Twin Cities-too many suburbs or are there lots of urban areas? (Minneapolis: co-op, homes)

[Markey]

Hi,

Thinking about moving and would like to find out more about the Twin Cities. I went to school in Mankato about 15 years ago so I have an idea of the area but I need to get caught up to date and see if there are areas which fit my lifestyle.

In my perfect world I would live in an area which is/has:

1. pedestrian friendly
2. cute neighborhoods where you can spend a day shopping and eating in restaurants owned by your neighbors-not chains with no soul or character
3. loads of vegetarian options
4. historic neighborhoods with a strong sense of pride in owning a historic home
5. areas to run/bike which are safe for single women
6. great architecture
7. community which embraces the weather and the city doesn't shut down when the going gets rough

Thanks for your help and any specific neighborhoods to research would be appreciated!

[Minnehahapolitan]

At their height, Mpls. and Saint Paul had a combined population of just under900,000. About 670,000 still live in the city propers. The thing to remember about Minneapolis is that the city boundaries are exceedingly small. In any most other cities, a place like Richfield would be part of the city, so not every suburb is a sprawlsville. There are also alot of old towns that predate their surroundings, Hopkins, Excelsior, Wayzata, White Bear Lake, Stillwater, Hastings, Shakopee, et. cetera. That have great amentieis. Some old neighborhoods are in better shape now than when they were built. Some are rough and a very few are dangerous or unlivable. If you want a neighborhood with polish, look Uptown, Loring Park, Linden Hills, Highland Park (St. P) or Mac-Groveland (St.P). If you want a little rougher area (but that is still livable) look into Dayton's Bluff (St. P), Powderhorn, Phillips. (I find that they have a stronger community feeling) Most of the city propers and most of the old towns that I mentioned have the character you are looking for, it depends on what chararacter you want. Yuppified/Old European immigrants/blue-collar/wealthy/poor/urban/small town feeling/ et. cetera. Sorry I can't narrow it down for you anymore. Good luck.
----Minnehahapolitan

[nosredna5]

Originally Posted by Markey

Hi,

Thinking about moving and would like to find out more about the Twin Cities. I went to school in Mankato about 15 years ago so I have an idea of the area but I need to get caught up to date and see if there are areas which fit my lifestyle.

In my perfect world I would live in an area which is/has:

1. pedestrian friendly
2. cute neighborhoods where you can spend a day shopping and eating in restaurants owned by your neighbors-not chains with no soul or character
3. loads of vegetarian options
4. historic neighborhoods with a strong sense of pride in owning a historic home
5. areas to run/bike which are safe for single women
6. great architecture
7. community which embraces the weather and the city doesn't shut down when the going gets rough

Thanks for your help and any specific neighborhoods to research would be appreciated!

I would recommend checking out the Lyn-Lake/Whittier area near Uptown (by Lake Harriet; if you can afford it, closer to the lake is nicer but $$$). These areas are vegetarian friendly and full of interesting and progressive-minded people. They are also located right on a nice greenway (biking) and by a terrific community garden that's just gorgeous. Eclectic, trendy, nice older homes. Lots of young women live in this area. Of course you have to be aware in any city as a female but Whittier is a good bet to research. I am planning to move there shortly.

Good luck.

[Minnehahapolitan]

Whittier is one of my favorite parts of the city. Diverse, progressive, convenient. Close to the Wedge Co-op on Lyndale. (For your vegitarian needs) Nicollet has been reborn into blocks of ethnic restaurants known as Eat Street. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is one of the finest regional museums that I have seen. A mixture of old brownstones and single family homes. Just twenty years ago, this area was on a quick decline. Its salvation mimics that of the city at large. Simply amazing. (Plus, it isn't completely yuppified like some of its close neighbors)

[Markey]

Thanks so much for the great, detailed answers. One more question-can you easily get lost walking around the city all day? I know we are all hooked on our cars but I love just setting out and walking around all day exploring architecture and popping into cool bookstores and cafes. Does Minne/St. Paul have this vibe? I'm just so tired of chain restaurants and strip malls so I am trying to find a city that would really have a nice urban feel.

[Minnehahapolitan]

---Some parts are urban and vibrant, other parts are quieter and distinctly residential. More urban parts will be at the intersection of major streets.
---Minneapolis is easy to find your way around. (didn't know if you meant map lost, or mentally lost) South Mpls. has east/west STREETS increasing in number from downtown. (Franklin is the 2000 block, Lake is 3000). Avenues run north/south from downtown. Major AVENUES are individaully named, blocks run from Nicollet Avenue (0000 block). (1500 East Lake and 1500 West Lake are 30 blocks off) Minor streets (West of Nicollet) start generally with A and run to Z at which A begins again. East of Nicollet they are numbered. (1500 East Lake is approx. at 15th Avenue) When downtown, Avenues run south, streets go east/west parallel with the river). In Northeast, they did the presidents in sequential order. Avenues are numbered. It was a little rant, but you now know a majority of the streets in Mpls.
---As for architecture: A guy named Larry Millett has done a comprehensive study of every building of ANY significance in the city propers of Mpls. and St. P. It is in an easy guide book form and is divided by neighborhood. There are used copies on the cheap at Half-Price Books on Excelsior BLvd. at Hwy. 100 in Saint Louis Park. (last I saw, anyways) I also suggest Magers and Quinn booksellers on Hennepin south of Lake. Have fun
---Minnehahapolitan

[tvdxer]

The Minneapolis - St. Paul metro area is very sprawled out in general, extending about 50 miles from east to west at the longest point (St. Bonifacius, MN to Hudson, WI) and as many as 60 miles from north to south if you are generous with your definition (North Branch, MN to Farmington, MN, though between North Branch and south of Forest Lake much of the land is still undeveloped farmland). The city of Minneapolis itself has some "urban" areas - Downtown, Midtown, Uptown, West Bank, and Northeast Minneapolis qualify as urban in my mind. The southern part of the city has more of a older suburban character (pedestrian and bike friendly, but each home has a yard).

From driving around St. Paul, I would describe it as mostly "older suburban" as well. University Ave., for example, contains a lot of commercial businesses, but many of them have big parking lots in front. Around University Ave. are single-family homes on small lots. The only part of St. Paul that I've seen (and I definitely haven't seen it all) and would describe as urban is the downtown and some of the surrounding areas.

The suburbs vary quite a bit, from similar to what I described about the far south part of Minneapolis (I think St. Louis Park would fit this description) to typical cookie-cutter housing developments with cul de sacs. The area has sprawled far enough to encompass many small towns which have their own traditional downtown areas: Lakeville, Forest Lake, Wayzata, and others come to mind.

Most interesting dining is in the city or inner suburbs. Once you get far out it's more chain restaurant territory - MSP has many chains that Duluth doesn't: Panera, Noodles & Co, Chilis, etc.

However, one nice thing about the MSP suburbs is that many have a very dense network of paved bike trails. I've heard these link residential and commercial areas. If somebody could chime in and verify this, that'd be nice.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by tvdxer

However, one nice thing about the MSP suburbs is that many have a very dense network of paved bike trails. I've heard these link residential and commercial areas. If somebody could chime in and verify this, that'd be nice.

The Twin Cities metro has an incredible bike trail network. I wish we had the same thing down here. :-(

Here are some maps for ya:

2007 Hennepin County BICYCLE Route Maps

[kuan]

Originally Posted by tvdxer

However, one nice thing about the MSP suburbs is that many have a very dense network of paved bike trails. I've heard these link residential and commercial areas. If somebody could chime in and verify this, that'd be nice.

Yes, more and more each day.

We sure could use a nice commuter link from Golden Valley to St. Louis Park though.