Coronado Ferry / Little Italy Neighborhood (San Diego, Encinitas: real estate, apartment complex, rentals)

[CNYC]

I am having second thoughts about the apartment complexes I found in Encinitas. Now I am starting to look at Little Italy again because someone mentioned the Coronado Ferry to me. It sounds amazing that you can be on Coronado Island in a five minute boat ride from downtown. I starting drooling at the idea of doing my daily bike ride on the road that leads towards Imperial Beach. I thought maybe I could take the ferry then catch the trolley back from Iris Ave.

Is this ferry high stress with all the tourists or is it rather easy to board with a bicycle ?

Can you legally bike across the Coronado Bridge ?

If I am located in Little Italy can one safely assume that I can get to Coronado Island within 30 minutes of leaving my apartment ? I believe the ferry boards at Sea Port Village and a location on B'way ?


So that perked me up a little. I could enjoy Coronado as much as I wanted without living there. It also dawned on me that I could do the same thing with Encinitas. The place that I really wanted to be. I could go a few blocks to the coaster train then "wham" in 30 minutes I am biking the coast in Encinitas.

I've been to Little Italy a few times so I know what it is but where do people shop for groceries ? I know about the farmer's market and there is a Trader Joes right ? The cool thing about that area is I could also do some shopping in the South Bay area like H street and bring stuff back with me on the trolley.

*** Now what about the darn airplane and train noise ????? Can one really live there without having an apartment facing an inside courtyard ? Some yelp reviews of these places mention the specialized windows but I am not 100% sold. I live on a busy avenue in NYC and we also have very good windows. They help but I still need a white noise machine and earplugs to sleep. HOWEVER the buses create low frequency noises which CANNOT be masked. You can FEEL those. What is it like living so close to that damn airport ?


So the more I think about it LI might be a great place to start my SD adventure before I find ideal lodgings in North County but not without concern...like most places I have checked out.

Thanks for reading.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

One day you will make the move CNYC and figure out where you want to live

Yes LI is very noisy from the train horns. There is no way around that. Many of the buildings however are pretty well sealed from the noise.....if your windows are closed.
Some of the high rise rentals like Allegro are VERY loud because the whole building is made of cement and it just echoes through the open halls. They call themselves Columbia District of downtown, but the train horns dont care what the marketing says on the website

LI is a fun place, maybe not for the long term but you also dont have to go all the way down to Seaport Village to catch the ferry. The ferry also departs from the Broadway Pier. Which if you took the trolley down to Santa Fe Depot is just a couple of blocks to the ferry stop. But its just as easy to walk as well.

We take our bikes down riding to the trolley stop where we live and bring them on the Ferry quite often to Coronado and back. Its fun. We have beach chairs with the backpack slings so you can wear them like a backpack. Nice to spend a day just taking your time without autos.

[CNYC]

Originally Posted by shmoov_groovzsd

One day you will make the move CNYC and figure out where you want to live


Some of the high rise rentals like Allegro are VERY loud because the whole building is made of cement and it just echoes through the open halls. They call themselves Columbia District of downtown, but the train horns dont care what the marketing says on the website

Thanks for the response.

I know that I am flip flopping with deciding "where" but you have to keep in mind what I am giving up. I live in a pre war building in midtown NYC with ***rent control. You just don't give that up for any old apartment.

I am surprised to read the comment about high rises and train noise. I thought for sure I could avoid it by being on a very high floor then I would only need to contend with air traffic.

Like I mentioned earlier Encinitas would be perfect for me if I found the right apartment complex or condo situation but I haven't been lucky.

One really needs to own or rent a home to enjoy SD IMO.

Those days on Coronado sound great. Thanks for responding.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by CNYC

Thanks for the response.

I know that I am flip flopping with deciding "where" but you have to keep in mind what I am giving up. I live in a pre war building in midtown NYC with ***rent control. You just don't give that up for any old apartment.

I am surprised to read the comment about high rises and train noise. I thought for sure I could avoid it by being on a very high floor then I would only need to contend with air traffic.

Like I mentioned earlier Encinitas would be perfect for me if I found the right apartment complex or condo situation but I haven't been lucky.

One really needs to own or rent a home to enjoy SD IMO.

Those days on Coronado sound great. Thanks for responding.

I was just teasing...

Leaving NYC from a rent control situation is an incredibly difficult decision to make. Not many Manhattanites on the boards here except myself and some others that chime in once in a while that would understand.

Personally, I think you REALLY have to love the idea of living in SD to make that move IMHO or be totally over NYC.

You are right about the trains high up. About the 18th floor+ in most buildings are ok. But there are a few mostly in Little Italy like Allegro Towers where the hallways are outside and the building is made of cement. We were up on the 20th floor there and the reverberation was brutal. Inside the unit was fine. I dont think its a deal breaker though as its easy to get accustomed to urban noise as I am sure you are aware.

My wife and I have been here for a decade. Rented downtown for 6 years and close to 4 years owning a home. No question for me growing up in a box in NYC, that owning a house is quite nice in SD. Renting in SD is GREAT too though. If you travel lite, literally you can live in just about any part of SD for years until you find 'home.' Its all about where you are in your life whether buying or renting.

We think about our next place we would move to in SD and its just so so difficult because there are great places to live everywhere once the romance of postcard San Diego wears off. From Fallbrook to Mission Hills, the character, people and topgraphy have subtle differences in character from one another.
Many folks think life doesnt exist inland and to a certain extent they are right, but to me its all San Diego and what makes California so cool.
I dont think within SD there are major compromises made moving from one area to another. But coming from outside of SD, the changes can be quite big in terms of lifestyle change and expectations.

Good luck!

[elchevere]

downtown, including Little Italy, is now a quiet zone with train horns blowing at 3 in the morning a thing of the past...I would be more careful to choose a section of Little Italy or Cortez Hill that is not in the flight path of inbound planes heading towards the airport.

[CNYC]

Originally Posted by shmoov_groovzsd

I was just teasing...

I think you REALLY have to love the idea of living in SD to make that move IMHO or be totally over NYC.

I Do ! I've been coming down to SD and Baja for 14 years. I'd love to be there.

The thing is I have a really nice apartment life in NYC and I'd like to at least duplicate that if I move to SD. I envisioned myself in a luxury condo with a water front view. I was shocked to see that doesn't really exist in North County. I thought for sure that I would have numerous choices.

East County wouldn't be an option for me. My plan was always to be close to the water. Moving to an inland area wouldn't be worth it to me.

It's such a pity. What I plan on doing is visiting a real estate office when I come down in a few weeks.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by CNYC

I Do ! I've been coming down to SD and Baja for 14 years. I'd love to be there.

The thing is I have a really nice apartment life in NYC and I'd like to at least duplicate that if I move to SD. I envisioned myself in a luxury condo with a water front view. I was shocked to see that doesn't really exist in North County. I thought for sure that I would have numerous choices.

East County wouldn't be an option for me. My plan was always to be close to the water. Moving to an inland area wouldn't be worth it to me.

It's such a pity. What I plan on doing is visiting a real estate office when I come down in a few weeks.

Oh definitely, living by the water here is what its all about. Definitely do it! Whether its for a year or decades.

I would never recommend anyone move to East County or inland anywhere, unless they really wanted a different type of lifestyle other than beaches

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by CNYC

...
I am surprised to read the comment about high rises and train noise. I thought for sure I could avoid it by being on a very high floor then I would only need to contend with air traffic.

....

Compared to NYC, nothing in San Diego has a "very high" floor. I was surprised to hear scmoov-groovzsd refer to a 20th floor. I didn't know building in San Diego were allowed to build that tall.

Originally Posted by CNYC

...
The thing is I have a really nice apartment life in NYC and I'd like to at least duplicate that if I move to SD. ....

Not gonna' happen. San Diego is nothing like NYC, so don't expect to duplicate it. What you can find here, if you look, is something that is also good - not the same, but good in its own way. I don't mean to be negative, I'm just pointing out a reality.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

[quote=oddstray;36030487]Compared to NYC, nothing in San Diego has a "very high" floor. I was surprised to hear scmoov-groovzsd refer to a 20th floor. I didn't know building in San Diego were allowed to build that tall.

Yup. Downtown is the only area I know of in SD that has that height restriction different. This building particular which I was referring to is 29.
Apartments in San Diego CA | Downtown San Diego Luxury Apartments
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[shmoov_groovzsd]

[quote=shmoov_groovzsd;36030598]

Originally Posted by oddstray

Compared to NYC, nothing in San Diego has a "very high" floor. I was surprised to hear scmoov-groovzsd refer to a 20th floor. I didn't know building in San Diego were allowed to build that tall.

Yup. Downtown is the only area I know of in SD that has a different height restriction. Notnsure if its because its at sea level or what. The building particular which I was referring to is 29.
Apartments in San Diego CA | Downtown San Diego Luxury Apartments
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