bed stuy - is the area I'm moving to relatively safe?
Hi, I’ve been looking at, and thinking of moving into, a brownstone apartment on the corner of Jefferson Ave and Marcy Ave – it’s a beautiful place, great for the price. I wouldn’t describe myself as a “fearful” person – areas like Bed Stuy are never as bad as the rumors and isolated incidents you…
Hi,
I’ve been looking at, and thinking of moving into, a brownstone apartment on the corner of Jefferson Ave and Marcy Ave – it’s a beautiful place, great for the price. I wouldn’t describe myself as a “fearful” person – areas like Bed Stuy are never as bad as the rumors and isolated incidents you hear about, – and whenever I go to Bed Stuy to visit friends who live there, I’ve never had any problems. Everyone I meet along the way is friendly, and one gets the sense that there’s a stronger feeling of community there than in most parts of New York. All that said, having read some of the posts here (I’m thinking in particular of a person who claimed to have been robbed at gunpoint), I’d sort of like to make sure that the area I’d be moving to is, well, not THAT bad. I can handle a little ribbing, and I could give a shit about the dearth of cute cafes, but something like that is a bit much for me. So, can anyone tell me a little bit about what the neighborhood around Jefferson/Marcy is like?
Thanks
long time residents of bed stuy do not hate white people moving in-it is ignorant and racist to say so. all people want to feel safe and respected-and that is exactly what i feel living in bed stuy. why? because i am respectful and LIKE my neighbors. we are a white family and it feels no different living here than it did in fg. i take the time to say hello and find out how my neighbors are. those who “get it” are moving to bed stuy, and those who don’t…well, stay where you are because you shouldn’t need convincing to move to a place that many of us proudly call home. you’ll see-those same people will move in in droves just like they did in fg/clinton hill in two more years and claimed that they “discovered” a great neighborhood.
I laughed out loud at the idea of the Nostrand Ave. stop being frightening. I don’t notice anything different from any other station other than a predominance of black people. But it’s always filled with people so what’s to fear, a mob attack? Bed Stuy is great if you meet your neighbors, say hello to people and make your good will known. People get mugged everywhere in the city. So, unless you’re planning on joining a gang or attempting to take over someone’s drug spot, I wouldn’t even worry about the crime stats. Just don’t walk down a dark street alone with your head down while your ipod headphones flap in the breeze and you’ll be okay. And to the person who thinks people choose to risk their lives to live near “fame and fortune,” one is WAY more likely to die in their car driving back and forth from their suburban home than to be murdered n Bed Stuy.
I am as white as the day is long and you would probably call me a hipster, and I love living in Bed Stuy. I feel very cozy here.
I have never felt more watched and more safe in a neighborhood. People say hello to you here. They ask after your business. They notice when you’ve been gone and are neighborly. I have learned a lot about how to behave in a community from my neighbors, and it pisses *me* off to read your ignorant post.
Peril my ass. Bed Stuy is great.
(That said, the blocks are long and there are few businesses open at night on some streets. So on a cold or rainy night when the stoops are empty, I choose my routes carefully or take a car. The people are what makes it safe.)
Old time residents are PISSED OFF at hipsters trying to gentrify their nabe. Make no mistake about it, BedStuy is a place held near and near by it’s original inhabitants and they’re not taking kindly to a change in the population, not after what has happend to Ft Green and Clinton. I say venture at your own peril but just because it’s cheap and charming don’t mean it’s going to be cozy.
Sorry y’all but I happen to agree with Maurice. I had a friend who lived off Nostrand whom I took care of last summer while she was ill. The Nostrand Ave station has a frightening vibe and cannot be compared to even the worst stations in the Bronx. Forget sleeping in the summer unless you have no issue with deafening, non-stop tired ass hip hop emanating from cars parked on the street day and night. Ditto the barbeques and loitering which is an integral part of ghetto culture because yes, it’s still ghetto. And I agree that there are no stores and unless you want to live on McDonalds and Popeyes you have to shlep groceries from the city. The upside is that in another year it will be seriously gentrified since everyone in Ft Greene and Clinton Hill will be fleeing the heinous Atlantic Yard debacle. I don’t agree with the gun comment but everyone has their own idea of the best defense.
where does it say the OP is a she?
BTW, if it IS the craigs posting sited by 5:53, it’s a good deal. I’m getting $1500 for my parlor floor around the corner. Been in the nabe for over a year and safety isn’t really an issue. I think people have a fear of the unknown, so get to know it and you will love it!
Oh please, Maurice. Most of what you wrote is just absurd, a gross exaggeration of fact, and just not true, and I’m sure you wrote in just to rile up people.
While the Nostrand Ave subway is not a highlight on anyone’s transit tour, it is a typical NYC subway station, and no worse than countless others. It has a strong police presence, and at most times, especially rush hours, is a multicultural polyglot mixture of people. It is more likely to be visited by the OP during those times than 3 in the morning.
Nice shops may not make a neighborhood safe, but they certainly make it obvious that merchants think it safe and desireable enough put their time, effort and money into making a living there. No one is going to do that if they think there is a serious risk to life and limb.
If your friends have lived their all their lives and never go out at night, then they have issues, perhaps agoraphobia, xenophobia. Since they are now adults and still haven’t moved, perhaps you as a caring friend should suggest therapy.
I won’t even comment on the gun remark.
OP – look for yourself. No place is perfect, and shit can happen anywhere. If you are young and caucasion, and feel you may have problems, then you should hang out in the Manhattan bound Nostrand Ave subway station in the morning, and ask some of the many people of like persuasion if they feel safe living in Bed Stuy. I’m sure you will get a good sense of what it is like from them.
I think the original poster made clear that the availability of cute cafes wasn’t high on her list. Your admonition that she “have a gun and be prepared to use it” suggests that your post isn’t meant to be taken seriously, Maurice. [Unlicensed possession of a loaded firearm on the streets now carries a minimum 3.5 year sentence. Even though most DA’s will plead it down to a year, I advise against carrying a gun.] For many readers of this site, being close to Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn is important. And many of are not rich, and so yes, are willing to “brave” new experiences in order to create the home and communitybut I am sure many would be interested in a serious discussion of alternatives. That said, I would add that you might want to ask people about the summer vibe, which can be markedly different than how a street is in the winter. Constant front yard barbeques may feel neighborly to some, while the attendent music and partying might not be to other’s liking. Prostitutes, drug dealers appear more often in the summer, and may not be evident when it is ten degrees out.