Is 3rd Avenue and 120th Street Safe? (New York, York: apartment, to rent)
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I'm a Canadian currently looking to stay in New York for a couple of months, and I've found a place up in East Harlem on the corner of 3rd Ave and 120th Street. The apartment is quite good, convenient, affordable and comes with a doorman, but I'm a little concerned about the surrounding areas.
I need to take the subway to work every day, and I may need to work occasionally later into the nights, which is the main reason for my concerns- people are saying that the area is much less safe at night than at day, and I will need to walk a few blocks to get to the apartment while carrying my laptop.
I've also heard some people say that the area is fine as long as I excercise precaution, but I'd just like to know some people's opinions on whether or not this would be a good place to rent.
During the day you'll be fine .. at night .. take a cab... That's not the best area of East Harlem ..
125th street is where you will most likely get off at .. and at night that area can be a little dangerous .. If you carry a bag or briefcase ... Crack heads and other criminals needing money will be a little tempted .. The problem is this .. if you work a late night from time to time .. You'll be ok .. but if the same people watch you walk down the same street, at the same time every night, carrying something that looks of value .. they will eventually get comfortable enough to try something ..
Alter your route .. Don't walk the same way all the time .. And like I said .. if it's a late night you have to work, Take a cab and if that is too expensive take the Bus .. The Bus will let you off right at the Corner you'll be staying on..
The Buses M101, M102, and M103 All pass 120th street and 3rd ave .. Many people like the trains .. but it is easier for you to be robbed or mugged on the train because of 2 reasons
1.) You usually have to walk farther to your home unless you are lucky enough to live right near the station, which in your case you wouldn't. You will have to walk 4 or 5 blocks no matter which station you get off at ... 116th or 125th .. You pass more people and more areas walking 4 or 5 blocks than if you get off at your corner
2.) Most train stations are in crowded areas .. criminals know lots of people catch the train, so it is more likely they will be posted up and standing around to see who goes and comes from the stations on a regular basis. You are many more times likely to be seen by a criminal on a train than on a bus .. Tons of people pass through 125th street every day and night .. It's a highly watched area .. And With all those people .. somebody will notice you
Another thing to think about is this .. when you get off of a train late at night .. you and the criminal may be the only two people at the station, at that moment in time ..
Remember, when it gets late .. nobody is at those stations sometimes .. some nights it is Dead empty when you get off at a stop .. This is why women are assaulted at train stations so often .. Those stations become secluded when it gets late
But, When you get off of a bus, you don't need to walk through a tunnel or up stairs or 5 blocks to get home ..
With the Bus, you get off on a street corner where cars are riding by .. more out in the open .. Safer!
And when you do walk at night .. Use your senses .. if you hear people drinking and acting wild two blocks ahead .. turn off and take a different street .. if you hear people talking and smell marijuana coming from up ahead, assume it is a group of guys sitting outside getting stoned, change streets and walk down another , don't go strolling past them if you don't have to ..
If you see a group or even just one person and you don't feel comfortable .. Cross the street or again, turn down another block .. INTUITION WORKS WONDERS IN NYC!! .. Avoid crowds and people at night .. the more people who see you, the more likely somebody may get a wild hair to try something .. sometimes being drunk is enough to start trouble ..
Don't walk with Headphones on because people see you as an easier target, they know you cannot react as fast because you won't hear their approach
Don't talk on the phone and walk at night unless you have to .. Criminals are people too, they don't want to take any more of a risk than any other human. The easier target they see you as, the more likely they are to come at you .. Believe me when I say, criminals choose their victims carefully .. NOT AT RANDOM .. Like most people think ..
It's easier to catch a person OFF GUARD if they are talking on the phone or listening to music than if they are walking quickly and paying attention ..
Stay out of Bodegas .. that's usually where people get shot and robbed .. Bodegas themselves get robbed also .. lol .. People routinely get into arguments at those places ..
So, if you need something .. get it near your job before you get up to Harlem .. Don't go strolling into Bodegas around 125th or 120th streets at 2am.
A new guy to the hood carrying a briefcase with 5 Crack heads standing around late at night is begging for trouble ..
These precautions should be taken at night no matter what neighborhood you move into if it is in the City .. Just use common sense .. to make a long story short
During the day you'll be fine .. at night .. take a cab... That's not the best area of East Harlem ..
125th street is where you will most likely get off at .. and at night that area can be a little dangerous .. If you carry a bag or briefcase ... Crack heads and other criminals needing money will be a little tempted .. The problem is this .. if you work a late night from time to time .. You'll be ok .. but if the same people watch you walk down the same street, at the same time every night, carrying something that looks of value .. they will eventually get comfortable enough to try something ..
Alter your route .. Don't walk the same way all the time .. And like I said .. if it's a late night you have to work, Take a cab and if that is too expensive take the Bus .. The Bus will let you off right at the Corner you'll be staying on..
The Buses M101, M102, and M103 All pass 120th street and 3rd ave .. Many people like the trains .. but it is easier for you to be robbed or mugged on the train because of 2 reasons
1.) You usually have to walk farther to your home unless you are lucky enough to live right near the station, which in your case you wouldn't. You will have to walk 4 or 5 blocks no matter which station you get off at ... 116th or 125th .. You pass more people and more areas walking 4 or 5 blocks than if you get off at your corner
2.) Most train stations are in crowded areas .. criminals know lots of people catch the train, so it is more likely they will be posted up and standing around to see who goes and comes from the stations on a regular basis. You are many more times likely to be seen by a criminal on a train than on a bus .. Tons of people pass through 125th street every day and night .. It's a highly watched area .. And With all those people .. somebody will notice you
Another thing to think about is this .. when you get off of a train late at night .. you and the criminal may be the only two people at the station, at that moment in time ..
Remember, when it gets late .. nobody is at those stations sometimes .. some nights it is Dead empty when you get off at a stop .. This is why women are assaulted at train stations so often .. Those stations become secluded when it gets late
But, When you get off of a bus, you don't need to walk through a tunnel or up stairs or 5 blocks to get home ..
With the Bus, you get off on a street corner where cars are riding by .. more out in the open .. Safer!
And when you do walk at night .. Use your senses .. if you hear people drinking and acting wild two blocks ahead .. turn off and take a different street .. if you hear people talking and smell marijuana coming from up ahead, assume it is a group of guys sitting outside getting stoned, change streets and walk down another , don't go strolling past them if you don't have to ..
If you see a group or even just one person and you don't feel comfortable .. Cross the street or again, turn down another block .. INTUITION WORKS WONDERS IN NYC!! .. Avoid crowds and people at night .. the more people who see you, the more likely somebody may get a wild hair to try something .. sometimes being drunk is enough to start trouble ..
Don't walk with Headphones on because people see you as an easier target, they know you cannot react as fast because you won't hear their approach
Don't talk on the phone and walk at night unless you have to .. Criminals are people too, they don't want to take any more of a risk than any other human. The easier target they see you as, the more likely they are to come at you .. Believe me when I say, criminals choose their victims carefully .. NOT AT RANDOM .. Like most people think ..
It's easier to catch a person OFF GUARD if they are talking on the phone or listening to music than if they are walking quickly and paying attention ..
Stay out of Bodegas .. that's usually where people get shot and robbed .. Bodegas themselves get robbed also .. lol .. People routinely get into arguments at those places ..
So, if you need something .. get it near your job before you get up to Harlem .. Don't go strolling into Bodegas around 125th or 120th streets at 2am.
A new guy to the hood carrying a briefcase with 5 Crack heads standing around late at night is begging for trouble ..
These precautions should be taken at night no matter what neighborhood you move into if it is in the City .. Just use common sense .. to make a long story short
Doesn't this sound fun to a friendly Canadian.
But seriously, pick somewhere else. If you list your budget and the neighborhood of your job I could give suggestions.
That area has a lot of substance abuse clinics and AHRC is on the corner of 125th and Lexington along with the bus stop to Ward's Island. I'll leave it at that.
Thanks for the responses- dn't know it could be as dangerous as this.
My job is slightly west of Stuyvesant Town, and I'm looking for a place with a relatively easy commute (i.e. not too many transfers on subway lines, no more than a hour's commute), and a price range of around $1000/mo + $200. A bit hard to find, but there ought to be something.
$1200 is very little if you want to live alone in NYC. Forget about Manhattan. Look into Sunset Park Brooklyn. You could find a nice place for 1200 in a much nicer neighborhood. 120th and 3rd bullets will fly past you and you'll more than likely be accosted. Sunset Park is more peaceful with families and fewer violent felons and substance abusers
Not the greatest part of East Harlem but if you have basic street smarts and don't look like a victim it's not THAT bad either. The next block east near Wagner pjs is much more tensed imo, shootings are not uncommon around there...
But seriously, pick somewhere else. If you list your budget and the neighborhood of your job I could give suggestions.
Lol!
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