University City?University Heights?? (San Diego, El Cajon: apartment, rent, home)

[Jroth5188]

Is university heights a neighborhood within university city?I'm slightly confused.I may be moving to this area and I'd like to know what it's like or what part would be best for me. I'm 23, just graduated college and will hopefully be landing an entry-level job in my field in this area. I like gettin to concerts, parties, whatever..also im single. I'd like to be close enough to a cool downtownish area. close to the action without being kept up at night by fratboys. I hear that the northern part of university city is "younger"?that true? My rent limit is around 800 a month (im prepared to go the roomshare route in an apartment or small house). Is there any advice you guys can give me?Im moving from the bay area (berkeley) by the way and I'm originally from the philadelphia area. i posted on here a week ago, but just recently narrowed down areas

Josh

[lahnnabell]

No, University Heights is a neighborhood in central San Diego. It's bordered by Normal Heights, North Park, and Hillcrest, three very artsy, hipster neighborhoods. Full of great cafés, great bars, some fun clubs, great restaurants. Hillcrest very clearly, and proudly, caters to the gay community. Many gay clubs and bars up and down University Ave. North Park and Normal Heights are a bit more straight-laced, but equally as fun and full of places to hang out.

University City is further North of central San Diego. It may have cheaper housing, but based on your interests you won't find much to do there. That whole area of Kearny Mesa/Clairemont/Mira Mesa doesn't boast any sort of bumpin' nightlife. You'll have a lot more luck with Normal Heights, North Park, Golden Hill, South Park. They're all about 5 minutes outside of Downtown SD and WAY more fun for someone your age. Affordable housing is entirely possible there depending on your price range. My fiancé and I pay $850/mo for a 1BR apartment just outside of DT, which is fantastic. Rent can go as low as $675 for a smaller studio apartment in those neighborhoods I mentioned.

[lahnnabell]

Haha, I apologize. I should've zoomed in on the map I was looking at. University City is closer to La Jolla. Clairemont and Kearny Mesa are further East.

However, La Jolla is expensive. Renting there will not be an option for you with your budget. It's a beautiful, beachside area, but it's for those that have a little more money to burn, and I'm not just talking rent wise. Most of the night life there will require you to spend some money to have a good time. La Jolla is also about 20-25 minutes away from Downtown San Diego, which is always a factor. A car is a very necessary item in SD if you don't want to be stuck on the bus for 2 hours, or cabbing it home all the time.

You will have a much easier time in some of the more rustic neighborhoods I mentioned in my above post.

[TimTheEnchanter]

University City is closer to UCSD and named for proximity to it, University Heights, I assume is named for University Ave that runs through it, albeit on the southern border.

If you want to get away from the college lifestyle, I'd avoid the University City area. Uni Heights, Hillcrest, North Park, South Park and Normal Heights would be more fun areas I think.

[lahnnabell]

Yeah, they were originally going to build a university in that area back in the 1880s.

[kettlepot]

SDSU was originally located at the intersection of Park and El Cajon Boulevard which is the heart of University Heights. It was the Normal School at its beginning and the campus was a magnificent collection of Italianate stone buildings. Naturally because this is San Diego, these beautiful old buildings had to be torn down (except for the one that remains) so that an ugly modernist elementary school could be built in its place. As the saying goes, in San Diego, if it's beautiful, it MUST be demo'd!

To the OP, your personal preferences dictate that you should live in one of the Balboa Park neighborhoods: Park West/Bankers Hill, Hillcrest, University Heights, Normal Heights, North Park, South Park, Golden Hill. Given your rent restrictions, your best bets would probably be Normal Heights, North Park, and Golden Hill. However, you might find a deal in some of the other areas.

There is no 'there' there, in University City. I would avoid it, unless minimizing your commute is your top goal.

Edit: I guess I've repeated myself from my comments in your other thread. But the advice is still sound.

[TimTheEnchanter]

Wow hard to believe anyone in SD let this building be torn down.

[john3232]

Originally Posted by lahnnabell

No, University Heights is a neighborhood in central San Diego. It's bordered by Normal Heights, North Park, and Hillcrest, three very artsy, hipster neighborhoods. Full of great cafés, great bars, some fun clubs, great restaurants. Hillcrest very clearly, and proudly, caters to the gay community. Many gay clubs and bars up and down University Ave. North Park and Normal Heights are a bit more straight-laced, but equally as fun and full of places to hang out..

I agree.

University Hieghts is a great place to live in SD and a nice studio apt. goes for around $1300.

[millr]

Originally Posted by lahnnabell

My fiancé and I pay $850/mo for a 1BR apartment just outside of DT, which is fantastic. Rent can go as low as $675 for a smaller studio apartment in those neighborhoods I mentioned.

How did you find your 1BD?! I'm looking at craigslist now, and 1BRs seem to go for much more than that even in the most run-down neighborhoods these days.

Were you very lucky, or was this a while ago, when the rents were lower, or am I looking in the wrong place?