Ask HN: Where to start in NYC?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1762693

by niico • 16 years ago

10 9 16 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

Hi hackers,

So I have some chances of moving to NYC all the way down from South America and I would like to know the most recommended places to rent an apartment or studio in NY.

Where's the best place to start a startup in NYC based on tech activities, meetups, etc, safety and prices.

Thanks!

dzlobin• 16 years ago

In Brooklyn you can usually find a studio/1BR between $1000-$1500/mo, depending on neighborhood.

Greenpoint/Williamsburg is probably ideal for a mix of affordability and livelyhood/shit to do in the neighborhood; you'll have to take some time to find a good price for an apartment though.

DUMBO has a pretty big startup hub, but it's pretty expensive, so it's not an ideal place if you're bootstrapping.

Honestly, you can probably move to anywhere in the 5 boroughs thats within an hour of midtown/downtown and it would be the same in terms of tech activity, meetups, etc., and that covers about 80% of NYC.

I would personally recommend a quiet residential neighborhood like Bay Ridge in Brooklyn; it has great food, decent accessibility by train/bus, and affordable rent.

Feel free to hit me up if you're in town!

newyorker• 16 years ago

Yeah, if $ is an issue stay away from renting in the city and look for a place in Brooklyn or Queens. You'll save yourself a bankload and depending where you end up, you're an hour train ride max to the city at $2.25 a ride. The trains run basically 24/7 so you shouldn't have issue to get anywhere.

You can probably find roommates (if you feel comfortable) advertising and saves yourself half the rent. Check craiglist and other such websites.

maxawaytoolong• 16 years ago

It depends on how much money you have. If you can afford it, you should live in lower Manhattan. And by this I mean anywhere below 14th street... but even below 23rd street is fine.

This is contrary to other people's advice, but I've found that the subway quickly loses it's novelty appeal. Most jobs/meetups/startup activities are in Lower Manhattan, and taking an hour to get from Queens or deep Brooklyn to work becomes a headache, fast. On the other hand, most people are on a budget so you gotta do what you gotta do. Anywhere convenient is going to be expensive.

I will say that the pricing in Brooklyn is kooky now... Apartments in Williamsburg or Park Slope cost as much as they do in Manhattan. Shares are similar. I am about to move from East Williamsburg to the Lower East Side because I got a better deal in the LES. Of course you get more space in the boroughs but if it's space you seek NYC is not the right place to go...

ft5• 16 years ago

Make sure you hook up with the http://www.adoptahacker.com/ program - they will take you under their wing and introduce you to the NYC tech beat. Best thing I did in NYC! Enjoy!

uptown• 16 years ago

You may want to check out the NY Tech Meetup. They hold monthly meetups in Manhattan, and their online community is pretty strong.

http://www.meetup.com/ny-tech/

From there, you should be able to get a pretty good idea of what startups are NYC based.

I also suggest following some NY-based VCs or startups on Twitter to get a feel for what's going on in the city. Charlie O'Donnell (@ceonyc) from FRC sends out a weekly email with things happening in the NYC tech community.

Dogpatch Labs has a NYC office, and they're doing some great things to help young startups get going:

http://dogpatchlabs.com/

Living is a whole other ballgame. Manhattan is preferable for ease and access, but also the most expensive option. You should also consider Brooklyn, Queens, or even Hoboken, or Jersey City, NJ for something less expensive depending on your situation. All three of the alternatives have great mass-transit access to the city.

Good luck! I've lived here over 10 years now. It's a crazy but great place.

niico• 16 years ago

Thanks a lot! I will keep this thread in my bookmark to let you know if I ever get there :)

atari• 16 years ago

Williamsburg. Super convenient with the L train, great warehouse spaces, lots going on, tons of tech folks, much cheaper than Manhattan.

Complain all you want about the hipsters but there's a reason why they're all there.

Also check out the North Brooklyn Breakfast Club: http://www.meetup.com/North-Brooklyn-Breakfast-Club/

Cafesolo• 16 years ago

Hey niico, I'm in Buenos Aires too. Drop me a line: cafesolo at gmail dot com.

ferparra• 16 years ago

He vieja! Yo también!! Vamo Marado :)

Ask HN: Where to start in NYC?

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