Studying at Multnomah University (Portland: apartments, rent, house)

[Jarrett0708]

Hi everyone. I am looking at several graduate schools and my second or first choice is Multnomah. I am very impressed with the university and am considering moving to Portland. Prior to this, I will be visiting in mid February to see if the university, the city, and the Northwest is something I am attracted to. I will also be meeting with professors and staff.

I do not want to live on campus. I would much rather live in the city. However, I am open as to my options. What neighborhoods and cities should I be looking at, for those of you locals who know the area around Multnomah? I know it is (fairly) centrally located because the airport and train station are within an 8 mile radius. How bad is the traffic in the city, and what mile radius should I be looking at as far as a commute to campus?

I am looking forward to visiting and look forward to your comments, if any.

Jarrett

[Nell Plotts]

I know nothing of this school. Frankly I have not heard of it.

[jjpop]

Ooh, Bettie Page is an alumni! Bettie Page - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[PNW-type-gal]

It's a bible college, on Glisan and NE 82nd. In the Montavilla neighborhood. The local neighborhood gets pricier as you go toward Mt Tabor, less expensive as you go past I-205.

[Jarrett0708]

Yeah, I guess I should have clarified that it was a Bible college / seminary. It doesn't even appear on local maps.

[EnricoV]

It used to be called Multnomah School of the Bible (and being an old-timer, that's still the way I think of it).

The area right around the school isn't the greatest. A bit lower income, and probably a little more crime. There are quite a lot of apartments in the area, though. And probably more affordable. 82nd Avenue, to the west of the school is not a good street to live along. The school is between 82nd and the I-205 freeway. Which I think is part of it's lack of appeal. The area to the west of 82nd is a bit better. Glisan has a bus line running down it. So to follow along that route and look for housing would give you an easier, car-less commute.

[backdrifter]

The neighboring residential areas really are not that bad. I personally wouldn't rent an apartment around there--that might be a little sketchy. Have you thought about a house share? There are lots of those on craigslist, and that area would be fine for a house share if you found the right people. The convenience of living near the school would be great as well. Traffic is only really terrible during rush hour. As others said, stay west of 82nd if you're renting an apartment. There are some pretty decent ones on Glisan in the 50's through 70's.

My SO was going to Multnomah when we first met. The students were a bit closed-minded for her, so she dropped out after her first semester. The campus looks pretty though, from what I've seen driving by. I think you'll find you like it quite a bit if it's one of your top choices.

Other neighborhoods to look at... Anywhere north of (and including) Woodstock neighborhood, and east of the river, west of 82nd. It's all fairly nice these days.

[hamellr]

And 82nd has gotten a LOT better in the past ten years. When I lived on 87th you saw hookers and cops all the time. That's almost completely gone these days.

[EnricoV]

Yeah. I find it more objectionable just from the aspect of it being a big, commercial strip-mall sort of street with horrid congestion.