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Thanks everybody. I tried to dm roseba about Archer Stratton Coop, some time ago. Right now I am almost done with my board package for them. But, I also have my PNC/PSC deal sheet in front of me.
It's such a hard decision to make, honestly. They're both beautiful units in peaceful diverse and amazing looking communities that I love. I may have used the term gracious too many times in my cover letter. Thanks so much for the info.
I feel more confident in the process now, and was scared because of how scary NYC coop board decision making and interviews can be.
To be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with living outside of the planned part of Parkchester in terms of safety. It is working class to working middle class, and one of the few areas of The Bronx that is relatively safe, but not tucked away, which is how much of the better areas of the borough are. I attended a meeting with the City for work in the area outside of the complex (the planned part of Parkchester) a few years ago and felt fairly safe. What is nice about that part is it is near to the planned part of Parkchester to benefit from the same amenities, but not as busy, so perhaps it'll be quieter.
I took a look on Zillow and I'm baffled. These seem to be overpriced for what you get.
How do you mean? Where else in NYC, in a neighborhood that is actually livable safety-wise, can you buy a 630 sq ft 1-bedroom condo (not a coop, but an actual condominium) for $175k (or for $200k if it is in a newly gut-renovated condition), or an 800 sq ft 2-bedroom condo for $250k?
To be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with living outside of the planned part of Parkchester in terms of safety. It is working class to working middle class, and one of the few areas of The Bronx that is relatively safe, but not tucked away, which is how much of the better areas of the borough are. I attended a meeting with the City for work in the area outside of the complex (the planned part of Parkchester) a few years ago and felt fairly safe. What is nice about that part is it is near to the planned part of Parkchester to benefit from the same amenities, but not as busy, so perhaps it'll be quieter.
The two Parkchester condo associations are their own world, very much apart from what is around them. You may feel relatively safe just outside of them on Archer St, but you don't get this stuff inside PNC or PSC:
The two Parkchester condo associations are their own world, very much apart from what is around them. You may feel relatively safe just outside of them on Archer St, but you don't get this stuff inside PNC or PSC:
I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but Parkchester is Parkchester, even with the private security that drives around. In other words, the hood types I've seen in the area that is patrolled are the same types that I see outside of the planned part of Parkchester, so it's not like that part of Parkchester where you live is somehow higher income or off-limits to the hood people that live there. Parkchester overall is the same crime wise, and I'd put money on it that the crime stats show that. I happen to know someone that has lived outside of the Parkchester development in Parkchester happily for many many years and they live on a quiet block similar to where the OP is planning to live. A lot of the streets immediately outside of the planned part are low density and consist of homeowners, who may actually have higher incomes than the people in the planned part of Parkchester. I get the impression that it's the kind of area where families stay for generations. I do know that the area historically has had a Puerto Rican demographic, which still exists, even with the different mixtures that live there today.
Overall, considering that it is somewhat centrally located and working class, it is indeed an oddity that it is fairly safe overall, be it inside or outside of the planned part of Parkchester. Seems like a place that for the most part where if you mind your business, you will be fine, as I have seen a number of Whites there aside from myself who seemed perfectly comfortable in the area despite being the minority there.
I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but Parkchester is Parkchester, even with the private security that drives around. In other words, the hood types I've seen in the area that is patrolled are the same types that I see outside of the planned part of Parkchester, so it's not like that part of Parkchester where you live is somehow higher income or off-limits to the hood people that live there. Parkchester overall is the same crime wise, and I'd put money on it that the crime stats show that. I happen to know someone that has lived outside of the Parkchester development in Parkchester happily for many many years and they live on a quiet block similar to where the OP is planning to live. A lot of the streets immediately outside of the planned part are low density and consist of homeowners, who may actually have higher incomes than the people in the planned part of Parkchester. I get the impression that it's the kind of area where families stay for generations. I do know that the area historically has had a Puerto Rican demographic, which still exists, even with the different mixtures that live there today.
Overall, considering that it is somewhat centrally located and working class, it is indeed an oddity that it is fairly safe overall, be it inside or outside of the planned part of Parkchester. Seems like a place that for the most part where if you mind your business, you will be fine, as I have seen a number of Whites there aside from myself who seemed perfectly comfortable in the area despite being the minority there.
I don't care about incomes, and do not believe low income = crime (if anything, I am only worried if I see an expensive car or a guy in flashy, expensive clothes in Parkchester Condo - I do see that occasionally, and I do assume they are criminals. But they don't have shoot-outs in the condo complex, which they do immediately west of the complex, and the police blogs attest to that).
I'd say PNC/PSC is firmly predominantly a low-income community not looking to gentrify, but that does not correlate with crime - or in fact could be protective from crime, because there is nothing to rob or burglarize for. A significant % of the condo residents are immigrants, about 1 in 5 from Bangladesh, and I don't know exactly how many, but definitely many, from West Africa. These two groups of immigrants have the crime rate of 0% among them, ie, exactly nobody among the Bangladeshi or West Africans is criminal or violent. Then there are a lot of old people (PNC/PSC is considered a naturally occuring aging community, and there is a very active senior organization in the condo complex). Then there is, of course, the everpresent Parkchester Security driving around in their cruisers. PNC/PSC is simply not a community that values crime, or wants any crime there. But once you are out of that architecturally well defined environment, you are immediately in the "rest of the South Bronx".
How do you mean? Where else in NYC, in a neighborhood that is actually livable safety-wise, can you buy a 630 sq ft 1-bedroom condo (not a coop, but an actual condominium) for $175k (or for $200k if it is in a newly gut-renovated condition), or an 800 sq ft 2-bedroom condo for $250k?
Can buy a clunker of a car for $5K as well. That doesn’t mean it’s a good value.
Can buy a clunker of a car for $5K as well. That doesn’t mean it’s a good value.
Well, a clunker is not driveable. But Parkchester is actually livable. It is not luxurious, and the neighbors are not movie stars, but it is possible to live there, and even enjoy it.
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