What about Ridgewood?

Ridgewood Brownstoners, What can you tell me about the neighborhood?!   We’ve been in Fort Greene/Clinton Hill for 6 years and have spent most of 2013 trying to buy our first home. While Bed Stuy has always been our dream neighborhood we’ve come to the realization that it might not be in the cards for us. Tonight we saw a great place in Ridgewood – with everything we want, but we know nothing about Ridgewood. It seems like a perfectly nice neighborhood, but it also felt very….suburban?  What’s it like living in Ridgewood? Somewhere good to coffee? Dinner?   Thanks!

Greene44

in Real Estate - General 12 years and 2 months ago

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Greene44 | 12 years and 2 months ago

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Thanks all for the feedback. We’re going to go up this weekend and spend some time in the area. Any good recommendations for coffee? Food? We’ve been to the old German bar but that’s about it.

elbow | 12 years and 2 months ago

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I like the parts of Ridgewood with all those cute little yellow brick buildings.  Queens side, I think.

wiley | 12 years and 2 months ago

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https://www.facebook.com/RidgewoodBeat

stevecym | 12 years and 2 months ago

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we live in middle village which is next to ridgewood.  I originally wanted to live in Ridgewood becuase the subway is right there (M Line) and there is a city feel to the area.  I also felt that maybe the nice and well utilized main business streets might pick up and offer some better restaurants.  Now that we are not there, I don’t miss the idea of living there.  There are some restaurants which tend to be Polish – and when i long for my grandmother’s perogies and some beer we head over there.  From what I hear the school is not near as nice as what we have in Middle Village and I am not sure if there is a real park in Ridgewood.  As much as I complain about Middle Village – I think that the idea of a big park (juniper valley) and good schools outweigh what we would have had in Ridgewood.  Btw, Ridgewood has some very nice looking attached housing with beautiful fronts.  Steve

est | 12 years and 2 months ago

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 I don’t know the area, but as a first-time buyer I would recommend you visit the block and general area at different times of the week, day and evening to get a sense of what living there will be like. It may seem painful to put  in that time now, while trying to buy, do your job etc, but it’s really worth it to see what the street life is like, whether there’s a lot of noise from people hanging out in summer, or not enough people on the streets to feel safe while walking from the subway. It’s a lot harder to up stakes from an owned home than a rental if the neighborhood doesn’t suit.

Boerumresident | 12 years and 2 months ago

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Are you talking about the Brooklyn side or Queens side? The Brooklyn side has better subway access (L or M) but generally worse schools.  Queens side has better schools (or at least access to a lot more schools in the same district) but worse public transit. Totally agree with springs advice to go walk multiple times.  Especially go in the evening at 9 PM and hang out until 11 or 12 to get a feel for whether it’s too quiet or too noisy or whatever.

wiley | 12 years and 2 months ago

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I’ve been there for 4 years and love it. Super diverse and very much undiscovered. It’s a bit dicey near the subway Myrtle ave L – up towards Forest Avenue it’s very lovely. You’re not going to find the kinds of amenities there just yet but that will happen – It’s a nice suburban/urban mix

Springs | 12 years and 2 months ago

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Some beautiful blocks in Ridgewood.  Quick access to Manhattan via subway.  My advice is to walk aroudn for a day, night, whatever.  Its a big area !!  Right now, Queens just doesnt have the same ring as Brooklyn.  Values are lower