Cool neighborhood w/ commute to Kent (Columbus, Cleveland: real estate, apartments, to rent)

[ohcity4me]

Heading to Kent State for my MFA ... checked out Kent & Akron recently and didn't find what we're looking for: good neighborhood for young 30's gay couple that's a somewhat quick drive to Kent ... hoping for good bars/restaurants, decent shopping, some walkable friendly nightlife...

We're coming from Columbus, so anything comparable to Short North, Grandview, German Village, etc would be great, but realistically anything in striking distance of those neighborhoods would do.

Where do we need to check out?

Now considering adding Shaker Heights and parts of Cleveland as possibilities, depending on the length of the drive.

Suggestions?

[BelieveInCleve]

Hmmm. Check out Lakewood and Edgewater (neighborhood) Cleveland. That is if your willing to drive that far.

Im not an expert on Akron, but Im sure you could find an area like your looking for closer to Akron, and that would be a lot closer to Kent.

[TheCLE]

Originally Posted by ohcity4me

Heading to Kent State for my MFA ... checked out Kent & Akron recently and didn't find what we're looking for: good neighborhood for young 30's gay couple that's a somewhat quick drive to Kent ... hoping for good bars/restaurants, decent shopping, some walkable friendly nightlife...

We're coming from Columbus, so anything comparable to Short North, Grandview, German Village, etc would be great, but realistically anything in striking distance of those neighborhoods would do.

Where do we need to check out?

Now considering adding Shaker Heights and parts of Cleveland as possibilities, depending on the length of the drive.

Suggestions?

Did you check out the Highland Square in West Akron? Seems like it would be a good fit.

Akron neighborhoods - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you're not familiar with it, scroll down and read about it. Personally, I love the neighborhood and if I were to live in the city of Akron, it would be where I would live. It's very Lakewood or Coventry like.

[ohcity4me]

Originally Posted by TheCLE

Did you check out the Highland Square in West Akron? Seems like it would be a good fit.

Akron neighborhoods - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you're not familiar with it, scroll down and read about it. Personally, I love the neighborhood and if I were to live in the city of Akron, it would be where I would live. It's very Lakewood or Coventry like.

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Yeah, we spent some time in Highland. A friend had recommeded it... the apartments looked alright, but the commercial strip was, really tiny ... Saturday afternoon and two of the bars were closed (one of them a gay bar?) and it seems the Mexican place and another storefront are out of business; nice record store and coffee shop, but that seemed to be about it. Did I miss something?

Thanks

[ingersoll13]

Best bet is probably Hudson, I grew up in the Stow/Kent Area and now live in German Village. Nothing around Akron and Kent are quite like Short north German Village. Hudson is kinda like Grandview and close enough to Akron and Kent.
I am a Real Estate agent so if I can help with any questions on the area let me know you can contact me @ www.RealLiving.com/Aimee.Ingersoll

[Boffo]

I know a few professors at Kent who live in Shaker actually. With that in mind you may want to check out the Coventry area of Cleveland Heights. It definitely has the bars and nightlife you are looking for. According to Mapquest it takes around 50 minutes to drive to Kent State. It's a little far, but it's up to you.

[ohcity4me]

Originally Posted by Boffo

I know a few professors at Kent who live in Shaker actually. With that in mind you may want to check out the Coventry area of Cleveland Heights. It definitely has the bars and nightlife you are looking for. According to Mapquest it takes around 50 minutes to drive to Kent State. It's a little far, but it's up to you.

I've heard great things about this area. I'll have to check out the drive. Would $600/month be possible for an apartment in Shaker or the Coventry ... I'll be living on a stipend!

[htlong]

dont overlook highland square,it is hurting right now but it will bounce back,for the rent prices and short commute ?It should be looked into,also check out the valley. it is located at the intersection of portage path,portage trail, and merriman rd. lots of apts,stores,and the cuyohoga nat'l park .
a quick drive up portage trail to graham rd batta bing! you are in Kent!

[CityGrrl77]

Highland Square, hands down.
Anything in Cleveland is too far of a drive (unless you don't care to drive that far).

Nothing like German Village so much (I've been there, so I know what you are speaking of).
I live in Highland Square and I love it! I have some pics in an album on my profile. Some of them are really big and I need to resize them, but you can get the idea. I want to take more, but it's too cold out and I'm sick, so it'll have to wait. Highland Square prides itself on diversity. We have all types of people - gay, straight, white, black, young, old, etc., etc. I would say HS is your best bet in relation to the drive to Kent.

For just an overview, Highland Square is filled with old school craftsman-type homes and late 1920s style apartment buildings. We have:
our own little historic movie theater Save the Highland Theater - Highland Square - Akron, Ohio
family-owned ice cream shop/italian eatery Mary Coyle Ice Cream, Akron, Ohio, Italian Food.
local coffee hangout Angel Falls Coffee Company
brand new burger place Metro Burger - Highland Square - Akron, OH
Vintage clothing store REVIVAL
Square bar Akron Ohio Bar || Square
Aladdins Eatery Home
We also have a new Chiptole, a newly rebuilt library branch and a Walgreens on the corner. A large, local grocery store is 5 minutes away (driving) and downtown Akron is 5 minutes east of our neighborhood (driving, of course) where you can find all of the following:
Crave EAT. DRINK. C R A V E
Bricco Bricco Restaurant in Akron and Cleveland, Ohio - Phunky Pizza and Pasta
Canal Park Official Web Site of the Akron Aeros
Akron Art Museum Welcome to the Akron Art Museum
Chrissy Hyndes' new restaurant on the ground floor of Northside Lofts The Vegiterranean | Chrissie Hynde's Vegan Restaurant Akron/Ohio
...and our infamous pizza place, Luigi's, along with a handful of other places.

Hopefully these can get you started. (I hope the links work) Let me know what other questions you may have - Im more than glad to help out.

[CityGrrl77]

Originally Posted by ohcity4me

I've heard great things about this area. I'll have to check out the drive. Would $600/month be possible for an apartment in Shaker or the Coventry ... I'll be living on a stipend!

In regards to rent in the HS area, here are some ideas:
Studios run between 400-440
1 bedrooms = 525-545, roughly
2 bedrooms = 625-650

The prices above are cheaper than your typical rent, say in Fairlawn and Cuyahoga Falls. In the older buildings, you normally only have to pay electricity (my most recent bill was $14 and summer runs no more than $40 - thats with a window A/C unit).
Most of the buildings in our area are old school, as in built in the 1920s and 30s.
The 3 high rises in the immediate area are (Tower 80, The Highland Square and Highland Towers) more expensive but also larger. There are also houses you can rent or duplexes as well altho I don't know all that much about these.

If you decide to live in the Square, try to stay north of West Market St. and I would recommend not living too far past the Seville building on W.Market (going towards downtown).

Someone else mentioned Hudson - doable if you are loaded. $$$$$ Expensive.
Also, anything that you wouldnt find in Highland Square (malls, big box retail stores) you will find in either Cuyahoga Falls and Fairlawn - both are about 10 minutes away.