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I was expecting we'd be working below upper west/east side manhattan.
Oh, that's really helpful, NOT!
That is half of Manhattan, and comprisees 90% of the business area.
The comment just highlights your naivete!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeNigh
I'm not asking where people think a particular kind of person should live. I'm asking the -details left out- question because everyone knows their own points of value to look for. There may be a very obvious harlem / brooklyn answer to this question, how should I know? I have expectations in answers but I don't want to snuff out points I haven't thought about yet.
All well and good, but nothing to do with reality of NYC!
Quote:
So for you...
We can afford to buy outright in harlem and brooklyn and I'm not interested in the bronx or queens. As for personality we just want the closest to a 1st class experience for living in new york that we can get and be as close to work as possible.
Again, vague and presumptuous!!
"1st class experience"????
LMAO!! WTF is that??? How old are you??? Still in high school???
You know nothing of NYC, so how do you know you can AFFORD anything???
Do you have a few million liquid dollars sitting around???
Brooklyn Heights which has the shortest commute along with the most sought after housing isthe choice, but can you drop $5 million as a minimum????
If so, then say so. Knowing what you can afford is the first step!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeNigh
I was thinking about the prospect park area in brooklyn. It looks like the left side is majorly hispanic and the east side is majorly black and the center is white / mixed. I don't think any of that bothers us.
Oh, again THAT really narrows things down, really!! Not!
That's like saying I want to live in the Central Park "area"!!
What it "looks like" to YOU, has absolutely NO basis in reality!!
Additionally, Harlem may be on the island of Manhattan, but in many respects is quite removed from the worldliness of Manhattan.
Absolutely true. That's why most of the "new residents" are also transplants (I don't think they know the difference) and the reason many have moved elsewhere, as will we eventually.
I don't know if "worldiiness" is the word I would use. It just does not feel anything like New York, somehow. Mostly terrible restaurants - awful service. No amenities. Not great for strolling on the street with children. And so on.
We can afford to buy outright in harlem and brooklyn and I'm not interested in the bronx or queens. As for personality we just want the closest to a 1st class experience for living in new york that we can get and be as close to work as possible.
Oh yea Harlem is such a first class experience. Did you know that's where they filmed most of the series "sex and the city"? I think you'll fit right in.
You're gonna be living a true Manhattan lifestyle up there.
But If you consider Brooklyn instead, Brownsville is another fine neighborhood that will probably "match your personality" fairly well.
Besides Brooklyn is closer to the airport.
Give him a break guys! Lol. Don't scare him off before he steps foot here.
Maybe with some of the responses we gave he could narrow down to some neighborhoods in BK and then pick/compare and contrast those with Harlem. Though if I'm being honest, or maybe just a little bias, most Brooklyn neighborhoods (especially they ones you're looking into and can afford) are superior to Harlem. But it's your decision we can only suggest you check it out. Hopefully you've spent some time in the city to know which would better fit the both of you.
Give him a break guys! Lol. Don't scare him off before he steps foot here.
Maybe with some of the responses we gave he could narrow down to some neighborhoods in BK and then pick/compare and contrast those with Harlem. Though if I'm being honest, or maybe just a little bias, most Brooklyn neighborhoods (especially they ones you're looking into and can afford) are superior to Harlem. But it's your decision we can only suggest you check it out. Hopefully you've spent some time in the city to know which would better fit the both of you.
Yeah I hear what you are saying, but the OP is just so vague in his/her requests that you just can't help get a little annoyed with the ignorant responses. First off asking for recommendations between Harlem and Brooklyn? WTF? Brooklyn is Huge with so many different neighborhoods. You just can't compare the two.
Here is my advice to the OP, take a trip to NY for a few days and explore the neighborhoods (I think someone pointed that out already). Get out of your car and walk around. Ask people questions about the neighborhood and see if the demographic works for you.
Look at the list studdedleather posted. That should give you an idea of what the best neighborhoods in Brooklyn are. The higher the rent usually means the better the neighborhood.
I don't know if "worldiiness" is the word I would use. It just does not feel anything like New York, somehow. Mostly terrible restaurants - awful service. No amenities. Not great for strolling on the street with children. And so on.
For the life of me, I could not think of an appropriate word!
Though, my view isn't as negative as yours.
Harlem IS new york, its just not the fantasy, sexNcity, friends, seinfeld, etc., NYC; but, if you've ever seen Superfly or Shaft, or even Jungle Fever, then Harlem shouldn't be a surprise....
The treasures of Harlem (or those that are left) aren't for Transplants, and not generally for white Transplants looking forr Manhattan they've seen on TV and movies on the cheap!! Which is why they're in Harlem in the first place.
Like the OP, wanting a "1st class" experience on what will likely turn out to be a "steerage" budget!!
The thing about Harlem and certain other majority black neighborhoods (though not all) is that white transplants, educated to not be overtly racist, take their liberal values and their suburban/transplantland naivete, and think its all just a race/skin color thing. They don't comprehend *poverty*, they don't expect it. I guess they think the rent iis cheap, SIMPLY, because the people are black/hispanic.
So, off they go, happy to find cheap rent in order to live out their TV fantasies. Then they discover 'Poverty in America', urban NYC style poverty!! Sht hits em in the face and they go squealing. Pissed! Their NYC fantasies dashed, cause they can't afford a place to live, shocked at what they have had to endure, they turn negative, hurt, that Jerry and Carrie don't live in their neighborhood, and they can't be 'Friends'!
****
Quote:
Originally Posted by StuddedLeather
Give him a break guys! Lol. Don't scare him off before he steps foot here.
That's precisely what I want!
I'll give him credit though, not a single "...is it safe..."!!!
Quote:
Maybe with some of the responses we gave he could narrow down to some neighborhoods in BK and then pick/compare and contrast those with Harlem. Though if I'm being honest, or maybe just a little bias, most Brooklyn neighborhoods (especially they ones you're looking into and can afford) are superior to Harlem. But it's your decision we can only suggest you check it out. Hopefully you've spent some time in the city to know which would better fit the both of you.
For the life of me, I could not think of an appropriate word!
Though, my view isn't as negative as yours.
Harlem IS new york, its just not the fantasy, sexNcity, friends, seinfeld, etc., NYC; but, if you've ever seen Superfly or Shaft, or even Jungle Fever, then Harlem shouldn't be a surprise....
The treasures of Harlem (or those that are left) aren't for Transplants, and not generally for white Transplants looking forr Manhattan they've seen on TV and movies on the cheap!! Which is why they're in Harlem in the first place.
Like the OP, wanting a "1st class" experience on what will likely turn out to be a "steerage" budget!!
It's not exactly that. I have not quite figured it out. I have observed that it is overwhelmingly the native NYers who have moved out after giving Harlem a try. The transplants stay, something about their liberal politics, white suburban values that you mention. For the people who leave, it has nothing to do with "Sex in the City" fantasies. I know a few natives who actually left New York, Harlem being their last stop given the middle class affordability thing. The opinion was that Harlem was not at all a compromise but something entirely different and they did not want to deal with it. Might as well leave entirely.
For natives, generally speaking, there is just a lot missing at the same time that there are aspects of Harlem that are what New York once was. As I said, have not quite figured it out.
I would add: Your view probably is not as negative because you do not live here ... do you ? Or have you ?
Ya I don't happen to be a normal case here I think. I'm not moving to NYC to live out a TV fantasy. My wife is Indian and only NYC and Chicago have a direct flight to (New Delhi) India the last I checked. It is also cheapest. We work remotely for a company out of frankfurt germany so it'll be easy and cheap for us to visit there too. But if we get fired, NYC happens to be the best place in the USA for software jobs... It beats San Fran 4 to 1 and pays more (with similar tax rates and costs of living).
Having lived in india I now want to live in a place where you are amongst other people regularly. In the USA New York is basically the only place you are FORCED to do this, otherwise americans will always say "is it safe" and drive etc if they can.
I have researched subway routes, checked the supposed times for them, visited NYC plenty of times as my sister lives there in clinton hill. Prospect Park area and Harlem are the places where (from my understanding) I can buy outright a 2 bedroom place... So just trying to get some ideas about them ;P
To help though clinton hill is another place we could afford, at least on the eastern side of it. I am guessing that is a less desirable area? The prospect parks seemed really great to have nearby in comparison... But then being close to central park would have been equally great (it would seem?).
And your not scaring me but I am a bit surprised ;p Also I haven't owned a TV since 2004, and never even walked past sex and the city on and probably haven't collectively seen a full episode of friends.
I have researched subway routes, checked the supposed times for them, visited NYC plenty of times as my sister lives there in clinton hill. Prospect Park area and Harlem are the places where (from my understanding) I can buy outright a 2 bedroom place... So just trying to get some ideas about them ;P
Well, buying could be a totally different story, although we will leave eventually.
Buying implies investment, and I can say that Harlem will change tremendously in the coming few years. The Whole Foods on Lenox in itself is a huge thing. I would certainly advise people to buy west. I would not buy in central Harlem, although people do. On the other hand, a very good restaurant just opened on St. Nicholas and 127th street, rather astonishing really. It is packed every night.
From the perspective of amenities, in Harlem you are very near the upper west side - walking distance even, dependent on where exactly you live. Personally, I would rather do all of my shopping in my own area, one of the shortcomings of Harlem as a neighborhood (unless you are looking for dollar-store wares or ghetto garb or nails featuring paintings), but it is not as though an extensive train ride is required for decent shopping.
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