Moving to BR (Baton Rouge, Hammond, Jefferson: apartments, crime, houses)

[tb3]

I will be moving to Baton Rouge to start a new job in a few months. I would like to know which areas of the city are safe or which areas I should avoid. I would like to be close to LSU. I won't have a car, so I would like to be close to public transit/grocery stores etc. Any advice on living in BR is appreciated.

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by tb3

I will be moving to Baton Rouge to start a new job in a few months. I would like to know which areas of the city are safe or which areas I should avoid. I would like to be close to LSU. I won't have a car, so I would like to be close to public transit/grocery stores etc. Any advice on living in BR is appreciated.

Where the job is is important, too (you can PM me on the side). Not knowing that, my thoughts are:

1. Avoid anything north of Florida;
2. I'd be leery about the "apartment cities" along Florida, Flannery, and Old Hammond;
3. Avoid Gardere Lane
4. I'm not super crazy about the Garden District/Hundred Oaks/Capitol Heights (an area roughly bounded by Park Blvd, Government, Jefferson, College, I-10, and Perkins)
5. South of LSU, you have a lot of apartments of varying prices in an area bounded by Highland, W.Lee/Brightside, River Road, and LSU.
6. I would not personally recommend areas to the north of LSU. Though it's gentrifying, the ghetto is at your doorstep
7. While "downtown" (an area bounded by I-10, the Mississippi River, and I-110 south of the Capitol) is becoming popular, you don't yet have much retail and, again, it's near some rough neighborhoods.

[Cajungurl79]

I know some people are not crazy about Midtown/garden district/ Captol Heights - I've been here 3 years and never had a problem and its a pretty cool area. They are close to LSU ( can ride a bike or take the bus) and they are close to Goverment where you will find shopping and within very easy reach of most things in the city by bus. However, the homes are older and there are no ginormus aprtment complexes. Just be sure to stay south of goverment. If you are a student you may want to look on State St. otherwise I wouldn't - since its mostly students.

South of campus you will find a lot of new builds. Some large, some not. All expensive. These are also within bus distance of different shops/bars. This is very much a student centered area. There are houses - but they are also expensive. I wouldn't recomend riding a bike around this part of the city - sidewalks are pretty scarce in Baton Rouge. And here it is especially true.

You could move down into Spanish Town - It has a really nice bohemian feel to it with some shops and resturaunts in walking distance. Though no huge grocery stores. But if you are going to LSU you have to go through some rather non too safe parts of town to get there.
Best of Luck with your move!

[holloway1010]

Consider the Port Allen/Brusly area accross the river from Baton Rouge. All of the convenience of the big city with alot less of the crime and skyrocketing housing prices.

[tb3]

I appreciate all the advice

[tjmlvs_stjude]

LSU is a decent area southn of the gates of LSU is not the safest however north of the gates are a great area. Good luck

[CindyM]

Originally Posted by tjmlvs_stjude

LSU is a decent area southn of the gates of LSU is not the safest however north of the gates are a great area. Good luck

You have that backwards.