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We are looking at a new rental building on the corner of 21st st and Astoria Blvd in of course Astoria and it appears to be a decent neighborhood. We walked around during the day a few times and the Astoria subway stop on the N/Q seems like a quick 10 min walk. Not sure how it is a night.
Any advice or info on this side of Astoria? We now live in Greenpoint and I lived in tough areas before so a little minor crime doesn't better me. I know it isn't as bustling as Broadway/Steinway/30th ave but to get a nice brand new apt for a good price seems too good to be true. Its a vacant building that opens in Sep so maybe they're specials to fill up the building quickly.
It's fine. I live near and haven't had any problems. I mean if you are a woman don't walk around at 3 am by yourself, but that's pretty much anywhere in the city. Check out astorians.com (forum), you can get info there from a ton of people.
It's fine. I live near and haven't had any problems. I mean if you are a woman don't walk around at 3 am by yourself, but that's pretty much anywhere in the city. Check out astorians.com (forum), you can get info there from a ton of people.
Thanks,
It'll be my wife and I, sometimes she'll get home at 8pm from work and in the winter that'll be well into darkness. I'm sure Astoria Blvd from the Subway to 21st street is pretty busy at that time though.
You definitely dont wanna walk there at night. Its desolate with no one walking around. Its literally 2 blocks away from the Astoria Projects. The day is fine because there are people walking around but at night its different. Astoria blvd and 21st has people day or night but the residential streets,The park, and the projects are a different story at night. When people say Astoria they think yuppies mixed with immigrants but when I walk around there you see some thugs and other lowlifes.Take my word I live blocks away from that intersection. You will still see luxury condos going up and all that.
You will also NEVER see a white person at that particular intersection, at least in my experiences.
The famous/hip part of Astoria is the Ditmars-31 street area and that place isnt near it.
So at night,you may encounter trouble. Compared to Greenpoint it sucks, Compared to Harlem or The South Bronx its nice.
The main problem at night is that its a industrial area with few people at night. Im guessing you two are Young (white) urban professionals. Not trying to be racist but people prey on that background.
It means you have money,unarmed,and is an easy target. Its just life. There is also greek stereotype about Astoria but IMO they are not concentrated in that area. Its mostly Asian,Middle Eastern,Latin, and black in that particular area. That area is pretty suckish overall.
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It's not the most aesthetically pleasing part of Astoria, but it's still safe. Just try not to hang out below 21st street very late at night. That said, 21st street is a pretty busy street at all times of the day and there are always NYPD squad cars driving up and down the street. The walk from Astoria blvd N/Q station is very safe. Also, make sure you get good locks, because that area is generally more desolate than average and may be more prone to break in attempts than areas with more foot traffic. You should be ok overall though.
Actually, we're young Urban Professionals but i'm Black who grew up in Chicago in a tough area and then moved to Texas in a not-so-tough area. My wife is Italian/White and I worry about her more than myself. I could survive in most parts of the Bronx if I wanted to but with her, it limits which neighborhoods i'll be comfortable with her walking home alone at 8pm during the winter time. She grew up in Orange County a little upstate so she doesn't have the urban experience as I have(yes, I remember shootouts, crack heads, robberies, fights, the whole nine yards but that's not the point). I don't think we'll venture south on 21st street much, but am more interested in the stretch on Astoria Blvd from 21st to the subway station. We're not the Hipster-type so we don't really care about living in a "hip" area that's why we're looking to move from Greenpoint. However, if a hip area is safe then we're not against it.
Actually, we're young Urban Professionals but i'm Black who grew up in Chicago in a tough area and then moved to Texas in a not-so-tough area. My wife is Italian/White and I worry about her more than myself. I could survive in most parts of the Bronx if I wanted to but with her, it limits which neighborhoods i'll be comfortable with her walking home alone at 8pm during the winter time. She grew up in Orange County a little upstate so she doesn't have the urban experience as I have(yes, I remember shootouts, crack heads, robberies, fights, the whole nine yards but that's not the point). I don't think we'll venture south on 21st street much, but am more interested in the stretch on Astoria Blvd from 21st to the subway station. We're not the Hipster-type so we don't really care about living in a "hip" area that's why we're looking to move from Greenpoint. However, if a hip area is safe then we're not against it.
Any other advice would be appreciated, thanks.
Okay, black men in particular aren't usually targets of robberies.
Your wife however,may have some issues. There are hardly any white people at all in that intersection in particular. During the day there are people walking around and its overall safe. The night should be given caution. It is completely devoid of any people when I walk around there at night. Astoria bvld in itslef is okay because it is a fairly busy street even at night but I would advise against walking through the projects or the park at night especially. Its full of drug dealers and thugs at night. I know most of the people in the area so I have not encountered much problems but some of those people are straight up gangstas.
I don't think anything will happen but its very possible and no one will be around to stop a crime. Usually robbers only want the money, give them what they want and you'll walk out okay. Winter especially will give problems. Most people dont go out at night at all, but in the winter I would exercise more caution.
You say you grew up with shootings,crackheads,robberies and fights,
well here is what happens in this neighborhood.
Shootings-rarely happens,but every once in a while it does.
Crackheads-rife with bums and crackheads
Robberies-Fairly common,but compared to other areas its nothing.
Fights-I don't see a problem with this, but it happens just like everywhere else.
The worst I think will happen is a few people hitting on her or harassment.
However, crime is still above average for a normal NY neighborhood. Just keep that in mind. I think you should walk around Astoria Park or Astoria Projects at night and you make the decision if you can tolerate it.
I'll walk the neighborhood a few times during different parts of the day/night. My wife could pass as Hispanic too so maybe that'll make her less of a target, who knows. However, if I get a bad feeling from being over there then I'll reconsider. Her safety is #1 so i'm not going to sacrifice it for a nice, cheap apartment.
I'll walk the neighborhood a few times during different parts of the day/night. My wife could pass as Hispanic too so maybe that'll make her less of a target, who knows. However, if I get a bad feeling from being over there then I'll reconsider. Her safety is #1 so i'm not going to sacrifice it for a nice, cheap apartment.
Lots of hispanics in that area.
I see a lot of Puerto Rican flags.
Man that intersection ain't that bad. It's not like you're living right NEXT to Astoria Houses. I lived on 29th Ave and Crescent and would go to Palace Fried late at night all the time. There are people from the hood that hang out there, but they just go there to eat like everyone else, it's not like people are posted on the corner like zombies selling drugs. I'm not saying nothing happens in Astoria, of course there's crime everywhere in NY, but I used to live on Jamaica Ave in Woodhaven and I had trouble sleeping every night from the car alarms, rowdy kids drunk in the lobby, police sirens, etc. Compared to that, Astoria is very safe and peaceful.
The walk from the Astoria Blvd el is very safe and quick. No problems, pretty much anytime of the day. It's a fairly commercial street.
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