[JViello]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Yes there are a few ways around the traffic but that does not mean you can completely avoid it. Aspen Woods is right on Buckland Street and only has access to Redstone which is a deadend off Buckland. It would be kind of hard to avoid Buckland Street if you lived there. The Pavillons is right on Buckland Hills Drive in the heart of the major shopping area so it too means you can not avoid the traffic.

Please note that I am only telling the OP this so they know of the issue. The area has a lot to offer in the way of shopping, entertainment and restaurants (mostly chains). They need to check the area out carefully. Jay

The pavillions is the ONE place I said is the exception.

Aspen Woods has an exit on Tolland Turnpike, and if you use the exit on Buckland, there is a light, and the road goes LEFT away from traffic (Where you can go right to the way around I spoke about.)

All the other places are easy to avoid the random mall traffic.

I wish you would just accept my viewpoint. I live here, I service a lot of those apartments, I'm in the area various times throughout the day 3-4 times a week.

[Uconn97]

and honestly you guys are talking about a few (2) complexes out of the many in manchester? there are plenty of other options, plus add in the access to the interstates, the downtown area, shopping, retail, hiking/biking and someone renting should be pretty happy there...

[HartfordboundChE]

Originally Posted by Uconn97

and honestly you guys are talking about a few (2) complexes out of the many in manchester? there are plenty of other options, plus add in the access to the interstates, the downtown area, shopping, retail, hiking/biking and someone renting should be pretty happy there...

Hey, can you take a look at my map and let me know if there are any other apartments that I should be considering??

Hartford Apartment Search - Google Maps

[Uconn97]

I would honestly look at the mills a little more. I know there has been some negative commentary on here about them, but I have known a lot of people who have lived in different ones over the years and I never heard them complain about the noise or the heating bills. The ones I have been in were all very nice and they are all a little unique. I would at least schedule a visit and see if they meet your needs.

[HartfordboundChE]

Originally Posted by Uconn97

I would honestly look at the mills a little more. I know there has been some negative commentary on here about them, but I have known a lot of people who have lived in different ones over the years and I never heard them complain about the noise or the heating bills. The ones I have been in were all very nice and they are all a little unique. I would at least schedule a visit and see if they meet your needs.

Yeah, I think my top two choices right now are Lofts at the Mills and The Vintage. My cat would be happy in both places. The loft has stairs which my cat loves and the Vintage has a patio that my cat can chill on with me.

The Lofts at Main and Temple downtown are also really nice and don't cost anymore than the Vintage. The disadvantage with the Main&Temple is that I'd be on the West side and apparently fight a lot of traffic, trying to get over to the East side.

I've never rented an apartment before (outside of a college town, which was completely different); when should I schedule I flight out to Hartford to check out apartments and sign a lease? It seems to me that I may have to wait until about a month before so I might actually see the apartment (at least floorplan) that will be available to me when I move.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by JViello

The pavillions is the ONE place I said is the exception.

Aspen Woods has an exit on Tolland Turnpike, and if you use the exit on Buckland, there is a light, and the road goes LEFT away from traffic (Where you can go right to the way around I spoke about.)

All the other places are easy to avoid the random mall traffic.

I wish you would just accept my viewpoint. I live here, I service a lot of those apartments, I'm in the area various times throughout the day 3-4 times a week.

You are right that there is an entrance on Tolland Turnpike which I forgot about. That would make it easier but still there is a lot of traffic in the area. I know you live in Manchester but at the other end of town. I too am up in that area a lot and at different times of the day and different days of the week. During the middle of the day during the week, traffic is not bad. People are working not shopping. But the OP would also be there on weekends and evenings when traffic is heavy. Also if the OP wants to get onto I-84, the shortest route is through Buckland Street which has traffic. It is just something the OP needs to be aware of. Jay

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by HartfordboundChE

The Lofts at Main and Temple downtown are also really nice and don't cost anymore than the Vintage. The disadvantage with the Main&Temple is that I'd be on the West side and apparently fight a lot of traffic, trying to get over to the East side.

You would not have a problem commuting from the Lofts. This is downtown not the west side and you are already past the problem area for traffic. It is not hard to get from downtown Hartford to East Hartford. You would need to travel down a couple of city streets to the Founders Bridge which would connect you directly to I-84 EB, Route 2 EB or the local streets in East Hartford. Traffic is generally going the opposite direction so you should not have a problem. Jay

[HartfordboundChE]

Originally Posted by JayCT

You would not have a problem commuting from the Lofts. This is downtown not the west side and you are already past the problem area for traffic. It is not hard to get from downtown Hartford to East Hartford. You would need to travel down a couple of city streets to the Founders Bridge which would connect you directly to I-84 EB, Route 2 EB or the local streets in East Hartford. Traffic is generally going the opposite direction so you should not have a problem. Jay

Ah, gotcha. I thought you meant it was bad right in the downtown on either side of the river. I was going to look at google traffic to get an idea but this helps.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by JayCT

You would not have a problem commuting from the Lofts. This is downtown not the west side and you are already past the problem area for traffic. It is not hard to get from downtown Hartford to East Hartford. You would need to travel down a couple of city streets to the Founders Bridge which would connect you directly to I-84 EB, Route 2 EB or the local streets in East Hartford. Traffic is generally going the opposite direction so you should not have a problem. Jay

Agreed with all that. I would also like to point out to the OP that there are very few shopping options in Downtown. No grocery, no "stores" like a Walgreens etc so you will have to travel to West Hartford or East Hartford for that, and frankly the section of East Hartford (Which does have some nice areas as well) where you would be doing all that is not that great, so in reality you will probably be driving into Manchester for grocery, box stores etc. I just wanted to point that out so you realize it's not a 24/7 type city.

ETA I mean, downtown Hartford! Sorry!

[JayCT]

A new grocery store will be opening downtown at Hartford 21 next month (March 16th). It will be more upscale and have most of the basic needs for people living there including take-out foods.

There is a CVS pharmacy downtown on Main Street near Travelers. It does have limited hours though. There are also pharmacies on Washington Street and Seymour Street near Hartford Hospital; on Farmington Avenue in the West End and on Wethersfield Avenue and Franklin Avenue in the South End. Jay