Kane St @ Columbia (West Cobble Hill / Columbia St Waterfront) (Red Hook: apartments, neighborhood)

[force139]

What is everyone's take on Kane st at Columbia St in the so-called West Cobble Hill area as a safe place to live? We were charmed by the area east of the BQE and even west of it, but we were put off by Columbia St itself which seemed very scruffy to say the least.

[Fred314X]

As you noted, Columbia is a little rough around the edges. But I'd say that particular area isn't as bad as it looks. You might be a little better off if you found a place another block or two further from the waterfront. (I, myself, being unapologetically biased in favor of Brooklyn, would rather live at Kane and Columbia than Manhattan!)

[force139]

Thanks for your response. I have to make a quick decision about a place in that general area. I found Columbia a hard street to assess. just south of Kane there are some very run-down apartments, and you can see from the street that they are a wreck inside. A drunk guy was passed out on the corner as well! Then after Degraw there are a clutch of trendy bakeries and restaurants, but further down I know gets worse as one enters Red Hook proper. The neighborhood just seems so isolated with the BQE limiting the neighborhood to just a single block. And while the side streets are picturesque, I wouldn't think that "trouble" just stays on Columbia and never ventures around the corner. The place I'm looking at is VERY close to the waterfront and therefore feels very isolated with no "eyes on the street." Seems a shame to lose out on the beautiful neighborhood just because I would be all the way over on the edge. At least Columbia didn't seem like a place where troublemakers congregate and loiter.