Help! Where can I live in Atlanta without a car?! (Decatur: apartment complex, rental)

[reet4587]

Originally Posted by nativenewyorker123

So you're saying that its possible to live in Decatur without a car? I'd still have walking distance access to stores (grocery). etc?

It depends on what your "etc" entails. Downtown Decatur is great and there are a lot of things in walking distance, but it doesn't have every amenity you might find in one of the Midtown neighborhoods. There's nothing like Piedmont Park or the High Museum there, for instance.

Also, I see you're a native of NY -- if you're from Manhattan or Brooklyn you might find Decatur to be a culture shock in some ways since it does have a small-town feel. If that's a problem, you could consider the Peachtree corridor in Midtown. That's where I live and it mostly satiates my desire for the walkable, big-city, urban experience.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by nativenewyorker123

hey, "lovindecatur'--mind sharing the name of your complex? or complexes in the decatur area near the MARTTA.

I live in a house. Downtown Decatur is mostly made up of houses, townhouses and condos. The Braden-Fellman website that I gave you lists most of the small complexes around here that I know. Some are unnamed, so you would really just have to walk the downtown area to find them.
One alternative would be the Gables Montclair, near the corner of Clairmont and North Decatur Rds. It's next to a lot of shopping and amenities and is about a mile from the Emory Campus and downtown Decatur.

www.gables.com/montclair

[flag8rphan]

I'm also going to vote for Midtown. I lived there last summer with a car, but I think I used my car twice. There are tons of restaurants, parks, groceries, pharmacies, bars, and shopping within walking distance. Plus I used the Midtown marta stop to get to the airport and buckhead. Your price range would be a moderate constraint in that area, but there are a few older complexes where you should be able to find a 1BR.

[FromCLTtoATL]

I recently looked at the Ice House Lofts, and it could fit your bill. Bonus: It's close to MARTA. I decided to postpone a moving decision out of laziness, not because of any real issues with the place. (The cable/phone wiring is a little lacking there, I will warn you about that).

You might want to consider buying a moped/scooter. Even in the best places in Atlanta to be without a car [Decatur or Midtown], it's still hard to rely just on public transit here. We are no NYC in that regard.

[RZaakir]

For the record, I live downtown, don't own a car and and prefer to do my grocery shopping over at the Edgewood shopping center in Reynoldstown. It's horribly designed - which is also the case with pretty much every retail development in Midtown outside of the Publix near the 10th st. station - but has much more stuff in a concentrated place (Kroger, Lowe's, Ross, Best Buy, Target) than the Midtown spots.

[tsd]

Originally Posted by nativenewyorker123

Hi. I am a Native New Yorker (student) moving to Atlanta in August 2009. I DO NOT DRIVE AT ALL, so I am looking for an apartment where I can "survive" without having a car (meaning I need walking distance access to a grocery store, MARTA TRAIN station, etc.).

Are there any SPECIFIC apartment complexes people would recommend? Anything would be appreciated! My baseline rent range is up to $1,100.

absolutely nowhere. Dont let anyone else tell you otherwise.

[straightfromatown]

Definitely Midtown. $1100 can get you either a 1 bedroom or small studio at several places that are blocks away from Marta. There is a Publix in Plaza midtown at 8th and W Peachtree which is pretty close to places like Post Biltmore. There are restaurants all along Peachtree as well as pretty much any other store you would need.

Midtown would also make it very easy to take the GT-Emory shuttle: GT Parking & Transporation: Georgia Tech/Emory Shuttle Service

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by tsd

absolutely nowhere. Dont let anyone else tell you otherwise.

nativenewyorker123 - Ignore this garbage please.

[PedestriAnne]

absolutely nowhere. Dont let anyone else tell you otherwise.

Yeah, especially anyone like me, who's done it for years.

I lived in Atlanta mostly or entirely car-less for six years and I'll be moving back to town in a couple of months - still with no car - so I'm looking for the very same thing.

The area around Lindbergh Center Station would probably be good for you. It's about five miles from Emory. I can't remember the route number, but you can catch a bus there that will take you right to campus in about 20 minutes.

Uptown Square is literally right on top of Lindbergh Station.

Vista Lindbergh is at the intersection of Sidney Marcus and Piedmont, which is right across Piedmont Road from the station, just a little to the northeast. It's about a 10-minute walk. It's part of the redeveloped Lindberg Plaza which has a lot of restaurants and retail, including a Target and Home Depot. (Looks like they could stand to do some redevelopment on that web site, too, but you'll get the idea.) There's also a lot of retail and restaurants on the opposite side of Sidney Marcus.

The closest groceries from either of those two locations are the Publix in Peachtree Battle, the Kroger on Piedmont just north of Peachtree or the Publix on Lindbergh Drive. All three are bus-able or bike-able. I've been out of town for almost three years now, so there might be something new that's closer.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by PedestriAnne

Yeah, especially anyone like me, who's done it for years.

I lived in Atlanta mostly or entirely car-less for six years and I'll be moving back to town in a couple of months - still with no car - so I'm looking for the very same thing.

The area around Lindbergh Center Station would probably be good for you. It's about five miles from Emory. I can't remember the route number, but you can catch a bus there that will take you right to campus in about 20 minutes.

Uptown Square is literally right on top of Lindbergh Station.

Vista Lindbergh is at the intersection of Sidney Marcus and Piedmont, which is right across Piedmont Road from the station, just a little to the northeast. It's about a 10-minute walk. It's part of the redeveloped Lindberg Plaza which has a lot of restaurants and retail, including a Target and Home Depot. (Looks like they could stand to do some redevelopment on that web site, too, but you'll get the idea.) There's also a lot of retail and restaurants on the opposite side of Sidney Marcus.

The closest groceries from either of those two locations are the Publix in Peachtree Battle, the Kroger on Piedmont just north of Peachtree or the Publix on Lindbergh Drive. All three are bus-able or bike-able. I've been out of town for almost three years now, so there might be something new that's closer.

Just to bring you up to speed on Lindbergh Center...the development has definitely been hard-hit by the recession. Plans seem to have come to a screeching halt for virtually all future development, and the existing residential construction is either padlocked or up for auction. Common areas are neglected. It's going to be a while before this gets back on track.
The two supermarkets that you cite are not IMO walkable from Lindbergh Center, and even biking them would be pretty dicey on the very busy Lindbergh and Piedmont Rds.
The lack of a supermarket in the Lindbergh Center area is one of its Achilles' Heels.