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Well, the BX and most of Queens have not gone through gentrification, so those are the two boroughs where you are most likely to have that old school NY feel. As for BK, there are many hoods that have the old school flavor, but there's definitely changes happening or have happened in the last few years(Crown Heights, Bed-Stuy, Bushwick, Southside Williamsburg). The most pure NYC feel neighborhoods are either far from the "action" (Midwood, Bensonhurst) or just flat out hood (Brownsville, ENY). With Manhattan, you gotta go Uptown to get that old school NY, though it's going through changes also. LES/Alphabet City has the old school feel in spots, but it's so mixed with the gentry/yuppies.
Bed Stuy east of Franklin Ave south Bushwick by the junction and most of crown heights are still old school....
Italians aren't and haven't been immigrating in significant numbers anywhere in the US for quite a while. Italians born in Italy will keep declining everywhere in these "Italian" or former majority Italian neighborhoods. Italian-American neighborhoods?? They just don't seem that interesting to me. Their numbers will keep declining in NYC (perhaps except in SI) since the trajectory seems to be towards suburbanization for this group.
It's nothing to cry about - just natural. Anyway, my sister lived there when there were many more Italian-American residents, and so many of the younger generation (American-born) unfortunately fit the negative stereotype to a tee. Really different from the Italians I knew in Italy. I don't see the demographic shift as a loss, and it is still a very interesting and pleasant area.
Belmont, the area of the BX where Arthur Ave is has changed from what it used to be. Now its a couple of blocks square. It used to be much more encompassing. Outside of the small square area that is there now, you have pretty much urban decay and very high crime. I grew up not far from Belmont (University Heights).
If you want diversity, try south Queens. Woodhaven, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Forest Hills. Diverse but not deteriorated. Mostly families that have been there for decades but also intertwined with many new residents from all over the world. The northeast Bronx, Throggs Neck for instance is a nice area where you will find diversity as well as old school New York. In Brooklyn, Park Slope, the Dumbo area and Greenpoint are livable places. Staten Island is just too removed from it all. Manhattan is unaffordable for the average wage earner. I grew up and lived in NYC until 1988 and had reasons to leave it, but it still can be an exciting place to be living if you can accept the changes in way of life. Sheepshead Bay, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst are nice areas to live with plenty of diversity and a good housing stock with plenty of shops and places to explore for the new comer.
If you want to discuss it further, do contact me via DM. I would be happy to answer your questions. I have many friends that live there and are very happy. It just depends on what your needs are.
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Originally Posted by Rcsligar
I recently took a trip to NY and visiting Arthur ave in the Bronx was like breathing a breath of fresh air. I felt like I was in a real authentic neighborhood from the 1970s or so. It really seemed to maintain its local roots and still seemed like it had a fair amount of working class people. My question is what neighborhoods are left in nyc that have cultural diversity, aren't too yuppie/hipster centric or pretentious, and has defined character of its own? I'm sure this is asked a lot but I am curious about what people think. Future destinations for me include Pelham parkway and Brooklyn heights.
Once you leave the few square blocks that make up the Little Italy of The Bronx, you won't find that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rcsligar
I came across many people speaking Italian in the street, generations old restaurants, etc. I don't really know what you're talking about. There is a mixture of hispanics, blacks and a few fordham students here and there but overall I think it's predominantly Italian.
Bath Beach here in Brooklyn has not been "gentrified", "hipsterfied" or "yuppified". We are too far from Manhattan for that to ever happen.
Which to me is good in a way, we don't want our neighborhood to be hip and trendy, we don't want "bars" and "cafes" that close by. We like our quiet and peaceful neighborhood. Hence, this is why I live here.
If I want hip and trendy, I can drive or take the train.
What does it being still an Italian neighborhood have to do with it being a real, old school working class NYC type neighborhood? It is now an old school, real working class NYC type neighborhood that is predominantly Hispanic! The same way it became a real, old school, working class NYC type Italian neighborhood 70 years ago!
Today it is simply the best Hispanic neighborhood for Italian restaurants owned by Albanians. If that isn't a real, old school, working class NYC type neighborhood, I don't know what is. It feels exactly the same as it did 40 years ago, except you have a tiny sliver of Italians, a huge number of Hispanics, and a fair amount of Albanians....other than that the vibe is unchanged.
Different types of people, but same neighborhood...that is exactly the way it should be right? No gentrification but still changing/evolving neighborhood for "regular" people.
Head over to Bedford-Mosholu and Norwood. The area is much the same as it was twenty years ago just that the neighborhoods are now predominantly hispanic compared to being Irish and Jewish back then with pockets of Italians here and there. Not much in the way of fancy restaurants but there are still quite a few Irish bars and grills, and now some good Mexican and other Hispanic restaurants. The Botanical Gardens are there as well.
Bed Stuy east of Franklin Ave south Bushwick by the junction and most of crown heights are still old school....
Yes, the area near Franklin and Nostrand set aside, Crown Heights is definitely not gentrifying. Especially that part of the neighborhood east of Utica (near Ralph, Buffalo etc). This area is like Brownsville's cousin.
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