Hamilton Heights/West Harlem - Should I move there? (Amsterdam: crime, neighborhoods)
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I currently live in Hell's Kitchen on the far West Side, and have applied for a new building on West 140th Street between Riverside/Broadway.
In walking around the neighborhood during the day, and after dark (past 8pm) in February, I was happy to see 4 beat cops on Amsterdam (between 145 and 135). However, on Broadway, I saw diddly police presence. This puzzled me, as I believe I did see business entrepreneurs on several corners along Broadway between 139 and 135.
Are there dealers operating on that stretch of Broadway, am and/or pm? Or was I imagining things?
I'm concerned, as my prospective building is very near there, and I would wait for the bus/train on that stretch of Broadway.
imo if you can live in hell's kitchen, you can live in hamilton heights. they are both eclectic neighborhoods, with hells kitchen having more of a theatrical vibe, but definitely not any safer. my capitals are not working again on this site.
The dealers are everywhere in W.H. Seriously, A.A or dominican....its such a mess of drugs over there. Good luck. Those blocks get PACKED in the spring/summer.
are you for real? the drug dealing is just more sophisticated down there. but there is much, much more.
Really? Much much more? I find that really hard to believe. I know you're from Harlem and you love the neighborhood etc.....but just cause a couple of "starbucks" goes up doesn't mean that the current residents just all decide to go away. It has an insane amount of drug dealing. Today was a absolute mess. Broadway it's a mecca for dealers....going all the way up to Washington Heights. I'm not saying its as bad as it was 20 years ago, nowhere is, but I can't help but fell that you're sugercoating alot that goes on in Harlem. You see the dudes on the corners? Or in the stoops? What do you think they're just hanging out? No. The large majority of them are selling drugs. That neighborhood has an enormous drug problem. It always have. It's an extension of Washington Heights, which as you know is the most drug saturated area of the city. To compare it to Hells Kitchen is simply laughable.
I currently live in Hell's Kitchen on the far West Side, and have applied for a new building on West 140th Street between Riverside/Broadway.
In walking around the neighborhood during the day, and after dark (past 8pm) in February, I was happy to see 4 beat cops on Amsterdam (between 145 and 135). However, on Broadway, I saw diddly police presence. This puzzled me, as I believe I did see business entrepreneurs on several corners along Broadway between 139 and 135.
Are there dealers operating on that stretch of Broadway, am and/or pm? Or was I imagining things?
I'm concerned, as my prospective building is very near there, and I would wait for the bus/train on that stretch of Broadway.
All opinions welcomed. Thanks.
I live in the area, and know of the building you're applying to, as I also know of people who're trying to apply for it too. I think its funded by that Fortune Society group that's housed in what used to be an abandoned church, right next to the building (the building's being constructed on what used to be a vacant lot/makeshift parking lot). That block's been pretty dead (in a good way) whenever I've gone through it, day and night.
As for the loitering and hanging out on stoops........its just a part of Hispanic culture, for better and for worse. All the police prescence in the world ain't gonna change that. Some of those who loiter and hang out on stoops are just chillin' and having fun.........some. But I can see why an outsider might be intimidated, hell I've lived here my whole life and have come to hate the loitering myself. I've learned that nothing good comes from spending your days "chillin' on the block" all the time. Lot of bad influences.
I think you'll be alright, this area of HH/WH has improved A LOT in the last ten years. My mother has lived here for almost 30 years; trust me when I say that she's seen the worst. Mind your business, don't let your guard down (i.e acting like a lost tourist) and you'll be alright.
Really? Much much more? I find that really hard to believe. I know you're from Harlem and you love the neighborhood etc.....but just cause a couple of "starbucks" goes up doesn't mean that the current residents just all decide to go away. It has an insane amount of drug dealing. Today was a absolute mess. Broadway it's a mecca for dealers....going all the way up to Washington Heights. I'm not saying its as bad as it was 20 years ago, nowhere is, but I can't help but fell that you're sugercoating alot that goes on in Harlem. You see the dudes on the corners? Or in the stoops? What do you think they're just hanging out? No. The large majority of them are selling drugs. That neighborhood has an enormous drug problem. It always have. It's an extension of Washington Heights, which as you know is the most drug saturated area of the city. To compare it to Hells Kitchen is simply laughable.
much more always has been, there are projects and other subsidized housing in hells kitchen just like in harlem. there are more brothels and street prostitution, and other organized crime activities down there, that go on at a much higher level than it ever did in harlem. you are sugar coating that area or you are just naive to it and only see the upscale buildings in the area when you go down there.
i can depend on you and other posters to tell all about the bad in washington heights and harlem, so i don't need to repeat it. i just try to make people not familiar with the areas aware of the good things there as well. i walked those same streets, see those same guys, and i saw many walking by my side fall. but it doesn't have to be that way. heroin is all over the suburbs now, in million dollar neighborhoods, but everyone doesn't have to go that way.
i don't know that harlem and washington heights are the most drug saturated areas of the city. i knew people that grew up in college point, and throgs neck, and never had problems buying in those areas, also they had much more money to spend, got larger amounts, and better quality, so they said.
maybe they loiter on the streets and you can tell right off in harlem or washington heights what they are about. where in other neighborhoods they may wear a trench coat and carry a briefcase while they make a sale. it all boils down to the same thing.
Go for it! If you can get in. Riverside is great. I would have loved to apply but I don't qualify since I "make too much." I think those income guidelines are crazy.
As for drug dealers I see your concern since they can potentially take over a block or even a building.
Last edited by NooYowkur81; 03-20-2010 at 11:59 AM..
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