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It's probably alright for a guy. As a single, young female, I don't really feel safe there...esp. at night. Of course, a female (or anyone really) probably shouldn't be walking around at night alone anyway, but my point is that I feel a lot safer doing it in other neighbourhoods (ie. my own) than there.
Someone told me a story and I don't know if they ever caught the guy...but a few girls she knew were walking home from the subway at night and a guy followed them from behind all the way home. When they got to their doors, he pushed his way inside and into the girls' apartment. I don't know what happened from there...and yeah this can happen anywhere...but I do think that rent-price is synonamous with the condition of the neighbourhood. In other words, I think that if you are paying such cheap rent, esp. in NYC, then the neighbourhood probably isn't good or the apartment itself is run-down. etc.
That's MY opinion. There are a lot of people who like Astoria...so don't base your opinion on what *I* or anyone thinks. If you are interested, check it out for yourself.
Cool. I definitely can understand that. That is one of the reasons I am looking to leave where I currently live. While I feel mostly safe as a guy in Fordham, I don't always feel so great when my girl is by herself there.
No offense but with your name I assumed your were a guy.
It's probably alright for a guy. As a single, young female, I don't really feel safe there...esp. at night. Of course, a female (or anyone really) probably shouldn't be walking around at night alone anyway, but my point is that I feel a lot safer doing it in other neighbourhoods (ie. my own) than there.
Really? Astoria is one of the only neighborhoods in Queens where I still see a lot of females roaming around at the late, late hours of night. Of course, I wouldn't question your own feelings about it, it's important that you feel safe.. I just thought it seemed to be a pretty female-friendly neighborhood.
I was originally just curious why the rent wasn't higher there? With it's location which is a big influence on price you would think it would be higher. Compared to like Jackson Heights for instance I've noticed the rents are always comparatively less in Astoria. But I think I understand now thanks to your answer.
I think it depends on specific location. The Historic District of Jackson Heights is going to usually be more expensive than Astoria, but the normal apartment buildings are usually less. Astoria isn't always as cheap as you make it out to be.. it's mostly just because it's in Queens, imo.. if you try to move in somewhere near the Park, you're not finding anything in the least bit affordable.
I think it depends on specific location. The Historic District of Jackson Heights is going to usually be more expensive than Astoria, but the normal apartment buildings are usually less. Astoria isn't always as cheap as you make it out to be.. it's mostly just because it's in Queens, imo.. if you try to move in somewhere near the Park, you're not finding anything in the least bit affordable.
Is there any particular reason? It's well developed. A lot of it is very convenient transportation wise. Stable area. Safe. Yet its remained affordable? Just curious. Not that I don't want it to stay that way. My next place is looking like its gonna be in Astoria.
I do know at one point it wasn't as nice. In the 70's/80's. Does that have anything to do with it?
Because it's in Queens.
Queens has only recently started to change its, working-class, Archie Bunker reputation. Even though Queens is closer to Midtown, the first-wave gentrifiers (back in the 80s) went to Brooklyn. Brooklyn was a separate city from colonial times and has distinct upper-, middle-, and working class areas. The architecture is much nicer in Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope and even Bed-Stuy than anything Queens has to offer. Astoria's main asset is location, which is no small thing in New York.
As Manhattan was not so outrageously expensive in those days, the people who moved to Brooklyn were looking for more space and a more relaxed quality of life (near Prospect Park).
The young people who moved to Astoria in the last 10 years did so because they couldn't afford anything in Manhattan, not because of the innate attraction of the neighborhood.
Queens has only recently started to change its, working-class, Archie Bunker reputation. Even though Queens is closer to Midtown, the first-wave gentrifiers (back in the 80s) went to Brooklyn. Brooklyn was a separate city from colonial times and has distinct upper-, middle-, and working class areas. The architecture is much nicer in Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope and even Bed-Stuy than anything Queens has to offer. Astoria's main asset is location, which is no small thing in New York.
As Manhattan was not so outrageously expensive in those days, the people who moved to Brooklyn were looking for more space and a more relaxed quality of life (near Prospect Park).
The young people who moved to Astoria in the last 10 years did so because they couldn't afford anything in Manhattan, not because of the innate attraction of the neighborhood.
But there are areas of queens that aren't that overally cheap...so I don't think you can really say it's cheap just b/c it's Queens. What about areas like Bayside, Douglaston & Forest Hills? Those are very nice areas and not that cheap.
Queens has only recently started to change its, working-class, Archie Bunker reputation. Even though Queens is closer to Midtown, the first-wave gentrifiers (back in the 80s) went to Brooklyn. Brooklyn was a separate city from colonial times and has distinct upper-, middle-, and working class areas. The architecture is much nicer in Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope and even Bed-Stuy than anything Queens has to offer. Astoria's main asset is location, which is no small thing in New York.
As Manhattan was not so outrageously expensive in those days, the people who moved to Brooklyn were looking for more space and a more relaxed quality of life (near Prospect Park).
The young people who moved to Astoria in the last 10 years did so because they couldn't afford anything in Manhattan, not because of the innate attraction of the neighborhood.
Indeed. Perhaps the cultural center of gravity for gentrification is too far from Astoria for prices to go way up yet. One common complaint of a yuppie in Astoria may be that it's too long of a trip to go see their friends in Brooklyn. It's one neighborhood in isolation, whereas neighborhoods like Prospect Heights, Bed-Stuy, Kensington, or Bushwick all border neighborhoods full of desired amenities and demographics for the types of people that will outbid $$$ others for apartments. (which raises rents)
Is the architecture really that important? Maybe it is. Personally I prefer western Queens, although to me most of it is very ugly and dirty compared to even the ghettos of Brooklyn. (discounting Williamsburg and Greenpoint ) Brooklyn's Prospect Park is probably a big draw, which even the people who don't care for it are affected as it draws the things that they do care for. Almost all the greenspace in western Queens is cemeteries... and all the land they use up, you could probably fit 200,000 people! For Williamsburg, the L line to Manhattan makes up for the disconnect to other parts of Brooklyn.
It's probably alright for a guy. As a single, young female, I don't really feel safe there...esp. at night. Of course, a female (or anyone really) probably shouldn't be walking around at night alone anyway, but my point is that I feel a lot safer doing it in other neighbourhoods (ie. my own) than there.
Someone told me a story and I don't know if they ever caught the guy...but a few girls she knew were walking home from the subway at night and a guy followed them from behind all the way home. When they got to their doors, he pushed his way inside and into the girls' apartment. I don't know what happened from there...and yeah this can happen anywhere...but I do think that rent-price is synonamous with the condition of the neighbourhood. In other words, I think that if you are paying such cheap rent, esp. in NYC, then the neighbourhood probably isn't good or the apartment itself is run-down. etc.
That's MY opinion. There are a lot of people who like Astoria...so don't base your opinion on what *I* or anyone thinks. If you are interested, check it out for yourself.
I'm sorry to put it to you this strongly, but your opinion is baseless; and I don't believe you know what you are actually talking about.
For example, the crime you describe. Guess what it happens and has happened EVERYWHERE in NYC. This includes your neighborhood, and I don't even know which it is. I don't need to, as the statement is fact. There is not a single neighborhood in NY, where a "push-in" crime, be it, robbery, rape, murder or all three, has not occurred. Not a single neighborhood. Crap, a murder/robbery occurred right on 5 Avenue across from the Park. You can't be in a more exclusive or safe neighborhood than that.
Someone just got murdered in their home, across from Rockefeller University on the UES. Does this make the neighborhood unsafe?
Please, where is it that you lived in Astoria and when? When doesn't really matter, I just want to know for fact. Also, what are the neighborhoods you feel safe.
Here's a guess, my guess is that Jdawg8181 is only comfortable around people like herself. Astoria is not gentrified, but then Astoria has never been a decayed Ghetto.
Astoria is VERY diverse. Much more so than any of the gentrified areas.
Do the little Mexicans scare you? Or, is it the Blacks heading to the projects. Perhaps, the swarthy Eastern Euros?
BTW, for what it is worth, my GF is a pasty white girl, barely over a hundred pounds, completely unable to defend herself, and she is absolutely loathed to move from Astoria. This fact is driving me absolutely nuts, because I am ready to go.
She won't leave precisely because she feels safe. Here's a what for, I prefer to move back to Park Slope, whence I came, but she feels unsafe there. Safe in Astoria, but unsafe in Park Slope. Women, go figure! She's given me that "for a woman, you're a man" argument too.
@ NooYowkur81, Astoria is hardly the Bronx! You probably feel unsafe, most likely, because you feel out of place. Presuming you're a young average white guy. You won't feel out of place in Astoria. It's predominantly white, 60 to 65% (perhaps more). The remaining percentage is made up of every minority/majority on the planet, from African-Americans to Chinese to Indians to Filipinos to Japanese. There is a very Euro feel to the neighborhood, sidewalk cafes are everywhere.
Traditionally lower than other neighborhoods hot or not. Astoria is quite "hot" btw. For example, if Hunter's Point is too high for you; or Forest Hills too much, then you can always find something cheaper in Astoria. That's what's meant by "traditionally". Prices here will always be slightly less than elsewhere, given the subpar tenement housing. There's been a lot of new building rising the average rents. Yet, a new Mexican (illegal) immigrant can still find a place to live, right along side a would-be hipster paying too much for a newly built apartment.
***
Dude, what they depict in that movie, is NOT "rough" by any NYC standards.
Additionally, that movie wasn't real----not at least in the time frame that the movie is supposed to exist. The people in the movie are real to Astoria, but the attitudes, actions, and manners are from late 80s, early 90s NYC. So I'm not sure what they were trying to portray in that movie. Must've have been an older book, where they tried updating it to make it more contemporary to improve box office.
Bleak? Certainly for some. It is/was a working class neighborhood. That said a lot of the working class folk have found success in America. Astoria is predominated by Greeks. Greeks dominate the Diner restaurant business in NYC. Most every dinner you come across is Greek owned. Those diners make a LOT of money. A lot! Many if not most of the owners are quite wealthy. I'm talking Porsche/Ferrari/7 and M series rich. On any given Friday or Saturday night you'll see the cars profiling around the neighborhood.
Also, many of the Italians, as well as Greeks, have been successful in the low level small construction business. Small by NYC standards that is. Most of the new buildings in the area were/are built by local companies.
These folks have sent their children to college, that is NYC colleges, like NYU and Columbia, as well as other highly rated schools. These kids graduate, come home and get lucrative white collar positions, and despite their salaries they stay home in Astoria. Generally, with their parents until married. Most of the early boom building was directed at them.
So you've got this incredible mix of people, 2nd and 3rd generation quite successful immigrants; 1st generation just arrived immigrants; hipster/yuppies; and, natives. Among all that is a large working class. Many are Eastern Euros and Muslims from various countries. Some of these folk are not prospering as well as others, and are NOT taking advantage of the (free or near free) educational opportunities. If anything is bleak its for them or for the population of VERY hard working Mexicans/Ecuadoradians (sp?)/south Americans. They are quite poor, but strive, strive, strive. Of course, there's the folks in the Projects, you may be surprised, but even these folk work too! You'll see them getting off the bus to the subway; or steadily walking up from the Projects (which are way down by the waterfront).
Nothing too rough at all. Even the Projects are tame by NYC standards. Little street crime (even around the projects). There is an under-current of non-Italian mafioso, but its not visible to the naked eye and effects no one.
Re Jackson Heights, etc., location is one factor, another is quality. The housing in Jackson Heights and most other places is of a higher quality. More relatively middle class apartment buildings as opposed to Astoria's working class tenements. It is precisely the location which brings value to these tenements.
I'm sorry to put it to you this strongly, but your opinion is baseless; and I don't believe you know what you are actually talking about.
For example, the crime you describe. Guess what it happens and has happened EVERYWHERE in NYC. This includes your neighborhood, and I don't even know which it is. I don't need to, as the statement is fact. There is not a single neighborhood in NY, where a "push-in" crime, be it, robbery, rape, murder or all three, has not occurred. Not a single neighborhood. Crap, a murder/robbery occurred right on 5 Avenue across from the Park. You can't be in a more exclusive or safe neighborhood than that.
Someone just got murdered in their home, across from Rockefeller University on the UES. Does this make the neighborhood unsafe?
Please, where is it that you lived in Astoria and when? When doesn't really matter, I just want to know for fact. Also, what are the neighborhoods you feel safe.
Here's a guess, my guess is that Jdawg8181 is only comfortable around people like herself. Astoria is not gentrified, but then Astoria has never been a decayed Ghetto.
Astoria is VERY diverse. Much more so than any of the gentrified areas.
Do the little Mexicans scare you? Or, is it the Blacks heading to the projects. Perhaps, the swarthy Eastern Euros?
BTW, for what it is worth, my GF is a pasty white girl, barely over a hundred pounds, completely unable to defend herself, and she is absolutely loathed to move from Astoria. This fact is driving me absolutely nuts, because I am ready to go.
She won't leave precisely because she feels safe. Here's a what for, I prefer to move back to Park Slope, whence I came, but she feels unsafe there. Safe in Astoria, but unsafe in Park Slope. Women, go figure! She's given me that "for a woman, you're a man" argument too.
@ NooYowkur81, Astoria is hardly the Bronx! You probably feel unsafe, most likely, because you feel out of place. Presuming you're a young average white guy. You won't feel out of place in Astoria. It's predominantly white, 60 to 65% (perhaps more). The remaining percentage is made up of every minority/majority on the planet, from African-Americans to Chinese to Indians to Filipinos to Japanese. There is a very Euro feel to the neighborhood, sidewalk cafes are everywhere.
I believe i did say things like that can happen anywhere? They do and I know that they do...but, rents where I live are triple probably what they are in Astoria. Why? B/c where I live is nicer, IMO. I do feel rent-price is related to quality of the apartment & neighbourhood.
I have never lived in Astoria...why would I want to live somewhere that isn't "nice" to me. I WAS going to live there, looked at an apartment, checked out the area and didn't like it at all- THAT'S ME. if your gf liked it, kudos then. I wouldn't move there for any amount of money in the world.
And I weigh less than 100lbs...
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) Brooklyn's Prospect Park is probably a big draw, which even the people who don't care for it are affected as it draws the things that they do care for. Almost all the greenspace in western Queens is cemeteries... and all the land they use up, you could probably fit 200,000 people! For Williamsburg, the L line to Manhattan makes up for the disconnect to other parts of Brooklyn.
Safe in Astoria, but unsafe in Park Slope. Women, go figure! She's given me that "for a woman, you're a man" argument too. 
