Young professional working in Alpharetta but commuting from.... (Lenox: apartments, crime)

[TakeAhike]

At the end of this thread the OP/tcif? listed the properties that he viewed and for which some posters gave opinions. I would look at those posts and take the comments made on apt rating websites with a grain of salt.
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Here's a recent thread that might have some good FYI >>>
Safe Apartment Complexes in Sandy Springs/Dunwoody


I assume you really haven't had a chance to tour the area much. I would either look around Mansell, as I believe Bob Kovacs suggested or explore Perimeter Mall and Brookhaven. Taking a cab could get expensive anywhere you choose, jmo. If you select Perimeter Mall you are close to a MARTA station, close to Brookhaven, Lenox and someone said that would give you a reverse commute to Alpharetta, avoiding whatever construction/road widening may lie ahead.

Access to social activities is a consideration but nothing, imo, is more important than minimizing the stress of getting to/from work.

[TakeAhike]

From the thread I mentioned/apts in and around Perimeter Mall/Sandy Springs>>>>

Here are our assessments:
Archstone Perimeter Park: Good rent prices, nice complex. Floor plans have a lot of angles so there is not a lot of space. Little pantry space in kitchen. Bedroom would not have a lot of room to fit a king size bed.

Dunwoody Place: Lovely complex and grounds. Lots of long-time residents. Very large floor plans. Nice bonuses. Easily can fit a King Size bed in Master. Large closet space.

Hawthorne Gates: Smaller community. Nice size apartments. Angles in apartments make space tough to deal with.

Colonial Grand at Mount Vernon: Older looking apartments. Poor quality and older appliances. Turned off.

Gables Metropolitan: Huge complex >1100 units. Nice apartments, new applaiances. Little pantry/storage space. Near top of price range.

Ashford Park: Nice size apartments. New cabinetry and appliances. Lots of storage space.

Savannah at Park Place: Nice complex but starting to show its age. Full size Washer/dryers included in all apartments. Prices are good.

The Heights at Perimeter Center: New and beuatiful resort-type complex. Beautiful courtyards and pools. At high end of price range though.

[Pyro701n]

Right, I read all of that. There is no info there that I cant get from the apartment website or from taking a quick tour. But as we all know those tours can be dog and pony shows. I was hoping someone might be able to provide some first hand experince.

As far as social outlets are concerned, that is actually very important to me. not a "2 hr round trip commute" important, but important non the less. I have lived in areas that are close to work (im living in the woodlands, tx now) but dont have a good social/singles/young professional crowd, and it is unacceptable.

I few weeks back I got to spend a week at my new office, and while the mansell rd area is nice, it doesnt seem like a place I would want to live. Everyone at the office agreed. The only other young guy in the office is currently living in sandy springs, and even he says that area isnt to young or fun. But he has a fiance, so it is tollerable. I am 25 and single with a good job, so I would like to live someplace fun.

So would I be crazy to live down around the lenox mall (probably north of it) buckhead area? The post alexander and post chastain look nice, I am just not sure about the commute and surrounding area.

Thanks

[Go Blue 99]

I work in Alpharetta (off Exit 9), and live in the Dunwoody/Brookhaven area. The reverse commute on 400 is very easy, especially in the morning. It takes me 22 minutes. In the afternoon, it can get a little worse. I would say 25-30 minutes, and up to 45 minutes if it rains. But overall it's an easy commute. And the Dunwoody/Perimeter area has a ton of young professionals (including single attractive women).

But I see what you're saying about being close to nightlife. I lived in Midtown at 14th at Peachtree for 2 yrs when I was single, and it was awesome to be so close to nightlife. The commute was 50 minutes each way to Alpharetta though, so I would not recommend that.

Living in Lindbergh Center might be a good option for you. You could hop on 400 from Sidney Marcus. You could also take Marta to Midtown. That area is cool as it's perfect access to both Buckhead and Midtown. Check out the Uptown Square apartments..my friend has lived there for 3 yrs and seems to enjoy it.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by Pyro701n

So would I be crazy to live down around the lenox mall (probably north of it) buckhead area? The post alexander and post chastain look nice, I am just not sure about the commute and surrounding area.

Thanks

I understand what you are saying.

Lenox/Buckhead would be doable, I suppose I sort of lump Perimeter Mall/Brookhaven into that area and would consider the proximity to major routes headed north the prime reason for this generalization.

As I said before, I don't personally travel this area on a daily basis and I'm simply not informed on the traffic patterns but I have read numerous posts clarifying that you must strategically plan your routes and time the commute to and from work with care.

I wouldn't presume to tell you what sort of social life you shoud have but wherever you live singles seem to network through groups/organizations. There is ALTA, Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association, if you like that and I couldn't begin to list all the interest groups that you might find here.

At 25, I felt much the same but then grew tired of 'going out' and discovered that 'my kind' of people were elsewhere. LOL.

Brookhaven--I think you might like Brookhaven.

good luck

[Pyro701n]

Thank you Go Blue... That is exactly the type of info I need.

Does anyone else have anything to add?

[terrin81]

Originally Posted by Pyro701n

So would I be crazy to live down around the lenox mall (probably north of it) buckhead area? The post alexander and post chastain look nice, I am just not sure about the commute and surrounding area.

Thanks

Not at all.

I currently live in Lenox Park. It is just north of the Lenox Mall (between Roxboro and North Druid Hills, south of Peachtree). It's largely young professionals in the area, and there are 5-6 apartment complexes in the area. There is Lenox Park right across the road, there are always runners, dog walkers, and bikers around. We regularly cab to/from the Buckhead bars, and it's about 10-13 bucks each way. It's about a 25-30 dollar cab ride to the Midtown and Virginia Highland bars.

Apartments right off of Lenox Park (ranked by my personal preference):

Post Gardens
1050 Lenox Park
Reserve at Lenox Park
Berkshires at Lenox Park
The Grove at Lenox Park

I have toured each of them, and they all have their plusses and minuses. 1050 may be out of the price range you are looking for.

Post Alexander is in the Buckhead area, right at Lenox and 400, and at a convenient area. I went by there a few weeks ago, and it's super expensive (super nice, just really expensive).

Post Chastain is off of Roswell, and I have a friend living there. He enjoys it. I'm not as familiar with that area over there.


Lindbergh is a little bit farther down 400 than you will probably want to be. If you are coming south down 400 after work, you will hit a bunch of traffic right after the Lenox exit.

The Perimeter area definitely is not the same as Buckhead, Lenox, Brookhaven. It's farther away from the Buckhead bars (obviously). I don't know as much about it, there is definitely stuff up there, but I don't know if it has the social scene you are looking for.

[hatgirl007]

Try the Dunwoody/Perimeter area. You might want to see what deal Promove might have to offer. If you stay around Dunwoody/Perimeter area or maybe even Roswell then you will be close to work.

[Pyro701n]

Terrin:
Thank you so much, excellent post.
I like the looks of that Lenox Park Area. Do you (or anyone) have any first hand experience comuting between that area and mansell rd?
According to google maps it will take about 25 minutes of time on the road, not sure that can be trusted.

Anyone??

[tdatl]

i wouldn't sweat the commute. I dated a girl who lived in the Buckhead area & used to drive from her house to my job in that area (Mansell/Haynes Bridge). Never had a problem, and would leave about 7:15-7:30. My wife used to live in Decatur, so I made that commute all the time too. Decatur is a bit more iffy (the drop-off in traffic between 2007 and 2008 was pretty substantial), but leaving at 7:00am shouldn't be an issue.