The night adventure.

(Part 6) I usually work until around 8pm, but today was a longer day and I was finishing up at 9pm. Not super tired, I figure, you know it's really won't be a fair assessment of how comfortable I am in this area if I only go during the day. After all, I come home after dark almost every weekday. So I jump on my usual 4 train and when we get to Borough Hall I just keep going. Of course I have to transfer to a 2 train because the 5 only runs during rush hour. On the train with me is a Jewish couple that stay on to go all the way to Flatbush Ave/Brooklyn College (the next and last stop on the 2/5). I get off at Newkirk with about a 100 folks. I am the only Caucasian person in the group, but my position on this subject is "who cares?" I walk the circumference of one block, which takes me into the center of the complex (it's a two block by two block square). About half way around the block (almost the center), I do see one security guard, and the looks genuinely interested in what's going on. There are houses across the street and some folks are playing some music and hanging out. A block later is the park where several people are playing basketball. There's three food stores right there (key foods, meat market, produce store), a laundromat, dry cleaner, and several other convenience type places. It's not "Sex in the City" NYC, but it's functional and niceish, and frankly if you want Sex in the City NYC rent the DVDs because I'm pretty sure that's the only place you'll find it. I'm not going to lie to you, I've seen nicer places, and I've seen safer places. However, it was nice enough, and safe enough. I don't think the roommate will like it, she won't even ride the subway from JFK at night (or ever but that's a different story). I head home to go to bed, with a new level of excitement for Sunday's open house.

From floorplan to possible gameplan.

(Part 5) The roommate and I have decided that it can't hurt to look. They have open houses from 12-5. Nora says they'll be closed this Sunday, but open again the first Sunday in May. I'm a church going Catholic, and my roommate is a non-church going Catholic. Having a church within walking distance is fairly important to me. Fortunately, there is a Catholic church right across the street at the Newkirk subway stop. They have some masses in Creole for the Haitian population that is huge there, but 11am is English, so that's perfect. We've decided to go to mass at 11, and the open house at 12. It would be nice to go this Sunday, but we can wait another week.

The intervention; my friends think I'm nuts.

(Part 4) Ok. I have to be honest. Things are moving kind of fast, but I feel good about that. Like rapid weight loss, maybe it's unhealthy, but seen as a really good thing. I've informed my friends, co-works, etc about my idea of moving to what NYC.gov calls the boarder between Flatbush and East Flatbush.

They think I'm nuts. "It's not safe." "You'll get shot." "You'll get mugged." Etc, etc, etc... Then I tell them how cheap it is, and they briefly want to join, then decide there's a reason it's that cheap. Well, maybe there is. I'm not stupid. I may have only been in NYC for 8 months now, but I'm not stupid. I know almost exactly why it's that cheap. (1) It's less safe, (2) it's less nice, (3) it literally used to be projects, (4) McDonald's is a viable contender for best restaurant in the area, (5) it's farther from Manhattan than other places, and (6) it's populated by 99.999% black/hispanic. Here's the thing though. Number six is a major reason it's so cheap, but number six doesn't seem like a valid reason to me. Isn't saying I can't live there because I'm white racist? Shouldn't I be ashamed to let that be a factor, shouldn't my alleged "liberal" friends be ashamed to say that's a reason why I shouldn't live there? Anyway, I'm sure I'll have a long rant about my ignorant views on race relations some other time... For now it's all speculation.

I am honestly concerned about safety. However, I do also think people exaggerate, and over concern themselves. No, I don't want to be mugged. However, the money I'd save in Flatbush is WAY more than the money a mugger would take from me. Honestly, as long as I don't get physically injured, I'll feel like moving there was a good idea. If I get beat-up a little it will be a wash. If I get beat unconscious, stabbed or non-fatally shot, I'll feel like I lost. If I get killed, well it doesn't really matter does it? Please tell my family I love them.

There is much to think about.

The interview... More info please!

(Part 3) More information, reply from the leasing manager: (Note, I exchanged a couple emails, and this is a consolidated FAQ list from those several). BTW, Nora Gross get's 8 out of 10 stars for email replies. Always informative and professional. Almost always a response. However, sometimes only 99% responsive to all the questions, and often with a length delay. Lengthy delays might be a good thing, because I think they're very busy, i.e. people want to live here.

(1) Are utilities included?
-- Yes, there is a $285/year fee for installing your own window A/C units, but everything else (heat, water, electric) is included.

(2) What is the square feet per unit?
-- There are approximately 2,500 units in 59 buildings. Units may very slightly but they are all very similar. Approximately, 400 sqft (studio); 600 sqft (1-bed); 800 sqft (2-bed); and 1000 sqft (3-bed).
[Poster's note: These used to be federally funded projects, and thus are remarkably uniform in construction and have less sqft per bedroom than your average apartment.]

(3) Pets? -- cats and dogs under 40 lbs.

(4) What's up with the security?
-- There is a porter in each building with a radio, and 24-hour professional (i.e. allowed to make arrests) security for the complex. Approximately 10 people patrolling at any given time.

(5) Elevators? -- One per building, totally redone and modernized so that repairs are efficient when needed.

(6) Laundry? -- Brand new central facility, and retail facility across from the subway stop. Dry cleaners right next to the subway.

(7) Package receiving? -- All units have one central mail room next to the laundry room for the whole complex. There is a package receiving room that will accept packages or take outgoing packages.

(8) Security deposit at lease signing? -- A non-refundable $500 deposit will secure a unit and be applied to the leasing requirement. At signing the first month's rent and a security deposit equal to that is due. Bank checks only. Lease dates are the first and fifteenth of every month, unless that's a Saturday or Sunday and then it's the Friday before. You may move in anytime on or after your lease date.

(9) Availability? -- Several studios and one bedrooms to choose from. More than one 2-bedroom unit is usually available to choose from. No three bedrooms are available and rarely become available (no wait list is maintained).

A virtual walk in the garden; FlatbushGardens.net that is.

(Part Two) So, I checked out Flatbush Garden's website. It's kind of lame in parts, but they have floorplans to look at (but no square feet listed), and a very nicely done video on youTube. Also an address to look up. It spans the four blocks south-east of the Newkirk 2/5 subway stop. The video does a nice job to make you think it's a nice place to live, and safe. 24-hour security, etc.
I found this article about it that tells a nice story of the good and bad (accuracy unverified, but I mean hey, it's on the internet, so it has to be right, right?).

My roommate and I are both from Florida, and moved to NYC Sept. 1st from different places (i.e. I was no longer in Florida) and for different reasons. The roommate would like her own place, because she refuses to live with a stranger and doesn't like the idea of having to move back home to Florida if I ever move or get sick of living with her. The problem is she can't afford most studios or one bedrooms in NYC (who can?). So, after watching the video and realizing her friend from work lives really close to there and doesn't think it's too unsafe, the roommate got a little excited about a feasible option for being self-sufficient. To be honest, I kind got a little excited too. I can afford a little bit more than she can, but I'm quite strained with our Brooklyn Heights rent. I tend to like cheaper housing over "luxury" buildings. I mean I'm hardly home, so why pay for a nice apartment when it's basically a sleeping quarters and nothing else.

More information is needed. Fortunately, the leasing manager puts her e-mail on the website.

A walk in the park; park slope that is.

(Part One) For something to do my roommate and I went down to park slope to a batting cage. I didn't lead a very "sporty" childhood. Other than a couple of rounds of catch with my dad, and watching an occasional spring training game; I'd never really done much with baseball. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'd never hit a baseball before in my life. So, with "things to do before I die" list in hand, we took the subway from our Brooklyn Heights apartment to the slope to hit some balls. Good times. Not much to report. I hit most, but not many well. The day was nice, and the weekend to do list was short, so we walked through Park Slope heading home.

Some people are "people watchers" ( and to some degree I am too). However, I'm an avid "real estate" watcher. I could never afford a place, but I love ads for lofts or condos. I love going to their website, and I love looking at their pictures/prices. So, I'm always on the lookout for ads. On a bus stop there was an ad claiming "Flatbush Gardens is New York's Best Rental Value. Period!" They also described themselves as "Real Homes for Real People", which I find to be an odd statement, but I wasn't an advertising major in college. They advertise attractive prices though: studios for $875, 1-bed for $1025, 2-bed for $1200, and 3-bed for $1395 per month.


So, I've only been in NYC for 8 months now, but that seems like a deal, and way cheaper than our current place. I do my standard cell phone picture of the url (www.FlatbushGardens.net) for future viewing interest, and we move on...