Moving to Mpls Advice about living Downtown (Minneapolis, Grant: apartment, condos)

[homermn]

I am moving to Minneapolis within the next year for my job. I will be working downtown minneapolis and am looking to purchase a condo there. Are there any areas or buildings that I should look at first? I've read some great things about the Mill District downtown. Can anyone familiar with the area shed some light? Thanks!!!

[nick is rulz]

North Loop has a lot of redeveloped warehouses. Granted, they're pretty pricey but they're all right next to downtown.

[Minnehahapolitan]

The Mill District is nice. Right on the river and near Guthrie, Dome, (soon to be) MacPhail Center for Music, train. Mostly built in the last five years. Rybak (mayor) wants to make Wash. Ave. the Champs d' Elysses. New Mill Ruins park is lovely, just opened. I find that there isn't much to walk to as far as bars, restaurants. services in the Mill Dist. Also, prices are slightly higher. North Loop is a younger crowd I feel. Old warehouses as opposed to the new construction of the Mill Dist. More to walk to. New Twins ballpark will open in 2010. I like that area much more. My personal favorite is Loring Park. The actual park is lovely. Surrounded by old brownstone apartment buildings. Walker Museum and Sculp. Garden is great. Lots of activities. Elliot Park is consideres a grittier, more transient area. Similar to Loring Park, but more of the area was razed in Urban Renewal and is less dense or lively. While not technically Downtown, Whittier is a pretty walkable area with a plethora of restaurants along Nicollet (eat street) . Old brownstones and four-plexes like Loring, but also with some single-family-homes. Close to Mpls. Inst. of Arts (a must-see) Good transportation. Also not downtown, but the Marcy-Holmes/East Henn. area is pretty urban and lively. Lots of commercial avctivity on Henn. and Central Aves. (Nye's on E. Henn. is classic) I tried to give an overview, if you find a particular neighborhood you want more info. on, don't hesitate to ask. Welcome to Mpls.

[yellowsnow]

There are lots of really nice condos/lofts downtown. Personally, if I was going to buy one of these, I would want a walkable lifestyle where I could easily walk out of my building and get coffee, a newspaper, or go to a restaurant. If this is what you want too, just look carefully and make sure what you want is available. There are some very nice condos within walking distance of nothing!

[Slackajawea]

You'll find pretty much any type of condo you could want in downtown Mpls. There are high rises, low rises, condo communities with tons of amenities, stripped down, no - frills buildings, old buildings, new buildings, old buildings that have been converted, lofts, you name it.

[TimtheGuy]

You should be able to get a 'good price' on a condo now as there has been some overdevelopment in that catagory.

[homermn]

Thanks everyone I'm in town now and looked at the Bridgewater and Zenith near the Guthrie. Very interested in the Zenith design as the bridgewater was too bulky. I will look at North Loop tomorrow!