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I don't know about that... seems like you haven't been there in awhile... All in all... I'd say Woodhaven is starting to look more and more like Cypress Hills/South Ozone Park each day... Ozone Park still has a few decent spots whereas the only decent looking part of Woodhaven left is by the Glendale border... Similar situation goes for Richmond Hill... Some parts along Liberty and Jamaica ave. look dingy but the rest of the neighborhood seems a lot nicer than Woodhaven does...
Woodhaven always had this gloomy atmosphere about it, maybe it's either the run down looking houses or the fact that the neighborhood has a lot of big trees everywhere. Jamaica Avenue is also very ugly and run down looking under the el. Ozone Park south of Liberty Avenue still looks pretty nice for the most part though, especially the homes in Tudor Village or near the Conduit.
I only know Queens and LI. I don't want to live on LI anywhere except maybe Rockville Centre. Queens would be Corona, Downtown Flushing, Queensbridge area, South Jamaica, Woodhaven, and some parts of Elmhurst.
Staten Island sucks because of the bridge and the amount of effort to get to the city.
Favorites? LIC, Astoria, Forest Hills, Rego Park, Glendale, Kew Gardens.
I live in Forest Hills area. Astoria is NOT a good neighborhood to live in. I tried it, twice. Lousy housing stock (you won't possibly see crummier apartments for $1,400/month--stained bathroom fixtures, leaky refrigerators, noisy neighbors, sleazy landlords). Young people choose Astoria because of its cafes and restaurants and, most important of all, for its closeness to Manhattan. The food shops are also interesting. If you're the type of person who gets out of bed, brushes your teeth and LEAVES your apartment, not to return till 11PM or midnight -- that's not a problem. But if you like being home at all, forget Astoria. The quality of life (as opposed to the quality of your MANHATTAN life) is not high. The landlords, rental agents and management companies in Astoria are among the most corrupt I've ever dealt with. Be warned.
I tend to agree that the housing stock in Astoria is lousy, however for young people who simply want to be close to the city and spend most of their time away, it is a good choice. I am always surprised at how poor the housing is in Astoria...the homes not only have zero architectural significance, they are not well maintained on the inside either (in general)...I guess they don't have to be! If you are paying $1,400 for a studio in Astoria, it is probably behind the boiler or hot water tank. However I don't think Astoria is anywhere near least desireable neighborhoods in NYC...the opposite actually.
I tend to agree that the housing stock in Astoria is lousy, however for young people who simply want to be close to the city and spend most of their time away, it is a good choice. I am always surprised at how poor the housing is in Astoria...the homes not only have zero architectural significance, they are not well maintained on the inside either (in general)...I guess they don't have to be! If you are paying $1,400 for a studio in Astoria, it is probably behind the boiler or hot water tank. However I don't think Astoria is anywhere near least desireable neighborhoods in NYC...the opposite actually.
@Sobro. I agree with your post, but there really are better neighborhoods to live in than Astoria. Housing stock might not be a priority for many young people coming to New York, and they may not mind. But if you like honest landlords and rental agents, and you want to get something for $1,400 per month without brown stains in your bathtub, there are better neighborhoods... in Queens and in Brooklyn. My last two apartments in Astoria were expensive, shabby and with inadequate heat (and a couple of cute little mice) in the winter. The day I moved out of Astoria was a happy day.
Well the rates are jacked up because so many young kids want to live there. Tons of bars, clubs, restaurants, activities. Through work I met with a couple that were leaving to go to New Orleans because of work and lived in Astoria. They had a 3 bedroom with a basement and backyard for 1700. The landlord told them once they move out he will probably list for 2200 at least. Landlords have to love when these people that have been there for awhile leave because they get to jack up the rates! I still love visiting Astoria and the park near the water is pretty amazing.
@Sobro. I agree with your post, but there really are better neighborhoods to live in than Astoria. Housing stock might not be a priority for many young people coming to New York, and they may not mind. But if you like honest landlords and rental agents, and you want to get something for $1,400 per month without brown stains in your bathtub, there are better neighborhoods... in Queens and in Brooklyn. My last two apartments in Astoria were expensive, shabby and with inadequate heat (and a couple of cute little mice) in the winter. The day I moved out of Astoria was a happy day.
South Ozone Park is actually not that dirty. It might smell like halal and tamarindo juice, but it's not dirty. A lot of Guyanese immigrants moved in, so that's nice. Friends who live there say that it's improved a lot since they moved in in the 2000's
Woodhaven always had this gloomy atmosphere about it, maybe it's either the run down looking houses or the fact that the neighborhood has a lot of big trees everywhere. Jamaica Avenue is also very ugly and run down looking under the el. Ozone Park south of Liberty Avenue still looks pretty nice for the most part though, especially the homes in Tudor Village or near the Conduit.
Woodhaven isn't gloomy. It's residential. The trees give it a serene look I think. I'm in Woodhaven every weekend as my parents still live there. While the neighborhood has changed a lot in terms of demographics over the past 10 years, it has a LONG way to go before it even resembles Cypress Hills or other grittier Queens neighborhoods. The majority of new residents are Hispanic and southeast Asian (Malaysia, Chinese, etc). My parents have lived there for the past 18 years so they know all the people on the block...their first neighbors were Indian (they moved to Floral Park) and the new neighbors are Ecuadorian. The other neighbors on my parents block (Irish elderly widow) sold and moved to Florida to be with her grand kids, and those new neighbors are Puerto Rican/Dominican (formerly renters from Brooklyn). The neighbors a few doors down and across the street are African American professionals (engineer and a nurse). The only ghetto neighbors my parents can't stand is a Puerto Rican family with 6 kids (yup! Half came From the husbands former marriage!) who take up the street every day playing baseball and causing noise.
Other than that, it's been pretty tame.
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