Safe neighborhood? - West End Ave. between 104th and 106th (apartments, brokers)

[acn0511]

My wife and I are looking at an apartment that is on 104th and West End Ave., the apartment is decent but is on the first floor (i.e. on the same level as the sidewalk so pedestrians can look in through the windows into the apartment). Building has no doorman but a live-in super.

Having an apartment on this floor raises safety concerns and was hoping folks on the forum with more experience can help

+ Is the neighborhood safe?
+ Is having an apartment on the 1st floor safe?
+ Is having an 1st floor apt. in this neighbourhood (104th and West End Ave) safe?

Our building is the only one that does not have grills on the outside since we were told it's a heritage building and the management / city will not allow it.

The management company has refused to put grills inside the apartment for us and putting these in costs over a $1000.

Our other option is East 66th and 2nd Ave; we're westside people and would be loathe to move to the east, however, we also want to feel safe where we live.

Apologies for the long post. Appreciate any guidance / thoughts you can share.

Thanks!

[Viralmd]

You should have no problem. You can probably put in shades that pull UP from the bottom, too.

[Fred314X]

Practically anywhere on West End is fine. As to the business of a first floor apartment, I suggest that you take a walk around the area and see what people with first floor apartments do. If you see a lot of bars or gates on windows--or, of course, if you don't--why then that'll be your guide!

I'm a big believer in the first-person observation theory. Asking other people is all good and well, but when you get right down to it, absolutely nothing compares to checking things out with your own eyes.

[acn0511]

Thanks for the response Fred314X.

We've checked out the area and feel comfortable with it and like it. However, all first floor apartments in the area have grills on the outside.

The building we are looking at doesn't have these for first floor apts. since the management won't put them up for aesthetic reasons. The strange thing is that apartment has not only refused to put them up on the inside instead and won't give us the grills that the previous tenant used.

Either way, grills are expensive costing appr. $1200 to install.

[bmwguydc]

I can understand your point and agree that you should be just fine in the neighborhood, but if a potential miscreant were to look for a building where they could potentially gain access, it would be the building that has the least resistance, i.e., no doorman and no gates.

Perhaps the reason why the landlord will not allow the gates from the previous tenant to remain is liability. Since the landlord, or its designated contractor, do not install and maintain the gates, they do not want to be responsible in the event of an emergency or burglary where the gate failed. Having you get an new set insures that the gates are professionally installed and functional to operating specs at the time of installation, i.e., you as the customer were satisfied with what the third-party installer did, removing the landlord from the situation entirely. It's just a thought as to why they would not allow the old gates to remain, or to give them to you, since I doubt that it's solely to be difficult. And, I can say that if I were in the same position as your landlord, I would likely require that new gates be installed as well, especially since it's unique to your apartment and not something that's offered throughout the building.

Now, as to cost, I'd comparison shop different security companies and locksmiths, but about $1200 installed works out to $100 a month, which isn't a huge price to pay if you're happier on the UWS, but only you can make that decision as to whether the neighborhood warrants the expense for your own family.

[bluedog2]

Originally Posted by acn0511

....

We've checked out the area and feel comfortable with it and like it. However, all first floor apartments in the area have grills on the outside. ...

It's quite possible that a lot of the buildings in that neighborhood have had those grill since an earlier era when they would have been absolutely necessary.
I lived in that neighborhood in the 70's and everyone got broken into constantly so everything got fortressed. It is a completely different neighborhood now and I doubt there are many, if any of those kinds of break ins today.
Even where I live in The Bronx they don't have bars or grills on the 1st floor windows.When I bought my apartment I asked the super if he thought I should put grills or something on my fire escape window on the 5th floor.He told me that there hadn't been a break- in in the building in over 20 years.

[sxr71]

Originally Posted by acn0511

Thanks for the response Fred314X.

We've checked out the area and feel comfortable with it and like it. However, all first floor apartments in the area have grills on the outside.

The building we are looking at doesn't have these for first floor apts. since the management won't put them up for aesthetic reasons. The strange thing is that apartment has not only refused to put them up on the inside instead and won't give us the grills that the previous tenant used.

Either way, grills are expensive costing appr. $1200 to install.

Just install them, $1200 is nothing when you probably had to pay thousands in deposits and many pay thousands in brokers fees. If you like the apt just pay the $1200 and consider it cost of doing business. You may very well be in it for more than a year. Even if you aren't it still isn't much.