Living Across from High School
Does anyone have any thoughts on buying a house on the same block as a high school (and not a particularly great high school at that)? If anyone lives across from a high school in Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens or Boerum Hill, please let me know what you think!
Does anyone have any thoughts on buying a house on the same block as a high school (and not a particularly great high school at that)? If anyone lives across from a high school in Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens or Boerum Hill, please let me know what you think!
p.s. _ If want more opinion or have question can write to me at this name at hotmail.
I can understand other opinions expressed but perhaps in less busy/less dense areas a school is more of a factor. This is a busier/denser location than other neighborhoods/locations.
That block is fine, close to the subway, Smith St the grocery store. Most of the kids take off up Smith St afterschool so you barley notice them.
I live on next block down across from Cobble Hill HS.
1) IS 429 may be partially HS but not entirely.
2) much depends on whether you are home during day or not.
3) For Global Studies and Cobble Hill I really don’t see much of a problem. (but I am not home during day – but my neighbor who is keeps me informed). School security does a pretty good job of making sure kids don’t loiter. And I really don’t see much hanging out on stoops. I have a gate on my stoop as does house next door.
4) when school gets out is noisy, but lasts not that long, and not even that big of a deal to me (when I am home).
5) there is extra litter, but not much.
6) I never feel unsafe even when school gets out.
7) I have lived there 23 years (although CobbleHill was only admin building for 1st 10).
8) if house faces school yard rather than school bldg…
at IS429 – the schoolyard is used in evening by neighborhood, kids playing etc….so if that is problem for you take into consideration. But it does get locked at certain hour.
9) I don’t need drapes, shades on my windows upstairs as nobody across street at night to peer in.
Thanks for all the responses so far. Does anyone specifically have experience living near the School for Global Studies (IS 429) on Baltic Street?
I used to live a block from one.
If you enjoy coming home to candy wrappers, soda cans and other refuse in your front yard everyday and don’t mind when they grab your UPS notices and tip over your garbage cans then I say go for it!
I second that. I live next to an intermediate school and I would never buy a house this close to a school again. henrycurtis is right – Picking up the garbage, soda bottles and snack food bags is a full time job and all the neighbors here have found kids up on their porch at least once. We’ve has stuff thrown at the house and kids climbing all over our fence to access the roof terraces of the apartment building next door and our backyard shed broken into shortly after dismissal time.
On a positive note, the principal here is not the same as the one that was in place when we first moved in 6 years ago and things have definitely improved as far as getting the kids out of here at dismissal time. He deserves props for that. But I’d still never buy here again because of the garbage alone. It’s a real PITA.
I live one block away from a HS and would caution you to be careful. The students treat the surrounding blocks like their living room. I often come home to strange kids sitting on my stoop. They usually just smoke pot and leave, but they make a ton of noise and often leave trash and cigarette butts behind. Maybe you could visit the property during the after-school hours (pick a broad range to sit and watch) and see what its really like? That will give you the best answer.
I’d say don’t do it!
I work at a school (and a very good one at that)
and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere near it!
If you don’t mind teenagers on your stoop, soda bottles and wrappers strewn about, lots of traffic, noise etc, than maybe its OK – but I assume those things would bother most people. And if it is not a particularly good school, as you say, I’m sure there would be a host of other issues to contend with! Find a different house, I’d say!