I work in DC, son attending MICA, where to live? (Baltimore: apartments, condos)

[sketchy]

Hi everybody, 1st time poster, short time reader. This site has already proved to be a wealth of information.

My son is interested in attending MICA, but the tuition plus housing and food plan is a little too steep for me. I'm considering moving from Bethesda, MD to Baltimore and having my son attend MICA while I commute by MARC train to my job in DC.

Options I'm considering are:

1) Living in Bolton Hill. Son walks to school, I walk to Penn Station, or take light rail 1 stop and take MARC train to DC.

2)Living in Federal Hill or another Baltimore city neighborhood. I walk to Marc train stop, son commutes to school by light rail.

3)Living in Arbutus/Halethorpe of another neighborhood with quick access to the MARC train. I take train to work in DC, son takes train/light rail to MICA.

Factors and concerns: the typical safety concerns about Bolton Hill and other B'more city neighborhoods. I grew up in DC and have lived in the area my whole life, so I'm not naive when it comes to city life. My son isn't very street savvy, though. I'm a single dad who works nights a lot, so my son would be home alone at night quite a bit. I also have two older daughters who visit most weekends.

Questions: I really like the Bolton Hill area; would it be safe to walk from MICA to Penn Station at night? Would another city neighborhood such as Federal Hill, etc., be safer than Bolton Hill? Would a suburban neighborhood near the MARC train be a better choice?(I prefer city life to suburban life, as long as it's reasonably safe)

Thanks in advance for any help!

[barante]

You are asking questions which only you can answer. Like deciding whether the person you have fallen love with is the right one, or whether you should buy the house you saw and liked. You'll hear all kinds of recommendations but it's your call in the end.
If I were you and considering moving to Baltimore for the reasons you stated, I would take a real hard look at the new Struever Bros. condos at Charles Street and Biddle. The two-block walk to Penn Station is safe at any hour. MICA is about four blocks away.
I wouldn't look at Federal Hill because it's far away from MICA and not close enough to a second-rate MARC line.
And while I think that Halethorpe is an oft-overlooked gem, moving there would not resolve your problem either. It's a long, long way from MICA. More crucially, only MARC trains stop at Halethorpe, with schedule limitations.
Being close to Penn Station you can rely on MARC or on Amtrak, if need be.
This would be my top pick for a rental:
Symphony Center Apartment Homes: Baltimore, Maryland
It's four blocks from Penn Station and even closer to MICA.
Good luck.

[medfieldbum]

Dear Sketch---
Bolton Hill may be the right place for you and your son, as long as your daughters are reasonably street savvy. Symphony Place Apartments are pricey, tho you didn't say your price range. I would recommend instead Sutton Place Apartments; the MICA shuttle drops kids off there, and it's just a short walk to Penn Station. The walk is ok, but I would recommend a cab late at night (only 5 minute ride), or after 8 on weekends.

[sketchy]

Thanks for the thoughtful responses. From the replies, I think I might like to rent something in Bolton Hill. I'd like to get a 3 bedroom house/apt. and not pay any more than $2K/month. I'll check out the suggested condos and apts.. From what I've seen, I should be able to rent a house in Bolton Hill in my price range.

[barante]

I lived in Sutton Place in the 1970s. Unless they have made major changes the largest units only have two bedrooms.
I also lived in Bolton Hill proper (Sutton Place is at the border). It's a great area, but does have some big-city crime issues. Lots of people commute to Washington from there.

[carolott]

Also, consider your son...Bolton Hill would definitely be a more exciting place for him than living in Halethorpe or some other suburb. If he's creative and smart enough to get into MICA (congrats on that, by the way!) -- he'd be bored to tears living in the 'burbs. Bolton Hill seems like a happy medium for the both of you.

[sketchy]

Thanks for the congrats, carolott. You're right, my son would like Bolton Hill the best, especially since he could still hang out with his classmates after school.

[KRB97]

It really isn't safe to walk anywhere alone at night. Please be careful!

[medfieldbum]

For a street-savvy guy, it should be okay. Most parts of the city are not really safe walking alone, with a few exceptions. The area from the train station to MICA along the main streets is okay; the rest of Bolton Hill is really iffy late at night; the farther west and north you go, the risk increases. Not recommended for newcomers to go north of North Avenue or west of Eutaw Place.

[baltimore's best]

Originally Posted by KRB97

It really isn't safe to walk anywhere alone at night. Please be careful!

What? I walk all over the city at night and have never had a problem. Baltimore is as safe as any other mid sized city. I read about crimes but you have to expect that. It's part of city life. Personally, I think you can go anywhere.