JenMac

  • Local Expert 51,537 points
  • Reviews 288
  • Questions 0
  • Answers 1,975
  • Discussions 61

Reviews

3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Too expensive for what it is"

I like Monitor street. It's a cute, residential street with a lot of really lovely apartments. It's quieter and cleaner than a lot of streets in the area. And, it's close to both McCarren and McGolrick parks which is great. But, there are a lot of things about the street that make it so that I would probably never live on Monitor. For one, it's kind of in between neighborhoods. It's almost in Greenpoint and almost in the Graham area of Williamsburg. But, it's about a 10 minute walk toward either area before you come across any bars, restaurants, shops . . .even a deli. I feel like this would be a major thorn in my side all of the time. I loved living across from Khim's Deli. it was so easy. Having to walk ten minutes in the winter to get a coffee sounds really unenjoyable. It also sounds a bit scary at night. It's not a bad street and it's safe as far as anything in New York can go. But, the streets that have no nightlife on them scare me a little. They're a little too quiet at night for my liking / walking. It's also a bit of a walk to the Graham Ave L train stop which can be a pain sometimes.
But, the thing I mostly don't love about Monitor is that so many of the buildings have been converted into "luxury" homes that the street is now insanely expensive. I can't justify spending hundreds of dollars more to live with nothing fun around me than to live on Graham or Lorimer. It makes absolutely no sense to me why anyone would pay over $2000 / month to live 10 minutes away from any sort of convenience. But, I guess people do. I just think it's a shame because it's a really lovely street that I wouldn't mind if it were actually less expensive than the hip streets.
Pros
  • Cute street
Cons
  • Rent is too high for what this is
  • No bars or restaurants
Recommended for
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Ugly street off the major Bushwick area"

Melrose has really cheap rent -- and, by cheap I mean you can get a two bedroom apartment for the price of a one bedroom in Williamsburg proper. But, that's legitimately the only plus side to living on Melrose street. It's a really ugly street that's kind of in the middle of nowhere in Bushwick. And, it's fairly close to all of the Bushwick bars and restaurants: Roberta's is a few blocks away and Melrose connects with Flushing which is the major strip in the neighborhood. So, I can see the appeal for living on it with students, hipsters, artists and other people that are a little strapped for cash. But, I just don't think there's quite enough to do or quite enough conveniences in the neighborhood to live here. And, it's dangerous. And, it takes a while to get to Manhattan. You add those things together with the fact that Melrose looks like a dump site for run down warehouses and it's not exactly an enticing street to live on. But, then again, I'm not twenty years old. It's just really ugly and sketchy even during the day.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
Cons
  • Ugly
  • Sketchy at night
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Cute street but still in Bushwick"

McKibben Court Ct is a tiny street off of, surprise, McKibben Street. It's actually a pretty cute street and it reminds me of all the little, quaint, really expensive alleys in the West Village. The apartments are old and nice looking and the street is quiet. The bad thing about this street, though, is that it's not one of those quaint alleys in the West Village. It's a cute street off of an ugly street in Bushwick. And, Bushwick isn't the best neighborhood. It's up and coming but it has been for some time. I guess McKibben Court wouldn't be awful to live on as far as little streets in low rent areas go. But, I feel like most of the youngsters and arty people who moved into the neighborhood kind of want to be in the thick of things and this isn't it. I don't know. I'm not a huge fan of Bushwick, in general. But, if you want a quieter street that's in a cheap neighborhood and you're not scared of the occasional mugger on the neighboring streets, then this might be a place to look for an apartment.
Pros
  • Quaint
  • Cheaper rent
Cons
  • Sketchy neighborhood
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 1/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Yikes"

Oh, McKibben Street. I can't think of this street without thinking of the McKibben Dorms. The "dorms" are a massive two building converted factory living situation wherein you pay almost a thousand bucks a month to rent a room with shared bathrooms on every floor. That has got to be some sort of sad joke. Also, there's a housing project just east of the dorm so now you know you're in Bushwick. The funny thing is that these rooms actually rent. They go out to a lot of the youngsters, artists and hipsters that have come into Bushwick in droves over the last five or so years. And, I can't for the life of me figure out why they don't just get into groups of three and rent a three bedroom actual apartment for about the same price just up the street. Which brings me to my biggest complaint about the street: why is the rent here so high?
Yeah, it's significantly lower than Williamsburg proper, but McKibben is in Bushwick which is still a really scary neighborhood that just happens to have a lot of hipsters and hipster bars trickling in. It's kind of like the wild west out here. Cowboys and Indians are fighting for who gets the land. And, yes the cowboys are going to win because the rent is already ridiculous for this neighborhood. But, I don't think the Indians are going down without a fight and a lot of muggings. Yeah, McKibben isn't a completely awful street. And, there are a lot of things to do popping up in the neighborhood. But, it's not nearly safe enough, aesthetically pleasing enough, fun enough or close enough to Manhattan to justify the amount you pay for living in a rat den in between "artists" and criminals.
Pros
  • Some nearby bars and restaurants
Cons
  • Rent is too high for what this is
  • Sketchy at night
  • Not gentrified as much as people think
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Nice street on a park"

Maspeth is actually a really cute street just until after Cooper Park. It is only a few blocks away from the Graham Ave L stop and all of the bars and restaurants in the Graham and Metropolitan area. But, this is a really residential street so it's much quieter than Graham and Metropolitan. The street is maybe a hairline less safe because it's east of Bushwick Ave and because there isn't any sort of commerce on the street -- there's really no one out on Maspath at night. But, it runs right into Cooper park which is great. It's not a huge park but it's charming and there's a great little dog run. Plus, living around any sort of green is always a bonus.
The apartments are a mixture of old, three or so story buildings, a few townhouses and a lot of new condos or "Fedder" buildings. The newer buildings tend to be west of the park. And, the neighborhood around the park and a little bit of east of that is a bit older of a demographic with families, retirees, etc. This part of the street is largely Italian and they've been there for some time. But, I kind of like that. It makes the street have a neighborhood feel. The part of the street west of the park is a mixture of Italian, longtime families, hipsters and yuppies (who live in the newer buildings). So, it's a pretty broad mix of people. I like Maspeth and I would live on it. I would just walk briskly back to my place after dark.
Oh, the street runs right into an Industrial cloud just after the park so you have to live as far west as possible or else you're getting into scary territory.
Pros
  • Great apartments
  • rent is reasonable for the area
  • Park
Cons
  • Not super close to the train
  • a few blocks from bars and restaurants
Recommended for
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Eh, it's almost there but needs a few more years"

Marcy Ave is a pretty big street in south Williamsburg, and I keep on thinking that it's going to get really popular .. . but, it still hasn't. There are some great apartments on this street. And, the rent is much cheaper than a lot of other streets in Williamsburg. And, if you live on the street close to Broadway then you're just a hop skip and jump away from great bars and restaurants (Moto is my favorite -- it is lovely). But, the street, itself, doesn't have much to do on it in the way of fun. And, it is pretty shoddy looking in some parts, well, in a lot of parts. And, the street is close to a train. The JMZ actually has a stop on Marcy so getting into Manhattan isn't difficult at all. The only bummer about this stop is that it's an outdoor station, so waiting during the winter isn't ideal.
It's not a terrible street to live on, as long as you keep to the north side of it, but it's not great either. The cheap rent is lovely and there is close transport. But, it's still really sketchy at night on most of the street. And, the trickle down of youngsters and hipsters hasn't quite hit yet south of Broadway so there isn't a ton to do. I suppose I may be more likely to live here than go into 'Bushwick if I needed cheap rent, but it would be a hard sell.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
  • Not terribly far from bars and restaurants
Cons
  • Not a ton going on
  • Sketchy at night
Recommended for
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Too close to sketchy"

As with any other street that runs through or close to the Broadway Triangle, Lynch Street isn't great. It has the plus side of cheap rent and maybe a bit more space for your money. But, that's about the only up side to living on Lynch street. The street runs from the Broadway Triangle which is a span of land with old abandoned factories and a bunch of low income housing projects so that's not exactly enticing. And, to make things even better, it only runs down to nearly Bed Stuy, which is a really shaky neighborhood, but doesn't run quite into the now trendy Fort Green area around Pratt. So, it has a lot of near misses with fun, young areas and a lot of hits with crime heavy, abandoned looking areas. And, there's not a whole lot of convenience around Lynch. It's a pretty long walk to even a decent deli or coffee shop. And, any bar or restaurant venture requires a car ride unless you're willing to brave a sketchy street at night (which I'm not). Sure, the rent is reasonable, but that's not enough to entice, in my opinion. Furthermore, the street is pretty ugly with no energy to it.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
Cons
  • sketchy at night
  • ugly
  • No bars or restaurants nearby
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Some nice homes but the distance isn't ideal"

Yikes, this street is far. Lombardy Street is so far north in Willburg, that it's neighboring on the northern part of Greenpoint and Queens. There's really nothing up here and it's bordering on the part of the neighborhood that's heavily polluted which makes it not exactly ideal. And, the southern part of Lombardy has some really beautiful homes and apartments that are pretty cheap with a lot of space (a lot of them even have yards which is crazy). But, the northern part of the street looks like an industrial wasteland with a bunch of warehouses. Getting a three bedroom apartment with outdoor space for less than $2500 / month is a pretty great deal, but you have to pay for it in other ways.
For one, transportation is criminally far away from Lombardy Street. So, if you have to commute into Manhattan, it's really a pain. And, the walk to even a deli or market is pretty far, let alone any sort of restaurant or form of nightlife. Running out to get coffee is a bit of a chore on Lombardy. And, the northern end of the street is pretty sketchy at night because it's so vacant. It's really a toss up. You have all of this space for a reasonable price, but you have to really enjoy that space because walking anywhere else isn't exactly pleasant or easy.
Pros
  • Spacious, pretty homes
Cons
  • Remote location
  • Far from transportation
Recommended for
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"A decent street for only one demographic"

Lee Avenue is a decent looking street and the rent is definitely cheaper than many other streets in Williamsburg. But, I wouldn't want to live on it. For one, it's pretty deep in South Williamsburg, neighboring on Bed Stuy. So, if you're living on the southern part of Lee, you're right on the border of a pretty rough neighborhood. It's not exactly close to transportation, and while there are little shops and restaurants, they're pretty much all catering to the Hasidic Jewish population that dominates this street and surrounding ones.
Lee is in the thick of the Jewish part of Williamsburg and that's pretty much the only people who live on this street. I'm not Jewish and certainly not Hasidic and while I wouldn't mind living in a Hasidic neighborhood, they don't seem to like foreigners on their turf. They stick to their own which makes neighborly interaction pretty difficult if you're not Jewish. And, there really isn't much in the way of food outside of Kosher restaurants. It's quite a hike to get to other restaurants, cafes, etc and there isn't a bar within spitting distance of this street. I feel like people move to Williamsburg because it's so lively with food, bars, art, etc and it's a bit cheaper than Manhattan. So, why move outside of Manhattan to live in a still pricey neighborhood with nothing to do? It doesn't make much sense to me. I feel like there are far better streets than Lee that aren't too much further up, price point wise.
Pros
  • Quiet, nice street
Cons
  • Boring
  • Only eateries are kosher
  • Far from nightlife
Recommended for
  • Families with kids
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"One of the better streets in Bushwick"

i'm still not totally sold on Bushwick as far as safety and having a whole lot to do in a neighborhood. But, there are an awful lot of youngsters that seem to like this neighborhood and Knickerbocker is one of the main streets in it. I guess if you were going to live in Bushwick, this would be the street you would want to live on. There are a lot of condo converts that have popped up on Knickerbocker in the last five years or so. And, I know that's a sign that the neighborhood is taking off, but I can't get around the price of them. Or, the rental prices in Bushwick, in general. Because the young and arty have flocked here over the last few years because of rent hikes in Williamsburg, the neighborhood has become somewhat popular. But, that was because the rent was cheap. And, it's nearly the same as Williamsburg now without nearly the number of bars, restaurants, shops and art venues. There are a few, of course, but not enough to justify not living in Willy. And, there are some streets in Bushwick that still have significantly lower rent. But, Knickerbocker isn't one of them. I guess this is because this street and the streets that cross Knickerbocker have the most going on. And, it's pretty close to a number of train stops. But, I still wouldn't call this street safe. There aren't enough young and arty people on it yet to have completely gentrified the street. So, it's still pretty sketchy at night. And, it's not especially pretty . . though most of north Brooklyn is pretty ugly.
I guess if you can find a cheaper rent and you're young, this wouldn't be a bad street to live on. It has enough going on that it's decent. It's just not enough to entice me.
Pros
  • Happening for a Bushwick street
Cons
  • Rent is too high to justify
  • Still not exactly safe
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Pretty good street as long as you stay south"

Kingsland Ave is a tough one because it has a lot of goods and bads. The blocks of Kingsland closer to Metropolitan are great and they're not too far from the L train or any of the bars and restaurants in the Graham Ave area. One of my good friends lives on Kingsland right at Skillman it's not too bad as far as convenience goes. He also has a back yard in his apartment which is nearly unheard of for anywhere in New York. The street is definitely a younger one. There are a lot of artists, students and hipsters on it because the rent is a bit cheaper than parts of Willy that are even off of Graham which is only a few blocks away. And, the further north you go on Kinglsand, the cheaper the rent gets because the further north you go, the further you are from any sort of convenience. It's a really residential street so if you live up toward Greenpoint, there's nothing in the way of bars, restaurants or delis near you. But, the walk isn't too bad. The other bad thing about Kinglsand is that the northern chunk of the street has a lot of pollution problems. It's right under the BQE and a lot of the new, expensive condos on the street are built on former factory sites that had sewage problems. Also, a lot of the buildings were put up really quickly so they have sort of tape and glue problems (i.e. poor insulation, electrical issues, etc). I guess I wouldn't mind living on Kingsland -- especially if I could have a yard -- but I would definitely live as close to Metropolitan as possible and I wouldn't live in one of the newer "luxury" buildings.
Pros
  • Cheaper rent
  • Close enough to conveniences
Cons
  • Not so great up toward Greenpoint
Recommended for
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Nice apartments but the street is a bit too far"

Keap street is a little too far out of the way for my liking. But, it's not a bad street. It has a decent neighborhood feel too it and it's quiet because it's far from most of the Willburg happenings. And, it's a few blocks away from some of the great bars and restaurants in South Williamsburg. It's really close to one of my favorite restaurants, Moto, and there are all kinds of things popping up in the vicinity. So, it's probably going to have a bit more bustle in the next couple of years. The thing I don't like about, Keap, though, is that it's still not exactly the most convenient street. It is a couple of blocks from any sort of restaurant, bar or even coffee shop. It's a bit of a hike to the JMZ line and that stop is outdoors so in the winter that's not ideal. Also, it's a little bit scary around here at night because nobody is out on the street because of the lack of night time activities. Anything around Kent or Wythe is a little desolate late at night to me. You add to that the fact that it's at Wythe in south Willy and it's even more absent of people. And, there are a ton of luxury condos that have gone into former factory buildings on this street so you're not exactly paying a reasonable amount. The condos are really nice but I don't know that I'd want to pay $400 k for a one bedroom loft close to the middle of nowhere. It seems kind of unreasonable to me. It's not a bad street, but for the most part, I couldn't justify the price to live on it at this point.
Pros
  • Nice new apartments
Cons
  • a few blocks from any sort of fun
  • far from the trains
Recommended for
  • Professionals
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 1/5
Just now

"Too far from everything"

Juliana Place is in the boons. It's a quiet street and you can find a great deal on a place (a lot of them are condos for sale). But, the reason you can find a good deal is because it's pretty far out of the way from pretty much everything. It's really far south and west and that's not a bad combination as far as being in a bad area, but it's not ideal. The street isn't unsafe, per say, but it's pretty scary looking at night because most of the apartments are in converted, old factories. There's not a neighborhood feel and there's not a lot of green around. It's pretty spooky around here and it feels like a ghost town.
And, the convenience factor to Juliana is awful. The closet restaurants are up at Broadway and though they're both fantastic, that's a bit of a hike to get to the closest place to eat. There's also a wine shop and a little deli on Broadway but that's pretty much it. And, it's not exactly at the end of the block. You have to walk pretty far just to pick up a coffee and the walk isn't exactly picturesque. The worst part about the location (as if having to walk six blocks to get to a deli isn't bad enough) is that getting to any sort of train is at least a 15 minute walk. So, any sort of commute into Manhattan is about an hour which is depressing considering you can see it from your window if you live on Juliana. There's just not enough happening on this street to justify living here at this point, in my opinion.
Pros
  • Cheaper rent
Cons
  • Far from transportation
  • several blocks to any sort of convenience
  • scary at night
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Not bad but not my favorite"

I could really go either way about Judge street. It's a few streets away from where I lived when I lived in Willy and it's a fine street. It's a couple of blocks away from all of the bars and restaurants on Graham street. And, since there's nothing actually on Judge, the street is a bit quieter than Graham. But, Graham's not a crazy loud street so I kind of liked that there's a little bit more going on at night. Judge doesn't feel quite as safe as a street like Graham simply because of the lack of people walking on it. And, anything across Bushwick seems just a little bit shadier to me.
It's not a bad street though. It's close to all of the bars and restaurants, close to Cooper Park, and a few blocks away from the L train so getting into Manhattan is pretty easy. The apartments look, roughly, the same as they do on any other street in the neighborhood: mostly older three to four story walk ups mixed in with a couple of newer "condo" buildings. And, the rent is pretty comparable to other streets: it's around $1800 / month or so for a one bedroom in one of the walkups. You definitely get more space around here for your money than you would around Bedford or even Lorimer. And, the street is a mix of longtime residents and the younger more hipster crowd, leaning more toward the hipster side. But, for some reason, Judge just looks a little bit shoddier than other streets in the area. Maybe it's less trees or that the buildings aren't taken care of to the level that others are, but it's just a little shifty. I feel that because the rent is exactly the same around Graham, I would rather live on the other side of Bushwick Ave. There's more to do directly around you and it's just a little bit safe feeling.
Pros
  • More space for your money
  • Close to bars, restaurants and the train
Cons
  • Not the safest feeling street in the area
Recommended for
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
  • Students
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 1/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 1/5
Just now

"No Man's Land"

There is only one good thing about Ivy Hill Road: The street sign. This street is so far east and north, it's almost like it doesn't belong to a neighborhood at all. And, there's nothing up here. It looks like the sort of street where body dumping happens. A lot of nameless warehouses and nothing else. But, the street sign is pretty cool. I don't know if it was forgotten about because it's so out of the way. But, the sign for Ivy Hill Road is from the 1940's. It was never replaced and is one of the only signs in Brooklyn that hasn't been touched. So, it's kind of like you went into a time warp in a horror film on Ivy Hill. Other than that, there's no reason to ever go up here (especially not to live). And, I'm not sure that an old street sign is really enough for anyone to make the effort for that matter. It's far from everything, the street is scary looking and you'd be living in a warehouse. This is a no fly zone
Pros
  • Old street sign
Cons
  • Scary abandoned looking
  • Way too far away
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"A little too far into Bushwick"

Irving Ave is a small street in Bushwick. It's pretty far into Bushwick too so there's no fibbing about this being Williamsburg or even "East Williamsburg." It's within fair walking distance of the bars and restaurants in Bushwick as most are on or near Flushing. But, I just don't think there's enough close by for this to be a great street to live on. First of all, it's off the Jefferson stop of the L train which is a really sketchy stop. And, Irving's not the sketchiest street in the neighborhood, but this neighborhood isn't exactly safe yet. And, living on a street without a lot going on in a sort of scary neighborhood is a bad idea, in my opinion. There's not enough people on the street late at night and I feel like that's just asking for trouble.
The plus side of living on Irving is that the rent on this street is dirt cheap. You can get a two bedroom place on Irving for less than a one bedroom place around Graham Ave in Williamsburg. And, the two aren't that far away from each other, technically speaking. Though, they look like night and day and sort of feel that way too. There are a lot of young artists and hipsters that have moved on Irving but there's still a mix of them and the old demographic which keeps the rent down because it's still a little less than desirable (unsafe). I wouldn't live on Irving because of the safety factor and because it's just too far from Manhattan. But, a lot of young people don't mind it.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
Cons
  • Far from Manhattan
  • Still not very safe
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Too expensive for what it is"

I feel like Ingraham is the street that let's you know that Bushwick is where all the artists live now. It's how I imagined streets in Williamsburg proper to have looked fifteen years ago. Ingraham is a really ugly street. It looks like a string of abandoned warehouses that are actually apartments. There are no trees anywhere. It's pretty sad looking. And, gritty. But, that's how hip people like it, I guess. Because there are all kinds of hip things happening here. There are a lot of trendy, Bushwick bars on and around Ingraham (like Alaska, which I guess is my favorite in the area). And, there is a cafe cum art gallery just up the street. There's a production space here, a music venue . . anything that artists do, you can find it on this wasteland of a looking street.
But, here's the thing I don't understand. It seems like the real estate on this street got a little ahead of itself. Usually, the arty people move to an area because it's cheap. And, then they make the area cool so the area gets expensive and fun. But, it's already not cheap on Ingraham and it's not cool enough or safe enough to warrant the price tag. There's not enough here yet. And, most of the spaces haven't been renovated. There are a handful of restaurants compared to Williamsburg and barely any conveniences. Plus, it's still kind of a sketchy area so if you can afford to live on Ingraham, why would you? It makes no sense.
Pros
  • Some cool bars, things to do, etc
Cons
  • Rent is ridiculous for this area
  • Not exactly safe
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
Just now

"Freeway"

I - 278 is actually a freeway, not a street you can live on. It's part of the BQE and it actually runs through all five burroughs of New York. The Williamsburg part of it is pretty small as it starts just after the Williamsburg bridge and runs up to Queens (which is pretty close to Williamsburg). I-278 isn't the most productive or fast freeway in New York, but it connects to just about every other freeway, directly. So, you can get to the airport, the Hamptons . . Connecticut. . . you name it, from this guy. Not much else to say about it, other than, don't live under it if you can at all help it.
Pros
  • Fast transport
Cons
  • It's a freeway
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Pretty but too expensive for what it offers"

Herbert street is a pretty decent little residential street that has a tiny chunk in Williamsburg but is mostly in Greenpoint. One of the downers is that it runs directly the BQE which doesn't do much for the aesthetic or noise level of the street. But, then again, there's not much aesthetic in Williamsburg anyway. The nice thing about Herbert is that it's a clean, fairly quiet street that's almost completely residential. There are some single family homes mixed in with older apartments and new condo developments. There's also a middle income housing project on Herbert which is either good or bad depending on how you look at it. You're a few blocks away from both the Graham and Lorimer stretches of bars and restaurants. And, just a few more walks away from all the chaos to be had at the Bedford stop. It's nice to be a couple of blocks away because the streets a lot cleaner. But, it can also be a bad thing because you can't just run across the street to grab dinner. That sounds lazy but when there's a blizzard, those few blocks seem a lot longer than they are. And, the walk home can be a little scary because the people on the street really start to dissipate the further away you get from those big areas.
The other major attraction you're right next to on Herbert is McCarren Park. This is also both a good and a bad thing. For one, it's fantastic to be this close to such a big, great park. I would have loved to be a smidge closer to McCarren when I lived in Willy. The bad thing about this, however, is that though Herbert isn't on the park, it's close enough that the rent reflects living on a park. So, the rent is a bit astronomical, in my opinion, for a street that's not directly on a park, isn't all that close to a train, and is a few blocks away from any sort of social activity. And, it's not like the homes are big on this street. They're old so you're not exactly getting a lot of bang for your buck. This is a deal breaker for me as far as Herbert is concerned. I just feel like, why would I pay 2 g's a month to live practically in Greenpoint and next to nothing? It makes no sense.
Pros
  • Nice apartments
  • Quaint street
  • Close to a lot
Cons
  • Too expensive
Recommended for
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
  • Students
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Scarily desolate for a hipster street"

I remember the first time I walked past Harrison Place. I was going to Roberta's (my now favorite restaurant in the area) for the first time and kept on thinking that I was being walked to my death. This street is beyond ugly and scary looking. It looks like a series of warehouses where dreams go to die. And, you would never know that little gems are just around the corner. There are a lot of gems, like Roberta's, in Bushwick. But, there aren't enough, for me, to justify living on this street. And, I know that the hipster set like their buildings to look like abandoned warehouses because it ups the cool factor. But, I'm just not that cool. The insides of some of the buildings on Harrison are remodeled and very nice . . .but the outside. Dear of dear. It's as if no trees are on this street simply because they revolted. It's really scary.
And, the area is still pretty scary, in my opinion. It's scary during the day. The Morgan stop of the L train is right here and it looks like there's no train because almost no one is walking around at any given time. For any New Yorker, that's really creepy. There's nothing around here. At all. Around the corner toward Flushing, there are a few restaurants, bars, cafes, etc. But, absolutely nothing is on this street but what looks like abandonment. The neighborhood just hasn't developed enough yet that streets like Harrison are reasonably safe. And, I don't think any kind of cheap rent is worth that. I'd rather pay a little bit more and live a bit further west. But, if you're a brave, little hipster that won't let a potential mugging threaten your good time, this may be the street for you.
Pros
  • cheap rent
  • really big apartments
Cons
  • Dangerous
  • looks abandoned
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Pretty street in a crummy area"

It's a shame that Harrison runs through such a not yet there part of Williamsburg because it's actually a rather pretty street. It's tree-lined throughout the majority of its run. And, there are quite a few single family homes that are pretty inexpensive which is extremely rare for any part of New York City -- especially a part that's so close to Manhattan. The homes are older and lovely and even the apartment buildings are pretty, structure wise. And, did I mention that they're cheap? You can get a two bedroom condo on Harrison for $2000 / month which is next to unheard of in Williamsburg or even most of Bushwick for that matter.
But, there's a reason that everything is so cheap on this street: it's not a great part of the neighborhood. Anything around Broadway triangle is pretty much in sketch town. And, Harrison runs right through it. Broadway Triangle is predominantly public, low income housing. And, that's never great for energy or aesthetic in a neighborhood. There is somewhat of a trickle down of the hipsters, artists and students from the northern part of Williamsburg into this area. But, it's just not enough yet for Harrison to be, I guess, gentrified, for lack of a better word. It's decent enough during the day because the buildings are pretty and there is some green. But, it's scary at night and just not safe yet. And, because hardly any of the trickle down has happened in this area yet, there aren't really any bars or restaurants, etc on or near Harrison. So, you have to walk pretty far just to get to a decent market. You're close to the JMZ line on Harrison and that's a pretty good train line but that's not really enough, in my mind, to justify living out of the way of everything, including safety. I think it'll be a great street in a few years but I wouldn't live on it just yet.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
  • Pretty buildings
Cons
  • Not safe
  • No bars or restaurants around
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Don't make me laugh"

Grattan street is such a bizarre street. It feels like it's in the middle of nowhere though it's right in the midst of the new hipstertown. It's right where the (absolutely fantastic) restaurant, Roberta's is. And, yeah, there are a lot of bars, restaurants, cafes, etc popping up right around here because of the influx of hipsters and students over the last six or so years. But, it's still quite a hike away from Williamsburg proper. And, it's still not particularly safe. And, it's also ugly with an abandoned warehouse kind of vibe. This street, especially looks scary as all get out even during the day. I would pee myself if I had to walk to my apartment here late at night. There aren't enough hipsters and kids here yet for it to be even remotely pleasant to walk around after dark. And, there's not quite enough that the area has to offer yet to consider living this far away from Manhattan, in my opinion.
So, the thing that actually blows my mind is: how on Earth is the rent on this street so expensive? A lot of the apartments are in old, converted warehouses so I get the cool factor involved with them. But, a one bedroom one bathroom apartment on Grattan for $2100 / month? They have got to be joking. I lived in a big one bedroom on Graham and it was less expensive than that by a few hundred dollars. This street isn't safe yet! And, it's not bustling with all kinds of cool things to do yet! And, it's far! I cannot imagine for the life of me why anyone would even consider paying that or even $2700 / month for a three bedroom. People pay $900 a person to share an apartment in Bushwick? Seriously . . I can't take this street seriously. If you're going to pay that, live on Graham or Lorimer so you can actually sleep at night without thinking you're going to be robbed.
Pros
  • Some cool bars and restaurants around
Cons
  • Rent is ridiculous
  • Not safe yet
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Ghost town street"

Gerry street has a lot of strikes against it especially against other streets in the neighborhood. It used to have these really cool clapboard tenement houses on them with old school store fronts, but I guess the city decided that those were even too ugly for this part of town so they tore them down. And, unlike other streets in the area that replaced the tenements with other, bigger versions of low income housing, this street has remained predominantly vacant. There's almost nothing on this street but vacant lot. And, vacant areas anywhere in New York freak me out even during the day.
There are a couple of apartment buildings on the street and while they are really cheap, there's really no good reason to live here outside of the fact that they're cheap. You're next to a lot and have to walk for what seems like a million years to get to any sort of bar, restaurant or even a decent market or deli. And, because any sort of life is so far away, there's no one walking on this street at night. Add that to the huge vacant part of the block and you're just cruisin for a bruisin, I think. It's sketchy is a horror film sort of way. No kind of cheap could get me to live on that.
Pros
  • Chea rent
Cons
  • Scary abandoned looking
  • sketchy at night
  • No bars or restaurants nearby
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Too sketchy"

Franklin Avenue is actually a really pretty street through most of its run through Brooklyn and the little chunk that it touches in Williamsburg is no different. There are some lovely, old brick buildings and a surprising amount of trees considering that this is about as far south as you can get in Williamsburg before the neighborhood switches to Bed Stuy. That's the problem with Franklin in this neighborhood, though. It's right on the border of Bed Stuy which is not a safe neighborhood at all. And, not only is it not safe, it's also not charming or neighborhood feeling or offering of anything to do.
Franklin is so far south, that it's quite a hike to any stretch of street that has bars or restaurants. And, it's not terribly far from the JMZ train but it's not a walk that I would want to make late at night. Because there are no bars and restaurants in the neighborhood, the only people out on the streets are usually up to no good. It's just not safe or inviting despite the pretty buildings.
The plus side is that the rent is really cheap to live in a cool apartment. You just have to be a trained streetfighter that doesn't mind a 15 minute walk to have dinner or pick up stuff from a decent deli. I do not fall under that category.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
  • Pretty buildings
Cons
  • Dangerous
  • No bars or restaurants
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Give it Five Years"

Forrest is a little street that's right near the thick of the popular part of Bushwick. And, I know that Bushwick is becoming more and more popular every year with the kids and arty set, but I still don't consider it all that gentrified or safe. There are definitely a few little bars and restaurants within short walking distance of Forrest. And, there are some great restaurants (like Roberta's) within a five or so minute walk. There's even a yoga studio nearby which wasn't even close to the case when I moved into Williamsburg. But, there aren't a lot of conveniences around. And, the neighborhood is pretty desolate looking. It's not the kind of street you feel really safe walking down late at night.
And, though the Morgan stop of the L train is close, it still takes about a half an hour to get to the city from here. If you have to go back and forth that can start to wear on you. And, staying in Manhattan all day with everything you need on your back can start to wear on you too. It's a pretty even mix of hipsters, young people and the people who lived in Bushwick before the Williamsburg crowd started to push east (which isn't necessarily always the kind of person you would want as your neighbor). And, the street is getting there. But, it's not there enough for my taste. The rent is really low, though and some of the apartments are spectacular and big. So, you have to weigh out the pros and cons if you're on a budget. If you're not, I would pass on Forrest.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
  • Big apartments
  • Up and coming
Cons
  • Still sketchy
  • Far from Manhattan
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Lovely historic street"

Fillmore Place is a really special street because it's the only street in Williamsburg that is considered a historical district with landmarked buildings. Because this one block street is landmarked, the buildings haven't changed much since they were built in the mid 19th century. The block consists of a row of townhouses and rowhouses that are designated predominantly as rentals for three different families. It used to be that there was a storefront on the ground and one apartment on each of the two remaining stories. But, now the ground floor is a bigger apartment with each floor still taking up a different residence. The apartments aren't huge but they're pretty big for the area and they're really cool. Plus, you're the only one on your floor which is nice. And, this street is pretty quiet and really charming. But, it's close to all of the Bedford Ave bars and restaurants and semi close to both train lines.
The down side to living on Fillmore is that it's around the Bedford stop so it's insanely expensive -- even more so than living in a landmark would be on its own. And, this particular part of the neighborhood runs a little bit older than college aged but there are still a lot of kids around here so it can be a nightmare at night. Plus, it's right on the border of north and south Williamsburg so the walk home isn't exactly the safest though I wouldn't worry too much. I would live on Fillmore. It's close enough to everything while not being directly on top of it. And, the buildings are just so beautiful. One fun fact: Henry Miller lived in his grandfather's place right on the corner of Fillmore and Driggs. He talks about this street a lot in Tropic of Capricorn.
Pros
  • Beautiful buildings
  • Quaint
  • Close to everything
Cons
  • Expensive rent
  • A lot of hipsters surrounding you
  • Not particularly close to either train lines
Recommended for
  • Singles
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Ugly but popular with the young and arty"

Evergreen is a really ugly street in Bushwick (not Williamsburg) that is right smack in the middle of all the other Bushwick streets that actually have things to do on them. I'm still a little too timid to be pro Bushwick because I just don't think enough of the youngsters have moved in yet to warrant the neighborhood safe. But, there are definitely a lot of young people and hipsters in this area. And, the rent is pretty cheap on Evergreen so I'm sure there will be a lot more to come. As they trickle to this street, I'm sure more bars and restaurants will pop up. But, it's still up and coming which is what it has been for about the last six or seven years.
Roberta's, my favorite restaurant in the area, the bar the Wreck Room, Arena, Miles and Tavares are all within a couple of blocks of Evergreen. But, unlike streets close to restaurants in Williamsburg proper, this street doesn't have the trees and quiet that make up for having to walk a few minutes to eat or drink. The street kind of looks like a truck stop which I guess is why it's only popular for the young and artsy set. It's pretty ugly and so are all the buildings. But, there a few amount of little spots to hit in the area, a yoga studio, a cool deli, etc, all within quick walking distance. And, the rent is far better than just a few blocks west. If you're young or in a bad, you just have to weigh the pros and cons of living on Evergreen. It's close to the train but at least 30 minutes to the city. It's a little sketchy at night but probably won't be in a couple of years. It's ugly but cheap, etc.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
  • Close to bars and restaurants
Cons
  • Hideous
  • Still kind of sketchy
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Internet Access 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 1/5
Just now

"New condos between abandoned warehouses"

Dunham Place is a abandoned factory looking street near the water in South Williamsburg. It's one of those developed streets that isn't really taking off and I can imagine why. There are a couple of brand spanking new buildings on Dunham that are made for half luxury condos for sale and half luxury condos for low income rent. People that pay a lot of money are living with people who don't pay more than $700 / month. And, I can't imagine the high paying residents are all that happy about that. I also can't imagine that they're all that happy about living a pretty hefty hike away from any sort of bar, restaurant, deli, etc. There's nothing out here. It's kind of close to the water taxi to Manhattan but that only runs during the summer. And, it's definitely a hike to the train. If you only had to pay $700 / month, you can shove those complaints. But, I would never pay what they're asking to live on this street. I don't care how nice those condos are. It's outrageous to pay that kind of money to live in the middle of nowhere on what used to be a toxic waste area. And, the surrounding abandoned factories are cool during the day. But, at night, they're pretty scary. And, no one is around in this area so it's like you're just asking to get mugged. Unless you fall under the low income category, don't live on this street.
Pros
  • Cheap rent for a select few
Cons
  • Scary
  • Nothing within blocks
  • Directly under the bridge
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Ugly street in a crummy area"

The nice thing about Debevoise Street is that there are actually some single family homes that are massive and pretty cheap considering the size of them. The bad thing about Debevoise Street is nearly everything else.
I'm not a huge fan of anything around Broadway triangle because I think the area still looks and feels like a slum. The hipsters and artists are definitely making their way in but it's just not there yet, in my opinion. The street is close to a couple of great Bushwick restaurants (like Roberta's) but you have to walk through an urban wasteland to get there. It's scary doing that walk even during the day. I would not want to walk back to my apartment on this street late at night, that's for sure.
Not only is the street sketchy, but it's ugly too. It's run down and really loud during the day with street traffic and foot traffic going in and out of all kinds of bizarro stores. This area kind of looks like Tijuana to me. I don't know how any of these stores stay in business. It's really weird and off putting both in energy and aesthetic. There are so many great neighborhood kinds of streets in this neighborhood, that I can't imagine the appeal of living on this one.
Pros
  • Close to a train
  • Cheap rent
Cons
  • Ugly
  • Bad energy
  • Sketchy
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Pretty by the park"

Debevoise Ave is actually a pretty great street around Cooper park. For one, it's right on the park which is always a bonus in a city that's a little lacking in green. It's not a big park but it's a nice one with a little dog run. It's a lovely park to live on or near and Debevoise is a lovely little street that compliments it. It's filled with older homes and apartment buildings that offer a bit more space than other parts of Williamsburg. And, the street is tree-lined and quiet. It's a bit of an older demographic on this street but there is definitely a trickle in of hipsters and young people. It's a little bit of a hike to the L train but nothing terrible. And, it's only a couple of blocks away from all the great restaurants and bars on Graham which is nice. You live close to all the good stuff but not directly on it so you don't have the noise and trash. The one down side to living on a quiet street, though, is that it's a little scary walking late at night. No one's out on this street and you add that to the park and it's a little bit sketchy but nothing terrible.
The part of Debevoise however, where the street picks up again (north of the park) is a completely different. It's not nearly as pretty, it's more desolate and it's way too far from everything, in my opinion. I wouldn't live on this run of the street. I don't think you should have to walk more than 10 minutes to get to any sort of convenience in New York. I don't care how cheap the rent is.
All in all, I would live on the street. I would just make sure to live close to the park. The rent is reasonable, it's quaint, and you're close to a lot of things.
Pros
  • A lot of green
  • Close to bars and restaurants
Cons
  • A little too quiet at night
  • the northern part is no man's land
Recommended for
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Way too far out"

Cypress Ave isn't a bad street. But, it's not a great street and it's pretty far back in Bushwick. This can't even be considered "east Williamsburg." This is Bushwick verging on Queens. It's starting to gentrify quite a bit as all arty / hipster / student demographic is pushing further and further east. But, it's not gentrified enough for me to want to live this far out. I know there are some great apartments over here for next to nothing so it's fantastic for young people. And, the restaurant and bar situation around here is really taking off. One of my favorite restaurants in the area, Roberta's is just a few blocks away and there are some cool places on Starr and Wycoff. But, the street is still a little bit gritty and a little bit scary at night for me. And, while Cypress is pretty close to the Morgan stop of the L train. It still takes at least 30 minutes to get into Manhattan from here and if you have to go back and forth every day, it's kind of pain. I feel like in a couple of years, this area will be so hipsterfied, that it will be pretty safe and have a lot of great things to do. And, it's almost there but it's not there enough for me to justify living this far east. But, for students and artists, this is a pretty cool street with some huge, cheap apartments and a burgeoning little scene. It's definitely a street for the young.
Pros
  • Close to some cool restaurants
  • Cheap rent
  • Some really cool apartments
Cons
  • Too far east
  • Still a bit gritty
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 1/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Pretty sketchy"

Cook is a pretty scary street, in my opinion. It's a small street that runs through a part of the neighborhood called Broadway Triangle which is sort of where Williamsburg, Bed Stuy and Bushwick all kind of merge. It's a pretty shoddy part of all the neighborhoods and the street is taken up with mostly low income housing projects. There are some weird little stores like mom and pop electronics and dollar shops as the street hits Graham but there are no restaurants, bars, neighborhood things to do within many blocks. So, it's a really unappealing street. It's dirty and pretty desolate especially at night. I would be terrified to walk home at night if I lived on Cook. I'm even a little timid to walk around this part of the neighborhood during the day. There is a little bit of hipster infiltration in this area but not enough for there to even be a decent deli or cafe yet. And, the projects don't exactly do much for the neighborhood aesthetic. It's really noisy during the day which is a sharp contrast to the dead silence at night. And, the noise isn't a good kind of New York noise. Yeah, the rent is really cheap and it's close to the JMZ train which makes getting in and out of Manhattan pretty simple. But, that's not enough of a perk, in my opinion, to offset all of the bad things about this street. It may be hipsterfied in the next few years but it's not even close yet so I don't even go here.
Pros
  • inexpensive rent
Cons
  • constant foot and car traffic
  • crowded with cheap shops
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Quiet street for hipsters"

Conselyea is a pretty good little street in the neighborhood. It's the next street east of the street I lived on for a couple of years and I wouldn't have minded living on it at all. It's a really residential street. It's all old apartment buildings that has a mix of some of the long time residents and hipsters -- nowadays the hipsters are definitely the bigger of the two. It's not as tree lined or neighborhood looking as a street like Devoe. But, it's not bad. The apartment buildings in the neighborhood, in general, kind of look they aren't real. They kind of look like old movie set apartments and that's no different on this street.
The nice thing about Conselyea is that it's just a short block away from Graham so you get all of the great restaurants and little shops. There are ton of bars on and just off of Graham. The L train is right there. But, there's nothing on Conselyea aside from apartment buildings so it's a bit quieter than Graham or Metropolitan. It's not my favorite street in the area, but it's a pretty good street. And, the rent is a lot better on Conselyea than it is in a lot of other parts of this neighborhood.
Pros
  • Rent to space ratio
  • Proximity to bars and restaurants
  • Proximity to transportation
Cons
  • Very hipster
  • No green
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 1/5
Just now

"Too far from everything"

Clymer street is a decent street that runs through the Orthodox Jewish area of south Williamsburg right on the border of Bed Stuy. There are actually some really pretty buildings on this street. There are some great, old factory buildings and some lovely brick duplexes and townhouses. And, the rent is pretty cheap as are the sale prices of the buildings. You can actually buy a duplex for under a million dollars which is really cheap for New York. But, the street has way too many drawbacks for me to ever consider living on it. Because it's a predominantly Orthodox Jewish area, there's nothing to do within blocks that isn't catered to that. The only public building around is a synagogue. And, if you're not Jewish, you won't have many friends within quick walking distance (they tend to kind of stick to their own). It's not the greatest area either. It's still really gritty around here and none of the Williamsburg has trickled this far south yet. You have to walk all the way to Broadway for any sort of good restaurant or even a deli. And, it's desolate at night which is especially scary because of all the old factories. It's pretty sketchy at night and sometimes even during the day. It's quiet, though, and kind of pretty. But, it's hard to leave the neighborhood because transportation is so far and there's nothing to do in the neighborhood, so you're kind of at a loss.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
  • Quiet
  • Some cool buildings
Cons
  • No man's land
  • Nothing to do
  • Far from transportation
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 1/5
Just now

"Decent street in a crummy area"

I wouldn't really consider Classon as a street that runs through Williamsburg: it's more like Bed Stuy . . . which isn't good. Surprisingly, this is kind of a pretty street. There's a lot of green around here which isn't all that common in New York, in general. Unfortunately, it's somewhat of a driving street. And, being that it's in Bed Stuy, it's really not an ideal neighborhood street to live on. And, by not ideal, I mean I wouldn't live around here if you paid me to. While Williamsburg is doing a lot of trickling into Bushwick, it's not making nearly as much headway south into Bed Stuy. It's still a pretty sketchy part of town. And, there is absolutely nothing to do around here. Nothing. There's not even a good deli on Classon and isn't that one of the best parts about living in New York. I love that fact that I can walk one block in any direction and run into something to do (or eat). And, that's not the case on this street. You have to walk for a while to get to any good restaurant or even the train for that matter. Plus, it's right under the BQE which isn't picturesque or appealing. Also, like I said, it's in a really sketchy area. I would be scared to live here.
Pros
  • Fair amount of green
  • cheap rent
Cons
  • Bad neighborhood
  • Nothing to do
  • Far from transportation
1/5
Just now

"Last stop before Queens"

Cherry Street is a really interesting name for a abandoned looking street that is basically in Siberia. I don't know anyone that lives even close to this far north and east in Williamsburg. And, there's nothing around here. There are no bars and restaurants and really nowhere to live. This street is, essentially, the pickup street to get onto the BQE just before the bridge into Queens. It runs directly underneath it and serves as the last onramp before you have to cross the water. So, there's nothing over here but a lingering sewage smell.
Cons
  • BQE onramp street
  • way out there
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Too far and sketchy"

Central Avenue kind of looks like Tijuana to me, so I guess you could say I'm not a fan of the street and don't really intend on living there. It's too far east and south for my liking. And, though it's only a couple of blocks away from Roberta's (my favorite) and another restaurant that just opened a couple of months ago, there's really nothing else in the area. This neighborhood is sort of known for its bars and music / art scene so to have to walk several blocks to get to just one seems a little beside the point of living here. And, though really no part of Williamsburg is aesthetically pleasing, Central looks especially dumpy and run down. There are a few little weird, Tijuana looking stores on the street and a lot of traffic. There are a lot of people out during the day but no one you'd really want to run into at night. And, it's about four blocks from the nearest train station which puts you at thirty minutes to Union Square on a good day. If you work in Manhattan, that's not ideal.
On the plus side, the rent is really cheap and you're not crazy far from bars and restaurants. But, I wouldn't want to walk down this street at night. And, one of the great things about New York is that there are so many things to do just outside your door. Why live on a street where that's not the case if you can afford it?
Pros
  • Cheap rent
Cons
  • Far from everything
  • No bars or restaurants
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Quiet for a hipster street"

Catherine is a little street close to Cooper Park that is entirely residential. It's a very hipster street, in my opinion. It's far enough away from Graham so that the rent is a bit cheaper but it's close enough to the bars and restaurants. I'm sure all of the longtime Williamsburg residents that live on Catherine are a little less than pleased about the influx of hipstertown because Catherine is actually a little noisy considering it's a residential street. It's not nearly as bad as Graham or Metropolitan but it's not as sleepy sounding as it looks. I, personally, like that because it makes me feel safer when I can hear people.
The apartment buildings are pretty standard looking for the area from the outside but for whatever reason I feel like they're not as nice as the some other streets. I could be completely making that up because the street seems hipster to me, though. Catherine is really close to a nice little park and not too far from the Graham stop of the L train. It's a couple of blocks from all the Graham Avenue bars and restaurants, but there aren't any of those on Catherine itself which makes it a little quieter. Catherine's not too shabby of a street to live on. I just feel like it's for the younger set.
Pros
  • Cheaper rent
  • Close to a park
Cons
  • strictly residential street
  • a couple of blocks away from everything
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Ugly but close to a park"

Calhoun is a little whisp of a street that's just off a little park. I forget if the park is called Olive Park or Maspeth Park but I used to take my dogs here every other day when I lived in the neighborhood. The area surrounding the park is quiet and very neighborhoody but in a older sort of way. This street is a bit off the beaten path from all the bars, restaurants and general Williamsburg crowd. So, there's nothing to do on Calhoun aside from the park and a little coffee shop a couple blocks away. And, Calhoun is probably the least attractive out of all the streets surrounding the park.
The rent is definitely cheaper than a few blocks west at Graham and Metropolitan. But, you lose a lot of the younger sort of the neighborhood feel with not having any bars, music venues, restaurants or cafes. It's not a terrible place to live and it's close enough to all of the good stuff as well as to transportation. But, it's lacking in energy. And, it's a little too quiet at night for me to want to be walking home down this street.
Pros
  • Reasonable rent
  • On a little park
Cons
  • No bars or restaurants
  • A little out of the way
Recommended for
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"For the younger set"

This area is so close to being hip and hipster enough for me to think I wouldn't stay up all night, scared. But, I just don't think it's there yet. Bushwick Place isn't a terribly dangerous street to live on. And, there are definitely a lot of students, artists and hipsters in the area for it to be cool in a gritty sort of way. But, the actual street is scary looking even during the day to me. And, you're close to some of the great Bushwick restaurants like Il Passatore and Roberta's. But, there's nothing on this street but apartments. There's no neighborhood vibe on this street and it seems a bit like a wasteland.
The rent is cheap and some of the apartments are really cool. And, it's only one stop away from Graham which has a ton of bars, restaurants, music venues, etc. But, I guess I'm spoiled with being able to walk somewhere and not having to keep looking over my shoulder when I'm walking home. I feel like this is a street for young people. It's for people in the art community or university that have roommates, energy and not a lot of money. But, I think it's going to be just as safe as Willy within the next five years.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
Cons
  • Ugly
  • sketchy at night
  • Not a ton to do around the street
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Little scary street"

Bushwick Ct is a tiny little offshoot on the lower end of Bushwick Ave. There's not much to say about this street other than it runs for a little block and has a couple of apartment buildings on it that look pretty scary to me. It's pretty barren around here, and I don't consider the lower part of Bushwick Ave to be safe by any stretch of the imagination.
It's way too quiet on this street, way too far from any sort of bar, restaurant or neighborhood feel. And, the couple of buildings on the street are really ugly. The bonuses are that the rent is really cheap, the L train isn't terribly far away (though it's not ideal) and you're pretty close to Roberta's which is my favorite restaurant in the entirety of Williamsburg / Bushwick. But, that's not enough of a draw for me to want to live in no man's land. And, it looks unsafe here even during the day.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
  • Close to Robertas
Cons
  • Scary looking
  • sketchy at night
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Up and coming street"

The large majority of Bushwick Ave runs through the neighborhood of Bushwick, not Williamsburg. But, a lot of people (in real estate) are starting to call the western part of Bushwick, "East Williamsburg," in order to make moving there a bit more palatable. And, in a way, I suppose it is a bit of an extension of Willburg because the people who made Williamsburg cool have been pushed further and further east on account of ever rising rent in the neighborhood. Bushwick is still dangerous, in my opinion. Or, at least more so than the major parts of Wiliamsburg.
Bushwick Ave is one of the bigger streets in Bushwick and it's definitely starting to come into it's own. But, I don't think it's there yet. There are a couple of great places on the street such as Vaudeville Park and the Tradesman. And, the restaurant Il Passatore is great and quite cheap. There's a very hipster sort of vibe to the street since most of the newcomers are young and often arty. But, it doens't quite yet have the energy that Graham has which is only a few blocks away. There aren't as many people out on the street at night and that's always a big worry for me. And, there's not a plethora of things to do on the street just yet. But, I think there will be soon.
On the plus side, the rent is really cheap compared to Williamsburg. And, a lot of the apartments are massive by New York standards. And, Bushwick is close to two L train stops so hopping into Manhattan is easy -- though it's about a twenty five minute ride to Union Square. It's not a bad street to live on, but I think it's still a little sketchy for my taste. If I were a young guy, I would have no problem living here.
vaudeville park
il passatore
tradesman
Pros
  • inexpensive rent
  • Up-and-coming artsy scene
Cons
  • not extremely safe
  • Far away
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
Just now

"A freeway"

There's not much to say about the Brooklyn Queens Expressway as far as reviewing a street to live on or visit because it's a freeway. You can access it starting at the Williamsburg Bridge and you can access both airports, Queens / Long Island and the Hamptons via this freeway. Traffic on it is pretty standard for New York City but there's no avoiding it if you're trying to do a quick summer beach visit (unless you're going to Jersey). The only bad part about the freeway is that it's not exactly pleasant to live on any of the streets that are directly under it.
Pros
  • Easy access to the beach and airports
Cons
  • It's a freeway
Recommended for
  • Beach Lovers
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
Just now

"Up and coming street"

Technically, Bogart street is in Bushwick, not Williamsburg. But, a lot of real estate people are trying to market this part of town as East Williamsburg to entice renters. And, Bushwick is really starting to hipsterize so it is somewhat of an extension of Willy nowadays. A lot of the arty kinds of people started to push back into this area when the rents in Willy became nearly comparable to Manhattan. And, this part of town isn't quite as lively or safe as Williamsburg (though nowhere in New York is technically "safe"), but it is starting to come into its own. Bogart Street has a couple of little bars and restaurants such as the Morgan, a little sushi joint, a cafe, etc. And, there is a great 24 hour bodega so now you know the kids have started to arrive. My favorite restaurant in the Williamsburg area, Robertas, is just off of Bogart and it is an absolute must for anyone who lives nearby. Being that Robertas is always packed, I'd say it's a good indication that this street is just about there. But, it's still not quite yet, in my opinion. Parts of it can be a little wasteland looking and it still seems scary at night. I would live here if I were a young guy, but as a woman, it still is a little precarious to me. Oh, and the trip to Manhattan is at least 30 minutes which is a major downer if you work in the city.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
  • Some great restaurants
Cons
  • Not totally developed yet
  • Not totally safe just yet
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Not there yet."

I don't know much about Boerum Street and I think that's kind of saying something considering I lived in the neighborhood for a few years. It runs from the southern part of Willy into Bushwick and I think it's a little too south. The hipsters and artists are just starting to trickle into the area but there aren't enough on Boerum to warrant the trickling in of bars, restaurants and conveniences. It's right on the cusp of the arty part and the dangerous part and I don't like being that close to danger.
There are some really nice apartments on Boerum and the rent is really reasonable. And, there are a few townhouses on the street and living in an actual house in New York isn't exactly cheap. These are under a million dollars but I think too expensive still for this part of the city. Parts of the street look really run down and other parts look almost abandoned so I would be really hesitant to live in something kind of nice amongst all of that. And, transportation is ok but you only have the JMZ line and I wouldn't want to walk from it late at night down this street. It's just not safe enough here, yet, and there's nothing to do within several blocks.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
Cons
  • Ugly
  • Not safe
  • Nothing to do
Recommended for
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Not ideal"

Beaver is a tiny little guy that merges with Bushwick after about two small blocks. It's better than any of the surrounding streets because it's kind of tucked away, but it's still not a good street. This part of the neighborhood is still pretty dangerous. And, it's really ugly. There are a lot of old factory buildings around here and a massive abandoned Pfizer factory just up the way so it looks like an abandoned industrial area except for it's not abandoned. There's nothing in the way of bars or restaurants and there's only one bodega nearby. So, there's nothing in the way of a neighborhood feel and there are no conveniences nearby. It's about a 10-15 minute walk away from the JMZ train which is a pretty good train but it's only one train option and it's not exactly a block away. And, one of the bigger housing projects is at the end of this street. Basically, what I'm saying is that it's boring, ugly and really unsafe. It may come up in the next ten years as Williamsburg continues to push east and south, but for right now, I wouldn't live here. The only plus side, really, is that the rent is really cheap and you're not a terribly far way away from fun things to do. You just have to walk through scaretown to get there.
Pros
  • inexpensive real estate
Cons
  • ugly
  • unsafe
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Pluses and minuses"

Eh, Beadel isn't a terrible street; but, I wouldn't want to live on it. It's in the northern part of Willy just across the BQE from Greenpoint. So, the plus side is that you're basically in between two pretty hip neighborhoods. The bad part is that you're on the outskirts of both. You're about a ten minute walk away from a park, but the park is McGolrick park which isn't the better one of the two Greenpoint parks. But, it's definitely quieter than McCarren. And, you're about a 10-15 minute walk away from the Graham stop of the L Train and the Nassau stop of the G train. That's no terrible but it's not great during a blizzard or when you're in a hurry, that's for sure.
The rent is much cheaper up here than it is in the thick of Greenpoint and especially down by the Graham. And, there are some really nice apartments on this street mixed in with ones that are a bit dated but bigger than anything you can find around Bedford. But, there's not much around here except for like one deli. You have to walk at least 10 minutes for a bar, restaurant, store, etc which makes it pretty inconvenient. And, because there isn't anything near this street, there aren't a lot of people out at night which makes it a little sketchy in my opinion.
Pros
  • cheap rent
  • some nice apartments
  • up and coming
Cons
  • Not developed yet
  • A bit of a hike to anything
Recommended for
  • Hipsters
  • Students
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Internet Access 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Dangerous area"

Bartlett street is on the border of South Williamsburg and Bed-Stuy which is still a pretty bad neighborhood. South Williamsburg is starting to be quite hip although it's still pretty gritty. But, the movement into South Williamsburg and even Bushwick hasn't exactly reached Bed-Stuy yet. And, I don't think it's going to for some time still. It's pretty scary walking around here, quite frankly. And, I've walked around this street during the day. I wouldn't live here if you paid me right now because I feel like I would never sleep at night.
On the plus side, rent's really cheap and some of the apartments are cool looking because this used to be a big factory area. And, the JMZ train isn't that far which is a pretty reliable train with a nice view into the city. But, there are no bars, restaurants, or conveniences anywhere nearby. And, I doubt any of your friends will be living down the street. It's really ugly and it's really just not safe yet.
Pros
  • cheap rent
Cons
  • Dangerous
  • No bars, restaurants, stores, etc
  • Ugly
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 1/5
Just now

"Ummmm"

I lived in Williamsburg for two years (about five years ago) and I had no idea this street existed. I actually had to go find it . . . and it wasn't pretty. It's right under the BQE way the hell out in the middle of nowhere. It's closer to Greenpoint than any of the popular areas of Williamsburg and I'm not sure many people in Greenpoint know where this is. It's on the other side of the Industrial wasteland part of Greenpoint and it looks pretty much like an industrial wasteland. There's nothing here except for apartments and lots. Contrary to what one of the previous posters said, it's not a quick walk to the Graham stop on the L train. It's about a 30 minute walk from the Graham stop and about a 20 minute walk from the Nassau G. So, it's really not ideal for anyone needing to use public transportation. And, because there's nothing around, I don't feel like it's safe. If you wanted to go to a bar or restaurant, you'd be in for a bit of a hike. And, then you'd have to walk back in the dark in a neighborhood where no one is out which I don't like. And, what about groceries or even a deli? The only plus side I can see to living on this street is that the rent is insanely cheap and a lot of the apartments look like loft buildings which means they're probably quite spacious and pretty cool looking in a gritty way.
Pros
  • cheap rent
Cons
  • Nothing around
  • Not safe
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Quiet, older street"

Devoe is one of the quieter streets in this part of Williamsburg and I think that's a good thing. You're right in the mix of everything that Williamsburg has to offer, but you're not right on top of it so you don't have to deal with all the punk kids coming home on your street late at night. You're close to the L train on Devoe which is great, and you're within two blocks of about fifty different hip bars and restaurants. But, there's almost nothing commercial on Devoe itself aside from one coffee shop / bakery that I'm convinced is a mob front. Seriously, there's never anyone in there aside from the same old Italian guys every day and that place has been open forever. It pumps out a fantastic smell, though.
I think because it's one of the quieter streets, it has an older demographic than most of the other streets in the neighborhood. I walked my dog down Devoe every single day when I lived in the neighborhood and made friends with all the old Italian people. There are a lot of them here that haven't been pushed out by the hipsters yet which is because of rent control, I'm guessing. But, it's such a young neighborhood that I wouldn't have a problem living on the street at all.
The rent is comparable to the rest of the neighborhood. It's cheaper the further east you go but still pretty expensive for a burrough outside of Manhattan. The plus side, however, is that you get a lot more bang for your buck on Devoe. And, you're so close to so many things to do. A lot of streets in Willy have a bit cheaper rent but it's like a five block walk to the closest restaurant which doesn't sound bad . . .until it's either 100 or 10 degrees outside. I would live on Devoe if I still lived in the neighborhood. The buildings are almost all walk ups but they're rarely above four stories, and there's a real neighborhood feel to the street. It's not hipster hell yet like everything around Bedford.
Pros
  • Close to fun but not on top of it
Recommended for
  • Singles
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Great neighborhood street"

Ainslie is one of the better streets to live on in Williamsburg simply because of its location. It's just in between a ton of major streets but it's quite small and residential. It runs parallel to Metropolitan so no matter where you live on Ainslie, you are within two blocks of the L train and if you live by the Lorimer stop, you're also right next to the G train (not the G is good for anything aside from wasting time).
The apartments on Ainslie are all pretty much the same as far as age, price and amenities. There are a couple of newer buildings on the street, but for the most part, they're all around 3 or 4 story walk ups. And, the facades are all pretty similar. This whole part of the neighborhood looks almost identical, in fact. I remember when I first moved to the neighborhood and I kept thinking that all of the apartment buildings looked like movie set buildings. The front of all of them almost doesn't look real. The price in this neck of the woods has gone way up in the last five or so years because of all the hipsters and art people that flocked in, but you still get way more space for your money than you would in Manhattan or even around Bedford in the neighborhood. And, this street is pretty quiet. It's like a real neighborhood street where you can walk your dog without sirens and people everywhere in the morning. But, because it's now the hipster neighborhood, you are within a block of great bars, restaurants and music venues. Some of my favorite restaurants and bars in the city are on Union, Metropolitan and Graham so you have your pick of about twenty within a five minute block of Ainslie but because nothing but apartment buildings is actually on the street, you don't have the noise and trash that come with all those good times. I really like this street, and anyone looking to live in Williamsburg should definitely try to find a spot here.
Pros
  • Quieter than others in the area
Cons
  • Not the cheapest rent
Recommended for
  • Singles
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Mad Men"

The start of Madison's run through Murray Hill is very education oriented. There's a massive building right at 34th that used to be a department store and then became a learning based sort of conglomerate with Oxford Uni Press, a library and a travel book shop included in the building. The building, itself, is pretty stunning as it was constructed with an ornate facade to blend in with the townhouses that used to rule this part of town.
The block at 36th used to be quite fancy. FDR lived in what is now a big furniture store on the west side of the street and JP Morgan's carriage house used to be on the East side where there is now a massive luxury condo building where they shot the movie Sliver. And, the old timey / Morgan legacy carries on in the next block up at the Morgan Library. The Library is gorgeous and features such items from Morgan's personal collection as Thoroeau journals and an original Dickens Christmas Carol Manuscript. It's a really lovely museum and I highly recommend everyone go take a look. Plus, these few blocks still retain some of the old New York and that's kind of hard to find in this part of town.
There are a couple of high end hotels covering the next couple of blocks up (like a Morgans Group hotel) with a couple of their high end restaurants in them (like Asia de Cuba). But, the rest of the street is dominated by advertising. The term Mad Men was coined because of this specific stretch of Madison where all the major advertising agencies took up shop. The same is still true today and it makes the street take on a very suit and power lunch kind of vibe.
The street changes quite a bit as you head north but it definitely maintains the big avenue kind of vibe throughout. It's not really a street you'd want to live on because it's so catered to commercial affairs. And, there's not much of a neighborhood vibe because there aren't any local haunts. But, there are a few cool things to see on the street so I can't forsake it by any stretch.
Pros
  • Some lovely history
Cons
  • Business oriented
  • Dead at night
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Business socks on a business street"

Lexington runs through Murray Hill from 34th to 42nd street. Lexington is one of the more notable and busy Avenues in the city and its run through Murray Hill is no diversion from the norm. It's a very commercial street in a pretty commercial neighborhood. So, a lot of the buildings are dedicated to business rather than living -- and the residences on Lex are predominantly luxury high rises so even those look like businesses.
Lex comes into Murray Hill at 32nd and the Opus Dei headquarters is right on the corner. The secret offshoot of the Catholic church gained recognition in the book the Da Vinci Code. I don't even think I thought this thing actually existed when I read the book and I'm kind of horrified that one of their headquarters is in New York. What a creepy thing to have to live next to . . .
The next few blocks hold a lot of business buildings mixed in with uninteresting apartment buildings and a little old hotel with a great burger joint on the ground floor. There is one interesting building, however, at 36th. There's a little house. An actual house that looks like it should be in the Village or Sutton Place and it's smack in the middle of all these skyscrapers. I have no idea what's in the house but I love the surprise of it. It's a beautiful house, too, but most of them are in this city.
The remainder of the street through Murray Hill is exactly like the beginning: boring. It's a bunch of bank buildings, corporate headquarters, etc. The only thing that really changes is that the skyscrapers start to get taller, the closer you get to midtown. It's pretty uneventful. And, there's no energy around here. There are no neighborhood joints and, seemingly, no neighbors. It's very much a work street that I wouldn't want to live on at all. It would be such a bummer to have to get into a cab every single time I got hungry.
Cons
  • Few charming/aesthetically pleasing buildings
  • Little to no nightlife
Recommended for
  • Professionals
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
Just now

"Queens Midtown Expressway Exit"

The name is exactly as it sounds: it's the exit or off ramp street from the Queens Midtown Expressway . . . basically, it's the exit from a freeway. You can't live on this street, and it's pretty desolate around the street. I can see why; who the hell would want to live off of this thing? It's dirty, crowded and loud pretty much all day. And, the fencing around this and the approach street don't exactly do anything for the neighborhood aesthetic.
The street is a necessity because we, obviously, need more than one way out of the city. But, I definitely wouldn't live around it.
Pros
  • Access to the city
Cons
  • Ugly
  • Loud
  • Traffic
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Beach Lovers
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
Just now

"Queens Midtown Expressway entrance"

There's no a whole lot to say about the Tunnel Entrance street other than it's exactly what it sounds like. It is right off of 1st Avenue around 36th and it's the street you take to get onto the Queens Midtown Expressway which provides access to both La Guardia and JFK as well as Long Island / the beaches. It can get pretty backed up but most of the time it's not ridiculously congested. It has a park on one side of it which I refer to as the saddest park in New York. It has got to be weird to try to enjoy a picnic or a softball game right next to a freeway entrance . . . so I guess that's why a lot of people don't go to this park.
You can't live on the Tunnel Approach street and even if you could, you definitely wouldn't want to. Streets around freeways always seem to have a drug den kind of feel to them in my opinion. It's great for getting out of Manhattan but is terrible to live around.
Pros
  • Access to Long Island and the airports
Cons
  • Ugly
  • Traffic
  • Noise
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Beach Lovers
5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Beautiful, old and quaint."

Sniffen Court is a really lovely little court just off 36th that was built in the mid 19th century as a stand alone courtyard and then converted into stables shortly thereafter. It was converted into residences in the early 1920's and the residences are kind of like living in little condos. They're really cool and Sniffen Court used to be a big artist enclave I'm guessing because of the secluded courtyard mixed with bungalow kinds of apartments. Sniffen looks a lot like the alley or mews streets in the West Village. It's very charming and the properties are stunning inside and out. And, because it's so secluded, there's very little in the way of noise or traffic. Most people don't even know it exists. The homes are are pretty spectacular on the inside and have roof decks, old accents, etc. Needless to say, the days of the artist enclave are over as buying property on Sniffen Court will set you back a few million dollars. There's a little theatre in here, as well, that has been around for about 150 years which I think is really cool. It's a very old timey little alley street. And, I don't think anyone would complain about living here.
Pros
  • Quiet
  • Charming
Cons
  • Very expensive
Recommended for
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"The low end Park Avenue"

Park Avenue South turns into Park Avenue proper at 32nd street and there is definitely a distinct turn in architecture on this block if not necessarily as swift a turn in energy. There are some great art deco buildings at 32nd street from the 1920's. Ayn Rand worked in the one on the corner at 33rd before The Fountainhead came out. There's also a great wine and cheese place on this block called Artisanal. I kind of like this block despite it being commercial. It's a older version of New York to me and surprisingly quaint for a commercial kind of street.
The next block up is really beautiful. It holds the Vanderbilt apartment building which used to be the Vanderbilt Hotel -- one of the nicest hotels in New York. It's a stunning castle looking kind of building with a fancy steakhouse underneath. There's a skyscraper technical high school across the street with sculptures at the front. It's a weird looking building but I kind of like it and there's something so New York to me (albeit bizarre) about the thought of kids going to high school in a sky scraper. It's like the Victorian era and the future are directly across the street from each other on this block.
The next couple of blocks are very residential but more in the apartment vein wherein they used to hold homes. There are some beautiful and I'm sure very expensive apartment buildings at 34th and a gorgeous smaller apartment building at 35th that used to be a one family mansion. It's massive and decadent and you can tell it used to be a home for a very very wealthy family. I love that building.
Once you get past 36th there's an even mix of old smaller apartment buildings and massive modern high rises that continues on you start getting into Upper East Side territory. It's a cool looking street but I think it's a little too commercial and there's a little too much traffic for me to want to live here. There are some little restaurants but the noise on the street doesn't come for local energy, it comes more from people going to and from work.
Pros
  • Some beautiful buildings
Cons
  • Too commercial
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"The working Park Avenue"

Park Avenue is, generally, known as the fancy street in Manhattan, but Park Avenue south is more like the step child of fancy. It's very commercial in a business - oriented kind of way rather than a ritzy store and doorman apartment building kind of way. The Murray Hill part of Park Avenue South starts around 28th though the distinction between where Kip's Bay ends and Murray Hill begins is a little muddy. They're pretty similar aesthetically and energetically.
At 28th, there are a couple of moderately expensive, nothing-special kinds of apartment buildings and commercial towers. There's nothing that stands out amongst the architecture and the street has a very work oriented energy. One of Anthony Bourdain's restaurants is right here and it's almost overlooked because the block just has a suit sort of feel. The next block up has even more of a commercial feel with a little hotel, commercial high rises and a slew of little take out hole in the wall joints (basically, fast-food).
There are a couple of little shops and a health food store mixed in with the big buildings at 30th but it's not a block I ever stop on for anything. The street only starts to have a sort of Park Avenue personality just as it's ending at 32nd. There are a couple of cool commercial buildings with interesting details like an old street clock and bizarre sculptures. It's a very Manhattan looking street in the way you would imagine a city street to look but there's no neighborhood to it at all. And, there are a couple of restaurants and bars but not enough to do to entice me or anyone I know to live here. It's a business street by my measure.
Pros
  • Proximity to transport
Cons
  • A bit impersonal
  • No residential feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
3/5 rating details
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
Just now

"Route to Long Island"

Interstate 495 which is often called the Long Island Expressway is a freeway that starts in the neighborhood right at the Queens-MIdtown Tunnel. It passes under the East River into Queens. It's a freeway so you definitely can't live on it, but it provides access to Queens / Long Island so it's a pretty well known freeway for Manhattanites. Long Island is where a lot of wealthy people live and many work in the city. It's also one of the easiest freeways to get to both La Guardia and JFK as well as the Hamptons which is undoubtedly the most popular summer vacation spot for New Yorkers. There's always a ton of traffic on this freeway but it's particularly grueling in the summer as people use it to get in and out of the city to hit the beaches. So, I never use it at normal hours if I'm trying to go to the beach. There's not a whole lot to say about it because it's a freeway but I guess it's a good thing it exists.
Pros
  • Access to Long Island and airports
Cons
  • It's a freeway
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Country Lovers
  • Beach Lovers
3/5 rating details
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
Just now

"Basically, a highway"

Like FDR as it runs through any neighborhood on the east side, it's more of a highway than a street. The Drive part of FDR Drive is pretty literal. It's a very quick way to get from lower to upper Manhattan; or, at least, it's very quick compared to any of the avenues. But, it's not a street you live on. There aren't any apartments on FDR in Murray Hill. It would be like having an apartment on a Freeway.
And, the apartments that are just off of FDR aren't ideal, in my opinion. They have a great view of the East River but it's very loud and kind of scary because traffic just flies by. It's not particularly safe to even walk next to FDR in most parts. But, if you need to get from Murray Hill to the Upper East Side, Queens, etc, this is the best way.
Pros
  • Quick travel
Cons
  • You can't live here
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Corporate living"

East 41st starts off with something few streets in Murray Hill have: a park. Granted, it's a really small park, but there is so little green in this area that I'm sure the people who live here take what they can get. It's also not ideal that the park is across the street from a soon to be demolished Con Ed building, but again, I guess beggars can't be choosers.
The entire block at 2nd is taken up by Tudor City which I am equal parts in love with and completely creeped out by. Tudor City is a big apartment complex that is designed in the Ye Olde English aesthetic. Everything looks like it jumped out of a Hans Christian Anderson story which is interesting but also so bizarre in the midst of all of the tunnel traffic and massive skyscrapers in the area. I mean, there's a castle replica in Tudor City! It's the weirdest thing ever. And, people actually live here.
The next couple of blocks house a bunch of shapeless apartment buildings and commercial spaces. There's nothing really exciting happening around here except for maybe Leona Helmsley's hotel at 2nd Ave. And, around Lex, the only interesting thing happening is the smorgasbord of architecture. There are some really interesting art deco buildings on the block mixed in with things like an oblong, black glass tower. I just wish the actual businesses in the buildings had to go along with the theme of the building . . but, I guess I'll have to wait until I'm mayor to enforce that.
There's not much else to the street aside from architecture firms, a few hotels and a couple of corporate restaurants with little cache. It's a pretty uneventful street that only has a professional suit kind of energy to it. It's not awful to live on it just seems like no one actually lives here.
Pros
  • Interesting mix of buildings
Cons
  • Boring
  • No neighborhood energy
Recommended for
  • Professionals
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Mad Men looking"

There are a whole lot of apartments right out of the shoot on 40th street. And, little else. The street starts off on the back end of Tudor City which is this bizarre and kind of magical apartment community built in the Ye Olde England style. Everything looks like it's out of a fairy tale in Tudor City which is so bizarre in Manhattan. I kind of like it and it kind of creeps me out. Surrounding Tudor City, there are a couple of blocks of massive high rise condo buildings which I think makes the old English aesthetic stand out even more. It's kind of like the Jetsons meet the Flintstones in this area.
Around 3rd, the mix of buildings starts to get a bit more commercial, but there is one restaurant in the mix that's actually pretty local feeling and quite good. Docks Oyster Bar is one of the few restaurants in the neighborhood let alone one of the only ones that doesn't feel like a corporate pass along. It's pretty cool. There's such an interesting mix around here of old and new and commercial / residential. The block at Lex has all of these massive commercial towers and then a landmarked carriage house right smack in the middle of it. I love running into surprises like that when I'm walking through areas that I don't live in.
There aren't too many surprises as you continue west on the street, however. The street becomes very midtown and this area that is responsible for the nickname "Mad Men." Approaching Madison Avenue, the street is almost entirely filled with massive commercial towers, zero trees and a lot of advertising and architectural suits walking around. It's the kind of area that a movie would feature to show the hustle and bustle of the Manhattan white collar working block. And, it's not that exciting, in my opinion.
40th isn't a bad street to live on. . . there's just nothing to do. There's one library but who goes to libraries anymore? And, there are no parks, few restaurants, no local hangs, etc. it's very a much a street that you live on if you work in midtown, in my opinion. It's a Vanilla, high rise, no energy street.
Pros
  • Nice apartments
Cons
  • No neighborhood energy
  • No bar or restaurant scene
Recommended for
  • Professionals
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Big Buildings and little else"

39th starts off on the East River with an old Con Edison Plant that they're in the works to demolish and replace with high rise condos and commercial spaces. I'm not sure how I feel about this. For one, do we really need more high rise condos? Nobody that I know is looking to spend five grand a month to live in nowhere'sville Murray Hill. But, maybe I'm wrong. Also, these buildings are actually pretty cool and I doubt the new ones will be. But, it will probably stay the middle of nowhere as long as there's just a bunch of old, creepy power buildings and nothing else. It's really a toss up.
The block across 1st Avenue houses a very ritzy apartment building called the New York Tower. It's kind of a de facto banker's building which I will never understand. A woman who lost her job at a big bank jumped out of her apartment in this building in the early 2000's. And, that would be enough for me to pass on wanting to live here. Actually, no, Murray Hill would be enough for me to pass on wanting to live here. All of the blocks leading up to 3rd have really nice apartment buildings and nothing else. Plus, they're surrounded by entrance and exit tunnels to the Queens Midtown tunnel, so there's no aesthetic and nothing to do here but look at traffic. I don't understand why so many people with money would think that this is the spot to live.
At 3rd, there's an old publishing building that now does textbooks, I believe, but used to publish the likes of Edgar Allen Poe and Washington Irving. I'm sure they make a lot more money now but they definitely lost their street cred when they crossed over, in my opinion.
The block at Lex has an interesting mix of commerce, I think. There are two old hotels that have both been acquired by the W. And, an old distillery building that has now been acquired by Jim Beam. I find the very Vanilla W chain being next to the very dirt south Jim Beam really funny. But, I suppose the people working at Jim Beam all come to work with shoes on, etc so there's probably not as much of a war between them as I imagine in my mind. This block used to be the home of a city comptroller, Andrew Green. He is responsible for the New York Library and Met Museum. He was shot to death on this block on his way home. . . .not by a Jim Beam associate.
The next block is getting us into Midtown big commercial space kind of territory. There's a big pharma building, a smaller building dedicated to Jungian psychology and a massive commercial tower with all kinds of different businesses.
There's not much of a neighborhood feel around here though there are an awful lot of places to live. There's no nightlife or local hangouts in the mix. And, there's very little green. It's not a bad street and a lot of people like living here. I just think that if you can afford to live here, why wouldn't you live somewhere else?
Pros
  • Nice apartments
Cons
  • Expensive for no reason
  • No bar or restaurant scene
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Some gorgeous homes"

East 38th starts off at the East River with an old Con Ed plant and an animal shelter. It's not exactly the most welcoming start to the street, but the Con Ed building is actually really cool looking and the animal shelter is no kill so I guess it's sort of uplifting if you actually think about it. This building (the Con Ed one) is going to be demolished soon to put in a luxury high rise and I think that's sort of a shame. I'm not often a huge fan of abandoned buildings but in some cases -- like this one and the Northern Dispensary -- I think they should just be left alone.
The next couple of blocks are marked by a series of residential buildings, some old and some new, and one fun little neighborhood bar. The owner of the bar lost her husband, a firefighter, to 9/11 and named the bar Bravest on 38th. It has a great energy and it is very much a neighborhood joint which I love.
Once you get up to 3rd, however, the block aesthetic shifts to a very old world, brownstone kind of street that is much more common to the Village kind of situation. It's a really beautiful block. There's a great old townhouse with a notable front garden that has been landmarked (thank god) and there's a global issues center (whatever that means) in a stable house from 1902. Dashiell Hammet and the Mount Rushmore sculptor both lived in homes on this block. It has a great history that seems to have not dissipated. And, the block at Lexington is even more lovely and timeless. The entire block is taken up by brownstones, townhouses and trees. You feel like a character in a Wharton novel walking down this street . . or at least, I do. The line of townhouses on the north side of the street dates back to the mid 19th century. And, the south side has an equally impressive line of homes that are partly still residential and part taken over by businesses. There's an architectural firm in here, an environmental group and a few other businesses mixed in with single family (rich) residents. But, I don't think the businesses take away from the charm in any way.
38th is gorgeous for enough of the street that it's not a bad street to consider living on. It's not my speed because of the lack of restaurants, etc. And, it's a bit removed from transportation. But, it's not a bad street at all for a family or someone that's a bit older.
Pros
  • Beautiful houses
Cons
  • No restaurant scene
  • Bit of an older demographic
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Actually pretty which is surprising for this area"

East 37th starts off pretty depressing, but, unlike a lot of the streets in the neighborhood, it actually turns around. There are a couple of luxury high rises right on the East river that I'm sure are lovely with great views, but there's something about not having any sort of neighborhood convenience or local spots that turns me off to living on a block like this. It's just a couple of apartment buildings and then not much else. I also think that makes for a somewhat dangerous block. When there aren't people out at night on the street, it's a little bit scary.
The Queens Midtown tunnel takes up the street until 3rd Avenue which sort of adds to the nothingness of the street at the start. I also think it adds to the scare factor of having to walk home if you live in one of the buildings on the water. And, there's also an insane amount of traffic -- there's just no pedestrian traffic to speak of. Once you cross 3rd, though, a bit of neighborhood starts to take shape. There's a cool southern cooking restaurant and a little wine shop right on the corner as well as a lone standing, beautiful brownstone and a burger joint.
Across Lex, there are a series of gorgeous brrownstones mixed in with a couple of pretty apartment buildings. This block almost looks like a Village block and it's really a delightful surprise when walking from the east. And, the block at Park is even more beautiful. Almost the entire block is tree-lined and filled with brownstones and townhouses though many of the homes are no longer private residences. This is the area that the Murray Mansion used to be (the namesake of the neighborhood) and much of the original "neighbors" have remained. One of the townhouses is the home to the Union Club which is a weird sort of Republican club with alumni that include the likes of Teddy Roosevelt. The Morgan Musuem is also in one of the townhouses. This museum is a fantastic little treasure trove of original manuscripts from Dickens, Thoreau, etc and the building itself is quite the sight. This block is so beautiful, it's hard to imagine that you're this close to midtown.
There are a few little bars in the area and the architecture is great. It's not one of my ideal streets to live on but it's definitely one of the best in the neighborhood.
Pros
  • Cheap pubs
Cons
  • Not quite trendy
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Nowhere town"

East 36th starts at the East River in Murray Hill and it's kind of deserted at this point. There's one luxury building with some spectacular views and nothing surrounding it. The only thing in the vicinity right now is an old Con Ed building that hasn't yet been turned to another luxury high rise. I guess it's a nice place to live if you like living in one of the very few parts of the city where there is almost nothing around you. There are, however, a lot of cars around you right here because it's where the Queens Midtown Tunnel is. Whenever I use the tunnel, I always, think, man, I would not like to live here. There's a little park right here that even seems depressing because it's in midst of all this traffic and pretty much nothing else.
The block at 3rd starts to perk up a bit with a luxury high rise on one side of the block and a really charming, beautiful apartment complex called Sniffen court on the other. It was an artist enclave for many years starting in the early 20th century. It was a series of stables before that and it's a really cool little court. It's such a shame to me that this building has no neighborhood to support it. There are no restaurants, bars, galleries. . . there's nothing around here. There are even a few little brownstones on the next block and still no neighborhood which is devastating to me. Brownstones are hard to come by . .
All in all, it's not an ideal street to live on if you like any sort of energy at all. Anytime you wanted to do something outside of your apartment, you'd have to leave your neighborhood which isn't ideal (especially in the winter).
Cons
  • Pretty desolate for the large majority of the street
Recommended for
  • Students
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Wasteland looking"

East 35th starts its run through 35th at the East River. And, like most bits of neighborhood on the East River, it's kind of depressing around here. There's a lone luxury apartment and an old Con Ed building that's going to be a luxury apartment right on FDR. I'm sure the units of the building are lovely and the view is spectacular, but it's kind of scary around here at night because it's so quiet and sort of desolate. There's almost nothing for blocks because of the Queens Midtown Tunnel entrance and then there's a Cathedral and Park at 2nd . . .and then nothing again for over a block because of the Queens Midtown Tunnel exit. The sad thing is that this is one of the only parks even remotely close to the area and it's completely surrounded by tunnel and nothing else which makes it sort of creeptown.
And, just to add to the neighborhood aesthetic and energy, the block at Lexington offers a little women's school and then a series of abandoned buildings across the street. It's very uncommon to have any sort of abandoned building in Manhattan let alone one side of a block of them. 35th is kind of like an Urban Wasteland in some sense. I know it won't be for long, but it's not exactly a comforting street at this point. The street starts to pick up with apartment buildings around Lexington, but by then we're getting into Midtown proper, so poor old Murray Hill's 35th is sort of left in the dumps.
Cons
  • Ugly
  • Desolate looking
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Lots of conveniences"

East 34th starts off its Murray run at a massive apartment complex This building isn't the tallest by any stretch but just to give an indication of how wide it is: there's a Guy and Gallard coffee, a manicure spot, a pet store and a restaurant all on the same apartment grounds. It's almost like its own city. Ayn Rand lived in this building at the time of her death. The building next door to it is equally as large, but peculiarly, a high school. It looks like a high school from the future with its sky scraper architecture, massive tower and statues in front. It is such a bizarre sight for a high school to anyone that didn't grow up in New York. There are a couple of little conveniences on this block like a mini market, a bakery and a cute Italian place, but the block definitely isn't the most exciting. It's not bad, it's just not the best.
The next block (at Park) has an interesting mix of old and new buildings. There's a beautiful three towered looking building right on the corner that used to be the Vanderbilt Hotel and is now a fancy residential building. It still has a very old world glamour to it right down to the fancy steakhouse with vaulted ceilings on the ground floor. There's another pretty, old apartment building across the street with an upscale deli on the ground floor (something the Vanderbilt's would never have, I imagine). There's a DOCS medical clinic next to that (this one is much faster than the Chelsea one) and a pharmacy next to that as well as a chiropractic building across the street. If you ever need a medical need tended to, this is a pretty good block to be. There are some other great conveniences on this block like a wine shop, decent to go Chinese and a little Italian spot. It's a pretty well-rounded block. It's just not that exciting.
The last block of the street's run through the neighborhood is taken up with banks and school. The CUNY Grad school building takes up the north side of the block and there's not a whole lot going on in terms of the south side. There is a Guy and Gallard outpost here but it's not my favorite. The CUNY building is gorgeous, though.
East 34th has some really beautiful buildings and some great neighborhood staples, but the feel of it is a little too midtown for my liking. There aren't locals just hanging about and that's something that I really need in my neighborhood. It's not a bad street to live on, but it's just a very city kind of street.
Pros
  • Easy access to everything
Cons
  • No neighborhood vibe
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Midtown trickles in but doesn't take over"

There's not a whole lot in the way of neighborhood energy at the start of 33rd's run through Murray Hill, but the block at 3rd is very much what I expect of a New York City block which makes it great (even if I wouldn't want to live on it). There are two delis right next to each other on the corner which is really weird but I guess it doesn't hurt business much seeing as neither have yet to close. There are also a couple of little home stores and quite a few good little restaurants considering what neighborhood this is. There's a place called Trio that has excellent little snacks, a cool French place, a sushi spot (if you're into that) and a curry joint. So, there's pretty much something for every kind of mood on this one little block. That's one of the things I love about this city. There's a school on this block as well which is in a beautiful Greek revival looking building. It makes all of my schools seem really shabby.
The block at Lex has a massive design center for all things related to interior design and an equally massive high school. This school is particularly interesting because it's more like a commercial skyscraper than what you would imagine a kid's school to be. I feel like that must be a daunting place to walk into every day. Midwesterners must gasp when they see this building and realize that thirteen year olds learn in there. It's very futuristic and surreal.
Speaking of buildings, the block at Park has some really interesting ones. There's an art deco building from the 20's on the south side of the street that Ayn Rand worked at before she wrote The Fountainhead. And, across the street there's a sort of three tower looking building from the early 20th century that used to be the Vanderbilt Hotel. It was one of the more fashionable hotels in its day - -as all things Vanderbilt were. And, though it has long since been converted into quite expensive apartments, the famous vaulted entryway remains intact. There's a really popular steak house on the ground floor called Wolfgang's which was started by the former head waiter of Peter Luger (one of the most famous steakhouses in the city).
The block after Madison begins to take on more of a midtown feel with sort of shapeless buildings with bizarre stores and little hole in the wall takeout places. But, there are some great buildings such as the one on the west corner with the massive, gorgeous arched windows. And, there is a, though, touristy, fun beer bar with an insane amount of beers just across the street. The kitsch starts to slither in around this block but the street isn't entirely midtown just yet . . which is a good thing.
I wouldn't want to live on 33rd because it's just too anonymous city for me. I need a neighborhood feel and this doesn't have it. But, it is one of the better streets in the neighborhood and it's not an unlivable street by any standard.
Pros
  • Architecture
  • Some little bars and restaurants
Cons
  • More of a midtown energy
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Very Chinatown but also very boring"

I consider Walker's run through Chinatown to start around Cortlandt. The architecture changes as does to commerce and before that, it's just very not Chinatown. The corner of Cortlandt and Walker holds an art space and a Chinese Baptist church. A lot of neighborhoods have this great little transitional period where they bleed into each other for a couple of blocks and I think the art space and Chinese church is a pretty good example of the bleed.
Once you cross Lafayette, however, you know you're definitely in Chinatown. There's a Chinese home store, a music center that is called Vien Dong, I believe, and an office building that has been completely feng shui'd. I think the office building thing is pretty cool but I always find that feng shui isn't necessarily aesthetically catching or practical. That's probably why my life is so chaotic, though . . no feng shui.
The street continues on with the Chinatown aesthetic and businesses right up until it runs into Canal. There's a pretty good Chinese restaurant right on this corner and a little information pagoda on the other side of the street. I've never actually been up to pagoda to ask what kind of information they give but maybe it's for tourists? I have no idea.
You can live on this street and the rent is, typically, cheaper than a lot of other downtown areas. But, I'm not a huge fan. A lot of the buildings look like old tenements and it's just not that pretty. Plus, there's not much of a neighborhood vibe here. There aren't a lot of local hangouts which I think is huge in shaping the feel of an area. It's not bad, it's just not my taste. Plus, it's always really crowded around here.
Pros
  • Cheaper rent
Cons
  • Loud and crowded
  • No neighborhood energy
Recommended for
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
Just now

"State oriented street"

Pearl starts its run through Chinatown at St James with a very interesting looking high school and a tiny little patch of green. It sounds like nothing much but there are some ugly buildings in this neighborhood and not very much green so these are kind of a bonus around these parts. The high school is business oriented (it looks medieval to me and I don't understand the connection). I find it interesting that so many high schools in this city are catered toward a certain profession. Whatever happened to regular school with a broad range of subjects?
The next block houses the NYPD police headquarters which is a massive, extremely ugly building but I venture to say that this is one of the safest blocks in the city. That's an awfully big building so there's got to be a cop walking in or out of it nearly twenty four hours a day, I imagine. I always see one when I'm here, anyway, which is a good thing because there's a housing project on the other side of the street and those scare the bejeezus out of me. They're always made to look like prisons which I don't get.
The next block houses a correctional center and two gorgeous courthouses. They are both really spectacular looking so it kind of makes up for the ugly preceding it. I don't, technically, consider this block of Pearl to be in Chinatown and I talk about the buildings at length in another Pearl review so I'll just say they are both very different and very beautiful buildings.
This isn't really a street you live on . . it's more a street you have to go to for jury duty or something and then happen to admire the little tidbits of great, old architecture. There's no neighborhood to this street at all. No bars, restaurants, nothing. It's a very state oriented kind of street.
Pros
  • Some beautiful buildings
Cons
  • Traffic
  • Not a neighborhood street
Recommended for
  • Professionals
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Kinda scary block"

Oliver Street is what worth turns into right around Chinatown. It commences at Chatham with two buildings that I would absolutely expect to be in Chinatown. There's a massive public housing building on one side of the street and a little square called Kimlau that has a few monuments to notable Chinese figures and peoples. It's not the most appealing set of architecture in the city, in my opinion. Kimlau is fine but I will never understand why public housing projects always have to look like prisons. They're just scary to me. And, you can spot the project from blocks away.
The same side of the block as Kimlau holds an old folks home, a bank and a pretty greek revival building that was built to serve as a church for the seafaring kind. I find it really amusing that churches used to separate people like that. Like, why did seafarers need their own church?
Across the street from the church is a little school and a very creepy looking playground. It's almost like Oliver was conceived of by a horror film writer. Add the old rowhouse across from the playground into the mix and we've really got all the right elements for some freakish kind of story. The rowhouse is beautiful, though, and one of the few houses that remain in this neighborhood which has been only recently finally getting out of slum status. The house is definitely worth a look but the street is nothing to see . . . or to want to live on. There's no vibe and nothing to do. Plus, horror films are not something you want to live in.
Pros
  • Cheaper rent
Cons
  • crowded
  • noisy Chinatown street
  • traffic
Recommended for
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Crime and Punishment"

Hayes Place is a little mini block off of Worth Street that seems more like an alley than any sort of street. It runs next to the Thurgood Marshall Courthouse which is a really pretty building. I don't know why courthouses are so pretty in this city, but the large majority of them are. They're very theatrical in New York, I feel. This one is a classical design with a big, gold tower.
Across Hayes is the absolute antithesis of the beautiful courthouse: a correctional center. Most courthouses have correctional centers next to them, so I get that. But, it's sad that such a lovely building is next to a prison. And, that's really all there is to this street: crime and punishment. I think it goes without saying that this isn't really a street to live on.
Pros
  • Courthouse architecture
Cons
  • The correctional facility
Recommended for
  • Professionals
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Ugly block with no energy"

Forsyth starts its run through Chinatown at Canal street which makes for an uninviting entrance. There is always so much traffic on Canal street and this particular intersection is right where the Manhattan Bridge is so it makes traffic even worse. Forsyth runs parallel to the bridge throughout its run in the neighborhood which makes for a really lovely sight: you just have to get around the entrance to it which backs traffic up quite a bit. The Manhattan Bridge serves as one of the easiest ways into south Brooklyn and a whole lot of people live there which means a whole lot of cars.
There are a couple of little Chinese shops down at the block around Division like a bakery and a deli but there's not much to do right here, no energy and it's pretty ugly. That doesn't change much until the street ends. There are a couple of little, old apartments above the shops but it's just not an ideal spot to live. There's nothing to do around here and absolutely no neighborhood feel. The only plus side to it is that the rent is cheaper than many other parts of downtown.
Pros
  • Cheaper Rent
Cons
  • Ugly
  • Dirty
  • No neighborhood vibe
Recommended for
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
Just now

"Quaint little public spot"

Foley Square is a little stretch of green off of Worth street. It's in the middle of a lot of traffic which makes it kind of hard to enjoy the green. If it had more trees that would be better but I'm sure the people in the neighborhood will take what they can get seeing that there isn't much nature to speak of in this part of town. The square is named after a big Tammany Hall guy (Foley) who used to have a bar right where this chunk of land is. There are a couple of statues in the square that I think are ugly but you can't please everyone, I suppose.
There's not much to say about the square other than it's a decent place to sit in the neighborhood. It may even be the best place to hang out in Chinatown, park wise, but I would rather walk over to Washington Square if I lived here.
Pros
  • Green
Cons
  • Traffic
Recommended for
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
Just now

"The INS"

Federal Plaza is really just a governmental building across Lafayette from two little parks. It went up in the 60's and was named after a famous New York Senator (Javits). This building houses the US International Trade Court and the INS. Neither of those mean anything to me but this building means a lot to many of my friends. And, none of them have particularly fond thoughts of the ole federal plaza. Basically, if you aren't an American Citizen and you're living in New York, you'll probably have to spend a lot of time with these people -- begging, crying, arguing etc (if you're anything like my friends) because they are the people who grant you Visas, Naturalization, etc. And, apparently, they are a really tough bunch.
There's nothing really to this area but the building as the parks are considered Lafayette street. I guess it's pretty important, though, if you're moving here.
Pros
  • Immigration services
Cons
  • Immigration services
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
Just now

"The walk through the NYPD headquarters"

There's not much to say about the Police Plaza walkway except for the fact that it's probably one of the safer places to walk in Manhattan. It's a little walkway through the NY Police Headquarters and it runs parallel to the Brooklyn Bridge for the equivalent of about a block. It's quite green and the bridge peeking up over the trees is a lovely view. It's just the actual headquarters that you have to walk by that is quite the eyesore. It's a nasty looking building: a mass of concrete with tiny windows everywhere that makes it look like a prison.
You, obviously, can't live, eat or drink here but if you're going to the Brooklyn Bridge or happen to need a cop, this is at least a somewhat scenic part of your journey.
Pros
  • Green
Cons
  • Ugly building
  • just a walkway
Recommended for
  • Professionals
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Tiny run"

There are some lovely old brick buildings on Catherine right at Broadway. One of them is a gorgeous building from the early 19th century that should be for residential use but is actually a commercial building. The building directly across Catherine is a newer apartment building that looks like it should be commercial. I may have to go talk to them about that.
But, that's about it as far as excitement goes for this little one block of street / lane. Those buildings take up pretty much the entire block on either side so there's not much else to do unless you're a government employee (the pretty building) or a resident in the bigger one. It's not a bad little street to live on and it's definitely quieter than other blocks in this neighborhood. There's just really not much going on.
Pros
  • Pretty buildings
Cons
  • Only one block / two buildings
Recommended for
  • Professionals
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"The old Five Points only slightly better now"

Chatham in Chinatown is a little mishmosh of just about everything that is Chinatown, but it's still not really that fun of a block. I guess that's because I'm not really into Chinatown.
There's a little pagoda shaped building on the corner at Catherine that has a couple of little Chinese shops. There's a jewelry store and a little restaurant across the street from that. I haven't been to any of these places but they're still in business so they must be at least decent. 5 Chatham Square was the site of the first Tattoo Parlor started by a barber in the 19th century. I think that's pretty cool and it's a shame there's not a tattoo parlor there still.
There are a couple of commercial buildings and a little square just before Worth that are on the former site of part of the Five Points ghetto. It was the worst ghetto in New York (and, probably in the history of our country). It was publicized in a photography book by Jacob Riis and after that the city went to great efforts to get rid of the ghetto. They were appalled at the display of such filth, violence, and starvation. So, I guess this little area is very much an improvement but it still looks kinda slummy to me. I wouldn't want to live here. There's nothing really to do and I think it's really dirty around here.
Pros
  • Cheaper Rent
Cons
  • No bars or restaurants
  • Dirty
  • Loud and ugly
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Half pretty / Half Ugly"

Park Row really starts off with a bang in Chinatown. . . . the two corner buildings at Worth are a low income housing project and a middle income housing project. Nothing really says welcome to the neighborhood than two modern day tenements. I don't know why they always have to make projects so ugly, too. It's like they're just asking for us to think the Candyman is lurking just behind the bushes. They always look like prisons and not having much money is depressing enough.
Speaking of prisons, the corner just across Pearl holds a Correctional center and the headquarters to the NYPD. So, I guess you'll be pretty safe if the Candyman does happen to be lurking in the projects. They're both hideously ugly buildings but the saving grace to this block is that two beautiful structures lie just beyond them. The Municipal Building is a gargantuan beautiful government office space that has a tower with the second tallest statue in New York. It's one million square feet of government including the Mayor's office and it seems like such a waste of pretty for dirty deeds, but I guess that's the US. Across from the Municipal Building is the Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge isn't famous for nothing: it's beautiful. I walked across it when I first moved here and it was freezing but well worth it. It was built between 1870 and 1883 and people were so excited for the bridge that there was actually a mob to get on which resulted in 12 people being trampled to death. Add that to the 16 people who died constructing the bridge and it's a good thing this bridge is so pretty. It'd be a shame if all of that happened for something like the Manhattan Bridge (I kid . .. sorta).
I wouldn't live on Park Row even if I could but there are some lovely sights to see for an afternoon.
Pros
  • Brooklyn Bridge
  • NYPD
Cons
  • Very government oriented
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Former 5 Points"

Worth's run through Chinatown starts at the now dubiously named Christopher Columbus Park. The park was built in 1897 in an attempt (which was pretty successful) to obliterate the Five Points. The Five Points was the biggest slum in New York back in the day. The living conditions around here were unbearable and disturbing. Several gangs ruled the slum as portrayed in the movie Gangs of New York and it was a really dangerous place in the 19th century. It's now a really pretty park in a part of town that I still think is kind of dangerous late at night. It's also very loud and crowded around here so it's hard to enjoy the park like you would Central Park -- but, that's the way with pretty much every park in the city outside of Central.
Across from the park, the entire block is taken up by the State Courthouse which is a really beautiful Roman structure that has been in all sorts of films.
The rest of the street, is not so pretty, however. There's a medical office building and a middle income housing project around Mott street. The next block down brings a low income housing project, a bank, a temple and a church. There's also an elementary school and an adjacent, creepy looking playground. The only pretty thing on the end of the street's run is Alfred Smith house. It's a three story rowhouse that really stands out amongst all of the slummy looking architecture on this street. It's beautiful -- but, what rowhouse isn't, I guess. It's worth a peek but enduring the traffic, trash and noise to get there is a bit much for most people when other neighborhoods are full of these.
Worth isn't a street I would really want to live on. There's no neighborhood feel and little to do. Plus, transportation isn't ideal. It's really only cool for people who like 5 points history (which I do) but I don't know that anyone wants to live in that history.
Pros
  • Cheaper Rent
Cons
  • Not particularly interesting
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 1/5
Just now

"Very Chinatown block"

Elizabeth's run through Chinatown starts at Hester and only runs for a few blocks before the street ends entirely. The start of its run is a mix of Chinese restaurants and run off from the jewelry district that's on Canal street. The Canal street jewelry district is kind of like the cheaper and dirtier (if that's possible) version of the midtown diamond district. It's pretty ugly around these parts, but if you want a good deal on jewelry and some pretty good authentic Chinese food, then this is the block to hit. If you want to live on a cool neighborhood block with an array of restaurants, bars and trees, this is not your block.
The block after Canal is a very New York block that just happens to be catered to Chinatown. There's a school (the biggest Chinese school in the country), an NYPD precinct, a medical clinic, a Citibank (in a really pretty, old building), a church, a couple of Chinese restaurants and a couple of jewelry stores. It has just about everything that Chinatown has to offer all in one very packed block that smells funny.
There are a couple of condo buildings on Elizabeth and plenty of apartments but I wouldn't want to live here. There's no neighborhood energy and no green. Outside of the chinese restaurants, there isn't a bar and restaurant scene. And, it's a hike from good public transportation. I just really don't like Chinatown and Elizabeth is no exception.
Pros
  • Cheaper rent
Cons
  • Ugly
  • No bar or restaurant scene
  • weird non-energy
Recommended for
  • Retirees
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Great restaurants on a not so great street"

The block at Hester has some really cool, old buildings with nothing cool in them. There used to be a big menswear shop, pawnshop, etc on the ground floors of these buildings, but now it's just apartments over less neighborhoody kinds of things. There's a Public school on the west side of the block and a karaoke bar directly next door to it which I think is an awful spot for a bar of any kind (even karaoke). I guess Manhattan kids just kinda got to roll with the neighborhood, though. There is a good little dumpling spot on this block, but that's about the only thing worth going to.
The block across Canal starts with a massive residential building in the works which sticks out like a sore thumb considering this whole block is taken up with really cool looking former tenements. I'm sure they weren't cool to the people who lived in them when they were tenements, but I like the look of them. There are a lot of Fujianese restaurants on this block and they are pretty hard core. None of the workers speak English so you have to go with someone who has been before or you'll end up with all kinds of crazy on your plate. There are also some great Chinese bakeries, a couple of dumpling places and a really beautiful but out of place looking Synagogue. It looks like a weird locale for the synagogue but this neighborhood used to be predominantly Jewish before it was Chinatown so I guess it was here first. It's a museum now but has been completely restored which I think is pretty awesome.
The street ends at the Manhattan bridge so it doesn't have much of a run. I wouldn't want to live on Eldridge because it's too far away, has shoddy transportation and I'm just not a fan of Chinatown. But, it's a great street to go to for an afternoon. The buildings and history are cool and there is some good food to be had. You just have to walk to another neighborhood after that.
Pros
  • Cool buildings
  • Cheaper Rent
Cons
  • Dirty
  • Weird energy
Recommended for
  • Retirees
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Short run before the bridge"

Chrystie only runs for about a block through Chinatown and that block is really uneventful. There's not much to say about the Avenue, unfortunately. It's an Avenue, so it's much busier than the surrounding streets, but Christie is particularly traffic laden in Chinatown because the street ends at the entrance to the Manhattan Bridge. This makes the commuting hours pretty hectic around here. And, it's loud, smoggy and gross so I feel sorry for anyone who has to live right around the bridge. Sara D. Roosevelt Park is right here (at Hester). It's a decent sized park but it's sort of depressing looking to me. It's like the kind of park you would see in horror film just before something really bad happens. There are basketball courts and a playground for kids, but it's kind of run down and the surrounding noise and traffic makes it a less than ideal spot for kids to play or people to even just relax for a second. I don't like this park.
There are a couple of businesses on Chrystie like a Chinese market, a Chinese restaurant (it is Chinatown, after all), and a bus line with really cheap tickets to Boston (sounds weird but a lot of people use it). There are also some pretty cool lofts on the block -- the Beastie Boys used to record there in the '80's). But, I wouldn't want to live in the lofts because of the noise and traffic. Plus, there isn't much of a scene as far as bars and restaurants.
Pros
  • Cheaper Rent
Cons
  • Dirty
  • No bars or restaurants
  • No neighborhood vibe
Recommended for
  • Retirees
  • Students
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"The Tombs"

It looks a little less than appetizing, but there's actually a pretty good little bakery right at Canal called the Golden Carriage. I always recommend it to the few people I know that actually want to go to Chinatown. But, don't let the quaint little bakery fool you, this is not even remotely a neighborhood kind of street. It takes a pretty drastic turn just after Canal and just seems to keep getting more depressing looking. There are a couple of big buildings right at Canal in the spot where a stream used to be. How cool would it be to still have a stream right here? Ok, it would be disgusting and black but even that might still be better than the ugly buildings and cement that replaced it.
The block at White has such an interesting history that is has nothing remaining of it aside from the same kind of institutions. The Manhattan Civil Courthouse is on the west side of the street. It's the ugliest courthouse in Manhattan, in my opinion . . there are some beautiful ones just a few blocks from here. But, they have night court here which can be really interesting to watch (which you're allowed to do). This whole block used to be an island that was surrounded by Collect Pond and stream. The island used to be designated for a place called the Tombs. It was, basically, a series of dungeons erected to hold people waiting their nearby execution. Apparently, it was a miserable and filthy place. But, the pond was drained by a canal that run down what is now . . . Canal street. And, a courthouse went up as well as the holding jail across Centre called . . . the Tombs. There are just under 1000 inmates detained there right now, so it's not exactly a street you'd want to live near. Though, I imagine the smell near this jail is infinitely better than it was when it was the original Tombs.
Centre street ends its run through Chinatown with a couple of government buildings (like the Sanitation Center, etc) but the street doesn't change much even as it runs into the next neighborhood. It's a very government institution kind of street so it's not a street than anyone would really want to live on in the few places you can.
Cons
  • The Jail
  • parking garages
Recommended for
  • Professionals
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Used to be a slum: still looks like one"

The Bowery starts its run through Chinatown at Hester street and it's a really dingey start. I'm not really a fan of Chinatown so I guess I'm biased. But, man, this street is ugly. It's all tenement looking buildings which weird storefronts and it still kind of looks like a ghetto around here. There are about ten diamond stores on the starting block of Bowery's run through the neighborhood and they even actually manage to make the Diamond District look classy. It's bizarre. I can't imagine buying a diamond here. . . especially considering the stores all share a block with one of the cheaper places to stay in Manhattan (read: scuzzy with probably drug addicts as neighbors).
The block after Canal is slightly more appealing in that it has a couple of pretty landmarks right on the corner. There's an old bank with an interesting dome structure that is one of the more familiar Chinatown sights. And, there's a gorgeous arch kind of thing across the street that serves as the entrance to the Manhattan Bridge. It was built by the same people that built the Library and it has the same kind of grandeur. It's just a shame that it happens to be located right here. There used to be a bunch of really popular bars on this block back in the really olden days. One of George Washington's favorite taverns was right where there is now a creepy looking apartment building. After it was a tavern, it was the city's first gaslit theatre . . . now it's a project looking building which I think is such a shame. This particular block was also the site of the Bowery Boys Headquarters. This area was one of the biggest slums in New York in the mid 19th century. The Bowery Boys was an anti-immigrant gang and they were attacked here by an Irish slum gang called the Dead Rabbits which caused a fight that lasted for two days. If this sounds familiar it's because this was the inspiration for the film Gangs of New York which I kind of liked because I'm a history nerd. This area, apparently, hasn't progressed all that much in the last 150 years because it's still ugly and slummy looking.
There were bars all over this street because it was that kind of rag tag area. And, there are few signs around here that before that, the area was quite nice. There is, however, one remaining townhouse on Bowery, and it's actually the oldest townhouse still standing in Manhattan. It was built in the late 18th century, and despite its loveliness, only remained a civilized person's address for a couple of decades. By the 1830's, it was a brothel, and then it was the headquarters for one of the biggest Chinatown crime groups of the 20th century. It's a beautiful building, though, so it's cool to look at.
In case I didn't make my point, this is an ugly street that I wouldn't ever want to live on. There's something about it that feels unsafe to me . . like it's still a ghetto even though I know it's not. Plus, there's no neighborhood feel so I guess the only bonus is cheap rent.
Pros
  • Cheap rent
Cons
  • Ugly
  • No energy
Recommended for
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"A slummy looking street"

Allen Street only runs through Chinatown for a couple of blocks . . .and it's a really unpleasant looking little run. The Avenues aren't the prettiest neighborhood streets in Manhattan, in general. But, this one is particularly ugly, if you ask me. It's also more Avenue looking . . . whatever that means. It's quite busy, car-wise, on Allen and there's very little in the realm of an actual neighborhood. It's a lot of tenement looking apartments with storefronts on the street level. But, the stores are mostly chotchke so whatever neighborhood vibe could be here isn't. It would help matters drastically if there were little local bars and restaurants rather than a gas station and a garage.
The street's run through the neighborhood starts at Hester and the only thing happening here is a weird little coffee shop. There used to be a big department store on this block but all that remains is the garage where the store's stables used to be. Across Canal, there are a few Malaysian restaurants but I don't know anyone who has eaten at either of them and they're really scary looking from the outside so I wouldn't dare.
And, the street just keeps getting better because the only thing around Division is a gas station. There are cars everywhere and that's about it. The rent is much cheaper here so a lot of young people are making the move to this area, but there are way better streets to live on in Chinatown. There's just nothing to this street and it's ugly.
Pros
  • Cheaper rent
Cons
  • Ugly
  • No energy
  • Nothing to do
Recommended for
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
Just now

"Pretty archway but it's just a bridge street"

There's not much to say about this street because it's basically the entrance to a bridge. So, you can't live on it and there are no bars, restaurants, shopping etc. There's really nothing to it except for bridge. And, it's not exactly in the prettiest part of town so the view isn't pleasing. There is, however, one gem to this particular bridge entrance: the Arch and Colonade.
There's a really beautiful arch kind of structure that was built in 1910 by the same people that did the New York Library so it looks similar to it (the NYPL is one of my favorite buildings). It was meant to serve as an impressive entrance into Manhattan and it certainly is. That is, if you can disregard all of the delis, tenement looking buildings, billboards and homeless people surrounding the arch. It really is beautiful. The funny thing is that the Manhattan Bridge is one of the lesser traveled bridges by myself or anyone I know so it seems like a waste for this particular bridge. But, there it is.
There's not much else to say considering there's not much you can say about something you drive on to get to Brooklyn. But, the Manhattan Bridge takes you to the southern part of Brooklyn and this is the entrance. Full stop.
Pros
  • The arch
  • Access to Brooklyn
Cons
  • You can't live here unless you're a troll
Recommended for
  • Professionals
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Lots of green spaces for an Avenue"

There's quite a lot of green space on 6th Avenue which is rare for an Avenue and even rarer for the Garment District. That adds a massive bonus to the street appeal but it's still hard to justify living on an Avenue -- especially in this neighborhood. It's just always so crowded and loud around here. And, the neighborhood feel isn't exactly stellar.
The neighborhood starts at 32nd street and that block is taken up by Greeley Square and the Manhattan Mall. Greeley is a little green space in a sea of big buildings that's actually quite nice. The only problem is that it's pretty small so it's next to impossible to find a seat here. Because of that, I rarely go here. The Manhattan Mall is one of the weirdest things ever. It used to be Macy's rival department store called Gimbel's but it obviously wasn't that big of a rival because it went out of business. Now, it's a mall sort of thing with cheap stores like JC Penny's and little kiosks lining the walkways. I didn't know there was a mall in the city for about a year. That's about how popular this place is . . .
Up at 34th, we have more shopping and green with Herald Square and the Victoria Secret / H and M building. This is a crazy busy intersection so I never hang out around Herald Square. But, it would be lovely if there weren't so many tourists here all day every day. I feel sorry for the people who live around here because it can be an absolute nightmare to get through. It's pretty, though, if you can erase all the people in your imagination.
The rest of the Avenue in this neighborhood is a mix of commercial and residential spaces but most of the buildings are pretty old which I like. There are a lot of textile buildings on this street which is to be expected and a lot of little delis and takeout places. There's nothing really in the realm of neighborhood bars or restaurants and it just has a really commercial feel. It's not bad as far as Avenues to use to run errands. And, it has a ton of green and things to do, but I wouldn't want to live on it.
Pros
  • Parks and Squares
  • Shopping
Cons
  • Loud and crowded
  • Tourists
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • Students
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
Just now

"Summer fun street"

West 40th starts off much more pleasingly than most other streets in this neighborhood -- and, it's actually it pretty lovely start for any neighborhood in the city. The block at 5th Avenue holds one of the prettiest buildings in the city: the main branch of the New York Public Library. It's a gorgeous building inside and out and I can't recommend it more for a visit. I went to a party once there and it sort of blew my mind. But, even going for a walk through stacks is a pretty good time. Everything is so old and the detail to the building is beautiful. It's very grand. And, speaking of grand. Next door to the library, you run into Bryant Park. This park used to be a cemetery and I highly doubt they moved the bodies once it became a park because they never do in this city. Then it was big drug haven they used to call Needle Park. And, now it's a great place to watch movies in the summer. It's actually my favorite park for summer screen. A couple summers ago we went to see Rosemary's Baby here. Just a bottle of wine, a few hundred of our fellow New Yorkers and a few thousand bodies below us for a pleasant horror film screening. How can you beat that? They have all kinds of great activities here in the summer and it really is one of my favorite outdoor spaces in the city. It's a little loud surrounding the park but you adjust quickly.
The block directly across 6th brings you abruptly into a midtown aesthetic with a bunch of big business sky scrapers and a big hotel. You get this brief respite of the city only to be plunged directly into the thick of it. It's not my favorite block, but I do enjoy the Croton Resevoir Tavern right here because I like old timey places and this one is really old timey. Plus, there aren't a lot of great bars around here so this one is even more appreciated.
It goes downhill from there are things to do and aesthetic. The block at Broadway holds the World Apparel Center which is an utterly massive (and ugly) building that houses show rooms and textile businesses -- it is the Garment District, after all. And, the block at 7th houses Parsons School of Design which is one of the bigger design schools in the country. Oh, and Drama Book Shoppe is on this block as well which is one of my favorite book stores in the city. But, there's really nothing much else to the street. It's definitely not a street you'd want to live on. There's not much of a vibe and nothing in the way of restaurants. But, it's a pretty good street for a day of visiting in the summer.
Pros
  • Bryant Park
  • The Library
Cons
  • Loud
  • Crowded
  • No neighborhood vibe
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Only for garment people"

West 39th used to be all mansions in the Garment District. But, those days, sadly, are over. Now, it's a really commercial street with some apartment buildings in the mix and about zero in the neighborhood feel region. It's not a street that people aspire to live on.
The Lord and Taylor shop is right on the corner at the start of 39th's run through the Garment District. It was quite the to do department store when it opened (about 100 years ago). Now, it's definitely a lower tier store, trailing far behind nearby Saks, Barneys, etc. But, they do still have a great holiday window display every year. The store shares the block with little stores and restaurants but nothing people are really dying to get into. The building on the other side of the street used to be PT Barnum's home. And, Sinclair Lewis lived two buildings over from that. I highly doubt any one in that vicinity of renown is living on the street these days.
The block at 6th is equally unimpressive with a coffee shop, a big commercial high rise, and the back entrance to the Marriott Hotel as its only landmarks. And, the block at Broadway is only impressive to people that work in the garment industry. The World Apparel Center takes up nearly the entire block and boasts a million square feet of showrooms and other garment related businesses. It's a pretty massive building that stands on the site of two former arts giants. The two buildings it replaced were the Maxine Elliott theatre and the Metropolitan Opera House. The theatre was a big time draw that saw plays written by Shaw, Maugham and Gregory. The Met Opera House was the home to the Met from the late 19th century until they moved to Lincoln Center. When it moved, they demanded the building be torn down so no rival companies could use the space. Both were demolished in the '60's which I think is such a shame.
39th's run through the neighborhood ends at 8th Avenue with a very appropriate block at 7th. There are two massive buildings on the block. One houses wholesale fabrics and textiles offices. And, the other is the building where Oscar de la Renta, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan are all headquartered. It's not a block you'd want to live on (none of the blocks on this street are). But, if you work in fashion, this is probably the spot to be. There's no neighborhood vibe here and no bars or restaurants so it's a depressing place to live. But, at least it's a part of the garment district that's actually responsible for good garments.
Cons
  • Ugly
  • No neighborhood vibe
Recommended for
  • Professionals
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Weird stores"

38th starts its run through the Garment District at 5th Avenue and it's a very commercial looking block. It's not bleak in appearance like a lot of other blocks in this neighborhood, but it's not exactly a block that you look at and think, "I'd really like to live there." Lord and Taylor is right on the north corner at 5th and it used to be a very impressive department store back in the 19th century that now is only known for impressive Holiday window displays. I do, however, think it's impressive that the store has been around for this long. Good for them. I've never been in there, but still, good for them. The rest of the block is taken up by a monster luxury apartment building and a little hotel with not so much luxury -- the rooms all have shared bathrooms.
The block at 6th is taken up by shops that make Lord and Taylor still seem luxurious. These stores are the reason I don't like this neighborhood. This block has cheap clothing stores and trinket shops . . there's even a store entirely dedicated to beads. I think it makes the street ugly and gives it a weird energy. I don't like it so I don't hang around here much.
The block at Broadway doesn't have much to it either but it does have a Crunch gym directly across the street from a Delicatessen and a Bakery which I find really funny. I would hate to work out at the gym and would probably be fat if I did. That smell has got to kill all the people walking in to go run for 30 minutes. It's like water torture but, ya know, food.
There's just nothing to this block in the way of exciting things to do or nice things to look at. It has no neighborhood feel to it at all. This area, in general, is like that, but this street is particularly offensive in my opinion. And, it's swarming with people and cars during the day and absolutely dead at night so you just can't win. I wouldn't live here.
Cons
  • Too busy at times
  • Too many people at times
Recommended for
  • Professionals
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Lifeless street"

36th starts its run through the Garment District in a very Garment District way. There is such weird mix of little shops on this block (at 5th) and I have never had any desire to go into one of them. I always wonder how the stores in this neighborhood stay in business. I don't think they do anything for the aesthetic or energy of the neighborhood either but that's just one man's opinion.
There's a little 24 hour Korean BBQ right at 5th that looks kind of scary to me. And, there's a little bar next door to that which is a good thing for the neighborhood but I have yet to know one person who has ever been to this bar. There's also an underwear store right next to a feather store on this block (see what I mean?) And, then there's Keen's Chop House. Keens has been around since the 19th century and it's a very old, crusty steak house with over 200 varieties of Scotch. I think it's more notable now for its history than its actual food but I think it's pretty cool. There used to be all kinds of lascivious activity on this block but it just looks like there is. A big British occultist used to live here as well as the big party inviter for the Astors. There used to be another steak house on this block which was where Henry Gray and Ruth Snyder met. Their plot to kill her husband inspired the movies Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice. All I keep wondering is how so many people managed to eat at steak houses back in the day . . .
The block at Broadway is taken up by two massive buildings: The Herald and The Haier Building. So, unless you work for either of those companies, there's really no reason to pay it a visit. And, the block at 6th houses three slightly smaller buildings with a bunch of commercial spaces in them so that's pretty much a passover block as well. The block leading into Hell's Kitchen (just before 8th) is only great if you're a shopper. There's a permanent sample sale store on the north side of the street that all my friends love and a masquerade costume company across the street which I think is kind of cool to peruse through. Other than that, there's nothing to see here either.
West 36th is pretty depressing in this neighborhood. The buildings are all ugly and there's just no energy to the street. You add that to the fact that there's not much to do and no green and you're not really left with much of a reason to want to live here (or go here).
Cons
  • Too busy at times
  • Too loud of noise
  • Too many people at times
Recommended for
  • Professionals
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Rather drab and uneventful"

35th starts off its run through the Garment District at 5th with a real mish mosh of businesses and the street remains like that right up until it goes into Hell's Kitchen at 8th Avenue. The block at 5th features a magazine shop, a couple of Korean restaurants, several Karaoke spots and a few little bars that pretend to be for the neighborhood set, but really they're more for tourists. It has a weird energy because of all of the little businesses and the aesthetic of the street is pretty depressing.
The street at Broadway is taken up by Herald Square which is a block long sitting area that is nicely decorated during the holidays but next to impossible in the realm of actually finding a seat thanks to all the tourists in the area. And, the block at 6th has a couple of commercial buildings but is mostly dominated the original Macy's store. This department store is absolutely massive. I love it, though. It's very old looking and beautiful and actually rather elegant for a Macy's. I always pop in here when I'm in the neighborhood because I like the old timey escalators and the turn of the century feel this store still has. It's pretty cool, in my opinion, for a not high end department store.
The street at 7th goes right back into nowhere land with a couple of big commercial buildings and a school. And, then the Garment District is over sooooo. There's nothing really to say about this street aside from only go there if you work there or if you need to go to Macys.
Pros
  • Macys
Cons
  • Ugly
  • Nothing to do
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
Just now

"Lots of shopping"

There used to be quite a bit of mansion happening in this stretch of 34th. And, now there's just quite a bit of commercial space and quite a bit of tourists. The whole block running from 5th to Broadway was once taken up by big mansions built for the likes of the Waldorfs and Astors. The original Waldorf Astoria Hotel was built on the site of the two families mansions and then moved uptown to make room room for the current building: the Empire State Building. The Empire State is probably the most recognizable and popular landmark in New York City. It was the tallest building in the world until the '70's and is still, currently, in 3rd place. Needless to say, there are tourists crawling around this intersection and block all day long every single day. And, just to add to the crowds, there's all kinds of shopping on the other side of the street. Nine West, Banana Republic, Solstice, H and M, etc can be found on this block so it's pretty much always a madhouse around these parts. The Victoria's Secret building on the corner at Broadway used to be an 11 story department store that originated the price tag and money back guarantee. I think that's kind of cool. I also can't imagine having to shop without price tags.
Across Broadway, you run into Herald Square which is a big sitting area / no car zone. It's mostly tourists sitting at the tables and benches, presumably resting from shopping and touring, but it's a pretty cool looking little area especially at Christmas. Unfortunately, it's also very loud and crowded around here pretty much all the time.
Once you cross Herald Square, you run into another big shopping stretch with the original Macy's paving the way. This massive store (the biggest in the world) takes up the entire north of the block. It was built in 1902 and is credited with inventing the baked potato, the tea bag, the store Santa and the Thanksgiving Day Parade. I don't like Macy's, in general, but I love this store. It's old and beautiful and there hasn't been a ton of work done to it so the escalators are still very antiquated. It's just really pretty and looks, in many ways, like what you would imagine a department store to look like 100 years ago. Across the street, you will find Old Navy, Sephora, etc. One of the buildings in the middle of the block (116) used to be a hotel that was famous for the "recluse of Herald Square," a socialite who checked into the hotel in 1907 and didn't check out until 1931. She had quite a lot of money stashed away in these rooms which they found after her death. Really weird / man, I love New York.
The block across 7th is a mix of older buildings that house actual little garment stores that gave the neighborhood its name and massive commercial skyscrapers. It's a weird block with no aesthetic and no energy because of that, I think. It's just very commercial and offers nothing to see. I wouldn't want to live on 34th, in general, but especially not on this block. It's really a street you go to for shopping and sightseeing. It's way too crowded and loud to live on. And, there are no local bars or restaurants so the neighborhood vibe is abysmal.
Pros
  • The original Macys
  • Shopping
Cons
  • Crowded and loud during the day
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Tourists
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
Just now

"Empire State and Strip Clubs"

33rd in the Garment District is very business oriented. It's not a street you would really want to live on because there's no neighborhood vibe and minimal aesthetic. There are a couple of shops at the start of the street's run through the neighborhood like the biggest comic book store in the city and an art supply store, etc. And, there are some fun little restaurants like PG which used to be a speakeasy that still has escape tunnels as well as a fantastic deli. But, the neighborhood effect of these places is pretty overshadowed, literally and figuratively, by the big daddy of NY tourism: The Empire State Building. This building takes up the whole norther side of the block at 33rd and 5th and is crawling with people all day long. It's the most recognizable spot in the city. When I first moved here, I would look for it to figure out which direction I was going. But, a lot of people look for it to go there. The building is 102 stories tall and was finished in 1931. It was the tallest building in the world until the '70's and is still in the top 5 for height. It has been in a few movies like King Kong (most notably) and is a popular meeting site for romancing thanks to An Affair to Remember. The view from the top is outstanding which is probably the biggest reason why tourists come here. The lights are pretty cool too. They make a heart in February. It really is quite the sight and worth a look. It's one of the few sky scrapers that I actually find attractive. The block after the Empire State is really small compared to the monster building. But, it's pretty much just taken up by strip clubs and strip clubs that serve food so there's not much to see anyway . . unless you're into strip clubs.
Once you cross Broadway, you're in another path of tourist crazy because Broadway is closed to cars and Greeley Square is on the other side. It's basically just a little stretch of green with benches and a statue of Greeley (one of the bigger names in journalism history). It's a lovely little plot of green but it's so surrounded by people, noise and big buildings that it's hardly tranquil. It's still a nice addition but it doesn't make up for the lack of aesthetic in the neighborhood, in general. And, it doesn't make up for all the strip clubs.
West 33rd is a not a street I would recommend living on. It's kind of seedy, really touristy and has no local haunt / neighborhood feel to it whatsoever. Unless you want to see the Empire State, it's really a passover street . . .that takes a while to pass over because of all the people.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Korea town for the night"

West 32nd in this neighborhood is jam packed with Asian restaurants and shops. There are a lot of great spots to eat in this little stretch and they're great finds because there is a minimal tourist contingency. The corner of 32nd and 5th houses Pho 32 and Shabu which is a fantastic spot if you're into Pho and Shabu Shabu. If you're not, however, there's a great deli and Mandoo bar which has fantastic dumplings all in the same building. Basically, if you like Asian food, go to this spot and you're bound to find something. Two buildings over, there's a great Korean BBQ place with a 24 massage parlor above it. So, you can get some BBQ and a happy ending without having to take more than 10 steps. That kind of business doesn't do much for the neighborhood vibe, but I'm sure it's popular with the big business set in this area. Next door to that is a 24 hour Korean Buffet with another Korean restaurant across the street. I think what this block is trying to say is that if you're into vice, you can stay here, literally, 24 hours and never want for anything. This block also features a couple of little, cheap hotels, a karaoke bar, a coffee shop, and a 24 hour spa. This block really adds to the rumor that this city never sleeps. You can find something to do 24 hours a day on one single block. The best oldest Korean restaurant is up at Broadway and there is a very comprehensive Korean market directly across the street. It's a really popular block for local New Yorkers because most things are open all day and night and it's not exactly advertised in tourism books. Plus, the food is pretty great across the board. I have spent a couple of nights on this block starting with dinner and ending up with walking out of a karaoke bar at dawn. Not my proudest moments but they sure were fun.
Across Broadway, there's Greeley Square and a couple of dingy little shops. It's nice to have a bit of green in this area, but it's so big building, loud, busy and dreary in this part of town that Greeley isn't even my 20th choice for a place to hang out and enjoy a bit of "nature." It's a great stretch for a night every now and then but I would hate to live here. The neighborhood vibe is minimal and it's loud and dirty all the time. I kind of feel bad for the residents because of the 24 hour nature of this street.
Pros
  • Great restaurants
  • 24 hour a day mentality
Cons
  • Dirty
  • Ugly
Recommended for
  • Singles
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Students
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Gloomy block that could have been"

West 31st starts off in the Garment District at 6th Ave to the west. And, it's not the best start. There are a couple of cool, old buildings but the block has sort of a gloomy energy to it. There are some whole sale vendors and a couple of take out spots but nothing really noteworthy happening. There's no energy to it at all.
The block at Broadway is a mix of wholesale spots and old hotels but it's still pretty depressing. The old hotels used to be quite grand so I'm sure this block used to be a force to be reckoned with. Now, it kind of reminds me of an urban Tijuana. The apartment building on the corner used to be the Grand Hotel which really was grand. It has a Parisian architecture that is in a sad state of disrepair which is too bad. There's also the Herald Hotel and the Hotel Wolcott on this block. The Hotel Wolcott used to count Buddy Holly and Edith Wharton as its guests. Now, I think it counts tourists on a strict budget as guests because it too has fallen victim to a sort of gloomy and dingey neighborhood. This run of 31st used to be the talk of the town and now it's just a spot to go if you need a rug or a lap dance (there's a "dungeon" on the north east corner at 5th).
Pros
  • Cool, old buildings
Cons
  • Fallen into disrepair
  • No neighborhood vibe
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Lots of wholesale shops"

For an area called the Garment District this street, along with most others in the neighborhood, sure does sell a lot of things other than garments. There is a wholesale shop for just about anything you can imagine and a few things you couldn't on 30th's run through the Garment. Starting on the block at 6th Avenue, there are a few jewelry shops, a sock shop, a hat shop, a candy store, and even a crafting store. It's a weird run and I'm not quite sure who shops here but it's always busy around here so I guess people do.
Across Broadway, the tchotchke continues with a few perfume stores, a shop dedicated entirely to scarves and an entire store of Judaica. There is, however, a fantastic Indian spot on this block called Dimple that I highly recommend. The majority of both of these blocks are old, kind of decrepit buildings that I wouldn't really want to live in but the two on the end at 5th are quite lovely. Holland House used to be the most posh of posh hotels and the rug gallery across the street is a gorgeous building from around the same time that was meant for bachelor apartments. They're the only saving graces of the aesthetic of this street. There's not really much of a neighborhood vibe here because of all the wholesale shops and take out eateries. And, generally, I think the Garment District has sort of a grimy feel to it. Plus, it's way too close to midtown for my liking. It's not awful. There's just nothing "neighborhood" about it.
Pros
  • Wholesale shopping
Cons
  • Depressing atmosphere
Recommended for
  • Retirees
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Gorgeous buildings ruined by weird shops"

This run of 29th, from 5th to 6th, looks now about how seedy it used to be back when this was the Tenderloin. It used to be a big neighborhood in the gambling, dance hall and prostitute arena in the 20th century; but, now it's just a dark commercial wholesale kind of jam. It's not dangerous around here for the most part, nowadays, but it's not fun by any stretch now either.
The block at 6th has just about every kind of wholesale shop you can imagine. There's a hat shop, accessories, clothing, party supplies, jewelry. . . you name it. They kind of scare me so I don't shop here but a lot of people do, apparently, because this area is always really crowded during the day. The costume jewelry shop on the corner used to be the most popular dance hall in the neighborhood where people like Eugene O"Neill would come to drink amongst other seedy activities. There were at least four gambling / dance halls on this block alone in the 19th-20th centuries. And, now, there are enormous, weird hats. Go figure.
Across Broadway, there are two magnificent looking cast-iron apartment buildings that used to be popular hotels for the likes of Oscar Wilde and other literati. I imagine the rent is grotesque at either of these buildings, but the apartments must be lovely if not maybe a little small even for Manhattan. The ground floors of both house bizarre wholesale shops which I'm sure the residents just love. There are some great, old buildings on this block like the Marble Church and other lovely apartment buildings so it kind of annoys me that the store fronts are all chintzy shops or to go places like a dingey falafel. This stretch of 29th could be so pretty but the businesses here really drag the aesthetic and energy down, in my opinion. It makes what could be a lovely street into a crowded and creepy passover one. It's not a horrible stretch to live on, but I think it has so much more potential than what it is now. Luckily, New York always changes so I'm sure it'll come back around.
Pros
  • Beautiful buildings
  • Great History
Cons
  • Weird shopping
  • Dingey to go restaurants
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Beautiful architecture for a commercial run"

This stretch of 28th only runs from 6th to 5th but has quite the rich history and some great old buildings. The block from 6th to Broadway used to be known as Tin Pan Alley. It's where all the new music was published in the 20th century and the sheet music shops would hire to people to play the new stuff on the street in front of the shops. I guess it made a lot of tin pan banging noises which doesn't say much for the music at the time. There's a fun little plaque on the south side of the street. All of the great, old buildings were music publishing companies that are now things like flower shops with apartments just above. I think these are some of the coolest looking buildings in the area. 57 West 28th used to be a high end gambling den (I wonder how many people were killed in that room). There's a gross looking high rise apartment building on the south side of the block which ordered the demolition of some of these great old building in order to go up. It's a very generic looking luxury apartment building that doesn't fit in at all with the architecture. I know it's not the residents' faults but I always give them stink eye when I see one entering. Conversely, there's a great old building on the corner at Broadway which used to be a church, then a public bath house and now it's a Wholeseller outlet. It was a bath house until 1985 which is pretty cool / creepy. The building is gorgeous, though, so I'm glad it's still around.
Across Broadway, there's another stretch of great buildings starting with the Johnston Building which is scheduled to open as a boutique hotel some time shortly, here. There are a lot of little bizarre / wholesale shops on this block and one of them is in one of the few remaining brownstones in the neighborhood. It's really lovely and I believe they sell perfume here. It used to be a gambling den back when this area was crawling with them. There's a beautiful but run down looking building on the corner at 5th which has more wholesale selling involved with it but I can't imagine it was built for anything remotely like that. It has these great story high arched windows at the top which I imagine would be awesome to look out of every day if you could live in that space. This building is somewhere around where Newland Archer lived in Age of Innocence, though, I'm presuming he lived in a brownstone back when the neighborhood was fancy.
West 28th is incredibly commercial and there isn't much in the realm of things to see, eat or do. But, so many of the buildings are so cool that I wouldn't mind horribly living in one of them if it were available. This block is very old timey to me and you don't get a lot of that in commercial areas.
Pros
  • Gorgeous buildings
  • Tons of history
Cons
  • No neighborhood feel
  • No bar or restaurant scene
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"A little shopping if you're into these kinds of stores"

The one block run of 27th through the Garment District has little to do with garments, but it is still very commercial. In fact, I don't think you can live on this block at all. As far as I know, it is strictly commercial high rise space.
There corner of 27th and 5th houses a health food restaurant on the north corner which I have yet to try but that's because I'm a creature of habit and usually go to my salad place on 6th for take out lunch. The rest of that side of the block does have a few little clothing shops but they're hip hop oriented clothing. One of them is actually called that, I believe, so I definitely haven't ever been into them. The other side of the block is taken up entirely by the Victoria Building which is named after the Victoria Hotel that used to be on the same site. It was a very posh hotel where Grover Cleveland lived for some time. The building now houses a kind of bizarre mix of Asian housing stores. That's hardly garments but I suppose its still in the vicinity.
The one thing about this block that I think of every time I'm here is that on the north corner of 27th and 5th there was an odd case involving a very pretty, very wealthy young woman. This is the last place she was ever seen and the trial involved her secret paramour but she was never found and he never convicted. I think this is particularly odd because this intersection was every bit as busy in 1910 as it is now and I can't imagine how one is abducted right here without any witnesses. It seems impossible and I get a little bit of a chill whenever I'm standing here waiting for the light to change. That's the thing I love about New York. There are so many ghosts of people standing right where you stand and to a California native, the history is so rich.
Pros
  • History
Cons
  • Very commercial
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Little commercial block"

West 26th only runs for one block through the Garment District neighborhood. And, this particular block is nothing of what you expect of the Garment District in general. The neighborhood is really depressing looking, to be honest. I always feel like it's a little bit gloomier around the Garment and Hell's Kitchen. But, this block is, actually, quite nice. The only problem is you can't really live here. It's a very commercial area like most of the area surrounding Madison Square Park. It starts at the top end of the park which I really enjoy. There's great people watching here and the Shake Shack is always a good time if you can handle the wait . . which is always exorbitant.
This little stretch used to be quite fancy. The restaurant, Delmonico's was once here. It's probably the most famous restaurant in New York City that no longer exists. At the end of the 19th century, it was the most fashionable place to be. They invented Eggs Benedict and Lobster Newberg. When Delmonico's moved, it became another fashionable restaurant where Stanford White ate his last meal before being shot. Now, it's the FX Network headquarters where they make up shows about people getting shot (Damages). The other building on this block is a commercial high rise with a gallery on the bottom floor. There are some cool looking gargoyles on the building but nothing to see inside outside of the gallery.
It's a nice looking, commercial block, but that's exactly what it is. You don't really go here unless you work here.
Pros
  • Next to Madison Square Park
Cons
  • Commercial area
Recommended for
  • Professionals
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
Just now

"Madison Square Garden Street"

West 32nd starts at Madison Square Garden / Penn Station which I think is a pretty good indication of what kind of run this street has. It's pretty busy pretty much all the time, and it is very, very commercial. This is not the street you want to live on if you like the neighborhood kind of feel. There are a ton of tourists, commuters and people that just live in different neighborhoods coming to 32nd every day. It's kind of a mad house.
Seeing a concert or game at MSG is pretty spectacular but it's definitely not an intimate venue. This place is massive and sort of a promised land for a lot of people in the music world. Elton John has performed here over 50 times, John Lennon's last performance was here . .. and, I saw Rihanna here last year (it was someone else's birthday, don't judge me). A lot of people hate MSG, however, for a reason other than the crowds. The construction of this place involved the destruction of the original Penn Station which was heralded as a masterpiece. It was modeled off of Roman Baths, and apparently, it was a spectacular sight to behold. I happen to agree that it is a travesty. MSG is all fine and well, but it could have gone somewhere else. And, the new Penn Station looks like a slightly elevated subway station.
The block across 7th from MSG has a variety of things like a 99 cent store, a church, a few little eateries and the weirdest mall ever: The Manhattan Mall.
This one of the less desirable streets to live on in Chelsea because of the amount of people lurking around MSG. It's always loud and crowded around here with little in the neighborhood feel area. There are so many beautiful streets in Chelsea, that this one doesn't come anywhere near making the cut.
Pros
  • Transportation access
Cons
  • Commercial area
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
  • Students
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
Just now

"Times Square Hell"

7th Avenue's run through midtown is so expansive that the neighborhood changes quite a lot as it goes. Because it does, I'm breaking my review up into two different pieces for two chunks that are so different, they don't really seem like the same street.
The southern chunk of 7th Avenue in midtown starts at 40th with the Parson's School of Design. It's a major design school with alum such as Tom Ford. My friend just got accepted here and I can't wait til I can start making her make all of my clothes. Parsons is a pretty big name with a pretty small campus. Most of it is in just this one building.
Once you cross 41st, you get into the thick of the Times Square area which is an absolute madhouse. There are people everywhere 24 hours a day. It's mostly tourists with a smaller mix of professionals who can't avoid this area because they work around here. And, all of the businesses here are catered to tourists so there isn't much in the way of the local haunt. You'll find things like a massive Red Lobster and a Disney Store that is equal in size to the restaurant. The Times Square subway stop is right here and it's always a mad house because nearly every single train line comes together at this stop.
The block at 42nd houses One Times Square which used to be the New York Times Headquarters. They started the New Year's Eve Ball drop which continues from this spot though the the newspaper has moved a couple blocks over. It's one of the busiest blocks in the city at any given moment during the day and I try to avoid it at all costs. There are a couple of shops on this block, like Quicksilver, but even if I loved Quicksilver, I still wouldn't go here unless I couldn't get around it.
The block at 43rd houses a really pretty building that was built for Paramount Film Studios. The studio is no longer there but the logo still remains. It's a gorgeous building if you can get around the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. The opposite side of the street features the headquarters for shows such as Good Morning America. There are so many lights on this corner it's nearly seizure inducing. It's pretty crazy and very kitschy. The block at 44th is more of the same. It houses MTV studios and an awful lot of lights as well as a massive Toys R Us. This block used to be all theatres and now it's pretty much just all ads. It's an eyesore in my opinion, but people come from all over to see it so it must have some appeal.
The block at 46th holds Duffy Square which is a huge traffic island in the middle of Times Square. There are some chairs here for people who just really want to sit down in the middle of all this noise and traffic. But, it's mostly filled with solicitors and weirdos. This used to be part of the massive Astor Farm and every time I'm around here, I imagine a simpler time when it was just cattle. The Doubletree Hotel is also on this block . . . presumably for all the tourists to stay after they're done having a good sit in the traffic island.
The block leading up to 48th houses more souvenir shops than you can possibly imagine and zero things to do outside of that (aside from the Ramada where you can sleep for relatively cheap). It's overwhelming how many kitschy things you can buy or eat if you're into chain to go places on this block. It's a nightmare right here and I don't know how any of these things stay in business.
Once you cross 48th, you get into another realm of 7th that isn't nearly as catered to tourists. It's still very commercial, but it's, at least, not overrun with trash and noise.
Pros
  • Transportation access
Cons
  • Tourists Everywhere!
  • Noise and Trash
Recommended for
  • Tourists
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"6th Ave - 40th to 47th"

This review is for the lower part of 6th Avenues run through midtown. Because the run is so expansive and the Avenue changes so much from the lower to the upper part of the neighborhood, this review is for 6th's run from 40th to 47 which is the much more midtown part of midtown.
6th starts its run through the neighborhood at 40th street with Bryant Park. It's not the most eventful park throughout the year now that fashion week moved. But, I thoroughly enjoy this park during the summer. It's my favorite place to watch the summer outdoor movies in the park -- watching Rosemary's Baby here is one of my favorite New York memories of all time. It also has great shows, outdoor readings and all kinds of summer activities for kids. Bryant Park has been for public use since the 17th century and was a graveyard in the 19th century. Like most former cemeteries in this city, I highly doubt any of the actual bodies were moved which makes watching a scary movie here extra creepy. The park is surrounded by big buildings all around and is in the middle of very high traffic part of town so the park can be quite loud, but it's still a much need, lovely spot of green.
The block at 43rd is taken up by (you guessed it) big commercial spaces. The International Center for Photography is on this block as well as a big business high rise where the Hippodrome used to be. It was a massive auditorium that had side shows and freak acts which, allegedly, prompted the round table at the Algonquin to form so the big wigs in the area could eat lunch without running into the performers.
Going all the way up to 48th, it's just more skyscrapers without really any noteworthy companies in them. You just find a lot of suits, lost tourists, cabs and trash on this run so it's not a great place to be, let alone live. There's no neighborhood vibe and nothing to eat or drink in the area. Outside of the park in the summer, it's really not a part of town I frequent because of the noise and people during the day. But, once you cross 48th, the Avenue starts to take on much more of an uptown feel.
Pros
  • Bryant Park
Cons
  • No neighborhood feel
  • No bar or restaurant scene
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"5th Ave from 40th to 48th"

All of the Avenues that run through midtown are very expansive and the neighborhood changes quite a bit between the lower and upper parts of midtown, so I broke the review into two parts. The lower part of midtown is so different from the upper, that it's like running through two different neighborhoods -- though both sections are extremely crowded and commercial during the day with out much of a neighborhood feel. That's really the only thing they have in common.
The lower part of midtown at 5th Avenue starts off with one of my favorite buildings in Manhattan, the main branch of the New York Public Library. This building is so gorgeous. It looks like a palace from the outside with sprawling steps and lion statues at the entrance. It has been in a ton of movies from Ghost Busters to Sex and the City and it really looks like a library meant for kings. The interior is no disappointment either. I'm nerdy and love libraries anyway but this place is the cream of the crop. It is not to be missed for a resident or a tourist and makes every other public library look look depressing.
The corner of 5th and 42nd is kind of cool as far as old meets new architecture. There's a lovely old building on the west side that was built at the turn of the century for transportation offices and a building directly across the street that's about the same height built nearly 100 years later. It's brick vs glass and a really cool study in the evolution of buildings . . even if none of the offices in the buildings are cool at all. The block on the same side as the glass building used to be quite the residential block. Boss Tweed once had a house here as well as a wealthy merchant who had such attractive daughters that they all married into families like the Astors and Vanderbilts. Now, it's just a bunch of commercial buildings with zero cool to their aesthetic but that's midtown nowadays, for the most part.
The block at 43rd was once pretty colored. It had a "colored orphanage" that was burnt to the ground during the draft riots and the last bar on 5th Avenue that was demolished in 1905. There's a Stanford White building that still stands where the orphanage was but it's a pretty boring block outside of that. And, the block at 44th took a very direct departure with businesses like the uptown chain of Delmonicos (probably the most famous New York restaurant that no longer exists) and a bank that was specifically for elite women (weird, right?). The buildings are pretty much all the same, but the block is vanilla and commercial now much like this neighborhood in general.
The block at 45th is still boring as far as people watching, restaurants and really any sort of fun activity. It houses things like the Philippine Consulate. But, it used to be a stretch of slaughterhouses so I'd say that's definitely an improvement. And, this stretch of blocks, if nothing else, is what people think of when they think of New York City, in my opinion. It's people in suits walking every which way, a million cabs whizzing by, and an endless sea of massive buildings. I tend to think of this stretch as an eye sore with nothing to do, but I guess to a newcomer from a rural area, this must be quite a sight. The last block of this section (47th) is one of the blocks in the diamond district. They don't call it that for nothing . . nearly every shop in this area is diamond dealing and it's one of the biggest in the world. The buildings are a bit older and this block used to have a lot of high end hotels with brownstones that all came down by the 20th century. 5th at 47th is what kick starts the part of 5th Avenue that most people know: the shopping part. And, the vibe changes into a very uptown sort of commercial street.
I wouldn't live on 5th Avenue because it's way too crazy during the day and dead at night. And, there is zero neighborhood appeal or energy, in my opinion. And, this part is particularly sad because there's nothing to do outside of the library.
Pros
  • The library
Cons
  • No neighborhood feel
  • No bars or restaurants
  • Crowded during the day
Recommended for
  • Professionals
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Government and Green"

Centre streets run through Civic Center starts just below Foley Square in Thomas Paine park. The square is actually pretty cool if you can ignore all of the surrounding noise. It was named for a Tammany Hall big wig whose saloon was located right in the square. Directly across the street, Thurgood Marshall Courthouse dominates the block. We have a lot of courthouses in this area, but I believe this is the one that most people go to (or at least, this is the one I had to go to when I had a jury summons). It's a pretty building but it doesn't really stand up to the courthouses in the neighborhood, aesthetically. And, it's kind of depressing on because of all the shabbily dressed government appointed attorneys and their clients.
A little further down Centre, and you run into the Surrogate Courthouse which is the most beautiful courthouse I think I have ever seen. It's stunning. The exterior is gothic feeling with a ton of statues lining it and the interior was designed after the Paris Opera House so it's very opulent but very pretty. I feel like if I have to go to court again, can't I get summonsed to this one? Across from the courthouse is the Muncipal Building which is also very pretty and neo-gothic. It has a very large tower that makes it easy to spot. . . not that it's hard to . . it holds a million square feet of space. Most of the mayoral offices are in this building.
City Hall Park is just down from the Surrogate Courthouse. It has always been a park, even before New York was New York. And, it's a pretty big space where a lot of riots like the Draft Riots, Slavery Riots, Revolutionary riots have been started or ended. . . or both. And, yet another green space is just a bit further down at Printing House Square which ends the street. The square has a big Ben Franklin statue so it's hard to miss but the real history is that this square was the site of the execution of a British militia leader whom refused to step down from his post when New York was part of the colonies. He was hanged, burned and disemboweled not far from where the statue is now. It's always in the most peaceful looking places, that the most violence happens in this city it seems.
There are a lot of green spaces here and a lot of beautiful buildings, but unfortunately, not a whole lot of living areas. It's largely for government offices which also makes the energy and feel of the neighborhood such that you wouldn't really want to live on Centre even if you could find a place. There's just nothing to do outside of a visit or work.
Pros
  • Gorgeous buildings
  • Lots of green
Cons
  • No neighborhood feel
  • Not really residential
  • No bar or restaurant scene
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
Just now

"Beautiful, old governmental buildings"

Chambers starts its run through Civic Centre at Church street and this block is quite the motley mix of just what you would expect in the really downtown part of Manhattan. There are a few little restaurants (Indian, Cuban, etc) but none of them are a big draw to the street. There are a number of discount stores, a homeless center and a lot of big buildings. I like these big buildings, though, because they're older and quite pretty. The Manhattan HQ building now houses government offices but it was an actual HQ where things like the atomic bomb were invented. Speaking of death, the corner of Chambers and Broadway was were the printer Sam Adams went to collect a very small debt from John Colt. Colt beat him to death with a hammer and tried to ship the body to New Orleans of all places. He was caught but killed himself the night before his execution. Quite the rambunctious fellow, this Colt.
But the rambunctious history doesn't stop there. Across Broadway, you run into City Hall Park which has pretty much been a park since New York was New Amsterdam. People used to bring their animals here to drink from the pond. The first non fatal battle of the Revolutionary War was here as was an anti-Slavery riot and a chunk of the Draft Riots. If there's a riot in New York, you can almost count on it being here. Jack London lived in this park when he had no money but presumably didn't start any riots. The other side of the block features some beautiful Italian inspired old buildings which all have pretty boring enterprises in their walls now, but the likes of the first Opera House to sell tickets for assigned seating was in the building on the northwest corner.
The street leading down to Centre is taken up by two very different but equally magnificent courthouses, the Tweed and the Surrogate. The Surrogate was built at the turn of the 20th century and has a gorgeous gothic architecture with a ton of statues and a very over the top but beautiful Renaissance looking interior. This building is featured in many films and it's easy to see why. It really is a work of art and makes going to court not so bad, I imagine. The Tweed Courthouse is a federal style building that cost 20 times more than it should have to build because Tweed was taking most of the money. It is really pretty, though, and looks much more like a courthouse than the Surrogate.
The street ends at the Muncipal Building (another stunning one). It has a pointy tower so it's hard to miss even from afar. It houses most of the mayor offices and has over a million square feet of space. It's massive so the fact that it's so lovely makes me wonder why people don't make buildings like this anymore.
You can't really live on Chambers, but I wouldn't even if there were plenty of residential spaces. It's very government oriented and though it's beautiful to go look at for a day, there's nothing to do here at night and the neighborhood feel is non-existent
Pros
  • Stunning architecture
Cons
  • More government than anything else
  • Nothing to do outside of look at buildings
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 1/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Public Transport 1/5
Just now

"Connects much finer roads"

Avenue of the Finest has an interesting name considering there isn't much that's "fine" about it. It's the street that I think most people only know about because they happen to stumble across it while trying to find the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge. It's basically just a little stretch of road that leads to the courthouse or to the Brooklyn Bridge Pedestrian Entrance. There are few trees, no restaurants and no bars, theatres, etc. There's really nothing on this street at all. I'm guessing that at one point it was quite fine, but it's definitely far from it now. It would almost be like living on FDR . . .
Pros
  • only here if you have official business with the courts
Cons
  • impersonal
Recommended for
  • Professionals
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Colorful past / Grey Present"

Ann Street turns into Ann just at Broadway and only runs for a few blocks before ending entirely. The street is very commercial and big business because the neighborhood is just that way. But, there is a lot of great history on this street because it runs through one of the older areas in Manhattan. At the top of the street (at Broadway) there's a big ugly business building that is on the site of one of the most historically colorful blocks in the city, in my opinion. It started as a farm in the 17th century to a man whose wife was the first prostitute in New Amsterdam. I find that really funny because there wasn't exactly a massive population back then so he must have know a number of his wife's clients. It became the first public park after that before becoming a curiosities musuem that featured things like scalps, mummies and live boa constrictor feedings. It then became PT Barnum's museum where he had freak shows. And, then it became the headquarters for the New York Herald which introduced Wall street coverage and the idea of a gossip column. It is now this ugly pile which is Michael Douglas' office in the movie Wall Street. That's a lot of action for plot of land. And, all of them seem a hell of a lot more interesting than what it is now. There's a little traffic island across the street which is all that remains of the grassy plot. It's miniature for a park but much need in this very urban stretch of land.
The next two blocks feature a slew of skyscrapers utilized for both commercial spaces and luxury high rises. And, the street ends with a massive residential co op which boasts over 1600 apartments. There are a whole lot of people packed into these few blocks. And, there's nothing to do for any of these people nowadays. It's very much what you would expect of a Civic Center street. There is so much lively history on the street but the present state is very business looking even for the residences. I like to go down here to do nerdy history walks but it would be hard to live here. The buildings block out all of the sun and there are no bars or restaurants on the street so the neighborhood feel is dismal at best.
Pros
  • Cool history
Cons
  • Dismal looking
  • Nothing to do
Recommended for
  • Professionals
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Pretty street but way too many people"

58th in midtown starts with quite the bang at 5th Avenue with Bergdorf Goodman and the Pulitzer Fountain. The Pulitzer is kind of part of Central Park but it does make for a fancy entrance to an extremely fancy store. I don't shop at Bergdorf because I'm not a millionaire, but I do like to people watch the patrons of the store. It's a very interesting set and reminds you about just how much money people in this city have. The block stays pretty grand with The Plaza Hotel next to Grand Army Plaza (cute, huh?) and the Kobe Club across the street. The Plaza Hotel is one of the more famous hotels in the city and the place that the uppity New York girls all try to have their wedding at . . though I believe it is now being reconfigured. The Kobe Club is only famous for serving ridiculously expensive differentiations of kobe beef. I've never been there because it sounds ridiculously, but the garrish seem to like it.
The intersection of 58th and 6th is the famous intersection in Midnight Cowboy where Dustin Hoffman hits the cab and says, "I'm walking here!" The funny thing about that scene is that it was a total accident. A cab drove through the set and almost hit both of the actors but Hoffman stayed in character and they used that take. The rest of the block isn't so exciting. It's a lot of Hotels which is understandable because this street is almost right on Central Park. Oh, and a New York Athletic Club. I feel like most people who live right here don't go the the New York Athletic Club but what do I know?
It's an ok street and the apartments are really nice but this is just crazy town as far as the tourists are concerned. Between the shopping, tourist attractions and Central Park, it's kind of the porthole touristville which I would not want to pay that kind of money to deal with. And, the restaurant and bar scene is really lacking. Put the two together and you get a nice neighborhood street with zero neighborhood feel.
Pros
  • A lot to do
  • Pretty buildings
Cons
  • Way too crowded and loud
  • No neighborhood vibe
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Beautiful buildings and a huge tourist draw"

West 57th starts off its run through midtown with some very high end jewelry. Van Cleef and Arpels and Bulgari line the corner at 5th Avenue which is pretty much saying welcome to uptown. But, the uptown people, I guess, can't have the shopping directly at their doorstep because there would just be too many people around. The Bulgari store is in a really pretty building that looks much older than it is. There's a lot of those mixed in with the skyscrapers so if it weren't for all the people it would be a lovely street to walk down. A lot of the buildings have residential spaces above them and if they're anything like the outside on the inside, I'm sure they're lovely . . and really expensive. The noise must be insane too because there are stores on the grounds of nearly every inch of this street. Club Monaco, Brookstone, GNC. It's like an outdoor mall right here in really old buildings. The only thorn in the mall is a rehab clinic on the corner which replaced a shabby apartment building where Dorothy Parker and Marlon Brando used to live. It was quite the nice block (Teddy Roosevelt's mansion used to be here) but now it's basically just shopping.
If the first block was all shopping, then the block across 6th is all hotels. Le Parker Meridien, a Starwood and Buckingham are all here. Le Parker Meridien is definitely the nicest one (though the now seedy Buckingham has the best history). The one thing that makes the Meridien even nicer is Normas. It's the house restaurant and they have a ridiculously great brunch. It's really expensive but a must try at least once. I still have dreams about their food and I haven't been in about a year. The west side of the block holds the back side of Carnegie Hall and the Russian Tea Room which I'm sure do quite well because of all these hotels. Though, I'm sure Carnegie Hall would do well no matter what.
The street makes a much needed departure across 7th Avenue with two gorgeous apartment buildings that were built for artists. I don't know how many artists still live there but quite a few did back in the day (like Ethel Barrymore). There are so many lovely buildings on this street that the ugly Brookyn Diner is quite the eye sore. I guess we just needed another reminder that we aren't quite Uptown yet. Of all the blocks on West 57th in this neighborhood this may be the only one I would consider living in. The buildings are so lovely that you forgive the diner and all the meanderers.
Pros
  • Tons to do!
Cons
  • Crowded
  • Catered to tourists
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Students
  • Trendy & Stylish
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Great tourist attractions"

West 56th starts off in a very uptown kind of vibe at 5th Avenue. 5th Avenue is known for its high end shopping and it starts in the 50's so this is right in the thick of it. The north corner holds the Abercrombie flagship store, which definitely isn't high end, but the tourists enjoy it and it used to be somewhat of a big deal back in the day. Directly across the street is the jewelry store, Harry Winston, which has always been a pretty big deal. It's ridiculously expensive and the one of the more popular engagement ring brands in the celebrity set. I always like their ads at this store. They're simple and elegant which I guess is because they don't have to try too hard. The Fellisimo store is in a lovely townhouse next door. It's one of the only townhouses left in the area and I think it makes the store a little bit cooler. It's kind of a downer to the aesthetic, however, because next to that there's a run of several to go restaurants that are pretty chintzy that cater to the tourist set which is enormous in this area. These little joints are the thing that make this street seem more midtown and I'm not a huge fan of that kind of energy. I'm not really sure why we need this many little Mexican joints on one block considering New York isn't even good at Mexican. It makes the block seem kind of slummy even with all of the cool buildings and ritzy stores. Benihana is also on this block which is one of my guilty pleasures even though its a very midtown chain kind of restaurant. I know a lot of hedgefund guys go to the Hana for lunch so it's not particularly touristy then but definitely at night and on the weekends.
The block across 6th has a couple of nice apartment buildings but they are completely overshadowed by the tourist draws that line the rest of the block. New York City Center which holds Alven Ailey, New York Theatre Company and the American Ballet Company amongst a few other performing arts companies is located on the south side of the block. It's a monster of a building but an incredible experience regarding anything you see here. It's pretty magical. Across the street is the Russian Tea Room. The Tea Room has been around for nearly 100 years. It started as a restaurant catering to the ballet company and then turned into a show business hang, then to a powerhouse hang and now finally into a tourist hang. People love this place but I wasn't at all impressed. The decor is fun in a ridiculous sort of way but the food was just ok and it really is mostly tourists. Carnegie Hall is next to the Tea Room which is one of the most famous concert halls in the city. There are apartments above the theatre which have always been to house artists (Marlon Brando once lived here) but the last few remaining residents are currently being threatened with removal. A lot of them are really old characters that wouldn't be able to afford staying in the city if they had to leave so there has been quite the protest regarding this. Bill Cunningham, the famous (in New York) style section photographer of the NY Times is one of the residents trying to hold on.
The block leading up to Broadway holds a few chain hotels and a massive Hooters if that isn't any indication of how tourist catering this block is. I can't believe there's a Hooters in Manhattan, but I'm not at all surprised its in Midtown.
There are some great things to do see and do on 56th but it's still a little too midtown for me to want to live here. There are people everywhere and none of the restaurants are neighborhood restaurants. Plus, there's almost no nightlife here outside of seeing a show. If you're visiting, this is a great street. But, living here, it's not my ideal.
Pros
  • Catching a great show
Cons
  • Crowded and loud during the day
  • Tourist catered
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
Just now

"Heading toward ritzy"

West 52nd is an interesting mix of what you would expect of midtown (big, ugly commercial buildings) and an uptown vibe with some great history. It starts its run at 5th Avenue with a bizarre commercial building with what in it I don't know. Across the street is the site of one of the Vanderbilt's mansions. He was the first person to live on 5th Avenue which started the trend of all the rich people living along this street in 1879. It and the space next to it where another Vanderbilt mansion was built is now taken up by skyscrapers, sadly. This entire street was mansions within the next few years and all that's left of it is one of the house's stables that is now a fancy restaurant. One of my favorite places in the city is on this block, however, and is a relic from the past that continues to be awesome: the 21 Club. The 21 Club is a ridiculously pompous restaurant, It used to be a speakeasy in the 30's where every famous person would sneak away. Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart had their first date here and every single president has dined here since, I believe, FDR. It was a wild and crazy time for the elite and still is catered to that clientele though it's no longer raucous. I had lunch here last summer and couldn't get over all the uptown grandmas in their minks in July. It's a really interesting place and I find it equal parts old timey cool and laughably posh. I really enjoy 21 Club and highly recommend it. There are a couple of other popular restaurants here like Athos but none can match 21. The block has a few brownstones that remain (now converted to business buildings) but the majority of it is taken up by massive corporations like CBS and Sperry Rand. It's a shame because there used to be a lot of jazz clubs and beautiful buildings where the likes of Marlon Brando lived. Most of them are gone which is, I guess, why I like 21 Club so much.
The next block is all big business and no history. It's a sad departure from the area around 5th because it makes no attempt to have anything cool to it. There are a couple of mid range hotels like the Sheraton and buildings like the UBS. There are no restaurants and no vibrancy which is a sad way to start to trek into Hell's Kitchen (appropriately named). This isn't a street that I would want to live on because it's too corporate and there are too many people around during the day with no neighborhood feel to it. But, I do venture here for the 21 whenever I can and it's not a terrible street by any means.
Pros
  • 21 Club
  • Close to the park
Cons
  • Commercial
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Lots of suits."

West 51st in midtown is just as commercial as the rest of the streets but doesn't have the pizazz that many of them have because it lacks crowd pleasers like Rockefeller and Radio City Music Hall. The street starts its run at 5th avenue with the International Building which isn't International at all though it did house British Intelligence during WWII. Across the street is a pretty bank building that used to be the site of the three Vanderbilt mansions. This street did have quite the status back in the day but now it has a lot of delis and a lot of big media buildings like Time Warner and Associated Press. The back side of Rockefeller and Radio City are on this block so a lot of history still remains. But, places like Toots Shores have been replaced by commercial skyscrapers. Toots Shores was a big hang for the sports and literary set. Allegedly, this is the spot where Yogi Berra asked Ernest Hemingway what paper he wrote for when he was introduced to the "important writer." Apparently, it was a hoot hollering good time and was leveled for big business.
The block across 6th has more of the same in big business with buildings like Time and Life and UBS. UBS has one of the Heartland Breweries in it and for a chain I actually kind of like this place. Also, a lot of people who work at the Rock go here after work so the place is often full of funny people from 30 Rock and SNL. Weirdly placed on this block is one of the fanciest and most regarded restaurants in the city: Le Bernadin. I'm not a foodie so I found the place to be way too self important and the food a little too creative and pretentious but a lot of people love it. I always find it funny how the most shi shi restaurants in the city are always in the weirdest places . .like 51st.
There are only more offices and a couple of hotels that round out the streets run through the neighborhood. Oh, and there's a really cheesy diner with a waitstaff that creepily sings at you, so there's not a lot to do here. The sad thing is that there used to be a lot to do here but now it's really just a place that you go because of work . . . not to live.
Pros
  • A few places to eat
  • Touristy things
Cons
  • Crowded and loud during the day
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
Just now

"Tourism mecca"

The two buildings on the corner of West 50th at the start of midtown (5th Ave) are pretty funny in that they are supposed to be dedicated to the British and Italian . . .they ended up being buildings that contain shops like Cole Haan and the Banana Republic Flagship store. Soooo, basically the Americans did what they do best which is pretend to care about other countries. It does make for some nice variety in the shopping arena, however. There is an actual building on this block called the International Building which has nothing International in it. The closest thing on this block to a culture and country mix is the Rockefeller Ice Skating plaza on the west side. It's massive and a pretty good place for people melting and watching. I don't really like ice skating rinks but from what I understand, I'm the only person that doesn't go here.
The next block brings Rockefeller Plaza proper which is an absolute tourist zoo nearly 24 hours a day. The south side of the block holds the studios for shows like Saturday Night LIve, 30 Rock and the Today Show. So, there are always people hanging around trying to get a glimpse of one of the cast members of the show. It's particularly crazy on Saturday Night as fans can often get pictures with cast members of Saturday Night LIve. I've been to the show a few times and it's an absolute madhouse after the show right here. It's also a madhouse in the winter on the weekends because across the street is the ever famous Radio City Music Hall. It opened in 1932 and saw premieres of movies like Singing in the Rain as well as being featured in several movies itself. It's kind of a cheesy theatre nowadays but it still looks magical.
The block across 6th takes a rather depressing departure featuring massive commercial buildings like the Exxon, Lehman Brothers and Time and Life Headquarters. These buildings are what you think of when you think of a massive Manhattan skyscraper. They are enormous buildings with people rushing to and fro outside of them. The block also holds one of the largest TGI Fridays which I think is kind of sad. I love their potato skins just as much as anyone else but that's some prime real estate to put such a touristy kind of chain restaurant. And, who goes to New York City to eat at Fridays? Apparently, a lot of people . . .
The final block of 50th in midtown holds the ominous Morgan Stanley building and the lovely Winter Garden Theatre. It would be half saved by the theatre if it weren't for all of the tourists lurking around. The theatre is old and beautiful and saw the premieres of shows like West Side Story and Funny Girl. It's a staple in the theatre world and a nice relic to have in the midst of all of these big corporation buildings. It's a reminder of what the neighborhood used to be.
I wouldn't want to live on 50th because there are just too many tourists in the area and not enough of a neighborhood feel or local good restaurants and bars. But, there are things to do, I guess. You just really have to like living in a place that's crazy busy all day and doesn't have much of a life at night.
Pros
  • Kitschy things to do
  • Transportation
Cons
  • Crowded and loud during the day
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
Just now

"The thick of the Rock"

West 49th in midtown starts off with quite the international flair at 5th Avenue. The two corner buildings house what used to be the French Consulate (and is now a bunch of French themed shops) and the Swiss Center. There is an adorable Italian restaurant next to the Swiss center, a Japanese bookstore next to that, a Dean and Deluca, and a wine shop. Ok, so it's not totally International, but more so than most other blocks in New York. And, I think that's saying a lot considering New York is supposed to be so International. The Rockefeller Center Ice Rink is also on this block though Rockefeller Center is officially located on the other side of Rockefeller Plaza. I watched my mom break her arm at an ice rink when I was little whilst trying to pick up my sister who had just fallen and broken her arm, so I tend to avoid ice rinks at all cost. But, people go bananas for this one so it must be a good one.
Across Rockefeller Plaza is the famous Rockefeller Center, and this street runs right through the thick of it. The auction house, Christie's, is on this block as far as the studios for shows such as Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, The Today Show and the former Late Night with Conan O'Brien. There are a ton of people lurking around this intersection all hours of the day trying to get a glimpse or autograph from their favorite celebrity from these shows so it can be quite the nightmare. Viacom also has offices here as well as the Top of the Rock tourist observatory so you can pretty much guarantee that this block is always going to be packed to the brim with people. It's hard to believe that this area used to be a massive medicinal herbs garden.
Across 6th, you run into exactly what you would imagine of midtown: big, commercial / office buildings. The McGraw Hill, Exxon and Lehman Brothers headquarters are all on this block. Lehman Brothers is said to have one million square feet for their offices in this building so you can imagine the size of these monsters. There are a couple of little chain places to eat like Hale and Hearty Soups; and, there are a few apartment buildings but it's so big business that I would hate to live in one of them.
Rockefeller Center is cool for a visit but I think it's way too crowded around here to actually live. There are tourists everywhere and not much in the way of neighborhood vibe.
Pros
  • Rockefeller
Cons
  • Tourists Everywhere!
  • Loud
  • No neighborhood vibe
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
Just now

"Rockefeller area"

West 48th starts off in midtown right at Rockefeller Center. It's the big center that's famous for the massive Christmas Tree in December so it's a huge tourist draw. Rockefeller Center is a weird mix of shops, tourist traps, Radio City and places like 30 rock where shows like Saturday Night Live are taped. It's an interesting little area. This particular part of Rockefeller houses Christie's, the famous auction house, Random House (in the building that used to publish Ernest Hemingway, Eugene O'Neill and Faulkner), and a cute little Irish Pub. I like Rockefeller Center despite all of the crowds and gawkers. I dated someone who worked in the Center so I got to know it pretty well. It has quite an energy for a chunk of city that has little energy. It's hard to believe that this land used to be a medicinal herbs garden that was tended by the doctor who treated Alexander Hamilton after his duel. But, it was all greens until not that long ago. Now, it's a concrete jungle with just one massive tree.
Across 6th Avenue you run into the Fox News Headquarters (my dad's virtual heaven) and the McGraw Hill building. It's a very conservative strip of land to say the least. Next door to Fox is the Cort Theatre that has some lovely, liberal shows much, I'm sure, to Fox's chagrin. The Diary of Anne Frank premiered here. It's a really cute space. The rest of the block leading up to the Times Square area is delis. Seriously, there are like four delis on this block and since they all stay in business, I'm guessing, they're all necessary. It's a pretty packed part of town so I guess I understand.
I would not want to live by Rockefeller because of the mass amounts of people and noise. But, it's definitely fun for a people watching, window shopping kind of afternoon (on a weekday). But, you had better get your kicks before dinner . . because there's nothing to eat or drink around here.
Pros
  • Shopping
  • People watching
Cons
  • Tourists Everywhere!
  • Loud
  • no bar or restaurant scene
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
Just now

"Colorful History -- Corporate present"

West 44th starts off at 5th Avenue in midtown at the Bank of New York building which I find very telling about how this neighborhood used to be. This bank in a townhouse used to cater to only society women which I think is really amusing. I didn't realize women used to bank, but I guess rich women did. Next to that is another lovely old building that houses the Harvard Club. Across the street is one of Stanford White's buildings that used to house massive society parties. The sidewalk clock outside the building used to be all over Manhattan before the pocket watch and this is the last of the mohicans. The New York Yacht club is also on this block because this was a big Astor family plot back in the day. This used to be a very elite block and now it's mostly tourists and chain restaurants which I think is really depressing. The remainder of the block is dominated by hotels and relics of the past when this street was great. The Iroquois Hotel where James Dean used to stay is right next to the fairly new Sofitel. The Clash used to stay here all the time as well. The Royalton Hotel used to be the place of residence for writers including William Saroyan until it got a big corporate makeover by Phillipe Starck. Next to the Iroquois is the very famous Algonquin Hotel. This hotel from 1902 has the famous Round Table were literary big wigs meet once a week. Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner and Gertrude Stein have all lived here with temporary guests including Audrey Hepburn, Olivier and Barrymore. It's a big deal in New York however crusty it has become in its old age. Across the street is the Hippodrome which used to have an arena where Harry Houdini and various carnival acts performed. It was quite the raucous block back in the day!
The next block leading up to Times Square I go into detail about in the Times Square section but there are a lot of theatres and a ton of people. It's a very tourist driven section but it's one of the streets to be if you're into the Broadway set. I wouldn't live on this street because of all the tourists, noise and trash. But, it's great for history because it used to be really colorful instead of corporate. And, a lot of the buildings remain.
Pros
  • Theatres
  • Historical sites
Cons
  • Loud
  • Crowded
  • Tourist machine
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Tourists
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
Just now

"Buildings and people, new and old"

West 43rd starts its run through midtown at 5th avenue with a bank building that has an enormous visible vault and the Century Club which is a highly exclusive club for people in the artistic and literary fields. It only has a couple thousand members which pretty small considering how many New Yorkers are in that field. Next door to the Century Club is the alumni association for both Yale and Columbia Universities in the same building. Next door to that is a lovely Beau Arts building that was the home to the New Yorker until the '90's. It has something really boring in it now that probably doesn't deserve the architecture. There are a lot of old buildings here that used to house really interesting things like the Royalton Hotel where literary types stayed . . and the Hippodrome. It's now a commercial building but it use to house a massive arena where Harry Houdini and various carnival acts performed. Man, I wish that was still around. What a weird concept. There's not much in the way of food, drinks or a neighborhood feel on this block, but there's not really any of that in this neighborhood so it's not a surprise.
The next block is more in the vein of the Hippodrome in that it has a lot of theatres and seedy hotels that used to be seedier hotels. Town Hall is in the middle of the block and I've seen a lot of great shows here. Margaret Singer was arrested here for lecturing on birth control. But, it's not quite as political as it used to be. . . unless you consider Ben Folds political. I really like the venue, though. As the block runs towards Broadway it gets more and more Times Square with food chains such as Dallas BBQ and Heartland Brewery (I actually like Heartland as far as chains go). I prefer the seedier, eastern side of the block because of all the history. Woody Guthrie wrote This Land is Your Land in a hotel that used to be right across from Town Hall. It's very old timey on the Eastern Side and once you get to Broadway, you end the run with the Conde Naste building which houses magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair and Times Square Plaza which hosts the yearly New Years Eve countdown.
I would never live on West 43rd in midtown because it's bumping up right on Times Square which I consider to be hell on Earth. There's nothing in the way of a neighborhood feel and no good bars or restaurants. It's running right into a tourist trap so people are everywhere. But, there are some good theatres and the like so it's hard to avoid if you're into the arts.
Pros
  • Some great history
Cons
  • Tourists Everywhere!
  • Noise and trash
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
Just now

"The Library and the Park"

West 42nd's run through midtown starts off really beautifully. It would be a stunning block if it weren't for all of the people, trash, noise and traffic. It's really hard to beat a block that features a park and the NY Public Library. This library is absolutely stunning. The building is from 1895 and it features two lions guarding the sprawling steps. It has been a research library for many famous writers and inventors and featured in countless movies. It's hard to beat, aesthetically, as far as elegance and grandeur go. I've been to a couple of parties here and I'm always blown away by how beautiful it is. Across the street is an NYU housing building that is actually pretty (most of them aren't) with a couple of student-related places like a coffee and sandwich shop next door. The next few buildings after the NYU dorm are very modern looking and house businesses like the HBO headquarters. But, directly next to the library is Bryant Park. It has been set aside since the late 17th century for public use and was a big drug exchange park until the early 90's when it got a major makeover. It's now a really lovely park where Fashion Week was held for a number of years. The summer outdoor movie series held here is my absolute favorite in the city. It's an absolute rite of passage for me every year.
Once you cross 6th, you run right into massive skyscraper buildings like the Verizon Building and One Bryant Park which is one of the taller buildings in the city. Many moons ago, this block used to be all mansions but it's not a residential area at all anymore. There's even a peep show place on this block just to remind you that you're in midtown. The Knickerbocker Hotel building at Broadway is the only reminder of how the aesthetic used to be when the neighborhood started becoming commercial. It's a stunning building but a little out of place next to the very tall and modern Conde Naste Building (across the street). I love the Knickerbocker and I, somehow, don't think many of the Vogue employees stop to admire it on their way to work every morning.
There are a few nice things about 42nd, like Bryant Park, but on the whole, it's a really commercial area and it's way too close to Times Square for me to ever consider living here. It's loud and tourist ridden. And, there's no such thing as a local bar or restaurant around these parts and, subsequently, no neighborhood feel to it whatsoever.
Pros
  • Some beautiful architecture
  • Bryant Park
Cons
  • Loud
  • Tourists
  • Dirty
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
Just now

"Right against Times Square"

West 41st starts its run at Bryant Park which is my favorite park for outdoor movies in the summer. One of my best memories is watching Rosemary's Baby in the park a couple of years ago. You can bring food and wine and picnic to watch a movie with a few hundred of your favorite strangers in the city. It's pretty awesome. I will brave midtown gladly any day during the summer for this. In general, the park is great in the summer, but it's definitely jam packed with people and noise in the area surrounding the park. It's really commercial around here.
The corner of 6th and 41st is marked by skyscrapers with the likes of Verizon as residents. There's a really weird mall next door to the Verizon building that's in another big building. The concept of a mall in Manhattan is really funny to me and there aren't any stores that I shop at in the mall so it's a passover building for me. The Siemens building at the end of the block has some great gargoyles on it and I highly recommend everyone take a look if we happen to be in the area. There's also a chess club building on this block that rents out chessboards in Bryant Park. Don't play anyone here, though, that you don't know. They will crush you and take all your money and pride.
The block between Broadway and 7th has just two massive commercial buildings and about a million people on the streets so there's really no reason to go there at all. But, the block between 7th and 8th has some great Broadway Theatres like the Nederlander (which has premiered plays like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf). There are a couple of little hotels on this block as well as tourist geared chain restaurants like Red Lobster. This block has a lot more energy than other blocks on this street, but it's definitely tourist energy which isn't my cup of tea. It has a lot of lights too . . and trash. I wouldn't live here because of all of the people, cars, noise, etc and I try to avoid this part of town if at all possible. It's just too close to Times Square and has no neighborhood feel.
Cons
  • No neighborhood feel
  • Little too dirty in spots
  • Too many people at times
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Diamond District"

West 47th has its run through midtown from 5th to 7th (the rest of 47th in midtown is East 57th). In these two blocks of the street, you will be hard pressed to be able to walk 10 feet and not fun into a jewelry or diamond shop. Seriously. They're everywhere on this street. The business is dominated by Orthodox Jews and is one of the biggest diamond centers in the world. This stretch of neighborhood is actually called the Diamond District because of the volume of rocks that run through this block. There's really nothing else on this block but that.
The block across 6th Avenue used to have a ton of hotels that catered to vaudeville stars back when the Palace was around. The Palace was the major Vaudeville theatre that featured people such as the Marx Brothers and WC Fields. It also held the premiere of Citizen Kane as well as theatre premieres of Les Cages Aux Folles, Beauty and the Beast and Aida. It's now the Doubletree, sadly. And, all the great hotels where the likes of Jack Benny, George Burns, and Lenny Bruce all lived are now businesses. How's that for irony? There are a couple of little restaurants on the block but nothing I would travel too far to visit. It's pretty uneventful now but some of the buildings are nice.
I wouldn't live on West 47th unless I lived here for free . . and, even then, I don't know. It's too commercial, there's no neighborhood vibe, and it's pretty dirty / loud around here. If you need diamonds, I guess, then go here. Otherwise, it's a pass.
Pros
  • Diamond dealers everywhere
Cons
  • No neighborhood feel
  • No bar or restaurant scene
  • Depressing looking
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"High end Shopping to the Max"

57th starts off in Midtown at Kenneth Cole shoes which is really uneventful considering that it's a somewhat eventful block. Next to Kenneth Cole is a boutique hotel called Hotel 57. And, next to that is a gallery which used to be where Bertol Brecht lived. The majority of this side of the block, however, is taken up by Universal Pictures and a massive luxury building where Phil Collins used to live. BLT Steak is on the ground floor which I've never tried because I don't like the offshoots but it's supposed to be really good. Across from Universal is the Ritz Tower which was the first residential skyscraper. William Randolph Hearst, Greta Garbo and Marion Davies have all lived in this building which is now, sadly, commercial. The building next door is a slightly newer luxury building. It's the building where Eric Clapton's son fell out of the 53rd story window. He wrote Tears in Heaven about his son's death.
Across Park Avenue, you get into super fancy town with the Four Seasons Hotel and some really high end shopping. Jacob the Jeweler, Christian LaCriox, and Frank Muller are all on this block along with a number of other jewelry stores and a couple of high end antique shops. There are also a few art galleries that remain on this block from the era that they all used to be right around here. It's a really pretty block and there is plenty to do and see right here which is rare for midtown but not so rare on the streets approaching up town such as this one.
The high end continues across Madison with shops such as Burberry, Chanel, Dior and Furla. People think all of the big shopping is on 5th Ave but it's actually on the streets crossing 5th Ave and this is one of the majors. If you like designer shopping, this is the street to hit. Yves St Laurent and Tiffany's (the one from Breakfast at Tiffany's) round out the block just as 57th finishes its run through midtown proper. I wouldn't want to live on this street because of the traffic, noise and tourists. But, there's something magical about walking down this street and looking into all of these beautiful shops in beautiful buildings.
Pros
  • High end shopping
  • Beautiful buildings
Cons
  • Tourists Everywhere!
  • No neighborhood feel
  • No bar or restaurant scene
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Trendy & Stylish
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Upscale Commercial"

East 54th starts off in Midtown at Lexington with a chainapalooza. There are chains pretty much taking over this entire block though a couple of them aren't so bad. The Citibank building is the massive ugly guy on the west corner. And, the rest of the buildings are pretty much all commercial though nothing as noteworthy as a bank headquarter, I suppose. Hale and Hearty Soups is on this block as well, and I must admit that they do really have great soup and you are hard pressed to not find at least one you want to try. Goodburger is also here which I've never tried outside of the shakes (which are delicious). And, Bobby Van's Steakhouse is here which I have also never tried because it's just too much of a chain for me to brave attempting a steak.
Across Park, you run into the Lever House Building which is a landmark building that went up in the '50's. It was said to be a pioneer of modern architecture and it is pretty impressive considering the glass building was so unheard of when construction began. The block is very commercial now with a deli, a liquor store (hard to find in the city),a Papyrus store, etc. But, it's still Park Avenue, after all. Georgia O'Keefe and Lillian Russel both lived on this block. The Hotel Elysee Building is next door to the Lever House and it used to be a very grand, artsy hotel. It's a real pity it isn't anymore. Tallulah Bankhead, Joe Dimaggio, Marlon Brando and Ava Gardner were all frequent guests. And, Tennessee Williams died at this hotel. This must have been quite a block to be on sixty some odd years ago!
The block between Madison and 5th Avenue is a commercial block but it's a nice one, at least. There are a few cute Italian restaurants, a steakhouse, Hugo Boss and the Elizabeth Arden Salon all within a few feet of each other which really makes the commercial business buildings bearable. There's also a museum on this block which makes it pretty dang well rounded, in my opinion.
54th isn't too bad for a midtown street. It has some good restaurants, a little bit of culture, shopping and architecture. It doesn't have any night life at all and I think it's a little too busy and business like during the day for me to ever want to live here. . . but, it's not bad.
Pros
  • Shopping
  • Some cute restaurants
Cons
  • Commercial
  • No nightlife
  • Lacking in neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Ritzy and Commercial"

52nd starts off in Midtown at Lexington with a very Midtown kind of office building set. The modern, high rise onset of the street through this neighborhood is a bit deceiving, though, because there are some great things on this block to see. The Trans Lux Theatre is on this block. It's a great old theatre where Fellini's La Strada had its US premiere. Next to the theatre is the famous Marilyn Monroe vent from the Seven Year Itch which is worth a look to most people even though it's really just a subway vent. The big power lunch spot for powerful people, The Four Seasons, is next to the vent on the other end. I've never been here because I'm not powerful but I have heard it's very snooty. The Four Seasons is on the ground floor of a very famous building called the Seagram Building. I don't love many skyscrapers but this one is pretty cool. Across the street from the Seagram building is an ugly skyscraper that replaced the hotel that Marilyn Monroe lived at during her divorce from Joe DiMaggio because of the street vent directly across. That poor vent.
Across Park, there's an interesting glass skyscraper that houses the private men's Racquet and Tennis Club. I think it's actually still only for men which I find mind boggling. I'm guessing these are the people who eat at the Four Seasons. More to my speed, there's a lovely Italian place across the street called Fresco that is worth a try if you happen to be in the area.
Across Madison, there are a ton of massive buildings and that's about it. Among them are the Omni Hotel, the very pretty Look building, Harper Collins Publishing, and La Grenouille. La Gren used to be a stable and eventually became the Armand Hammer headquarters. It now has a French Restaurant on the ground floor which, I believe, is the last remaining from the era when French restaurants were everywhere in this part of town. It's very quaint and pretty good. Across from La Gren is the Cartier flagship store. This is the epitome of 5th Ave shopping as Cartier is the go to place for ridiculously expensive jewelry. Apparently, this building was bought by Cartier in 1915 from the Vanderbilts for the price of one hundred bucks and a million dollar pearl necklace. Oh, rich people . .
There are some great things to see on 52nd but it would be hard to live on for me. There's not a lot in the way of restaurants, nightlife, or young people. And, there are a lot of suits and tourists hanging around which takes away from the neighborhood vibe. It's not a bad street. It's just not my speed.
Pros
  • High end dining and shopping
Cons
  • Commercial area
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Mix of midtown, old town and Uptown."

East 51st starts off at Lex with two really pretty buildings on the south side of the street and a bunch of ugly ones on the north side. The south side holds St. Barthelomew's Church and the RCA building. St. Barts was built in the early 20th century though it looks much older. And, the RCA building which is now also a landmark was built to complement the Church's aesthetic. Apparently, the designers of the other side of the block were more interested in complementing the midtown, faceless building aesthetic which they did quite well. It's a pretty boring block but architecturally one side of the street is lovely.
The block after Park is an interesting mix of big bank buildings and the Villard Houses. The Villard used to be a series of brownstones with a lovely courtyard that now serves as the entrance to a big hotel. This is the back side of the complex so you get quite the visual that 50th gets, but they're very pretty and very out of place in this neighborhood nowadays. There are also a couple of cute Asian restaurants on this block though neither are anything to write home about. I'm sure the people who work around here are glad they're there, though, since good restaurants are hard to come by in this stretch. There's also a Just Salad on this block which is great for takeaway lunch. I'm mildly obsessed with this chain along with Chop't because they're the perfect massive size of any kind of salad you can dream of.
Across Madison, there's a really pretty brick building called the Look Building which has been heralded in many architectural write ups. It's unusual to have this sort of building in this part of town but that's one of the great things about New York. The diversity of just about any sort of thing abounds in this city. There are a couple of little takeaway spots on this street as well as a Deli but a big hunk of the block is taken up by St. Patrick's Cathedral -- one of the more famous religious haunts in the city. A lot famous people have had funerals here and the building is just stunning. Across from St. Pat's is the Olympic Tower which used to be the most elite apartment building in the city. It has been trumped long ago by many other luxury buildings but people Jackie Onassis once called this place home and it's still really nice though in a bizarre location.
51st in Midtown is strange because it incorporates elements of Uptown and the midtown that you think of when you imagine Midtown. There are a few things to do and see but not a whole lot and it's still really crowded with suits and tourists so it would be a hard place for me to live. The demographic tends to be a bit older and professional and I don't envy anyone for living here. It's just to loud and has no neighborhood feel.
Pros
  • Some beautiful buildings
Cons
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"Big names and big buildings"

East 50th starts off with a bang as it enters Midtown (few Midtown streets can say the same) with The Waldorf Astoria and St. Barthelomew's Church. The Waldorf is one of the most famous hotels in the world and it really is lovely. The only issue I have with it is the fact that it has been completely taken over by the business set so it doesn't feel as old timey and grand in energy as it used to. If you happen to catch it during a slow run, though, it's beautiful and the upstairs home to the Waldorf salad does make you feel like an aristocrat from another time which I enjoyed very much. St. Bart's Church is one of the prettier ones in the city and I like that it's in the midst of this big building, commercial area. The two buildings remind you of what this area used to look like.
The next block is a strange mix of big commercial buildings with the Villard Houses sandwiched in there. It used to be six private brownstone residences for the elite but now these houses serve as the entrance for a grand hotel. I'm glad they kept the buildings and the courtyard because they really are stunning. I just wish they were still residences though it would be hard to pay that kind of money to live in this part of town. It's so commercial and loud.
The block between Madison and 5th showcases more famous buildings with Saks, New York Magazine and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Saks Fifth Avenue is about as elite of New York shopping that you can get and people watching the old uptown ladies that shop there is really fun. It's definitely snooty but I enjoy it. St. Pat's Cathedral is gorgeous and gothic. It has been the spot for many famous funerals from General Sherman to Bobby Kennedy. It's visually stunning and a welcome break from things the Palmolive Skyscraper.
I wouldn't want to live on 50th in this part of town because of the noise and lack of green or restaurants. And, there are too many tourists. But, it's a spot you have visit because there are so many famous places on one little stretch.
Pros
  • Sightseeing
Cons
  • Loud
  • Tourists
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
  • Trendy & Stylish
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Some noteworthy places"

49th is one of the prettier streets in Turtle Bay and the aesthetic takes a pretty swift departure once you enter the midtown section at 3rd Ave. There are a lot of hotels right at the start of 49th's run through midtown and it's pretty much just all business patrons. I know because I had to stay in the W on this block. It's a nice hotel but walking out is really depressing for a downtown person like myself. There were suits everywhere. And, no good restaurants. Across from the W is the Marriott which is an okay hotel that has some great history from when it was the Shelton. Georgia O'Keefe lived here as did Penny Guggenheim. Harry Houdini used the basement for his under water coffin trick. I wish the Marriott would have kept up the grandeur of this place but I don't know that Marriott's are capable of that.
The next block houses the Barclay Hotel which is pretty nice but it gets really overshadowed by it's across the street neighbor, The Waldorf Astoria. My parents stayed here the first time they came to visit and it is a really beautiful hotel. Unfortunately, it has been taken over by the business set so it doesn't have that kind of swagger it became famous for these days. It's still an institution, though (even though it's now owned by Hilton). The salad really is great and the restaurant is named for the Alley (Peacock Alley) where all the society figures paraded in the hotel. Many presidents, Kissinger, and Eisenhower have all lived here at some point. It's worth taking a look and trying the salad, that's for sure.
The block between Park and Madison loses all of its timey grandness with commercial buildings that house banks and big business. You walk out of the old timey Waldorf and right into depressing block USA. But, it sort of turns around again just before 5th with the famous Saks Fifth Avenue, the headquarters for New York Magazine and shops such as American Girl Place. Sidenote: I find American Girl Place to be one of the creepiest stores in existence but I guess kids like it. I went in there once and upon seeing that they have a doll hospital, immediately walked out.
East 49th has some great historical and noteworthy places to see but it's definitely not a great place to live. It's too commercial and filled with suits, tourists and traffic. There's no neighborhood feel and no great restaurants, bars, etc.
Pros
  • The Waldorf
  • Shopping
Cons
  • Crowded
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Commercial street"

If you like buildings, then you've come to the right place in regards to 48th or really any street in Midtown for that matter. It's run through this neighborhood (if you can call it a neighborhood) starts at 3rd Ave and runs through all the more famous avenues though there's not a whole lot of noteworthy things happening around here. There are a lot of hotels between 3rd and Lex with one big apartment high rise and a commercial space called the Wang Building which I find hilarious because I'm five years old. There's nothing really to do on this block and minimal things to eat. Plus, none of the hotels are particularly nice so it's a passover block to me.
The next block follows suit in the boring category though the Barclay Hotel is pretty nice, old and has an enormous birdcage in the foyer which is pretty interesting. The rest of the buildings are all commercial spaces so you really only see suits around these parts. The following block headed west is a big banking block and actually holds the building for the Chase Headquarters. I've been tempted to walk in there and demand to know why it takes them so long to process things in my account but always found something more interesting to do instead.
The block heading up to 5th is just as uninteresting as the previous though there is a 19th century townhouse smack in the middle of all these big buildings which I'm pretty happy about. I almost can't believe no one has tried to demolish it yet.
48th is really boring in aesthetic and activities. Not only would I not live here, I don't really go here much. There's no reason to . . . .
Pros
  • One pretty townhouse
Cons
  • No energy or aesthetic
  • Nothing to do
Recommended for
  • Professionals
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Very . . . midtown"

East 47th is like most of midtown east: boring. But, there are still some cool historical things to see that I would advise seeing before they're eventually torn down too.
The original Ritz Carlton was at 47th and Madison. I always get sad when things like that are moved or torn down. I think it would have been so cool to go to the original: like you're in the Great Gatsby or something. The North East corner of 47th and Park is where the bachelor pad of Lawrence Seldon in The House of Mirth was. If you're a book nerd, like myself, you will probably appreciate that.
The corner of 47th and 3rd houses the Buchanan Apartments where a lost of very wealthy socialites lived in the '30's. And, exactly one block east, at 2nd, was the original Warhol Factory. He made his first few films here before moving downtown. He hadn't ruined Edie Sedgwick just yet when he was living here.
The Embassy House at 2nd Avenue isn't a particularly interesting apartment building. But, it is built on the site of a church that had a crazy scandal. In 1913, a woman was murdered and dismembered. An assistant priest, Father Schmidt confessed and said that St Elizabeth told him to do it. He later, admitted that he was posing as a priest, the girl was his lover, and her death was due to a botched abortion. He was executed shortly thereafter. I don't think I'd really want to live at that apartment building. It would totally creep me out. The far side of the same block boasts the tallest residential building in the world. I think living in that building would scare me equally but for different reasons.
The UN headquarters is located at the East River and that's pretty uneventful. But, there is a fantastic sculpture in the north garden. It's called Cast the Sleeping Elephant. It's a massive elephant with a massive erection that was donated as a gift. The UN couldn't refuse it so they grew bushes up around the nether regions in an attempt to cover it up. I think that is hilarious.
Pros
  • the sculpture
  • history
Cons
  • Boring
  • Dead at night
  • not much personality
Recommended for
  • Professionals
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Beautiful until 3rd"

53rd starts off with quite the bang on the East River. The south side of the street holds River House which has been often noted as one of the nicest apartment buildings in New York. With the Beekman area butting up on Sutton Place, this is a really serious stretch of real estate where the richest of the rich live. This is much more of an old timey, old money sort of area so the demographic isn't exactly wild and wooly. But, the buildings are beautiful and you feel like you've been transported to another era when you walk down this street. River House used to have a yacht dock (crazy, right?). The inventor of FM radio killed himself by jumping out of his window here so it even has a ghostly sort of status outside of the fact that Cornelius Vanderbilt, Henry Kissinger and Marshall Field have all lived in this building. The rest of the apartment buildings are all lovely on this block (and ridiculously opulent and expensive) but none have the draw that River House has.
The next block is interesting because it holds two wooden structures which there are hardly any of in Manhattan. They stand out like sore thumbs but they're lovely and it's nice that they're still around. There are some other old timey, luxury apartments on this block in addition to a quaint little Irish pub, a diner -- which is weird for this part of town, and a piano bar. This is definitely an older people area if you catch my drift.
The next block is very commercial with the very identifiable Lipstick building next door to a townhouse that is now used as a commercial space. Across 53rd there are more high rises and a very swift departure from the uptown neighborhood feel of the two more eastern blocks of this street. The block up to Lexington follows suit and ups the ante with a boring looking Marriott, a Citicorp massive structure and some other massive commercial structure. The neighborhood feel is non existent here and it feels very midtown bustle during the day and ghost town- like at night. It's like you have to have millions of dollars to live in a cute two block area that's next to an urban nightmare. But, apparently, the apartments around Beekman are worth it.
Pros
  • Gorgeous buildings
  • Old timey feel
Cons
  • no neighborhood energy after 3rd
  • Far from public transportation
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
Just now

"Basically, a ramp / bridge"

There's not much to say about the Ped crossing other than it's a way across FDR by foot. FDR is an incredibly busy, highway of a street so you can't get across it safely by foot. So this bridge sort of crossing makes it easy to get from the East River bank over to the park and into the rest of Manhattan without getting run over by the whizzing cars of FDR. It's not exactly a scenic walk because of all the traffic noise, but if you need to get to the water, it's a good thing this is here. You can't live here, obviously. It's just for walking convenience.
Pros
  • Easy access to the water
Cons
  • Loud
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Nice around 1st Ave"

51st starts off in Turtle Bay pretty heavy into the Beekman set which is quite a shi shi little part of the neighborhood. There's a mansion on the corner known as Hale House which was leased to Peggy Guggenheim in the '40's. Across the street there's a gorgeous, expensive apartment building called Beekman Terrace. And, across Beekman Place there are about four gorgeous apartment buildings that are all very unique on the outside and very high-luxury on the inside. It's a pretty uppity little part of town and it costs an arm and a leg to live in one of these buildings. But, most of the units have East River views and I'm sure you would have some very accomplished and interesting neighbors since this is more of an older demographic part of town.
Across 1st there is just more luxury living. The Beekman Regent used to be a public school and is now a luxury condo building. It's on the site of Beekman's mansion which was British headquarters during the Revolutionary War and the place where Nathan Hale was tried. Across the street (at 330) is the building where John Steinbeck lived. Joe Namath lived in the building next door. The damaged rowhouse next door to the Regent was the site of the murder of the heiress Patricia Burton by her husband who is still trying to get her fortune.
There's a little park between 2nd and 3rd which is very much needed in this part of town because there is such a lack of green on the east side. It's a little besmirched by the commercial spaces across the street like Pax and a bizarre hotel with pods for rooms, but it's better than nothing. The street becomes even commercial on the block after third with a Girl Scout Building, a sizeable Doubletree Hotel and a NYPD and NYFD precint/ ladder house. It's not much fun but at least it's safe right here.
i would only live on 51st if I were old and rich. The street's really boring and there's not a ton of life to it but the housing around Beekman is really beautiful so if you don't care about energy or restaurants, then it wouldn't be so bad.
Pros
  • Beautiful architecture
Cons
  • Far from transportation
  • No energy
  • Dead at night
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Lovely until 3rd"

50th starts off in Turtle Bay with two gorgeous townhouses right on the East River. This kind of house situation is pretty rare in this part of town but quite abundant around Beekman Place which gives the neighborhood such a lovely breath of real neighborhood. The townhouses aren't even 100 years old so they don't have quite the history that the houses around neighborhoods like the West Village have, but they're grand and beautiful. Unfortunately, one of them is the Luxemburg consulate so even if you had a lot of money, you can't buy that one. Though, why anyone with that kind of money would want to live here eludes me. The next block leading up to 1st Avenue is a mix of beau arts apartment buildings and townhouses so it's quite a pretty street. It used to be all townhouses, however, and I wish they would have remained. It's still a beautiful walk and I recommend it for anyone that happens to be nearby with 15 minutes to kill.
The block between 1st and 2nd houses a big apartment building on the south side that replaced a mansion that was the site of a triple murder which was quite gruesome. The house was torn down shortly thereafter and I'm not sure if it was for different reasons or that the place couldn't sell because of that. There was a lot of damage done to the north side of the street when a crane collapsed over a few buildings a couple of years ago and I'm not sure what is going to be done with the buildings. One of them is a townhouse and I would hate to see that be an excuse to tear it down. There are a couple of little restaurants on this block and a darling pub right on the corner which gives this street something that most other in the area don't have: a real neighborhood feel.
Sadly, that doesn't last because once you cross 2nd, you are immediately hit with a big city, midtown aesthetic and energy. The buildings at 3rd are massive commercial spaces that house multiple consulates and publishing companies. There are restaurants but they have a very corporate catering kind of feel and the traffic and noise picks up significantly. If you want to live on 50th, it's a nice little street . . .as long as you stay east of 2nd Ave . . which makes public transport quite the nuisance.
Pros
  • Beautiful architecture
  • Neighborhood feel until 3rd
Cons
  • far from transportation
  • gets really commercial quite quickly
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Pretty block but not much to do."

East 49th starts off on the East River with the UN Plaza on the south side of the block and One Beekman on the north. The UN Plaza is a series of apartment buildings presumably for UN employees. One Beekman is a very expensive, luxury co op built by the Rockefeller family. It's a very high society building and the nicest one off of Beekman Place. You have to have big money to live in this building and if I had that kind of money I would probably live in a different neighborhood all together but that's just me. The next block is also entirely comprised of residential buildings that are nice but not nearly as nice as Beekman. There's nothing to do or eat for the entire two block stretch and that's a deal breaker for me. I feel like it takes away from any neighborhood kind of vibe.
The block between 2nd and 3rd is a really beautiful block which is rare in this part of town. There are brownstones that still stand on the south side of the street that used to be home to Katherine Hepburn, Stephen Sondheim, Tyrone Power, and the founder of Time magazine. I would kill to be at a block party back around the 50's. How cool would that be? Across the street is Amster Yard which was a beautifully built artists colony started in the mid-19th century. It was demolished and rebuilt to look exactly like the previous community which is one of the most bizarre landmark destruction project in Manhattan that I've ever heard of. Not too many artists live in the current, very expensive complex and maybe that was the point. I think it did this street such a disservice because it's so pretty but the neighborhood feel is lacking compared to other streets that are this lovely. Smith and Wollensky, the big tourist attraction of a steak house is on the corner of 49th and 3rd which is nice, I guess for throwing a little food and flair into the neighborhood but it's too bad that there isn't more of a local joint right here.
There's one gorgeous block on 49th in Turtle Bay and it is a pleasant street all around in Turtle Bay . . it's just really boring. It's not a bad street to live on at all but it's definitely more for the older and wealthier set.
Pros
  • Beautiful buildings
  • Comparatively quiet
Cons
  • Sleepy
  • Dead at night
Recommended for
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Looks like a commercial area but it's not"

East 48th starts off at the UN Headquarters on the East River as do most of the other streets in this neighborhood. All of the buildings on the other side of 47th are all UN lived in apartment buildings with some laymen in the mix which I'm sure makes the building mixers either really interesting or really boring . . I'm not sure which it would be. Truman Capote lived at 870 48th at the time of his death. This used to be a really big street for artists to live on, but that is definitely not the case any longer.
Trump World Plaza is just across 1st Avenue. It's the tallest residential building in the world (72 stories). That is a massive residence and it's crazy to look up to the top and imagine people living there. It's like something from the future . . although, I guess it is the future now. The intersection of 1st and 47th used to be a creek that was paved over after it aided the spread of a cholera epidemic in the mid 19th century. My guess is that would have really put a damper on all the Trump plaza residents if it happened again, but I'm' kind of sad there's no longer a little creek running through the city. The rest of this block is taken over by less grand apartment buildings and a really ugly parking garage. It's not an attractive block by any stretch of the imagination and there's absolutely nothing to do here aside from sit in your apartment if you live here.
The block leading up to 3rd used to be home to Kurt Vonnegut, Hildegarde and EB White but now it's not much of an arty enclave to say the least. I don't know why that changed, but maybe it's because this street is depressing looking and doesn't have any sort of neighborhood energy to it. It's not a bad street to live on, but there's just nothing to it. It's largely residential but looks commercial and there's nothing fun or charming about it.
Pros
  • Tallest apartment building
Cons
  • Boring
  • Depressing looking
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Boring street with a couple good restaurants"

East 46th starts off at the UN Headquarters on the East River. The Headquarters used to be a slaughterhouse and I think that's suiting for the UN home seeing as they often contribute to the same principle. Speaking of sneaky, the Trilateral Commission is just across 1st Ave which is always the center of all kinds of conspiracy theories. B'nai B'rith is next door so it's just such an international kind of block, isn't it . . . it's a shame that it's so ugly. The rest of the block is taken up by high rise loft buildings that are equally as boring on the outside but I'm sure amazing looking on the inside. I guess your apartment would have to be really killer to convince you to move to a non-neighborhood neighborhood.
The block across 2nd boasts foundations for multiple sclerosis and AIDS research and a couple of broadcasting companies (weird mix). But, this particular block has quite the colored history under the facade of a boring and ugly block. The first American draft for the Civil war was held on the north corner of 46th and 3rd which started the Draft Riots right outside the building. It was one of the bloodiest riots in New York's history. Across the street there's a restaurant called Sparks where John Gotti shot Gino Costellano making him the biggest mob boss in New York City. It's still quite the mob hangout and I think the steaks are just ok so I'm not sure why they like it so much. The restaurant next door, Grifone, has much better food.
Aside from two popular restaurants there's nothing to this neighborhood. Having the restaurants does give it a point up on other Turtle Bay streets, however, because most of them have absolutely nothing to do at all.
Pros
  • Grifone
  • Some cool history
Cons
  • Boring
  • Ugly
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Depressing looking street"

East 45th starts off at the UN Headquarters on the East River, and many of the UN buildings continue on past 1st ave so this is a really UN heavy street all the way up to 2nd Avenue. i know that it's necessary but that really puts a damper on the neighborhood feel to an already depressing kind of street. It's all big buildings with no energy and no green. It feels like midtown but it's not and in a way, that's kind of worse. Anytime I walk around 45th I feel really appreciative of my neighborhood. It's not bad, but there's just nothing to it.
There are a couple of delis, takeout restaurants, etc, but it's mostly not exciting apartment buildings, commercial space, etc. The one cool restaurant that was on this street is no longer so you're hard pressed to find anyone milling around the neighborhood. There are a lot of people during the day because of the commercial buildings but usually it's just people walking to another place. I wouldn't recommend living around here. It's even hard to get to fun neighborhoods because the train isn't close or convenient. Pass.
Pros
  • Close to Grand Central
Cons
  • No neighborhood feel
  • Depressing looking
Recommended for
  • Professionals
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"UN Buildings"

44th starts its run through Turtle Bay like many of the streets in this neighborhood: at the UN headquarters. It takes a pretty sizable chunk of land on the East River. It's not the most oppressive looking building in the city but it's not exactly the most attractive stretch of Manhattan either. This particular street, however, has UN buildings on the other side of 1st Avenue which take up a big chunk of that block as well. The UN Church, UN Plaza and Unicef buildings are all on the west side of 1st so it makes the block have even less of a neighborhood feel than it already has.
Across 2nd Avenue a little bit of a neighborhood begins to take shape (but not much). There's a pet groomer, a couple of little decent restaurants and a local cafe that used to be the famous journalist bar, Costello's. It's nice to have a neighborhood cafe, but I think if Costello's were still here, it would make the street a bit more lively. There are a couple of apartment buildings here but they look like midtown apartment buildings rather than cool neighborhood ones and that doesn't do anything to help the feel of the street. It seems like no one actually lives here.
Leading up to Grand Central-- one of the greatest places ever-- there are more UN buildings, a little Irish hotel and a couple more commercial looking residence buildings which makes this street, as a whole, pretty depressing to live on. There's not much of anything to do or eat, barely any green, and nobody is milling about or sitting outside on a nice day. It's a really midtown kind of street that I wouldn't want to live on at all.
Pros
  • Close to Grand Central
Cons
  • Boring
  • Ugly
  • Dead at night
Recommended for
  • Professionals
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Some great buildings"

East 43rd kicks off at the UN Headquarters with a steps bridge over 1st Avenue connecting it to Tudor City. I think this stretch is such a funny sight. This oppressive looking UN building in all its grey glory connecting to what looks like a village that popped right out of the Middle Ages. That's one of the great things about New York. Tudor City is an English inspired apartment complex that was built in the 20's. It looks like it should be an attraction at Disneyland but I kind of like it.
The block between 2nd and 3rd holds a number of apartment buildings. A couple are smaller and sort of charming in the East Village kind of aesthetic and a couple of them are luxury high rises, so if you want to live in this neighborhood (because you like being bored) than you really have your pick of just about any kind of apartment on this block. This block also holds one of the better sushi restaurants in the city and a not so secret, secret Sake bar in the basement of the building right across the street. It's a pretty great date duo if you want something off the beaten path.
Across 3rd Ave, you really start to get into the big building, mid town sort of aesthetic and energy. Whereas the eastern part of the street is pretty desolate all the time, across 3rd, you immediately hit the hustle and bustle kind of thing that 70's - 80's movies made famous about New York. One of the most known buildings in the city is right here: the Chrysler Building. It was the tallest building until the Empire State, but it's still one of the coolest skyscrapers around. The first ever color broadcast was held at the Chrysler Building in 1940. Once you cross Lex you run into Grand Central Station (one of my favorite places in the city) and a new neighborhood. The street packs a lot of punch as far as buildings to look at, but it's pretty lackluster as far as things to do and places to eat.
Pros
  • Tudor City
  • Chrysler Building
Cons
  • Boring
  • Dead at night
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Pretty boring street"

East 41st starts off at the East River with a depressing looking Con Ed building and a slightly less depressing but still depressing park. I don't know why anyone would want to hang out in a park right next to a power plant, but it's there. But, once you cross first, into Tudor City territory, there are some really beautiful buildings which serve as a sharp contrast to the sad energy one. They're not beautiful in the brownstone kind of way because they're so big. But, they're great as far as lovely, old apartment buildings go.
The next block (between 1st and 2nd) holds Tudor City. It's a development from the '20's that is entirely built in old English style architecture. There aren't very many windows that face the East River which is a shame but I guess that's because there used to be all slaughterhouses on the bank. There's a little private park here, a local watering hole and it looks like a castle or a village of little castles. It's pretty cool and I know this used to be a bad neighborhood but I think it's pretty pricey around here nowadays. I've never looked up here to live because it's so boring so I'm not the authority on how expensive it is.
The next block holds the Daily News and a bunch of big apartment and condo buildings. There aren't any bars or restaurants to speak of, but there's no shortage of living space right here, that's for sure. The next block holds more apartment buildings and a bizarre little hotel. I don't know why you'd want to stay here of all neighborhoods, but it's still in business so it must do alright.
East 41st right here doesn't have anything to offer as far as neighborhood feel, dining, culture . . nothing. So, it's boring as hell and not exactly the prettiest neighborhood in the city. But, Tudor City is cool . . not cool enough to live up here, but cool enough to take a look at.
Pros
  • Tudor City
Cons
  • Boring
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • Students
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 2/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
Just now

"Tons of theatres"

45th starts off its run through Times Square at 8th Avenue to the West and right away it's pretty Broadway heavy. The corner at 45th and 8th houses the Golden Theatre on the south side and Frankie and Johnny's on the north side. Frankie and Johnnie's used to be a really popular speakeasy kind of restaurant but now it's just popular with the tourist set. The restaurant next door, Sam's, is now more of a local Broadway performer hangout than Frankie and Johnnies. Next door to that is the Imperial Theatre which is beautiful and has seen the debuts of power houses like Les Miserables. This kicks a pretty impressive row of theatres that include the Jacobs, Schoenfeld, Music Box and Booth. These are some of the Broadway big guns and have been for a very long time. The Booth theatre was a big Shakespeare theatre named for Edwin Booth, a famous actor whose brother killed President Lincoln. There's one chain hotel at the end of the block, but other than that, this block is gloriously theatre dominated. Yeah, it has a ton of tourists like the rest of the neighborhood. But, it's so exciting to watch everyone pile in for theatre at 7:45. It keeps an old timey feel to this block and it's lovely that art is so alive right here.
The block at Broadway starts the big lights, tourists, ads situation that we all have come to know about Times Square. The swatch building right on the corner at Broadway is particularly known for its ads: they're covering the building. The oldest theatre on Broadway, the Lyceum is in the midst of all of this chaos and that's kind of sad because it's so beautiful. There used to be speakeasies and local restaurants all over this block but now it's taken over by tourist shops and chain restaurants which is really a shame. It's kind of a mess right here, and exhausting to navigate. I wouldn't recommend even walking through this block let alone living on it. It's utter mayhem right here 24 hours a day. But, the block with the theatres is so lovely to hang out on (and even see a show (but not a musical). As far as Times Square streets go, 45th isn't half bad because the block at 8th saves it. But, it's just too crowded, loud and dirty on the whole. And, because it's such a tourist trap, there's no local feel or neighborhood hang.
Pros
  • The great old theatres
  • Broadway energy
Cons
  • Loud
  • Crowded
  • Dirty
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
Just now

"Big Theatre Row"

West 44th is a big Broadway street and from what I understand, it has been since this started being the big Broadway area. John's Pizza, the offshoot of the famous Greenwich pizza, is right on the corner at 8th. I, personally, don't like Johns but if you want to try tourist famous pizza in a really touristy area, then maybe this is the place. Next door to John's is a big Broadway hang called Angus McIndoe. Investors include Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane and Mel Brooks so there are always theatre big wigs at this spot. Next to Angus is the St James theatre where Hello Dolly and The Producers both enjoyed very long runs. Across from the St James is the Majestic Theatre where Phantom ran for many moons. This is the street where all the big Broadway shows are. Most of them are very commercial and you're not going to see anything ground breaking, but it's great for old fashioned Broadway going, that's for sure. The Helen Hayes Theatre and the Broadhurst are also right here. They have both been around for about 100 years and have seen such gems as Grease, Amadeus and Cabaret. They're grand old theatres that I'm glad are still around even if the crowds on the street drive me bonkers. The famous Broadway restaurant Sardi's is next to the Helen Hayes. I think the food here is sub par and kind of pricey considering but the history is great. Greta Garbo, James Cagney and Robert De NIro were all frequent patrons. Another famous Broadway restaurant called Carmines is a few doors down though that's more for the Broadway going tourists nowadays. The Shubert Theatre (one of the more famous ones) is on the corner of the block right at Shubert alley. Spamalot is here now but this is where A Chorus Line debuted and ran for about an eternity.
After Shubert Alley, the block becomes home to massive commercial buildings like the MTV headquarters and the Paramount building. The back entrance to the New York Times is next to the Paramount. There are disturbingly tourist driven, crappy restaurants on the ground floors of these buildings like Bubba Gump Shrimp but one cool thing that happens here is the Paramount plays a chime at 7:45 every night to let everyone know there's 15 minutes til curtain call for all of the shows. I like that.
I wouldn't live on this block because of the crowds, trash, noise, Times Square-ness, but it is really magical to walk down because of all the theatre history.
Pros
  • Lovely old theatres
  • The theatre set
Cons
  • Tourists
  • Noise
  • Trash and noise
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Students
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
Just now

"Too many people and nothing cool to do"

West 43rd's run through Times Square starts off at 8th Ave in the west and showcases mainly hotels and commercial buildings throughout. The corner of 43rd and 8th holds the Westin (a decent hotel) and the Times Square Hotel (a not so great hotel where Lee Harvey Oswald has stayed). Next to the Times Square Hotel is the current New York Times building. The New York Times moved to Times Square in the early 20th century which gave the neighborhood its name. It has been in this building since 1913 though the New Years Eve extravaganza that they started is still at their old building at 42nd and Broadway. Across from the Times building is the site where P Diddy and J Lo got into their infamous shoot out. The corner of the block holds more commercial space with tourist based shops on the ground floors. If you're into Quicksilver and a way too crowded Sephora, then this is your block.
The entire block leading up to Broadway and the end of the street's run through Times Square is taken up by 1 Times Square (the former New York Times building). I'm not sure what's in there now but I do know that the ball drop is still here every year much to the chagrin, I imagine, of all the building's employees. The other side of the block is an open street space with an army recruiting station, so I tend to avoid this block all together if I find myself having to be in this neighborhood.
I don't like this part of town. In fact, I wish it would just go away. There are too many tourists, no neighborhood bars or restaurants and nothing to do unless you just love musicals and people from out of town. It's loud, bright and filled with trash, cabs and solicitors. It's pretty awful so I would live here unless my apartment was huge and nearly free.
Cons
  • Loud
  • Crowded
  • No neighborhood feel
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
Just now

"People everywhere"

42nd starts its run in Times Square at 8th Ave on the west. This particular intersection was quite the to do back around the early 20th century for picking up males of the night, if you will. Tennessee Williams used to pick people up right here and Montgomery Clift was arrested for doing as such. The corner at 42nd and 8th is taken over by big commercial buildings with lights all over them. It's kind of exhausting how many lights, cars and people there are right here at any given time of day. There are two movie theatres on this block: Loews and AMC. I'm sure they're both just fine as far as theatres go, but I don't go to either of them because this area I have an anxiety attack just thinking about 42nd street. There's also a Hilton Hotel and a bunch of chain restaurants catered to tourists. It's a really tourist street aside, I guess, from the cinemas (who would go on a trip to New York and go to the movies?) The west end of the block used to be sort of glorious and sometimes scary artsy kind of area that is now completely usurped by the grossest of all tourism mechanisms. The American Airlines theatre is a gorgeous old theatre that used to be the Selwyn. The interior is still the same and it's beautiful but the plays are very vanilla nowadays. The Pax food place used to be a seedy bar where Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg were all the time. Across the street used to be a restaurant where the likes of Diane Arbus and co and it is now a Wax Museum and Ripleys Believe it or Not. There are three more Broadway theatres on this block all of which have undergone massive renovations by big corporate owners. Where ground breaking plays used to premiere, we now have the long running Lion King at the Disney owned theatre. It's kind of sad but I guess it's less sad than letting these great, old theatres fall into shambles.
The next block over is very corporate. The 42nd street subway stop is right here and it is an absolute cluster bomb. Nearly every train line connects at this station so it is always mobbed with people whizzing every which direction. 1 Times Square is across the street and The Times are no longer there (which gave the area its name) but this is where they still have the big New Years Eve Celebration every year. Times Square Tower takes up the rest of the other side of the block and it's basically just a massive commercial building. The tower is on the site of the building where Harry Houdini was suspended in a straitjacket. But, I think the current building is a bit to high for anything to rival that stunt. There's really no reason to go to this block unless you work in either of the buildings or you really want to be surrounded by a mob of tourists at the end of the year.
I wouldn't under any circumstance live on 42nd street and especially not in this neighborhood. It's always a madhouse, there's no neighborhood feel and it's dirty and loud. I'm glad the theatres are here but you can always just hop on a train to get to the theatre which I would highly recommend: catching a cab around here is a nightmare.
Pros
  • the old theatres
Cons
  • Trash
  • People
  • Noise
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 2/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
Just now

"A fire alley you can walk down"

Shubert Alley is a little pedestrian alley that runs along the back of Shubert Theatre. It used to be a fire lane for the Shubert and Booth theatres and Astor Hotel around the turn of the 20th century as law dictated they had one. Then, the Shuberts rented it from the Astors to use as their personal alley. It became a public alley a few decades later and boasted a lot of little shops and a waiting place for actors waiting to audition for a show in the theatre. Nowadays, it's a little alley that's not particularly crowded considering its location. It has a gift shop that used to be a Booth theatre dressing room. It is still a fire alley for the Shubert, but you can walk down it to gain access to the theatre. You can't live here and there's not much to see but it's a fun little stretch of history.
Pros
  • Historical
Cons
  • Not much to see
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 1/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
Just now

"The lights! Dear, god the lights!"

Broadway in Times Square is kicked off exactly how one would imagine it to be: with lights and people everywhere. The Times Square subway stop is right here and nearly every subway that runs through Manhattan connects at this stop. It is utter insanity at this station with people whizzing in every direction to make train connections. It can really overwhelming for even a New Yorker because of all the people so I can't imagine what it must be like for tourists. Across from the subway is the old Knickerbocker Hotel which used to be the finest hotel in the city. The building is gorgeous and definitely worth a look even though you won't see an Astor walking out of it anymore.
The next block is where you enter Times Square proper. 1 Times Square gave Times Square its name because the New York Times moved here in the early 20th century. They celebrated their move on New Years Eve which has made this area stick as the big jubilee for New Years Eve. The ticker they put up on the building has been there since 1928 and was the first in the world. It still ticks news even though the Times is no longer located here. This building is now pretty much just a place to put big showy advertisements with a lot of hullaballoo but it's this building that made Times Square what it is today. Across the street is the Conde Nast building which is the headquarters for Vogue magazine. This is where the immortal Anna Wintour reeks havoc on young fashionistas' lives.
The next block of Times Square is the one that scares me the most. There are enough lights here to induce a stroke and the culinary fare ranges from Bubba Gump Shrimp to Hard Rock Cafe to . . you get the idea. It's just a bunch of awful tourist hellholes on this block and it's almost impossible to get through the masses of people with backpacks on in this area. It is the bane of every New Yorker's existence. Good Morning America is filmed on this block and I feel sorry for all the people who work there because they have to see this block every single day.
The next block used to have a bevy of lovely old theatres and the Astor Hotel which was quite grand. Now, it features such gems as MTV Studios, a Billabong store, a way too crowded Sephora and a Toys R Us. This particular block, however, is the one that's famous for its outrageous ad signs, so if you need to see those, 45th is the place to be on Broadway.
The New York Marriott, Virgin Records, and the Astor Theatre take up the block leading up to 46th but it's hard to tell what is what because of all the electronic ads. The Astor Theatre premiered movies such as Gone with the Wind but I don't know if it actually still shows movies. My guess is no because I've never been there.
The rest of Broadway leading up to 50th is predominantly chain hotels with a few commercial buildings in the mix and some very bizarre tourist-driven shops on the ground floor. I would never stay in a hotel around here, but I suppose if you had to, I would go the W route. All of the others just seem so cheesy. I also wouldn't recommend dining or going to a bar around here. You won't see a single local unless they're there on a dare or because they had no other options. Most New Yorkers avoid this part of town like the plague as far as hanging out goes so you won't see any real New York. And, I wouldn't recommend living here at all unless you have industrial strength ear plugs and nightblinders. It's just too loud, bright and irritating.
Pros
  • Some historical buildings
  • Interesting looking if you don't have a seizure
Cons
  • Too many lights
  • Too many people
  • tourist driven commercial areas
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
Just now

"Not bad for an Avenue . . . especially in this neighborhood"

9th Avenue starts off in Times Square at the Port Authority Bus Station. It's the biggest bus terminal in the world and though I'm not a fan of the bus (I think they are slow as all get out in the city), it is an easy way to get to the tri-state area if you don't own a car. A number of my friends use this terminal to go home to Boston, Connecticut, etc. It's quite convenient but a little depressing. And, all of the eateries surrounding it on this block are equally depressing.
The next block at 41st isn't any nicer to look at but it does boast a lovely little farmer's market and a great coffee shop.
The block at 42nd holds Manhattan Plaza and there is nothing that could make me live in this part of town aside from Manhattan Plaza. It's a massive, luxury "project" that is specifically for performing artists. The rent is on a sliding scale so that when you're not working, your rent goes down and when you are in a play, you don't pay any more than a percentage of your paycheck. It's a wonderful way to keep the arts alive in a very expensive city. And, the apartments are beautiful but the wait list is upwards of about five years. The block at 43rd doesn't have any grand sort of apartment buildings but it does have a lot of little eateries which I have never tried but I guess it's good that they're there.
The next couple of blocks hold some great little neighborhood finds for a very non-neighborhood neighborhood which I think is lovely. Piccinini Brothers is a great little meat shop that has been in the area for nearly 100 years. It is at 45th with a great Greek bakery a couple of doors down. I'm mildly obsessed with Baklava so when I was in Grad School this was a place I frequented. There are two lovely little Italian spots at 46th and 47th, another great bakery at 46th and a not too shabby Mexican place called Hell's Kitchen that I believe is also on 46th. This amount of cool neighborhood places to grab food is nearly unheard of in this neighborhood and even rarer on an Avenue so well done 9th. Well done.
Pros
  • Good bakeries
  • Some good restaurants
Cons
  • Desolate at night
  • Ugly
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Tourists

Answers

1 Answer

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