HUDSON SQUARE  |  SUNSET PARK  |  SOUTH BRONX  |  BAYSIDE

Bayside, Queens

Photographs: Shane Bar-On and Jackie Johnston

In the 1920s, movie stars like W.C. Fields and Gloria Swanson populated this suburban outpost. Today, trees and lawns are still the rule here, but the houses range from mansions to multifamily homes and apartments. “It looks like Long Island but has a city feel,” says Steve Hirsch, a local who is also a broker at Geoffrey Stevens Realty. Most of the available co-ops and apartments are in Bay Terrace, the northern part of the enclave, which abuts the shore and offers views of the Throgs Neck Bridge. A 1,400-square-foot apartment there can be bought for about $575,000, Hirsch says. Those seeking rentals can find apartments in two- and three-family houses; a three-bedroom, two-bath duplex in such a house rents for about $1,850 a month.

The quality of life and of price appealed to Peter Croce, 25, who moved to Bayside two years ago after graduating from St. John’s University. He now lives just a few blocks from the Long Island Railroad Station (the commute to Manhattan takes 25 minutes; the subway really isn’t an option). Nearby Bell Boulevard has bars, clubs, restaurants and stores in sufficient density to be pedestrian-friendly, and the businesses create a lively, eclectic mix: A yoga and tai chi studio sits above a hardware store, while weekend nightspots like Bourbon Street and Lucky’s share blocks with drugstores, takeout places, sushi restaurants and steakhouses. “There’s a bit of nightlife here,” Croce says, “but it’s also a neighborhood with lots of trees and good parks.” Indeed, Bayside has four big green spaces: Crocheron Park, John Golden Park, Fort Totten Park and Alley Pond Park. Think of them as extra square footage, free of charge.