20-something year old relocating from the NYC metro area to Minneapolis/Twin Cities. Any advice, suggestions, tips, etc? (St. Paul: apartments, rentals)

[agk06]

Hey everyone, this is my first post. I've been doing some research on Minneapolis and I thought this message board would be helpful/informative.

Here's my back story:

I live in northern New Jersey at the moment, 20 minutes from New York City by bus. I am in my 20s, self-employed, recently have had the freedom to relocate, and I'm looking to move to the midwest. I am looking to get out of the NYC metro area ASAP, the social and economic climate here is suffocating, to say the least. Rent here is $1,600 for a 2 bedroom apartment in the suburbs. Owning and driving a car is absolutely necessary unless you only sleep in New Jersey and live/work/eat in NYC. I have a car and it costs me $600 each month to maintain. In addition to the high cost of living and high taxes, this state/area is very overcrowded, polluted, people here are just rude and the social climate here is very stressful.

I've heard good things about Minneapolis, mainly that it has a good quality of life for the cost of living. I am curious about what natives and people who have been living in Minneapolis for years have to say. I understand that there is more sprawl in Minneapolis, since the midwest is so much larger and less densely populated than the northeast. For that reason, I don't want to live in any suburb in Minneapolis, since I don't plan to own a car or drive. I'd like to live in a neighborhood/area that has plenty of things to do within walking distance for a single female in her early 20s. Bars, clubs, restaurants, cafes, theaters, etc, as well as grocery stores, banks, and everything else close by and within walking distance/easily accessible by public transportation. If I have to pay higher rent, I'm willing to, I just don't want to live in the suburbs where I have nothing to do or nowhere to go unless I drive or take difficult public transportation routes just to have activities to do/recreation.

Anyway, what neighborhoods/areas would you suggest? I've heard good things about Uptown and Northeast. What do the rent prices look like in those areas? How is the public transportation? Are those areas safe, what sorts of people live there, what is accessible and not accessible, what kind of recreation/entertainment is available, are those areas yuppie-ish, hipster-ish, working class, residential, commercial, etc?

Also, how cold is Minneapolis, really? I don't do so well in the cold, but I can always wear more layers, I guess.


I'd really appreciate any advice, tips, suggestions, etc.

Thanks in advance for any information/help.

[DaPerpKazoo]

Uptown and Northeast are definately the kind of area you're looking for. Youmay also want to look at Whittier or The Wedge, The Warehouse District or the Mill District.

Price wise, Uptown and any ofthe downtown neighborhoods (Warehouse District, Mill District, Loring Park) are going to be the most expensive, but the buildings will generally be newer and closer to more stuff. These areas used to have a population that largely consisted of artists and hipsters, but they have become more "yuppie" in the past 20 years or so.As prices went up, the hipsters moved out of these areas, most noteably to Northeast, but also into Whittier and The Wedge. The infusion of artists and hipsters has brought crime in these areas down significantly in the last 15 years, ex. Steven's Square in 1990 vs. Today. These areas generally are less developed. All of the areas I mentioned are well served by mass transit.

A good website to look at once you've found a couple properties is walkscore.com. They rank an address based on its walkability, ands it's very accurate.

And yes, it does get very cold here. But we've got upper 50's today!

Good luck with your search!

[Isabel_009]

I've heard a lot about Uptown but not much about Northeast. How does it compare to Uptown? Can you say more about it and why someone might want to live there?

[ZenArcade]

Originally Posted by Sabine_and_Will

I've heard a lot about Uptown but not much about Northeast. How does it compare to Uptown? Can you say more about it and why someone might want to live there?

Northeast, or "Nordeast" as locals like to say, is somewhat of an up-and-coming area for artists, young people, and others looking for a hip alternative to Uptown. Although, the area still has a strong presence of older, working class people, and many immigrant families who have been there for decades.


There are a number of art galleries in the area, as well as shops, bars, restraunts, ect. And, there have been newly renovated factories that have been converted into studios, that feature some 400 artists who live and work in NE.

Overall, it's kind of a less developed, less commercial, less populated, somewhat less active version of Uptown.

From personal experience, some areas of NE are great, but others are nothing special. There are some very fun, active, vibrant areas with lot's of shops and the like, while others are older, and more industrial. The things like bars and restaurants are certainly more spread out in NE than in Uptown, where the development is more dense.

Aside from the NE neighborhoods, there is also one main commercial district in NE that is centered around Hennepin Ave. and 1st Ave Ne. Here's there site (although keep in mind that there's more in NE than what the NE business association recognizes): NorthEast Minneapolis Business Association

also check out this: Minneapolis Art - Minneapolis Art Galleries and Studios - Arts District

the areas in and around 13th ave. NE , and the intersection of University Ave. NE and Broadway St. NE might be a good place to start looking if you are a young single or couple looking for a quieter but still hip alternative to Uptown. Better have a look in the area yourself though, because it's certainly no Uptown...yet.


Hope that helps!!

[skylarkmn]

Just a note about Uptown:

Compared to your current place, this might not seem expensive at all, but I consider Uptown to be one of the more expensive places around Minneapolis. It has a lot to offer, don't get me wrong, but you will pay for the location.

My current apt is 950 sq. ft., 1 BR + Den and is $1150/month. Its kind of a special case though...it will be reduced to closer to $950-$1000 this summer. That's a little more accurate for Uptown prices. Plus its near the lakes and the very center of Uptown. But depending on how much you're willing to spend, you can get a really great place. There are some gorgeous apartments ($$$) on the very edge of the Lake.

And you'll do well without a car. Uptown is not actually very car-friendly. Parking is kind of a drag at times. But there are bus stops all over, and tons within walking/biking distance. The Lakes are so wonderful to be near complete with sailing, bike/walking trails, and shops.

I've never been to NYC/New Jersey, so I can't offer a detailed comparison of the social climate. I can touch on what I've seen/felt. I moved here from the countryside of Wisconsin and so yes, it's much more hurried, materialistic, and a little more uptight at times, but its still part of the Upper Midwest. Despite its large city location, the Mpls/St. Paul metro still has much friendliness, hospitality, and humanity to be found. Minnesota nice you might say. If I can be content here, coming from basically the woods, I'm sure you will find it much less stressful coming from northern New Jersey. You could really enjoy it here.

And the cold...just remember...sometimes warmth outweighs fashion. Get your self some long underwear, good boots, and from one woman to another...enjoy the fashion and function of scarves and tights.

[Slig]

Originally Posted by skylarkmn

Just a note about Uptown:

My current apt is 950 sq. ft., 1 BR + Den and is $1150/month. Its kind of a special case though...it will be reduced to closer to $950-$1000 this summer. That's a little more accurate for Uptown prices.

Holy smokes that is expensive. I'm guessing your place is pretty nice. Expect metro-wide prices on average to be a few hundred bucks below that at least. You pay more monthly than I pay for my house including taxes and utilities.

[tpk-nyc]

I used to live in Minneapolis (East Isles/Uptown) and now live in New York (the East Village). Minneapolis is nothing like NYC in scale/density, but if I had to make comparisons, I would say:

Uptown is like Fort Green/Bedford-L-train-Williamsburg with a little bit of Park Slope mixed in (near the lakes).

Northeast is more like Lorimar-L-train-Williamsburg (with some Bushwick), i.e., not as gentrified.

The Warehouse district is like DUMBO mixed with new construction in Long Island City. Some of the "warehouses" are old, many are new construction with loft-style floor plans. It's more expensive than Uptown, but it's only a few blocks to Downtown and has light rail access.

In general, Minneapolis is much more like Brooklyn than Manhattan. It is, however, far, far cheaper. When I left in 2003, I was paying $750 for a large, pre-war, walk-up one bedroom in East Isles (a very good neighborhood). If anything, prices have gone down. I'm not sure about rentals, but condo prices are lower than when I lived there.

[Isabel_009]

Originally Posted by ZenArcade

Northeast, or "Nordeast" as locals like to say, is somewhat of an up-and-coming area for artists, young people, and others looking for a hip alternative to Uptown. Although, the area still has a strong presence of older, working class people, and many immigrant families who have been there for decades.


There are a number of art galleries in the area, as well as shops, bars, restraunts, ect. And, there have been newly renovated factories that have been converted into studios, that feature some 400 artists who live and work in NE.

Overall, it's kind of a less developed, less commercial, less populated, somewhat less active version of Uptown.

From personal experience, some areas of NE are great, but others are nothing special. There are some very fun, active, vibrant areas with lot's of shops and the like, while others are older, and more industrial. The things like bars and restaurants are certainly more spread out in NE than in Uptown, where the development is more dense.

Aside from the NE neighborhoods, there is also one main commercial district in NE that is centered around Hennepin Ave. and 1st Ave Ne. Here's there site (although keep in mind that there's more in NE than what the NE business association recognizes): NorthEast Minneapolis Business Association

also check out this: Minneapolis Art - Minneapolis Art Galleries and Studios - Arts District

the areas in and around 13th ave. NE , and the intersection of University Ave. NE and Broadway St. NE might be a good place to start looking if you are a young single or couple looking for a quieter but still hip alternative to Uptown. Better have a look in the area yourself though, because it's certainly no Uptown...yet.


Hope that helps!!

Thanks!! I will definitely look into it! Would you say that it is relatively safe? What streets define the perimeter of this area, more or less (or major intersections)?

[skylarkmn]

Originally Posted by Slig

Holy smokes that is expensive. I'm guessing your place is pretty nice. Expect metro-wide prices on average to be a few hundred bucks below that at least. You pay more monthly than I pay for my house including taxes and utilities.

My apartment is okay. Its the location I'm paying for...hence my upcoming move to a different area. It makes me a little sad to be paying as much as I am...not gonna lie.

[Jennifer61]

Hey,

I was just wondering agk06 I wanted to also live in Minneapolis, and I'm coming from NYC.. basically the same reasons for you. I was wondering if you moved yet and if you like it?

Hope to hear from you soon

Jennifer