Can you live in Knoxville without a car? (Kingston: appointed, apartment complexes)

[maryp3177]

Hi, my husband and I are planning to start graduate school next fall and UT-Knoxville is one of our options. We're doing our relocation research early; we'd be moving from Albuquerque, NM.

Currently we live about 2 miles from the University of New Mexico, where we both work. I walk most places or take the bus and my husband is really into bike commuting. We have lived in Albuquerque for 11 years without owning a car (and Albuquerque's public transit is pretty bad - busses very 30-35 min, usually late) and would like to know if we can do the same in Knoxville?

Are there decent (clean) apartments for rent around the university? Is the closest grocery store accessible by bike or walking? How about general "things to do" (shopping, theater, movies) - do you need to have a car to do them?

Any help you can offer is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[Beretta]

I suppose that you could make it without a car here. But really, you need one to enjoy the entire area. Transportation here is not as developed as other areas nor are the areas and safety is an issue at times.

Welcome to Knoxville!

[jimlee]

I believe you could manage fairly well in Knoxville without a car although some of the outlying areas such as the new Turkey Creek retail development might be a challenge.

Knoxville has a pretty decent bus system including a free trolly service that runs between UT and downtown 7 days a week. FYI, Knoxville's busses and trollies run on biodiesel.

There's also a nice greenway system (paved walking & bath paths) that connects many parts of Knoxville including the 3rd Creek one that runs all the way from Bearden in west Knoxville to the waterfront below downtown so biking is a viable option to get around.

I'm a Realtor and I've had 3 different clients recently that bought homes in the area intending to bike to UT including one who rides about 9 miles one way daily.

Good bus service to our major retail shopping mecca, West Town Mall.

The UT campus is immediately west of downtown Knoxville so walking to town and campus is viable.

[knoxgarden]

Metro Pulse, the free alternative weekly in Knoxville, ran a story about living carless in Knoxville. It was found to be very do-able.
:: Metro Pulse Online :: (broken link)
Check Metropulse for things to do downtown and for rentals in the area.
Orient yourself on where the bus and bike routes are and rent accordingly. The downtown is relatively flat and is easy to walk and bike around.
There's lots to do downtown, from free concerts to farmer's markets.
If you do need a car, it's cheap to rent one for a weekend.

[creeksitter]

Mary - I think living without a car is very do-able though I second the notion that you will want to rent a car to view surrounding scenery on the weekends.

My first reaction is to recommend living North off Broadway or South off Chapman Highway. They both have shopping areas about 2 miles out - the ones South are bigger and better (IMHO) The downsides are: a scruffy "mission" district just N of downtown and a busy highway South.

I'll give a "demographic profile" - sort of like a soil profile:

North - you have the mission district, then some nice gentrified Victorian neighborhoods (some converted to apartments) and a small working class area in between (with a food co - op!), Then the grocery area then lots more working/middle class neighborhoods beyond.

South you have the river, then a working class area with a few students & bohos mixed in, a ridge, a couple of respectable apartment complexes on the left then a working class neighborhood on one side and a really sweet & leafy 1920's neighborhood on the other, then the commercial areas with working class or middle class neighborhoods behind them. Beyond the shopping area are a few more apt. complexes and another ridge.

If you want to live west the shopping is a bit further out 4-5 miles but you have the bike trail! There are some affordable neighborhoods off Sutherland avenue along with university housing. Then there is every kind of shopping available as you go further west on Kingston pike.

I would not recommend living in Fort Sanders right next to the University unless you like noise & parties.

Oh and there is a brand new movie theater downtown. Hooray!

[hiknapster]

I find the bus service to be horrible, and Knoxville far from flat.

After spending the last 24 hours in Knoxville proper, I found the city to be severely lacking. Taking a tour of the World's Fair Park was less than desirable. There were lots of homeless, although they were definitely non-confrontational, but no other people around today.

I have to say, that after the past two days, Knoxville has sunk on my opinion meter. However, the Hilton was very nice.

[jabogitlu]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I find the bus service to be horrible, and Knoxville far from flat.

After spending the last 24 hours in Knoxville proper, I found the city to be severely lacking. Taking a tour of the World's Fair Park was less than desirable. There were lots of homeless, although they were definitely non-confrontational, but no other people around today.

I have to say, that after the past two days, Knoxville has sunk on my opinion meter. However, the Hilton was very nice.

Rigggggght, you've never walked down Gay street have you? I'm a proud member of the "I've been harrassed and hit up for change on South Gay" Facebook group.

[hiknapster]

I've been on Gay Street exactly twice. Once was during the Rossini Festival and once was for a job interview.

I cannot say enough how deeply we were disappointed in the Boomsday Festival. Yes, the fireworks were very nice, but good gosh.

There is a reason that the Hilton in Knoxville charges incredibly dirt-cheap prices. And make no mistake, I am not looking for any kind of nightlife. We have a seven-year-old. I wanted to go over to the art museum, but I was too scared. The UT Conference Center, across from the Hilton, and adjacent to the World's Fair Park, was practically falling down. The Amphitheater, which, apparently, they will now restore, despite horrible acoustics, is an eyesore.

There was one drugged-out UT student, who I am sure that his parent's are searching for. Another man was ranting on the Hilton corner.

Let's not even talk about what a disaster Boomsday was, crowd control-wise. And the fireworks were not all that. Good we did not pay much.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by knoxgarden

Metro Pulse, the free alternative weekly in Knoxville, ran a story about living carless in Knoxville. It was found to be very do-able.
:: Metro Pulse Online :: (broken link)
Check Metropulse for things to do downtown and for rentals in the area.
Orient yourself on where the bus and bike routes are and rent accordingly. The downtown is relatively flat and is easy to walk and bike around.
There's lots to do downtown, from free concerts to farmer's markets.
If you do need a car, it's cheap to rent one for a weekend.

That's a great link. I was just talking to a student the other day who lives in Fountain City and commutes by bus to/from school. The bus deposits him downtown, and from there he walks 15 minutes to U.T. Granted, downtown may be flat, but the walk to/from campus from downtown is definitely not flat. But it's an easy walk. I do it all the time on game days.

The only problem I can see with living without a car around downtown/U.T. is the lack of grocery stores within walking distance. Otherwise, I have often considered living downtown myself and walking to/from campus and might just do it someday.

To the original poster: there are lots of apartments along Sutherland Ave. They're married student housing as well as housing for single graduate students. I lived in those apartments before, and they were quite comfortable although they're nothing fancy. There's a shuttle bus going to/from campus, and the apartments are within walking distance of a couple of produce stands, Asian grocery stores, and it's an easy bike ride (5 minutes) to Kroger and Fresh Market.

[creeksitter]

JMT, have you checked out the new Food City on Western Ave. in Mechanicsville? It's very nice and within walking distance of Fort Sanders. Pretty easy biking distance from Downtown.