love the condo and feel safe in the park. My husband and I are both young professionals also who are looking to buy a place, and we think one of these condos would be an easy step into home ownership for us.
So, there aren't a lot of people hanging around in the park drinking? We are looking at a condo that has a terrace overlooking the park, so essentially the park is like our front yard.

[jjinla]

If you have a view of the park, you also realize that you will have a view of the train every few minutes, too, yes? I wouldn't say that there are drunks in the park...it is Mamaroneck after all, but besides that condo if that is the case, I get the sense that there are very few young professionals in the area.

Go to the A & P, the stores at the bottom of OWP Road and look around for yourself. We may be bigger snobs than others, but you absolutely can't paint that area as one for young professionals. Larchmont, yes, but not Mamaroneck near the train station.

If you are looking for a leg into real estate, remember the 1st rule...location. Also look towards the future a bit. Will you want kids anytime soon? I can't tell you how many friends I have that bought co-ops in New Rochelle as newlyweds now stuck in them 8+ years later with kids and negative equity. As interest rates are set to rise in the near future, it is going to continue to be at the expense of home prices, so there is no need to rush. Just my opinion, though.

[jjinla]

FWIW at 11am today I was at the Hess station and counted no less than 20 day laborers loitering on the side street and basketball courts.

[wordlife]

You'll be perfectly fine.

I've played/hung out at that park as a child, and as an adult. That condo building only added to the area, in addition to that it's very convenient. There was always a demographic/economic divide on both sides of the the train station but the neighborhood isn't bad by any means. In fact I feel it's one of the best area's in the county, very family oriented. The day laborer's aren't hurting anyone, they're just trying to make a living like you and me. That's not the type of area where people get drunk at and loiter with negative repercussions...crime can happen anywhere but I HIGHLY doubt that you'd have any problems.

[blue12]

Hi, I have been doing some research about Columbus park & it's day laborer pick up site. Some articles are saying that up to 200 people gather here in the morning. Can anyone confirm if this is true or not? I see another post here, saying 20, which is a huge difference. Thank you.