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I've heard mixed things about the Pelham Parkway area. Right now I'm looking at an apartment near Williamsbridge Road. I haven't seen the place yet--I've only talked to someone on the phone about it. Is it a decent area? Safe? Easy transporation into Manhattan?
Where are you moving from? What is your background? Morris Park is considered to be the real Little Italy in the Bronx. However a lot of Italian people have been fleeing the area over the past couple of decades. It is still a majority white/Italian neighborhood but that will probably change within the next decade or so. Beyond Italians there are a lot of Albanians, Puerto Ricans, and black people (most of whom I believe are Caribbean/Jamaican and not African-American) who live in the area.
I generally like the area because there are a lot of good Italian restaurants there and it is pretty safe. The 5 is right there and will take you into Manhattan in about 30-40 minutes as long as there aren't delays. I believe there are also express buses that leave from Morris Park (I think they leave from Morris Park ave though, and not Williamsbridge, but I am not certain).
However, whether you like the neighborhood or not will depend a whole lot upon where you are coming from, both literally and mentally. If you are not from the NYC area or are not very familiar with Italian-American culture, this place might be a little bit too rough around the edge for you.
mead hit the nail on the head. express bus to midtown stops on morris park rd and eastchester, 5 on williamsbridge and pelham parkway runs express rushour (so im told i dont commute to NYC) or the 6 depending on where in the area you are. Quality of living there can vary greatly. Close to williambridge is pretty nice but the further east you go towards white plains the more rundown it gets. Awesome Italian food, good chinese take out, a couple of chinese taco places, and one sit down sushi place in the area. The parking is really good on most of the blocks. PM with any questions about the area. Area definitely has ethnic feel, alot of people are 1st or 2nd generation immigrants. You'll definitely get your moneys worth in an apartment and the area is relatively safe.
Where are you moving from? What is your background? Morris Park is considered to be the real Little Italy in the Bronx. However a lot of Italian people have been fleeing the area over the past couple of decades. It is still a majority white/Italian neighborhood but that will probably change within the next decade or so. Beyond Italians there are a lot of Albanians, Puerto Ricans, and black people (most of whom I believe are Caribbean/Jamaican and not African-American) who live in the area.
I generally like the area because there are a lot of good Italian restaurants there and it is pretty safe. The 5 is right there and will take you into Manhattan in about 30-40 minutes as long as there aren't delays. I believe there are also express buses that leave from Morris Park (I think they leave from Morris Park ave though, and not Williamsbridge, but I am not certain).
However, whether you like the neighborhood or not will depend a whole lot upon where you are coming from, both literally and mentally. If you are not from the NYC area or are not very familiar with Italian-American culture, this place might be a little bit too rough around the edge for you.
Mead what are the rent ranges like in Morris Park? In both the nicer and less nice areas.
TinaCL- what is the street of the building you are considering? I live in the area on Hone Ave. and Esplanade. It's a great neighborhood. I've lived there for almost eight years and it's a diverse neighborhood, albeit mostly Italian. I'm black (African-American...not Carribean). Unlike Mead's comment, I don't see too many Carribean people in the area. Nevertheless, I've never had a problem with the culture. The people are friendly and the area is quiet. I never feel as if I have to worry about my safety.
I also like that there are many modes of transportation. I mainly take the BX 10 Express Bus from Morris Park and Hone. I get to the city in about 40 minutes. For alternative transportation, I'll also take the Metro North and as a last resort, the # 5 train (I hate NYC trains).
Lastly, I would avoid the area by White Plains road. I personally don't go east of Muliner Ave. if I don't have to. Other than that...it's a great neighborhood.
Thanks for the replies. The place is on Muliner Ave, a few blocks away from both the Morris Park and the Pelham Parkway stops on the MTA. I went to see the place yesterday. The commute was pretty long--I had to spend a lot of time waiting for my connection to the 5 train, but they told me it was because of construction on the tracks, and the usual slowness of the Sunday schedule.
The place itself was pretty nice--you definitely get more bang for your buck in this area. Everything was newly renovated, and there was lots of space.
As for my background, I'm a mid-20s, just finished grad school, Asian/White, looking to move to New York at the end of the summer and looking to escape Manhattan rental prices.
I go into Manhattan at least 3 days a week for music rehearsals, and also to see my vocal coach and my acting teacher. I'm moving to New York to do the whole singing/acting thing. Right now I commute from Connecticut via Metro North, never lived in New York.
Muliner is nice block. You should be fine. Do you plan on having a car? Parking can be a pain over there if your building doesn't have a parking garage. Also, the # 5 train is decent during the week. Forget about it on the weekends. If I were you, I'd take the express bus. You can walk (or take the 12 bus) to White Plains Rd. and catch the BX 11 to Manhattan. It makes express stops along Fifth Ave. It runs pretty frequently and the weekend schedule is decent (every 1/2 hr on Saturdays and every hour on Sunday).
Lastly, if for some reason you end up coming home in the late evening via the # 2 train or express bus to White Plains Rd, they have cabs right under the train station I would advise you to take. It's worth the $6 for peace of mind.
It's a nice area and the path along Pelham Parkway is nice for a jog or bike ride.
Check out Patricia's brick oven pizza on morris park ave., its amazing!
Theres also a bakery on williamsbridge who's name is escaping me that is ridiculous.
Morris Park is okay. More a family ethnic area then yuppiville. Transportation isn't the greatest (bus to train depending on what block you live+long ride on the train) but you exchange that for safety/price.
To answer your question Cyan, I don't plan on having a car. I think it'll be more trouble than it's worth.
I'm thinking that the public transportation won't be too horrible. It's a long commute, but no worse than some parts of Queens and Brooklyn, which I would be paying more for anyway. I'm a little worried about commuting late at night, but I've also heard that the 2 and 5 trains run all night--slowly, but at least they run...
I went back to visit the neighborhood and it seems livable--has a nice ethnic feel, not the most super trendy or stylish neighborhood, but definitely safe and friendly.
I've decided to take the apartment. The space is nice, clean, and modern, much nicer than anything I've seen in Manhattan or even Brooklyn or Queens.
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