I have read these comments with interest. We own a house on kenmore terrace--the big one on the corner, which we bought 2.5 years ago and renovated. When we moved I was pregnant, and really worried about the neighborhood and its safety. After visiting many times, I was convinced it was ok and indeed it has been. Upscale, it is not--but after having lived here a few years, I can honestly say it really is a solid, safe working-class ethnically-diverse neighborhood. For those uncomfortable with diversity, it is not for you. But I have a two year old, and I also come back from work late many nights a week and I have NEVER felt unsafe even a little bit. It's just different. there is a lot of hubbub on church ave always but people are not threatening in any way, and in fact are very warm. We've made lots of friends with jamaican shopkeepers. I do feel like I look differnt from the locals, but that's ok. For an outsider used to gentrified neighborhoods, it might make you feel uneasy (as it did me) but living here is totally safe. We host a weekly toddler playgroup here and all the moms love these houses and they've never felt unsafe. There are many families and kids in the neighborhood and the neighbors are warm, lovely and generous. There are a ton of kid-related activities close by and cortelyou is a 15 min. walk away. Also soho is a 20 min subway ride away, park slope a 5 min ride--and the park is 5 blocks away. We also can be at the beach in 15 minutes--it's a great compromise between urban and suburban living (we have a garden and a 6 bedroom house for what it would have cost to buy a nice 2 bedroom apt in park slope). the comments about the unsafety of the nieghborhood have an undertone of racism to me; As a resident and parent I can speak to the nabe's safety--poor and solid middle class does not equal dangerous.
I have read these comments with interest. We own a house on kenmore terrace--the big one on the corner, which we bought 2.5 years ago and renovated. When we moved I was pregnant, and really worried about the neighborhood and its safety. After visiting many times, I was convinced it was ok and indeed it has been. Upscale, it is not--but after having lived here a few years, I can honestly say it really is a solid, safe working-class ethnically-diverse neighborhood. For those uncomfortable with diversity, it is not for you. But I have a two year old, and I also come back from work late many nights a week and I have NEVER felt unsafe even a little bit. It's just different. there is a lot of hubbub on church ave always but people are not threatening in any way, and in fact are very warm. We've made lots of friends with jamaican shopkeepers. I do feel like I look differnt from the locals, but that's ok. For an outsider used to gentrified neighborhoods, it might make you feel uneasy (as it did me) but living here is totally safe. We host a weekly toddler playgroup here and all the moms love these houses and they've never felt unsafe. There are many families and kids in the neighborhood and the neighbors are warm, lovely and generous. There are a ton of kid-related activities close by and cortelyou is a 15 min. walk away. Also soho is a 20 min subway ride away, park slope a 5 min ride--and the park is 5 blocks away. We also can be at the beach in 15 minutes--it's a great compromise between urban and suburban living (we have a garden and a 6 bedroom house for what it would have cost to buy a nice 2 bedroom apt in park slope). the comments about the unsafety of the nieghborhood have an undertone of racism to me; As a resident and parent I can speak to the nabe's safety--poor and solid middle class does not equal dangerous.
Posted by: sarahshoshana at September 20, 2008 2:47 PM in response to Open House Picks