Young Professional Moving to Jacksonville (Neptune Beach, Five Points: apartment complex, for rent, condos)

[fujibulldog]

Hey everyone! I am likely relocating from the midwest to Jacksonville for a new job. I am hoping I can get some feedback from the experts in the area on where a good place would be for a young single professional to live. I will be there this week visiting the company and looking around the city. I have just a few requirements. I am still young and single so nightlife is important to me and not knowing anyone will want to be in an active area of the city where meeting new people will be easy. I will also be having friends and family coming to visit (I hope often) and will want to be close to things for them to do and see while there i.e beaches. I will be working on the southside and want to have a easy commute to work as well. Any starting points as to where I should be looking??

Thanks!!

[LA-VA-FL]

Well depending on where you are working on the southside you should have plenty of living options close to work and entertainment. Southside blvd is the "hub" on that part of town for restaurants, bars, movie theater, and tons of new apartment complexes. Also (once again depending on where your work is on the southside) you might also consider the beaches.

San Marco area might also be a good alternative for a slightly more urban, ecletic, and "close to downtown" neighborhood (which is technically located on the "south bank" but closer to the cities "core".

We need a little more info, such as: your budget, entertainment necessities, and overall neighborhood "feel" you are seeking. The majority of places to live on the southside are highly suburban-- (also might wanna check spelling on the thread title)

[projectmaximus]

Starting point? Look right around where you work. Southside, for the most part, is nice, clean, offers nightlife and pretty easy access to the beaches. It's also very suburban.

For a more urban feel, you can try downtown, but it's still lacking all the amenities to be a fully sufficient neighborhood.

Historic walkable areas are San Marco, Five Points, Riverside, all close to downtown. The beaches offer their own environment and nightlife culture that could be appealing to you. Jax Beach and perhaps Neptune Beach would be suitable for a young single.

Back to the rest of the city...it's pretty much all suburbia. And that being the case, southside is often the top choice, besides the fact that you'd be working there too!

[fujibulldog]

LA-VA-FL thanks for the misspelling catch, can't figure out how to edit the title...oops :-/

Thanks for your posts...looking at a map it looks like I will be very close to where I95 and 295 meet near Phillips Hwy on the South side. I am looking to rent and would like to spend no more than $1,000/month on rent. I don't mind having a little bit of a commute to work, so I would say anywhere within a 25 minute commute would be fine. As far as the community feel, I enjoy areas that have easy access to entertainment and shopping. I would love to consider somewhere near the beaches if that would work out to be feasible, but not a necessity. I am looking to get involved in beach volleyball and I love to play golf. Those are two very important activities to me. I do enjoy being able to walk to places i.e. restaurants and pubs, but again its not a "have to have" item. I just want to be in a place where I can get easily acquainted with the city and be able to easily meet people. Sorry if I'm not real specific, I guess at this Point I am just trying to avoid ending up in an area that is majority family living and not a good fit for a young single male. Looking forward to joining all of you down there in the sunshine state

[nancy thereader]

LA-VA-FL thanks for the misspelling catch, can't figure out how to edit the title...oops :-/

I fixed that for you, fuji. Hope you don't mind.

[fujibulldog]

Originally Posted by nancy thereader

LA-VA-FL thanks for the misspelling catch, can't figure out how to edit the title...oops :-/

I fixed that for you, fuji. Hope you don't mind.

Thanks Nancy! That was much appreciated

[projectmaximus]

hmm, fuji. I think I'm gonna step aside and let someone handle the specifics on this. I grew up in Jax and still visit family and friends there pretty regularly, so I can offer you a general impression, but I honestly don't know what areas I would frequent if I was hoping to meet other young singles. There's a number of areas I can think of at the beaches, but I can't speak with much authority.

But for a general overview: yeah, do check out the area where you will be working. Right on Philips at the I-95 intersection there's a Regal Theater and two shopping complexes: Avenues Mall and Avenues Walk (which is in early stages of development). So there's stuff to do, although all very suburban in nature. The Mandarin area (to the southwest) is very residential. And the southside, to the north and east, has a variety of food and entertainment destinations. All pretty cookie-cutter, mostly chains, but safe and comfortable.

Tinseltown (which is off of Southside Blvd just north of JTB) and the St Johns Town Center are other major retail/entertainment areas.

Check out Jax beach, and some of the other beaches too if you have time.

And try to look at some neighborhoods close to downtown and along the river...Ortega, San Marco, Riverside, Five Points, Avondale. And downtown itself.

Hope you have a good visit! I don't think there's a big beach volleyball scene, but your golfing fix will certainly get its fill in Jax.

[mawipafl]

Trying to think of some nightspots for fujibulldog to visit while here ...

For those in the know, are these decent places for young professionals to meet one another?:
Seven Bridges on Gate Parkway
Dave & Buster's on Salisbury

[FLPL75]

fujibulldog

I am also going to chime in on the Southside area.

The Gate parkway Touchton Rd. area around Tinseltown has tons of apartment complexes.
There is also a brand new apartment complex right off JTB at Kernan
You might also want to check condos that are for rent.
A couple to check would be Overlook on Baymeadows Point Meadows Place on Point Meadows drive
There is a public golf course right near the area Windsor Park

This area would have you about 20 mins from the beach and maybe 15 mins to work.

Some other place to check out at the beach while you are here
Ragtime
Sun Dog
Petes Bar

[KerryB]

I feel the only true way you can meet people is if you increase your chances of interactions with people. And the only way to do that is if you live in a walkable area because you're not gonna meet anyone going from house > car > road > parking lot of destination. Not saying it cant be done, but its much more difficult. Anyways, the best encounters are the ones that arent planned & where you are just going about your everyday life instead of planning to go to some social event where its implied. Thats been my experience anyway.

So I'd say the best chance you'd have is to live in one of the few walkable neighborhoods Jax has. Those would be Riverside, San Marco & Avondale. There are other small pockets of walkability, but they're not anything to write home about as far as being walkable & expansive with a good influx of residents & outsiders mingling together.