moving to Iowa City, HELP????? advice please (Clinton, Burlington: middle-class, apartment complex)

[colleenlynn]

Hello,

My husband, son and our two small dogs are moving to Iowa City for a job change to University of Iowa and are looking for an interesting neighborhood where we can rent an apartment or house with the possiblity of walking to a park, the grocery and or just an interesting place to be. We currently live in the Lincoln Park neighborhood in Chicago, IL and we are both artists who appreciate culture and beauty. Other concerns as always are safety, affordable, and enough space. I was on craigs list and the prices are higher then I imagined. I was hoping to spend $900 - $1000 for a 2 or 3 bedroom. Any thoughts? Its a quick move for us and we appreciate any advice you can give us. Thanks so much--- Colleen

[SharpHawkeye]

Welcome to Iowa City!

Unforutnately, you've picked the absolute worst time to try to get an apartment here. The fall semester starts at the end of next month, and all the students who havn't gotten apartments yet are starting to gobble them up and drive up the rents.

With that said...the general rule is that apartments get cheaper the farther out one goes from downtown. If you're willing to sacrifice a little in terms of walking distance to the things you mentioned (all downtown), your rent will be significantly lower and your neighborhood will be much quieter and less rowdy. Safety isn't a big concern anywhere in the area, but I would avoid anything on Johnson St. (party central) and the Lakeside Apartment complex.

As far as neighborhoods go, I think you would like the Northside, Longfellow, Goosetown or College Green neighborhoods. Melrose/University Heights (often listed as "near UIHC" on craigslist) is across the river, but quieter and cheaper.

http://www.icgov.org/images/neighassocmap.gif (broken link)
Daily Iowan (http://www.dailyiowan.com/classifieds/ - broken link)
press-citizen.com | classifieds

[colleenlynn]

thanks for your help- it confirms what I thought about what neighborhoods we would like to live. Do you know anything about the "historic northside" neighborhood?

[SharpHawkeye]

Oooh! I love questions I can answer!

The Northside Neighborhood is a really neat area north of Downtown IC with older houses, brick streets and neighborhood shops and restaurants.

The definition of the neighborhood is flexible (depends on who you talk to)--but is generally considered the area from about Clinton St. on the east to about Dodge St. on the west--and from Jefferson in the south to about Clinton to the north. The real core of the neighborhood is the area around Linn and Market--home to the Hamburg, Oasis, Devotay, a pretty good used bookstore, "Dirty" John's Grocery, Riverside Theater and Mercy Hospital. It's a busy little neighborhood, easily walkable, with a lot of charm. It's somewhat removed from the wild downtown bar scene...and usually attracts a little more serious student crowd than other neighborhoods.

North of there are a lot of older homes along old brick streets-big Victorians and the like. It's a very quiet neighborhood, very well maintained. More expensive than some other neighborhoods, but still affordable.

Some will extend the Northside Neighborhood north of Church--as far as Gaslight Village...but I think that's a little bit of a stretch.

EDIT: I found a website for the Neighborhood--here's the link!
index

[Pearlbob]

As a former college student up there, I think that northside area would be great for you. Probably try to get as far from campus as you can there, but it's near downtown, walkable, big homes, big trees, there is some sort of park around the Dodge/??? area (a few blocks from Burlington), and it is far enough from campus that it isn't totally filled with loud college students all night and day. Stay away from anywhere that has apt complexes, like the Johnson St area.

[kristel]

My husband and i decided to rent in North Liberty since we wanted to be a bit away from the city. While it is nice for families and very slow paced I would not recommend it since you are wanting to be close to the art and cultural aspects of Iowa City.

[New Begining]

I'm relocating to Iowa City from West Joliet...I have to emphasize West Joliet b/c it's a beast over the bridge....I'm debating if I should be moving to davenport or demoines (spelling)....I'm interested in living in an area that's racially balanced....liberated......accept sec 8....but nothing ghetto....I have sec 8 and always lived in a middle-class diverse neighborhood.... very well kept...i currently live in a historical neighborhood....I enjoy the quaint feel of a suburb.... centrally located...fill with all walks of life...people that are warm and genuinely friendly like where I live.....I enjoy going to plays....movies....shopping.....poetry cafe etc....no partying here....i enjoy going to church.....christian...teaching ministry....like Joel Olsteen's Ministries.....I just want to be comfortable.....did I mention liberated and diverse......I'm also looking to complete my degree in business administration....will I be comfortable in North Iowa as well??? Is North Iowa as I described or will I run into a serious racial barrier??? I'm of the African American decent...Also I have to live near a high school...how's West High=== @@@@@HELP!!!! ANYONE HAS ANSWERS@@@@@

[lonewahya]

Like previously posted, if you are willing to give up the "walking distance", you can find more reasonable accommodations. But check out the bus routes. They have weekend rates for families (my wife, 2 kids and myself road the bus to the library down town and back for $2.00 on a Saturday. The bus route has passes for school age kids as well. My high schooler got a pass good for any time a bus ran as well.

[HadleyEG]

Does anyone here have any thing to report about Gaslight Village? I'm thinking of moving there--I'd like to live alone, and somewhere not right downtown. I like the look of what I've seen from pictures. I am okay with sharing a kitchen and bathroom, but I cook all the time and wonder if anyone knows how the kitchen situation plays out in any of the units? Are there any other worrisome qualities of this place that aren't apparent in the pictures on their website?

[lurtsman]

Sorry, prices will be much higher than you want, especially for areas with culture. IC is by far the most expensive part of the state. As you might notice, wages will drop significantly when you move, as will job prospects.

Best of luck.