Moving to Madison for Graduate School (Sheboygan, Monroe: affordable apartments, to rent, condos)

[agb2003]

I am moving to Madison in the fall from New Mexico to begin graduate school. I am trying to figure out where to live, what to drive, and all that good stuff. I really REALLY do not want to be in a "student ghetto" so any recommendations on quiet, safe neighborhoods would be wonderful.

Because the climate is SO different from the desert southwest I am concerned about what type of vehicle would be best to get around in - is 2 wheel drive ok, do I need all wheel or 4-wheel drive. I went to Madison over Christmas break in a Suburban and that was quite a trip, we barely squeezed down the streets . Any recommendations you could give me would be great. Thank you!!!

[mayfair]

I drove a 2 WD when living in Madison. They take good care of the roads and you should be fine.

[Drover]

The problem you may encounter is there is not a lot of overlap between cheap neighborhoods and non-student-ghetto. It's kind of an either/or proposition unless you want to live in a newer apartment complex on the edge of town.

As for what to drive... drive a bus. Parking on campus is abysmal. For most other getting-around tasks, any old FWD car will do; you MIGHT be able to get away with RWD if it has a really good traction and stability control system. AWD is a bonus but not aboslutely crucial. Usually the main arteries are cleared less than 24 hours after the snow stops falling; so AWD only really makes a big difference maybe 4 or 5 days out of the year.

[Chelito23]

At the risk of many disagreeing...there are affordable apartments scattered about on the East Side as well as the South Side. You would really have to look at it on a complex by complex basis as some are definantly safer and more well kept than others. Off the top of my mind, I would suggest apartments south of the Beltline on Fish Hatchery Road and in Arbor Hills. Once again, this isn't ghetto or dangerous, but you get what you pay for and you will have to research the individual complexes, check out the neighbors etc in order to be sure these areas are right for you.

[agb2003]

Thank you for your responses! Right now I am looking at the apartments on Sheboygan Ave. near the Hilldale Mall - specifically the Carolina Apts, do you know or have you heard anything about those?

[Chelito23]

I can't speak to those apartments but check apartmentratings dot com for reviews...the area is decent, on the busline and within walking distance to the Hilldale Mall and grocery stores...plus there is a lot of redevelopment of that established area underway.

[katreese]

Originally Posted by agb2003

Thank you for your responses! Right now I am looking at the apartments on Sheboygan Ave. near the Hilldale Mall - specifically the Carolina Apts, do you know or have you heard anything about those?

I don't know anything about the Carolina Apartments specifically, but the area is an excellent choice - it's a very popular area for grad students. The apartments aren't the prettiest (i.e. they are old) but the area is very safe and stable - it's definitely worth living in an older place for the neighborhood.

I have to disagree with Chelito23. Definitely stay away from south Fitch Hatchery Road and Arbor Hills. These areas have declined dramatically in the 10 years I've lived in Madison and are getting worse (as is my own neighborhood, off of Verona Road). (S Park Street, Broadway, Allied Drive areas are very, very bad - and I lived in Chicago!)

[agb2003]

You guys have been such a help, thank you. I did see in some advertising that there is a Trader Joe's in Madison - that is something that I love about the southwest and would love to be near. What kind of housing is there around Trader Joe's? Thank you!!

[Drover]

It's right around Trader Joe's that student ghetto starts to merge into "the rest of" Madison. But the thing is, it's also only a couple blocks from Camp Randall Stadium, which is practically the heart of Student Ghetto. It comes to this: if you're on the west side of Trader Joe's, you might be far enough out of the student ghetto that it's relatively quiet. On the east side... all bets are off.

A couple blocks further west on Monroe Street, or at least on the side streets off of Monroe, it starts to become a single-family-residence area, and a somewhat stately one at that. Whenever I drive through the area around Edgewood College, I imagine that's where many of the professors live. Lots of nice old pre-war Tudor-style houses and the like with nice landscaping, some with vines growing up the brick walls, et cetera. Monroe Street itself is a business strip, and it tends to be a bit on the funky/artsy/indie side. It's not quite as college-hip as, say, Williamson Street, but neither is it as pretentious. I like that area personally, and Pasqual's in that neighborhood is one of my all-time favorite burrito joints. I love the custard joint right across the street too. Excellent frozen custard stand right across the street from Pasqual's too -- Michael's, I believe it's called.

So, in summary, nice area west of TJ's.... east of TJ's is a bit of a crapshoot if you're looking to avoid the student ghetto.

[katreese]

Drover is right, of course. The 2x times I've gone apartment hunting in Madison - years ago now - I wasn't able to find too many 1 bedrooms in that area, and the ones I did find did not have A/C. I just confirmed this state of affairs with my coworker who lives in that neighborhood now . It'd be a great neighborhood if you were buying a single family home - or a condo, there are some new condos on top of Trader Joe's - or if you wanted to rent a room in a house.

People get by without A/C of course, but I am not one of them .