BrooklynFilter

March 10, 2006 9:15 AM

A swap possibility in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Opinions?

My family is going to NYC for the first time in early summer, as tourists. I have been trying to get a housing swap (we live in Eugene, OR) and we have interest from a nice-sounding couple who live in brownstone in Sunset Park.

My question is: Since most tourist-oriented stuff is in Manhattan, would Staying in Sunset Park be too much of a hassle? Also, what is it like? Walking after dark from the subway, living there for several weeks.

Any experiences, opinions, warnings, gladly accepted.

posted by Danf to travel & transportation (14 comments total)

Some parts of Sunset Park can be dangerous. Others aren't. Can you give more details on the address? Just the avenue and street would be helpful. It's also possible that you'll be very close to a subway, or not very close at all. Sunset Park is fairly large.
posted by Doug at 9:21 AM on March 10, 2006

So far, that is all the info I have. .they say it's 10 min to the subway then a 20 min ride to Manhattan. Sunset Park seems to be passed over, in favor of Park Slope, and other Brooklyn neighborhoods, in guidebooks.

The Green Hill Cemetary is a draw, though.
posted by Danf at 9:25 AM on March 10, 2006

It's largely passed over by guidebooks because there isnt really much to do there, although 5th avenue can be interesting to walk through on a saturday afternoon. If you get any more info on the address you're welcome to email me. I live pretty close to Sunset Park. I can tell you that it is fairly close to Manhattan. The subways that run through it are reliable, but weekend and late night service can be hit or miss. It's also close to Park Slope, so while there's not a whole lot to do in Sunset Park itself, you'll be fairly close to other stuff. You'll also be close to Bay Ridge, which is great if you like good italian or middle eastern food.
posted by Doug at 9:35 AM on March 10, 2006

GreenWood Cemetery is lovely - if you can call a cemetery that. Rolling hills, beautiful plantings, great views of lower Manhattan, and resting place for plenty of 19th/early 20th Century celebrities. Twenty minutes will get you to lower Manhattan (Wall St./City Hall) but more like 30-40 mins. to Midtown.

You could be staying in worse sections of the city, but Sunset Park has its rough edges for sure. Generally, the closer you get to the 4th Avenue Subway (the R Line I believe) the rougher it gets. But just one block up -- east of the main shopping drag (5th Avenue) -- and things generally improve. Remember, this is the city -- and even a single block can make a difference. Depending on your taste, you may like the largely ethnic character of Sunset Park or you may not. You are also a stone's throw from both Bay Ridge and Park Slope, including the sprawling beauty of Prospect Park and the Narrows, or entry into NY harbor. Normal cautions apply as with any part of a large city, but as stated, you could do far worse than Sunset Park. If safety is on your mind, you might call the community relations officer at the 72nd Precinct and ask some questions. Good luck.
posted by terrier319 at 9:59 AM on March 10, 2006

I'm from Oregon and I used to live not far from Sunset Park in Greenwood Heights (that's South Slope if you're a realtor). I think it'd be a great place to stay for a while and get some real NYC/Brooklyn flavor. You'll certainly get a look at the difference between Oregon diversity and actual diversity. 5th Ave is cool (definitely walk up 5th Ave to Park Slope, too; lots of lovely Brooklyn to see along the way and good places to go out drinking, if that's your thing). The cemetery is indeed very cool. There's good shopping and food to the south in Bay Ridge and it's not far to Coney Island. Also, don't miss Prospect Park.
As for safety, don't sweat it too much. NYC is much safer now than it used to be (and infinitely safer than your average Oregonian would believe). I wouldn't recommend walking around alone and looking frightened at 3 a.m., but other than that, don't worry.
posted by willpie at 10:20 AM on March 10, 2006

I don't know much about Sunset Park, though I live in Brooklyn. The only thing you might want to consider is that the "20 minutes" figure is probably to the first stop in Manhattan, which isn't necessarily where you want to go. The ride to, say, Times Square, could be 40 minutes, and a ride to the Met could take an hour. I love living in Brooklyn but I don't think I'd want to stay as far out as Sunset Park for a brief vacation. (If you know the address of the place and/or can find out what subway stop it's nearest, hopstop will tell you how long it will take from there to anywhere else via public transit.)
posted by nevers at 10:31 AM on March 10, 2006

I wouldn't go any further before they give you the cross streets. There are some blocks in Sunset Park that even I, a native, would hesitate to walk down. And some other blocks that are so ugly and depressing you'll want to cry when you first see the place.

Not bashing Sunset Park; it isn't all bad. But it sure isn't all good. You need more info.
posted by ROTFL at 10:34 AM on March 10, 2006

It's a toss-up, transportation-wise. If you'll be staying close to 4th Ave. & 9th St. in Park Slope (a short walk from northern Sunset), you'll be able to catch the F-which is a shorter trip to midtown, more convenient for the Lower East Side/East Village and runs more nights/weekends.

Two express train lines, the N and the D, stop at 4th Ave. & 36th St. that allow a +/- 20 minute trip into Midtown as well.

As for the 4th Avenue local line, the R? Slooooooow.
posted by huskerdont at 10:48 AM on March 10, 2006

Sunset Park is where all of the low-income immigrant families of Park Slope got pushed to when rents went up and the yuppies moved in. It can be hit-or-miss, but it does have some NYC favor. You'll never find a cab at night (or ever, really -- but there are local car services) and the R train is indeed ass-slow at night, sometimes up to a 30-minute wait. Bring a book.
posted by camworld at 11:37 AM on March 10, 2006

You'll never find a cab at night (or ever, really -- but there are local car services)

But I can get a cab at JFK and get taken to this apt., should I opt this way, right?
posted by Danf at 11:40 AM on March 10, 2006

I used to live there. It's a great neighborhood, and I personally never felt threatened (I am a young woman) although I did get my share of catcalls. However it really can be a pain in the butt. If you're a 'downtown' sort of person and you want to focus your exploration below 14th street, it shouldn't be a problem. But if you want to range all over, it may take forever.

Another note is that cabbies in Manhattan hate going to Sunset Park, Red Hook, and Bay Ridge, although they are legally obligated to. If you do end up staying there stick to your guns and insist on a ride!
posted by miss tea at 12:26 PM on March 10, 2006

you can get a cab from the airport, but you should have driving directions to the place ready cause some cabbies won't know how to get there.
i think overall it sounds good, depending on what you're looking to do. Obviously a free place in new york is nothing to sneeze at. I advise taking cabs home past midnight else you'll spend forever waiting for the train.
I mean if you're looking for a manhattan vacation, this is less than ideal. On the other hand, if you want to spend some time in brooklyn, checking out different neighborhoods and eat and drink at local spots this could be great.
posted by alkupe at 12:37 PM on March 10, 2006

My friend just bought a place in Sunset Park with his wife, and he loves it. He is definitely the yuppie type, he has told me the neighborhood is mostly hispanic immigrants, and that, at least his area, feels quite safe to him, with lots of good hole-in-the-way Latin restaurants, but not much else. Of course, when he was researching the area, he proudly told me that the murder and sexual assault rates in the area were low, but that aggrevated assaults were high from Brooklyn. Make of it what you will.
posted by blahblahblah at 12:46 PM on March 10, 2006

I advise taking cabs home past midnight else you'll spend forever waiting for the train.

Well the with extra 1200-1600 dollars (and that is for hostel space) that we would not be spending, plus being able to eat in now and then, cabfare gets more affordable.

Thank you all who have responded and will respond. This gives me so much for information on which to base a decision.
posted by Danf at 1:12 PM on March 10, 2006