Forum
« What kind of floor would you install near parquet? ideas for entryway floor »
January 2, 2009
Anyone in Bed Stuy know this area?
http://www.postlets.com/res/1506216
I'm intrigued by this listing, as I've heard that Decatur's a pretty nice street. Anyone in/around Bed Stuy know more about this part of it?
Comments
It's lovely over there--in the heart of all the new shops and restaurants on Lewis/Marcus Garvey.
I'm jealous...
Posted by: vanburenproud at January 2, 2009 9:10 PM
Thanks much for the information! I think my wife and I are going to take a walk along Decatur tomorrow and take a closer look. :)
Posted by: cwbuecheler at January 3, 2009 12:57 AM
I third that this is a great block. I hope it works out for you. I know the broker in a personal, not business capacity, and I'm sorry flyingfish did not have a good experience. I hope things are better this time.
Posted by: Montrose Morris at January 3, 2009 12:26 PM
take a walk at night time.
walk to the nearest subway station
buy something at the deli
and imagine living there
Posted by: dutchman at January 3, 2009 12:40 PM
We went for the walk as planned. Got off the A/C at Nostrand, walked up Fulton to Tompkins, then turned on Decatur and followed that all the way past 241 (we're also interested in the brownstone at 192), to Stuyvesant. Then we went north a block, came back down Macdonough to Lewis, went north two blocks on Lewis to Halsey, then walked west on Halsey to Marcus Garvey, back down to Fulton, and west to the Kingston-Throop C stop. So we covered a pretty good stretch of space.
Decatur and Macdonough are gorgeous. Lined with lovely 3 and 4-story brownstones and row-houses, some of which have been converted to apartments but all of which appear to be in good-to-excellent shape. No wonder this is a landmark district!
Fulton is a big commercial strip ... it's not pretty, but it's not scary, either. Reminds me of 125th in Harlem.
It was obvious that some of the blocks were sketchier than others, but honestly dutchman, the walk from Decatur to the subway doesn't scare me. I can't imagine it's any worse than walking some of the non-landmarked parts of Clinton Hill, or by the Gowanus projects, or Coney Island at night ... all of which I've done.
We're scheduling viewings of both 241 and 192 Decatur for next weekend, hopefully.
Posted by: cwbuecheler at January 3, 2009 5:14 PM
I live way up Stuyvesant, closer to Lafayette, but often walk down to the Utica A train, down Lewis to Peaches or Olivino, etc. Haven't had a sketchy experience in this neck of the woods at any time of the day or night yet.
Posted by: vanburenproud at January 3, 2009 5:25 PM
A great area. Beautiful stretches of landmarked townhouse. Brick oven pizza/Italian restaurant, a flower shop and a gourmet food market (courtesy of this site's very own DIBS) all slated to open soon on Lewis nearby. And the owners of Bread Stuy plan to open a swanky play space for children there soon as well.
Posted by: housebywe at January 4, 2009 12:03 AM
I believe the broker is the owner...not positive about that. If it's the case I've heard that the renovation is very nice. It's a nice block in a great location...about 2 minute walk to the Utica stop on the A train. It's very quiet in that whole neighborhood with the excepton of any emergency equipment (fire truck, ambulance). People take care of their blocks and the streets & sidewalks are always clean.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 4, 2009 9:36 AM
Scheduled to see 241 next weekend. I'm curious how receptive people would be, in this area, to a white couple moving in. My wife and I don't want to be seen as interlopers or gentrifiers or bringers of the neighborhood apocalypse, or whatever ... we just want someplace we can actually afford.
Posted by: cwbuecheler at January 4, 2009 12:46 PM
First of all, just be aware that homes on Decatur were selling for a million dollars last year, and that you are considering a fine, fine block that's full of perfectly sophisticated black people who probably have more money than you, and have *definitely* seen white people before.
Second, take a couple more walks around before you go assuming that you are doing anything new. I almost never leave my house in this neighborhood without seeing white people, and I don't even live in the nice part of Bed Stuy.
Third, I have never lived in a friendlier and warmer neighborhood. The only thing that's going to keep you from enjoying the people around you is your own fears about what they think you are on some sociological level. Just being friendly and saying hello goes a long way toward taking things from that macro Me-White You-Black level and makes it about neighbors, and most of the people in Bed Stuy value neighbors to an almost absurd degree.
Fourth, I empathize with not wanting to take on racism in your daily life because it's such a nasty festering wound in our culture. But really one of my favorite things about living here is replacing what I personally learned racism to be as a child (racism is unspeakably evil and therefore I am *not racist* but am not quite sure, so I can never be around black people lest I slip up) with the reality of racism, which is much more mundane. Everyone's racist sometimes, and it's something everyone muddles through.
Fifth, if you move to Bed Stuy, at some point some drunk man in front of a bodgea is going to call you a cracker and suggest that you move out of his neighborhood. And worse, you will not just see other people being racist toward you, you will find that you are occasionally racist yourself. Everyone is. But I honestly think that this occasional annoyance is a net positive for everyone involved. Whether you're white or black, when you live only with people who are like you, you get really lazy about seeing other humans as humans and start relying on divisive stereotypes and conceptual ideas about race and racism.
Posted by: vanburenproud at January 4, 2009 3:40 PM
vanburenproud -
That's an excellent post and I really appreciate it. I am *quite* sure that the vast majority of people who own property on that block and in the general area have more money than my wife and I, regardless of their ethnicity, and I didn't mean to imply otherwise. Beyond that, I agree with the points you're making and am excited to learn more about the neighborhood as we look at real estate there.
Posted by: cwbuecheler at January 4, 2009 4:47 PM
Bravo, vanburenproud.
Posted by: housebywe at January 6, 2009 11:08 AM
I really hope that you and your wife get this place cwbuecheler.. I am also new the area (one year)and most of the residents have welcomed me with open arms. Though I am not white I have had a not so warm and fuzzy with long terms residents mostly in my own age group that inherited homes... Most look at me some kind of bourgeoisie professional trying to change the neighborhood. The older residents and the other professionals both black and white that have also brought homes are great.
Posted by: Amzi Hill at January 6, 2009 1:01 PM
PS the Realtor is kinda flaky.. nice but flaky
Posted by: Amzi Hill at January 6, 2009 1:03 PM
Post a comment
Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.