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Hello
I am a 22 years old French student who just arrived in the city for four months. I am about to rent a flat on St Nicholas Avenue, I intend to move in this Saturday. The area and the building look fine to me, however many people I met since then tell me to find somewhere else, and that this area is unsafe: I'll live at 880 st Nicholas ave, which is between the 153rd and 154th.
These people really frightened me so now I don't know if I'm right to move in there...
I don't know the neighbourhoods well yet, and I'll have flatmates but I came in the US on my own and intend to be out a lot, so any advice or experience would really help me, thank you very much !!
The area is basically upper Harlem. It is not the safest area in the city. It's not extremely dangerous. You will pay a lot more for a very safe area in Manhattan.
If you have any questions or need any other advice about NYC feel free to PM me.
i lived in hamilton heights for 2 years and it was pretty decent. It does have it's fair share of "bad vibes" and not seem too safe, however I never had any issues living there.
Hamilton Heights is my favorite neighborhood in the city and I've lived here in HH for over ten years. Hamilton Heights technically ends at 150th Street, but close enough. The neighborhood is very safe and has lot to do. Lots of young professionals and students. Columbia expansion and City College is right here. Lots of nice bars and places to eat have opened up over the past five years. The A and D trains get you to midtown in ten minutes.
Statistically you are a lot safer uptown than you are downtown. Most crime uptown is domestic, not muggings, etc.
Most people have no clue what they are talking about.
There is not much to worry about in this slice of Harlem, but there aren't a lot of amenities within walking distance either. (Although there is Famous Fish -- my favorite Harlem takeout--at 145th and St, Nicholas. Woohoo!). The transportation is also decent with the trains at 145th St and the buses up and down the avenues. It's not like this is some type of super danger zone--and some of the neighborhood is is landmarked and quite lovely--but you should always, as in any part of the city, use common sense precautions.
You have nothing to worry about really. Mostly the people who are afraid fall into the following categories:
1. They Never been and only "hear things"
2. Havent been back since the 1980's when it was bad
3. Sadly the know 1 person that something might have happened to and base that one experience for the whole area
4. Afraid of people whose skin tone is naturally tanned and because of that skin age much better than white
St nick in the 150s is a little more ghetto honestly. But still fairly tame compared to say a real hood. You are just going to be around a lot of older hood characters. People that grew up in these environments will know what I'm talking about lol. As far as Ham Heights goes I think the 140s are nicer but probably more expensive if I had to guess. The thing is as a foreigner and someone new to this city you the OP are especially an easy mark for crime. You will need to be careful everywhere, please keep that in mind.
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