Moving to Louisville - Where should I live? (Frankfort, Bardstown: apartment complexes, for rent)

[TMDonovan]

Hello everyone,

I'm moving to Louisville because I finally got that first out-of-college real job. I'm originally from Naperville, Illinois and the only thing I've seen in Kentucky were the hazy few hours I spent during my interview after an exhausting 6 hour drive through Route 65 in Indiana. I've been looking on craigslist and other apartment finding websites, but the issue is I'm not sure what a good area is in the region. That said, here's my specs:

-The office I'll be working at is right by the intersection of N Hurstborne Pkwy and LaGrange Rd. West of Central State Hospital and North of AB Sawyer Park on Google Maps.

-I'd ideally like to spend within the range of 600-700 dollars for rent, from what I've seen that isn't too far out there.

-I hate commuting, I'd tolerate nothing more than 40 minutes away, ideally I'd only have to deal with a 25-30 minute drive.

-I'm a 20 something out of college with no kids, living by myself. So I only need a solid studio or 1 BR/BA.

-I don't care one way or the other in terms of what the area is like (city, suburbs, small town). My only concern is that I don't want to feel the impending sense of "About to be mugged" or hear gunshots every other night like I did when I lived in a really shady part of University of Illinois. I know that some places I've looked at have boasted being a few blocks away from U of L. Is that a good area?

I thank you all in advance for your help. I'm really looking forward to my new home.

[censusdata]

I live right in the area you will be working and there's really no reason to look elsewhere unless you want urban or rural rather than suburban. There are a lot of apartment complexes all along LaGrange Rd from Hurstbourne to the Watterson. Price range runs from cheap ($500 for a one bedroom) to higher end. Where I'm at now is $605 for a one bedroom with a patio, that includes water/ trash pickup. I like easy access to several large parks and an easy drive downtown via I-71 than anywhere else in the suburbs.

If you want more urban Frankfort Ave or Bardstown Rd inside I-264 are good options. U of L area depends. Immediately north and east of campus are mostly nice (outside a couple rough pockets in Old Louisville) to very nice (most of Old Louisville, Audubon Park). South of campus is lower income and not very nice. West of downtown is an abandoned industrial area. It's also a lot further from where you'll be working.

If you want rural then Oldham or Shelby counties are good options

[tomocox]

Originally Posted by censusdata

I live right in the area you will be working and there's really no reason to look elsewhere unless you want urban or rural rather than suburban. There are a lot of apartment complexes all along LaGrange Rd from Hurstbourne to the Watterson. Price range runs from cheap ($500 for a one bedroom) to higher end. Where I'm at now is $605 for a one bedroom with a patio, that includes water/ trash pickup. I like easy access to several large parks and an easy drive downtown via I-71 than anywhere else in the suburbs.

If you want more urban Frankfort Ave or Bardstown Rd inside I-264 are good options. U of L area depends. Immediately north and east of campus are mostly nice (outside a couple rough pockets in Old Louisville) to very nice (most of Old Louisville, Audubon Park). South of campus is lower income and not very nice. West of downtown is an abandoned industrial area. It's also a lot further from where you'll be working.

If you want rural then Oldham or Shelby counties are good options

I would put you as the ideal candidate for an apartment in one of the old mansions of Phoenix Hill. You can zip to and from Phoenix Hill to your office in 15 minutes most any rush hour. You'll be in the lower Highlands and close to down town. The rates will be right and you'll have lots of fun.

[Msradell]

Given that you find a 30 minute commute acceptable you can live almost anyplace in Jefferson County and parts of Shelby and Oldham counties. It all depends on what you want in the area where you live. If you give us a better description of what your idea community would be we can give you a lot more suggestions.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by tomocox

I would put you as the ideal candidate for an apartment in one of the old mansions of Phoenix Hill. You can zip to and from Phoenix Hill to your office in 15 minutes most any rush hour. You'll be in the lower Highlands and close to down town. The rates will be right and you'll have lots of fun.

Mansions? Phoenix Hill? Been inside 264 lately ?

[tomocox]

Originally Posted by Peter1948

Mansions? Phoenix Hill? Been inside 264 lately ?

Yes, I have quite often lately. You must not have been, but then you don't want to accept that you might not know what you are talking about. At least, I do.

Now, back to the definition of mansion. At the time of their construction, many of the old homes along Cherokee Road in and around Cave Hill Cemetary, (at the eastern end of Broadway) were definitely mansions. Many will have 4-6,000 sq feet of living space. No, they are not the barns that the Clampetts, the Ewings, or the Vanderbilts called home, but in their day, those big old homes now divided into apartments were appropriately titled mansions.

[TMDonovan]

Thanks for your suggestions everyone! I've done some research on the areas suggested and for Phoenix Hill area, I've found two:
Lofts of Broadway - 419 Finzer Street, Louisville, KY 40203
Worthington Apartments - 735 South 2nd Street, Louisville, KY 40202

As far as off of LaGrange I've found:
Devonshire Apartments - 8301 Doncaster Way, Louisville, KY 40222
The Grove at Lyndon - 7716 Sundance Drive, Louisville, KY 40222
Four Seasons - 8010 Summerfield Circle, Louisville, KY 40220
Charlestown of Douglass Hills - 407 Charlestown Court, Louisville, KY 40243
Partridge Meadows - 8102 Four Winds Drive, Louisville, KY 40222
Plainview Apartments - 1000 Stone Spring Way, Louisville, KY 40223

I'll probably try to arrange a viewing with all of these places unless anyone here has heard terrible things about the apartments/surrounding areas.

Originally Posted by Msradell

Given that you find a 30 minute commute acceptable you can live almost anyplace in Jefferson County and parts of Shelby and Oldham counties. It all depends on what you want in the area where you live. If you give us a better description of what your idea community would be we can give you a lot more suggestions.

I'm not a very picky guy, but I guess my ideal community would tend towards a more youthful demographic and have a lively suburban/city vibe of an area. I'm not a big bar guy, but I like to go out and have fun, meet people, and all of that fun 20-something stuff. I'd like a good mix of stores where I'm around to match my 'all-over-the-place' interests: (Comic books, board games, health food, fishing). Hopefully this helps describes what I'm looking for better?

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by tomocox

Yes, I have quite often lately. You must not have been, but then you don't want to accept that you might not know what you are talking about. At least, I do.

Now, back to the definition of mansion. At the time of their construction, many of the old homes along Cherokee Road in and around Cave Hill Cemetary, (at the eastern end of Broadway) were definitely mansions. Many will have 4-6,000 sq feet of living space. No, they are not the barns that the Clampetts, the Ewings, or the Vanderbilts called home, but in their day, those big old homes now divided into apartments were appropriately titled mansions.

And, Mr Realtor, that is NOT Phoenix Hill. That is the Cherokee Triangle. Across Baxter is the Original Highlands. I know the city of Louisville like the back of my hand.

Cherokee Triangle, specifically Cherokee Rd near Highland Ave, is a great area for young professionals.

[tomocox]

Originally Posted by Peter1948

And, Mr Realtor, that is NOT Phoenix Hill. That is the Cherokee Triangle. Across Baxter is the Original Highlands. I know the city of Louisville like the back of my hand.

Cherokee Triangle, specifically Cherokee Rd near Highland Ave, is a great area for young professionals.

The fact is that to the new person moving to Louisville, Phoenix Hill and Cherokee Triangle are effectively one and the same as there is not a wall around either.

[Doctorof_Education]

Go to the East end my friend. The East end is where the educated people live. Hourstbourne Lane area. Anything close to U of L will NOT be good. That area is full of...things.