Buckhead dillema (Atlanta, Roswell, Smyrna: apartment, condo, townhome)

[Wwiillburr]

Hi all,

I am a 27 year old single white male moving to Atlanta. I have pretty much decided to live in Buckhead when I take my new job in a couple months. My commute to work will be reverse to the Smyrnings area and I will also be traveling out of town quite a bit during the week (>50%), so I will need access to the airport.

My question is this: What is the best area of Buckhead for me?

I am leaning towards the village area because I believe that's where most of the nightlife is (correct me if I'm wrong), but I am looking at the Lindbergh and Lenox areas as well because of the access to public transportation.

Can someone help point me in the correct direction?

Thanks!

Here is some additional info:
1. Budget: <1350
2. House/Condo/Townhome?: Condo or possible apt
3. Employment Status(commute/work from home): Reverse commute to Smyrnings
4. Children(public school vs. private): None
5. Suburban or Urban lifestyle preference or a mix of the two: Urban
6. Easy access to public transit, important or not?: Yes
7. Preferable demographics of desired neighborhood: Refer to info above

[waronxmas]

Interesting dilemma in a way. If live near the Village, you can back road all the way to Sminings without having to deal with much Buckhead work traffic, however the closest MARTA station to the Village is Buckhead and it is subway only with no parking. If you travel a lot, being to leave your car at the station is a lot less of headache than taking a bus or getting a taxi IMHO.

Likewise, if you get a place nearer Lenox or in Lindbergh you will have easy access to the train and both stations have ample parking for commuters and travelers. In Lindbergh specifically you will likely find an apartment where you can walk downstairs to the train easily. On the other hand, in order to get to Sminings from either area you will have to pass through the nightmare that is 400 traffic which can be bad in the morning and nightmarish in the evening when it mixes with shopping traffic.

Then again, that's just worst case scenario. In the long run if you get a place anywhere within 2 miles or so of a Gold or Red Line MARTA station you should be good.

[cqholt]

The peach, bus route 110, frequently travels down Peachtree street and connects to Buckhead station, terminating at Lenox station. The nightlife is concentrated around east andrews.

[Mishap]

Why not midtown? It was 15 min for me to go up 75 -> 285 -> Vinings (maybe 20 min garage to garage) when I had the commute. Much better than trying to brave Paces Ferry to 75 or Roswell Rd to 285. It's even more transit friendly and there's just as much if not more nightlife in the area. The only spot of traffic I had was the Downtown connector merge from 75 S in afternoons and it could be mitigated if I left work at 4:45 or so (was doing my MBA at GT so it made sense).

If you travel for work, doesn't your employer usually cover parking at the airport or car service? My g/f is a flight attendant and she loves the 15 min drive to the airport lots. I live 3 blocks from Marta and only take it to the airport if traveling for pleasure since my company covers expenses. Marta would probably be faster if you run into a lot full situation (happens often actually).

[MathmanMathman]

Smyrnings? Smyrna + Vinings?

That's a new one on me.

Someday it will be Smaryetta?

[Wwiillburr]

Originally Posted by Mishap

Why not midtown?

I am still considering Midtown, just many of the current employees around my age live in Buckhead and I want to have a social circle available when I first start.

Originally Posted by Mishap

If you travel for work, doesn't your employer usually cover parking at the airport or car service?

Yes, they do, I just thought taking the marta would be nicer than having to fight rush hour traffic.

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

Smyrnings? Smyrna + Vinings?

That's a new one on me.

Someday it will be Smaryetta?

I saw the portmanteau the other day and liked it as it describes my work location perfectly.

[Mishap]

^They're a 10 min drive/cab ride away. Plus your apt becomes home base when the party heads to midtown. Unless you plan on living in the same complex as them, you're going to see them plenty and be able to hang out for drinks w/o issue. The only way you'd be missing out is if you decided to move to Suwanee or further. Don't go out all that often any more but on nights I do, my friends wind up drinking at my place after dinner and before walking out the clubs. Nights usually end there too while they sober up and they raid my cupboards for ramen.

Definitely can't go wrong w/ nightlife in Buckhead but I don't like the small surface streets heading up to the 75 corridor around there plus transit is definitely much worse. Whenever visiting my brother who lives at the Peachtree/Roswell Rd split after work, I'd always enjoy the near death experience of trying to get off at Paces Ferry from 75 and spending 30 min putting past the Gov mansion. It really put me off ever trying to move up to that area.

[Frankster87]

I live in the Buckhead Village area, next to the Atlanta fish market to be precise. There's plenty of nighlife and I am 1.2 miles away from the buckhead station. That's about a 20 minute walk that I am glad to take in good weather.

If I do not feel like walking, there's a marta bus stop (110 the peach) at the end of my street that will take me right to the Buckhead or Lenox marta stations (red and gold lines). I generally take the 110 bus line to the buckhead station to go to the airport when flying for work.

The village area is also very walkable in terms of grocery stores, restaurants, bars, shopping, etc.

Midtown is great too and honestly you cannot go wrong with either choice. You should spend some time in both areas and see which better suits you. Good luck!

[lorilove]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

Smyrnings? Smyrna + Vinings?

That's a new one on me.

Smynings has been around for awhile - it more accurately describes the area outside of the Perimeter which is not Vinings and not yet Smyrna.

The name caught on when Vinings started to spill over its boundaries towards Smyrna but subdivisions still carried the Vinings name for marketing purposes. It was a bit out of control at one point and the City Council joked about passing a law to ban then name Vinings inside the city limits.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

Smyrnings? Smyrna + Vinings?

That's a new one on me.

Someday it will be Smaryetta?

We call it Smynings. Although where I live is more Smybleton. :-)