How’s the neighborhood by the State Fair? (Minneapolis, St. Paul: mortgage, house)

[DownSouth88]

Moving to the area and considering a place directly by the State Fair (like RIGHT by the State Fair off W Fair Pl and Snelling). I know someone from the Twin Cities who says it’s good over there but I don’t know if that’s held up over time. Any thoughts or things to know? Thanks!

[jennifat]

The neighborhoods directly surrounding the state fairgrounds are all pretty sleepy but generally upscale. Como Park (which is a classic Victorian Era flagship city park with big attractions) is a very desirable area just a stone's throw away from the fairgrounds.

That being said, residents of the area are usually heavily burdened during the weeks of the Minnesota State Fair. Each year there are millions of visitors, so I'm sure you can imagine what late summer is like surrounding the fairgrounds. Traffic in the area is generally gridlocked at the time and a lot of residents in the area open their lawns and driveways for parking, which can make it a waking nightmare trying to get in and out if you live there.

If you're willing to deal with the extreme disruption and gridlock during state fair times, it may be worth considering if you otherwise like the area.

[DownSouth88]

Thanks for the info! We did end up going forward with it for now — as you said, it seems like a nice enough area and we’ll just have to deal with the Fair as it comes.

[Citykid3785]

Nice, sleepy, working class....

Falcon Heights isn't really known for much. It's kind of a combination of urban and suburban, with many of the retail shopping centers built decades ago, so for MN it has that older feel.

Como zoo nearby is nice, and as another mentioned you will feel burdened by local traffic during a two week period encompassing the fair.

I don't think you have any major concerns to worry about. It's also close to the UofM which may or may not matter to you.

[wamer27]

I grew up kinda by this area, I could ride my bike to the fair. I’d choose Falcon Heights over Como everyday. Both are nice areas. The whole area of fair to Como Zoo and then Falcon Heights to the north. The closer to main streets of Snelling and Larpenteur I’d avoid, but they aren’t bad. I looked at buying on Snelling across from fair, but so glad I didn’t. The fair would drive me nuts. Look at the street parking signs now to determine what fair parking will be like once it’s going on. The fair isn’t the only big event there either, back to 50’s car show is huge, so is Car Craft or whatever it might be called now. But really these are only 20 days at most.

[WoodburyWoody]

Originally Posted by wamer27

I grew up kinda by this area, I could ride my bike to the fair. I’d choose Falcon Heights over Como everyday. Both are nice areas. The whole area of fair to Como Zoo and then Falcon Heights to the north. The closer to main streets of Snelling and Larpenteur I’d avoid, but they aren’t bad. I looked at buying on Snelling across from fair, but so glad I didn’t. The fair would drive me nuts. Look at the street parking signs now to determine what fair parking will be like once it’s going on. The fair isn’t the only big event there either, back to 50’s car show is huge, so is Car Craft or whatever it might be called now. But really these are only 20 days at most.

If you are looking in that general area, take a look at St. Anthony Park (not St. Anthony Main, which is in Minneapolis).



St. Anthony Park is to the west of Cleveland and the fairgrounds and University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus. Wonderful neighborhood, good schools, it's own little business section on Como between Doswell and Carter. The kind of place people do not move from but rather die there.

[wamer27]

Originally Posted by WoodburyWoody

If you are looking in that general area, take a look at St. Anthony Park (not St. Anthony Main, which is in Minneapolis).



St. Anthony Park is to the west of Cleveland and the fairgrounds and University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus. Wonderful neighborhood, good schools, it's own little business section on Como between Doswell and Carter. The kind of place people do not move from but rather die there.

Yep, this is a kinda hidden gem. We’d go through it going to the Group Health Como clinic. There’s a unique few streets neighborhood just to south of U of M golf course. A certain builder built it, have to see it to know what I’m talking about. I’m guessing it’s full of U professors.

[pannierpacker]

Gentrified in terms of price.
Not gentrified in terms of ammenities.

[DownSouth88]

Originally Posted by pannierpacker

Gentrified in terms of price.
Not gentrified in terms of ammenities.

By amenities you just mean shopping/nightlife/schools? It’s pretty close to Roseville for the former, at least.

[SteveinStPaul]

My wife owned a house in that neighborhood. Nice and pretty quiet, except, of course, for the State Fair (and Back to the 50s). You make your peace with it (and if you let people park on your lawn, you could make your mortgage payment with it lol). We sold that house only because the one I was in was a better choice for us then. But it would have been fine to live there, too.