2274 Pleasant Ave Area safe for a family? (Minneapolis: hardwood floors, apartments)

[ajwillet]

We are a young family relocating to the Minneapolis area for a new job downtown. We have been looking for a modestly priced and updated two bedroom apartment near downtown and the lakes - and came across Uptown Plaza Apartments located at 2274 Pleasant Ave. Is this area safe enough for a family with a 3 year old and 5 month old? I looked up the city crime maps and there are many more incidents in that area.

The apartments look nice (uptownplazaapartments.com) and the commute to downtown is a 12 minute bus ride, just not sure about the area.

Thanks!

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Throwing "Uptown" in the name is misleading as it's actually in Whittier which is in the Powderhorn community. I don't think that's a bad area, although not very family oriented either. There has been alot of investment there in the last few years, condos, newer apartments, etc. It's dense and urban. There is some crime there, not to the point where you should be overly concerned about your personal safety, but you'd want to take some precautions. It is a cool area in between uptown, downtown and eat street and the lakes are nearby. If you're planning on being there short-term (year or two) and you don't mind if your kids don't have alot of neighbor kids to play with it may be worth considering.

[Camden Northsider]

I agree with Slig's comments. What's your price range? Although Whittier is one of the more affordable areas for apartments, it's possible to find some areas that might be more family-oriented (yet still close to downtown) where you could actually rent a house for under $1K/ month.

[uptown_urbanist]

I also agree with Slig. There is some crime, but at the same time it is convenient and interesting location. It's also within walking distance to several parks (with playgrounds) and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The neighborhood is overall very young, but there are families, too.

[ajwillet]

Our budget is about $1000/month max. My wife was attracted to the balconies and brand new interior, but neither of us considered the potential for crime. We ave had a tough time finding a two bedroom southwest of the city with an updated interior for under $1000.

Any suggestions?

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by ajwillet

Our budget is about $1000/month max. My wife was attracted to the balconies and brand new interior, but neither of us considered the potential for crime. We ave had a tough time finding a two bedroom southwest of the city with an updated interior for under $1000.

Any suggestions?

Yes, move your search to areas that don't include the most expensive/ over-inflated area of the Metro - to me it sounds like you want to be close to downtown and lakes or the lake area. I would argue that SW is actually one of the least convenient areas of the city itself to get to and from downtown because the traffic in general is awful - when I lived in Uptown, there would be times where it would take me 10-15 minutes to drive the 3 blocks from the exit on 94 to my apartment. And this is Minnesota - there are plenty of lakes/ rivers/ bike trails, etc. to be had outside of the SW "lakes area"....you could likely find a small 2 bed home to rent in a lot of nice residential areas in the city for around $1K (but you would have to pay for more utilities). If I were in your position and absolutely needed to be in an apartment or condo and wanted a more-residential/ affordable area, I would probably look in NE Minneapolis (although then you're not really around much water/ park space)...if I wanted to rent a house, I would look in the neighborhood I currently live/ own a home in (although there's not much available to rent in victory). You might be able to find a house in your range in NE and possibly SE. However, most areas of the city have older housing stock so you'd have to open to that, the newer condos, etc. are going to be more expensive.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

I was just looking around on craigslist and you can rent updated 2 br duplexes and 3 br homes in my neighborhood (which is much more family-oriented) in the 800-1200 range . Renting something similar in the uptown or downtown could run you twice that. If you can survive being a couple miles away from the chain of lakes you may have better luck finding something in Powderhorn/Longfellow/Nokomis. SE has fairly comparable substitues like Powderhorn Park, Lake Nokomis and the river.

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by Slig

I was just looking around on craigslist and you can rent updated 2 br duplexes and 3 br homes in my neighborhood (which is much more family-oriented) in the 800-1200 range . Renting something similar in the uptown or downtown could run you twice that. If you can survive being a couple miles away from the chain of lakes you may have better luck finding something in Powderhorn/Longfellow/Nokomis. SE has fairly comparable substitues like Powderhorn Park, Lake Nokomis and the river.

True - meant to mention that, I guess sometimes I view your neighborhood as SE Slig - but Slig's neighborhood and SE would be easier commute to downtown IMO than chain of lakes, and there are some great areas over there (and similarly some nice parks like Slig mentioned).

But just for the record - there are 2 lakes w/in short walk in (and just outside) my n'hood, probably as much green space/ biking trails as any individual n'hood on the chain of lakes, and easy bike on Grand Rounds to N Mississippi Regional Park to the east and Theo Wirth to the south (and for long bike trekkers, chain of lakes south of that). But again, longer bus commute, and probably not nearly as much availability in rentals (I think I saw 1 on CraigsList) as the area Slig is referencing. There also seem to be a fair amount of younger families in Shingle Creek and Lind Bohanon, both nice, safe, clean areas, but this again would be farther (w/in city-limits wise) to downtown, esp. via bus (but possibly less time by car). But when you're looking to buy, check us out-

[ajwillet]

Thanks for all your feedback; you've been a great help

[Thegonagle]

I think I know that building. The address is definitely wrong (there is no 2274 on Pleasant, and virtually no address go above xx60 in south Minneapolis). I wouldn't personally live there, not because of the area, but because most apartment buildings from that era (1960-1975) are not only constructed like crap, but also are just plain and boring.

Think of particle-board subfloors that feel soft underfoot, thin drywall instead of plaster, hallways that are impossible to walk quietly in, wall-to-wall carpeting that you have to pull teeth with management to have cleaned or replaced, etc., etc. Despite all those negatives, most buildings from that era have no character to speak of. There are always "move-in specials" or else a number of section-8 renters in buildings like these, because most people either want the really old buildings with hardwood floors, big windows, and charming details, or they want the brand new buildings with in-unit laundry, a spare 1/2 bath for guests, and heated parking in the basement.

But don't listen to me (that just turned into a rant anyway). Slig and Camden Northsider give some excellent advice as usual.