Open House Picks

I live directly across the street from Sunset Park. There was a problem several years ago with amplified concerts in the park — very loud. But the parks department seems to have decided against amplified sound permits for the park, as there have been no concerts the past three summers or more. I rarely get excess noise from the park itself. The bigger noise issue is from car stereos and the cultural practice of some neighborhood residents to sit outside playing the radio. There are a couple of tenement type rental buildings on my block, and I have sometimes been bothered by radios/car stereos in front of those buildings in the summer.

I’ve lived in Sunset Park for over a decade and I have always felt safe. I park a car on the street, walk home from the subway late, no problems. It’s a very family oriented neighborhood. Yes, in warm weather you will see a couple of drunks sleeping in one corner of the park. But I run in the park regularly in the evening after dark and no one has ever bothered me. The park is well-utilized for dog walking, soccer, volley ball, basketball, and tai chi. The park is well patrolled by police cars in the evening. I do not see people hanging out in it late at night or at least if they do, they’re quiet about it.

I think the noise problem on any particular block is going to depend on the culture on that block. Some blocks are very noisy due to partying and some people in my apartment building whose apartments face the interior of the block say they are quite bothered by backyard parties on the weekends. As we face the park, we don’t have that problem.

To Crown Heights Proud: the fence in the backyard is probably illegal. Last time I looked into this, the highest for solid wall was 4 feet and the highest for a nonsolid wall was 6 feet. The fence they’ve built looks more like 8 feet and unless it is against another building then I believe it is illegal, but anyone who knows the city rules for this, please chime in.

Anon re: not being able to live in the Park Slope house, understand how you feel, but strip off the wallpaper, paint that wall a light color and do some contemporary furniture and rugs and it changes the whole place, yet the beautiful details remain and they are truly irreplaceable.

Right around the park is definitely safe. The area just north of the park along fifth ave (37th-41st)is ground zero for undocumented mexican workers. they’re mostly male and they live many to a room, so they spend very little time in their apartments, which means they hang out outside a lot, especially from march to october. I’ve been to three community board meetings and two featured complaints from multiple residents about dudes drinking, fighting, passing out in the park and pissing everywhere. It’s not a safety issue (as a rule they generally only knife and shoot each other), but a legit quality of life one.

As to the houses on 46th and 51st, I’ve seen them both several times (from the outside) and rest assured, the 1.1 mil house will sell for that price or higher by Valentines Day. Offers will be made tomorrow. However the person who paid 700,000 for the house on 3rd and 46th was not only robbed, they were raped. And no lube was used.

I live three blocks from the park and I like the distance because it can get loud in the Summer. 5th Ave can get loud too. However, I can be really picky, the ice cream trucks alone make me nuts. The park is really nice with a giant public pool. Anyway, it is a safe area but i would think twice about being right on the park. There are lots of nice brownstones in the area. Check it out.

I could live with the Park Slope details! I don’t like the kitchen cabinets, but is that the original floor tile? If so, I’m in love.