JeanS

Hull Avenue starts right near the access road to the Long Island Expressway, so there is the constant roar of traffic, both day and night. Not to mention the fumes, which can get pretty heavy, especially during the summer months. The homes on this street are very boxy and uninteresting, but if you want an easy way to access the Expressway, then this is a good street to live on. However, it seems like it would be hard to call this place "home," as there isn't anything that feels very welcoming on this street. In real estate, they say it's "location, location, location," and this location is not ideal, although it does get a little bit better the farther you you go on Hull Avenue.

64th Avenue is another interesting street. The prettiest part of the street has a median in the middle, so it is almost parklike, serene and a great place to take a walk or a jog. Yes, there is traffic on this part of 64th Avenue, but the sidewalks are wide and you can almost forget you're in the city. Other parts of this avenue are more citified and commercialized, with shopping centers, restaurants and even the campus of Queens College. The one "down" part of living on this street is that parts of the street are close to the very busy Long Island Expressway, so you may have to learn to get used to the hum and drone of the traffic.

Ross Street has a little bit of everything ... it has single and duplex homes, apartment buildings, and during my last visit, some serious renovations going on which promise to increase the neighborhood's appeal. Long ago, this area was considered one of the "armpits of Brooklyn," the area has been part of a renaissance and has had lots of young people moving in and setting up small businesses with a focus on creativity. This is a pedestrian's paradise, since you can walk to stores, houses of worship, schools and doctor offices. It is interesting that there seems to be a lot of physicians in this neighborhood, so you can expect to be healthy if you move here. You are close to the Interstate and there is the constant drone of traffic noise in the background, but people get used to it quickly. It is much better than other parts of Brooklyn which have the elevated trains running past their windows all the time. Rents here are average, but they have been on the rise over the last five to ten years, so that indicates this is a neighborhood with big plans.

Livonia Avenue is home to an elevated subway line, a lot of high rise apartment buildings and smaller, poorly-maintained tenements. If you're the type of person who likes to roll out of bed and hop on the train to get to work, living on Livonia Avenue is for you, since the train is right outside your door. But don't expect peace and quiet, since you will have the rumble of the train both day and night. Although there are some mom-and-pop type commercial establishments on Livonia Avenue which will suffice if you need some bread, milk or other staples, you will most likely want to do your major shopping elsewhere. The same goes for entertainment and eating out. You will NOT have a romantic, candlelit dinner anywhere on Livonia Avenue, unless there's a blackout in New York City that cuts off electricity to the trains! Rents here are fairly low because of the atmosphere, but people do learn to live with and even love the sound of the trains.