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I'm a french guy living in Dublin (Ireland). I'm going to relocate to Dallas next year for work.
I started to look for places and areas I'd like to settle in. I'd like it to be very central, e.g. straight in downtown Dallas.
What places would you recommend over there? I was thinking about the West Village, Uptown area. I'm looking for something safe and spacious as we'll settle down together with my girlfriend there.
In addition, I won't have a car, at least for a few months, as I will need to pass my driving test in Texas hence I need to be in an area with walk-in distance to pretty much everything. Given this context how is uptown as well?
BTW, how long does it roughly take to get a driving license from scratch in Dallas?
Uptown or Downtown would be pretty much the only places in Dallas in which you could easily live without a car. Downtown is the hub for the DART rail system DART.org - Dallas Area Rapid Transit. There is one grocery store downtown as well as drugstores, bars, restaurants, etc... Uptown has a much larger residential population than downtown, so there will be many more restaurants, bars, retail establishments than in downtown. There is also the McKinney Ave. Trolley (free) which goes through Uptown and will take you to the northern edge of downtown near the Arts District Dallas Arts District. The CityPlace subway station serves Uptown and that would be about 3 blocks east of the West Village West Village. There is also a large Albertson's grocery store and a Walgreen's drugstore about one block from West Village. Sorry, but I don't know how long it takes to get a TX driver's license.
Just to clarify the terminology: I thought that what is defined as the Uptown district would actually comprise the West Village, Mockingbird etc. areas? Or are these technically in the Downtown area?
Few more questions:
(a) Which real estate website do you recommend to look for an apartment in Downtown Dallas? I'm currently using rent.com basically...
(b) Still looking for driving-license info...e.g. how long does it roughly take to get a driving license from scratch in Dallas?
(c) How safe is it to hang out walking downtown/uptown throughout the day and at night? I understand "safe" can mean pretty much anything to anybody but is there any uncomfortable feeling strolling around downtown Dallas?
I heard that nobody is walking in Dallas even downtown but this may be a myth....?
(d) Additionally, how safe is the DART in general from your experience (light-rail and bus)? I'll probably need to commute to Richardson so was thinking about using light-rail to head there...
Here is a link to the TX Department of Public Safety aka (DPS). They have the online manual for the code de la route. I believe you can drive with an international driver's license for up to 3 months.
Texas Department of Public Safety - Driver License Division (http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/driver_licensing_control/dlindex.htm - broken link)
Rent.com is a good site, try also Apartments for Rent | Apartment Finder You can also work with a locator who can help you. You don't pay them, the apartment complex does.
I'll let someone else address the safety question.
Not many people walk in Dallas, that is true. Dallas is very spread out so a vehicle is a must most of the time. It is difficult to find a place within walking distance to a major grocery store, DART rail and a variety of restaurants. I am sure that other people that have lived in apt. will chime in with suggestions too.
One other thing I wanted to share with you is the site to Dallas Accueuil http://www.dallasaccueil.com/Accueil.html managed by the Alliance Francaise Du Nord Du Texas Alliance Francaise de Dallas They have a welcome kit with a wealth of information for French people moving to Dallas.
Uptown is an area just north of downtown. West Village is a development IN Uptown. Mockingbird is a street that's just a mile or two north of Uptown. The street goes a very long way through Dallas, but as it's referenced here, we're talking about the area just East of SMU, right off 75. Knox-Henderson was also mentioned and though *I've* always considered that 'hood its own thing, areas of it may technically be the northern part of Uptown as it borders so near. Confused yet?
So in order of South to North with a few street names to help reference - Downtown (Main St, Elm St., St. Paul, Akard), Uptown (McKinney Ave, Allen, Hall) Knox-Henderson, (Knox on the E, Henderson on the W) and Mockingbird (Mockingbird Station's zip code is 75206)
Looks like most of your other questions have been answered re: rental sites and license info. As far as safety, I find most of the downtown and uptown areas pretty safe. As you said, that's really subjective and there are those people who think any area south of 635 is somehow crime infested and run down. Not hardly. As a female I take precautions with my safety regardless of how secure an area may appear, but I assure you if I was a guy just wanting to stroll around after midnight, most any of the areas mentioned would not pose much of a threat. Downtown is going through a revival and there's more people traffic after business hours than in years before, but it can be very dead in spots and obviously using common sense is key. But you can move to these areas, in my experience, and not expect to become a quick statistic.
And no, Dallas is not much of a walking kind of town. People like to drive here and I think it's practically a law that everyone needs at least one car. Dallassites like to TAKE walks, not be forced to commute that way, lol. But Uptown is the area I personally find the most pedestrian friendly and I'd echo all of Dallas native's comments. There's great DART access and pretty much everything you need just along McKinney Ave. You mentioned you wanted something "spacious"--most of the newer apt homes in Uptown, and the other hip, trendy 'hoods are a bit pricey for the sq feet. Even though it's not quite as walkable as Uptown, if you're on a tighter budget, you may want to go just a tad further North down to The Village. TheVillageapts.com | Home (http://www.thevillageapts.com/index_flash.shtml - broken link)
There is also a lot of mom and pop owned rental opportunities in the Lakewood area, a rather bucolic neighborhood a couple of miles directly E of downtown. You can get a nice, affordable older duplex or apt there with character. This area, and even parts of The Village are not quite as convenient to the DART rail as downtown and uptown tho. If you think you'll be riding the rail daily, and don't like bus transfers, I'd go with Uptown.
Have you been bogged down with enough neighborhood suggestions yet?! I know it's a lot of info to process. I'll spare you more info on Oak Lawn, Bishop Arts, Deep Ellum, Expo Park, Turtle Creek, Lower Greenville, S Lamar......Dallas is HUGE and we're not for want of cool neighborhoods.
And in my experience, the DART light rail is VERY safe and the majority of the stations are too. My hubby has ridden every M-F all over the area for more than 5 years (He's one of those super rare people without a car in Dallas!) and has never had a problem more severe than some panhandling. As with any public transportation, there are some stone cold crazy folks who occasionally board, but the trains are generally considered very safe. The Richardson area stations are no problem at all and the commute between Uptown and Richardson is just a bit less than 30 minutes. Easy. Richardson is not particularly pedestrian friendly tho. But the areas near the stations are not high crime or risky.
Last edited by kacvb1974; 10-26-2009 at 04:03 AM..
I'm a french guy living in Dublin (Ireland). I'm going to relocate to Dallas next year for work.
I started to look for places and areas I'd like to settle in. I'd like it to be very central, e.g. straight in downtown Dallas.
What places would you recommend over there? I was thinking about the West Village, Uptown area. I'm looking for something safe and spacious as we'll settle down together with my girlfriend there.
In addition, I won't have a car, at least for a few months, as I will need to pass my driving test in Texas hence I need to be in an area with walk-in distance to pretty much everything. Given this context how is uptown as well?
BTW, how long does it roughly take to get a driving license from scratch in Dallas?
Thanks for your answers guys
Cheers
You may have not received an answer to your drivers license query. Actually, the time required could be minimal. You go to one of the testing centers and get a handbook of driver's rules, signage, etc., and study at home. When you have mastered it, you reapper at the center and take a written test on the material. If you pass it, you then take an actual driving test with an instructor who will note your actual driving performance. if you are succesful, you will receive a temporary certificate entitling you to drive, but it will be useless as a means of identification. The permanent license, containing a photograph, will arrive at your mailing address in about a month, and is also commonly used as an identity card as well as a driver permit.
Is Dallas a walking city? The central parts of Dallas, encompassing a few square miles, may certainly have many areas that are oriented toward pedestrian activity. Dallas is similar to other metro areas, however, in that the vast majority of the metro area is not pedestrian-oriented and requires a car. The confusion is in regards to the definition of what constitutes "Dallas".
If this were a northeastern city such as Boston or Philadelphia, the City of Dallas would include only the central areas such as Downtown/Uptown, Oak Lawn, etc. Anything beyond that, such as Oak Cliff, Lakewood, etc., would be suburb, not a part of Dallas. Boston is a good example, where the City of Boston only includes the dense centtral urban core of the metro area. True, the revised Dallas would not be as dense as Boston or San Francisco, but would certainly be walkable.
So the fallacy of comparing the City of Dallas to the City of Boston lies in the reality that we are comparing a pure urban core (Boston) to an amlgam of an urban core (Uptown Dallas) and its suburban area fringe. Not very intelligent or meaningful.
Is reliance on a car in the metro area just a peculioar Dallas custom, or perhaps just a Texan affectation? Not at all. In every metro area in the USA, people prefer to drive rather than use public transportation, when they have a choice. Urban cores developed in the 19th century, such as central Boston, Washington or Chicago, are so dense that an auto is inconvenient, and is not really provided for, but beyond those urban cores, people drive everywhere, as often as they can.
That being said, however, you may ask... how practical is public transportation in the Dallas area. In my opinion, any area north of downtown Dallas and within the Loop 12 ring road is practical to reach on a combination of bus or train. Beyond that, you can get along without a car if you live within a half mile of a DART rail station, and generally confine your work, play and shopping to the vicinity of DART stations. Since there are over 40 stations, with more to come on-line next year with the completion of the Green line, and even more the year after with the new Orange line to Las Colinas, you actually have a very populous subsection of metro Dallas where public transportation is a realistic option.
You should look downtown or Uptown. A full list of apartments in downtown neighborhoods can be found here: Residential Locations in Downtown Dallas (http://www.yourdspot.com/residential.aspx - broken link)
I lived downtown for 2 years without a car and rarely needed one (and today it just sits in the garage), getting around on DART primarily. Most of downtown/Uptown is very walkable. Downtown will usually have lower prices than Uptown. There's also a good sense of community downtown as there are fewer residents and a lot of revitalization efforts going on.
If you have any questions about downtown feel free to send me a message. I've found this area of Dallas (downtown and Uptown) is a good spot for the urban activity I became used to living in London for a few years.
How safe is it to hang out walking downtown/uptown throughout the day and at night? I understand "safe" can mean pretty much anything to anybody but is there any uncomfortable feeling strolling around downtown Dallas?
Relatively as safe as walking about Boulevard St. Michel, the Marais and the Champs Elysee and points in between, day or night. Keep your eyes open, act like you know where you are and don't be an idiot. Though, walking to actually get someplace is not a common activity. DART is quite suitable, from downtown to City Place (Uptown) and on to Richardson.
Here's a look at some downtown Dallas lofts. The InterUrban Lofts is the one with the grocery store on the main floor. Not a typical grocery store, probly more cite' standard. Right across the street from the DPL, rental condos which might be a good place to start.
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