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My girlfriend and I are looking at 1 BR apts in the Allston/Brighton area, and are currently trying to decide between a place on Warren St (near the intersection of Comm Ave and Warren) and a place on Harvard Ave (right next to Brainerd Rd). I've heard mixed things about the Warren St area, specifically Ringer Playground.
Is it a safe area? We are both graduate students and will likely be spending late hours in the lab, so I'm a little worried about my gf walking back during late hours in that area.
I know less about Brainerd Rd / Harvard Ave, but it seems (from what I've read) that south of Comm Ave tends to be quieter and more similar to Brookline.
At the same price and similar living space, would you favor one location over the other?
I'd go with the Harvard/Brainerd place. Many of the apartments in those distinctive brick buildings are recent renovations, and from what I can gather the management does a pretty good job of screening out partying undergrads with off-the-record roommates shoehorned in four people per bedroom. You're on the very fringe of where it can and usually does get rowdy at night - a hop, skip, and jump from Great Scott for instance. But the noise follows the migration pattern of its perpetrators, largely along Comm Ave or north on Harvard. No one out to get their drink on has their sights set on making a stop at Staples (LOL.)
Plus, if you have a pet there's an "Unleashed by Petco" store right across the street.
Warren St is also quiet, but more in the foreboding sense. Although the dangers of Ringer Park are, I believe, overstated (the occurrence of very bad things is rare) any large-scale open space is going to draw "less than desirable" types after 10 PM or so. Posted curfew signs are taken as seriously as gun-free zone signs - which is to say, ignored. Boston's finest are not going to take much if any time enforcing the park's closing hours. And even if they do the perps just drift back ten minutes later. Best to avoid, I think.
I used to live near Comm Ave and Warren. Very quiet area except when Brighton HS had dismissal and the students would go into Ringer Park and be rowdy. BPD usually monitored this and would storm the park and make everyone disperse pretty quickly.
Brainerd Rd is closer to the more "student" areas of Allston so is noisier and busier. It's also closer to a lot of things so in many ways can be more convenient. You really need to decide which atmosphere you prefer.
I'd go with the Harvard/Brainerd apartment, if it were me. There's a bunch of stores etc in the area (Staples, Dunkins etc) so there's usually people around which would make me feel safer walking around, and from what I've seen of the buildings when we were very recently looking for a new place, the insides seem well-kept. I live very near there and walk by all the time and have never felt unsafe.
Definitely Brainerd/Harvard. I live in Brookline and walk up that part of Harvard a good deal. I also get further down to Warren and that whole area. Goyguy is right and you'll likely be better off more towards Brookline than away.
Sounds like an indubitable consensus has been reached! Props to the OP for finding City-Data instead of going by what realtors and dubious Websites might indicate. If he* has similar tastes in romantic partners I foresee many happy years ahead for them (LOL.)
*Hold off on heterosexism accusations; I went by screen name in assuming the OP has male parts. K?
Thanks everyone for your help! It sounds like the Harvard/Brainerd apartment is a better location, much closer to Brookline and in a busier area. We're going to sign the papers tomorrow!
Congratulations OP. We can always use another coupla nerds in the area. Welcome.
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