Thinking about NYC...
 

It's looking like i might move to New York this August. I'm hoping that folks on the forum can give me advice on neighborhoods. I'll likely be in Brooklyn, although Astoria and Long Island City seem like affordable and convenient options. I ain't no trust fund kiddie, so I'll be a thirtysomething working stiff trying to make some music when time and energy allows. My priorities:
1 - bike commuting
2 - affordable (duh!) live/work space for a small studio setup
3 - organic groceries nearby
4 - neighborhood hangouts

Neighborhoods that appeal to me: Clinton Hill, Ft Greene, Windsor Terrace, Bushwick... Not so interested in Williamsburg - especially with rents going up - although i imagine i would spend some time there. Anyone here have a loft in Bushwick?

Thanks!
sruti

Boooo to astoria. Biking to/from is OK, but not as convenient as most parts of brooklyn (more bridges).

I hung out at a huge apt in Park Slope after the prospect park races and it made me want to cry it was so cheap.Not rent controlled either, organic groceries nearby, and only a 35 minute ride to the city.

I live in morningside heights and rent in my shoebox makes me want to slit my wrists. I 'm thinking about moving 40 blocks or so uptown into Harlem. Lots of stuff to do, big spaces, decent rent, and hipster culture isn't dominant.

there's a cheap apartment in Park Slope? Where the F was that when I was looking to move?

Questions: Are you looking to live alone or with Roommates? How much do you want to spend?

I live in Crown Heights, and that's borderline sketchy. It's a half hour ride to midtown, but I ride really fast. Definitely stay in Brooklyn. There's just more stuff there.

LIC isn't that bad as Queens goes, but astoria isn't my favorite place in the world. You'll be better off in brooklyn as there's a lot more to do and although you'll probably live in a smaller place, you'll spend less time there.

I have a friend that lives in an enormous industrial loft on jefferson street of the L (bushwick). Definitely a nice living space with tons of room/windows/view, but the neighborhood is a bit far out there (not too bad to ride) and it can be a little sketchy at night if you're not used to it.

If I had to move here all over again I would hit up craigslist and find an emergency 3-4 month rental (breakup, sudden move, death in family, etc) and hit up all the neighborhoods I'd heard about first hand on my bike before I comitted to a lease.
We could fill pages about all the small (but significant) details about each borough,nerghborhood, street, or building, but seeing it first hand is the only way to get a feel if a place is right for the money.

Oh, and get used to paying a lot more for smaller spaces than you're accustomed to in the South. As in, imagine paying double your current rent for a place that is likely the size of your living room. Seriously. You should still shop smart, but just get over this now and you'll save yourself a lot of grief later on.

debatable. i lived in bk for the first 7 years i lived in ny. loved it. now i live in the city. love it more. there's a helluva lot to be said for the fact that i NEVER take a subway anywhere, and rarely a cab. being able to walk/ride to pretty much anyplace i need or want to go is a major plus.

i live on the upper east side. i bought my place free and clear a few years ago after getting some beeeeeg money jobs/commissions before the dotcom bust. it's a dump, but it was cheap and my maintenance would make ATN shed a few more tears.

i seem to notice lots of apt for rent handbills taped up on lamp posts. avg for those is about 1200 for "big one bedroom"s--whatever that means. seems to imply to me that two people can likely make it work.

i like the hood. close to central park. lots of organic groceries, the two best organic vegan restaurants in NYC, and it doesn't feel like i live on an art-school campus (which more and more of brooklyn and most of downtown feel like. and don't get me wrong. i went to art school, but i graduated. i'd rather not be plagued by it.).

I live in Bedstuy and it's somewhat sketchy... but rent is reasonable. In fact, I'm paying the cheapest rent I have ever. I share a loft with 2 other people though. Loft living takes getting used to. Bedstuy is really convenient: 10 minute ride to Prospect park, Williamsburg, Willyburg bridge Manhattan bridge. But most everyone all my friends, including me, has been mugged once.

man, there are going to be so many opinions on this. when i moved here, i found a shared situation for a little while so i could check out stuff on my own. many of my friends like areas that i don't. i, for one, can't stand living in Manhattan even though many people love it and pay dearly for the right to do so.

Yeah, actually I'm not sure what I didn't mention the island. its more expensive and less room than most parts of brooklyn and queens, but I can't really find a reasonable argument against living in manhattan.

i live in brooklyn and NEVER take the subway. i ride this doo-hickey called a bicycle - it's great! ;)

seriously, though - nearly all of my friends live in brooklyn, so its just as likely that the goings-on will be local as in manhattan. but whatever, they're both great. enjoy.

ok good for you champ. but i have this doo-hickey called a girlfriend, who isn't trying to go to some party in the rain with a fückin stripe up her back, you know?
they're great ;)

the thought of living in sublets for a few months in different neighborhoods could be an awesome way to decide what part of the city you like though. Give you a chance to explore different neighborhoods before spending a good deal of time and effort in finiding a place you really like.

Tell her to buy a f***in fender, problem solved. FNB's girl is awsome and would probably sport a stripe. :D

I have friends and family up there and play music there fairly often, so i spend quite a bit of time in the city. Did some focused neighborhood exploration last week but didn't have my bike with me. The temporary craigslist situation is good advice - thanks for that!

I could probably swing living alone if the rent was $1200 or less. A 1 BR studio perhaps? Otherwise a shared loft space would work.

Thanks for the replies!

edit, i'm sure fnb's girl is a doll. and i know what a goddam bike doohickey is.

I live in bushwick but have a 2 br apt. Its a lot better then those McKibben lofts (dorms) That whole street is so damn noisy, infested with bedbugs and way overpriced.

Move to Staten Island, that's where it's at, all the action you can get and then some.

really though, too many places to list but pretty much any neighborhood close the the river is usually pretty cool. I live in Clinton Hill/Fort Greene and it's great, just have to avoid the Pratt kids sometimes, but if you pick right you hardly ever see them.

i'm in redhook, the most overhyped, overpriced nabe in brooklyn, but i got in when it was cheap. without a bike it would be impossible to live here since there are no trains and this mysterious thing they call a bus, which i think i saw last week. my gf hates that i live her, since she doesn't ride/car. if i was going to move (and i think i might) i would choose either greenpoint or washington heights. best bang for the buck imho. the main reason i stay here is because my dog loves it here (no kidding).

haha. that reminds me of saturday night. i had ridden to wmsburg to meet my girlfriend. she had left her bike in the city, so we decided to walk across the bridge. i always feel like a ****** walking my bike anywhere. she commented that she felt like every biker who passed us was giving her the evil eye. then some guy on a fix slowed down and reminded me that i had a bike and should use it. my girlfriend shot back with, "yeah, well he's also got a girl, but you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

settle down, boys!

wherever you end up, you're already on top of things if you have a bike. it opens up the city in new ways - there are so many interesting neighborhoods and spots that you'd never find or visit on foot, by car, or by subway.

and your commute will likely be far more enjoyable. personally i love the bridges in NYC for riding. they're some of the few places you can really push yourself for speed without regard to traffic. just grab one of those bike maps from any bikeshop - they're free - and start pedalling. new york is great on a bike.

i guess my smiley-face thingey didn't work

Ha, awesome. I feel a little goofy having to walk around with my bike in those situations too.

As for the rain, my gF and I just bought sets of planet bike clip-on fenders. No more grit/sludge skunk-stripes for us. I never really rode with fenders before. Probably the most functional bike accessory I've ever purchased.

Hey Sruti, you said you're coming up in Aug and have a $1200 limit? I know of a 3 month sublease then on the UES if you're interested in something short term. PM if you need it.

yeah the fact is that ny is mostly flat, and even the more far-away parts of bk like dekalb/wykoff where i lived before moving to the city aren't too far of a ride. plus it's 62 freakin degrees today which is getting me psyched for spring, and making me remember how amazingly nice this city is to ride around in when the weather's good.