Sullivan Square Neighborhood (Boston, Cambridge, Somerville: condo, houses, transfer)

[hemmelig]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me anything about the neighborhood around Sullivan Square? What kind of reputation does it have? Is it safe?

Thanks!

[goyguy]

Blech.
An elevated expressway. Rapid-transit and commuter-rail lines running at ground level. A big ol' brick warehouse adapted for storage, music studios, et al - then "made over" into an even more ugly condo building. Acres of parking for the MBTA station. Streets illuminated by "gaslight" lamps (whoopee sh*t) and lined with houses in varying degrees of shabbiness. Irish- and Italian-American residents displaced by immigrants from Central America, "the islands," Brazil, etc and joined by a few college students and "urban pioneer" yuppies. Gang activity after dark. Not many trees, but plenty of litter, air pollution, and noise.
Sullivan's a total pit. Look around Monument Square or along Main St in gentrified Charlestown, or in the vicinity of Somerville's Union Square, for a roughly equivalent distance from downtown but in far better surroundings.

[hemmelig]

Thanks for the feedback...I will take it into consideration. What's your opinion about Watertown? How is public transport into Boston?

[holden125]

Watertown is not bad at all. Some sections are very nice to look at, others not as much. It is safe and pretty convenient. Down by Watertown Square, or rather Watertown Yard, is an express bus that gets to downtown Boston or Copley Sq. in under 20 mins, but only runs at regular commute times (as in . Otherwise, the best bet is along Mt. Vernon St or Belmont St. on the Belmont line, where the 71 or 73 buses are a pretty quick ride to Harvard and the Red Line. This option is clearly not as quick as coming in from Sullivan Sq. but it is a much nicer area.

[jayrandom]

I can confirm that Belmont and Watertown around the 71 and 73 lines are very nice and reasonably convenient, but that only applies if you can get where you're going on the red line. I wouldn't recommend it if you'll need to transfer again, though (i.e. you really need to be off the orange or green lines).

[goyguy]

Watertown and Sullivan Square aren't exactly right next door to each other. Where is it that you have to be during the work week?

[the hell??]

"Irish- and Italian-American residents displaced by immigrants from Central America, "the islands," Brazil . . ." Wow. Vaguely concealed racism much?

Seriously. Boston tribalism is alive and well indeed.

[missionhill]

the hell??'s nasty comment is absurd and unwarranted. No racism implied in goyguy's remarks and none should be inferred.

[Rodrigo Rodriguez]

The above post about Sullivan Sq. is precisely why I like living here. Sure, it is a little gritty, but your money goes a long way. Maybe I am "a yuppie urban pioneer" but it beats being surrounded by yuppie snobs. I have great ethnic restaurants, the T down the street and I can walk to the Chatlstown Navy Yard and Boston's North End. I have a great view of the Boston skyline and I can smell the ocean every day with my windows open. I work in Kendall Sq and I can drive there in 10 minutes. As for gangs... Never seen them. Like many neighborhoods in Boston, people with no real experience are quick to judge. I live in a quiet dog-friendly neighborhood with nice neighbors. Sure, there are some dumpy sections of Sully, but that can be said for Cambridge, Watertown and just about anywhere. Public transit, easy access to Boston, Cambridge and 93; no "hipsters" and tons of conscience (5 minute walk to the grocery store) makes this place a gem. I am glad most people don't like Sullivan Sq because it means I get to live on the cheap in a great "hood".

[InternationalOrange]

Originally Posted by Rodrigo Rodriguez

The above post about Sullivan Sq. is precisely why I like living here. Sure, it is a little gritty, but your money goes a long way. Maybe I am "a yuppie urban pioneer" but it beats being surrounded by yuppie snobs. I have great ethnic restaurants, the T down the street and I can walk to the Chatlstown Navy Yard and Boston's North End. I have a great view of the Boston skyline and I can smell the ocean every day with my windows open. I work in Kendall Sq and I can drive there in 10 minutes. As for gangs... Never seen them. Like many neighborhoods in Boston, people with no real experience are quick to judge. I live in a quiet dog-friendly neighborhood with nice neighbors. Sure, there are some dumpy sections of Sully, but that can be said for Cambridge, Watertown and just about anywhere. Public transit, easy access to Boston, Cambridge and 93; no "hipsters" and tons of conscience (5 minute walk to the grocery store) makes this place a gem. I am glad most people don't like Sullivan Sq because it means I get to live on the cheap in a great "hood".

I recently left Boston for the west coast, but I agree with this poster's comments about Sullivan Square -- I worked in the area for a while, as well as had a friend who lived in Sully, and if I ever move back to Boston, I'd consider living in the Sullivan Square neighborhood. I like the "urban grit" of it -- the T station located below the pounding highway overpass, the warehouses, etc. And as this poster mentioned, everything's so close by, but you don't have the high rents.