Poll: Best place to live

They're all great neighborhoods, and each has its own character. Personally, I am looking for a place in Park Slope, bad publicity and all. I really like having two long and nice shopping strips (5th Ave and 7th Ave) and the nicest park in NY all within walking distance.

Posted by: guest at January 7, 2008 8:38 PM

Hands down Cobble Hill (not on your list), it's as close to living in Bedford Falls as you can get! A few reasons: The new Y, Trader Joe's, close to the R, 4, 5, F &G subway lines, Chickory & Cobble Hill Foods Take-out, Cobble Hill Cinema, Proximity to Atlantic and Smith, Cobble Hill park, PS 129...
Oh! and you can hail a yellow cab on Clinton Street 24/7!
Good Luck!

Posted by: guest at January 7, 2008 8:57 PM

sits back, grabs popcorn...

Posted by: guest at January 7, 2008 9:00 PM

park slope, hands down.

it was the only neighborhood on your list (and only neighborhood in all of nyc for that matter) to be named one of the top 10 neighborhoods in the united states by the american planning association.

it was also named one of the top 10 most eco-friendly neighborhoods in the country 2 years ago.

park slope recycles more than any other neighborhood in the 5 boroughs.

excellent park (some say the best in nyc), schools, shopping, restaurants, very very gay friendly and is the largest intact enclave of late 19th century architecture in the country.

not really sure what's not to love.

Posted by: guest at January 7, 2008 9:07 PM

What about Ditmas Park and the rest of Victorian Flatbush? For me it's the ideal area, close to Manhattan with large houses, trees, lawns and parking.

Posted by: guest at January 7, 2008 9:32 PM

I second 8:57 with Cobble Hill. It's a great place to live and I have lived here as a single person and now with a family for many years. Good schools, nice shops and a very fast commute to Manhattan.

Posted by: guest at January 7, 2008 9:41 PM

Windsor Terrace all the way.. diverse, good schools, affordable housing, street parking, fresh air, village type feel, commutable, and best of all still room for upside in real estate appreciation.

Posted by: guest at January 7, 2008 9:50 PM

Sunset Park all the way Viva sinkodimeyo and all the cars busted windshields.

Posted by: guest at January 7, 2008 10:04 PM

easier to park a car in manhattan then park slope. may want to think about a parking garage in the catskills and train it up there when you need it

Posted by: guest at January 7, 2008 10:22 PM

i've never in my life heard of any other neighborhood in new york city be criticized for lack of parking.

never.

there's very little parking in this city. period.

parking on the upper west side was much much worse than i found it to be in park slope, yet no one would EVER say the upper west side is great, except for the parking.

this is nyc. if parking is one of your main issues, you really shouldn't be living here.

Posted by: guest at January 7, 2008 10:45 PM

very true 10:45. Unheard of...

Posted by: guest at January 7, 2008 11:12 PM

I agree Cobble Hill is wonderful, but do you miss having a huge park?

I love Bay Ridge because it's a chow-ish place. The food there, I mean every day casual take out ethinic is really terrific. And Shore Road parks with a 4 mile car free bike path is nice too.

It's also changing for the better in my opinion. And it can be gay friendly despite it's past reputation. My gay friends who live there call it "gay ridge".

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 5:59 AM

If limited to only schools and general quality of life (fun stuff!)with no mention of affordability or doversity in the OP's comments, then Windsor, Bay Ridge, and to some extent Carroll Gardens, should not even be on the list.

Although these neighborhoods are more affordable and divese than others, they hardly excel in the amenities or "Fun Stuff" that places like Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights have to offer.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 9:36 AM

I guess I could live in Billyburg, however none of the listed places are terribly appealing to me.

If I were pick a nabe in Brooklyn it would be Lefferts Gardens, in Queens it would be Jackson Heights (for the food & people, the housing stock is not pretty), in Manhattan it would be the East Village. I'm not familiar enough with Staten Island or the Bronx to pick a neighborhood there. Of course I doubt I would pick the same neighborhoods in 10 years, in New York it's not only the people that change as they grow older but neighborhoods can change dramatically as well.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 9:44 AM

Sheepshead Bay...

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 1:16 PM

"Gay ridge" ha ha, funny. However, I doubt it. My homo brother was there a few times and said it had an anti-gay vibe, not unlike certain pockets of Long Island. Maybe it has not yet completely outlived its past reputation.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 2:19 PM

Poster 9:36am demonstrates why this is such a silly poll (and I know, why am I even responding?). People know their own neighborhood very well, and perhaps a few others, but really have no idea about what is really in most of these neighborhoods. So it is like asking someone in North Dakota if they think Arkansas or Mississippi is a better place to live. He may have an opinion, but it's not based on anything other than what he's "heard".

But, for the record, "if limited only to schools and general quality of life (fun stuff!)", Carroll Gardens arguably exceeds Brooklyn Heights on both counts. The housing stock in the Heights is far nicer, and the commute to NYC far easier, but clearly none of us know much about most of these neighborhoods except the ones we have actually lived in.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 4:47 PM

I know about Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights and Red Hook because I live in north CG and when you live there, you spend a lot of time in all five of these neighborhoods. CG's school (ps 58) is now pretty much as good as ps 29 and the amenities are the same as Cobble Hill since they are basically the same neighb(the whole bococa area is probably smaller than what is defined as park slope). Of course I'm not saying CG is as nice as Brooklyn Heights architecturally or in convenience to manhattan, but in terms of public schools and amenities, it is certainly on par.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 5:01 PM

If price is no object, then Park Slope is the best from an investment standpoint. But if you own a car FORGET IT. Park Slopers are starting to get very defensive and deluded about the parking situation, here on Brownstoner. Ugh, don't listen to them. Park Slope parking is so bad it makes headlines. Look at the study this year that said 50% of all cars driving around in Park Slope at any time are just trying to find parking. Someone reminded people if it on another thread.

Because you own a car, buy something more affordable (which means not in Park Slope) that's near a monthly parking garage and figure your parking fee per month into what your home costs you. Parts of Cobble Hill are near some parking garages on Atlantic. Check those areas out.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 7:47 PM

I've lived in Bay Ridge, Park Slope and PLG. I like aspects of all of them. We now own in PLG's LM and love it. 2nd would be Park Slope, which we still love to visit and often do, but what was available in our price range of one million was teeny tiny. We just couldn't do it, because my husband works from home and needs space for a huge library. For those with lots of money, it's a good life there. But at Park Slope prices, it's more appropriate for those with a Manhattan property to sell before buying a house, than for us selling a Park Slope co-op then buying a house. Bay Ridge is great. I would have seriously considered Bay Ridge but my husband disliked the commute too much b/c even though he works from home he has to go to the city several times a week for meetings, often in a mad rush out the door. Where we are now is on an express line, 20 minutes to lower Manhattan without switching trains, plus the wait for the train.

Good luck! It's hard to make a mistake, honestly. All these neighborhoods are great.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 8:01 PM

So if money is not an option, Park Slope then? Serious question.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 8:18 PM

If money is no object, than yes definately Park Slope. Cobble Hill would be second in my book, folowed by Brooklyn Heights.

Seriously, it is tough to beat the incredible convinience to the best park in the city, world class resturants (Yes even I was surprised in reading this year's Zagat ratings to find many Park Slope eateries garning some of the best ratings in the city), Really nice bars, awesome movie theater/wine bar, incredible architecture, etc., etc., etc.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 8:56 PM

I actually much prefer all the new restaurants in Williamsburg, over any in Park Slope. They're more daring, finer quality, more sophisticated. But I wouldn't live there. I'd feel like the T.A. in a college dormitory. Too young! Not a bad thing for young buyers of course.

Posted by: guest at January 8, 2008 11:25 PM

8:01 pm: What is PLG's LM?
Thanks.

Posted by: guest at January 9, 2008 10:48 AM

To the person takin gthis pole: be warned that most people on this site life in Park Slope - or at least park slopers are the most strident about their neighb than anyone else in brooklyn as far as I can tell. Most people I know who live in Williamsburg or greenpoint, any south bkln neighb (boerum hill, cobble hill, carroll gardens and red hook) and clinton hill/Fort greene have an antipathy to park slope and would rather live anywhere but there. No one can tell you which is the best neighb - you have to spend time in each one and decide what your priorities are - park? proximity to Manhattan? easy parking? diversity? good bars? etc.

Posted by: guest at January 9, 2008 3:17 PM

^^funny

Posted by: guest at January 9, 2008 8:55 PM

Hands down. ENY (East New York)

Posted by: guest at January 9, 2008 9:23 PM

Hands down Old Mill Basin.

Posted by: guest at January 10, 2008 12:05 AM

if you are still single and under 40 move to WILLIAMSBURG!

Posted by: guest at March 1, 2008 10:04 PM