IUPUI Student moving to INDY (Indianapolis, Plainfield: apartment complex, lease, crime)

[indy_317]

If noise/partying is a great concern, you definitely want something on the outskirts of Marion County. Avoid Broad Ripple, avoid downtown party area (those areas will likely be out of your price range anyway). You might want to check out Latitudes. It is actually on the south side of Indy, at the county line. It is very close to an I-65 ramp. Southside Indianapolis Apartments l Latitudes Apartments

Note that for $600, you are going to be hard pressed to find something that good. I would avoid the east side and the west side for sure, from near IUPUI all the way out to the county lines on the east and west. As far as the commute, I have no idea what your schedule is going to be, but IUPUI offers lots of options with classes. It is actually very easy to schedule your classes from say 8AM to 8PMish on either Monday/Wed. or Tues./Thurs.. You won't be in class all day either, which gives you time to study at campus. Rush hour in the city pretty much starts around 7AM and ends around 8:45. If you will be on the road during those hours, plan on traffic. Between those twoish hours, traffic is really only heavy for about an hour. It basically builds up, then slowly builds down. The thing is, one crash on any major interstate or city street and it screws everything up.

[gabaghoul]

Originally Posted by IckyThump

When I went to IUPUI, I chose not to live downtown and commute to school instead because of the homeless people and dirty areas of downtown that I saw. Good luck.

Originally Posted by indy_317

If noise/partying is a great concern, you definitely want something on the outskirts of Marion County.

So where did you park when you had classes? Is it difficult to find a spot in the paid IUPUI parking garages? Are they patrolled by officers? Does the city do a good job cleaning roads in winter? You guys make a good point, I'm over the party animal phase and can't stand loud parties anymore, so I'm definitely staying out of downtown, it's too expensive for me anyway.

[indy_317]

Originally Posted by gabaghoul

So where did you park when you had classes? Is it difficult to find a spot in the paid IUPUI parking garages? Are they patrolled by officers? Does the city do a good job cleaning roads in winter? You guys make a good point, I'm over the party animal phase and can't stand loud parties anymore, so I'm definitely staying out of downtown, it's too expensive for me anyway.

Back when I went to IUPUI, parking was just starting to become an issue. They have built many garages since then, and expanded other lots. The #1 issue with IUPUI parking is sheer laziness. Only 900ish students live on campus, another thousand or so in the complexes that surround campus. The vast majority of the students drive from either their parents home, or from apartment complexes within say a 10 mile radius. When people drive, they tend to think they should be able to park right next to their destination: Mall, theater, etc.. If more people thought of IUPUI as a traditional campus where folks walk or take the shuttle, then the laughable complaints about parking would be non-existent. You will have to check their parking website, but usually in the Fall semester, parking is bad, but in the spring semester, you can find spaces in the garages on the outskirts of campus. Note that outskirts may mean the garage right across the street from the building your class is in, or at most, four blocks away.

The lots are patrolled, but there are still a lot of vehicle break-ins in the metro area....and I mean a lot. Don't leave money, IPods, cell phones, power cables, GPS units, the docking stations to anything, power cords to these items, purses, wallets, book bags, textbooks, etc. sitting in plain view and you likely won't get your window smashed.

The city does OK with streets downtown, the campus has always seemed to do an excellent job in years past, so I'm sure they still do a good job now.

[gabaghoul]

Originally Posted by indy_317

the docking stations to anything

I have a GPS mount but I don't leave the GPS in my car. I guess I'll have to remove the mount now, which is a big inconvenient.

[sweetana3]

Walmart has a neighborhood store at I65 and Keystone just a throw from downtown. We love the Marsh and like the Kroger. Each is a simple walk from our area of St. Joseph. We do it all the time.

If you want a big box store (which you dont need every day) whip up on the Interstate (easy from downtown) and drive one stop after I465 to Southport and there is a huge Target and Meijer. Walmart is the next stop on I65. Very easy.

If you find Lockfield ok after talking to people, I would suggest that one since you would have zero problem getting to class, use no gas to get to class, not have to worry about the weather, etc. It would be my choice.

[TaylorRothschild]

Please God let my comment be in time. Look, there's a good reason that Lockfield is consistently scorched in the reviews. It's ghetto.

Oh sure, many will rave about "med students" and "young professionals" staying there. Ask them for proof and they'll run screaming. lol You see, Lockfield was decent lodging in years past. It's true that many students chose Lockfield, and few had any problems. Recently? It's a whole other story.

Lockfield's drawbacks are many, let me just list a few. Car thefts and breakins are off the chart. Find someone who lives in Lockfield who hasn't had their car stolen or vandalized, and I'll show you a new tenant! The public areas should not be visited at night. Unless, for instance you're in the mood for a game of dice or need to score some narcotics. What nobody here has mentioned is that Lockfield provides "halfway" housing for the penitentiary in Plainfield. Why does this matter, you ask? That means about 10% of your neighbors are convicted felons. Not only that, but Lockfield is their first stop on the outside. Doesn't make you want to bring young relatives around for a visit, does it. That part is what drove my ex to finally leave Lockfield. She couldn't walk to the laundry or even the office without being propositioned or otherwise harassed.

It's a real shame what happened to Lockfield. What used to be a family oriented complex has turned into the scourge of Indy's downtown apartments.

[gabaghoul]

Originally Posted by TaylorRothschild

Please God let my comment be in time. Look, there's a good reason that Lockfield is consistently scorched in the reviews. It's ghetto.

Oh sure, many will rave about "med students" and "young professionals" staying there. Ask them for proof and they'll run screaming. lol You see, Lockfield was decent lodging in years past. It's true that many students chose Lockfield, and few had any problems. Recently? It's a whole other story.

Lockfield's drawbacks are many, let me just list a few. Car thefts and breakins are off the chart. Find someone who lives in Lockfield who hasn't had their car stolen or vandalized, and I'll show you a new tenant! The public areas should not be visited at night. Unless, for instance you're in the mood for a game of dice or need to score some narcotics. What nobody here has mentioned is that Lockfield provides "halfway" housing for the penitentiary in Plainfield. Why does this matter, you ask? That means about 10% of your neighbors are convicted felons. Not only that, but Lockfield is their first stop on the outside. Doesn't make you want to bring young relatives around for a visit, does it. That part is what drove my ex to finally leave Lockfield. She couldn't walk to the laundry or even the office without being propositioned or otherwise harassed.

It's a real shame what happened to Lockfield. What used to be a family oriented complex has turned into the scourge of Indy's downtown apartments.

That in addition to the bug and bed bug problems people talk about. We had a bed bug problem at where I'm living right now, and it took the entire summer to get rid of, I'm not willing to go through that ordeal again. Also people mention thin walls at Lockefield, and from my tour I noticed there was loud music playing and when I asked the staff member about it he said he was gonna go and knock on their door. That would be an insult to my intelligence, you know when someone lies to you and they know that you know they're lying?! As someone who grew in small towns, I prefer something off downtown and I don't really mind driving, I'll just leave an hour earlier.

[sweetana3]

Those are good specific examples that are often hard to get from people. I still like downtown and have lived downtown for over 10 years without problems. It is a balancing act of the money/time you want to spend commuting or enjoying life at home.

Never ever leave anything in your car or evidence that there might be something in the glove compartment. It is to quick and easy to break a window and run. Police are constantly telling those that have cars outside to take this simple precaution.

[gabaghoul]

Originally Posted by sweetana3

Those are good specific examples that are often hard to get from people. I still like downtown and have lived downtown for over 10 years without problems. It is a balancing act of the money/time you want to spend commuting or enjoying life at home.

Never ever leave anything in your car or evidence that there might be something in the glove compartment. It is to quick and easy to break a window and run. Police are constantly telling those that have cars outside to take this simple precaution.

The only thing that I have in my car is a GPS mount.

[Toxic Toast]

There is a new development at 1210 Indiana Ave that is geared toward IUPUI students. I don't remember the web address, but that might be worth looking into.

If you are interested in the west side, you might look at Deercross off of 38th and Eagle Creek Parkway. I used to live over there, nice place. My rent was under 600, I do not know if that is still the case. The commute downtown would be a little easier, you can take 38th Street to 65 south and be downtown in 15-20 minutes depending on traffic.