Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have to move by the end of the year and its looking like one of these two options at this point.
What are these areas like? Which is better? Roosevelt Island seems very inaccessible and the big bridge on 59th street doesn't even stop on the island (WTF?) and just goes straight to Queens. Why??! Also it seems half (the front part) is abandoned hospital buildings.
Red Hook all I know is the huge ikea there and it is the next Williamsburg and hipsters are saying it is the real hip area now that Williamsburg has been played out. I work downtown so both these areas are around the same commute for me.
I have to move by the end of the year and its looking like one of these two options at this point.
What are these areas like? Which is better? Roosevelt Island seems very inaccessible and the big bridge on 59th street doesn't even stop on the island (WTF?) and just goes straight to Queens. Why??! Also it seems half (the front part) is abandoned hospital buildings.
Red Hook all I know is the huge ikea there and it is the next Williamsburg and hipsters are saying it is the real hip area now that Williamsburg has been played out. I work downtown so both these areas are around the same commute for me.
Any thoughts and help?
Just curious - how long have you been in NYC? And why are you limiting yourself to just those 2 neighborhoods - they're pretty much night and day. Ironically they're both served by the F train (Red Hook kinda is), is that why you chose them?
__________________
"The man who sleeps on the floor, can never fall out of bed." -Martin Lawrence
Just curious - how long have you been in NYC? And why are you limiting yourself to just those 2 neighborhoods - they're pretty much night and day. Ironically they're both served by the F train (Red Hook kinda is), is that why you chose them?
Well many people on this forum including some that have been here a long time just go with the NY Times. Red Hook is up and coming so Red Hook it is.
I have to move by the end of the year and its looking like one of these two options at this point.
What are these areas like? Which is better? Roosevelt Island seems very inaccessible and the big bridge on 59th street doesn't even stop on the island (WTF?) and just goes straight to Queens. Why??! Also it seems half (the front part) is abandoned hospital buildings.
Red Hook all I know is the huge ikea there and it is the next Williamsburg and hipsters are saying it is the real hip area now that Williamsburg has been played out. I work downtown so both these areas are around the same commute for me.
Any thoughts and help?
"The big bridge on 59th Street?" Yeah. I guess you must be a newcomer. But to your point--Roosevelt island is accessible from the city via the F and the tramway to 59th st, and by car from Queens. You can also actually HAVE a car fairly easily on RI if you want, 'cause they have garage parking. Plus all the stores you'd need for day-to-day stuff, like groceries, pharamacy, dry cleaners, et al.
Red Hook is remote from Manhattan--really remote IMO--and it is NOT "the next Williamsburg." That's probably Bushwick I'd guess. But it is next to endless drab commercial buildings, docks, housing projects, a few big box stores, and yes, a smattering of hipsters, who FWIW do not define the neighborhood they way they might in Williamsburg.
Bottom line: Roosevelt Island is physically new and pretty bourgeois, while Red Hook is an old neighborhood (and looks it) and is definitely grittier. Take your pick.
I personally don't care for Roosevelt Island because of the weird vibe and lack of anything to do or see. Although you should definitely do your research about the construction on the island because Cornell is building a campus there. If you live close to the F train stop on island, it is only one stop to Midtown, so you'd have Manhattan rather easily at your disposal.
Red Hook is ok, but I thought a fair amount of it wasn't that accessible to the subway. And there are also the creepy/industrial/housing project parts of Red Hook that aren't that nice. I was amazed to pass an enormous building (almost entire block) on Lorraine St. in Red Hook which is filled with garbage. I think it might be a garbage processing plant but it is an indoor facility. Also passed by a grocery store outside the NYCHA buildings in Red Hook that did not look like somewhere I'd want to be after dark.
If you want to know why the Queensboro Bridge skipped over Roosevelt Island, just read a little history of the island. The bridge was built in 1909. Back then the island was filled with asylums, psychiatric hospitals and prisons. But I think you had already figured that out.
I think instead of only looking at F train neighborhoods, you should look at your total commute time and where you can afford to live. Many times it's really not that hard to transfer train lines.
So which area is safer? Does Roosevelt Island even a community sense? I visited and there was only 1 road on the island called "Main Street" O_o
Roosevelt Island has a huge sense of community, but that may be changing with all the new development. It sure is vastly different from when I was a kid, when there was not much happening there. However, it's always been super safe. If I had the choice, I'd live on Roosevelt Island, but that's just my preference.
The "abandoned" hospital building is actually a landmark, and is now the backdrop to a popular park.
I personally don't care for Roosevelt Island because of the weird vibe and lack of anything to do or see. Although you should definitely do your research about the construction on the island because Cornell is building a campus there. If you live close to the F train stop on island, it is only one stop to Midtown, so you'd have Manhattan rather easily at your disposal.
Red Hook is ok, but I thought a fair amount of it wasn't that accessible to the subway. And there are also the creepy/industrial/housing project parts of Red Hook that aren't that nice. I was amazed to pass an enormous building (almost entire block) on Lorraine St. in Red Hook which is filled with garbage. I think it might be a garbage processing plant but it is an indoor facility. Also passed by a grocery store outside the NYCHA buildings in Red Hook that did not look like somewhere I'd want to be after dark.
If you want to know why the Queensboro Bridge skipped over Roosevelt Island, just read a little history of the island. The bridge was built in 1909. Back then the island was filled with asylums, psychiatric hospitals and prisons. But I think you had already figured that out.
I think instead of only looking at F train neighborhoods, you should look at your total commute time and where you can afford to live. Many times it's really not that hard to transfer train lines.
You were on Lorraine Street?? That's the hood! 0_o
__________________
"The man who sleeps on the floor, can never fall out of bed." -Martin Lawrence
So which area is safer? Does Roosevelt Island even a community sense? I visited and there was only 1 road on the island called "Main Street" O_o
Red Hook has huge concentrations of housing projects, so Roosvelt Idland is safer. The gentrifying areas of Red Hook are a little removed from said projects, so it's not that bad. The bigger problem with Redhook though, is how far it is from the subway. Your trek to the subway will be brutal during the winter if you choose Red Hook.
Roosevelt Island is nice and tranquile, if not a little sterile. But it can be a nice reprieve from the hectic city pace. Cornel is building a tech campus on the south side of the island so expect there to be a population boon on the island once the campus opens its doors to students. That being said, aside from nice views of Manhattan, there is nothing particularly interesting about the island. It has a Starbucks, a big chain phramacy, supermarket and a subway restaurant but that is about it.
Your commute will likely be shorter from Roosevelt Island, but that really depends where on the F line your job is. At least on Roosevelt Island you have better transit options.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
