The Rockaway Peninsula consists of neighborhoods that range from skid row to exclusive. Since this is a post about “affordable housing” in the area, we’re not here to talk about Belle Harbor.
Rockaway Beach was once a summer destination for city dwellers. The bungalows that lined the shore were torn down to make way for public housing in the 50’s and 60’s. That’s about the time urban blight set in and it’s still very visible in areas of neighboring Arverne that have not yet been rebuilt.
But the fact is, Rockaway Beach has been rediscovered. And the new developments at Arverne by The Sea are a big F U to urban decay.
Once upon a time, Rockaway Beach was known as The Irish Riviera. Now it’s the Hipster Hamptons. There are still plenty of working class Irish American families whom have been rooted in the area for generations. Now it’s a diverse mix of old timers and new.
During the summer months, this is fast becoming THE place to be. The concessions open up on the boardwalk, hipsters flock here to surf, swim and be all hip-n-shit. Rockaway Taco has 2 hour lines. For a friggin taco. Winter months are fairly quiet. The dedicated surfers are out there all year, but you’ll notice less of a scene and more of a community in the cold weather.
Surely, if you are a beach person or a boater (the bay is on the other side of the peninsula), you can’t do much better on a budget than Rockaway Beach. This stretch of the peninsula is walking distance from shore to shore, so you have the best of the beach and the bay. But let’s talk about off season. People haven’t been surviving out there for generations on nothing!
Are there restaurants? Yes. Thai Rock and Bungalow Bar next door are on bayside and have outdoor seating in the warmer weather. They have live performances as well as food and drinks. There are plenty of established restaurants near 116th Street (a main shopping district) or across the bridge in Broad Channel.
What about bagels? Yeah. They even deliver.
Hot yoga? Of course!
Dog park? Fantastic dog park! Tested on my own dogs. They loved it!
Supermarkets? The Stop and Shop on Beach 72nd Street in Arverne is worth the 20 block (or so) trip.
Those are all pros. So, what are the cons?
Well, it’s a schlep. The A runs about 10 trains during rush hour. Other hours, you have to switch for the shuttle at Broad Channel to get out to Rockaway.
Hit or miss areas. Like any neighborhood in transition, some blocks are nicer than others. You do see people fixing up their homes across the street from an abandoned burnt out shell.
Safety? Look at the statistics and judge for yourself. Personally, I can’t comment on how safe I feel there yet because I haven’t spent enough time there. I don’t think I’d want to walk around near the Hammel Houses at 2am with my ear buds, but then I wouldn’t do that in most neighborhoods. Just to be clear, there are plenty of great families living in housing projects, not just the “bad elements”. The elevated train line does give the feeling of being isolated from the more pleasant beach side of town.
Schools? Don’t have kids. Again, check it out. I will say that the high school I pass along Beach Channel Drive looks nice with their tennis courts and all.
All in all, I think it’s a pretty great investment and a wonderful place to live. You can still pick up a small fixer upper for less than $300k but act now. I swear there were more listings in the $200k’s when I started looking and was less than impressed. My how things have changed so quickly.