Apartments in downtown St Paul?! (Minneapolis, St. Paul: fit in, 2014, lease)

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by spectre000

6,500+ people live in the core of downtown.

The vacancy rate is in the low single digits. Hence the reason folks like katt32 can't find an apartment. I'd recommend looking on Craigslist for a condo to rent. Many are available. Might be pricier, but you'll expand the number of available places to live in. You could also try the Upper Landing area as well.

I've lived in downtown for several years now. It's quite safe. The area around Schumeier Lofts isn't the greatest. It's kind of an industrial/commercial area. You really will only have to deal with business class jets landing. But there is little violent crime. I think the last murder in downtown St. Paul was about 4 years ago. I can't even remember the last shooting.

6500 out of 280,000--not a lot...

[katt32]

I've tried several of the apartments mentioned(mears, cosmo,ect..) and they only had one bedrooms open. I guess for now what I'm looking for downtown just doesn't exist. I just really had my heart set on living in an artists loft, but those all have income restrictions. I am a classically trained musician, my husband is a chef, and my daughter wants to be an artist(my mother is an painter so runs in the family I guess.

I will just extend my search to the west 7th grand avenue area. Thanks so much for all the help!

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

Originally Posted by spectre000

6,500+ people live in the core of downtown.

Is it really that low? My old neighborhood of Powderhorn had 9,000 people in not all that big of an area.

[Cleverbeetle98]

Originally Posted by katt32

I've tried several of the apartments mentioned(mears, cosmo,ect..) and they only had one bedrooms open. I guess for now what I'm looking for downtown just doesn't exist. I just really had my heart set on living in an artists loft, but those all have income restrictions. I am a classically trained musician, my husband is a chef, and my daughter wants to be an artist(my mother is an painter so runs in the family I guess.

I will just extend my search to the west 7th grand avenue area. Thanks so much for all the help!

Have you tried the Tilsner Co-op? Sounds like you would qualify...

[katt32]

Originally Posted by swmrbird

Have you tried the Tilsner Co-op? Sounds like you would qualify...

Yes, I really wanted to live there, but they have limits on yearly income and we don't qualify

[golfgal]

What about living in Downtown Minneapolis? Also, have you considered schools for your daughter once you move?

[katt32]

Originally Posted by golfgal

What about living in Downtown Minneapolis? Also, have you considered schools for your daughter once you move?

I wouldn't mind living in downtown Minneapolis but my husband is afraid to commute in the winters.

We have spoken to someone in the admissions office at the St. Paul school district and they seemed to think we wouldn't have a problem getting into one of the schools outside our immediate area using the open enrollment. I am very happy about this because we are moving from Las Vegas where the schools are not so great and you have to live in certain areas to make sure you child gets a decent education.

I can't express how happy we are to be moving to the twin cities. It basically everything we have been missing here.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

My brother almost bought a condo overlooking Mears Park. That's a really nice area if you can find a place there. The last time we visited that park we saw at least three separate wedding parties getting their pictures taken there. It's one of the nicest city parks you're going to find in these parts.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by katt32

I wouldn't mind living in downtown Minneapolis but my husband is afraid to commute in the winters.

We have spoken to someone in the admissions office at the St. Paul school district and they seemed to think we wouldn't have a problem getting into one of the schools outside our immediate area using the open enrollment. I am very happy about this because we are moving from Las Vegas where the schools are not so great and you have to live in certain areas to make sure you child gets a decent education.

I can't express how happy we are to be moving to the twin cities. It basically everything we have been missing here.

The commute would be easy from Minneapolis to St. Paul on the bus--or taking surface streets depending on where you live/work. Keep in mind that we know how to clear roads here so even after a major snowfall, the major arteries are cleared within hours.

Open Enrollment is an option, just keep in mind you would have to drive her to and from school every day.

[katt32]

Originally Posted by golfgal

The commute would be easy from Minneapolis to St. Paul on the bus--or taking surface streets depending on where you live/work. Keep in mind that we know how to clear roads here so even after a major snowfall, the major arteries are cleared within hours.

Open Enrollment is an option, just keep in mind you would have to drive her to and from school every day.

That's what I told him! He's just not as adventurous as I am. I'm ok with living in St paul until we get to know the cities better. We plan on leasing for a year and buying after we explore different areas.

I'm used to taking my child to school everyday. Here there is basically no bus system unless you live very far from the school. Almost everyone drops their kids off and picks them up. I don't mind.