Nice Apartments in Harrisburg? (Reading, Hanover: apartment complexes, crime, townhouse)

[lmm317]

I'm relocating to PA for a promotion I accepted and am looking for some apartment recommendations (you can only tell so much from looking online!). Looking for:
1. Safe neighborhood (22yr old single female)
2. close to I-81 for my commute, or something that would get me to 81 easily and quickly in the mornings without too much traffic.
3. Near shopping, grocery stores, etc.
4. Just looking for a 1 bedroom place, wouldn't like to spend more than about $750 on rent.

Any recommendations... even if you know what apartment complexes/areas to avoid would be very helpful. I'm headed up to Harrisburg on Monday to check out the new account and the area, so I'm hoping to be able to check out some living spaces. Oh, and I know some people say just buy a house because they are relatively cheap in the area, but I'm not planning on being in this area for more than a year or two and frankly don't want the hassle of having a house!

Thanks!!!

[ki0eh]

The Heatherfield multifamily communities east of I-83 and north of Union Deposit Rd. may be good if you're looking for the suburban complex kind of place. When I was a young out of town person 10 years ago it seemed to be the most common location for folks like me to end up.

Let's see if this link lasts: Treeview, Apartments in the Harrisburg, PA Suburbs

Twin Lakes on Union Deposit Rd. may be OK. My wife rented there but that was 15 yr. ago.

West of I-83 is considered maybe not quite as good an area for the typical out of town transplant.

I can't really speak to the midtown recently redeveloped area although driving out 2nd/Front St. as everyone else is driving into center city shouldn't be too bad.

[lmm317]

Thanks, I had seen the Treeview apartments on an internet site as well, they look very nice! I'll have to check them out when I'm in the area!

[BevoInPA]

Are you working in the central business district or one of the suburban office parks off 81? This will make a big difference to your commute time.

[lmm317]

I'm actually working right outside of Potsville. But I prefer to live in a city that has more options for a young single girl. That's why I'm thinking of just commuting from Harrisburg. I was also considering Reading, but heard many horrible things about safety and crime there, so without having seen the area I'm leaning towards Harrisburg, since living alone as a single woman safety is very important to me. Any input?

[BevoInPA]

I would look in Susquehanna Township around the I-81/Progress Avenue interchange. Triple Crown has several newer apartment complexes like Steeple Chase that are nice and near a cluster of restaurants and the Shoppes of Susquehanna (Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, etc.). This avoids having to get on I-83 which needs to be widened from 4 lanes to at least 6. It moves very slowly during rush hour. Susquehanna Township is also close to Restaurant Row in downtown Harrisburg where most 20-somethings hang out.

[ki0eh]

That's a good point. From, say, the Treeview area you'd want to hit I-81 at Paxtonia not go to I-83. DeSouza Brown also has apartments in the Route 39 corridor north of Hershey (South Hanover Twp, Hummelstown address) but they're north of $750/mo.

[lmm317]

Thanks! I'll keep the I-83 thing in mind and check out Susquehanna Township (you sold me with Ann Taylor... it's my favorite place to shop!). Is that area also relatively safe then?

[ki0eh]

N. Progress (PRO-gress not PRAH-gress) Ave. out that far should be OK or out Linglestown Rd (PA 39). Other than the little high-end strip center The Shoppes at Susquehanna Marketplace - SHOPPES HOME - Retail Shopping Center - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Shops at The Shoppes at I-81 at Progress, the big box power center area is around US 22 at Devonshire - about a mile east of I-83.

[BackToTheCityMouse]

I live in a townhouse subdivision which is pretty much right around the corner from the Shoppes at Susquehanna. I would say it is very safe. I can run out to the community mailbox at 3 AM (just down the street) to drop stuff in the mail without a thought. And I am a single female as is my next door neighbor, and quite a few other homeowners here.

The best thing about the location for you is that it is right near an exit for I-81, and that is how you would connect with I-81 or I-78 (depending on how you want to go) for your commute.