My family (myself, husband, 16 yr old and 12 yr old) will be visiting NYC for Spring Break. My son is interested in visiting/touring Columbia University. When I mentioned this to a few people at work they said it is not in a safe area and I may want to reconsider.
I would be interested in getting others%26#39; perspectives. We will be staying in Midtown (East) so would likely be taking public transportation or a cab.
Columbia University - Safety in this areaWell, lets see - if the THOUSANDS of people who attend Columbia and the TEN of THOUDSANDS who are residents of the area didn%26#39;t think it was safe, perhaps they would seek education and lodging elsewhere.
The area, like any other, in a major urban center certainly is not isolated or immune from crime, but it is no more (or less) prevalent than anywhere else in the country including Columbus.
Where did this %26#39;few people at work%26#39; obtain the crime statistics for the area?
Just as others mention, like any other big city, just keep you wits about yourself and you should be able to tour in relative safety.
Poppa
Columbia University - Safety in this areaSeeker ..... I like the Columbus vs. Columbia University connection ..... but those people you work with that say ..... *** it is not in a safe area and I may want to reconsider *** ..... well ..... do they also live in Columbus Ohio ? Cause quite frankly ..... Columbus Ohio is a long way from Harlem/Morningside Heights for them to be dispensing safety advice in Upper Manhattan. Actually the area in and around is safe ..... but you do need to watch out for some of those Noble Prize winners at Columbia (you know the Manhattan Project atom bomb was deveolped in the school%26#39;s Pupin Hall basement http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Project) ..... and also be careful around all those international college students ..... sipping on cappucchino and blogging on their lap tops in the coffee shops in and around the campus. Too many cappucchinos will give you a splitting headache and heaven knows what their blogging ..... it all looks Greek to me.
BTW ..... here%26#39;s a recent article from the NY Times about the dismantling of the historic Manhattan Project atom smasher at Columbia U .....
nytimes.com/2007/12/20/nyregion/20atom.html鈥?/a>
There might have been a time some years ago where safety was an issue in that area, but not anymore. My wife and I walked around the campus and the surrounding neighborhood after dark at Christmastime last year and it was great. There are lots of cool coffee shops and pizza joints around. The Cathedral of St. John the Divine is nearby and is a great place to visit. Live a little! Visit Columbia.
This is far scarier than Columbia...
鈥roundspeak.com/waymarking/201b75bb-2b48-48鈥?/a>
My husband %26amp; I walked around the University %26amp; surrounding areas it was fine. I even walked around by myself while he was having a haircut ( I still giggle at the thought - I left him at the hairdresser surrounded by 3 little 80yrs olds - dont think they were much of a threat), he found it fascinating listening to the gossip. While up that way go visit The Cloisters (closed Mondays)a part of the Metropolitan Museum (medieval) just lovely %26amp; quiet, plus the park was nice to walk around too.
A couple of other things you can visit in the neighborhood; Tom%26#39;s Resturant at 110 and Broadway, the exterior is the diner from Seinfield, then one block away, the Cahtedral of St. John the Devine, the largest gothic cathedral in the world. It%26#39;s an Episcopalian cathedral, bigger than St Peters in Rome. Sometimes called St. John the Unfinished, because it is still under construction for about 100 years.
Thanks everyone for the advice. We will definitely keep Columbia on the docket for our visit! Believe it or not, the advice I got was from some 20 somethings I work with whose parents wouldn%26#39;t let them go there and they ended up going to college in Chicago and DC. Go figure.
Another question - best way to get there---subway or cab
';Well, lets see - if the THOUSANDS of people who attend Columbia and the TEN of THOUDSANDS who are residents of the area didn%26#39;t think it was safe, perhaps they would seek education and lodging elsewhere.';
No, that%26#39;s not true, plus it%26#39;s a weak argument. People attended Columbia when it wsa basically a little rarified fortress against the surrounding crack epidemic, too. They also went to Pratt Institute, and they still go to Yale, right?
In any case, take the subway. Wothout a doubt, best way. Take the #1 to 116th Street.
The subway is the best way to get around the city. That, and the bus. Cabs are pricey.
Personally, I%26#39;d feel more frightened about sending anyone I knew out to Columbus Ohio than I would about going up to Morningside Heights.
queensboulevard is right. I went to Yale, along with thousands of other people, when there was a serious risk of being knifed and left for dead on the adjacent streets. That isn%26#39;t in NYC, but don%26#39;t confuse population for safety.
On the other hand, Morningside Heights is quite nice nowadays. I lived there from 1999-2001 and it was already nice. I have to say I miss the neighborhood. Definitely stop at the Hungarian Pastry Shop at 111th and Amsterdam!
Morningside Heights is one of the many NYC neighborhoods which was scary during the crack epidemic from 1988-91, but has been utterly, totally safe since about 1998 - so, for ten years now.
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