first-time poster, long-time reader...so go easy on me here. i currently live in downtown brooklyn and have been searching and searching for almost a year for something to buy for our small family...and we give up. just too crazy expensive in the neighborhoods we love. so we are thinking about some areas in upper manhattan and riverdale. i have spent very, very little time up there. really, only... [more]
first-time poster, long-time reader...so go easy on me here. i currently live in downtown brooklyn and have been searching and searching for almost a year for something to buy for our small family...and we give up. just too crazy expensive in the neighborhoods we love.
so we are thinking about some areas in upper manhattan and riverdale. i have spent very, very little time up there. really, only driven through. just hoping someone might be able to give me a little insight on what pockets might be best for a young family looking to eventually put kids in public school, and spend 650k tops on a 2br, or ideally even a 3br.
looking for an area with nice parks and playgrounds, good public elementary school, decent grocery shopping, a nice neighborhood feel and a few things to do within walking distance. i know i'm not going to find as much as i have here in downtown brooklyn/boerum hill, but i don't want to feel like i'm in the suburbs either. my husband works in columbus circle so seems like A train is the best option but 1 would be ok.
any families with young kids that live in these areas care to enlighten me?
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Response by greensdale
over 12 years ago
Posts: 3804
Member since: Sep 2012
>first-time poster, long-time reader
Who is your favorite poster and why?
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Response by columbiacounty
over 12 years ago
Posts: 12708
Member since: Jan 2009
se, why?
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Response by NativeRestless
over 12 years ago
Posts: 236
Member since: Jul 2011
Schools would have to be a determining factor. I think that there is a good school (singular) in Hudson Heights. Don't know about Inwood. Riverdale has good elementary schools but at least in the past the situation changes drastically for the worse when middle/HS is considered. That being said, you can not match the views from Sputen Duyvl.
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Response by Jazzman
over 12 years ago
Posts: 781
Member since: Feb 2009
Hamilton Heights - public schools are terrible but plenty of charter schools in the neighborhood to attend or most educated parents just get their kids into public schools or charter schools south of 96th.
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Response by uptown_joe
over 12 years ago
Posts: 293
Member since: Dec 2011
Hudson Heights is lovely - Ft. Tryon Park is a real gem and there seems to be a well-populated network of young families among the mix of residents. Good neighborhood feel and reasonable services/amenities, although in most of these locations you'll probably have fewer and more-pedestrian options than you do currently in downtown Brooklyn.
2br should be comfortably within your price range, possibly even with 2ba. 3br probably not, depending on the building/location; if you want 3br in a nicer building look further north.
School-wise, Native is thinking of PS 187 in Hudson Heights, but note that there is currently some discussion in District 6 (all of Washington Heights & Inwood) about un-zoning the elementary schools in favor of some type of application/lottery scheme. It's not clear to me how strongly the DoE feels about implementing this, whether it will actually happen, or whether it would stick under a new mayor -- but just keep the possibility in mind as you consider the options.
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Response by ioserin
over 12 years ago
Posts: 21
Member since: Jan 2009
I'm a broker that works those areas and Hudson Heights seems to be a fit for you. Convenient to the "A" train......family friendly....village feel with restaurants, grocery store, elementary schools all within a five minute walk. In Riverdale you will get double the space for your money but most locations will require a bus ride to the #1 train.
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Response by ynotie29
over 12 years ago
Posts: 83
Member since: May 2009
Hudson Heights is great, here is a nice 2 bed option...
Stay north of 168th Street and west of Broadway, and you can't go wrong.
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Response by porkpork
over 12 years ago
Posts: 0
Member since: Jan 2013
If you're looking to possibly stay in Brooklyn, you might want to check out Ditmas Park/Kensington. Large 2 bedrooms for under $600k, good schools, safe, near PP, and solid transportation.
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Response by alanhart
over 12 years ago
Posts: 12397
Member since: Feb 2007
Exactly. Maine, for example.
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Response by alanhart
over 12 years ago
Posts: 12397
Member since: Feb 2007
But I guess that's east of Broadway. Buffalo, for example.
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Response by brooklynbaby
over 12 years ago
Posts: 4
Member since: Jun 2013
Thanks for all your responses. Schools are absolutely a determining factor. 187 does seem to be the best option up there. I have seen a few things mention the de-zoning possibility which is worrisome. And I know charter schools could be an option should we decide to live a little further south, but I don't think I would feel comfortable enough to not at least have a good zoned PS as a back-up option.
I do agree Spuyten Duyvil looks great but would be tough unless you live right by the 1 train...and even then that makes for a much longer commute than being near the A in Hudson Heights.
Anyone know anything about preschools? There don't seem to be many at all...
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Response by brooklynbaby
over 12 years ago
Posts: 4
Member since: Jun 2013
Oh and ynotie29 - that listing looks great but maintenance is a bit high.
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Response by greensdale
over 12 years ago
Posts: 3804
Member since: Sep 2012
North of 168 still includes areas south of the GW.
I live on 157th/Broadway and love it. We have 3 kids, one of which is school age. Regardless of where you chose to live, unless you're in the top zip codes, school in NYC is always complicated/expensive/full of tradeoffs. The reason we picked uptown was the housing costs were low enough that we could either do private schools or hire tutors if we chose public schools. Really, any parent will tell you--it depends on the kid. One of my sons just will not thrive in PS while the others seem quite OK with it. My point is, find the right place to live and work out school as they age.
Good luck and have fun picking a place.
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Response by NYCMatt
over 12 years ago
Posts: 7523
Member since: May 2009
"One of my sons just will not thrive in PS while the others seem quite OK with it."
Back in my day, parents didn't coddle their children.
"Just will not thrive"?? Get over yourself, Sonny, and DEAL WITH IT.
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Response by alanhart
over 12 years ago
Posts: 12397
Member since: Feb 2007
She's not coddling her child ... in fact, she's raising him in a rough, dangerous uptown neighborhood, where corner boys loom at every intersection and vans blare music on every mid-block.
Fortunately the Presbyterian Hospital ER is nearby, in case anything happens.
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>first-time poster, long-time reader
Who is your favorite poster and why?
se, why?
Schools would have to be a determining factor. I think that there is a good school (singular) in Hudson Heights. Don't know about Inwood. Riverdale has good elementary schools but at least in the past the situation changes drastically for the worse when middle/HS is considered. That being said, you can not match the views from Sputen Duyvl.
Hamilton Heights - public schools are terrible but plenty of charter schools in the neighborhood to attend or most educated parents just get their kids into public schools or charter schools south of 96th.
Hudson Heights is lovely - Ft. Tryon Park is a real gem and there seems to be a well-populated network of young families among the mix of residents. Good neighborhood feel and reasonable services/amenities, although in most of these locations you'll probably have fewer and more-pedestrian options than you do currently in downtown Brooklyn.
2br should be comfortably within your price range, possibly even with 2ba. 3br probably not, depending on the building/location; if you want 3br in a nicer building look further north.
School-wise, Native is thinking of PS 187 in Hudson Heights, but note that there is currently some discussion in District 6 (all of Washington Heights & Inwood) about un-zoning the elementary schools in favor of some type of application/lottery scheme. It's not clear to me how strongly the DoE feels about implementing this, whether it will actually happen, or whether it would stick under a new mayor -- but just keep the possibility in mind as you consider the options.
I'm a broker that works those areas and Hudson Heights seems to be a fit for you. Convenient to the "A" train......family friendly....village feel with restaurants, grocery store, elementary schools all within a five minute walk. In Riverdale you will get double the space for your money but most locations will require a bus ride to the #1 train.
Hudson Heights is great, here is a nice 2 bed option...
http://streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/894603-coop-116-pinehurst-avenue-hudson-heights-new-york
Stay north of 168th Street and west of Broadway, and you can't go wrong.
If you're looking to possibly stay in Brooklyn, you might want to check out Ditmas Park/Kensington. Large 2 bedrooms for under $600k, good schools, safe, near PP, and solid transportation.
Exactly. Maine, for example.
But I guess that's east of Broadway. Buffalo, for example.
Thanks for all your responses. Schools are absolutely a determining factor. 187 does seem to be the best option up there. I have seen a few things mention the de-zoning possibility which is worrisome. And I know charter schools could be an option should we decide to live a little further south, but I don't think I would feel comfortable enough to not at least have a good zoned PS as a back-up option.
I do agree Spuyten Duyvil looks great but would be tough unless you live right by the 1 train...and even then that makes for a much longer commute than being near the A in Hudson Heights.
Anyone know anything about preschools? There don't seem to be many at all...
Oh and ynotie29 - that listing looks great but maintenance is a bit high.
North of 168 still includes areas south of the GW.
Now you can get a taxi: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/hack_green_light_98kwI8CxyM1M4xbguNhE7O
I live on 157th/Broadway and love it. We have 3 kids, one of which is school age. Regardless of where you chose to live, unless you're in the top zip codes, school in NYC is always complicated/expensive/full of tradeoffs. The reason we picked uptown was the housing costs were low enough that we could either do private schools or hire tutors if we chose public schools. Really, any parent will tell you--it depends on the kid. One of my sons just will not thrive in PS while the others seem quite OK with it. My point is, find the right place to live and work out school as they age.
Good luck and have fun picking a place.
"One of my sons just will not thrive in PS while the others seem quite OK with it."
Back in my day, parents didn't coddle their children.
"Just will not thrive"?? Get over yourself, Sonny, and DEAL WITH IT.
She's not coddling her child ... in fact, she's raising him in a rough, dangerous uptown neighborhood, where corner boys loom at every intersection and vans blare music on every mid-block.
Fortunately the Presbyterian Hospital ER is nearby, in case anything happens.