Moving to Champaign-Urbana for U of I (Savoy: apartment complex, campus)

[caseyann85]

Hello!

I am graduating from Ball State in Indiana this May and my boyfriend is also graduating from Rose Hulman in Indiana this year. He has been accepting to U of I for engineering and now we are gearing up to make the move to the area. I have never been there and he only has to visit the school twice but didn't get the opportunity to look around much. SO...we are trying to find a great place for us to live. It has been difficult apartment shopping over the internet so I was hoping for any input.

We have a miniature dachshund (10 lbs) and I really enjoy the outdoors so we would like to be some place that we can go for walks and enjoy what the area has to offer. A one bedroom is sufficient but we want to make sure we're in a good area. In addition, we don't want to be near any loud college students. The complex I live in now is completely students and the noise, smells, trash, etc are absolutely terrible! We are looking for something in the $700-800 range and although we don't have to be super close to campus we don't want to be outside of Champaign/Urbana.

So far I have been very interested in trying for an apartment at Water's Edge and also with Tuscany Partners--Tuscany Cove and Tuscany Park. I plan to set up appointments and visit those complexes. I don't know where else to look!

We are visiting the area on April 4th to scope things out and hopefully view as many apartments as possible. What I am asking all of you is for any suggestions. What areas of towns are best? What can we afford that is dog-friendly? Do you have any suggestions on those complexes I listed? Any suggestions or guidance is so greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[illini84]

Downtown Champaign (not Urbana) is a really great area you might try. There are lots of bars and restaurants (nice) down there and it's mostly graduate aged-early 30s people, so you don't get the obnoxious undergrad frat-type atmosphere at all. West Side Park is in downtown and is a big, nice park that many people take their dogs to. I'd highly recommend that area. I lived all over Champaign-Urbana before finally settling downtown and loved it! C-U has great public transit and buses run through downtown about every 5 minutes and go straight to campus. The bus service is free for students and since parking on campus is an absolute nightmare, most people who live off-campus take advantage of the bus since it's quicker and easier (not to mention cheaper) than driving. I'm not sure if these links will get cut or not, but here are a few places in good downtown locations:

Art Theatre Apt. in Downtown Champaign for August

Downtown Champaign Loft

loft apartment downtown champaign

Downtown Champaign with washer and dryer in apartment

Anyway, just a few suggestions. The "core" of downtown Champaign is at Main St. & Neil St. and many people live in newly renovated lofts above the bars and restaurants, but lots of people live around West Side Park. It's a little cheaper over by the park and most of the places are a little older, but you can get a good deal and it's a charming little area. It's only a quick walk (~5 or 10 min max) to the main parts of downtown from there anyway. Enjoy

[ShampooBanana]

You might try something in Southwest Urbana like Amber Pointe Apartments. It's a new complex close to plenty of nice new areas, there are walking/bike paths, and it's close to Meadowbrook Park which is probably the best park around. It's huge and has a restored natural prairie with paths going through, sculpture walk, huge playground for kids, and plenty of other great stuff.

You might also check out some apartments on Green Street in Urbana...it's right between campus and downtown Urbana so there are places to walk to. The neighborhood to the south is fantastic, very pedestrial freindly and quaint. Plus there are stores and good restaurants nearby. If you stay on the side of Green Street closer to downtown it will be quieter (fewer undergrads) and the apartments will be nicer.

Try: The New Yorker, Aspen on Green, Coler Crossing, and Wilson Apartments. They are all nice and reasonably new. Not sure if they allow pets, though.

[puzzlddd]

You mentioned that you were looking at Waters Edge - I live there now and I love it. I initially had to put myself on a waiting list (which made me a bit nervous) but I ended up getting in. It's a quiet place with mostly grad students & young professionals, and the apartments are new & very nice (probably the nicest I found that actually allows dogs). I walk my dog around the apartment complex and also along the endless sidewalks on Interstate Dr. I also take him to various parks around C-U (most all of them are within about 15 minutes so I enjoy the variety), and once in awhile I take him over to the UPD dog park (again, about 15 minutes away).

As for general "areas" in C-U that are good to live in, it depends on what you're looking for. If you want something quiet, my personal suggestion would be to stay away from campus & possibly even downtown, as these areas obviously draw large crowds of loud people. Fine areas to visit - not so fine to live there, at least for me. I like the north Prospect area (where I live), Savoy, or West Champaign. I also prefer to live in Champaign versus Urbana. Basically, on the edge of town is generally best.

[ShampooBanana]

To the OP: Water's Edge might be nice, but you would be very far away from campus and it's not anywhere near a "neighborhood". If you're okay with that and don't care about being in an actual neighborhood, that might be fine. Otherwise, there are other places that are closer and yet still near plenty of things to do.

Aside from those places I mentioned in a previous post, there are some decent apartments on Mattis Ave. that allow pets, and another good option might be to check the News-Gazette classifieds website and see if you could sublet from someone who would allow a pet.

[Petrala]

If you want to be away from the undergrad college (moronic and drunk) experience, stay away from the campus area. things get particularly stupid around big sporting events (football is the worst but basketball can be obnoxious as well), and downtown areas I wasn't really thrilled with during such celebratory times.

[Drover]

I'm sure your moving advice rendered right as school is starting (read: they've already moved by now) will be immensely helpful.