Upscale Neighborhoods In B-more?? (Baltimore, Columbia: rental, condos, violent crime)

[jvc_uscg]

My wife and I will be moving to Baltimore in the next few months. We're in our late 30's, no kids, and a dog ( DINKWAD: Double Income No Kids With A Dog )

Wife will be working at UMD Hospital, I'll be working off I-95/RT-32 near Columbia. We want to live in the city and rent for a few years.

Looking for areas where we can easily walk to restaurants & shops. Off-Street Parking, 3-4 Bedrooms, SAFE, minutes to UMD Hospital, easy access to I95.

What are the upscale, high-end areas of the city?

Thanks!
-JVC

[Zippy7fo]

Why don't you live in Columbia. Free time is more precious than city living and I would not wanna face the commute out from the city every morning. Columbia is a beautiful place where you can walk your dog and not worry about crime and it has all kinds of shopping that people enjoy. Live in Columbia, visit B-more on the Weekends...

[carolott]

Try Camden Crossing -- it's a new development of upscale homes in the 400s between Scott and Poppleton, Pratt and Washington Boulevard. Our neighborhood is improving by leaps and bounds, and we're right across MLK from UMD. My son's pediatrician is at UMD, and we love it there. I live in Barre Circle, and older community of renovated rowhomes, in the 250-300K range, and definitely worth a look if you're not interested in new construction.

[jvc_uscg]

Zippy7fo, Thanks for the suggestion about Columbia. The reason I'm looking at the city is for a quick/easy commute for my wife that will be working at UM Baltimore Hospital. I live in the burbs now and hate having to drive to do ANYTHING!

If I were to move to Columbia, what is the commute like into the city in the morning and out of the city at night? I'd rather take the brunt of the driving and save my wife the hassle. Due to the nature of my job, I can stagger my driving times to avoid rush hours.

Are there any "mixed-use" areas in Columbia or surrounding burbs? Here in VA there are these new types of residences (townhomes/single family homes/condos) that also have restaurants, movie theaters, shopping all in one central location...no driving, all within walking distance. Anything like that in Columbia?

Thanks for your advice. As far as Camden Crossing, I've been told to stay east of MLK blvd for safety concerns. Murder Ink's google map in the City Paper has been very enlightening for the violent crime areas.

I'd love to hear from others. I'll be moving soon (once I sell my house). My rental needs are 3-4 Bedrooms around $2,500. Any other areas in the city to look at besides Federal Hill, Fells Point, or Canton?

Thanks!

[passdoubt]

Federal Hill, Fells Point, Canton, and the Inner Harbor itself are where you want to look with that price range. Those are the most upscale parts of the city.

There aren't many walkable suburbs. A little part of Ellicott City, a little part of Towson. You should stick to the city.

[marylandmove2]

you HAVE to look at Bolton Hill! A fabulous neighborhood and easy acces to i-95 driving down mlk. Stately 3 floor row houses from 400-600. Has its own swim and tennis club a great restaurant and easy access to everything since it is the only place in the city where the light rail and subway cross.

Check it out! www.boltonhill.org is our neighborhood website.

[carolott]

Originally Posted by jvc_uscg

As far as Camden Crossing, I've been told to stay east of MLK blvd for safety concerns. Murder Ink's google map in the City Paper has been very enlightening for the violent crime areas.

Interesting. We actually have very little violent crime where I live. In fact, in the past 14 days, we've had one assault, one robbery, and two "larceny from car" incidents. In the "better" neighborhood of Federal Hill....that would be "east of MLK"....they've had 13 "larceny from vehicle" incidents, two burglaries, three robberies, and one stolen vehicle. That's just in one 1/4-mile area, too.

But hey -- stay east of MLK if you must...