[indeedisuper]

Hi All,

I'm in the midst of moving to Hartford and I had the chance to visit the place. The rent between WH and Downtown are comparable. I didn't visit long enough to get a feel of where the "fun" is at.

I'm considering places such as 777 Main and Spectra in Downtown...and some condos/apts in WH. Which of these places is the better choice for someone in their early 20s? I've been reading about how Downtown is dead etc etc, but a lot of those are more than a year old. Is Downtown a lot better now and is Hartford less of a commuter city?

Thanks!

[MrGompers]

Hartford is still a commuter city. If you're looking for night life and social activities West Hartford is where it's at. You could also live on the "west side of Hartford" which borders West Hartford. This would mainly be the area of Farmington Ave.

There's also a bus with frequent service that runs up and down Farmington Ave all day if you don't have a car and/or are out drinking and don't want to drive.

[JayCT]

Hartford has long been a commuter city. It is a small city so you should not come here expecting to find the same amount of nightlife as Boston or New York. That said I think downtown offers more for someone your age. A person I know that is in his 20's lived downtown and loved it but gave into peer pressure of friends and left for West Hartford and now wishes he had not. Jay

[indeedisuper]

I actually liked Downtown a lot. The good areas nice and I like the fact it's close to the river. I'm really hoping that these new apartment complexes would help liven the area a bit and bring more of the social activities downtown. I do have a car but I much rather be able to come out and walk to the festivities. (The apt in WH is a block from blue back square).

[GoHuskies]

West Hartford specifically downtown and Blue Back Square have more to offer for the young single 20-something.

Downtown Hartford is still ok but the only real nightlife scene is near Union Station where most of the bars are located. It's been years since I lived there but I think Black Bear, Pour House, and a handful of other bars are still very popular on weekends.

[ctguy87]

Originally Posted by indeedisuper

Hi All,

I'm in the midst of moving to Hartford and I had the chance to visit the place. The rent between WH and Downtown are comparable. I didn't visit long enough to get a feel of where the "fun" is at.

I'm considering places such as 777 Main and Spectra in Downtown...and some condos/apts in WH. Which of these places is the better choice for someone in their early 20s? I've been reading about how Downtown is dead etc etc, but a lot of those are more than a year old. Is Downtown a lot better now and is Hartford less of a commuter city?

Thanks!

Where are you currently from? Will you be working downtown?

If you are from outside of CT, I recommend starting with West Hartford. For the same price, you get a quieter, more walkable neighborhood, the same variety of bars/restaurants, more shopping options, and more of a community feel. Downtown Hartford is safe, but as a newbie it's easy to stray into a not so desirable area. Not much has changed in the past year, and any change to Hartford not being a 9-5 city will take years to achieve.

[Mike 75]

West Hartford. Not only does it have nightlife, but WH has more amenities than downtown Hartford. You can always venture into Hartford on the weekends to change things up.

[MikefromCT]

I have a feeling your budget might go a bit further in WH. I know downtown Hartford has a ton of new rentals, but these can be expensive and IMO you're paying a fortune just for the privilege of being able to say you live downtown in a high-rise. In an area where buildings are older, rents usually tend to be lower. They may lack modern amenities, but offer other benefits like being located on bus lines and within walking distance to commercial districts. That's the case with the apartments on Farmington Ave and South Main, and on Park Road and New Britian Ave (in Elmwood). All of these are safe, walkable areas with their own business districts where you can ditch the car and walk to restaurants, bars, stores, markets libraries, etc.

Personally I feel downtown Hartford lacks a vibrant, distinctive neighborhood feel. The bar scene in the city isn't bad, in fact I was at Tavern Downtown last night and there was a decent crowd there. But by and large, IMO it's a different vibe. You don't see as much foot traffic in downtown Hartford, and even when you do, within a few short blocks that can disappear quickly. IMO the more people you see traveling on foot the better. To me, that indicates how well-utilized and occupied an area is and how safe people feel being there. If you do decide to pursue Hartford, the city's West side, (east of Prospect, north of Farmington, south of Asylum up to Whitney) may be your best bet. This area is very nice.

[BPt111]

Originally Posted by MikefromCT

I have a feeling your budget might go a bit further in WH. I know downtown Hartford has a ton of new rentals, but these can be expensive and IMO you're paying a fortune just for the privilege of being able to say you live downtown in a high-rise. In an area where buildings are older, rents usually tend to be lower. They may lack modern amenities, but offer other benefits like being located on bus lines and within walking distance to commercial districts. That's the case with the apartments on Farmington Ave and South Main, and on Park Road and New Britian Ave (in Elmwood). All of these are safe, walkable areas with their own business districts where you can ditch the car and walk to restaurants, bars, stores, markets libraries, etc.

Personally I feel downtown Hartford lacks a vibrant, distinctive neighborhood feel. The bar scene in the city isn't bad, in fact I was at Tavern Downtown last night and there was a decent crowd there. But by and large, IMO it's a different vibe. You don't see as much foot traffic in downtown Hartford, and even when you do, within a few short blocks that can disappear quickly. IMO the more people you see traveling on foot the better. To me, that indicates how well-utilized and occupied an area is and how safe people feel being there. If you do decide to pursue Hartford, the city's West side, (east of Prospect, north of Farmington, south of Asylum up to Whitney) may be your best bet. This area is very nice.

Parts of Downtown Bridgeport compare to Downtown Hartford that another story parts of it stuck in 1950s and completely a ghost town

[BPt111]

Downtown Bridgeport past holiday inn hotel. The half block of fairfield ave is descent but when u past it it get real very fast.