New apartment in Fremont vs Harbor Steps Aparment in Downtown (Seattle: neighborhood, tenants)

[Soaldon]

Hi All -

My husband and I are in town for the weekend apartment hunting and we've narrowed our choices down to 2 places. We are either thinking a brand new complex in Fremont (we would be the first tenants) OR an older complex in downtown that is super close to City Target, Pikes Place etc...

My husband is a freelancer and I'm taking some time off work when we first arrive, so we won't have a commute to think about right away. We also won't have a car, so we'll be counting on public transit for a while.

Does anyone have any advice for us? I love the Fremont area because it's so close to the water and has the beautiful walking trail. However my husband loves the city life and moving here from NYC its a little tough for him to get adjusted.

If anyone would be kind enough to give us some advice we would really appreciate it! Thanks in advance

[Gardyloo]

Me, I'd go with the downtown place.

As new arrivals, it would seem to me that one of the things you'd want to do is minimize the hassles of daily living so that you can focus on other things. The Harbor Steps place does just that - shopping is a no-brainer, you're at the nexus of all of the transport options (light rail, buses, streetcars, ferries), you have umpteen options for eating out, recreation, services... and it's all within a block or two. Fremont is nice, but as the first tenants in a structure you might find yourselves in the middle of a "shakedown cruise" where things go wrong and need to be fixed. Meh.

From the Pike Market area you're a short walk or bus ride from lots of walking opportunities - Myrtle Edwards Park at the north end of the central waterfront, or walk down the steps to the waterfront, over to the ferry terminal, take the West Seattle water taxi to Seacrest Park, then walk along the shoreline facing the city. Or take the Bainbridge ferry and walk around Winslow... again, more options by living at the hub than out on one of the spokes.

[CrazyDonkey]

Downtown: Puts you at the center of everything, with all transit options available (bus, BRT, light rail, streetcar, monorail), short or reverse commute (when you get a job), lots of shopping opportunities (the Market, Macy's, Nordstrom's, etc.), lots of restaurants, Seattle Art Museum, Benaroya Hall (Seattle Symphony), close to Seattle Center (Seattle Rep, Seattle Opera, PNW Ballet).

Negatives: Aggressive panhandlers, drug dealers, safety issues. Disruption/noise from Viaduct demolition/Waterfront redevelopment (but will be a plus once completed). Only one supermarket downtown, with high prices (next closest, with better prices are in Lower Queen Anne and Capitol Hill, 15-20-minute busride away).

Fremont: Fun, quirky neighborhood, restaurants/shops, close to Ballard and South Lake Union (#40 bus), and Wallingford/Green Lake (#26 bus), buses to Phinney Ridge (#5 bus) and Northgate Shopping Mall (#16 bus). Walk/bike to Burke-Gilman Trail, Gasworks Park/North Lake Union, Woodland Park/Zoo, and U-District (or catch #44 at Fremont & 46th). #26, #28, and #40 buses go through Fremont (but have to walk uphill to get to #5, #16, and #44). Easy commute to SLU/Downtown. PCC (Puget Sound Consumer Cooperative) is right there, and Fred Meyer (groceries/mercantile), Trader Joe's, and Cash 'n Carry are within walking distance/short bus ride. Very safe.

Negatives: Fewer urban amenities. Other supermarkets located in Ballard (QFC, Safeway, Ballard Market). Becoming denser/busier with proximity to SLU (character could change). Fremont Bridge is a traffic bottleneck and opens frequently for boat traffic from late spring to early fall.

[Soaldon]

Thanks for your replies! We ended up going with an apartment in Belltown. Looking forward to our move to Seattle!