Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Listing of the Day: Norwood Rent Chop Upon Rent Chop

3530 Rochambeau Avenue, Studio - $800/month

Move to one of the prettiest blocks in the Bronx (pics and previous post after the jump) for only $800/month (down from $825/month in March and down from $850 a month in January). If you haggle you should even be able to get in this apartment for less than $800/month.

Norwood is a beautiful neighborhood in the shadow of Montefiore Medical Center, so you might find yourself doing some of your shopping on 204th street with lunching medical students and nurses. Actually, if you get further North-West in the neighborhood, you'll see resident housing for medical students and other offices owned by the hospital - of course all impeccably maintained.

The southern edge of the nabe is Mosholu Parkway, which is really a stretch of green space connecting the NY Botanical Garden to Van Cortlandt Park. If you are into jogging or running, or just hanging out under a tree on some nice grass, the Mosholu Parkway (and Norwood) is for you.

The price has fallen since March when BoogieDowner last ran this listing. In March the rent had fallen $25 (or 3% from $850). Not having fallen to a clean $800, the rent has decreased 6% in 4 months. BoogieDowner wonders what the magic number will be when somebody scoops this up a a deeply discounted deal.

The pics look nice and the hood has a lot to offer. The shopping stretch on 204th includes a lot of mom and pop stores, a CVS, a Foodtown, great fresh vegetable stores, a fish monger, an Albanian bakery, a butcher, and a diner. There are also a few decent Latin/Mexican places, of which my favorite is Rio Mixteco down near Webster Avenue and 204th. You have to try a chorizo taco... mmmmmmm!

And for the foodies who might not like their grub overly processed, frozen and shipped thousands of miles, harvested by underpaid laborers, or killed inhumanely, Norwood even has its own food co-op of which the Missus and I are members (although the expense might be out of reach for people who are in the cheap Bronx studio market -$260 for 5 deliveries of food for the 2008-2009 winter share. The Missus won't be able to continue on our one income budget). But if you have some disposable income laying around, the food is very fresh and very good.

There is a D train stop right in the heart of Norwood on 205th Street (last stop on the D). Don't let the terminus of the line scare you though, the D runs super express in the am/pm rush. You'd also have the 4 train over at Mosholu Parkway and Jerome or over at the Woodlawn stop and the Metro North at the Botanical Garden.

Another great aspect of Norwood is the misnamed Williamsbridge Oval, which Boogiedowner has covered in the past. The Oval just underwent a multi-million dollar renovation. There are the obligatory hoops courts and playgrounds, but even a dog run and really well maintained tennis courts (that actually get used!). In fact, the Museum of Bronx History is housed right outside of the Oval at the Valentine-Varian House.

FULL LISTING

~ErLu

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