[Lfungericht]

Hi y'all!
I'll be moving to Gainesville in August, starting my PhD at the DCP school. It will be me, my wife and our dog.
We've decided to rent when we arrive at Gainesville, so we are trying to short list our options. Something with 2/2, safe, until 1,500/month. I will have a car, but I would prefer something not isolated from nearby activity.
Well, so far some options called our attention:
Arlington Square in downtown;
Jackson Square in University park/midtown;
Campus Lodge and The Windmeadows in the SW area.
Haile plantations seems pretty interesting, especially near that 'little downtown' they have.

So, anyone could help on this? Opinions/insights about this options?
Thanks for any advice!

[kyle19125]

I'd more recommend the NW side which is quieter and less undergraduate oriented than the SW side can be in some instances, yet still convenient enough to campus and things to do.

[ChuteTheMall]

After 41 years, I see my old place is still standing at 13 1/2 NW 10th Street.
It was 2 bdr and 1 bath however.
Rent including utilities was $85 per month in 1973, it's probably gone up.
Still, it's convenient, overlooking Univ. and 3 blocks from campus.

[Lfungericht]

$85! 😳😳

[ChuteTheMall]

Originally Posted by Lfungericht

$85! ����

When I had a roommate, it was $42.50 for each of us.

Gasoline hit $0.30 per gallon, minimum wage $1.60.

Good times indeed.

Damn, now I feel old.



I should return for an alumni event someday.

[gaterz3]

Originally Posted by Lfungericht

Hi y'all!
I'll be moving to Gainesville in August, starting my PhD at the DCP school. It will be me, my wife and our dog.
We've decided to rent when we arrive at Gainesville, so we are trying to short list our options. Something with 2/2, safe, until 1,500/month. I will have a car, but I would prefer something not isolated from nearby activity.
Well, so far some options called our attention:
Arlington Square in downtown;
Jackson Square in University park/midtown;
Campus Lodge and The Windmeadows in the SW area.
Haile plantations seems pretty interesting, especially near that 'little downtown' they have.

So, anyone could help on this? Opinions/insights about this options?
Thanks for any advice!

I've lived in Haile Plantation for almost 19 years. My vote goes for HP as it is a nice community within a larger Gainesville. Yet, you are only 7 miles from campus and 10 from downtown.

I would say Arlington is a definite no as it seems to cater to undergrads. I would guess anything in mid-town would be the same. I don't really know much about the other two locations.

Have you checked Zillow for Haile rentals?
Apartments for Rent - 17 Rentals - Zillow

Plus, there may be some availability in The Links.

The Village center is a nice feature with the Sat AM farmers market and other events on a fairly regular basis. There are several nice "pubs/grilles" and you are only 2 miles from 2 different Publix stores and the other conveniences in their centers. I think you'd find Haile to be a quieter, more mature, and more professional environment than either mid- or down-town. Good luck.

[projectmaximus]

Originally Posted by Lfungericht

Hi y'all!
I'll be moving to Gainesville in August, starting my PhD at the DCP school. It will be me, my wife and our dog.
We've decided to rent when we arrive at Gainesville, so we are trying to short list our options. Something with 2/2, safe, until 1,500/month. I will have a car, but I would prefer something not isolated from nearby activity.
Well, so far some options called our attention:
Arlington Square in downtown;
Jackson Square in University park/midtown;
Campus Lodge and The Windmeadows in the SW area.
Haile plantations seems pretty interesting, especially near that 'little downtown' they have.

So, anyone could help on this? Opinions/insights about this options?
Thanks for any advice!

Hey! Good to see that you made a decision! Iirc I strongly advised either Gainesville or Alexandria (instead of College Station and Blacksburg) so good choice

Anyway, it's been almost seven years since I moved away and many months since my last trip...I don't really know the area that well anymore. But my inclination is to say that Haile Plantation, while cute and worth regular trips for me (they used to have the only somewhat authentic Chinese restaurant), would feel rather isolated. At least as a younger person. I don't know...would you and your wife rather be around young to old families or college kids? That's the question. While college kids might be tiring after awhile, I think I'd prefer the energy of being around younger people.

Downtown, Midtown, and SW of campus are all gonna offer you more excitement. Again, depends on what you prefer so it could be a good or bad thing. Also, some people would feel safer in a gated complex like Campus Lodge, but I was perfectly comfortable with downtown (which wasn't the safest when I was there)

Good luck!

[Lfungericht]

Originally Posted by projectmaximus

Hey! Good to see that you made a decision! Iirc I strongly advised either Gainesville or Alexandria (instead of College Station and Blacksburg) so good choice

Anyway, it's been almost seven years since I moved away and many months since my last trip...I don't really know the area that well anymore. But my inclination is to say that Haile Plantation, while cute and worth regular trips for me (they used to have the only somewhat authentic Chinese restaurant), would feel rather isolated. At least as a younger person. I don't know...would you and your wife rather be around young to old families or college kids? That's the question. While college kids might be tiring after awhile, I think I'd prefer the energy of being around younger people.

Downtown, Midtown, and SW of campus are all gonna offer you more excitement. Again, depends on what you prefer so it could be a good or bad thing. Also, some people would feel safer in a gated complex like Campus Lodge, but I was perfectly comfortable with downtown (which wasn't the safest when I was there)

Good luck!

Hey Maximus, thank you, your comments really helped!

Thats is a difficult question to answer, we are still trying to figure that out. As living in US, the options that a college town offers, are really different from what we are used to.

I like the idea of the safety and amenities that a closed apartment complex can offer. On the other hand, we get pretty isolated from the town itself. I mean, we practically can't walk to a grocery store, restaurant, or anything arround, as the complexes are normally far from (walking distance). Plus, those regions doesn't look like pedestrian friendly, as it is complex after complex, with no urban feel. That been said, you can imagine our conflict on deciding this.

Regarding urban feel, and a place were we do not fell isolated, some apartment in downtown may offer this, although they are a bit more expensive, a it isn't the safest region (as I checked crime rates). But, if we just get down to the street we are part of the town, you know?

And lastly, Haile Plantation seems to offer a little of both worlds, if we get a apartment at the Village Center, (I think) we can have that urban feeling, in a safe and nice place. But as I have never been there, I can only imagine. I wouldn't get a house far from the village center, as all the benefits of the walk-ability would be lost.

Confusing, isn't it?

[projectmaximus]

Just know what HP is...at least 8 years ago...it was a nice new urbanist area but it wasn't ever bustling with people. It's a small little "village center" that is walkable but honestly I can't imagine it giving you an urban feel. Really, nothing in Gainesville will do that except maybe somewhere in Downtown.

If your wife needs places to walk to you could possibly stay at one of those condos right behind Butler Plaza. It's also not an urban feel (just a gigantic strip mall) but I guarantee there are way more people there. And y'all would be able to walk to restaurants, stores, and the movie theater. (Again...very suburban feel but allows you to walk to places where lots of people are) This is at Archer and 34th, so at the SW edge of campus.

[bullrat]

You DO NOT want to move to Haile Village Center area around the little fountain park. I regret having signed a lease here, as the noise is ridiculous late at night. There are drunks screaming and cursing until 2am or 3am almost every night. Seriously. These people are sh*t-faced drunk and obnoxious loud. Maybe not as bad the further you live from the park. Its very quaint neighborhood and I thought about buying here and wanted to rent first to get a feel. Thank God, I did. There is no way I would buy a place here.

The local establishments are pretty good about turning off the blaring music around 10pm or so - but the drunken idiots have no consideration that this area around the park is residential on all 2nd and 3rd floors. Apparently, no police patrol near the Haile center park, due to lack of crime, which is good - but its hard to sleep even with ear plugs. This is the noisiest place I have ever lived - and I've lived in several major cities, as well as smaller cities and suburban areas. If you enjoy drunks, noise, car honking, raucous demented drunken laughter and lack of sleep - by all means - move here, Haile Village is the WORSE place to move to in Gainesville, if you value sleep between 11pm and 3am.