Life by the J train? (Mid to Northeast Bed Stuy)
Anyone who read my other post in the renovation forum knows that we are looking to buy in Bed Stuy. We are trying to choose between a huge 4 story house (20×45) near Stuy Heights that is to be “fully gut renovated” by a developer (we choose the layout) and a beautiful 3 story (20×50)…
Anyone who read my other post in the renovation forum knows that we are looking to buy in Bed Stuy. We are trying to choose between a huge 4 story house (20×45) near Stuy Heights that is to be “fully gut renovated” by a developer (we choose the layout) and a beautiful 3 story (20×50) brownstone near the Gates J train stop that has been wonderfully preserved (all original details) and renovated by the owners.
If it was just myself and my husband, we would go for the beautiful 3 story out near the J train, but we have two small toddlers (twins, no less) and I worry about how much access (meaning walking distance) to amenities I would have out there when I must tote two toddlers along with me everywhere I go. I worry I might feel stranded, with only Broadway serving as the main artery of amenities and being so far away from the A train. I am also concerned about being in school district 16 vs. school district 13.
Does anyone live out that who might be willing to share their experiences – how do you fare in regards to amenities? Where do you go to shop (is organic hoping for too much?) Where do you send your kids to school? Where is your doctor, dentist, etc.?
Thanks in advance to anybody who can provide some insight on this matter. It is an agonizing decision, because we love this house so much . . .
there is nothing “snobbish” about wanting the best of best when it comes to doctors and dentists. im sorry but i walk passed dentists and doctor’s office in park slope all the time and they look FILTHY!
*rob*
we have a space near howard ave closer to A line. a car is essential. we drive to other parts in brooklyn for many things. we also have a baby- amenities in general are scarce and below average. it didnt stop us from buying here. we needed alot of space for our work and are quite happy for that. people on the block now know us and so far (5-6 yrs) is been safe.
Rob, you are an absolute fucking moron. There are plenty of excellent doctors and dentists in Brooklyn. I despise people like you who act like they are “low rent” and pretend to be annoyed by the frivolous things rich people do, but are actually bigger snobs than anybody else.
When they stop toddling and start walking, the quality of the schools they go to and spend half the day at away from you is going to be very important. Check out the schools before you buy.
quote:
Where is your doctor, dentist, etc.?
i can’t answer any of your other questions, but a general rule of thumb is you ALWAYS choose your doctors and dentists in manhattan. there’s not really much of a price difference really, but doctors in dentists in the outer boroughs are of a MUCH less quality.
*rob*
“Stuy Heights is probably more family friendly. That being said, are you familiar with the developer’s work? I’m such a control freak that I wouldn’t want anyone else in charge of my renovation. But maybe that’s just me. People do it all the time.”
I second rh – 50% of the people I know who bought developer reno found serious defects after moving in. One friend the developer used newspaper for insulation.
Stuy Heights is probably more family friendly. That being said, are you familiar with the developer’s work? I’m such a control freak that I wouldn’t want anyone else in charge of my renovation. But maybe that’s just me. People do it all the time.
I would say be very careful about buying by the Gates J train stop. Gates Avenue is about the worst strip in Bed Stuy, and Broadway isn’t very friendly for the kids. There tends to be more gang activity, and all around less savory characters in that area. Also, the fact that it is positioned between two neighborhoods makes it less “neighborhoody” and more transient. Not ideal for raising a family, in my opinion. What are the streets and properties like near the house you are looking at? Are they well kept or dilapidated and/or unkempt? These are important clues to who your neighbors will be. My husband and I bought in Bed Stuy a few years ago (we live closer to the A train Utica Stop), and we carefully checked out the entire neighborhood, driving through every part and marking our observations on a map before we bought. Before we knew that a “Stuyvesant Heights” existed, the pattern emerged on the map – it was this nice pocket that we found that we could be comfortable living in with kids. We are glad we did the research in advance, and still feel that we made the best choice. I would say, drive around the area a few times, and walk around with the kids a few times, too. If you don’t have a car, it would be worth borrowing a friends or renting a ZipCar for the day. Really get a feel for where you’re buying before you make such a big move.
Hi! We live a few blocks farther out on the J. Mr. Kiwi’s at the Myrtle Broadway stop is where a lot of people go for organic produce and such (we go to a non-organic place at Halsey). We also buy our meat at Marlowe at the J Marcy stop in Williamsburg. The Williamsburg farmer’s market in McCarren Park is terrific in the warm months. We also recently joined the Bushwick Food Coop in the lofts — haven’t been yet.
We don’t have children, but some friends at the Gates stop drive to Williamsburg. They are getting sick of it though, and considering schools in Clinton Hill.
In any case, wherever you go, check out the block carefully. Make sure you have some friendly neighbors, no open dealing, consider noise. Sometimes people play music at extremely high levels in the backyards, which can’t be heard from the street.