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Sooo for a variety of reasons (mainly financial), DH and I have seriously been talking about moving to Brooklyn when our lease is up at the end of March. Right now we live on the UWS, right off Central Park West, and I LOVE it. I always pictured us living here long term, raising kids, sending them to one of the many good schools in the area, etc.
Now all that is being turned upside down...DH is really reaally into Brooklyn, because it's less expensive for one, but also because he feels like it's more chill/less 'rat race'y that Manhattan. I don't know how true this is--Brooklyn can certainly be pretentious/hipster. So I'm looking for some advice from someone who made the move to the outer boroughs and can tell me a little bit about living in Brooklyn. We're mainly looking at the Brooklyn Heights/Cobble Hill/Boerum Hill area. Thanks!
My husband and I just moved into Manhattan from Queens (and we would still be in Queens if it weren't for work reasons). Specifically, we lived in Forest Hills, which in my opinion has many more pros than Brooklyn (I've also lived in Brooklyn before). You should definitely check out Forest Hills if you haven't already - the feel is just that of the Upper West Side. The E/F/R/V all stop in Forest Hills and the commute to midtown on an express train (E/F express) is about 20 minutes. There are great stores and restaurants within Forest Hills and the best part is that you can really choose between a house or apartment. Rents are significantly cheaper than Manhattan for apartments and the neighborhood has a great family feel. PS 100 is one of the public schools in the neighborhood and it is ranked one of the best public schools in the 5 boroughs. PM me if you have any questions - I cannot say enough great things about Forest Hills and I have no doubt my husband and I will move back to the neighborhood one day.
We just moved from Chelsea to Hoboken a few months ago. I was really reticent to leave Manhattan, but I'm actually very happy with the move. It is so much quieter, and we have so much more space compared with the island. The only two annoyances are that (1) when I stay in the city after work I can't just take a cab home after dinner and (2) I miss Whole Foods! We are mostly able to avoid the frat boy scene in Hoboken and purposely chose a slightly less central location in exchange for a quieter block.
We would have preferred Brooklyn but staying west made logistical sense for us because of where our parents live. Plus this way we save the NYC income tax.
My sister lives in Park Slope. She loves it. She moved there from FL around 7 years ago and doesn't seem like she wants to move back any time soon!
If you have Brooklyn Heights in mind, the change won't be that hard. It is quieter but its nice.
It does seem pretentious to me!
@eupenmalmody: haha I and my husband actually grew up in Forest Hills, just a few blocks away from Austin Street. We both have said that if we didn't grow up there, it would be the perfect place to move to, since it really has a lot of what we're looking for. But for us, it would feel like moving backwards if we moved there. Our parents all still live there so we go there a lot.
@ElbieKay: The whole cab thing is a major consideration. I mean yeah, once we move, we'll hopefully have kids soon after, so we won't be going out as much, but I just fear that it's always going to feel like so much of a schlep to go into the city and then go home.
@artbee: Park Slope is supposed to be really really nice, and has tons of families. I think it's a bit further into Brooklyn than we want to be, but I don't doubt that your sis loves it :)
@hilsy85: Too funny about you growing up there - your logic completely makes sense. One other thing to think about - I'm newly pregnant and much more aware of which subway stops are stroller friendly and which aren't - definitely keep that in mind when looking for a place. Also, make sure that there is a hospital in the area you like for birthing. My current hospital is Beth Israel in the city (and would have been regardless of whether we were living in Manhattan or FH), but I'm realizing that should I have gone into labor, the driving commute from FH to Beth Israel could have been very long and difficult - especially if my husband was at work in Manhattan and I was at home (would I have waited for him to come home? Would I have met him there and gone in alone? etc.). Definitely keep these things in mind as you search for a new place.
Well but you can still take a cab from Manhattan to Brooklyn. The cab driver has to take you because it's part of NYC. Hoboken doesn't enjoy that privilege.
I hate waiting underground for trains because of the hot stale air, and I used to take a cab to work (in midtown) and walk home every day. One reason I am ok with Hoboken is that I can take a bus to Port Authority. I can wait outside, it picks me up 2 blocks from our apartment, and Port Authority for all its flaws is actually closer to my office than 34th St. It runs pretty reliably on schedule and I find it 1,000x more pleasant than the subway or the PATH.
I have a few friends in the Boerum Hill neighborhood and I freaking love it. About 25-30 min by subway into the heart of manhattan, and absolutely chock full of great food and shops. Lots of trees, brownstones, lots of charm.
I have never lived in NYC but have been working there for 5 years and had really no desire to ever live on the island. I bought a condo in Hoboken a year ago to lessen my commute and i absolutely love it. You can still catch a train to and from the city every day of the week, you just have to be more conscious of the schedule on the weekends. The best part of living in Hoboken is that the unlimited monthly train pass is only $54!!! Im not sure what the metrocard is up to now but I thought it was like $150/month. I think that Hoboken still has a lot of that yuppie crowd that is similar to the city but the old brownstones, and the river is awesome. The only thing that really sux about Hoboken is the parking but i don't have a car currently so it really doesn't effect me too much. Best of luck on your move!
@eupenmalmody: Hmm that's a very good point. Right now, I'm thinking that I would prefer to give birth at Mount Sinai, and that's a long way from Brooklyn. Definitely something to consider!
@guess26grl: Nah, it's not up to $150. I think it's $104 or thereabouts. Anyhow, I live in Crown Heights. Sounds scary and all but it's been gentrifying quickly and I freaking love it. Near the museum, I go jogging in the park before work, the botanical gardens and the library are near there. It's awesome. I used to live in Queens and always worked in Manhattan. I wouldn't trade Brooklyn for any other parts of the City....PLUS, I have 4 express trains one block from my house :)
Yeah I know there are definitely upsides to moving to Jersey/Hoboken, but I don't really want to move there. I would just feel so much farther from Manhattan/my family, even though I actually wouldn't be. It's all a mental thing. But even moving to Brooklyn is enough of a hurdle for me to deal with, so I'm definitely not ready to consider Jersey, lol. But it seems like it works well for a lot of people!
@crayfish: Yeah it's a very cute neighborhood...I just hate the thought of having to go into Manhattan every time we want to go "out".
@bRooklynRocks: Yup being by an express train is awesome, and definitely something we would prefer!
@hilsy85: I moved out of state, but I grew up in Brooklyn. I love the Brooklyn Heights area, and I think you'll find similar conveniences to what's available in Chelsea. I can't say that I'm familiar with the schools in the area, but there is a private school on Joralemon Street (Packer Collegiate). There are also shops, restaurants, and Starbucks :) available on and off of that road. It's not a long trip into Manhattan either.
Brooklyn Heights is great. Of all the neighborhoods in BK (I'm a native Brooklynite) it would be the one I'd move to if we could afford it. You've got the Promenade and Brooklyn Bridge Park--so many train lines to choose from R, 2/3, 4/5, a longer (but not too long) walk to the A/C, F. Such a short ride to the city from there. Great restaurants and shopping. Family friendly but not as overrun with strollers as Park Slope. My close friends live half a block away from the promenade, (can you tell I love their neighborhood?) Also, you can sometimes catch a taxi there.
I have friends who live in Boerum Hill and it's nice, too...but my vote (not that I get one) would be for the Heights. And you'd be close to the BK Bridge, I love walking over the bridge.
You don't have to go to the City to go out. If by going out you mean going to a nice restaurant or bar/lounge--there are some in the Heights or close-by neighborhoods that are nice. Or if you mean theater or music, there's all that stuff, too. You'd be a train stop away from BAM, a couple away from the BK Museum. (Ok, I just love Brooklyn)
hubby and i thought about moving to brooklyn from the uws last spring and i think we really would have loved it, but i'm in grad school and pretty tied to campus uptown, so the commute would have eaten up all my time. we ended up just moving a bit more uptown. if you don't want to move out of manhatten, definitely look further uptown--prices are much lower the higher uptown you get. we live pretty close to the 125th stop on the 1 and pay the same for a large 3(!!) bedroom apt that we did for a 2 bedroom about 20 blocks south, and i love our street--it's really quiet and friendly (it's mostly students and faculty) but you're still close to everything on the uws. i don't think we'll move now until we actually move out of the area for good.
@finnaroo: Right now we live in the high 60s, and before this we lived on 73rd Street, and while I definitely love the vibe of this area, I know that we could get a LOT more for our money if we moved higher up. I don't know that I'd be willing to up as far as you are--96th is probably my limit, but even there, there's a ton of stuff in the low 90s. The issue is DH--he doesn't want to live that far uptown. I don't really get his reasoning, since he's happy to move to brooklyn, which is even more "out of the way" that living on like 92nd street. When we move though, I would imagine we would definitely at least take a look at what's available up there. I think another reason is that he went to Columbia for undergrad, and so is kind of sick of the upper UWS/Morningside Heights area.
@latoya: Thanks! We haven't actually spent any time in Boerum Hill, we kind of picked it based on looking at a map, lol. But we're headed to Brooklyn this weekend to look around and get a feel for some of the neighborhoods.
@hilsy85: ??? There are TONS of places to go out in Brooklyn. Why would you need to go to Manhattan when there's an abundance right outside your door. It's Brooklyn, not Iowa.
@crayfish: I'm not going to speak for hilsy85 but, I will say that when I lived in Brooklyn while yes there were lots of places to go out to, all of our friends lived in Manhattan and quite a few won't travel to Brooklyn given the difficulty getting home by means other than subway late at night. I think that may be more the point about going out - if none of your friends are there then you will be forced to travel to Manhattan to see them, or see your friends less regularly than you do. My husband for example refuses to go to Brooklyn, Staten Island or Jersey to see people (whether right or wrong is beside the point - he is a born and raised New Yorker but won't travel to those places to see people because of the difficulty commuting) and, he isn't comfortable with me taking the subway alone at night if I were to visit someone in those locations. Plus - it's a $40 cab ride each way - which could have bought part of our dinner had we stayed in Manhattan as opposed to traveling elsewhere.
@eupenmalmody: exactly. One of my best friends currently lives in Brooklyn, and I have never been to her apt. 1, it's a huge pain in the ass for me to get there from the UWS, and 2, she never hangs out at her apt, preferring to go out in the city, as that's where most of our other friends live and we're more familiar with those areas. ANd my DH is the same as yours about certain areas, even in the city, lol. He hates the LES/East Village because it's so annoying/long for us to get to.
@crayfish: I know it sounds ridiculous, but there really is, for me, a mental block about living in the outer boroughs. As I mentioned earlier, I grew up in Queens and I think that totally contributed to my reluctance to move out of the city--my goal was always to get IN to the city, lol.
@hilsy85: yes yes yes 92nd street! Seriously, we lived at 92nd and Amsterdam before we moved to the west coast and it was AMAZING. Since the 96th street stop is an express stop, it doesn't really feel further up when you're commuting farther downtown. If he's sick of the area, that's one thing, but I actually like the west 90s a lot better than further down because it's more residential and there's more bars and nightlife. Closer to Lincoln Center always felt more retail oriented and high-traffic to me.
OK, reading this thread is not at all helping with my post NY visit "we're totally moving back after grad school" attitude.
@Entangled: Yes, that area is super fun, and it's undergone a lot of changes over the last few years. We'd probably be looking a little further west--on West End or Riverside. How much longer do you guys have on the West Coast?
@eupenmalmody and @hilsy85: we actually have the opposite problem-- some of our friends live in brooklyn and refuse to come in to manhattan to see us! actually, it's mostly just one of hubby's friends--he moved back to the city in feb and stayed with us a bunch when he first got back--i actually had a thread back then about how he was wearing out his welcome...--but now he's settled in williamsburg and has refused to come see us/our new apt (not to mention, he didn't help us with moving, even after we put him up so much...) since. not that i'm bitter :P
@hilsy85: My fiance should be finished with his PhD program in about 2 years. Technically we could probably force ourselves home in 1 but it'd be harder for him to work with his professors for that last year, so we're thinking we'll move into San Francisco for that year which will help us decide what we want to do. We're actually considering splitting time between both coasts when he's done, which is insane but also a realistic possibility (though in that case, we probably can't afford the UWS again unless we suddenly start making the big bucks).
I actually hardly ever went west of Broadway when I lived up there (apparently I am way too lazy to walk crosstown and only explore up and down the avenues), but I think that if it's a not wanting to be uptown issue versus a tired of the UWS and want something new issue, then being by the 96th street express stop is really convenient.
I am actually the reverse -- I went to law school in Brooklyn and lived in BK Heights my first year and Cobble Hill my second and third years. My fiance lived in Hoboken and when we moved in together we met in the middle in Manhattan!
I loved BK Heights, its gorgeous...but theres not a ton around there once you are off Montague Street. While BK Heights has the promenade and the brownstones, I actually preferred living in Cobble Hill. I lived right off of Smith Street where there are tons of great restaurants and bars (I still miss Jakewalk and Clover Club). To be honest, I was pretty depressed the first few months I lived in Manhattan because I missed BK so much. That said, I see my friends so much more now than I did before -- they all acted like I lived in Siberia. I once had a friend meet me for brunch and she showed up an hour early because she thought it would take her an hour to get there (she lived in FiDi --- it was 2 stops on the subway!) and the convenience of cabs is nice in Manhattan. You can NEVER get a cab in the Heights, but I had some luck getting cabs on Smith Street in Cobble Hill every so often. Also, even though they are supposed to take you anywhere in NYC, I had alot cabbies refuse to take me to BK.
We often talk about eventually buying in the Cobble Hill area and raising kids there, but now that I've lived in Manhattan for 2 years it would be hard to go back.
I didn't read all the post so I'm sorry if I repeat anything. After 9 years of renting in Manhattan (UES, UWS, Gramercy, etc), we bought in Brooklyn earlier in 2011. I don't know the BK rental market at all, but after a quick Manhattan/Brooklyn buying comparison, it was a frickin' no brainer.
1) We got an amazing 2000sf loft (w/ very little maintenance/property taxes) on the E. River --- for the same price of something infinitely smaller and more expensive in manhattan.
2) we were the 1st of our friends to move to Brooklyn (Dumbo/Brooklyn Heights) and have 100000000 times more success making our friends come visit us (it is one subway stop, afterall), than we ever ever had on the UWS.
3) We both work in midtown, and our commute from brooklyn is shorter than it was on the UES/UWS.
4)Brooklyn Bridge Park and the views are without a doubt, the best in the city. It's why there is a crazy amount of weddings there every weekend taking their photos.
5)it was a strange decision for me, until we actually spent a few afternoons here. then it was a no-brainer. Plus, my husband's blood pressure has dropped immensely, because it's just chiller and quieter and all around a very very lovely life. You should come spend a few afternoons here!!!
good luck!!
@hilsy85:We live in Brooklyn Heights. It is a gorgeous neighborhood and close to all of the important subway lines. We used to live in the Columbus Circle area, and it has been a very positive change for us. The quiet, tree lined streets suit us well. Also, it is the closest BK neighborhood to FiDi and very close to Tribeca/Village. Our friends are either in BK or downtown so getting to them is not that big of a deal. There are always cabs on Clinton Street. The primary downside is the lack of good restaurants, but adjacent neighborhoods, like Cobble Hill, have much better options within walking distance from the Heights. It is not cheap, however. Cheaper than most of Manhattan but not a bargain by any means!
I would think about your commute and where most of your friends live. Schools are also a concern. There are very good private schools (St. Ann's, Packer), but the chances of getting into any of them are just as low as in Manhattan. Our public school, PS 8, is supposed to be good, but I don't have personal experience with it. And while we have many playgrounds and the new Brooklyn Bridge Park, I miss Central Park very much!
We love Brooklyn Heights and decided about a year ago that after we tackle our wedding, moving there is the next project. We'll probably be moving in early 2012 and I'm really excited. I love Stuy Town and we've lived there for over three years, but I think moving to quieter and more family-oriented neighborhood will be the perfect next step after our wedding.
How is the serach going Hilsy? Any updates?
@Miss Holly: I grew up in Stuy Town! It's too bad you weren't around about 10 years ago, when MetLife still owned the complex. It used to be really quiet, and a great place to raise a family. It's changed a lot in the past couple of years.
I actually moved from Stuy Town to Greenpoint, Brooklyn to be with my then fiance/now husband. This neighborhood is much too quiet for me, and we're moving to Williamsburg next month. I'm looking forward to being closer to good food and nightlife. Not looking forward to the hipsters though, haha. And we're moving into a luxury building on the waterfront with tons of great amenities. Can't wait!
I do a lot of babysitting in the Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens area, and it is a great place to raise kids. Tons of great playgrounds and activities for kids!
As you probably know, I also live on the UWS in the high 60's (also used to be on 73rd, small world!!) and I'm dealing with this same issue recently. DH has been making noises about brooklyn even though we've both always been totally against it in the past. A lot of our friends are moving there since it's more affordable, but we actually still have a lot of friends who live in the UWS also.
I feel the same way you do about the 90's, I think it's a totally up and coming, safe affordable area that is a better option than brooklyn. DH and I went to see an apartment for sale on 95th & Riverside recently, but I couldn't convince him it was a good area, he's totally set in his ways.
I can't offer a perspective of what it's like to live in Brooklyn since I"m not there, but I can say that when I go ou tthere to visit people it's a total nightmare. Even the 'nice' areas aren't that nice IMO and the subway/cab situation is horrendous. WE've turned down several invitations to go out on a Saturday night, just becaue we would have no safe way of getting back to the city afterwards. So it's really inconvenient AND guess what, it's just as expensive as the city if you want to live in a nice area. So I just feel like if you aren't in love with the area to begin with, it's a lose-lose situation to move there. But I'm a total city girl, so take my opinion with a grain of salt :)
@TribecaBride: The cab thing is a huge concern, especially at night!! And I'm totally guilty of thinking that BK is waaaaay further away than it actually is 
@futuremrscrawford: Thanks for your input!!! You can definitely find more space for a better price in BK than in the city. And I totally agree, Brooklyn Bridge park is amazing. We've spent some time on pier 6, and it's like a children's paradise!
@raintreebee: Those are pretty much all of my concerns...DH is convinced that the whole schooling aspect will be better in BK, but I disagree...it seems like since there are fewer options in BK, theyw ould be more competitive. I have heard really good things about PS 8 though, and we would most likely look for a place that is zoned for that.
@BrooklynBride10: Hahah williamsburg is waaay too hipster for us :) We're not cool enough!
@Miss Holly: Well if we do end up moving there, we can be buddies! :) No real updates right now...we still have another several months on our lease. We did go look at two apartments in the DUMBO area, and I decided that I really do NOT want to live there. It's still way too industrial and isolated for me. The upside is that we then walked to BK Heights and I immediately felt more comfortable, so I think I am coming around to the idea. We'll see...
@moderndaisy: Haha I can totally relate!!! We have friends that live in Prospect Heights and I always give DH a "look" when he suggests going over there on the weekends at night because I know going home will be miserable. The good thing about BK Heights is that it's right by the A/C and the 2/3, so it's definitely more conven ient than other areas. And that's so funny, we're on 68th now, we've probably seen each other out and about and just don't know it!
I loooove the 90s on Riverside--the park is so pretty up there and it seems so peaceful. And hadn't you guys put in an offer on a co-op? Did that not work out?
I'm a bit slow to notice this post, but my two cents:
- Given the choice between Boreum Hill and Cobble Hill, I think I'd go with Boreum Hill. Some parts of Cobble Hill are a bit more remote than Boreum Hill in terms of subway access.
- I'm not huge on Brooklyn Heights, but it totally depends on the part of the neighborhood. Getting closer to DUMBO, it looses that "Brooklyn charm." If you stay around Clark Street/Henry Street, it's awesome and very neighborhoody.
- I live in Prospect Heights and absolutely love it. I'm next to the Brooklyn Library/Grand Army Plaza/Prospect Park, and very close to Brooklyn Museum and Botanic Garden. In my mind, I'd never want to live anywhere else - so much greenery and it's not all busy like Manhattan (or even Williamsburg). Plus, you have easy access to the 2,3,4, and 5 train, so travel isn't bad, either. (Yes, I am extremely biased, because it is the best).
- almost forgot! Have you looked into Fort Greene? GREAT neighborhood. I've babysat some kids there and boy were they sharp - I think they attended public school in Boreum Hill - it was on Pacific St somewhere, but at least you know zoning won't be a total issue. Anyway, it has beautiful brownstones and close access to the A C and G lines.
I've lived in Cobble Hill since January after 5 years each in Manhattan and Astoria, and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE it. Love the graceful brownstone streets, the fun bars & restaurants on Smith & Court Streets. Our friends actually LIKE coming out here because our neighborhood and apartment are so appealing. We would both have to be dragged back to Manhattan kicking and screaming. :)
i live in williamsburg - well, the slighlty dodgy not yet overrun with pompous hipsters edge of williamsburg . . .
i am not a native new yorker - and this is the only place i have lived in new york. as for the transportation / accessibility issues i will say this:
i am right off the L line, and work in midtown. my commute is usually about 25 minutes - which is awesome, and actually shorter than some of the girls i work with who live in manhattan. that said, the L line is really the only thing close to me and they like to do "maintenance" on some weekends which can reeeaalllly eff things up. as in no trains in / out of manhattan all weekend. this usually seems to fall on the weekend that i have lots of errands planned.
you are correct -- cabs are basically non-existant in brooklyn. there are however several great car services. the one we use is always at our door by the time we even get downstairs, and the cost is usually cheaper than a cab. 8 out of 10 cab drivers in manhattan will not come to brooklyn. sure, it's the "law", however, if it is late at night - they have started locking their doors before you can get in. once you say brooklyn, they speed away. during 'regular hours' you master the art of getting in and letting them start rolling before you tell them you are going to brooklyn. they huff and puff and mumble under their breath usually. or they will act like they have no idea how to get there.
all of that said, i do LOVE that we have a split level 3 bedroom 1 1/2 bath apartment with our own roof deck. all of the shops in my neighborhood know me... they know my dog... they give me groceries on "credit" if i dont have enough cash / forgot my wallet whatever... it is definitely quieter in general... so, there's give and take for sure.
We moved to brooklyn from dc. We live in prospect heights -- two blocks from the library and grand army, so a 15 minute walk to everything in park slope.
I love it, but I'm from a smaller town and it's very on par with that. Not sure why you think it's remote.. we have the 2/3 and I'm not a far walk from the Q! Yeah there are no cabs, but there are car services and in my experience the fares are cheaper than cabs.
As for safety, I've worked a lot of late nights at the magazine and have never felt unsafe getting home. It can take a while though, for sure.
Honestly, UWS is way more remote to me :) All in perspective.
Yep, the UWS is on a different planet to me. Way to far from downtown Manhattan.
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