Bargain 2BR railroad, Astoria
Julianne Treadwell, 28, project manager and ESL instructor; Rob Treadwell, 28, finance associate
Rent: $1,750, including heat
Broker: Peter Horowitz (718-355-8881, peteslistings@gmail.com, myastoriarealestate.com)
Broker’s fee: 10 percent of first year’s rent ($2,520)
Deposit: One month’s rent
Moved in: August 2011
THE SEARCH: “My husband and I didn’t have much vacation time, so we needed to try and do it over a three-day weekend,” says Julianne of the couple’s move from Michigan. “We spoke to roommates from college living in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and my husband had family friends in Astoria. So we were getting a feel for the different neighborhoods, prices, and pluses and minuses of the different areas. Rob needed a quick commute to midtown for work, but we both wanted more space than we could get in Manhattan, and if we lived in Brooklyn, it would have been a really long commute. We must have seen 15 or 18 apartments in two days before picking this one in Astoria. Space, proximity, value and friends close by—who wouldn’t want to move here?”
THE AREA: “We liked how there was so much life along 30th Avenue, Ditmars Boulevard and Broadway,” says Julianne. “There are 24-hour fruit markets, great restaurants with lots of outdoor seating, people walking their dogs, national chain stores and creative small businesses.”
THE SPACE: “We really wanted to have a two-bedroom apartment—I work from home—and coming from the Midwest, we were just used to more space,” explains Julianne. “We wanted to be able to fit comfortably into our new place. We have the front and back of the building, so we get a lot of light and a good flow of air [through the whole apartment]. In between our building and the one next to us, there’s a courtyard, and we have windows that look onto it. We use one bedroom as a dining space, so we have a table and chairs set up in there. There’s lots of room to have friends over for dinner or for drinks.”
FAVORITE SPOTS: “When trying to persuade our Manhattan and Brooklyn friends to move to Astoria, we always take them to DiWine [41-15 31st Ave between 41st and 42nd Sts; 718-777-1355, diwineonline.com]. They have great small plates, wood-fired pizzas, custom-infused vodka cocktails and local artist’s work displayed. There is also live music from time to time. Our favorite Saturday afternoon late-lunch-plus-beer stop is Il Bambino [34-08 31st Ave at 34th St; 718-626-0087, ilbambinonyc.com]. Their gourmet paninis are fantastic. I am also surprised that so few people outside Astoria don’t know about Astoria Park [19th St to Shore Blvd from Astoria Park South to Ditmars Blvd]! It has wide-open green spaces, a skate park, the biggest public pool in NYC, a full quarter-mile running track and great views of the city across the East River.”