Advice about Astoria neighborhoods

[slalomskier22]

Hi Everyone!
   Ill be graduating college in may and working in midtown. I am thinking of moving to Astoria. Any suggestions on good areas to look for apartment (1 or 2 bedroom) for this August. Also are there alot of recent grads in the area and where do they hang out?

Thanks!

[Hrmph]

I'm a relatively recent college grad (5 yrs) and live near ditmars. love the neighborhood. although there is a pretty good local bar scene (primarily by broadway), i think most people hang out in the city as the commute is very short. i personally like the ditmars side better as it alittle quieter, but still has a ton of restaurants, and is close to the park.

[slalomskier22]

how long is the commute to midtown?

[Astoria Luv]

From 36th Avenue on the N/W, which I used to live at, you could make it to 49th Street in fifteen minutes.  I would add a couple of minutes to each stop as you head north (Broadway, 30th Avenue, Astoria Boulevard, and Ditmars)  Please note that I am counting from the time that you get on the train and it's actually in motion. In my experience (I worked off of the 49th St. stop for a combined 3 to 4 years) and I did not take account for your walk to the train, etc.  I was fortunate because I lived about a block away from the 36th Avenue stop.

[Astoria Luv]

From 36th Avenue on the N/W, which I used to live at, you could make it to 49th Street in fifteen minutes. 

That's 36th Avenue in Queens and 49th Street in Manhattan.  I attached the link to the MTA subway map for you to reference, in case you're not familiar with the transportation.

http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm

[Born on Ditmars]

I suggest you live near the last stop on the N/W (ditmars) so that when you commute, you'd have a seat in the mornings

[extensionofbob]

I of course have to pimp the Ditmars stop. Having a seat is nice. When I worked in midtown, it would take me 30 minutes to get to work door to door (including my 10 minute walk to the train). My commute downtown is now 45-50 minutes, door to door. It's totally worth it. My roommates and I also all graduated college about a year ago...and I tend to run into quite a few people in the same boat in the area. I recommend checking out the threads in the Restaurants & Food portion of this site.

[hillary10]

Hi,
We live in Astoria near Steinway/Broadway and are considering moving to Ditmars--near 20th ave in the 30s. I know that it's more residential. This is sort of a weird question but I would love to hear how others perceive the difference between the two areas. I've also noticed that people who live around us are a bit dismissive of the lower ditmars area and I wonder if anyone can explain why. They seem very similar in terms of population.

I hope this doesn't seem like a bizarre, unfocused query.

thanks!

[Alison]

Heeeey, you'd totally be my neighbor if you moved (I live on Steinway near 21 Av.)

Ok. This is why I like it better up here (and yes, we're north of you guys, despite the bizarre fact that the avenues go down in numbers as you get further north, and the streets go lower in numbers as you go west - seriously, everything about us is opposite of Manhattan, hahah...)

Anyway. I like it up here since (and I realize a lot of these have to do with owning a car/driving, don't know if that's a factor for you) its quieter and cleaner but still distinctly Astoria, you always get a seat on the N/W and the train never expresses past us (since we're the last stop), also there is almost always a train waiting so if its snowing/raining/hot/cold, you don't have to stand out on the platform, it feels more neighborhoody (to me, anyway, but that may be because I've been here for 2 years), its closer to the bridges and the GCP for when you need to leave the city, the traffic isn't as crazy, its easier to park up here, we have Best Yet (supermarket), Ditmars Gyro Place (YUM!), Thai Elephant (DOUBLE YUM!), its about a 15 minute walk to Astoria Park, that new place that everyone's talking about that I haven't gotten around to checking out yet is here, and a whole bunch of other things that I can't really think of at the moment.

I don't know that I would live in the Broadway/Steinway area. Too busy and loud for me, and I can't imagine finding a parking spot is any fun. The Q101 will get me to that area anyway in under 10 minutes if I need to get down there. I guess I'd live there if I had a garage/driveway. Up here, I usually get a spot either right out front or around the corner on 20th Rd.

[hillary10]

so you are a potential neighbor!

We do have a car and have many awful experiences parking in our current area. parking seems SO much easier in your part. Good to hear. That is my impression too. I know it's lower than where we are (I read a post about a sewer smell) and nearer the industrial area (which I guess is not so good).

When I had my first child it was late fall and I used to walk for hours with her in the stroller and I always went  to Ditmars. Just crossing Astoria blvd and into this quieter, calmer area was really nice. We had just moved to this neighborhood and I would tell my husband about the "bizarro astoria" on the other side of astoria blvd, where there were these big train tracks and little houses and not so many apt buildings. I always liked it.

We'll probably move there.. we're buying and it's the first time and we are FReAKING OUT. 

[toothy]

Hillary 10,

Allison is absolutely right on all accounts.  I think Ditmars (around 20th ave) is prettier than the Broadway area.  There are a lot more trees and gardens which makes for a nice walk home.  Since it is less crowded, the average walk home can be very relaxing.  If you are walking home late at night, you can actually hear the sound of nothing.  Having grown up in a relatively rural area, its nice to hear occasionally.  It is also much closer to Astoria Park.  When I lived on Broadway, it took me about 1/2 hour to walk to Astoria park.  I now live 2 blocks from the park.  Since the Ditmars area is less crowded, you tend to get to know your neighbors and shop keepers.  In my experience I know more of my neighbors and local business owns around Ditmars than I did around Broadway.  I'm sure other people on the board have had different experiences but this is what I found.  

I found that Broadway had more choices when it came to bars, grocery stores and laundromats. There are still a ton of places to eat around Ditmars.  My favorites are Fatty's/Crescent & Vine, Anna's Corner and Mezzo.  Also expect to lengthen your train rides into Manhatten by about 15mins.  Ditmars bound N/W trains have a habit of stopping and waiting at Astoria Blvd for anywhere between 2 to 15 mins.   Keep in mind that 20th Ave west of 21st St gets to be a very long walk to the train.  You almost need a car for your chores (almost).

I hope this helps.

[Alison]

oh, you mean lower elevation-wise? The stank smell isn't CONSTANT, but it definitely rears its stanky head in the summer, occasionally. I haven't figured out a pattern to it yet though. Its annoying, but it won't make you want to tear your nose off or anything. Either way, welcome to the north of Astoria Boulevard 'hood :)

The industrial area doesn't bother me at all - but I grew up in a place where there's a lot of abandoned factories and whatnot, so it's pretty normal for me. The only *really* annoying thing to me about the industrial area is the trucks on Steinway. They pretty much stick to Steinway (to get to the BQE). So I'm occasionally woken up at 6am to the lovely sounds of blaring 18-wheeler horns when people double park and they can't get through. But now that its supa-hot (and I have the AC or a fan running), I don't hear them when I'm sleeping, and if you're in the 30s, you probably won't even notice them.

[Debbie]

I live on 19th Street, off of 24th Avenue and love it.  I get up early on Saturday morning and drive to 30th Avenue for my fruits, veggies, meat etc. and do not mind at all.  Key Food has a good selection locally.  Top Tomato is not bad and offers good prices.  We also have an organic place on 23rd Avenue.  I like it much better in this area.  I know all of my neighbors and I love running in the park every morning.  Where will you be moving?  What Avenue would you be near?  Congrats on the house.

[RoverNYC]

We'll probably move there.. we're buying and it's the first time and we are FReAKING OUT.

I think buying anywhere you can in Astoria is a smart move. And since you have a car and parking isn't such a hassle up there, why not? Good luck!

[hillary10]

thanks for the encouragement, rover... sometimes it seems like a good move and then sometimes it just seems totally insane. all that money, most of which isn't ours but the banks, gone. .

We both love that part of Astoria and it's good to hear that others do too.