owls' head park
How safe is the area around owls’ head park? (Bay Ridge)? I absolutely love the area, and we are seriously considering buying a house there. I’ve been to the park in the morning and during the day — seems safe. Crime stats look ok. However, I just had a conversation with family friend who says…
How safe is the area around owls’ head park? (Bay Ridge)? I absolutely love the area, and we are seriously considering buying a house there.
I’ve been to the park in the morning and during the day — seems safe. Crime stats look ok.
However, I just had a conversation with family friend who says the park becomes gang playground at night. I’ll be driving there myself to check it out tonight, but tonight may not be representative..
Thanks Italian. Will check it out.
I did a quick search for it on-line and found this.
http://www.brooklynrowhouse.com/bay_ridge
They have a photo of the hosue and the tower…That is gorgeous. Never seen it before and I’ve looked at alot of old photos of Bay Ridge.
I’m going to do some more digging. If I find any cool photos. I’ll share them.
Bay Ridge Girl, if you go to the parks and enter the gate located between the swing sets and the water fountains, you’ll see a bulletin board with a photo of the the mansion that stood on the ground.
But I will warn you that it is heartbreaking. I know you like old structurs like me. It reminded me of litchfield villa in Prospect Park. Except we don’t have it now!!!! It was a beautiful home.
btw – Owl’s Head Park was the private property of the Bliss family in the mid 1800’s. On that property was a Mansion, horse stable and a tower.
In the early 1900’s it was sold to the city on condition that it be used as a park. Obviously the structures were demolished because they’re not there.
Would love to see photos of the house that once stood on that property.
you prolly see just a few kids. Not so many and they are quiet. The might ware some silly baseball caps, but it does not mean much. I did not notice any graffiti around ether.
You also can walk around park and look for tall-tales of bad places (bottles, dime-bags, needles). I do not think you will find much.
try to park car at night (when weather is warm) and look at the park – it is pretty quiet.
Folks, thank you so much for all the comments! This is very helpful.
I went to the park tonight. Nice and quiet at 10 pm on Wednesday night. No broken bottles on the ground, no graffiti. No gangs in sight. I will come back on Saturday night as well to check it out further.
Now, a different question: how bad is the smell from the sewer plant? It did not smell today or during my other visits, but there are some pretty strong articles on the web about last summer’s stench.
I live 2 blocks away from the park and am rarely there on foot at night (although we drive by at all hours of the day and night and have never seen anything to make me believe that they have any problems there).
BTW I am also a community board member and as such have not heard of any complaints of goings on in the park.
We love the area and find it to be quite safe. Be forewarned with the economy in the toilet crime always increases all over.
PS we are in the middle of a refinance and the house just appraised for a shitload of money – very stable area.
Obviously I live in Bay Ridge however I live on the other end; 90’s and Shore.
I can’t tell you what living across the street from Owl’s Head Park is like, but it is a great park and the surrounding area is lovely with nice homes.
I’ve never heard about gang activity in Bay Ridge. It’s a very safe neighborhood. I come home very late every night and I always feel safe walking the streets.
If I were you, I’d visit the area at all hours of the day / night, during the week and on the weekend. Hang around the block you’re buying the house on and talk to people that live on that street. Don’t forget that a park is used more in the summer than the winter so ask about the area in the summertime.
Good luck
Yes the park also has some great sleigh riding/ snowboarding when it snows.
My friend lives on one of the side streets off of the park and I’ve never heard her complain about roudyness. But a good bet would be to drive there at night.
But as I said before when we used to drive around at night trying to get our kids to sleep in the car, I never noticed any hooligans hanging around.
bobjohn: the house we are looking at faces the park. How loud or rowdy do those kids get?
SenatorStreet: do you feel safe there?
The houses in the area don’t seem to have iron bars on the windows, which I take to be a good sign. And the park is amazing.