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Thread summary:

Recent college grad relocation assistance out of Los Angeles, wants good public transportation, hockey and baseball teams, four seasons, preferably east coast

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Old 05-13-2008, 01:20 PM
 
Location: Simi Valley, CA
14 posts, read 43,303 times
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I'm a recent college grad who majored in business administration: marketing.

I currently live in the suburbs of Los Angeles but am looking for a new start.

My ideal city would be one where I wouldn't need a car, I would like to be able to walk and rely on public transportation. The traffic of LA has killed driving for me.

I would like my city to have a hockey and baseball team also.
I also would like to experience the seasons.


I was thinking of Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, or NYC.
Any suggestions on what city you'd feel would be a good start for me.
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Old 05-13-2008, 01:29 PM
 
Location: Southeast Missouri
5,812 posts, read 18,752,047 times
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Is finding a job easy for you?

If not I'd suggest putting your resume out there and looking for a job before you for sure decide where to move.

If you can more easily get a job, of those 4 I'd pick Philadelphia or Chicago. New York and Boston are nice, but insanely expensive.

What's your budget for an apartment?

My favorite city is St. Louis, but its public transportation isn't as good as New York, so you'd probably need a car for some areas of the city. It has MetroLink and MetroBus, but I think it's easier if you have a car, unless you are just spending the night downtown and in the Central Corridor. MetroLink also shuts down at midnight (I think). But it's a seasonal climate and less expensive than Chicago, NY, or Boston (not sure about Philadelphia) and it's not typically as cold as Chicago in winter. St. Louis' metro population is 2,803,707 and the city is around 353,837.

Population of each city (according to Wiki)
4,455,217 Boston
18,818,536 NYC
9,505,747 Chicago
5,823,233 Philadelphia

Last edited by STLCardsBlues1989; 05-13-2008 at 01:45 PM..
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Old 05-13-2008, 01:35 PM
 
Location: St Simons Island, GA
23,309 posts, read 43,763,348 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kings4cup View Post
I was thinking of Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, or NYC.
Any suggestions on what city you'd feel would be a good start for me.
Of the four, I'd say Chicago...great town for a young person, walkable, clean, well-run, and a great sports town.
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Old 05-13-2008, 03:55 PM
 
Location: Simi Valley, CA
14 posts, read 43,303 times
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I have heard its quite a bit harder to find a job in a city when you currently don't live there so I was planning on moving and then beginning the search for a job.
I have a nest egg so I can live for a few months while looking for a job.

I guess since I'd plan on renting a room my budget would be no more then $800/month.

I'm actually quite open to any big city as long as it meets my above requirements. St Louis, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis seem like they'd also be cool.
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Old 05-13-2008, 04:19 PM
 
Location: Phoenix metro
20,004 posts, read 77,109,176 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LovinDecatur View Post
Of the four, I'd say Chicago...great town for a young person, walkable, clean, well-run, and a great sports town.
Id agree, minus the "well-run" aspect. Our governor is a joke, and there is sooooo much corruption in Chicago that its almost laughable. Great city, though, if you can handle cold winters.
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Old 05-13-2008, 09:28 PM
 
5,816 posts, read 15,846,562 times
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Given that you might be scraping by financially for a while until finding and settling into a job, it would probably be best to drop Boston and NYC from your list, due to cost. The other two you listed originally are good cities if you find the right area, as are those you've added. I don't know. What kind of landscape and outdoor opportunities do you like having nearby? What about weather? Chicago and Minneapolis will have more rigorous winters than the others, and St. Louis will have especially sultry summers. Also, how big a city do you want? Do you need the public transit to run all night or very late at night? Answers to these questions should help narrow down the choices.
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Old 05-13-2008, 09:54 PM
 
Location: Cortland, Ohio
3,343 posts, read 10,889,753 times
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I would go w/Pittsburgh, they have both baseball and hockey and the city is pretty walkable, well, exept for all those hills. No, but really, Pittsburgh has been rated the best walkable city in the U.S., or something like that. Check out the Pittsburgh forum, it's on there somewhere.

Even though their baseball team sucks, I consider PNC park to be in the top 1 or 2 of all major league stadiums.

Also, if you're looking for seasons and a good cost of living, Pittsburgh is the place. The catch is finding a job, i don't know what demand is like for marketing there, but if you can find a job your dollar will go further.
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Old 05-14-2008, 12:11 AM
 
2,502 posts, read 8,888,818 times
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Portland or Seattle, maybe? Pittsburgh could be good too.

Just to let you know - although there is some decent public transportation, Chicago DOES have traffic. Almost like LA's. My dad went back for a visit last weekend, actually, and sat in traffic for an hour to get to a family friend's house less than 10 miles away. And it is the coldest of the cities. But aside from that, maybe..
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Old 05-14-2008, 12:56 AM
 
Location: Simi Valley, CA
14 posts, read 43,303 times
Reputation: 13
I guess, I'd prefer to have public transportation that runs later into the night.
I wouldn't mind trying out a cold climate and if I really can't stand it then I can always move.
I'd like the city to be of substantial population because as a young male I'd like to have the big city amenities.

Thanks for all the help everyone!
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Old 05-14-2008, 01:16 AM
 
Location: Southeast Missouri
5,812 posts, read 18,752,047 times
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St. Louis MetroLink stops at midnight. Though there are often cabs around, from my understanding.

I'm not a partier, so it wouldn't bother me since I likely would be in by midnight anyway. But it can be an inconvenience for some.

If you could afford the cab fare, it might be alright. But it's up to you. St. Louis is cheaper than Chicago, Boston, or NYC, so the cab fare might not be that bad (but that's up to you). A downtown STL condo/loft may cost you on average $800-$1200/month, but they can go cheaper.

Terrace Lofts start at $600/month.
Summer is Almost Here! Rent your POOLSIDE Loft Now!! (broken link)
The Terrace Lofts - Home Page

The Cupples Station Loft Apartments start at $562/month (but may be income dependent)
Cupples Station Loft Apartments
You should be able to walk to the ballpark from there if you wanted to. According to Google Maps it's about 1/4 mile away .

The Paul Brown Lofts are nice also:
The Paul Brown Loft Apartments
LOFT RENTS
One Bedroom 588 - 1108 s.f. From $800/mo
Two Bedroom 873 - 1400 s.f. From $1200/mo
Two Story Lofts 877 - 1741 s.f. From $1445/mo

Quote:
Affordable Alternative
As a benefit of restoring a historic building utilizing state and federal tax credits, a portion of The Paul Brown Lofts will be set aside as an "Affordable Alternative." Households who meet established guidelines can qualify for the Affordable Alternative units, which carry a reduced rental rate. These units are identical to units throughout the rest of the property and they benefit from all of the same amenities. All residents of The Paul Brown Lofts will be required to meet the same stringent credit and background criteria.

One Bedroom $615
Two Bedroom $754
Income Qualifications
Household Size / Max. Gross Annual Income
1 person $27,660
2 people $31,620
3 people $35,580
4 people $39,540

This is for guideline purposes only. Please consult your leasing agent for more information.
Merchandise Mart
Merchandise Mart Apartments
1 Bedroom (Market Rate) $700 - $1195 $250 1 1 528 - 952
1 Bedroom (Affordable Alternative Rate*) $600 1 BR 1 BA 528 - 952 sq. ft.

Quote:
Affordable Alternative Rate
As a benefit of restoring a historic building utilizing state and federal tax credits and abatements, a portion of The Merchandise Mart Apartments will be set aside as an "Affordable Alternative." Households who meet established guidelines can qualify for the Affordable Alternative units, which carry a reduced rental rate. These units are identical to units throughout the rest of the property and they benefit from all of the same amenities.These units will provide an opportunity for more St. Louisians to experience the high quality housing offered in the downtown loft district. All residents of The Merchandise Mart Apartments will be required to meet the same stringent credit and background criteria.
Affordable Alternative Prices 1 bedroom - $600 - $670* 2 bedroom - $805*
Income Limits for Affordable Alternative Prices
Household Size Maximum Gross Annual Income
1 person $27,660
2 people $31,620
3 people $35,580
4 people $39,540
Vangard Lofts
View Vangard Lofts Apartments Apartments For Rent in St Louis, Missouri - ForRent.com
1 BRs starting at $725/month

Ludwig Lofts
St. Louis Loftworks - Ludwig Lofts
One Bedroom $815 - $1,055
Two Bedroom $1,025 - $1,295

Other renters (may or may not list prices)
Syndicate-Trust Building (120 for sale, 70 for rent)
Syndicate Living
Bell Lofts (24 units)
St. Louis Loftworks - Bell Lofts
Edge Lofts (65 units) 1 br - from $795 to $1175
2 br - from $1,060 to $1,650 Apparently the cheapest available are $900
The Edge Lofts
Fashion Square Lofts (96 units)
The only ones left
1,0371North & West Facing$1,075 - $1,4502 Units
Fashion Square - Loft Apartments

Gentry's Landing (411 units, built 1965)
The Website's not real fancy, but here's the price listing
Unfurnished
Studio
$509 - $619
Convertible
$545 - $714
One Bedroom
$809 - $1,049
Two Bedroom
$855 - $1,235

Furnished
Studio
$1,425
Convertible
$1,525
One Bedroom
$1,775
Two Bedroom
$1,925

* Local phone, DSL service, cable & weekly housekeeping.

* Furnished apartments are leased on a month-to-month basis--Perfect for the business traveler or anyone with short-term housing needs. Starting at a rate of $40 per day.
* Discount price as low as $1100 (limited availability)

Within walking distance to: America's Center, Edward Jones Dome, Gateway Arch, Union Station, St. Louis Centre, Historic Laclede's Landing, Busch Memorial Stadium, Riverfront Casinos, MetroLink, many fine restaurants and MUCH MORE!
http://www.gentryslanding.com/ It's a little more pricey for furnished apartments, but it's in a pretty good location.


Lofts@315 (20 units)
St. Louis Loftworks - Lofts@315

Majestic Stove Lofts (120 units)
Majestic Stove Lofts offers 1 and 2 bedroom lofts for rent between $538 and $1,320 per month. MSL offers 120 units total, 50 are affordable and 70 are market rate.
Craigslist Majestic Stove Lofts (broken link)

Majestic Stove Lofts - St. Louis Downtown Living
Mansion House

Unfurnished
Studio $519
Convertible and City View $619
Riverfront $849
Two Bedroom $1,029

Apartments Downtown St. Louis Missouri (MO) | Mansion House Furnished and Unfurnished Apartments
View Mansion House Apartments Apartments For Rent in Saint Louis, Missouri - ForRent.com



Pointe 400
Pointe 400 Apartments Saint Louis, MO - Apartments for Rent in Saint Louis Missouri (broken link)
Pointe 400, Luxury Apartments for Lease | 400 South 4th Street, St. Louis Missouri
A little pricey also, but good location.

Rudman on the Park (48 units)
Floor Plan Specifications
Unit Name

Floorplan A 975 Sq. Ft. 1 Bed 1 BA, $900-$1000
Floorplan R 914 Sq. Ft. 2 Bed, 1 BA, $850-$950

Rudman on the Park
Rudman On The Park Apartments St. Louis, MO - Apartments for Rent in St. Louis Missouri
Anyway, just some examples of the cheaper end of Downtown St. Louis. And if you have below a certain income you get a better rate in some loft buildings.

Last edited by STLCardsBlues1989; 05-14-2008 at 02:33 AM..
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