What do you know about Frogtown? (Rice: how much, university, bus)

[StanleyVegas]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

I was looking at some demographic maps...looks like high asian population there? Is that where most of the Hmong/Vietnamese/Laotians, etc. live?

Frogtown has the biggest SE Asian community and commercial area (University Ave between Lexington & Rice). North end and east side have pretty big communities as well.

[Radical_Car]

Not the best though you don't need to avoid it.

[sarahrose]

It has gotten better in the last 15 years...but is mostly asian...it isn't a place I'd want to live. I'd try the Grand Ave area....much much better!!! little more spendy, but also safer, and not as grungy.

[Jennifer Rubenzer]

May I suggest you look at Como and Lake Phalen as areas that may be of interest?

Jennifer Rubenzer

[Moni74]

I grew up in St. Paul and even lived in Frogtown for many years as a child. As a 36 year old mother and wife I would never live there, even if the property was nice and affordable. I also wouldn't live in zip code 55106 (East Side/parts of Phalen area). Run down, lots of scum, crime and drugs.

I second the Grand Ave suggestion. Also Highland Park & Mac Grove neighborhoods of St. Paul. Very convienient to both St. Paul & Minneapolis, safer, nice shops and restaurants, good schools.

Good luck with house hunting. I recently moved out of MN to warmer place. There are many thing I'll miss about MN, the weather NOT being one of them! Good luck!

[StPaulEastSider]

I live in the aforementioned 55106 zip code, and I love it, lol... Frogtown is hit or miss, I have kids and I'd live there, no problem, but mind you, my kids are urban kids, a little streetwise, I've taught them self-defense strategies - they definitely aren't afraid of the 'hood. I don't live life fearing the worst, I take appropriate precautions but don't shy away from any urban neighborhoods here in the Twin Cities...

My 18yo daughter is at Hamline University and she laughs at her suburban and rural dorm mates who are afraid of Frogtown... it's NOT that bad, for the most part, at least not in our opinions... certain blocks are worse than othere... parts of Frogtown is indeed da 'hood but that statement needs to be taken with a grain of salt - compared to other metropolitan areas Minnesota really doesn't have a hood or our hood is relatively mild in comparison.

My only caution is I'd be careful of the housing stock in Frogtown, it's really hit and miss, a lot of houses have been neglected for decades on end and quite frankly the only improvement that can be made to them is bulldozer (same scenario over here on the eastside)

And yes the Asian population is Hmong, not Vietnamese, if they came from Vietnam it was because they were in refuge camps there, not because they are Vietnamese. Most of the Vietnamese immigrants arrived here in the states 25years ago, the Hmong remained in refuge camps until the last camp was closed within the past 10years... Hmong may identify as Laotian, there are two Hmong languages, white and green, I believe and one is more readily identified as Laotian. My teenaged daughters know more of the distinctions, they have both picked up some Hmong language from classmates at their schools. They know enough Hmong to understand what their Hmong classmates are saying when the Hmong kids are trying to talk in their native languages "behind their backs"- lol.

I like the Hmong culture and immigrants but just like any other ethnic group, there are Hmong who are striving to live a respectable middle-class life and there are Hmong who are just getting by and living on the edge with no aspirations nor vision to better their lives, or so it seems... but for the most part the Hmong are working hard to attain the American dream and they are very polite and family orientated, although I must say they closed off to non-Hmong oftentimes for more than an acquaintance relationship so it's hard to make friends with them... but that will change with future generations... they were hit HARD by the mortgage crash - really hard.

In terms of an urban neighborhood which is more upscale, less "hood", perhaps target the Mac-Groveland area or Como-Hamline areas ??? there are MANY decent neighborhoods and communities... it shouldn't be that hard... Frogtown has some of the cheapest properties but that's also because it has some of the most run-down housing stock...

I found a really nice rental property on the East Side on what I consider to be a good block... it's a 2nd and 3rd floor 3+ bedroon upper duplex with 1700 sq feet, 1910 arts and craft style with the nice woodwork and a renovated kitchen... a single car garage, laundry in my unit... all for $1075/mo... that's why I live where I live... I can't get this much space for the money elsewhere...

but I've been in probably 3 dozen rental properties, minimally, over here on the east side and this property is definitely above par...

I'd be wary of landlords who are selling the virtues of the neighborhood and charging considerably more than the property is worth as a result... fair market rates for a 3 bedroom are about $1200 in a neighborhood other than payne/phalen (where I live) or frogtown...

If you want a fun urban experience, a friend of mine just moved with her husband and 4 kids into a 3 bedroom loft in the Tilsner Bldg in the lowertown neighborhood, downtown St. Paul by the farmer's market, other kids live in the house and they have a community art and play room in the basement... it's an art community so you need to show a portfolio to prove you are an artist. My friend said they are looking for tenants and put a link on her facebook, if your interested dm me and I'll dm you my phone number for text message exchanges.

[southernsmoke]

What about South of Maryland over by Rice Park? Is that Frogtown still? What's that area like?

[StanleyVegas]

Originally Posted by southernsmoke

What about South of Maryland over by Rice Park? Is that Frogtown still? What's that area like?

That's the North End neighborhood. It's north of the railroad tracks from Frogtown.

South of Maryland, where I live, is the oldest part of the neighborhood. North of Maryland extends up to Larpentueur Ave. and the housing is newer, but it's all the North End between Dale and the 35E.

It's similar to Frogtown, the houses are kind of plain compared to other STP neighborhoods -a working class neighborhood built around the railroad. Some of the houses on my block date back to the 1880s. Oakland Cemetery, a couple of blocks east, goes back to the 1850s.

[southernsmoke]

Originally Posted by StanleyVegas

That's the North End neighborhood. It's north of the railroad tracks from Frogtown.

South of Maryland, where I live, is the oldest part of the neighborhood. North of Maryland extends up to Larpentueur Ave. and the housing is newer, but it's all the North End between Dale and the 35E.

It's similar to Frogtown, the houses are kind of plain compared to other STP neighborhoods -a working class neighborhood built around the railroad. Some of the houses on my block date back to the 1880s. Oakland Cemetery, a couple of blocks east, goes back to the 1850s.

How bad is the commute to/from downtown Minneapolis in morning/evening traffic from where you are?

[StanleyVegas]

Originally Posted by southernsmoke

How bad is the commute to/from downtown Minneapolis in morning/evening traffic from where you are?

I'm new to the Twin Cities and don't make that commute regularly, but I've driven in for concerts, etc.

I take Rice St. south to the 94W and get off at 11th Ave. in DT MPLS. With normal traffic it only takes about 15-20 minutes, but at commute times it gets congested where the 94 hits the 35W. Not sure how much of a delay, but compared to LA nothing here seems that bad.

Once they put in the light rail in on University, the Rice St. station will be less than a mile from us. That will go straight into DT MPLS, but it won't be done until 2014.