Parkchester, Bronx

Date: April 29, 2009 10:03:08 EDT
To: inyc@timeoutny.com
Subject: Parkchester

If you want to talk about really low rents, great livability, and “urban pioneering” why don’t you do a feature on Parkchester? In almost 20 years of living in the city, it’s the best commuting option I’ve ever encountered. Plus we have a Starbucks, a Macy’s, a few good restaurants, decent retail, and grocery stores that have veggie burgers and packaged naan.

Molly Goforth
Parkchester, Bronx

START HERE:
This Central Bronx condo community features a few parks, but none as beautiful or refreshing as Metropolitan Oval (Metropolitan Ave at Unionport Rd), located in the center of the Parkchester shopping district. Benches surround the Oval’s fountain, so plant yourself there for an outdoor concert this summer or simply to admire the bronze sculptures spitting water. If AC is a must-have, see your blockbusters at Bow-Tie Cinemas’ American Theater (1450 East Ave; 718-863-4900, bowtiecinemas.com), where ticket prices top off at $8.50. There’s even a matinee price ($6.50)—that means discounted Deceptacons this summer.

Ladys Guerrero and her brother Ruben opened Canela Salon & Spa (69B Metropolitan Oval at Metropolitan Ave; 718-684-3001, canelaspa.com) after realizing the Bronx was in serious need of a relaxation resort. “People here are hardworking, but they’re friendly and family-oriented and they’re very appreciative and thankful that we opened this kind of business,” Guerrero says. Spa packages (which include facials, skin treatments and massages) run from $150 to $265, while belly-dancing lessons help you move your beautified body. With prices so far below Manhattan levels, there’s no need for financial-crisis fire sales: “We don’t want to scare people and feed into the recession—that just makes people more stressed,” Guerrero says. “We just focus on what we’re here to do …and take care of their skin and their hair.”

SHOP:
Parkchester’s shopping district is host to a collection of major stores, all arranged along a single street. Macy’s (1441 Metropolitan Ave at Parkchester Rd; 718-828-7000, macys.com) covers the essentials, while a host of other nearby chain stores give this far-flung corner the feel of midtown.

LIVE:
Contrary to the rest of the city, rents are on the rise in Parkchester, according to Shariful Islam, a broker with Zakir Khan Realty Group, Inc. (64 Metropolitan Oval at Parkchester Rd, suite 13; 718-822-6600, parkchestercondominium.com). “This is the only place going up,” Islam says. “Now every other place is a mess.” But Parkchester’s rates are still reasonable: One-bedroom apartments are nabbed for as low as $950 a month, while two-bedrooms range between $1200 and $1400.

DINE AND DRINK:
Bread-based carbs made the NYC way can be found at Zaro’s (29 Hugh J. Grant Circle at Metropolitan Ave; 718-822-9181, zaro.com), just outside the 6 train station. Bars are few and far between up here, but you can head East to grab a drink at Cas Bar (1362 Castle Hill Ave between Lyon and Westchester Aves, 718-822-9596). Just don’t count on the nightlife: “Having a good bar and a club scene is not a big deal for me,” says Molly Goforth, an adjunct professor at NYU who relocated to Parkchester in 2007. “Being able to have low rent in a safe neighborhood where there’s a lot of decent retail and it’s pretty quick to the city, [that’s] more important. It’s definitely not a hipster hangout.”

GET HERE:
Avoid the subway shuffle with the BxM6 Express Bus, which runs hourly from Metropolitan Oval to 23rd Street in Manhattan. The $5 fee may be pricey, but the trip’s a lot cozier. “When you come home it’s so nice, especially when you’ve had a long day and don’t want to get on the subway,” says Goforth. “You can literally just sleep.”—Kyle McGovern

See more You asked for it