[KhurramA]

So I might be taking up a position in the west haven area and have been researching apartments.

There are a few buildings downtown in New Haven.

How is downtown in that area? Is it relatively safe? Nice restaurants/bars?

Keep in mind that I lived in Manhattan for four years and spent this last year living in South Beach, Miami so I know how big city life is in regards to general street smarts and the like. But overall would you recommend it to any of your friends to live there?

I'm looking for a somewhat lively area but don't need to be around craziness all the time. My wife and I both just turned 30 (no kids).

Does anyone here live in that area?

What about downtown Bridgeport?

My budget is 1500-1800 and I need a 2/2 or even a townhouse. I have been living in high rise buildings for the past 5 years so something similar would suit me best.

Thanks in advance!

[JayCT]

New Haven is lively by Connecticut standards but may be quiet to you by New York or South Beach standards. There are a lot of great restaurants and bars downtown and there are people around so it is relatively safe. It would probably be your best bet for a rental if you want a more urban lifestyle. To answery your question about Bridgeport though, it has less to offer downtown than New Haven, plusit is further from West Haven. Jay

[KhurramA]

Thanks Jay.
Do you know of any specific high rise building names in downtown New Haven? I heard of 360 State street but that is WAY overpriced and I have a hard time believing they will rent at those prices.

[Silli]

360 State is the only new high rise in New Haven. It is a big experiment for the city. The only other high rises I know of are basically grad- and med-student ghettos built in the 70s- not recommended. Beyond high-rises, there are lots of options. Other housing developments that have come on-line recently have been conversions of old factories or other uses. Strouse Adler is a former corset factory, and Residence Court used to be a shopping mall. Both of these are at Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, house prices, home value estimator, recent sales, cost of living, crime, race, income, photos, education, maps, weather, houses, schools, neighborhoods, and more. The most desirable place to live in downtown has traditionally been the Taft, which goes way back to the '30s when New Haven was the place for Broadway Shows to make their out-of-town premiere. Ninth Square is a section of the downtown that has been revitalized/rebuilt over the last 10 years and has lots of restaurants. The Yale part of downtown has some shopping, too.
Other than that, check craigslist. There are lots of units in smaller buildings throughout downtown. If you're working in West Haven and want urban, New Haven is the place to be.