Looking for some Rapid City advice (Mission: low income, apartments, houses)

[Bobby Rifle]

Hello all,

I have an interview in Rapid City on Wednesday, and I'm leaning toward taking the job if it's offered. So I was hoping for a bit of info from the locals.

I'm currently living in Billings, so I don't think there's going to be too much of a culture shock as far as the climate and lifestyle goes.

The job would be downtown, and I'd kind of like to live downtown as well (I'm a single male, no kids. Do have a bit of a middle-aged paunch now, so I'm hoping I could be close enough to walk to work and maybe get rid of the gut. ). Any decent apartments in that area? (I did see an ad on the RC Journal's website for a place above Bargain Printing; unfortunately the job isn't going to pay enough for a loft) How about grocery stores? Is downtown generally a safe place, or is it thick in thieves and panhandlers?

Recreation-wise, I'm an indoor person, more into eating out, catching a game at a microbrewery, things like that. And I'm a hockey fan, so I'm curious about where the CHL team plays.

Thanks in advance.

[DannyBanany]

Bobby, there are some nice apartments downtown above some businesses. A friend has a neat 1 bedroom above The Corn Exchange Bistro that I'd kill to live in. He walks to Albertson's... well FTC now, and he works downtown too. Dahl Towers is also a high rise between West Boulevard and 8th Street that would be very nice. Then there are a lot of older homes turned into apartments around the library and Dakota Middle School. Downtown isn't too bad as far as panhandlers go, but like with any city, there is a good share of them. They usually stay by the Mission or on the Northside.

If you like a microbrew, you'll love The Firehouse. It's an old fire station downtown that's been converted into a microbrewery. Our hockey team plays at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. They have a brand new ice arena.
http://www.rapidcityrush.com/

[nocatee]

There are some apts near the Civic Center and on the hill to Star Village that may be low income (I'm really not sure but seems like I was told that). Depending on how far you'd be willing to walk there are quite a few small houses in Robinsdale (20 - 30 min. walk) that are split into upper and basement apts. Of course being individual houses/owners, there are all levels of condition - some quite "rough", some very nice. There is also the option of being further away but within walking distance to the bus lines.

If you don't find a place close enough to walk to work regularily, there is a great paved bike/walk trail that runs from east of the Polo Grounds to Canyon Lake Park (about 8 miles total) that runs along Rapid Creek. It's very pretty and goes by/through the Fairgrounds, Memorial Park/Civic Center, Story Book Island, a Golf Course ending at Canyon Lake. I bicycle it frequently and it is a very pretty, relatively ease climb from Polo Grounds to Canyon Lake and then back down hill back. Even in winter, it is very well cleared with only a few spots having ice over them.