Astoria Queens (Crown Heights, Newport, Prospect: real estate, for rent, how much)
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Anyone from Astoria Queens? We are thinking to move from Brooklyn to Astoria for shorter commute and in general the area seems nice. I have a 3 year old son and we are hoping to find a 2 bedroom apt for rent at around 1600-1800/month.
When I lived in Astoria 96-97 the rent was $650 a month for a 2BR flat, my share was $325 a month. The area was working class back then, immigrants and first generation immigrant people. It was a neighborhood of hard working people, with most of the parasites being concentrated in the Astoria and Queensbridge Projects. The people in the area stayed with their own blood and there is heavy ethnic identification among the working class people. There were not many assimilated transient white collar worker types there at the time but this was 12 years ago when I was a teenager.
There were roaches, mice and my neighbor down stairs dealt coke out of the building. Most of the stores sold loosey Newports if you did not have the money to cop a whole pack. The alternate side parking is a complete pain in the butt with alternate side effective 4 days a week. The meter maids are aggressive and do not submit to intimidation. The area near the river is dotted by the Astoria, Ravenswood and Queensbridge housing projects. Perhaps east of the N train and near Ditmars Blvd is the better part of Astoria.
Our apt was on 14 ave just one block from the east river, the best part of that location is the nice vista of Manhattan. The N train is okay and Astoria is only a few stops from midtown. Some of my friends went to L.I.C. high school at the time, it was not a school of serious learning. There were constant racial battles between the various groups of students at L.I.C., sort of like HBO's OZ if you ever watched that show. However at no time did I ever feel in danger in Astoria, it was a safe area.
Last edited by samyn on the green; 04-14-2008 at 12:24 AM..
I live in Astoria currently and think it is so overrated... I am planning on moving to Brooklyn in the next few months. Here is why.
Some of the most rude people I have ever encountered live in Astoria. Its a complete melting pot. What I mean by that is I understand NYC is a diverse group but that is fine I feel the ones that are in Astoria are the bottom... Meaning no pride in the community, no pride in keeping the area nice and so on. Its dirty and some parts are shady as well...
Cobble Hill/Boerum/Williamsburg/B-Heights much better areas compared to Astoria... I have lived there for 2 years and am so glad I did not buy in Astoria...
I live in Astoria currently and think it is so overrated... I am planning on moving to Brooklyn in the next few months. Here is why.
Some of the most rude people I have ever encountered live in Astoria. Its a complete melting pot. What I mean by that is I understand NYC is a diverse group but that is fine I feel the ones that are in Astoria are the bottom... Meaning no pride in the community, no pride in keeping the area nice and so on. Its dirty and some parts are shady as well...
Cobble Hill/Boerum/Williamsburg/B-Heights much better areas compared to Astoria... I have lived there for 2 years and am so glad I did not buy in Astoria...
Thal,
I can't comment on what it's like to live in Astoria since I've never lived there, only visited on numerous occasions, but I find it interesting that in the post I quoted above you compare Astoria, which is more of a working class neighborhood to 4 of the highest priced neighborhoods in Brooklyn.
Why don't you compare it to neighborhoods in Brooklyn that are actually comparable -- meaning where the prices match and the commute to Manhattan is the same. This would be places such as Crown Heights, Bed-Stuy, Bushwick, and Prospect Park South. I think you would find similar issues in those neighborhoods (or worse) than the ones you are reporting in Astoria.
I think your post also contains some rather thinly veiled racism.
Why don't you just say you don't like living near people with brown skin who were not born in the US? That's probably more accurate. And if you can afford the neighborhoods you mentioned in Brooklyn, then you will probably feel right at home as those places are not known to be "melting pots"
Thal,
I can't comment on what it's like to live in Astoria since I've never lived there, only visited on numerous occasions, but I find it interesting that in the post I quoted above you compare Astoria, which is more of a working class neighborhood to 4 of the highest priced neighborhoods in Brooklyn.
Why don't you compare it to neighborhoods in Brooklyn that are actually comparable -- meaning where the prices match and the commute to Manhattan is the same. This would be places such as Crown Heights, Bed-Stuy, Bushwick, and Prospect Park South. I think you would find similar issues in those neighborhoods (or worse) than the ones you are reporting in Astoria.
I think your post also contains some rather thinly veiled racism.
Why don't you just say you don't like living near people with brown skin who were not born in the US? That's probably more accurate. And if you can afford the neighborhoods you mentioned in Brooklyn, then you will probably feel right at home as those places are not known to be "melting pots"
Is Astoria still considered a working class area? I would call it "mixed-income."
No racisim here I call it as I see it... To me I dont care what color someones skin is... What bothers me is when people dont care about there area. ANd its called having respect for everyone living in the area... Walking down the street and watching people throw garbage in the street or throwing trash in the subway tracks. What I am saying is my 2+ years in Astoria has been a terrible experience that way.
You are the one so quickly playing the racisim card... You should stop being so sensitive and look where the problems are...
No racisim here I call it as I see it... To me I dont care what color someones skin is... What bothers me is when people dont care about there area. ANd its called having respect for everyone living in the area... Walking down the street and watching people throw garbage in the street or throwing trash in the subway tracks. What I am saying is my 2+ years in Astoria has been a terrible experience that way.
You are the one so quickly playing the racisim card... You should stop being so sensitive and look where the problems are...
Look, I believe there are problems with trash. However, just re-read your post. #1 You want to compare Astoria which is not a high income area, to other VERY high income areas. Of course high income areas are not going to have the same quality of life issues as mixed areas.
#2 Re-read your paragraph on trash. The majority of it has to do with "melting pot" and "diversity". It's not much of a reach to see who you are blaming the trash on. I'm really not so PC as I may sound on this occasion, but if it walks like a duck . . .
SO you are saying its a lower income area therefore more garbage on the street... Its all BULL... I dont care how much $$$ someone makes it comes down to pick up your crap and treat the area with respect...Astoria has alot odf expensive real estate as well I dont get why anyone would pay that money though...
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My Astoria Experience
