Good Areas vs Bad Areas (Indianapolis, Carmel: apartment complexes, crime, neighborhood)

[mjw1123]

Hello, I am contemplating (very likely) moving to Indianapolis from Western NY this fall. I am looking at some different apartment complexes, and am unsure of what area of the city would be best.

My office for my job would be located in what seems to "Northern Indianapolis" (by E 96th & N Keystone), towards Carmel. Ideally though, I would like to actually live closer to the downtown area. So I was looking at some places that would seem to be inbetween.

I have read on here that "East Indy" and "West Indy" are a bit on the sketchier side, but I wasn't sure what parts were worse than others.

One of the apartments I was looking at was on E Fall Creek Pkwy and E 38th (I think I read E 38th is a bad place???). And the other was by 42nd st and N Sherman Dr. I understand that being closer to downtown inherently going to be more dangerous than living farther away from downtown, and I am ok with that, but I just don't want to live somewhere really unsafe.

Can anyone tell me if these areas are OK? Would you go there, or live there?

I'm open to suggestions, and also I appreciate any feedback! I would live farther out if being close to downtown is not worth it due to bad crime.

[Toxic Toast]

42nd & Sherman - I would not live in an apartment in that neighborhood

38th & Fall Creek - maybe but it depends on the complex. I would have no qualms living west of Fall Creek in that area.

Do not be afraid to live in the city if that is what you want. Thousands of us do it everyday with no fear. Center Township can be a hodgepodge on all sides, not just east and west.

[mjw1123]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

42nd & Sherman - I would not live in an apartment in that neighborhood

38th & Fall Creek - maybe but it depends on the complex. I would have no qualms living west of Fall Creek in that area.

Do not be afraid to live in the city if that is what you want. Thousands of us do it everyday with no fear. Center Township can be a hodgepodge on all sides, not just east and west.

Thanks for your feedback.

This is the complex: http://www.reverieestates.com/village-at-fall-creek/

If you know anything about it (or any of these other places), please share. I am looking for a 1 BR apartment between $500-650 ideally. Open to other suggestions close to downtown, or north of downtown.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by mjw1123

Thanks for your feedback.

This is the complex: Village @ Fall Creek - Reverie Estates

If you know anything about it (or any of these other places), please share. I am looking for a 1 BR apartment between $500-650 ideally. Open to other suggestions close to downtown, or north of downtown.

I have seen that place from the Monon Trail. I have never thought it looked like a bad place, but I've never really given it much thought.

If you look on the crime trackerhere, you can search for crimes committed in the complex and around the neighborhood. If I dropped the pin in the correct place on the map, then the only crimes in that complex in the last three months have been an OWI and one theft from a car; there was another vandalism up the street and one break-in up the street too.

Using that info, I would probably be willing to live there if it were 10 years ago and I was going to be living alone. I ride my bike on the Monon through there all the time, that access is a huge perk in my mind.

[Jomz]

Originally Posted by mjw1123

Thanks for your feedback.

This is the complex: Village @ Fall Creek - Reverie Estates

If you know anything about it (or any of these other places), please share. I am looking for a 1 BR apartment between $500-650 ideally. Open to other suggestions close to downtown, or north of downtown.

http://www.cityviewonmeridian.com/

I live here. Was scared of the neighbourhood. But actually the apartments iteslf are pretty safe.
I even had my convertible ( Honda S2000) in the gated open parking lot. Except for one ding, it was pretty much untouched.

[mjw1123]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

I have seen that place from the Monon Trail. I have never thought it looked like a bad place, but I've never really given it much thought.

If you look on the crime trackerhere, you can search for crimes committed in the complex and around the neighborhood. If I dropped the pin in the correct place on the map, then the only crimes in that complex in the last three months have been an OWI and one theft from a car; there was another vandalism up the street and one break-in up the street too.

Using that info, I would probably be willing to live there if it were 10 years ago and I was going to be living alone. I ride my bike on the Monon through there all the time, that access is a huge perk in my mind.

Yeah I'm a 25 year old single dude, so it is probably fine for me. The bike trail and bridge look pretty cool.

Is it easy to take a bus downtown from there?

[Serious Conversation]

The 96th and Keystone intersection is always packed with a busy on/off ramp for the interstate and some construction taking place just south of the interchange. However, if you're coming from the city back out toward Carmel you'll be going against most of the traffic.

$650 could get you something okay, but for $500 you're likely to be in an old place, a bad area, or some combination of the two. I would avoid 38th street - there's nothing you'll find there that you can't find in other parts of the city and avoid some of the possible hassles and stereotype.

My pick would be living in Broad Ripple at your age - it's quite a bit closer than 38th street, and you probably can't afford downtown. You could probably be from most parts of Broad Ripple to the 96th st interchange in 10-15 minutes.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by mjw1123

Yeah I'm a 25 year old single dude, so it is probably fine for me. The bike trail and bridge look pretty cool.

Is it easy to take a bus downtown from there?

The 4 bus goes right down Fairfield, that one would be closest. However I do not think it is one of the major lines, meaning it might not run late into the night or more than every 30-60 minutes.

Otherwise, the 17 bus runs right up College between downtown and Broad Ripple and the 39 runs from 38th St down Meridian into downtown. I've never personally used those particular lines so I can't speak to the quality and reliability of them. I have bused to work on the 19 to Castleton, it reliably got be where I needed to on time, as have the other buses I have taken.

[mjw1123]

Originally Posted by Emigrations

The 96th and Keystone intersection is always packed with a busy on/off ramp for the interstate and some construction taking place just south of the interchange. However, if you're coming from the city back out toward Carmel you'll be going against most of the traffic.

$650 could get you something okay, but for $500 you're likely to be in an old place, a bad area, or some combination of the two. I would avoid 38th street - there's nothing you'll find there that you can't find in other parts of the city and avoid some of the possible hassles and stereotype.

My pick would be living in Broad Ripple at your age - it's quite a bit closer than 38th street, and you probably can't afford downtown. You could probably be from most parts of Broad Ripple to the 96th st interchange in 10-15 minutes.

Thanks for the advice.

I just assumed closer to downtown would be way to go, but I admittedly don't know the area, so I would be open to a neighborhood well suited to my age too.

In all honestly, I'd rather be closer to the action, than closer to work.

There seems to be a lot of nice looking complexes in the Indianapolis area for 500-600 bucks honestly, I just don't know what areas are good for going out and socializing and such. Seem to be a lot on the West side of the city by the Eagle Creek Resvoir (don't know if this area has a name?), but that would be a little hike to my work.