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That's not really Washington Heights, IMO. It's more Inwood.
I don't know the exact corner you're referring to, but I looked at a number of places in Washington Heights (a little south of there), and a few in Inwood (north of there), and generally speaking, if you're west of Broadway -- which this is -- you should be fine.
Inwood was a little remote for me, but I have a friend whom I just visited a couple of weeks ago on Park Terrace East and I can't dispute the fact that it is very pretty and rather suburban in feel.
nycjap
hey "if you're west of Broadway -- which this is -- you should be fine."....why is that? What happens if your east of broadway? do u fall off the face of the earth? can you be more specific as to what will happen?
general rule is that east of broadway is poor to working class, heavily Latino, many immigrants, lower quality of life with more noise, dirtier streets. further west from broadway you go it's more middle-class, quieter, better maintained housing. they're a few exceptions though, like around yeshiva U (east) which is OK, or ft. washington ave in the low 160s (west), which is borderline.
Still not quite convinced. Are you saying its bad to live in a heavily Latino/immigrant, poor-working class populated neighnorhood? Are you saying that Yeshiva is bad also? Dirty streets are everywhere-this is NYC, but Im just not getting why one should not live there? What will haapen if you decide to move there? Who makes up these rules? Personally I think its sad that you limit yourself to such thinking. BTW Pinehurst at 181 is West of BWY and its horrible?!
Still not quite convinced. What will haapen if you decide to move there? Who makes up these rules? Personally I think its sad that you limit yourself to such thinking. BTW Pinehurst at 181 is West of BWY and its horrible?!
Are you saying its bad to live in a heavily Latino/immigrant, poor-working class populated neighnorhood? There is a lot of racism and hatred among dominicans. They is also a lot of gang and drug activity in Washington Heights. A lot of the males act super macho and thuggish. (if you're girlfriend is hot she might get catcalled infront of you.) If you mind your own business you should be ok though.
Are you saying that Yeshiva is bad also? The Yeshiva school in Amsterdam is ok but remember you have to pass through all the other HOT avenues. Yeshiva offers a shuttle bus service from the school to the A train on 183rd st on Overlook terrace.
Dirty streets are everywhere-this is NYC, but Im just not getting why one should not live there? I recommend living on the West side from 177 to 193rd st. I have experience with those blocks and they are usually calm. In the summertime, the East side becomes a zoo due to kids being out of school and everyone wanting to hang outside. Again, if you mind your business you should be ok but i feel safer on the West side.
181 street is a busy intersection, you have the washington bridge on the east side and the west side highway.
When considering neighborhoods, i believe you should go to the area on a Friday and Saturday nights and check out the atmosphere. Maybe spending a full day to check out everything. CD is also a good tool.
Still not quite convinced. Are you saying its bad to live in a heavily Latino/immigrant, poor-working class populated neighnorhood? I'm saying that the QOL in this part of the Heights is demonstrably lower, largely because of the gnerally lower income levels, NOT because of Dominicans. Its noisier with many more people hanging out on the streets, more noticable gang and drug activity (though still far less than a generation ago) , less well-maintained housing, and poor quality retailing, i.e., lots of bodegas and barber shops, few good supermarkets and pharmacies, lots of cell phone stores and hair salons, but few places to buy nice clothes, etc.
Are you saying that Yeshiva is bad also? Just the opposite. The university presence keeps the immediate area clean and quiet .
Dirty streets are everywhere-this is NYC, but Im just not getting why one should not live there? Dirty streets are NOT everywhere, either in NYC as a whole, in Manhattan, or in the Heights.If overflowing corner trash bskets, streets full of papers and soda cans, lots of dog poop on the sidewalks, and landlords who rarely sweep or wash their sidwalks don't bother you, then this is a non-issue. But for me, the way a neighborhood looks is important.
What will haapen if you decide to move there? You will probably have a lower quality of life. I'm not suggesting that you'll inevitably get raped, shot, mugged or burglarized. The worst days of the Heights are behind it (I hope).But day-to-day living will be more problematic and fraught with more annoyances. The equivalent of being nibbled to death by ducks. After a while, I suspect it'll get to you.
But Who makes up these rules? Nobody "makes them up." Anybody familiar with the Heights knows that in general, west of Broadway has traditionally been higher-income -- you can check out the rents to see that--with better housing, and more coops and condos. There are very few condos and coops on the other side of Broadway and I think that this home-ownership is good for a neighborhood. People with a big stake in where they live tend to treat the neighborhood better because they're financially invested in it. West of Bdway is also helped by the presence of the Medical Center which brings more stability, security, and higher incomes. Many of the people who work there also live nearby.
Personally I think its sad that you limit yourself to such thinking. I think it's sad that you ask for advice about a neighborhood and then assume you know more about it than the people who are familiar with the place and tell you about it. But you don't have to take any of this advice at all. Go and see for yourself.
BTW Pinehurst at 181 is West of BWY and its horrible?! You got it backward. I said W of Bdwy is better and Pinehurst is west of Broadway. And as a previous poster said, the original location you mentioned is in Inwood, or at best on the border between Inwood and the Heights, and not really near the Univeristy, though only a short subway ride away.
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Last edited by citylove101; 07-14-2011 at 11:07 AM..
Ok thanks for all your input. I am comming from a small town in the south really needed this advice. I do not know the area and therefore cannot visualize its good from its bad. But Citylove 101 and Klato have painted a good picture. Thanks!
nycjap
hey "if you're west of Broadway -- which this is -- you should be fine."....why is that? What happens if your east of broadway? do u fall off the face of the earth? can you be more specific as to what will happen?
You've heard the term, "wrong side of the tracks"? Same concept.
The most valuable thing you can do for yourself is to walk from the Hudson River East as far as you can go, preferably oin a warm Saturday night...lots of jigging and jagging... and you will see the stark differences for yourself. No reason to take anyone's word for it.
I had a friend on Cooper and it was so-so, though okay, but as you went towards Payson the neighborhood got a lot nicer and that was only one block West. Paysun is the nicest street in Inwood, so Dyckman and Paysun sounds fine, and it is Inwood as others have said. Up the hill on Paysun gets nicer and nicer.
Last edited by Kefir King; 07-17-2011 at 08:00 AM..
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