Hi, my friend is moving to NYC. She wants to live in Brooklyn as that is where she is going to be teaching. I live/work in Manhattan and don't often venture to Brooklyn so I can't help much. She found an apartment she really likes that is in her price range however she was not sure how great a neighborhood it is. Of course the landlord assured her it was a good areas but she still isn't convinced. Perhaps an unbiased opinion would help. She is looking at a place along the G line at the Bedfor/Nostrand stop. The actual address is 699 Dekalb Avenue @ Marcy. If anyone is familiar with that area and could help us it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Why not take the subway down there and look? It'll only take you an hour there and back - you could do it during lunch.

This is probably going to get into a predictable AANY debate, so let me guess the positions beforehand.

Leo: No! What a horror. You'll get shot in minutes. Move to Bensonhurst.

jake or alanna: It's a fine neighborhood. Plenty of decent hardworking people.

Me: Very borderline. Is it Clinton Hill? Is it Bed-Stuy? That's definitely one of those areas where the confort level is very much up to the individual - it's a very working-class, mostly black and Hispanic neighborhood that is getting gentrified from the west. Of all the addresses I've seen people post here recently, this is the one which I most want to say, check out in person.

I was there recently to take the photo for Howard Roberts piece on Crown Heights. See homepage. It was down right scary. I mean like I did'nt belong. I'll go up to Harlem and feel practically at home compared to this area. The vibe was bad. I did'nt venture far from the Bedford/Norstand subway stop. I stood on that street corner like the only white guy in a black neighborhood. I was. Again Harlem, safe. This neighborhood not safe. And I was'nt even wearing my sear sucker pants. Like Red suggest have your friend go check it out but definitely with another friend along. Comfort level: 3 out 10.