Looking to rent in a nice, quiet, safe neighbourhood not too far from the U of M (Minneapolis: apartments, rentals)

[Isabel_009]

Hello everyone,

I may be moving to Minneapolis in September to complete graduate studies at the U of M and I'm trying to find out as much as I can about the neighbourhoods I'd be interested in renting so that when I visit I can hopefully find something. I will leaving my spouse behind for at least a year, so the place I live in needs only to be suitable for one person. Here is what I'm looking for:

-a studio or a small one bedroom (something decent, not necessarily dirt cheap)
-a safe, quiet neighbourhood
-if possible, close proximity to university (east bank) OR at least direct transit route

I hope to avoid the undergrad college crowd. I'm going to be in grad school but as well, I'm an older student (31 years) so I'm looking for something a little more low key.

I've heard good things about Uptown but I don't know if there are a lot of rental units there and also I'm concerned about the distance. I don't have a problem with commuting, so long as it's not a complicated one. As I mentioned, my department is on the east bank of the university.

Any advice you could provide would be GREATLY appreciated!!

[Minnehahapolitan]

I would go towards Marcy-Holmes. I know the area well. It is safe as can be and is well-served by transit to Downtown, the East Bank and the West Bank. Some buildings are trashy, but it is easy to find a quiet, clean building. The area is has a very high student population, but not the type that cause problems or annoyances (esp. as one moves away from Dinkytown)
N.B - Uptown is about 30 minutes from campus by bus, which I would imagine can get pretty old.

[uptown_urbanist]

I used to live in Marcy-Holmes, and agree that it's a great neighborhood. There are some very nice apartments there, it's very close to the U (especially to the east bank) and there are plenty of amenities available. It's also one of the oldest areas of the city, so there is a definite sense of early Minneapolis history. It's easily one of my favorite areas of the city.

That said, I wouldn't rule out Uptown. The Uptown-University commute is actually quite easy, and very fast if you take one of the express buses (regular bus is also easy enough, although it is slower). The express buses run frequently, as there are many students and employees living in that general area. Uptown has many beautiful studios and one-bedrooms (many in very attractive older buildings filled with amenities such as original woodwork and built-ins) and you shouldn't have a problem finding anything nice, quiet, and safe. It's my other favorite area of the city.

Could you ask your department for a rough idea of where current students live? My own graduate program was extremely helpful in providing housing advice for out-of-town students (which for many programs is nearly everyone), and many fabulous apartments were passed down from student to student. Your new friends and colleagues will probably be from your department, so if most of them - at least the current ones - are all in one area you might want to at least consider living there, too.

[Isabel_009]

Thanks so much for the suggestions!! If the commute really is 30 min between Uptown and U of M (east bank) then I would consider that option. But Marcy-Holmes is so much closer, so it seems like it would be reasonable for me to entertain this option more seriously... I hope that when I visit at the end of Feb I will have an opportunity to explore a little bit. I might even book a later flight home so that I can look around, although it will be on a Sunday (not sure if building superintendants will be interested in showing people around on a Sunday?) And I will definitely talk to my department about where the current students live. Great idea.

Which area do you think would have more affordable housing? I hope to find something attractive but not too pricey. I'm going to be moving far from home, on my own, for the first time in my life, so I want to be somewhere that will be comfortable. Not necessarily spacious, just not hideous!!

Anyway, any other ideas/suggestions are appreciated. Is there a website that people use a lot to advertise/seek apartments in the area? I've come across many, but I don't know which one's are the most widely used.

Thanks again!!

[Isabel_009]

Also, about the commute to the university from Uptown... Does the bus go all the way to the East Bank? Sorry if this sounds like a silly question. Just trying to get a realistic sense of what the commute might be likely. I do like the idea of living in a neighborhood that is less student oriented.

[Minnehahapolitan]

metrotransit.org is the website for the city buses. The 6 Route goes down Hennepin into downtown, crosses the river there, and continues down University/4th Street to Oak Street -- basically a direct route from both Uptown and Marcy-Holmes. I think Uptown would have slightly more affordable housing on account of it having many more units, and it not being beholden to the schedules of students. I wouldn't make my decision based on the difference in price between the two, though.

[uptown_urbanist]

The U-Uptown express buses include 113, 114, and 115 - I think the ride between Uptown's transit station and Coffman Union can be as fast as 15 minutes if you hit traffic right. And yes, it picks up by Coffman Union (among other stops), which is only a short walk from most places on the East Bank.

Good luck on your visit. I think that after you've had a chance to walk around both neighborhoods you'll develop a stronger preference for one over the other, or else decide that you like both and will decide purely on apartment availability. As far as ease of commute I think you'll be fine with either.

Also, don't be scared off by the student-aspect of Marcy-Holmes - the University of MN is such a big and varied place that "students" encompass people of all ages and Marcy-Holmes has a good mix of students, faculty, and downtown workers, among other people.

[Isabel_009]

Thanks a lot for your advice!! I'll try to keep an open mind. I'm so excited to visit now!!

I'll let you know how it works out.. In terms of actually getting an apartment, I think I will have to bite the bullet and visit sometime in the summer and arrange something that way (I didn't wanna have to make a trip just to arrange housing, but I also don't want any surprises!)

[mnmel]

For my first 3 years of grad school (also on the east bank), I lived in the St Anthony Apartments near the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood. It's been a few years, but it was $610/month for a spacious studio apartment. The buildings are pretty quiet overall. Otherwise, if you have a car, Hopkins and St Louis Park are only a 20 minute drive from campus (longer during rush hour) - there are lots of quiet rental options there. Good luck with your search!

[nick is rulz]

Seward!

Uptown has a ton of rentals always available and as long as you are near Franklin, Lyndale or Hennepin...getting to and from the U is pretty easy.