Working at UNM... where to live with family? (Albuquerque, Las Cruces: apartment, rentals)
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So I am considering taking a faculty position at UNM, and wondering about where to find a home. I know this is a very broad question, but I can give you a bit of background...
We are a family of three: myself, husband, and 7 year old daughter. We are quite liberal and prefer an established neighborhood that is peaceful, but still close to work, restaurants, etc. It would also be great to be near other faculty or professional families our age (mid-late 30's). Our biggest worry is that ABQ is not urban enough for us. Or to put it another way... doesn't offer multiple options on where to live and things to do. I'm not saying we need Manhattan - we just are looking for something that is safe for a family yet vibrant enough to sustain a walkable/bikeable culture. Suburbia, gated communities, and driving 30+ minutes to work is my personal hell. We would be looking to spend between 300-400K. We are the type of people who would easily sacrifice some square footage for location.
I've heard Nob Hill thrown around on these forums, but really know nothing about the area. Is it the only neighborhood that fits our bill? Is it constantly overrun with drunk students? I would perhaps be ok with living a short drive away, if necessary. Are there other neighborhoods like this, maybe a bit farther from UNM?
In addition to Nob Hill check out Ridgecrest, Spruce Park, Summit Park. Something a little further from UNM but still very accessible is the Albuquerque Country Club/Huning Castle.
I still have a pretty limited familiarity with Albuquerque neighborhoods, so I can't help too much. Nob Hill is the area that comes to mind first, given your priorities. Possibly living tucked away on one of the more residential streets Downtown, or near Downtown, would work. Maybe some place roughly equidistant to Downtown and Old Town, giving you access to both.
In my experience Nob Hill does not get overrun with drunk college students, but I haven't spent much tim there at night (not that I would intentionally avoid it at night). If anything, Downtown is more of a magnet for the hard drinking crowd, student or otherwise.
The Uptown area is also somewhat walkable, although it's still car dominated and doesn't resemble a downtown. There probably are some pockets here and there throughout the city where walking to stores and such is a viable option, but again, someone else will have to point them out. (Like, I don't know, the area around Bookworks. I don't even know what neighborhood that is, but it seemed less suburban like than much of Albuquerque.)
Also, I suggest doing a search on earlier threads with "neighborhood" in their thread title.
Obviously I would also recommend coming to see Albuquerque first hand.
I moved here from a large city, but I think there is a fair amount going on here. You will probably have to be a little more active in seeking out things to do, but they are there. Or you might have to stretch a bit and try something new. Maybe your favorite performers won't come here, but you still get the chance to check out North America's premier flamenco festival.
There are several neighborhoods in and around UNM and within 10 minutes that may fit the bill. As Mentioned Ridgecrest, Spruce Park and Summit Park. Others areas to look at are Downtown, Old Town, Albuquerque Country Club, East Downtown and Sandia Ridge. I live in the Old Town/Downtown area. Many of my neighbors (mostly those I have met at the park with my Son) are Faculty at UNM and UNM Hospital Employees/Doctors.
Compared to business districts adjacent to a lot of other big universities I've spent time around, Nob Hill identity is really pretty detached from UNM. Although more bars and brew pubs have sprung up in the last few years, the area as a whole is relatively upscale (for Albuquerque) and focused more on shopping and dining than on "night life" per se. But then I would say UNM doesn't have the same kind of intensive college drinking culture a lot of other schools do either. To the extent that it does, it's focused downtown rather than in the Nob Hill area.
Nob Hill is relatively pricey by NM standards, and might be slightly out of reach on an assistant-level UNM faculty salary depending on what department you're in. But it's certainly worth a look. Any of the other neighborhoods adjacent to campus would also be walkable and relatively urban (at least in an NM sense), though the Silver Hill and University Heights neighborhoods immediately south and southwest of campus have a lot more student rentals and small apartment buildings and are therefore a lot more hit-or-miss as to neighborhood quality, noise, traffic and so on. (For instance, houses along Silver itself in these areas consists of fairly large, well-kept owner-occupied Craftsman and Southwest Vernacular-style homes from the 1910s-1930s along a quiet, tree-lined street. Housing a block south or north is smaller, includes a lot more rentals and traffic, and will have much more of a student-ghettoey feel).
Depending on your feelings about very economically mixed neighborhoods, the Huning Highlands/East Downtown neighborhood a little further east (between I-25, Lead, Central, and the railroad tracks), or even the area just south of there between Lead and about Pacific is worth a look. Houses in these areas are somewhat older (1880s-1920s or so) and there is a lot more variety in terms of upkeep, with more disrepair evident the further south you go. While the northern section in particular has been considerably revitalized (and somewhat gentrified) in the last 20 years or so, this is only beginning to happen in the southern section, which until recently was a fairly blighted area. UNM's decision to locate its new Innovation Center at the northwest corner of this neighborhood will probably mean that revitalization will continue or even accelerate in the years to come. In any event, this part of town is close to a fast-growing restaurant district along Central, as well as downtown itself, and very walkable to either area (though perhaps still a little sketchy at night). It's an easy bike ride to campus or to Nob Hill or Old Town.
Finally, the neighborhoods west and northwest of downtown heading towards Old Town also have an urban feel and are likewise worth a look. Houses are of a similar vintage to the areas I just discussed, and the Central corridor through this area is also seeing a fair bit of new or imminent pedestrian-focused development, including multi-family housing, restaurants, and brew pubs, which should enhance its viability in the future. The area immediately southwest of downtown (the Raynolds Addition) is somewhat more marginal and rental- or apartment-oriented, again declining as you go south, but also includes quite a few nice residential pockets.
Hope this is helpful! While Albuquerque's reputation for sprawl is certainly not entirely undeserved, the central part of town is increasingly walkable and fun in many places, and things look to get better in a lot of these spots in the years to come.
Compared to business districts adjacent to a lot of other big universities I've spent time around, Nob Hill identity is really pretty detached from UNM. Although more bars and brew pubs have sprung up in the last few years, the area as a whole is relatively upscale (for Albuquerque) and focused more on shopping and dining than on "night life" per se. But then I would say UNM doesn't have the same kind of intensive college drinking culture a lot of other schools do either. To the extent that it does, it's focused downtown rather than in the Nob Hill area.
Nob Hill is relatively pricey by NM standards, and might be slightly out of reach on an assistant-level UNM faculty salary depending on what department you're in. But it's certainly worth a look. Any of the other neighborhoods adjacent to campus would also be walkable and relatively urban (at least in an NM sense), though the Silver Hill and University Heights neighborhoods immediately south and southwest of campus have a lot more student rentals and small apartment buildings and are therefore a lot more hit-or-miss as to neighborhood quality, noise, traffic and so on. (For instance, houses along Silver itself in these areas consists of fairly large, well-kept owner-occupied Craftsman and Southwest Vernacular-style homes from the 1910s-1930s along a quiet, tree-lined street. Housing a block south or north is smaller, includes a lot more rentals and traffic, and will have much more of a student-ghettoey feel).
Depending on your feelings about very economically mixed neighborhoods, the Huning Highlands/East Downtown neighborhood a little further east (between I-25, Lead, Central, and the railroad tracks), or even the area just south of there between Lead and about Pacific is worth a look. Houses in these areas are somewhat older (1880s-1920s or so) and there is a lot more variety in terms of upkeep, with more disrepair evident the further south you go. While the northern section in particular has been considerably revitalized (and somewhat gentrified) in the last 20 years or so, this is only beginning to happen in the southern section, which until recently was a fairly blighted area. UNM's decision to locate its new Innovation Center at the northwest corner of this neighborhood will probably mean that revitalization will continue or even accelerate in the years to come. In any event, this part of town is close to a fast-growing restaurant district along Central, as well as downtown itself, and very walkable to either area (though perhaps still a little sketchy at night). It's an easy bike ride to campus or to Nob Hill or Old Town.
Finally, the neighborhoods west and northwest of downtown heading towards Old Town also have an urban feel and are likewise worth a look. Houses are of a similar vintage to the areas I just discussed, and the Central corridor through this area is also seeing a fair bit of new or imminent pedestrian-focused development, including multi-family housing, restaurants, and brew pubs, which should enhance its viability in the future. The area immediately southwest of downtown (the Raynolds Addition) is somewhat more marginal and rental- or apartment-oriented, again declining as you go south, but also includes quite a few nice residential pockets.
Hope this is helpful! While Albuquerque's reputation for sprawl is certainly not entirely undeserved, the central part of town is increasingly walkable and fun in many places, and things look to get better in a lot of these spots in the years to come.
Awesome. Thank you!
One question (to anyone). I'm not from NM, but the only city in NM I'm very familiar with is Las Cruces. I found Las Cruces to be nice for the most part, but entirely unwalkable - with the possible exception of the Mesilla area, which is very tiny and quasi-rural. Overall, I quickly became bored with what LC had to offer after a short time. Maybe it is a possibility for retirement (if you like the desert), but not was I was looking for with a young family. Is ABQ even remotely comparable? I'm hoping that ABQ has many more traditionally urban sections and a lot more going on. Is that true?
I'm hoping that ABQ has many more traditionally urban sections and a lot more going on. Is that true?
Yes, Albuquerque typically has a lot more going on than Las Cruces.
Last edited by funkymonkey; 02-11-2014 at 07:45 PM..
Reason: typo
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