mid 20s female relocating

[Vegas_Cabbie]

Originally Posted by broncos214

Wow, this freeway construction sounds like it's taking a while. I've read in previous posts (5+ years ago) about it. Thanks for the advice. Does Brookfield have a downtown area?

To give you an idea, it all started with the complete overhaul of the Marquette Interchange in downtown Milwaukee. That was in 2004... Between the Marquette, The Zoo Interchange and the Airport area interchange, it has been nonstop since 2004... With years left to go.
There is also a very serious issue that needs to be figured out very close to Miller Park. The freeway at that point narrows because of a cemetery on BOTH sides of the freeway. There is also a bridge over that section of freeway that links the two sides of the cemetery together. They NEED to expand there but it's to the point where they are considering constructing a "stacked freeway" or else digging up bodies or something. I have no idea what they are going to do... BUT... Considering that stretch is the main link between the western suburbs and downtown Milwaukee, you can bet that it's going to be a nightmare for years to come. Not to mention this specific section of freeway is literally a hundred yards from where the Brewers' parking lot / exit ramp starts. Cluster. Adding those 40,000 on gameday (when the team is actually playing well) and that area gets nasty.

Milwaukee metro has over two million people now... Yet in almost every part of the city, the freeways still only have three lanes... Which is ridiculous and basically just makes it a boulevard with a slightly higher speed limit. When they decided to rip everything up all across the city, the freeway needed to actually expand... But in most areas, it didn't.

Empidonax just suggested two places... Waukesha and Wauwatosa.
"Tosa" is a decent suggestion because it is still wrapped by Milwaukee metro... But Waukesha feels a bit removed from it all. In addition to that, the population of Waukesha is somewhat small at around 70,000 for a place basically on it's own. A large portion of the downtown area is ruled by college students, so there's that issue again. Property values and neighborhood stability are NOT good in Waukesha.
Tosa has a little bit of a more stable feel. Parts of it (particularly the north and east edges) of Tosa rub up against some questionable neighborhoods... Not like Compton or anything... But not ideal, either.

I suppose Brookfield has a downtown area... But Brookfield is HEAVILY dominated by retail. I guess "downtown" Brookfield would be considered the giant stretch of Bluemound Rd that starts at Moorland Rd and continues West for miles.
Elm Grove is a neighborhood that sits right up against Brookfield... Lots of nice mental escapes in there... Parks, heavily wooded and has a cute "Small Town Main Street" feel to it.

[ranger17]

Originally Posted by broncos214

. Is the traffic comparable to ATL? DC? less? more? .

Traffic in Milw is not at the level of Atl, Chicago, etc but can have its moments. Keep in mind up here that come winter when the snow flies any travel time could double. So a 20 mile drive today may be 30-40 mins depending on traffic flow and any construction spots you'd encounter; expect that travel time to increase in poor weather. Doesn't mean it can't be do-able, but i would always plan for it rather than be surprised when it happens.

As for the construction, just passed thru it this weekend and got caught in one of the detours. The old saying is true, if its not winter in WI its road construction season. And in that area it does seem to be never ending.

[slamont61]

Originally Posted by broncos214

Thanks for responding! "people would kill to have a job where you have" Can you elaborate?

I'd kill to be 20 something again.

I think this reference might be towards not having to commute into Milwaukee for work. The ability to drive and park without hassle is attractive.

The idea of living in Downtown Milwaukee may be initially appealing but over time you might just find the commute to be more than you'd want. Or not.

There does exist the possibility you might like Waukesha. Somewhere like Mt Village which is close enough to Waukesha's downtown area and Frame Park.

[MidwestRedux]

Originally Posted by Empidonax

Commuting from the East Side or Third Ward isn't a totally terrible idea, but it is kind of far and traffic can be a problem. Downtown Waukesha may not be a bad option for you--not the most amazing downtown you'll ever see, but it is walkable with some restaurants and bars, and it's close to Pewaukee. Downtown Pewaukee is kind of cute and walkable, but more geared toward families.

Though it lies east of the Zoo Interchange, you may want to look into downtown Wauwatosa (the Village). It's very walkable, has several popular bars and restaurants, and serves a mixed clientele of families, couples, and singles. You'd have to figure out a way to deal with the Interchange construction traffic, but it may be a good "middle ground" place to consider.

These are both good suggestions if you decide against downtown Milwaukee/the Third Ward.

The traffic in Milwaukee is nowhere near as bad as DC or Atlanta. Those are two of the worst places in the country. Milwaukee is going to be closer to Richmond traffic wise, as those two metro areas are much more comparable in population.

Right now Milwaukee traffic is exacerbated by the zoo interchange construction. Unfortunately, this will go on for a couple of more years. This interchange is on the only major highway route between Milwaukee and Pewaukee and will probably impact your commute.

The Third Ward is a really good choice for a place to live. It's one of the few parts of Milwaukee that feels like it's in the midst of a boom and constantly changing for the better. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of nice parts of Milwaukee, but most of them look and feel about the same as they did 5, 10, 20 and 30 years ago.

If you can find a nice place within your budget and deal with a 25-45 minute commute each way, I think you will be very pleased with the decision.

[svicious22]

I say trust your instincts and stick with the lower east side or third ward. It sounds like you've done your homework and if you can handle the commute and the rent (there are MANY closer and/or cheaper places) then those are probably the best places for someone in MKE with your sensibilities and age group to live.

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by broncos214

Hello!

I've been notified that I will be moving to Milwaukee in about 6 months. I need help figuring out living, lifestyle, etc (I've never been to Milwaukee).

My job will be in Pewaukee, but prefer to live in the downtown area of Milwaukee. From what I've researched online, lower east side or third ward would fit me best. I prefer to not be around the college/undergrad craziness. I enjoy going out and grabbing drinks, listening to live music, and the ability to walk to the store/cafe/bar. Not knowing anyone in this area, will it be difficult to make friends? This is definitely my biggest concern. Are there activities for young professionals to join? kickball teams or softball teams etc? another concern I have is the commute.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

The undergrad craziness is largely limited to certain areas around campus. You could live in a huge part of the East Side and have what you want. Having to deal with the traffic and crowding around Summerfest gets old, but if you can deal with the traffic around the Third Ward, it's a good area.

The commute is an issue, but it's not the end of the world and a lot of people do it. Reverse commutes are common. Right now there is a lot of construction which will eventually be finished and will open up more lanes of traffic, but you'll have to deal with it in the meantime. From your description, you probably don't want to live out in the suburbs.

[thefragile]

Originally Posted by broncos214

Hello!

I've been notified that I will be moving to Milwaukee in about 6 months. I need help figuring out living, lifestyle, etc (I've never been to Milwaukee).

My job will be in Pewaukee, but prefer to live in the downtown area of Milwaukee. From what I've researched online, lower east side or third ward would fit me best. I prefer to not be around the college/undergrad craziness. I enjoy going out and grabbing drinks, listening to live music, and the ability to walk to the store/cafe/bar. Not knowing anyone in this area, will it be difficult to make friends? This is definitely my biggest concern. Are there activities for young professionals to join? kickball teams or softball teams etc? another concern I have is the commute.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

If you live on the east side/Third Ward the commute isn't too bad, truly. Sure there's construction & that's a pain but you're doing a reverse commute, not nearly as bad as everyone else. You just have to think of the trade-off: would you rather live somewhere that you love or have a smooth commute? Personally, I'd take a great place to live. Third Ward is fine but every summer during Summerfest you're going to go insane, just letting you know. Personally, my heart goes to the east side. It's my home, even though I live in Riverwest. Brady St is great & there's lots to do. College student idiocy isn't an issue unless you want to live by UWM which you don't so no worries. You can also try looking on Meetup.com to find groups of people with similar interest as yours.

[cheese plate]

I commute out to "desirable" Brookfield from Bayview. Lots of people make the MKE lakeside/Waukesha Co commute - I have to fight their traffic daily.

I'm telling you right now from the OP's description of what he/she's looking for - Brookfield would be hell on earth. There is NOTHING to do in Brookfield. Nothing. There is every chain in America, yes. However, you'll be hard-pressed to find anything charming or local. There is no culture. There is no night life. Just the absolute worst of white suburban blah. Pewaukee over Brookfield, easy.

If you want to make the commute, 3rd Ward sounds nice, but there aren't many interesting stores, there's little live music, restaurants, etc. Better off on the East Side, though you will be swimming in college kids. Most people just deal. It's the closest to what you're looking for. No suburbs offer anything close to the urban experience you're looking for.