Purchased on Pacific Bedford--kinda freaked out

Consider all the amenities you have nearby. I second Holla Peno's thoughts - that area's definitely on the up. Plus, you have a nice safe walk to Prospect Park and everything you might need. You've probably made a wise investment and you'll only be thankful.

Plus you'll probably make all the right decisions keeping yourself safe given your current worry. If I were you, I'd stop dwelling on the negatives and start dwelling on your nice new place

did you not check out the neighborhood before you bought... wtf?

In my experience the antidote for these feelings of anxiety is often action. A locally based organization, Crown Heights Revitalization Movement, of which I'm a board member, has been leading the opposition against a Bloomberg proposal to convert the exisiting assessment center for homeless men to an intake center. We have been largely successful in the short term, and in fact, there is a strong movement to bring a running track - rec center - community center to the Bedford Atlantic Armory. But the battle is far from over and the City has long taken advantage of groups that fall asleep once they think the battle is won.
To find out more and to get involved in what's happening at the Bedford Atlantic Armory, go to:
http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=56957
Spread the word among your fellow purchasers.
By the way, KWAC, the condo where our friend is purchasing is no doubt the Bedfordshire, located at 1200 Pacific. It was designed by the famous architect, Montrose Morris, who also designed the Imperial apartment building next door, an historic landmark that was renovated about 10 years ago by the City.
The area now known as Crown Heights was first started at the corner of Atlantic and Bedford and was known as Bedford Corners. Hence the many beautiful buildings in the vicinity including the former Union/Unity club at Dean and Rogers and the former Swedish Hospital at Dean and Bedford and the mounted statue of Grant. The Union Club was a leading Republican stronghold at the turn of the century but collapsed when Teddy Roosevelt split with the Republicans to form his own Bull Moose party. The name of the club was changed to Unity when it was subsequently taken over by Jewish group.
Lots of history and lots more to come I'm sure. From what I've heard, the Bedford Atlantic armory is the largest in Brooklyn and its head rooms (ornate meeting rooms in the front of the armory) are among the most architecturally interesting in the boro.

ff:

Here's the correct link, (I hope)

http://revitalizecrownheights.org/

Pacific is unfortunately the least "safe" street in the area, it has the most large buildings, which means it has the highest pop. density and thus the greater proportion of knuckleheads for the vicinity.

Walking around wise, you should be fine, as long as you're alert. Muggings aren't the problem, it's the street level dealing and the beefs that come with the trade. Because of the dealing, you'll have bunches of unfriendly looking types hanging out at all hours but they'll pretty much leave you alone. Invest in some very expensive locks for your doors and windows and make sure your building follows a very strict buzz-in rules.

Neighborhood strolls should happen on any other street other than Pacific - Dean, St Marks etc. are much prettier and less sketchy.

Plus side - your particular block has that church and rectory and the very attractive large recently renovated building on the corner of Bedford and Pacific, so depending on where your unit is, you may have a lovely view.

Subject: omg

Hello- the coice of reality is here..

I'm not sure if this post is a joke that's meant to be bait or not.

That block is downright, no bones about it, *ghetto* I would not feel safe for myself, much less
With a 1 year old child?

There's something wrong with your thinking if you want to stop renting - but at the cost of
Buying a condo on a really disgusting block.

I have walked by there and driven by there. Who really wants to live on the same block as a bunch of
drug fiends and homeless people who, in all reality, have *no* vested interest in the
Community of themselves...

I hate to say it, but huge mistake. I will get panned for being a naysayer, but I'm being realistic.

And I grew up in nyc and have lived here my entire life..

yeah, sure, once flimmyflam sees the lowlifes a few times, those 'fresh eyes' will tire real quickly.

i'm sure the broker who sold them the condo said the neighborhood was full of 'character' as well..

Hahahahahahahahahaha @ drug dealers adding "character" to a neighborhood

I don't see what the big push to own is anyway but that's outside the scope of the thread.

IDK what to tell the OP.... hopefully the armory will close, and then your property will become very valuable + a nice place to live. Till then....

As a non-native New Yorker who can remember when there was a neighborhood patrol to combat (perceived) street crime in Windsor Terrace, I find itjbukem remeniscent of all the born-in-NYers I knew in the '70s who loved to trash the city verbally. Even then, I found the "natives" sour & negative, quick to assume that anyone who didn't look like them was to be feared. Sure there are sketchy (and worse) types around, but creeping around assuming that everyone is to be avoided is one way to guarantee you remain isolated. You are really lucky to have children; they are a great way to open communication. Enjoy your new home!

i'm sorry that a lot of you are choosing to ignore the voice of reality. can that corner change? sure, maybe in 2020.

did you read that the city is trying to funnel all homeless people to the bedford armory? oh, sorry, you don't believe in the voice of reality. well, read it here.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/nyregion/thecity/18disp.html

did you read that? they're trying to transfer bellevue patients there. do you know bellevue has mentally disabled patients there?

but you non-native-ny'er want a real piece of the nyc lifestyle, right? lol..it adds character, right? lol...you'll get character alright.

i'm not a bklyn naysayer. i've lived here 8 years and in queens for over 20 and in manhattan for 3. i love brooklyn. i'm just a realist and playing devil's advocate.

ok, how about from 2 months ago?

http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2010/02/good_news_for_b.php

and i quote - these denizens, who are so full of 'character' said "white bitch who better run"

lol...ahhh, character for my not-so-fresh eyes.

Subject: Re: omg

Capt. Planet wrote: Those lurking drugs dealers and scummy low-lifes that so petrify native New Yorks can actually take on the character of local color for folks who grew up in the bland whiteness of the suburbs or northern Europe.

So, as a broker, are you selling potential clients on the neighborhood by pointing out drug dealers as an amenity?

Last night, while waiting to cross Atlantic on Bedford on my bike, I was told the following by what appeared to be a resident of the Armory

"When you come to the hood, you gotta give back to the hood. You can give back to the hood, or the hood can take it...."

Ahh yes I definitely won't miss this area when I leave.

flatbushave wrote: Dear,
MOVE!!! If I had an 11 year old, wouldnt you be concerned for her safety, eventually she will want to get to and from school safely on her own. What about afterschool and she is walking alone at 13, 14, 15 in that neighborhood. Its nuts!! Not a safe neighborhood and all you have to do is check the police blotter at the local precinct. Crime is up - Nostrond is not safe!! sorry, dear, you made a p oor choice. There are plenty of affordable condo and coops in much nicer areas, safer for children.

Her kid isn't 11, it is 1.

...meaning her kid will always be with her, and once the kid is school age they can decide whether to move or send it to a private school. That's several years that they can save $ by living in CH in order to afford moving to a place with a good school district, where the kid can walk home with her friends after school without being bothered.

Young families do it all the time.

ntfool wrote: I feel like this thread and the recent "I get spit on" thread are of the same mind. Again, I've lived in the area for about 8 years, the last five right off Franklin and Lincoln. It certainly gets rowdy, but I've never been spit on, nor has my wife. And this fall, my almost-four year old daughter will begin attending pre-school locally (will not find out which of the public schools we reqeusted will have room for her until June).

Obviously, my family and I have had markedly different experiences than some other, more recent denizens of the community like benny, catwalker and cool the kid. Its gotten me to wondering, as I live just off Eastern Pkwy, i.e., pretty far south in Crown Heights North, and very rarely have had a reason to go north of say St. Mark's on a regular basis, is it just a totally different world up there? I mean, we have our gunshots and our obvious dealers and their customers right around the corner, but we've never been hassled. Not once. I'd say we've made efforts with smiles and head nods so we at least get acknowledgement in return, if not polite conversation about neighborhood goings-on. Many of the guys hanging out on the corner even seemed genuinely happy to see my wife pushing first our daughter in a stroller and then, more recently, our baby boy, after having seen her pregnant for so many months, and even stopped to congratulate us.

So, is it just a different world as you move further north to Atlantic? That much different? I can't imagine that I've had such a wildly different experience being around here for almost a decade, as opposed to those who've been here less time and seem to be so very uncomfortable living here. I'm certainly not foolish enough to assume that i'm "safe" at all times, but my experience has always been that if you hold yourself appropriately, don't get too distracted, and, in most cases, have some eye contact and a head nod, you'll be fine.

BK is very block to block, so someone even just around the corner from you might have a totally different living experience. Plus you may not fit the visual bill of the typical new CH resident, and seem to have been around long enough to have learned the protocol for living here (not looking like a victim, knowing what bars + corners to avoid).

I've lived in the Alma Realty complex and now am over by NYA... I will be honest, it's not the warzone people may think I am trying to portray it to be. As a young, relatively fit black male who has been in NYC all his life I would have no problem living around here on my own. But I just don't feel comfortable here with my white girlfriend... she sticks out like a sore thumb and doesn't even feel safe walking our dog as she's always "hollered" at by dudes. You never know when she'll meet the one who doesn't take kindly to having their advances declined. I'm sure your response is "tell her to toughen up, she'll be fine"- my answer to that is that's not something she should HAVE to do.

Plus out by NYA there's not that much to do from what I've seen nightlife wise. At least by Franklin you have bars, restaurants and a shitload of trains & buses. You can walk to Vandy or Washington from Franklin... not so much from NYA. There are a few bars popping up by Fulton, but ehhh....

I just hate the feeling of living in a place where I don't feel 95% free moving about as I please. I don't like walking down the block and feeling like if I break eye contact with this kid I'll be seen as some kind of punk. I don't want to live on a block where I have the nicest apartment or the biggest salary. Not to say everyone here is dirt poor, but on my block there are a lot of idle bodies and some funky rituals + transactions going on. Some might see that as "culture"... I see it as a kind of nuisance, as these aren't the friendly old blues playing guys from the Chapelle show intro. Maybe I just see things differently from other people.