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We are a family of 4 currently in LA, but considering a move to the NYC area for a new job. The kids are 3 and 1, so schools are not an issue yet. Rental budget would probably be in the $4k-$5k range. Besides a few visits as a tourist, I'm unfamiliar with the NYC area and where families live. Ideally, I'd want to have a 45 minute commute (or less) to an office near the Trump Tower. I think we'd want more space than the city would allow, so I'm curious if there are suburban areas not far from the city that would work for a family on our budget. Right now, I'm just trying to gauge if the move would be worth it as the salary is a nice bump from what I'm currently making and NYC could open many opportunities for my future career.
Yr budget us generous enough to afford you many options and the best, from a commute viewpoint, would be Westchester or Fairfield county, CT, where the commuter lines come into Grand Central at 42nd and Park. There are many neighborhoods in both regions you might find suitable and perhaps someone else here knows them better than me.
But you will also have options for a 3 bdrm, 2 bath apt at that price point in many good city neighborhoods that can cut the commute time substantially. Specifically I'd look at the Upper East Side, Long Island City Queens, Roosevelt Island, and a bit further away, Forest Hills, Queens. All are safe, fine for families, have nearby parks for the kids, have easy access to the rest of the city, and contain enough adult-oriented amenities to satisfy the grownups. And its more likely to find the space you'd want and easier to secure parking, either in a garage (recommended with toddlers to schlep around) or on the street.
I misspoke about the office location, it's actually in the tribeca area, not far from canal st. It seems this area may be easier to access via path from NJ.
If you're based in Tribeca, you should consider a few NJ options. Nearest in are Jersey City and Hoboken which are on the PATH lines (24/7 subways to lower Manhattan). Both have become pricier over the years, attracting many who might prefer NYC. But housing is still generally cheaper here than across the river. There's a wide variety of housing , from renovated lofts, brownstone-type row houses, and modern full-service high-rises. Both cities are very urban in feel and the ride to the city is easily less than 30 minutes.
More suburban choices might include Montclair, often called "the Upper West Side with lawns" for its upscale city-like vibe and relative sophistication in a suburban setting. Also maybe West Orange, South Orange, Bloomfield, Verona, and Glen Ridge, or Maplewood, which are a bit more standard, "plain vanilla" middle to upper-middle class towns. They're all in Essex county --technically suburbs of Newark-- and the NJ Transit commuter trains run through them to Penn Station on 33rd St., or connecting with the Path in Hoboken to NYC. (Or you can hop a bus to Port Authority on 42nd st).
And yes, all the aforementioned New York City neighborhoods in Queens and Brooklyn are still possible, though it would be an awkward commute from the Upper East Side to Tribeca.
Last edited by citylove101; 01-20-2016 at 03:55 PM..
Park Slope is stroller and playdate heaven. Next best adjacent neighborhood is Prospect Heights. Both are in Brooklyn with great access to lower Manhattan by the 2, 3, B, Q subways.. al depending on exactly where in those neighborhoods you land. Avoid situations where you have to "bus to the subway" just time-consuming. Sounds like you can afford to live within a few blocks of good subway lines and walk to the subway station.
The great thing there is the area around Grand Army Plaza where you have, lined up to take your kids all the time (outdoors, and indoor programming):
-Prospect Park (huge greenspace with a little zoo, pond, car-free roads for pedestrians/bikes/strollers, designed by the same guy who did Central Park) - Farmers Market every Saturday in good weather. Nice kids' playground near the Library entrance.
- Brooklyn Public Library headquarters (many kids' and adult programs)
- Brooklyn Museum of Art
- yoga studios, kid-friendly cafes, all that.
It is a very rich cultural offering for a young family. The commute to work by public transpo is around 20 minutes, I THINK, but check it out.
I liked big parks with asphalt walkways, and museums, when I had kids that age. because I could get out of the house and get exercise. I had the baby in the stroller, the 3-y-old standing on a bar in the back of it, and kept myself amused looking at beautiful art. In this cold weather climate (some of the year), it's helpful not to get isolated indoors; different than California.
The children grow so fast. By age 4 your eldest one is eligible for Universal pre-Kindergarten free at public schools. Imagine forward one year, as you consider your move. Figure out if you want to put them in and out of carseats and drive around to suburban places, or walk out with a stroller and have the stores etc. within easy walking distance of home. Each family sees those things differently. The two neighborhoods mentioned are full of young families, so much so that plenty of folks on this site won't go near those neighborhoods LOL.
Last edited by BrightRabbit; 01-20-2016 at 04:21 PM..
If you're based in Tribeca, you should consider a few NJ options. Nearest in are Jersey City and Hoboken which are on the PATH lines (24/7 subways to lower Manhattan). Both have become pricier over the years, attracting many who might prefer NYC. But housing is still generally cheaper here than across the river. There's a wide variety of housing , from renovated lofts, brownstone-type row houses, and modern full-service high-rises. Both cities are very urban in feel and the ride to the city is easily less than 30 minutes.
More suburban choices might include Montclair, often called "the Upper West Side with lawns" for its upscale city-like vibe and relative sophistication in a suburban setting. Also maybe West Orange, South Orange, Bloomfield, Verona, and Glen Ridge, or Maplewood, which are a bit more standard, "plain vanilla" middle to upper-middle class towns. They're all in Essex county --technically suburbs of Newark-- and the NJ Transit commuter trains run through them to Penn Station on 33rd St., or connecting with the Path in Hoboken to NYC. (Or you can hop a bus to Port Authority on 42nd st).
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Just some info about the NJ towns you mentioned, for the OP:
Montclair does have the qualities you mentioned. Sophisticated, diverse, pretty suburb, yet city-like vibe. However, the train ride from Montclair to Penn Station takes longer than many other NJ towns, almost 1 hour, since it's on a different line than many other Essex County towns.
West Orange is a nice, very diverse, middle to upper middle class town. However, it is NOT on a train line so commuting will be more difficult.
Verona is also NOT on a train line. It is the most "standard" plain vanilla middle class town that you mentioned, however. (the others are really not)
Bloomfield is NOT a middle to upper middle class town. I would characterize it as more of a working class to middle class town. As a result, the downtown area isn't as nice, pretty, with slightly fewer amenities. It is next door to Montclair, though, which is really nice, and is on the train line (but same train line as Montclair.)
South Orange and Maplewood (which are next to each other and share a public school system) are on a good train line and the train ride to Penn Station is relatively short, from 30-40 minute ride. However, these are also not "plain vanillal"a middle class towns. They are characterized by a sophisticated, artsy kind of atmosphere/population, very liberal/political, similar to Montclair (yet smaller), and very diverse both ethnically and socioeconomically, ranging from working class to upper class.
You could probably rent an entire house in my area for less than 4-5K. There are some areas that have more of a suburban feel if you want them.
what area do you live in? what kind of commute would it be from where you live to tribeca? i'm not opposed to suburban areas, though i think my preference would be for an inner ring suburb that still is close to lots of amenities without all the noise and crowds of being in the middle of the city.
Why would anyone deliberately move to the cesspool that is NYC?
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