Downtown if you want a nice sanitized bowl of vanilla ice cream.



Holla @ Yo Boyz.....

Quote:

In JC - it's about what you do - not where you live - that determines whether you feel like you're living in a transient hood or not. Engage in community activities and you'll be fine. Don't - and don't expect folks knocking on your door lending you sugar.

Yup, I live in the heights a half hour walk from the PATH.

The PATH is the 24x7 link to NYC barring system outages, but from I don't know how early in the morning until after midnight, Community Lines jitney busses run Kennedy Blvd from Journal Square to the Port Authority bus terminal, and they're quite frequent during rush hours.

While you can get a nice 1BR (650 s.f.) in my building, with AC, dishwasher, elevator, given your criteria I would focus on Downtown - look at rentals online, then 'Google' the walk to the Newport, Grove Street, or JSQ Path. You should also think about where you might be spending more of your social time - in NYC, or in Jersey City - if you are going to be spending more than a few nights in NYC, or want to go in on weekends, you will absolutely want to be walking distance from the PATH and not have to rely on buses or the Light Rail.

Since you mentioned you will not be keeping your car, I would avoid the Heights. You can easily be a 30 minute walk from PATH, the buses that run between JSQ/Hoboken PATH and the Heights run very infrequently, and are notorious for never being on schedule. The traffic is horrendous, and people drive like animals. It can be nerve-wracking to bike or walk anywhere if you are used to NYC traffic and bicycle lanes. That said, a saving grace is the 123 bus which gets you into NYC in a little over 1/2 hour, is always a pleasant ride, and the last bus is after 1:00am on weekends.

The best thing about Jersey City? It's really changing, a lot of new people moving in, and you see and feel the potential. The worst thing about Jersey City? The way people drive. The way people behave behind the wheel really brings the character of the place down.

For what you want in community, rent, and proximity, I'd say the Heights. Between Pershing Field and Mosquito Park will put you right in the middle to access to transportation, plus it is a tranquil area. The Western Slope is more out of the way, quiet, and mostly residential with very little transportation options unless you live closer to the Boulevard. The east side of the Heights is the happening area, upbeat, young, and hip. Very eventful. By the way do you bike ?

Useful links:

Events
Events 2
Commute to Soho - change end points and times to suit
Yelp - best of JC
Foursquare
Clubs and meetups
Farmers markets
Volunteering
Neighborhood associations
Heights asscociations
Street art
Crime map
Diversity map

You can find a studio / 1bd in downtown... but it will at the top of your budget... and will not be in a fancy building.. it wont be easy to find but its possible...

There is more of a restaurant scene/bar scene downtown if thats what your looking for.

here are 2 examples i just found on craigslist

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/apa/5584256242.html
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/apa/5605385202.html

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That's tight but doable for Downtown if you get lucky. You can do well in the Heights, Journal Sq or McGinley Sq. I'm an admitted shill for the Heights, but you'd want to live near the 2n or 9th St Light Rail station and take it to the PATH train to Christopher St Station. It does give you a 2 fare commute, but also places you walking distance to Hoboken, which is currently a much nicer place to hang out than Journal Sq or McGinley Sq if you're single, as you sound.

If you bicycle, that makes the commute to the PATH from any of these areas a snap. I'm a 13 minute walk Downtown and I usually bike it.

Thanks everyone for all the responses so far.

Further info


-For rent, I'm looking for something between $1300 and $1800 (looking for a 1BR).
-I won't have a car with me when I move.
-I don't want to be more than 11-12 minutes' walk from the PATH, BUT I'm willing to be in a place where I can take the bus to Port Authority
-My office that I'll be commuting to is in the Soho area of Manhattan.
-In terms of neighborhood, I'd like to be in one that feels like a community. I've lived in neighborhoods (both in New York City and Chicago) that just felt like groups of transients, and I don't want that for the next place I live.

Thanks!

gillyrosh, to get real help here you'll need to provide:

your rental price range
where in the city you'll be working
how many minutes you're willing to walk to a train
where on the "more space vs gentrified area" spectrum you fall.

Ex: if you work close to a PATH stop, want to spend $2k, and all you care about is a convenient place to crash, a 1BR or studio Downtown is doable. But if you work near the 42nd & 8th Port Authority and/or want more space or even outdoor space, for the same money you can get a big 2 or 3 br in the Heights and take a bus to work.

There's a zillion threads here debating the merits of the various areas, but only you know your funds, needs and tolerances. I don't assume you are only interested in Downtown. Once you get beyond Downtown, one person's "just fine" is another's "ghetto".

If you are working in Manhattan - chances are that's also where you'll spend the bulk of your social time. I'd focus on picking the best commute based on what you can afford - and even Newport (an extended shopping mall) isn't a terrible first-year choice.

GlitterQueen on 2016/5/29 8:55:46

It all depends on how much you want to pay and what type of building you want to live in. Downtown right near grovd st there are a lot of high rises. Super expensive. Hamilton park has some nice buildings but is a bit of a walk to the path. There are some good close amenities tho. Brownbstone/rowhouses have gotten up there as well but don't have a concierge so I dunno if it's worth it. Anywhere downtown except no man's land being called Soho west by the developers is good. would buy there not rent. It's sketchy, expensive, and near nothing.

Then there is journal sq and McGinley Square/west side. It's a lot cheaper and still close to the path. I live in McGinley Square. I used to live downtown but I wanted a free standing house. There are not a lot of sit down restaurants (lots of food just not fancy food)here yet but slowly it's getting more stuff. If I moved to JC now instead of 9 years ago jsq or McGinley Square is where I would move. It's so much cheaper and it's convenient and safe. There are a ton of busses, it's walkable, or short bike ride. Riding downtown is super fast only part that sucks is the giant hill on Montgomery on the way back.

Do you want to be walking distance from a lot of sit down restaurants and fancish bars but pay $2-3k for a 1 bedroom then downtown is perfect.
If you want t to take a 10 minute bus, $10 Uber or 1 path stop to all that knowing some of it is coming to your area and pay like $1200 -2k(new building still high for area)for a 1 bedroom then jsq or McGinley sq would be good for you. Added bonus is you get on the path before all the Grove St people and it helps a lot. 33rd st line you will get a seat.

I can't recommend the heights... it's nice but there is so much traffic, not enough busses, and the nice parts are a hike to the path. I looked at buying a house there but anything more than a 20 minute walk to the path was a deal breaker.

The path as much as we all complain about it is more reliable and much cleaner then the subway. If the path breaks you can go over to the ferry and there are buses that go to port authority. Lots of alternatives... which you always need bc public transit breaks.

Parking is a pain so make sure you get a spot. It's not Hoboken or queens bad buts it is still not easy if you get home after 7pm.

I wanted more space and Downtown is getting a little too crowded for me so moved up the hill and I love it. It's calm but still has lots of amenities.

Good luck.

Assuming you plan on renting:

- Journal Sq if you work midtown. (Best bus links to NYC)
- Paulus Hook/Exchange place if you work downtown. (Best ferry links)

PATH is generally good outside of rush hour. But you need a fallback during service disruptions. There are better hoods if you plan to lay down deeper ties to JC - but you can explore those when you get here. I'd recommend checking out some of the no-fee apartment buildings for your first year in JC:

http://www.nybits.com/new_jersey/dt_jersey_city/
http://www.nybits.com/new_jersey/journal_square/

It also depends on a few other variables, at least in my opinion. Where in the city will you be working? If you are working in Midtown, it would be better to move to an apartment walkable to Grove St or Newport since you don't have to change PATH trains, nor transfer to a NYC subway and incur an extra fare. If you're working downtown, I would say near Grove or Exchange Place PATH stops because, not only can you walk to the PATH but you could also walk to one of the ferry stops which, while is a more expensive commute is also a quite enjoyable and civil mode of commuting. I'm not knocking living near Hamilton Park because it's a really nice neighborhood, but my issue with it is that to get to the Newport/Pavonia PATH you need to walk through the Newport Mall. To me, walking through that mall is a total buzzkill. I'm sure some folks will want to shoot darts through my head for saying that on a public forum. I mean no harm, fellow JC peeps! Just a humble man's opinion.

Both Hamilton Park and Van Vorst neighborhoods truly are neighborhoods, meaning they are vibrant, diverse, and full of restaurants and other services. Newport is not a neighborhood so much as a development that is, in my opinion, cut off from the rest of JC. Most JC residents who don't live in Newport never go there. Paulus Hook (close to Exchange Place) is pristine, pretty, but somewhat sterile compared to Van Vorst Park and Hamilton Park areas, though it's very convenient to a commute downtown and has some really nice buildings.

Good luck.......

Paulus Hook, Hamilton Park, Van Vorst Park (Newport with a transient population base) neighborhoods are good, then it's a matter of 'pockets' of good neighborhoods elsewhere.
My unproven view of 'good' neighborhoods is based on the type of cars left parked on the street - 'snappy' cars left on the street (to me) indicates a wealthy white collar socioeconomic make-up that has limited crime (via police / citizens management) in the area (otherwise all the snappy cars will be in private secured parking).

I'm sure others will have their theories and opinions on good neighborhoods in jc too!

After several years living in Chicago, I'm moving back to New Jersey. Jersey City is one of the locations I'm considering because I'll be working in Manhattan.

Although I'm a native of New Jersey (grew up in Central Jersey and my parents still live there), I'm not too familiar with Jersey City, so I have a few questions.

-What's the public transit situation like? I have heard things both positive and negative about the PATH and light rail systems.

-What are some good neighborhoods for commuters (e.g., easy access to the train, etc.)

-What do you like most/least about living in Jersey City?

Thanks!