Carless In Austin - Suggestions? (Dallas, Lubbock: car rental, apartments, to rent)

[tammay]

Hi Everyone,
I'm sort of in limbo right now, living with my parents abroad, but I'm looking to come back to the States early next year at the latest (or even this summer).

I've lived in Lubbock for about 5 years on and off and sort of got attached to Texas. But Lubbock is too much of a family-oriented isolated town for me now (I'm in my 40's and single). I visited Austin a few years ago and I liked the feel of it for the few days I was there. It struck me as a nice college town feel to it but not something that is too big or too small.

So I'm thinking of heading in that direction when I get back to live.

Since I don't really know Austin, I'm wondering where there might be a good place to live if I don't have a car (I won't be able to afford one!). I'm a big walker, so the ideal would be to live somewhere that has a nice area for basic shopping (like a supermarket, healthfood store, pharmacy, cleaners, etc) all within a pretty reasonable walking distance.

Also, since I'm single, I'm wondering about areas in Austin that might be safe for a single woman to live.

What about public transportation and taxi service? I don't anticipate having to get around too much, as I work from home and am maintaining my job throughout the transition from abroad to the States. So I won't have to worry about trying to get to some office to work .

My ideal plan is to rent a place and live until the person renting my San Francisco place has covered the mortgage (or most of it) which should be about 5-6 years. I've moved around a LOT in the last 4 years (basically a new place every year) and I'm just dead tired of it. I want to find a place that I can settle for a while.

Tam

[verybadgnome]

For walking:
Austin, Texas Neighborhoods on Walk Score

For everything else:
http://www.zipcar.com/utexas
http://www.car2go.com/austin/en/
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/publicwor...map_121409.pdf
http://www.capmetro.org/riding/current_schedules%5Cmaps%5Csystem_map.pdf (broken link)

[ammonman]

As a carless person, I can say that West Campus and Downtown are the two neighborhoods that cater best to walkers, but good luck finding anything affordable downtown. The walkscore map referenced above is good, but I was suprised to find that my neighborhood ranks so low (70%.) It isn't very walkable, but things are close enough to be bicycle-able. (I just invented a word, yay!)

[orbius]

South Austin(78704) would be doable without a car. Theres buses around S. Lamar, Manchaca that go to the HEB on Oltorf, the Walgreens there and you can get a bus downtown. Theres better cities for public transport though, even Dallas has pretty good rail service now. If you say you ride the train to work in Dallas its not a negative, whereas if its known you dont have a car in Austin most employers wont consider you for a position.

[mayfair44]

Hancock and adjacent neighborhoods are great places to start:

Hancock Neighborhood Association: About

I would focus on proximity to the Hancock shopping center, which covers most needs, especially on foot. Borders Red River, 43rd, I-35, and 41st.

Hancock Plaza Shopping Center Austin, TX

Just three miles north of downtown, and close to UT campus, but not as dense of a student population as West Campus.

Great location for transit too. Several bus lines run nearby. Usually not hard to find a car2go as well for a last minute car rental.

[chuck_steak]

Around the Northcross area is good too. The Park at Allandale apartments are great and Sun Harvest and Wal-Mart are across the street. As well as hair cut places, restaurants, post office, and movie theater. All within a block or two. Also, there is a bus stop with buses that go all across town. In my book it's the best place to be carless in Austin.

[mayfair44]

Originally Posted by chuck_steak

Around the Northcross area is good too. The Park at Allandale apartments are great and Sun Harvest and Wal-Mart are across the street. As well as hair cut places, restaurants, post office, and movie theater. All within a block or two. Also, there is a bus stop with buses that go all across town. In my book it's the best place to be carless in Austin.

Nice area to stay for the amenities. However, if I'm going downtown often (work or play), still single or simply want to be closer to the central action, I'd move in closer. Shorter bus routes, within car2go area. Mix in a bicycle, and you're set.

Besides, living next to a walmart sounds so unappealing.

[passionatearts]

Originally Posted by ammonman

As a carless person, I can say that West Campus and Downtown are the two neighborhoods that cater best to walkers, but good luck finding anything affordable downtown. The walkscore map referenced above is good, but I was suprised to find that my neighborhood ranks so low (70%.) It isn't very walkable, but things are close enough to be bicycle-able. (I just invented a word, yay!)

In spite of its walkability, one major problem with living Downtown seems to be its lack of proximity to basic amenity stores. For instance, the nearest HEB (2400 S Congress Ave) is 3 miles away. The nearest hardware store (Breed & Company, 718 W 29th St) is at least 2 miles away. I don't see the point in living Downtown if you're just going to need a car every time you don't want to pay an arm and a a leg for groceries at Whole Foods.

[verybadgnome]

Originally Posted by passionatearts

In spite of its walkability, one major problem with living Downtown seems to be its lack of proximity to basic amenity stores. For instance, the nearest HEB (2400 S Congress Ave) is 3 miles away. The nearest hardware store (Breed & Company, 718 W 29th St) is at least 2 miles away. I don't see the point in living Downtown if you're just going to need a car every time you don't want to pay an arm and a a leg for groceries at Whole Foods.

Actually it's 2.2 miles from 6th/Congress to that HEB. That about 12 minutes by bike. Plus there are 3 small grocery stores DT plus the huge farmer's market on Sunday. And unless you have a fixer-upper you don't need to go to the hardware store very often. Now Target and Wal-Mart might be another story but there are a myriad of stores that can substitute for one of them.

[CptnRn]

Take a look at the 38th and North Lamar Blvd. & Guadalupe St. area. There are several inexpensive older apartments near the HEB Central market grocery store, as well as a variety of other apartments in various price ranges.

H-E-B Central Market‎
4001 North Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78705
(512) 206-1000
centralmarket.com‎

There are numerous other shops in the Central Market shopping center, including a Bookstop Bookstore.

Peoples Pharmacy: Bakery & Deli‎
4018 North Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78756
(512) 459-9090
peoplesrx.com‎

Reid's Cleaners & Laundry‎
39 reviews - more info »
3317 North Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78705-2016
(512) 302-1870
reidsdrycleaners.com‎

Also lots of restaurants, hospitals, medical and other businesses in the area. Walk through Central Park and 4 blocks East to Guadalupe St. and you have Amy's Ice Cream, Wheatsville Coop, New World Deli, Hyde Park Theater, Walgreens at 45th street. Numerous bus routes travel North Lamar Blvd and Guadalupe St.