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Hi folks,
I'm excited to have landed a great job offer at Fordham's Rose Hill campus. I'll be moving to NYC from the West Coast with my husband and 2 year old daughter. We can afford about $2400 in rent. We've lived in NYC before and could live in a pretty small (say, 650 square foot) apartment even with the toddler, just as long as there's no major mouse or bedbug problem (yes, we have lived in NYC before).
I'm trying to find neighborhoods with a shorter (less than an hour) commute to Fordham (it's right by the Botanical Garden) and came up with the following:
--rent a tiny apartment on the Upper West side and take the B to the D for about 50 minutes for commute. Pros: great schools, fabulous neighborhood; Cons: tiny little apartments, commute on the longer side.
--Rent a tiny apartment on the East Side and take Metro North. Pros: shorter commute; cons: tiny apartment, expensive commute.
--Live a couple stops north of Fordham on the Metro North, like in Larchmont or Mamoroneck. Pros: probably nicer area and more affordable. Cons: there's a reason we want to live in NYC, and the suburbs ain't it.
--Live in Queens (probably Forest Hills) and drive to work. Pros: big huge apartments we can afford, and great schools. Cons: can I actually drive to work in NYC? Google maps thinks I can drive it in half an hour... I'm very dubious.
Am I missing any ideas? I don't think actually living in the Bronx is in the picture, but that's mainly because we know very little about the Bronx; and I've been told I'd need to send the kid to private school which would demolish the cost savings of lower rent. But I do like City Island.
Hi folks,
I'm excited to have landed a great job offer at Fordham's Rose Hill campus. I'll be moving to NYC from the West Coast with my husband and 2 year old daughter. We can afford about $2400 in rent. We've lived in NYC before and could live in a pretty small (say, 650 square foot) apartment even with the toddler, just as long as there's no major mouse or bedbug problem (yes, we have lived in NYC before).
I'm trying to find neighborhoods with a shorter (less than an hour) commute to Fordham (it's right by the Botanical Garden) and came up with the following:
--rent a tiny apartment on the Upper West side and take the B to the D for about 50 minutes for commute. Pros: great schools, fabulous neighborhood; Cons: tiny little apartments, commute on the longer side.
--Rent a tiny apartment on the East Side and take Metro North. Pros: shorter commute; cons: tiny apartment, expensive commute.
--Live a couple stops north of Fordham on the Metro North, like in Larchmont or Mamoroneck. Pros: probably nicer area and more affordable. Cons: there's a reason we want to live in NYC, and the suburbs ain't it.
--Live in Queens (probably Forest Hills) and drive to work. Pros: big huge apartments we can afford, and great schools. Cons: can I actually drive to work in NYC? Google maps thinks I can drive it in half an hour... I'm very dubious.
Am I missing any ideas? I don't think actually living in the Bronx is in the picture, but that's mainly because we know very little about the Bronx; and I've been told I'd need to send the kid to private school which would demolish the cost savings of lower rent. But I do like City Island.
Thanks, everyone!
Don't be silly,there are a number of Bronx neighborhoods where you could live.
NYC schools are not generally a problem until middle or high school and there are lots of very good elementary schools scattered all across the city,including The Bronx. So,given that your daughter is now 2 and won't even be going to school for a few more years,not sure that schools needs to be so far up on your radar screen.You will encounter the same problem with middle and high school by the way, almost no matter where you live when the time comes.Living in Manhattan doesn't necessarily solve the school problem at all.
I live in a Co Op building in Pelham Parkway,which is about 10 minutes from Fordham.There are lots of Forgham faculty,staff and students in my building and neighborhood and many of them have young children.
You might also want to think about Riverdale,Morris Park,Bedford Park,Woodlawn or Pelham Gardens. All are much closer to Fordham and much less expensive than anywhere in Manhattan.
You also might want to consider very nearby Westchester towns like Pelham,Tuckahoe and Bronxville.I think that's where you will find the majority of Fordham staff and faculty families with middle and high school age children.A lot of them live in The Bronx to save enough for the downpayment to move to Westchester when the time comes !
If you do decide that you must live in Manhattan,make it very near either Grand Central or 125th Street so as to be close to metro north as Fordham is in a subway challenged location.It's the 2,the 4 or the D PLUS a bus.
The Rose Hill campus is beautiful. Congrats.
I recommend you look at Riverdale or Woodlawn. By car, Woodlawn is about 20-23 minutes away. It's very much like the old Bronx and is safe and great place to stroll around with children. Plus Yonkers is closeby and there is a lot of good shops and places to go. Riverdale is good too, but your commute will be more difficult.
--rent a tiny apartment on the Upper West side and take the B to the D for about 50 minutes for commute. Pros: great schools, fabulous neighborhood; Cons: tiny little apartments, commute on the longer side.
--Rent a tiny apartment on the East Side and take Metro North. Pros: shorter commute; cons: tiny apartment, expensive commute.
--Live a couple stops north of Fordham on the Metro North, like in Larchmont or Mamoroneck. Pros: probably nicer area and more affordable. Cons: there's a reason we want to live in NYC, and the suburbs ain't it.
Am I missing any ideas? I don't think actually living in the Bronx is in the picture, but that's mainly because we know very little about the Bronx; and I've been told I'd need to send the kid to private school which would demolish the cost savings of lower rent. But I do like City Island.
quote]
The easiest and cheapest would be to rent an apartment in Belmont. My girlfriend is a Fordham Grad student at Rose Hill and rents a 3 bedroom for $2000 per month. This area is only a block or two from campus and you are on Arthur Ave.
If this does not fit the bill, I wouldn't want to live on the westside and take the D train. The D station is about a mile from Rose Hill. The walk back to the train is also all up hill.
Upper east would be a good commute if you took the Metro North. If you took the 4 train to Fordham instead, it would be a crappy commute everyday. Especially since the 4 train station is a mile farther than the D station.
If you're looking to live in Manhattan, maybe consider Tudor City since it's so close to Grand Central. I love the upper west side, but the walk from Fordham to the subway is kind of far, and is just not that pleasant in my opinion. You'd save a ton of money and time by living in the Bronx - I'd consider Bedford Park (that's where I live), Belmont, Pelham Parkway, Woodlawn, Van Courtland Village. The commute from Inwood wouldn't be terrible either since you now have the select bus service on Fordham Rd.
I would second the recommendations for Pelham Parkway, Woodlawn and Riverdale. There are lots of nice areas in the Bronx to live in and these 3 are just some.
Also, Inwood is another good idea (anything between 190st-220th street in Manhattan, off Broadway preferably.) You can literally take the Express 12 bus to Fordham University and it leaves you right by the front door. Plus, you are right by Fort Tryon and Inwood Parks, both really nice. Lots of nice stores, restaurants and elementary schools in that area.
Don't quite get why you totally ruled out the bronx. There are some very nice areas.
But out of the options you presented I like the westchester one. You will work in the city so you will have the option to enjoy it after work or on weekends.
Btw just saw the inwood suggestion Solid but as someone who has used the bx12 select I'd be hard pressed recommending that as the main part of your commute. Its overcrowded, uncomfortable, and unreliable.
Last edited by NooYowkur81; 04-26-2012 at 08:51 PM..
Don't be silly,there are a number of Bronx neighborhoods where you could live.
NYC schools are not generally a problem until middle or high school and there are lots of very good elementary schools scattered all across the city,including The Bronx. So,given that your daughter is now 2 and won't even be going to school for a few more years,not sure that schools needs to be so far up on your radar screen.You will encounter the same problem with middle and high school by the way, almost no matter where you live when the time comes.Living in Manhattan doesn't necessarily solve the school problem at all.
I live in a Co Op building in Pelham Parkway,which is about 10 minutes from Fordham.There are lots of Forgham faculty,staff and students in my building and neighborhood and many of them have young children.
You might also want to think about Riverdale,Morris Park,Bedford Park,Woodlawn or Pelham Gardens. All are much closer to Fordham and much less expensive than anywhere in Manhattan.
You also might want to consider very nearby Westchester towns like Pelham,Tuckahoe and Bronxville.I think that's where you will find the majority of Fordham staff and faculty families with middle and high school age children.A lot of them live in The Bronx to save enough for the downpayment to move to Westchester when the time comes !
If you do decide that you must live in Manhattan,make it very near either Grand Central or 125th Street so as to be close to metro north as Fordham is in a subway challenged location.It's the 2,the 4 or the D PLUS a bus.
If you're looking to live in Manhattan, maybe consider Tudor City since it's so close to Grand Central. I love the upper west side, but the walk from Fordham to the subway is kind of far, and is just not that pleasant in my opinion. You'd save a ton of money and time by living in the Bronx - I'd consider Bedford Park (that's where I live), Belmont, Pelham Parkway, Woodlawn, Van Courtland Village. The commute from Inwood wouldn't be terrible either since you now have the select bus service on Fordham Rd.
Short bus ride if you don't wanna walk. I agree that the walk can be unpleasant though because it cuts through a congested retail corridor and also heading west is slightly uphill.
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Woodlawn
