Clinton Hill:Lefferts Place okay to move to?
Looking at a top-floor 1 br in a brownstone on Lefferts. Want to get some opinions on the block/area before making a stupid decision. Franklin “C” station seems terrible. The Classon/Wash “C” is two blocks away. Any advice? It seems Princess Lefferts Hotel is across the street and is a flophouse. Any opinions out there?
Looking at a top-floor 1 br in a brownstone on Lefferts. Want to get some opinions on the block/area before making a stupid decision. Franklin “C” station seems terrible. The Classon/Wash “C” is two blocks away. Any advice? It seems Princess Lefferts Hotel is across the street and is a flophouse. Any opinions out there?
3:48 and 4:12: I agree with you that certain parts of Clinton Hill (i.e., the parts closest to Bed-Stuy on the “C” train) do have an “edge” or an unsafe feel. However, Clinton Hill, as a whole, does not have that same unsafe feel. The parts of Clinton Hill that are north of Gates Aveue and west of Grand Avenue (and especially the parts that are near to Pratt or the “G” train “Clinton-Washington Avenue” subway stop) seem to feel just as safe as Ft. Greene and Park Slope.
Additionally, those parts seem to have a pretty active street scene (i.e., cute restaurants, fun bars, trendy cafes and the like). The neighborhood seems a bit to diverse in look and in feel to peg it all as unsafe.
this area is degentrifying. I would not live on that street even if it were half the price of C gardens. I knew somebody who lived on St. James and he said you could hear the drugdealers arguiing at night right outside of the window. I am talking about 5 feet from where he slept by the widow. If that is the way you want to live I wish you luck. I am not talking about weed dealers either! Hard drugs
I agree with 3:48 except for the “lower” rents (I don’t know about that one). I’ve been in CH for 10 years and haven’t been a victim of crime (knock knock) but I’ve seen my share of police activity and heard my share of stories. Afterall, it does border Bed Stuy.
And, with the economy receeding like it is, crime will inevitably go up. All those businesses that are allegedly popping up will receed as well. People aren’t spending their stimulus checks on wine.
That said, it is not highly likely that you will be a victim of crime if you are cautious. But you won’t feel as comfortable as you would in other nabes. I’m comfortable in CH but my wife isn’t and wants out.
My advice to you would be to sacrifice space (rent that studio) for location and hope that the economy brings down rents (condo-to-rental conversions) and prices (maybe you’ll be ready to buy then) so that you can upsize in the same nabe later.
i used to live on lefferts place 5 years ago. i had a gorgeous apartment and the neighborhood was still up and coming. i never had any issues with crime besides my car getting broken into. i now live in cobble hill and my car still gets broken into. its a great neighborhood with some real gems for buildings.
I happen to love that area, especially all the African shops around there. I live in Prospect Heights, yet I head over there every couple weeks. I have heard about crime there, but I have never seen it myself, though I’m usually not there after midnight or so.
If you want a neighborhood with a Marc Jacobs, it’s probably not your place. About two or three years ago, I thought fancy restaurants would start moving in, but it never happened.
The teenagers who were shot were from and were on the block closer to st james when it happened. There’s a church on the corner at grand that has a soup kitchen that serves the homeless who leave chicken bones and paper plates all over the street. Many of those homeless are in the area to make use of the methadone clinic around the corner on fulton.
It is a gorgeous little stretch of buildings, but those on this blog who refuse to acknowledge that clinton hill is more dangerous than other areas are lying to you. They regularly call anyone who posts the negatives here a racist. They say they’ve never been mugged and that muggings, break-ins, and murders happen everywhere. But the truth is CH is not as safe as other areas. That is why the rents are lower. They can deny it all they like, but you shouldn’t move there if you do not want to risk it.
2 teens were shot in the head on lefferts on christmas eve 2007.
Good luck!
First of all, the first response to your post was a troll so ignore that about your iPod. I lived on Classon for several years recently (moved to Herkimer St end of last year). The Lefferts hotel was the subject of a police investigation last year and as a result was closed for several months and fined for illegal activities. It has since reopened and is very much under police scrutiny. Might not be perfect but it is much improved. Lefferts Place is a beautiful street and I met so many terrific people in the neighborhood through the very active and strong Lefferts Place community council. As far as the subway goes, I took the Franklin C consistently (take the A at Nostrand now) and while it’s not a beautiful station the trains run well and I never had a problem there. If you’re looking for amenities this isn’t the best neighborhood for you, but there’s still a decent grocery store on Fulton Street, the Outpost cafe, a wine shop, several restaurants and from the looks of it more and more new business opening up all the time. Prospect Heights is fun and interesting and not far. You won’t have a problem if you’re friendly and care about being a good neighbor.
all of brooklyn is double-homicide territory.
we like it here, but it isn’t Geneva.