Toledo Home/Apartment Selection (Bowling Green, Green: apartments, condos, crime)

[cardwellave]

I'm a Detroiter and just wondering about Toledo. I've always liked it when I visited, and was wondering about the different areas of town, which are good, which are bad. West or east of the river (I always sorta liked the east side, on the way to Oregon down Navarre), by the zoo, etc. Also which neighborhoods are decent with older homes with good character.

Also are there a good selection of affordable yet safe apartments? I'm looking to move out in a few years so I'm looking at Toledo. I saw some nice ones (or what look nice): Tamaron on Alexis Rd, Riverfront on Summit Street, among others. It's a shame someone else said La Salle is bad because the building really looks interesting. What is downtown Toledo like?

Thanks.

[nick44]

I think the downtown is alright. It's not exactly bustling, but there are enough restaurants and bars to give you something to do after work. I lived in the old west end for a few years. It's not exactly the safest part of town, but I never had any problems. About ten years ago I paid $600/mo. for a 2,000 square foot apartment. It was nice, and I was close to downtown. The biggest drawback, in my opinion to living near the downtown area was the lack of a grocery store. That made things a bit inconvenient.

I currently live in a neighborhood in West Toledo called Old Orchard (adjacent to the university of Toledo). This is an excellent area to live. There are many aparmtents in the area. Everything you need is within a short drive, and many stores are in walking distance from my home- a small grocery, Chipotle, a couple coffee houses etc...

The area near the zoo, is nice too. Having grown up in West Toledo, I am just more comfortable here.

[Widow in Toledo]

Well a young couple from our church lived in the Old West End till a few months ago. Their home was torched with them inside!! A reverse KKK thing..There were signs that said "Get out whitey" This was a young married couple with a baby! They didn't even talk to the neighbors much less try to start trouble. Not sure if the cops ever caught who tried to kill them. There are NO stores downtown, not even a drug store. You would have to drive to the burbs to shop. I attended the Home & Garden show a few weeks ago. It was dead there and the whole downtown seemed abandoned. I know the Bakers Building is really nice but $$$. I wouldn't live on the East side if you gave me a house. Can't stand the smell of the refinery!

There are lovely apartments across from UT on Douglas. All brand new. Not sure just how many are filled with students though. The area on Dorr St is pretty nasty though. I do see improvements going on. My son works over there and I fear they will be robbed SOON! Lots of undesirables lurking about. Considering the Mayor and how stupid he is I wouldn't want to move to Toledo for anything. We lived there for 12 years, sub standard schools , lots of drug dealers near our home. Glad we got out when we did! Took a hit on the price of the house but well worth it.

[nick44]

Attempted murder in the old west end? Reverse racism? What are you talking about? If this is true, I would like to know a little more about it. Now I actually lived in the old west end, and had many friends living there as well. No one was ever assaulted, threatened, or had their house burn down.

I was attacked with a baseball bat in Sylvania (a northern suburb of Toledo). Is this indicative of Sylvania? No. I was threatened by a neighbor when living in Bowling Green. Is Bowling Green filled with violent people? I don't think so.


I agree that there seems to be a lot of shady people walking around the Dorr and Byrne area, but I honestly do not feel threatened by them.

Sub-standard schools are the norm in urban areas.

Yes, the mayor is an idiot, but people need to get over this. Most mayors, and politicians are borderline criminals.

People move out of the city limits of Toledo and into the burbs, then act like they are so much better off. I grew up in Sylvania, and was not impressed. The taxes are high. The cops are pricks, and the school system is overrated. Not to mention, there are too many idiots moving out there. Some of Perrysburg is nice, but it is being built up with cheap condos, and cookie cutter sub developments with cheaply built vinyl sided houses with three windows. Maumee is just an extension of South Toledo. Rossford can be as trashy as the East side in some parts. You can always move out to Haskins in Wood County where there is nothing but a gas station, and enough wind to blow your patio furniture three blocks away every other day. There are very few minorities in these areas though. I think that's what makes these insular idiots feel good about themselves.

[lep6030]

I grew up in the Toledo area. Nice areas are Maumee, parts of West (Sylvania Ave. and Douglas Rd. area is nice) and South Toledo, Old Orchard (in West Toledo near UT), Sylvania, Perrysburg and Waterville. They are slowly making over downtown and there are some apartments down there near the bars/restaurants down by the Mud Hens stadium. It would be fun to live down there, but you'd have to drive to surburbia to go grocery shopping etc. Downtown was basically abandoned/burned out for years before they built the ballpark.

Old West End has beautiful homes, but the neighborhood can be a little dicey. If you aren't used to urban areas/some property crime etc, I wouldn't choose to live there.

[traveling_in_the_sun]

I would recommend checking out "Oakwood Apartments" in West Toledo. They are a good price and very nice. Some other places I would recommend are "Steeple Chase Apartments" and "Country Club Apartments"