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Hi, I took a job close to JH Hospital (but partime work near UM Hospital) in Baltimore. I am looking for an apartment close to work. A 1BR up to $1000 would be nice, but I can stretch the budget if need to.
I am concerned about owning a car: (1) parking - many apartment do not have parking. Where do people park cars? On the streets? Wouldn't it be a big hassle when it snows? (2) insurance - I have heard that car insurance can be as twice as much if you live in the city vs county. (3) How easy/difficult to go car-free? Are those light rails or subways safe?
Also concerned about not having place for workout: I am a runner, and like long distance running. Can you go out for running alone in early morning? I am looking into Canton, Federal Hills, Orrerbein, My Vernon area now.
Are those parks nearby safe and do they have running trails?
As I am not bar/night life person (although I do like visitng museums and shopping) am I be better off commute from county? In that case, how is it like to commute to JH or UM Hospital from Tawson? Or are there any suggestion for safe and nice place close to Baltimore? Would it be way chaper to live in the county, with street parking permit and car insurance? (vs gas or public transportation expences for longer commute?)
I understand it will not be perfect from the beginning, but any suggestion would be great.
1) yes, on the streets, next to the sidewalk; yes, big hassle particularly if it is a big snowfall; the silver lining is that shoveling your car out will add a whole new dimension to your workout
2) You really should get a car insurance quote at a city address and another quote from a county address to see how much you will save, if anything.
3) It can be very easy to go car free in Baltimore, depending on your lifestyle of course. Public transportation is safe sometimes. How early in the morning? I would not run anywhere if it is dark out. The parks are safe sometimes, too. There are plenty of running trails in the Baltimore/DC area. Check into this club: Baltimore Road Runners Club You might meet people to run with.
When you say UM hospital, are you referring to University of Maryland hospital or Union Memorial hospital? It is Towson, not Tawson.
I suggest you look into the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore City as it is safer than the neighborhoods you have been investigating. There are supermarkets and restaurants you can walk to in the neighborhood. Since you are a runner, you can walk from Hampden down to the JHU area and get a Johns Hopkins shuttle to JH Hospital, sparing you the time, expense, and trouble driving and paying for parking.
1) yes, on the streets, next to the sidewalk; yes, big hassle particularly if it is a big snowfall; the silver lining is that shoveling your car out will add a whole new dimension to your workout
2) You really should get a car insurance quote at a city address and another quote from a county address to see how much you will save, if anything.
3) It can be very easy to go car free in Baltimore, depending on your lifestyle of course. Public transportation is safe sometimes. How early in the morning? I would not run anywhere if it is dark out. The parks are safe sometimes, too. There are plenty of running trails in the Baltimore/DC area. Check into this club: Baltimore Road Runners Club You might meet people to run with.
When you say UM hospital, are you referring to University of Maryland hospital or Union Memorial hospital? It is Towson, not Tawson.
I suggest you look into the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore City as it is safer than the neighborhoods you have been investigating. There are supermarkets and restaurants you can walk to in the neighborhood. Since you are a runner, you can walk from Hampden down to the JHU area and get a Johns Hopkins shuttle to JH Hospital, sparing you the time, expense, and trouble driving and paying for parking.
I would generally agree with james777. Greater Hampden would include the area near "The Avenue", which is in some ways optimal, and also nearby neighborhoods of Wyman Park, Medfield, and the Mill Valley. Remington and the cheaper parts of Roland Park are also nearby.
Personally, I would recomend renting for a year in North Baltimore and then deciding if you want to live in a more edgy part of the city, a more gentrified part of the city (Canton and Federal Hill,) or move to the burbs. The Hampden area kind of gives you a mix of all the options depending on exactly where you rent.
Thank you for replying!
I will def look into Hampden, Wyman Park and the surrounding area when I go for apartment hunting next week. By "early morning" I meant sometime between 5am-7am, and I occasionally start running when it is still dark. So even in the safe area you should not run alone? That can be a problem as I like morning workout before going to work - actually, that was one reason that I looked into downtown area because there is a gym that opens 24/7. But I am drawn to Druid Hill Park -- be nice to live close to the park.
By UM hospital I meant University of Maryland hospital. So both places are reasonably close to each other.
More questions:
(1) I like the idea of shuttle, but I am not a JH employee. Am I allowed to use?
(2) Is bike between JH main campus area to JH medical campus safe (traffic wise and crime rate wise).
Google says the commute will be 30 min if I use light rail. Overall it could be 45min to 1 h? Is this a reasonable estimate? Hmm personnally I like a shorter commute. With a car, the commute would be ~20min maybe? But it sounds like a hassle to have a car?
If you take the running out of equation, where would you recommend?
Again I might find out when I come out next week.
Thank you also for the BRRC website! I may have spent too much time here, made me look forward to moving.
Thank you for replying!
I will def look into Hampden, Wyman Park and the surrounding area when I go for apartment hunting next week. By "early morning" I meant sometime between 5am-7am, and I occasionally start running when it is still dark. So even in the safe area you should not run alone? That can be a problem as I like morning workout before going to work - actually, that was one reason that I looked into downtown area because there is a gym that opens 24/7. But I am drawn to Druid Hill Park -- be nice to live close to the park.
By UM hospital I meant University of Maryland hospital. So both places are reasonably close to each other.
More questions:
(1) I like the idea of shuttle, but I am not a JH employee. Am I allowed to use?
(2) Is bike between JH main campus area to JH medical campus safe (traffic wise and crime rate wise).
Google says the commute will be 30 min if I use light rail. Overall it could be 45min to 1 h? Is this a reasonable estimate? Hmm personnally I like a shorter commute. With a car, the commute would be ~20min maybe? But it sounds like a hassle to have a car?
If you take the running out of equation, where would you recommend?
Again I might find out when I come out next week.
Thank you also for the BRRC website! I may have spent too much time here, made me look forward to moving.
The Shuttle is very convenient to the EAST side of the JHU campus. Unfortunately, Wyman Park, Hampden, etc. are on the west side. None the less, if you lived in Remington or the northern end of Wyman Park (or Oakenshawe, Abell, Charles Village, etc.) it would be a relatively easy walk to the shuttle. Once you are on the shuttle it is a pretty quick trip - not much longer than by car. You just need to add in some walking time.
Owning a car may or may not be convenient depending on exactly where you end up. I have considered riding my bike to the JHMI area and rejected the idea. Of course, that is a personal choice. My decision had more to do with not having a route with low auto traffic rather than the possibility of being jumped.
Thank you for replying!
I will def look into Hampden, Wyman Park and the surrounding area when I go for apartment hunting next week. By "early morning" I meant sometime between 5am-7am, and I occasionally start running when it is still dark. So even in the safe area you should not run alone? That can be a problem as I like morning workout before going to work - actually, that was one reason that I looked into downtown area because there is a gym that opens 24/7. But I am drawn to Druid Hill Park -- be nice to live close to the park.
By UM hospital I meant University of Maryland hospital. So both places are reasonably close to each other.
More questions:
(1) I like the idea of shuttle, but I am not a JH employee. Am I allowed to use?
(2) Is bike between JH main campus area to JH medical campus safe (traffic wise and crime rate wise).
Google says the commute will be 30 min if I use light rail. Overall it could be 45min to 1 h? Is this a reasonable estimate? Hmm personnally I like a shorter commute. With a car, the commute would be ~20min maybe? But it sounds like a hassle to have a car?
If you take the running out of equation, where would you recommend?
Again I might find out when I come out next week.
Thank you also for the BRRC website! I may have spent too much time here, made me look forward to moving.
I would not run ANYWHERE at any time if it is dark out. You can run alone in Hampden and around Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus in the middle of the day. DO NOT go into Druid Hill park if it is dark out. If you want to run in Druid Hill Park, find a running partner, or two or three, but do not go it alone any time of day, even at 12 noon.
More questions:
1) I don't know. Check with Johns Hopkins.
2) NO!! Bad traffic and crime, any time of day or night.
If you take the running out of equation, where would you recommend?
If I didn't know you were a runner, I would still recommend Hampden. Why? You are concerned about the cost of rent and Hampden is less expensive than the areas you suggested. You seem to be concerned about safety and Hampden is safer than the areas you suggested. You will pay more for an apartment/house downtown or in a waterfront neighborhood, even if the residence is not on the water.
Hello, I do not know if anyone can answer my question but will ask anyway..
So I am in the city, I am regretting that I did not call the agencies before coming out, as it is difficult to schedule while you are going around.
I have found that anywhere around UM Mecial Center (I was confused with the hospital that is in differerent location) walking distance does not seem to be safe, especially the west side. I also found that I will be mainly working at a place close to UM Medical Center, so JHU shuttle idea is out, and biking in the city is too scarly so bike commute is out. I have only seen around JHU campus and Mt Vernon/downtown, and I found a few that I particulatly like along Park Ave and St Paul St, although that is about 30-40 min walk, and perhaps need about the same time if using bus line.
Question:
(1) Is it safe to commute by walking between UM Medical Center and Park Ave? I also found that a few blocks east of Park Ave is kind of scary.
(2) Mt Vernon/downtown area was nice, I saw many people running. But you do not think it is safe if it is still dark out in the morning? I can stick with gym in that case, but I need to add that into my budget.
(3) If walking commute is out of question in that area (given that I can be late), is there anywhere along the light rail that is in general safe?
(4) Is Federal Hills and Otterbein, safer than Mt Vernon or downtown?
Hi, right after submitting the post, I found a crime map of Baltimore, so that answered many of my questions.
Still, if you have any suggestions on where along light rail are recommended, I appreciate that. I am also concerned about ... is light rail in general safe? Thanks!
Hi, right after submitting the post, I found a crime map of Baltimore, so that answered many of my questions.
Still, if you have any suggestions on where along light rail are recommended, I appreciate that. I am also concerned about ... is light rail in general safe? Thanks!
I don't understand. The light rail, which is safe enough once you get on, doesn't go anywhere near the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Are you thinking about the Metro? If you are going to work at JH Hospital, have you considered Canton? Or is Canton outside of your budget? I don't think Mt. Vernon is particularly unsafe, especially if you stay between Charles and Calvert, but Federal Hill and Canton will be safer.
1) From Park Ave. (are you closer to North Ave. or Howard?) to the UM facilities should be safe during the day if you have average Bmore street smarts. There is a huge difference in safety between day and night, as one of the other posters said. When would you be making this walk? Also, I'm confused about the "scary" blocks east of Park. Avoid Upton, but those streets are to the south and west of Park. Can you clarify?
2) I always ran/worked out in gyms. I don't know much about running routes, so I can't really comment on that. I would avoid running in the dark.
3) The light rail is safe. I've been riding the light rail since it opened, and the worst thing that happened to me was someone nodded off on my luggage on the way to BWI. Someone tried to rob me at the Patapsco station when I was the only one waiting, but most people moving to Baltimore probably don't plan on going anywhere around there haha.
4) If you're going to UM facilities, there are means other than the light rail to get there. We have buses and a metro line (look up the history of the baltimore metro and it will make more sense why the line seems to make no sense).
Where are you coming from? You seem really nervous about crime/safety (very understandable), so I would maybe live in a very safe area (how much can you afford to spend in rent?) as you become more acclimated to Baltimore. Then you probably would feel better moving to other, more affordable neighborhoods closer to UM.
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