[Bronx] Bedford Park at night (New York, Webster: apartment, violent crime, home)

[MonkeyBusiness]

Hello all,
I've been getting a lot of great info on The Bronx in these forums. I'm looking into getting an apartment near Fordham where I'll be taking night classes. The Bedford Park area is one area I'm considering. I was there a couple days ago and it seems like a nice neighborhood during the day. But at night when I'll be walking to class down Bedford Park Blvd, the area around Webster Blvd seems a little unsettling to me and the residential streets like Marion where I would live don't seem that well lit. Is it safe for a female to make this walk at night (9:00pm-10:00pm)?

[Mistertee]

When you're walking back home, stick to Webster Ave and then make a left on Bedford . Avoid the side streets. Webster Ave has more traffic and there are more street lights.

Originally Posted by MonkeyBusiness

Hello all,
I've been getting a lot of great info on The Bronx in these forums. I'm looking into getting an apartment near Fordham where I'll be taking night classes. The Bedford Park area is one area I'm considering. I was there a couple days ago and it seems like a nice neighborhood during the day. But at night when I'll be walking to class down Bedford Park Blvd, the area around Webster Blvd seems a little unsettling to me and the residential streets like Marion where I would live don't seem that well lit. Is it safe for a female to make this walk at night (9:00pm-10:00pm)?

Well I lived in Bedford Park and that area of the Bronx for the first 18 years of my life.

Bedford Park in my opinion is not a nice neighborhood even during the day.
And it just gets worse at night time.

I saw a homicide happen right in front of my room window view within the past few years. There were a few other homicides that happened within a block to two blocks away from my mom's apartment.

I also have seen and heard plenty of other sketchy things happen in the past few years in Bedford Park.

Yes, Bedford Park is a little bit better than Fordham but it still sucks, and is a bad neighborhood.
Not sure why some people think Bedford Park is so much better than places like Fordham. It really is not that much better. It is still the South Bronx and the same area of the Bronx along the 4/D subway lines where a lot of neighborhoods that suck are clustered in.

Also, nowhere good to eat. The supermarkets suck here. I have to go to Manhattan and Brooklyn to get actual good food that I want that is healthy.

Also, no cafes such as independent cafes and Starbucks here. There is a Dunkin Donut about 5 blocks away from me but I don't like Dunkin Donuts and the coffee usually sucks there. Don't even get me started at the ambiance.

Also, the walk from Fordham through Kingsbridge, and to Bedford Park is not safe, not even at 9 to 10 pm and especially not recently.
A few nights ago there was a shooting at 8 30 pm in Fordham, and another shooting just the night after 11 30 pm. People were critically injured in those events.

[Mistertee]

I think you over exaggerating things a bit, don't ya think? You can't live your whole life scared. In fact Seattle has seen a dramatic rise in crime rate, especially gang violence. Is it comparable to the good areas of Manhattan and Brooklyn....No. But it is a lot better than the worst areas of those boroughs and a lot better than Fordham. Instead of hearing hearsay, back it up with stats from the local pd's. Too bad you lived far from Gourmet Supermarket in 231st. Btw did you live north of the 4/D Bedford train stop or south? South is a lot worse though..

[bluedog2]

Bedford Park is 2 neighborhoods.The section between Bedford Park Blvd and Mosholu Parkway is very nice without much crime at all.The section South of Bedford Park Boulevard is not as nice and it gets less nice the further South you go towards Fordham Road.I know a number of people who live in the Northern section and I spend a fair amount of time there,including late in the evening.Never any problems.I like the area so much I seriously considered buying an apartment near Mosholu Parkway and Decatur Ave and another one on 201 st.

The recent violent crimes referred to by a poster above all happened in a different area of The Bronx( University Heights) to the South of Fordham Road.Don't know why they were even brought into a question about Bedford Park.

I have a friend who teaches at Fordham who lives on Decatur Avenue ,one block West of Webster and 1 block North of Bedford Park Boulevard. She loves the neighborhood and travels back and forth to the Fordham Campus many times every day with no problems.

Isn't there an entrance to the Fordham campus around the Botanical Garden metro north station at Bedford Park Boulevard ?

If possible,you might try to get someone to walk with you on your route a few times until you get accustomed to it.Passing through unknown neighborhoods of any city at night,even the so called safest neighborhoods,can seem a little scary at first.Usually,after covering the same ground routinely,one becomes more comfortable with their surroundings.You will quickly learn that the people you see on your route are ,just like you,going about their lives.The streets are not generally filled with people waiting to jump you.

Originally Posted by Mistertee

I think you over exaggerating things a bit, don't ya think? You can't live your whole life scared. In fact Seattle has seen a dramatic rise in crime rate, especially gang violence. Is it comparable to the good areas of Manhattan and Brooklyn....No. But it is a lot better than the worst areas of those boroughs and a lot better than Fordham. Instead of hearing hearsay, back it up with stats from the local pd's. Too bad you lived far from Gourmet Supermarket in 231st. Btw did you live north of the 4/D Bedford train stop or south? South is a lot worse though..

Your post was completely inaccurate.

I am not exaggerating things I said in my post before at all.
I am not living my life scared at all.
I just don't like this area of the Bronx for plenty of reasons and it is justified.
I literally enjoy life more when I am in plenty of other places that is not this neighborhood area. At least all the areas I like in New York for one example is only a subway ride away.

I prefer only Whole Foods and Trader Joes. I don't think that supermarket on 231st would quality for me. I am not picky. I just like Whole Foods and Trader Joes.

No. Bedford Park is not a lot better than Fordham.
It is only a little bit better than Fordham. Bedford Park still sucks for the reasons I mentioned before.

Not sure why some people would think Bedford Park is so much better than Fordham which I already described in my post before. I am not going to repeat myself.

[Mistertee]

Hey you are entitled to your opinion but as an investor I see tremendous potential and opportunity in this area and the Van Cortland Village area.

[yodel]

There's an entrance to Fordham University very close to Bedford Park Blvd. (it's the Fordham Prep entrance), so depending on where your apartment is, you won't have far to walk. I've lived in Bedford Park for years and also think that it's a great neighborhood. I don't tend to be out by myself at that time (I'm female too), but it's a pretty vibrant neighborhood, so I'd think there's likely to be a decent amount of street activity at that time of night. Recently I went out and came home after midnight, and I was nervous walking back from the subway, but there were other people out and about, so it was no problem.

[MonkeyBusiness]

, thanks for reporting those crimes.

Bluedog2, thanks for clarifying where those crimes occurred. I don't think I would ever have to walk through those neighborhoods at night since there's a back gate to Fordham on Bedford Park Blvd like Yodel mentioned.*

Although walking to this back gate is the walk I was referring to in te original post. It seems like it would be kind of desolate and dark at night once you cross the bridge over the train tracks.

[RHS 35]

I lived in the Bedford Park area (Marion Ave. and 200th St) from 1941 until 1966. It was pretty close to heaven on earth back then. Crime was virtually unknown. Last time I was in the neighborhood was about 1975 so don't have any current info.