Is this Neighborhood Safe?

anonymous · January 2007

My husband and I are thinking about renting an apartment on 9th Street between 2nd and 3rd ave. It seems pretty industrial but other than that I'm not sure there is a problem. We have an infant so we want to make sure its safe. Any thoughts??

anonymous · January 2007

Gowanus is very industrial, non residential and I saw an apartment in that area but decided against it because it was so isolated and I did not feel safe there. I also has a friend advise me against moving to the area because it gets a little sleazy at night. She was waiting for car service and got harassed and propositioned by a bunch of men. Yes, that sort of proposition. I would definitely consider moving to park slope or prospect heights is you like the area.

pitu · January 2007

you'd have to hang out at night and check it out -- it's totally industrial during the day . . . probably street prostitution at night. That's just a guess.

It also the back entrance to Lowe's a block away!

anonymous · January 2007

That part of "the Slope" is barely the Slope at all and is filled with hookers and crackheads at night.

Young and have friends? Maybe you can cut it. Have kids? No way. Don't do it.

anonymous · January 2007

Thanks for your thoughts. We live in North Slope now and would love to stay but as of right now we are getting priced out of this area

rose · January 2007

Yeah, I don't think you want to move there. I would look for something in Windsor Terrace or Kensington. Your infant is going to be ready to go to the playground before you know it, and you're not going to want to be stuck between 2nd and 3rd Ave with nowhere to hang out with a toddler.

anonymous · January 2007

I understand that park slope is getting ridiculously expensive but having been to Gowanus at night to gauge whether I would be able to live there, I would advise against it. Unless you're a huge guy with other large male roomates, I would stay way from the area. It's just very dilapidated and unsafe, both in the social sense and environmentally as well. You don't want your kid getting hurt by industrial waste or scraps. Perhaps Windsor Terrace or Prospect Heights?

brooklyndula · January 2007

I live on 3rd Ave on the corner of 11th. We've been there for almost three years and I used to say it was pretty sleezy--we had a plethora of hookers for about a year--but it's really cleaned itself up. No more prostitutes, and a new dance studio just opened across the street. Plus with the new Whole Foods coming in on 3rd it can only get better. No one is really out there at night unless you live there, at least on 3rd. 9th is the main artery, so it probably attarcts a more creepy element, but 3rd Ave is a pretty decent stretch.

quijibo · January 2007

3rd avenue is getting gentrified amazingly quickly
perhaps it's not the safest hood right now
but it will be soon. give it a year or two....

bklyngirl · January 2007

You seriously want to live NO WHERE NEAR the Smith & 9th St. station. Just don't do it.

brooklyndula · January 2007

I don't know...three years, never a problem says it's ok by me. There are little kids and families all around us. I watch them leave for school every morning. If you have a problem with non-white people, it may not suit you. But you won't be attacked or killed or robbed anytime soon. There used to be a 16 year old drug dealer a few years back that used to make sure my take-out indian food was delivered to my door--that was nice. Not the drug dealer part, but the food part, but I digress

I will agree that walking on 10th between 2nd and 4th Aves at night alone is probably not the safest feeling experience for a woman by herself. I would maybe not go down to 2nd Ave yet to rent a place, but 3rd up until 16th street is good. Not to mention the space you'll get for your money (you can still get a 2 bedroom under 2K a month). I will also agree that the Smith & 9th stop is still sketchy at night. Would not walk home from there--better off at 4th Ave

shishkab · January 2007

it's certainly better than it was, and getting better every year. i have friends that own a place in that area, so i have watched it change over the years. the hookers and dealers are beginning to move away. however, even with that said, "beginning to move" is not the same as "moved". if you told me you were thinking of BUYING a place, then i'd say it would be worth the investment, that in a few more years the gowanus area is gonna be just fine. but since you are thinking of RENTING a place, and you have such a little one to be responsible for... i'd say you were better off in windsor terrace, kensington, or prospect heights. also, Rose is right: you are going to want places to hang out with your toddler. you're simply not going to find that in gowanus just yet.

caaahyoko · January 2007

Flood rehearsal studios is on 9th btw 2nd and the canal, so there are people going in and out of the area 24/7. I'd think that if it were that dangerous, it wouldn't be so hard to get a studio spot in there. I'm starting a share of one in March, so I guess I'll find out...

ben · February 2007

Look into sunset park as well, esp. the area right around the park. You can get a nice 2BR for around $1500/month, the park is great for kids, there's a pool, etc. and around 6th and 7th aves is very residential. The trains run express from 36th st so it doesn't take any longer than the F does to get to manhattan if you have to commute.

rtraindweller · July 2007

if you're getting priced out of north park slope you wont be saving too much in gowanus. i've been seeing new listings for a considerably higher amount that you'd expect. if you wanna stay close to the area though check out the area where the blurred borders of sunset park and south slope meet each other. i live there and love it. our rent is cheap, 3 blocks from the train, easy walk to park slope, easy walk or quick train to the rest of sunset park. and it's great for commuting because of how many subway lines you can connect to from the 4th ave line.

theory · July 2007

I'm thinking of moving to Gowanus, or at least the part of it that realtors want you to think is part of Park Slope. I've seen some reasonably priced rentals on 4th Ave or between 4th and 3rd, and it seems nice enough during the day. Should I be scared to get off the train at 4th Ave and 9th St late at night?

quijibo · July 2007

4th ave + 9th street is a good stop

i live on 3rd ave & Bergen. it's an okay area.
mostly puerto-rican and black american families
but recently a flood of young people have moved in
and the prices are rising quick

a family of 4 lives right around the corner from me
has been here for about ten years or so.
they own a home
the pool is a block off and the entire family goes for a dip on the hot days
the pacific / atlantic train stations are a few blocks away
it does get a little dicey sometimes because of the projects
a lot of young kids in packs. very loud.

sunset park is good. but the train ride is longer
and not that much to do yet

if you want something a little more lively check around +20th street

theory · July 2007

Thanks quijibo.

I'm one of the young people moving in (I'm 23), looking for a Brooklyn neighborhood that's safe, queer friendly, and not on the F train. I'm moving from Harlem because I got a new teaching job in Downtown Brooklyn (and because I like Brooklyn). Seems like Gowanus should be a pretty good fit, and I think there's a lot of nightlife near 5th Ave and 9th St.

quijibo · July 2007

if you're looking for something lively i recommend you look near the flatbush/atlantic av intersection

there you've got the edges of the park slope, gowanus, prospect heights, carroll gardens, boerum hill, fort greene neighborhoods. you shouldn't have a problem finding something teaching-job-affordable

rtraindweller · July 2007

theory wrote: I'm thinking of moving to Gowanus, or at least the part of it that realtors want you to think is part of Park Slope. I've seen some reasonably priced rentals on 4th Ave or between 4th and 3rd, and it seems nice enough during the day. Should I be scared to get off the train at 4th Ave and 9th St late at night?

not at all. i live on 4th between 12st and 22nd so i get off at 25th St or Prospect Ave on the train at all times of the day and night feel totally fine. 4th Ave is a busy street so it's never so desolate that it'd become a prime area for crime. and of course im not syaing "no nothing bad will ever happen!" cause that's just crazy. you can get mugged wherever the hell ya live. but ive never felt unsafe in this area.

Is this Neighborhood Safe?

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