Which Nabe with Kids?
My kids go to school in Downtown Brooklyn/Ft. Greene & we are looking to rent a 2BR for $2,500 or less. Safety & parking are our big concerns. Which nabe nearby would you look in?
My kids go to school in Downtown Brooklyn/Ft. Greene & we are looking to rent a 2BR for $2,500 or less. Safety & parking are our big concerns. Which nabe nearby would you look in?
Invisible: My point is that, everyone has a different perpective. Just because I “feel” safe, doesn’t mean it’s a safe nabe. The worst nabe I ever lived in was 106th and Columbus 15 years ago, it’s muich nicer now, but it wasn’t then. The 1st month I lived there, I felt unsafe, but once the local drug dealers knew I was a resident, they left me alone. I almost felt protected, although I knew they were doing something illeagal, and there were probably guns involved. I felt safe, but it wasn’t a safe nabe.
My second nabe would also be CH (west of pratt) but i dont know if you can get under the required price point. If so it’s a G train thing. I love that area though.
I don’t know if you can get West PH for that price, everybody’s onto it due to subway convenience – but if you can go for it.
irieman the “walking around” theory is only half bs. Even in dangerous neighborhoods cops are in and out only when necessary. The feelgood thing (as you eluded) is completely unreliable. Crime Stats or something like spotcrime (shortcomings notwithstanding) are the only facts you can go by. Anything less is just flying blind.
Boerumresident – the G train gets you direct from WT to Hoyt Schemerhorn.
The Prospect expressway barely goes from east to west. It runs from south-north (look at a map) it just veers to the west a little bit. Technically it starts in south east WT and goes toward the north west border of WT and continues through the south western portion of the South Slope until it hits Gowanus Expressway.
lolly – i live in stuyvesant heights and i feel very safe. however, i live very close to the subway and everything that i need is within a 2-5 block radius. resturants, subway, park and great parking. look in the area near Utica, from Chauncey to Macon between Marcus Garvey and Malcom X. All of those blocks are close to the subway and very neigborly.
good luck.
WT to FG is easier now with the G train running to Church.
Windsor Terrace is only about 6 streets wide and 6 or 7 avenues long so even if you were on the less “desirable” side you’re only at most 3 tiny streets away from the desirable part. Literally less than a 5 minute walk. By less desirable I’m guessing you mean its further from the park and train and close to the noisy truck route on Mcdonald Ave. Each side has its pros and cons. The side closer to Mcdonald Ave has more larger and detached Frame homes. The side closer to the park has more attached brick homes. The side closer to the park also tends to be more grassy and green as well as more hustle and bustle because of the stores and train on prospect ave on the south side and Prospect Park West on the North end.
But back to the original subject- What Lolly described is Windsor Terrace in a nutshell. Theres a lot of nice 2 bedrooms that you can get in that price range- no matter where you live in WT you are AT MOST- a 10 minute walk to the train or park. The schools are great, parking is great but shhh don’t tell anyone. There is a new building that is just starting to rent now and its just so happens to be on teh “desirable” side haha- A 2 bedroom is around the price you are looking to pay and they have onsite parking available, 1 block from the park, 1/2 block from the train, about 4 blocks away from PS 154.
“safety and parking are our biggest concerns” Safety is all perpective. I might feel safe, where you might not feel safe. Perhaps homeless people make you feel unsafe? there’s homeless people everywhere. O and parking? yeah good luck, parking is not a concern in less desirable areas, these are areas you might think are NOT “safe”. Perhaps you want to live in a safe neighborhood with parking? o darn, there is none! Brooklyn Heights is supposed to be safe, right? However, you still hear reports of people getting mugged in BH. It happens, everywhere. My point? Don’t take peoples word for it, get out there! walk around these nabes and see how you feel, drive through them at night, see how YOU feel. Parking, good luck, that’s everyones dream in “safe” nabes. If you’re looking for value, you’ll have to go to a less desirable nabe(what some people call unsafe) to get a decent sized apartment for $2500. If you move to park slope, for $2500 the kids will have to bunk it up, and you will have little to no storage. Regardless, I wish you luck, but the safety question always seems funny to me, as we live in NYC. Anything can happen, anywhere, if you’re in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Words to live by, thank you, I’ll be here all week.
lolly, if you’re looking within sub areas of bed stuy, safety must be a second or third priority. the bad people know how to walk a few blocks in either direction too.
curiositykilledthecat – Prospect expressway runs E/W from at least 7th ave to 11th avenue.
Im sure you love your neighborhood, but to a lot of people it is cut off in no man’s land – i consider it kensington for all practical purposes (in fact when i’m down there i can’t tell where one starts and the other begins). Crossing an expressway every time to get any amenity would basically render me a hermit. Nice area, but i can tell you not everyone considers both sides the same. If it doesn’t bother you, then its a good value for you.
Tricky getting to Ft Greene from Windsor Terrace without switching at 4th Avenue to the D or R trains. Are your kids old enough to handle that themselves or are you shepherding them to school on the trains (or driving)?
I would think that Prospect Heights or Crown Heights are good bets for nice apartments at that price range. Clinton Hill is very nice but I am not sure about the rents except maybe v. close to Myrtle.
Parts of Bed Stuy are a little sketchier but other parts are wonderful. I think a lot of Stuyvesant Heights (near the A/C line and B26 on Halsey) is relatively safe, but you would have to judge for yourself. Parking is not too bad. I can’t really speak to other parts of BS.