Relocating to Columbus (Cleveland, Dayton, Franklin: sublets, apartment complexes, rentals) - Ohio (OH) - City-Data Forum

tripburn27 · 01-23-2007, 11:30 AM

Hello, I'm a senior at the University of Dayton that will be moving to Columbus this coming May or June. I am a Cleveland native currently looking for a decent one or two bedroom apartment in Columbus. I've been looking around online, and some of the deals seem too good to be true (i.e. located in a bad neighboorhood, terrible conditions, etc.). The company that I have accepted a job with is located near the southwest downtown area near the 70-270 junction.

What are some good neighborhoods to live in? Again, I'm not really looking to purchase a home or the most ornate of places , just to rent a nice apartment at a decent rate right out of college. I'd like a neighborhood with a relatively low crime rate and that's not located too far away from the downtown area. Thanks for any assistance you can offer!

streetcreed · 01-23-2007, 02:21 PM

This is a hard one because there are many choices. Columbus has a lot of right out of college neighborhoods. Some that I can think of around downtown would be the area which I live called the South Campus Gateway. This area is mostly grad students and is just north of downtown, but the area's just east of me have a high crime rate and it is a very urban section of the city with many different walks of life and is not for everyone.

A more "safe" bet would actually be closer to downtown and is called the Short North. This area has mostly professional residents, but is getting more expensive for rents and houses by the day. The short north has two neighborhoods adjacent to it with many rentals one called Italian Village the other Victorian Village. Basically anything betwen the northern edge of downtown up to 5th ave. is a good idea.

There are also many rentals in a neighboorhood called the Brewery District just south of downtown, many new apartment buildings are being built there now. This area is slightly more quiet and not right in the middle of nightlife and shopping the way the Short North neighborhoods are.

German Village south of downtown and Merion Village have many rentals, Merion Village will have the cheapest of all the areas that I have mentioned. This area has many older lower middle class families in it, while German Village is weatlhy homes with a few rentals here and there.

Also just west of downtown is Grandview Heights area, the areas of Columbus around Grandview have a ton of apartments mostly all with grad students or young professionals.

Also, 70 and 270 intersect on the west and east side only? 70 and 71 intersect on the southside of downtown, if thats where your working the Brewery District and German Village would be within walking distance to your job, as well as apartments in downtown itself. (although downtown has less apartment options at this point, most are condos or lofts that would be for rent at an expensive price)

All of the options that I have listed are in the nicer inner city neighborhoods. Of course there are areas further out from downtown, which would have suburban style apartment complexes that you can find a rental in. Usually it more expensive for a nice apartment in the neighborhoods that I listed versus one further out in a newer development.

goins1119 · 03-04-2007, 02:41 PM

Columbus is really not that big, you can get anywhere n columbus and subburbs in about 20-30 mins. There are some really nice apartments up north around the 161 and Morse road area. Don't be afraid to travel. The traffic in Columbus is really not that bad. I personally loved living up North. I lived in some apartments called Remington Station and Arrowhead station.Best apartments in Columbus.

maestro · 03-04-2007, 04:58 PM

when I moved to Columbus shortly after college, most people that age (22-28 years old) seem to live in 4 main areas: 1) Grandview, 2) Henderson Road area in the NW side, 3) Clintonville, though most Clintonville people that age where OSU grads or going to grad school at OSU, and 4) German Village.

I'd personally suggest Grandview. So many bars and restaurants, and it's a younger hip area.

GretchenB · 03-04-2007, 10:56 PM

Definitely avoid Morse Road/161 area. It is further north than you would want to be, and the crime rates are higher in that area than in some of the other areas mentioned in previous posts. There are a lot of nice apartments in Columbus, but they are NOT in the areas mentioned by goins1119.

I would second the recommendations of Grandview, South Campus Gateway, Short North or German Village neighborhoods. I would also add Clintonville, because although it is a little north of campus, apartments are very affordable and the neighborhood is pretty safe.

If you do decide to live in the campus/Gateway area, I would recommend staying West of Indianola if you can, but definitely no further east than Summit-there are a lot of sex offenders living between Summit and 4th (you can verify this on the Franklin County Sheriff's website). Also, parking can be a huge issue, so prepare to be towed/have your friends towed unless you have designated parking.

Be sure to check Craig's List and the OSU Lantern online for sublets. You can get great deals from people desperate to sublet!

Good luck!

streetcreed · 03-05-2007, 02:08 PM

Ok things have changed a little on some areas younger people live in.

Quote:

when I moved to Columbus shortly after college, most people that age (22-28 years old) seem to live in 4 main areas: 1) Grandview, 2) Henderson Road area in the NW side, 3) Clintonville, though most Clintonville people that age where OSU grads or going to grad school at OSU, and 4) German Village.

I second most of this, but German Village these days is not a young person hang out. There are young people in German Village and I would look there, but it is more of a mixed neighborhood with a lot of wealthy older or retired. residents. The Brewery District is just south of downtown and near your job and is more of a young professional aparment dwelling area. This area has seen a lot of new luxury apartments built. Also, Merion Village just south of German Village is seeing a lot of gentrification, this area is good if you want a cheaper place but more if your looking for a mortgage.

Do realize this isn't dayton or cleveland, the areas around downtown Columbus can sometimes be nicer to than area 15miles away. Morse Rd and 161 is not a young professional area and is too far away from everything that you mentioned.
Stick to Victorian Village (just south of OSU and north of downtown), Brewery District, Gateway on South Campus, Grandview Heights area, and some apartments in NW Columbus just off of north Oletnangy, Henderson, Bethel Rds, maybe even Sawmill Rd.
Also, just north of OSU Clintonville would be great area too.

M.Zebra · 03-06-2007, 10:00 AM

Maybe it would help to know a few places not to go to. DO NOT go east of Parsons in the South, or east of Indianola in the North. In addition, to avoid the "University District" (College lifestyle, with the occasional burning couch after OSU football games), do not rent in the area north of 10th St or south of Duncan. According to Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed, Columbus crime rates compare favorably to Dayton, although not to the rest of the nation. Also, Sex Offender Search gives access to the Franklin County sex offender database. Personally, I suspect that areas that have a higher percentage of sex offenders may loosely correlate with areas that have a higher percentage of other violent and/or property crimes. There is a portion on the west side of the city that has a pretty high crime rate, too, but I don't have much knowledge of that area. It is south of Grandview Hts, I believe.

asearchforreason · 03-06-2007, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M.Zebra

There is a portion on the west side of the city that has a pretty high crime rate, too, but I don't have much knowledge of that area. It is south of Grandview Hts, I believe.

I think you are talking about the area out on West Broad and around Cooper Stadium. I think West Broad is bad almost all the way until 270.

streetcreed · 03-06-2007, 03:28 PM

Though we are getting off topic from the post, to describe the westside of Columbus a little bit futher...

The "bad" section they are mentioning is Franklinton, it is just west of downtown. Yes, Franklinton is a struggling little neighborhood. Franklinton is the only neighborhood that is around downtown to not be gentrified, or seeing high levels of gentrification.
However, there's a great diner there called Tommy's right on west broad st!

As you go west past Franklinton you reach the Hilltop, the Hilltop is an area of mixed incomes and is known for some decay over the last decades.

There are some brighter spots in the Hilltop, mainly the WestGate section of the hilltop. Westgate is nicer. The westside in general has lower housing prices and some higher crime rates. Also, there is more mexican immigration patterns on the entire westside in general.

Once you go past the HIlltop and income levels and housing stock starts to get better, between the HIlltop and 270 you enter Plains Township and this area is middle class cheaper homes and apartments and mostly south western city schools. Going out past 270 you enter newer sections of the city limits of columbus with a smiliar demographic to Plain Township.

scottie · 03-06-2007, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tripburn27

Hello, I'm a senior at the University of Dayton that will be moving to Columbus this coming May or June. I am a Cleveland native currently looking for a decent one or two bedroom apartment in Columbus. I've been looking around online, and some of the deals seem too good to be true (i.e. located in a bad neighboorhood, terrible conditions, etc.). The company that I have accepted a job with is located near the southwest downtown area near the 70-270 junction.

What are some good neighborhoods to live in? Again, I'm not really looking to purchase a home or the most ornate of places , just to rent a nice apartment at a decent rate right out of college. I'd like a neighborhood with a relatively low crime rate and that's not located too far away from the downtown area. Thanks for any assistance you can offer!

South campus gateway would be a great option. I would avoid the east side and hilltop. P.S. Im going to college next year and am considering Dayton (I took a visit too), so how did you like it?