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I live on Midtown West (7th Ave & 50's) & it's quite safe albeit noisy. But you don't get the tourists as much as further downtown and one is closer to the park however, a trek to 8th Ave or 9th Ave or further up on B'way has to be made for groceries. The area is still primarily commercial. There is a supermarket on 6th Avenue in the 50's but it's overly expensive.
If you're planning to use the subway, make sure you check the subway routes that you might be using on a regular/daily basis. The subways mostly run uptown and downtown (north and south) and not so much east to west. On 42nd St. you do have the 7 train and the S (shuttle) train, but otherwise it's harder to get back and forth across town from East to West and vice versa on the subways.
I always liked 6th and 7th Avenue in the mid to upper 50's. they have a cool crisp feel to them with lots of little delis, shops, restaurants andneighborhood drugstores. I remember a Kosher style delicatessen restaurant about 15 years ago on 6th near 57th that has since closed(not Wolf's but another place)
If you choose midtown west, stay away from the 30s. I lived in the garment district, and while it was convenient, it was also a pain. It is very commercial (mostly office buildings), very touristy, very crowded and very dirty. Since it is mostly commercial buildings, there is nowhere to grocery shop (thank goodness for freshdirect) and the non-main streets got sketchy at night as well as when it rained. I know of two tenants who were mugged walking from 8th avenue to 6th avenue around 36th street and 37th street. When I mentioned the incidents to the doorman, they responded that those in between streets were prime target areas because all the buildings shut down around 6pm, so there is no one around.
Midtown East (I currently live in the East 40s) is lovely. It's convenient, but not as convenient as midtown west since we only have one subway line (the green 4/5/6). It's much more residential, but there is also a good mix of office buildings. There are also a number of restaurants, bars, dry cleaners and supermarkets. My old office was in the area, so it was an 8 minute walk each way. It's also very safe since there are people milling around all the time.
If you choose midtown west, stay away from the 30s. I lived in the garment district, and while it was convenient, it was also a pain. It is very commercial (mostly office buildings), very touristy, very crowded and very dirty. Since it is mostly commercial buildings, there is nowhere to grocery shop (thank goodness for freshdirect) and the non-main streets got sketchy at night as well as when it rained. I know of two tenants who were mugged walking from 8th avenue to 6th avenue around 36th street and 37th street. When I mentioned the incidents to the doorman, they responded that those in between streets were prime target areas because all the buildings shut down around 6pm, so there is no one around.
Midtown East (I currently live in the East 40s) is lovely. It's convenient, but not as convenient as midtown west since we only have one subway line (the green 4/5/6). It's much more residential, but there is also a good mix of office buildings. There are also a number of restaurants, bars, dry cleaners and supermarkets. My old office was in the area, so it was an 8 minute walk each way. It's also very safe since there are people milling around all the time.
It's a mix, once you get down to Kips Bay east of 3rd it gets a little sketchy too. I think it's the same for anywhere in Manhattan. There are always better areas. The 40s in midtown are always the safest because you have NYPD, NYPD EMS and Secret Service 24/7.
Could I get some information about 300 W 49th St located between 8th and 9th Ave. The building has a doorman. However, I don't want to be close to homeless shelters etc.
I'm moving to NY this summer and I am looking to live in midtown but I was just wondering which area, west or east, is considered safest? I'll be living by myself so I want to make sure I feel ok and the area isn't too crazy. I'm looking mainly in the high 30s to 50s. I would appreciate and and all insight! Thank you!
There's areas of both that are both quite nice and quite sketchy. As a whole the Hells Kitchen area on the fra west is still up and coming and can be a bit desolate around the 40s. Around 8th Avenue is a thriving area with access to a number of subways but can be a little sketchy off the Avenues.
On the East Side the area in the middle of Kips Bay by the hospitals especially Bellevue there are a number of homeless and it's busy crazy when the tunnel has problems and bed pan alley itself can be noisy. 40's and 50's your going to have to be out past 3rd Avenue which means far away from the subway (too far for some) but the accommodation can be a little cheaper than the west side.
There's areas of both that are both quite nice and quite sketchy. As a whole the Hells Kitchen area on the fra west is still up and coming and can be a bit desolate around the 40s. Around 8th Avenue is a thriving area with access to a number of subways but can be a little sketchy off the Avenues.
On the East Side the area in the middle of Kips Bay by the hospitals especially Bellevue there are a number of homeless and it's busy crazy when the tunnel has problems and bed pan alley itself can be noisy. 40's and 50's your going to have to be out past 3rd Avenue which means far away from the subway (too far for some) but the accommodation can be a little cheaper than the west side.
Midtown West is way worse than Midtown East, but Bellevue balances it out a bit
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