My child goes to school there and I go to restaurants there.

In my opinion, that's the kind of neighborhood that is actually pretty safe at all hours, but, like the West Village, has enough drug dealers, etc. hanging out that a couple of nice people who are walking around late at night, minding their own business will get mugged or worse each year.

I think most people who've lived in a big city would feel comfortable there, but someone who's moving there straight from the suburbs or country might want to count on cabbing it from the PATH station at night for a few weeks.

The walk from there to the PATH station is a little bit of a pain, but, if you really hate walking and are near Newark Avenue, you can take the private "dollar vans" that drive along there for about $1.25.

The public school there, P.S. 5, is a very good public school. The kid who come out of there are well-behaved and won't harass you (although, if you're in the wrong place, my small daughter might run up and down your stoop till I get her to stop).

Who knows what the recession will do, but, for now, the commercial situation there is terrific. The neighborhood has several galleries; Pecoraro Baker (great Italian bread); Second Street Bakery (great bread/sandwiches); Madame Claude's (pretty good French food, great atmosphere), a good Vietnamese restaurant whose name escapes me; a barbecue restaurant with a pool table and a hookah bar; Metropolis music store; a couple of Vietnamese groceries; a nice, serious art supply shop; some pizza shops; Pop Merrigan's, which is a really nice, low-key bar; a skateboard shop; a couple of tatoo parlors; Jordan's, a night club that appears to have some good comedy acts; and, in case you aren't that comfortable with the neighborhood, a really unusual gun shop where you can your mace and firearms. (OK, not my idea of what people should be selling, but it certainly adds personality to the neighborhood.)

Some developers are eventually going to try to build condos there, which could help property values.

The huge disadvantage is that it's a fairly industrial area right under a highway, and living there probably is not that great for the residents' health, but I guess the same is true for a lot of Hudson County.

Some people will come here and say that the corner of Third and Coles is terrible, because of drug dealing, etc. I'm sure that's true, but I do walk there in the evenings without running into problems.

First Street btw Colgate and Brunswick

Where exactly are you considering? What intersection?

We are considering moving to the Italian Village neighborhood of downtown and I was hoping to get some feed back from current or recent residents of the area. I love the fact that it is off the beaten path and tucked away from the busy Columbus and Newark Avenues...but what is the overall field of the neighborhood? Are there little local shops that you recommend (I saw a pizzeria and a bakery near the apartment). Also if anyone commutes via the PATH, how is the walk in early morning or late night hours? Many thanks for all of your help.