Ridgewood: On the edge of it all

By Patrick Verel | Special to amNewYork

June 22, 2006

Ridgewood, Queens offers affordable real estate to renters and buyers alike. (RJ Mickelson)

Once home to many German immigrants, Ridgewood is today a blend of Latino and Eastern European immigrants, many of whom have been priced out of Greenpoint.

"Half of Greenpoint is over here; you can find Polish stores everywhere," said Carmen Dumangiu, a broker for Montalbano Real Estate.

Ridgewood abuts Bushwick in Brooklyn, and in many ways it feels more like its densely packed neighbor to the south than the relatively suburban borough it belongs to. Row houses built shortly after the turn of the century for two, three, four and six families line the streets of this working-class neighborhood, which is popular with families and first-generation immigrants.

"It's very common to have five different delis from five different ethnic groups in a three block radius," said Joe Crifasi, a broker and partner with Crifasi Real Estate.

He said the 20 minute ride to Manhattan makes it attractive to people who've been priced out of other neighborhoods.

Crifasi noted that in many ways the area has changed very little over the years.

"It's a community where it's not uncommon for people to have a parent or aunt living within a block or two of them," he said.

Find it Ridgewood is located in Queens with Metropolitan Avenue to the north, the Long Island Rail Road tracks to the east and the border of Brooklyn to the south and west.

Real estate
To buy -A two-bedroom duplex condo on Greene Avenue at Butler Avenue: $355,000

-A one-family house on Stephen Street between Cypress and Seneca avenues: $495,000

-A two-family house on Woodward between Harmon Street and Greene Avenue: $625,000

-A three-family house on Menahan between Woodward and Onderdonk avenues: $570,000

-A four-family house on Stanhope Street between Woodward and Onderdonk avenues: $680,000

To rent -A one-bedroom apartment on Madison Avenue off 64th Avenue: $1,000 a month

-A two-bedroom apartment on Himrod Street between Metropolitan Avenue and Amory Court: $1,250 a month

-A two-bedroom apartment on 60th Place between Menahan and Bleecker streets: $1,200 a month

-A three-bedroom apartment on Madison Street between Fresh Pond Road and 60th Place: $1,200 a month

Keeping it clean
The houses and streets of Ridgewood don't get tidy and neat on their own. In addition to normal city maintenance, the Greater Ridgewood Restoration Corp. oversees the steam cleaning of the exteriors of 400 houses each year and the planting of trees throughout the neighborhood.