moving to Jacksonville (University, Springfield, Five Points: apartments, rentals, lofts)

[Euripides]

I'm moving to Jacksonville in August and looking at condo's downtown. Can anyone tell me how the living is in the downtown area for a single female? Safe? Things to do? etc.... I'm looking at the Ponte Vedra Beach area as well. I know it's two different extremes, but laying out the pro's and con's.. any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

[Magnolia Bloom]

Two places downtown that are worth checking our are 11 East Forsyth 11 East Forsyth Apartments : Florida : The Vestcor Companies and the Carling.

Move about 45 seconds into this video to see the Carling. (I don't know anything about rentfinders that shot the vid, just found this on youtube and it shows the Carling.)


YouTube - The Carling Apartments for Rent 904-565-9040 Jacksonville,FL


PVB would be a totally different scene and I don't know about rentals, but it is a great area. Different lifestyle.

[runswithscissors]

I talked myself out of downtown because it is completely and totally empty after about seven at night unless there's an event. I mean, not even a coffee shop open just like, one pizza joint. Random men wandering all over lol.

I moved to the Strand across the river. It's nice but there's not much over here either. Riverside is more my speed and has EVERYTHING in walking distance of five points where I was looking at either 1616 riverside or villas of st johns. but I was in a hurry and took the Strand...in terms of if you need something over here, you drive. Riverside on the other hand is not really completely safe wandering around but at five points there are several food places, publix, dry cleaner, stuff like that so you're right around the square all the time. You dont wanna walk in the park right there on the river at five points at night though. A kid told me he was getting mugged at seven at night there but the bums saved him....lol he said dont be afraid of our bums they saved me ha ha.

The river bank here at the strand is nice and all with a great view and I am at work in my chair in 15 minutes door to door including the parking garages. A 7 minute car ride or I can take the little skyway.

Next year I'm still thinking about moving over to downtown to perhaps where HIF posted. I really wanted to look at them but everyone talked me out of over there. BUt I work there right on Bay and the back entrance is Forsyth and even living at the Strand I have to drive to ANYTHING like Publix is in Riverside. So if I have to drive everywhere what's the big deal about downtown not really being resident friendly not not so "safe" I guess.

I did drive over to Metro Lofts the night I was looking here and it's a bad ish street and there were hookers in the lobby busy with the "concierge" lol, more like a security guard then I saw some really sketchy people coming out the next morning on Ashley at another apt building looking like I dont know....like poor families with kids going in the car in raggedy pajamas and no shoes and stuff...just wierd...

It's tricky. San Marco is nice (here) but honestly there's just no convenience for me, like a grocery, drug store, variety store...tonight I have no food here and have been postponing the TREK in the darn car over to Riverside...so I'm not going. It's just too much of a pain after working all day to go out again at night and spend time driving around. There is a sandwich shop I think and a Panera a few blocks away that's always busy but everything closes early like before nine.

If I didnt mind commuting or being in suburbia I'd be at the beach or further south. Southside seems very safe and has some really nice areas just like San Marco but I'm single and want to be where there is something to "see" and do not just a neighborhood sitting in my yard or porch.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by runswithscissors

...I moved to the Strand across the river. It's nice but there's not much over here either. Riverside is more my speed and has EVERYTHING in walking distance of five points where I was looking at either 1616 riverside or villas of st johns. but I was in a hurry and took the Strand...in terms of if you need something over here, you drive. Riverside on the other hand is not really completely safe wandering around...

...living at the Strand I have to drive to ANYTHING like Publix is in Riverside. So if I have to drive everywhere what's the big deal about downtown not really being resident friendly not not so "safe" I guess.

It's tricky. San Marco is nice (here) but honestly there's just no convenience for me, like a grocery, drug store, variety store...tonight I have no food here and have been postponing the TREK in the darn car over to Riverside...so I'm not going. It's just too much of a pain after working all day to go out again at night and spend time driving around. There is a sandwich shop I think and a Panera a few blocks away that's always busy but everything closes early like before nine.

It's true, those really are the different trade-offs. Downtown is dead after dark most nights. It's fine for driving in to a destination, such as a club or a bar, but for day-to-day living, it just doesn't have the vibrancy. Not yet anyway. And without people on the street, your personal safety becomes an issue.

Riverside has its' cool factor, and it has some dense walkability in Five Points and at Memorial Park, but it also has its' share of crime. After living in NYC, I've personally had my fill of street people, so that's a turnoff for me.

San Marco is wonderful when you need an upscale meal, but it can be a bit of a search to find the basics, you'll have to drive out of the Square, it's true. San Marco will get a Publix. Publix continues to make the statement that they will open a Publix in the East San Marco project once it is up and running again. In the meantime, you only need to drive about 3 minutes south of the Square to get to 2 grocery stores. There is a Winn Dixie in Lakewood at the corner of San Jose & University (a clean Winn Dixie), and a few traffic lights in on University, there is a Publix. Also, the new Lakewood Publix is under construction right now. The old Albertson/Rowes has been leveled and the new Publix framework is up. It appears to be in the new "urban" style with the store close to the street instead of a huge parking lot, so it should look great when finished.

I've gone off topic a bit, but I know you're new to the area, Runswithscissors, so I thought I'd add some of the options in the other direction from the Strand in case that's an easier drive for you than over to Riverside.

[Magnolia Bloom]

I was going to mention the WD to run, also. It's probably a little closer than Riverside Publix.

Sorry to get OT, but Runs, has anyone told you that the Jax 4th of July CD party will be at your place this year?! I bet you'll have a primo view of the fireworks!

[fsu813]

Well since the topic of living NEAR Downtown has come up, instead of actually IN downtown, i have to throw a pitch in for Springfield.....

If the original poster wants to be very close to Downtown, but still have all the day-to day vibrancy and amenties that have been sited, then Springfield is actaully a little closer than Riverside. And there are plenty of VERY nice apartments, duplexes, & houses availble for rent. Because the area is not fully restored yet you can get the most - by far - in this area. Springfield is Downtown's "suburb" and you can easily walk from Springfield into Downtown.

There's a recently renovated Winn-Dixie (though many still go to the Riverside Publix b/c it has more variety), the city-wide popular 3 Layers Coffee Shop, and popular local restuarants like Holas & Waffa and Mikes, plenty of fast food options, Chinese take out, and the brand new mixed use 3rd& Main building which has a GREAT ice cream & sandwhich cafe (just opended) and will also have.........drum roll.........and upscale green grocer / deli / breakfast & lunch menu / cafe which is set to open in mid-August (by the owner of the Burrito Gallery, downtown). Very excited about that. As for night life, The Pearl & Shanty Town are good options if you like casual bars with music and the new "Cellar" (attached to 3 Layers) is a nice upscale option. There is plenty of vibrancy with people walking around, riding bikes, walking dogs, tending thier lawns, throwing monthly block-parties, having festivals (seems like every other month), etc. This weekend it's a huge festival called "Dogs Days of Summer" with music, food, art, throw-back baseball game and of course fireworks in the evening which can be seen from Klutho Park. As the name implies, dogs are encouraged. There's another in the AM at Confederate Park as well. That reminds me, plenty of parks too. Most of Klutho is nice, Confederate is nice, and the brand new dog park is the nicest in the city. There are a host of other businesses ready to move in on Main Street after construction is done in October (rumor is a quailty pizza joint will be among them).

The neighborhood isn't fully restored, as i mentioned, so it's common to see a few very nice houses next to a couple in the middle of a renovation, next to a couple that haven't been renovated yet......but crime is not a major issue at all in the historic district (despite what you may hear from others). Just avoid the prostitues & drunks on 8th Street who come out at night and don't walk alone late at night and you'll have nothing to worry about that you wouldn't somewhere else. (ie, the area doesn't have more break-ins, car thefts, shootings, etc than Riverside or anywhere else around the city).

I've lived & worked in Riverside, Springfield, & San Marco and they are all great and share many of the same basic characteristics of walkability, parks, near downtown, historic districts, plenty of local/unique businesses, have a "cool" young vibe to them.


To your original question: Pros & Cons

Downtown - not much vibrancy after 6pm, not many amentities with in 1 square mile (though Springfield is only about 1 & 1/2 miles away), parking can be an issue during the day, homeless can get annoying (as harsh as that sounds). However, it is very close to all the major sports, concerts, events, the river, mueseums, very nice parks, Riverside, Springfield, San Marco, very nice main library, and is centrally located to everything outside of the city. Plenty of stuff for young peoplw with-in 5-10 minute drive.

PonteVedra Beach - Far away from everything that i listed above, expensive, not with-in walking distance to anything, not a lot of parks, very suburbish, gated community mindset. However, it is close to the beach, crime is not as much of an issue as is it towards the city, upscale restaurants and amenties not too far, plenty of golf courses.

[ShakenStirred]

Originally Posted by Euripides

I'm moving to Jacksonville in August and looking at condo's downtown. Can anyone tell me how the living is in the downtown area for a single female? Safe? Things to do? etc.... I'm looking at the Ponte Vedra Beach area as well. I know it's two different extremes, but laying out the pro's and con's.. any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

A single female that I know personally lives at 11 Forsyth and she seems to be very happy there. She loves that downtown atmosphere.