Moving to New York - NYC'ers please chime in

[WoodyStylee]

So I got a job offer in Westchester (New Rochelle), and I'd like to move as close to the city as possible without having my daily commute become too much of a hassle. I did a little research, and I know that theres the Bee-line bus from Westchester to Manhattan, and also the Metro-North (is that different from the regular subway?) I'm looking to move somewhere that is walking distance to the main MTA subway (or has a parking lot), but also somewhere that I can have a car without having to pay a monthly parking fee.

I'll be working at a bar in manhattan on the weekends (via the MTA subway), and commuting via car to New Rochelle on the weekdays. I was looking at Yonkers, but ive never been anywhere in NY except Manhattan. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[WoodyStylee]

I just saw this map, and it looks like New Rochelle is a little less than 30 minutes from Penn Station. If this is the case, could I live somewhere in Manhattan (uptown?) - given that my office in New Rochelle is walking or bus accessible from the MTA station?

 

[kveldulv]

I lived in Hoboken for a while and it was the ****. Twenty minutes to midtown on the PATH and you can park your wheels wherever you want.

Quieter, too.

Kinda the opposite direction of where you want, though.

 

[millionaire75]

and you can park your wheels wherever you want.



Are you sure you lived in Hoboken?

 

[StockwellDay]

Originally Posted by kveldulv

I lived in Hoboken for a while and it was the ****. Twenty minutes to midtown on the PATH and you can park your wheels wherever you want. Quieter, too. Kinda the opposite direction of where you want, though.
Working in W'Chester and suggesting the OP live in Jersey couldn't be worse advice. To make your commute as easy as possible, you can live anywhere you want on the Eastside of Manhattan. That way you'd have only 2 trains to take, the 4,5,6 subway to Grand Central and then the Metro North to New Rock. If you look at places around Grand Central like Tudor City or somewhere else in Midtown East you could walk to GCT and then only have one train and not have to deal with the subways, but then you'd live in Midtown East, which sucks. Or you could look in Harlem around 125th St. The other stop in Manhattan for the Metro North trains. Good luck

 

[mr. magoo]

Originally Posted by StockwellDay

Or you could look in Harlem around 125th St. The other stop in Manhattan for the Metro North trains.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Metro North was going to be doing something with the 125th/Lexington stop -- renovating it, closing it, etc. -- so it may not be the best locale.

 

[grimslade]

I haven't heard that, but that doesn't mean it isn't true.

New Rochelle is 34 minutes from Grand Central Station on metro north. Metro North is completely separate (other than a parent company) from the subway system. You can not take a subway to New Rochelle.

There is absolutely no advantage to living in Yonkers if you are working in New Ro. Both are the same distance from the city, and getting from one to the other is a hassle. You'd be better off just living in New Rochelle, which a.) has some nice parts, if you like suburbs; and b.) Has some fancy new high rises right next to the train station if you want to walk to work. Otherwise, you could live in Manhattan somewhere and reverse commute from GCT, or live farther out, but still on Metro North's New Haven line (say, in coastal Connecticut) and enjoy more of a country life.


Do not live in New Jersey. That would be hell. Do not live in the outer boroughs for the same reason. Getting from Brooklyn to New Ro is a hassle.

Larchmont, Pelham and parts of Mamaroneck are all nice, leafy suburban places within five minutes of downtown New Rochelle.

Tell us a little more about your priorities, and we can add more information. But if I were you, I'd be tempted by the idea of the Avalon or the other new tower in downtown New Ro, knowing that getting in and out of the city would be pretty painless and you'd have no commute.

Otherwise, if you think you want to live in the city, you're going to be stuck paying for parking, but you could reverse commute in a car in 30 minutes if you lived on the upper east side.

 

[WoodyStylee]

Originally Posted by grimslade

I haven't heard that, but that doesn't mean it isn't true.

New Rochelle is 34 minutes from Grand Central Station on metro north. Metro North is completely separate (other than a parent company) from the subway system. You can not take a subway to New Rochelle.

There is absolutely no advantage to living in Yonkers if you are working in New Ro. Both are the same distance from the city, and getting from one to the other is a hassle. You'd be better off just living in New Rochelle, which a.) has some nice parts, if you like suburbs; and b.) Has some fancy new high rises right next to the train station if you want to walk to work. Otherwise, you could live in Manhattan somewhere and reverse commute from GCT, or live farther out, but still on Metro North's New Haven line (say, in coastal Connecticut) and enjoy more of a country life.


Do not live in New Jersey. That would be hell. Do not live in the outer boroughs for the same reason. Getting from Brooklyn to New Ro is a hassle.

Larchmont, Pelham and parts of Mamaroneck are all nice, leafy suburban places within five minutes of downtown New Rochelle.

Tell us a little more about your priorities, and we can add more information. But if I were you, I'd be tempted by the idea of the Avalon or the other new tower in downtown New Ro, knowing that getting in and out of the city would be pretty painless and you'd have no commute.

Otherwise, if you think you want to live in the city, you're going to be stuck paying for parking, but you could reverse commute in a car in 30 minutes if you lived on the upper east side.


Thanks Grimslade, you obviously are very knwoledgeable about the city. I am 24 years old, and will be struggling financially the first year or so. Money is of course a factor. I havent been to the office yet, but im almost positive that it is near, or on the water (is this close to the metro north?) Being young, I'm obviously gravitated towards the city, however if it makes my commute a living hell - it wont be worth it.

I am trying to avoid driving my car, but if it is necessary for my job, i'm pretty much forced to live outside of the city. If my car isn't necessary than I will be more likely to live in the city.

How much is a monthly Metro North pass?

 

[grimslade]

You can get a combined unlimited metronorth (to New Rochelle) and subway pass for about 240, IIRC--81 for the subway and 160 or so for Metro North.

If you are cash-constrained and need or want to keep your car, you're talking about a pretty big bill in Manhattan. OTOH, at 24 and single, you may find New Rochelle to be somewhat dire. OTOOH, you could live a lot better in New Rochelle, and keep your car, and probably be left with a lot more cash to have a life, instead of scraping by to live in the city, selling the car and spending $200 a month to commute, plus NYC income taxes, etc. It's a tough call. I know people who reverse commute, but they're doing it to Greenwich, work at a hedge fund and are not cash-constrained.

Here's the thing about working _and_ living in New Rochelle though--you may find it a hassle to get into the city too regularly, as compared with working in the city and living in the burbs. New Rochelle does have a couple of colleges and a bunch of (seedy) bars, but it's not really a cultural or night-life hub. Still, if seedy bars and college girls have their attractions, they are plentiful.

Most businesses are fairly close to the train station. If you want to PM me the address or something, I can tell you what sort of area it's in.

 

[Manton]

Seriously, if you are cash strapped, and will be working in Westchester, just live in Westchester. You will miss out on the excitement of the city, and that might suck if all your friends are there, but you will save a lot of money and time.

White Plains is another place to look at, more of a boom town right now that New Rochelle, but it's not on the same train line.

 

[grimslade]

Originally Posted by Manton

Seriously, if you are cash strapped, and will be working in Westchester, just live in Westchester. You will miss out on the excitement of the city, and that might suck if all your friends are there, but you will save a lot of money and time.

White Plains is another place to look at, more of a boom town right now that New Rochelle, but it's not on the same train line.

The drive from White Plains is much better than from Yonkers, but I'm not sure whether the amenities of White Plains outweigh the advantages of being closer to work. It has come up a lot though, while New Rochelle's renaissance has stalled a bit.

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by grimslade

The drive from White Plains is much better than from Yonkers, but I'm not sure whether the amenities of White Plains outweigh the advantages of being closer to work. It has come up a lot though, while New Rochelle's renaissance has stalled a bit.

White Plains is also more expensive than NR. I don't know the housing markets at all, but the restaurants and shopping have gotten rather upscale, at least the newer stuff. Might not be the best thing for a young guy.

 

[Manton]

One other point: travelling east to west (and vice versa) in Westchester, or at least the southern part, is an absolute PitA. There are so few major roads, and almost no major highways, that traverse the county. Much better to travel north-south.

 

[von Rothbart]

Originally Posted by Manton

One other point: travelling east to west (and vice versa) in Westchester, or at least the southern part, is an absolute PitA. There are so few major roads, and almost no major highways, that traverse the county. Much better to travel north-south.

How about the 287 & Cross County?

I agree with G & M if you're financially strapped, you'd be better off staying in New Roc and keep a car. If you want to hang out in the city after work, the commute into the city during evenings and weekends is relatively easy, so is parking.

 

[grimslade]

Originally Posted by von Rothbart

How about the 287 & Cross County?

Only good if you happen to be in a place traversed by it. But NR is not one of those places.