Relocating to Cincinnati - Need Advice (Norwood, Jefferson: hair salon, apartments, rentals)

[cdelgado]

Hello everyone,

I have been browsing on these forums for a while and wanted to ask about living in Cincinnati. I know the topic has been covered numerous times.

Anyway...I am considering attending UC Law in the fall. I am single with no dependents. I would prefer to live away from undergraduate students in a more quiet area with access to public transportation so I wouldn't have to take my car everywhere.

Any suggestions on where to begin my search or what neighborhoods to target? How much should I expect to pay per month for an apartment (1 bedroom, studio, etc.)?

I have looked at the American Can Lofts online but hear that is almost full and I'm not sure about the location or how the apartments (or lofts) actually are.

Thank you in advance for your help!

EDIT:

Here are the answers to the questions from the sticky

. Have you searched this forum for answers to your questions before posting a new inquiry? Yes
. What specific topic have you not found answers to? Location near UC law/away from undergraduate students

. Where is you current location and environment? Suburbs of a city (population near 80,000 metro 300,000)
. Are you looking for similar in Cincinnati or a change? Change - move into the city

. Where will your work location be? Student @ UC Law
. Maximum commute time desired? 15 minutes

. What is you budget for housing? Ideally $600-700/mth but negotiable
. Rent or buy? Rent
. Type (Apt., Condo, Single Family) Apartment
. Size (Approx. Sq. Ft., # Bedrooms & Baths) 1 bedroom, studio, or loft 600-700sq ft
. Other specifics? Preferably "modern" but I realize my budget may not cover that

. Neighborhood environment?
. Urban, young professional, nightlife - Looking for this type of environment the most
. Mid-urban, close in neighborhood or suburb, stable investment - Close to UC law/UC Campus
. Suburban, low maintenance, quiet streets, soccer mom atmosphere - Quiet streets are nice but not a necessity
. Family oriented - No
. Lots of same age kids, activities - No
. Great schools - No
. Older, distinctive architecture, individual character - Always nice, but not specifically looking for that
. Modern, 15 yrs old or less, move-in ready - Modern would be nice, but again, given my budget I'm flexible
. Diversity of income, race, housing? - No specifics
. Yard - none, small, large (1/2 acre or more) - N/A
. Very safe, low crime area? - Low crime area preferred. Would like to park the car and not have to worry about it.
. Can tolerate some degree of crime potential? How Much? - Tolerate some, but very little
. Private neighborhood association, swimming & fitness facilities - No

. Schools?
. Not applicable
. High Ranked Public schools
. Small or large district?
. Diverse student body?
. Strong athletics?
. Consider Private schools?
. Special considerations?

. Community amenities?
. Daily needs within walking distance, shopping, restaurants, parks, etc. - Important to me
. Town/city community center for adults & kids
. Swimming, fitness center, running track, adult activities
. Nearby fitness centers & clubs
. Close promity to public transportation? - Needs to be close by
. Lots of parks & youth athletic leagues
. Jogging & biking trails
. Other?

. Specific wants/desires? - Just looking for a friendly, clean place to live. I have looked at some of the American Can Lofts online and that appeals to me but so do traditional apartments. I would prefer a trendy/young professional neighborhood not too far from UC but given my budget that may not be possible.

[progmac]

American Can is brand new and should be nice. It is in Northside, an eclectic / up & coming neighborhood with good bus service to UC. Check out the "gaslight" district of Clifton (near ludlow) and the probasco / riddle area a little closer to UC. If you don't have a car, pay attention to how close you will be to a grocery store. Much closer to the law school, the fairview area of CUF (west of ravine st, up the hill) is a fairly quiet area, although there will be many undergrads around. There is a sticky thread with some example questions to answer so that we can be more helpful.

I'd expect to pay in the 800-900 range for a 1BR in a nice area, 400-600 in a less nice area. Studios are about 20% less than that.

[Wilson513]

I would have to say Clifton Gaslight. Bad news is that rentals are getting tight everywhere and Clifton Gaslight in particular. Gaslight are not really student apartments and a couple of landlords there do not rent to students. I would start really early and be willing to start your tenancy a month or two early which will give you a big advantage over students who do not want to pay rent until the start of classes.

[cdelgado]

Thank you for the information. I will research the gaslight district and I'm glad to hear that the Can Lofts are near bus service. I edited the post with the information from the sticky.

Again, thank you!

[cdelgado]

Thanks Wilson513. I will begin my search early - I figured that would be the case plus it gives me an opportunity to clean the place up and so forth.

I'll check to see the policy on landlords. Hopefully as a graduate student things will be different (but probably not).

Thank you!

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by cdelgado

Thanks Wilson513. I will begin my search early - I figured that would be the case plus it gives me an opportunity to clean the place up and so forth.

I'll check to see the policy on landlords. Hopefully as a graduate student things will be different (but probably not).

Thank you!

I agree with Wilson513, start your search early and concentrate on Clifton Gaslight. The ability to walk the niehgborhood and get to the necessities of life will be best there. As a grad student in law you should be looked upon a little differently than a wide-eyed freshman with no clue what is coming their way. Good luck with your search.

[motorman]

May I add strong support to the posters who have already recommended the Clifton Gaslight District; this renowned and beloved residential area resides immediately NW of the UC campus. Frankly, there's nothing quite like it for students who seek nearness to campus, convenience to shopping and public transportation, reasonable security, and urban charm. No, please do not rule out the other possibilities, for they are all decent contenders--and do keep in mind that "The Gaslight" (as others have cautioned) can be expensive. But this residential enclave does so much, so well!

Groceries, shopping, and public transportation? The intersection of Clifton & Ludlow Aves. constitutes the heart of the Gaslight District--and it's from right here that three Queen City Metro bus routes beautifully intersect. The popular #17 runs 7 days/wk from the northern parts of the city thru the Gaslight to downtown's Government Square Transit Center, where connections to almost all other buses may be made. The equally popular crosstown #51 runs 7 days/wk from Fairview Heights thru the Gaslight thru the very center of "the hospital district," ending its route by passing by some of the city's best eastside retail and grocery shopping, in Norwood/Hyde Park/Oakley. And the new crosstown #39 runs from downtown thru the hospital district-UC campus-the Gaslight-Northside, then on out to the western part of the city (including several hospitals).

I'm relaying all this "bus-lore" your way not to bore you, but to emphasize the centrality of the Gaslight District to so many things you'll be looking for, with or without a car. All the retail mentioned resides in the "Zone 1" fare-range, which will mean $1.75 each way. (Sorry, Cincy doesn't have either subway or light rail...)

Let me conclude by mentioning just one more thing (one of real importance)--several years ago the Gaslight District lost its wonderful Ludlow Ave grocery store, "Keller's IGA," to mismanagement. Well, early in 2012, the much anticipated replacement will have its grand opening. Believe me when I tell you that, if the new store is anything like the old one, you will very rarely (unless you are a gourmet) be needing to run all over the city looking for food. Good luck in your apt. search, cdelgado!

[Wilson513]

DM sent regarding waiting list for Gaslight.

[goyguy]

Northside's a logical choice, but like several other parts of the city it's been "up-and-coming" without being all the way up for some time. Trendy bars and classics like the Blue Jay Diner are there - so are quite a few vacant storefronts, and businesses that do nothing to enhance the vibe (e.g. multiple tattoo parlors, nail/hair salons, and the like.)
Clifton Gaslight and CUF are perennial favorites, for good reason. The best sector is bounded by Ludlow on the south and Clifton Ave on the east, with the housing density and attendant noise getting lower block by block the farther from the nexus you go.
The east-side neighborhoods Hyde Park and Oakley have a sizable contingent of non-student young adults in residence, many of them single. Apartments of all types are in abundance along the main drags (Madison Rd in particular) as well as some side streets like Griffiths Ave. Oakley and Hyde Park Squares, as well as the tiny slice of territory known as O'Bryonville, offer numerous after-work and nighttime socializing possibilities. "Center of Cincinnati" in Oakley is your one-stop destination for big-box stores (Meijer, Sam's Club, etc.) I'm introducing these sections of town to the mix because they're served by the fairly frequent 51 bus which traverses Clifton Ave and Ludlow/Jefferson as part of the western leg of its crosstown run.
For the full lowdown on Cincy's bus service you can visit go Metro - Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority - word to the wise, mass transit in the Queen City is terrible compared to what's offered in the major Northeastern cities and Chicago. There's nothing BUT the bus. And you can make lifetime allies or enemies by bringing up the city's "S" word of the year - streetcar. A bike might be a good investment. With all the hills in town it'd be excellent for cardio workouts as well.

[Wilson513]

Let's put this Northside thing to rest right now. Northside is a hip place to live . . . if you are an artist with nothing of value in your studio, a drug addict or dealer, or engaged in tattoo or nail services, or interested in re-habbing properties you buy for $10,000 and sell for $30,000.. It is rampant with violent crime and not at all a place for a law student to live. Even a very self sufficient and self confident one. There is no point in it. Law school is too consuming to be involved in all of the nonsense going on over there.