20-something looking to relocate to Nashville (Green Hill, Midtown: relocating, apartment, condo)

[melanie1118]

Hey everyone --- I'm thinking of relocating to Nashville for my job but I want to make sure it's for me. I currently live in Baltimore, MD and looking for a neighborhood that you can walk to basically everything and a fun nightlife. I want to move downtown but I know from previous working in Washington D.C. and living in Baltimore, MD and Philadelphia, PA that there are neighborhoods you WANT to live in and neighborhoods you don't. I'm looking for city living, walking distance to bars, restaurants, shopping, etc that's low for city crime. What areas/streets/neighborhoods should I stay between?

Thanks for your help!! If you're familiar with either Philadelphia or Baltimore, I'm looking for something similar to Center City or Olde City in Philly and/or Canton or Federal Hill in Baltimore.

[alleycat]

You could start by looking around the Midtown/21st Avenue/Hillsboro Village area (Vanderbilt and Belmont Universities are located in the area). Some other possibilities: Edgehill (which is near downtown) and maybe the better parts of East Nashville (but you need to do your homework to be sure it is a low crime area). Maybe Green Hills (more shopping, less nightnight, but there is some; less "city like"). Living downtown is just coming back here; some of it is pricey and I've heard both good things and bad things about it but it might be worth taking a look at.

The "fun nightlife" areas and the major shopping areas are sort of two different things here so you may not be able to have both within easy walking distance.

[Jzer21]

I've never been to Baltimore, but I have been to Philly several times and Nashville's downtown area doesn't even begin to compare. Here in Nashville, there are several bars located on 2nd Avenue and Broadway, but they are touristy. There are also a handful of good restaurants that would be within walking distance if you lived downtown. AFAIK, clothes shopping is limited to one or two tourist-type stores and food shopping is VERY limited (and over-priced). With the exception of the occasionally drunken outbursts of 2nd Avenue, crime isn't a big issue. I live downtown on Church Street and pay $1400 a month for a 1000 sq ft apartment. So, yeah, IMO Nashville's downtown is very much over-priced for what you get. Everything about breaks even for me because I work downtown and I'm able to walk to and from the office everyday. Unless you secure a downtown job, then I'd highly suggest you look towards the Green Hills or Hillsboro village area as AlleyCat suggested. You can find everything that you are looking for there and at a cheaper price.

[melanie1118]

I guess I'm looking for closer to night-life than shopping .... rather drive to shop than drive to night-life. Based on responses, is Nashville all commercial and no residential? I know Hartford, CT is like that -- everyone works downtown but no one actually lives there. Is Nashville like that? I was really hoping not to live in a suburb

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by melanie1118

I guess I'm looking for closer to night-life than shopping .... rather drive to shop than drive to night-life. Based on responses, is Nashville all commercial and no residential? I know Hartford, CT is like that -- everyone works downtown but no one actually lives there. Is Nashville like that? I was really hoping not to live in a suburb

Downtown is mostly commercial (except for some expensive apartment or condo towers), but that is changing.

I still think you might like Midtown. There is nightlife in the area, and also on in towards downtown. Also, shopping (whether update or "downscale") isn't that far away either (but more than walking distance). I'm talking about major shopping; you can find small shops and such right in Midtown.