Apartment Advice from New Cerner Hire (Country Club: 2013, apartments, rentals)

[newkcresident]

Hi, I am relocating to the KC area to work for Cerner, and this site seems like a great place to get some advice. During training I will rotate between their multiple buildings, and I will not know my permanent work location for a few months. Since I cannot ensure that I will live close to where I will work, I would prefer to just move into the location that I would enjoy the most.

I am a male in my mid twenties. I would like to live in an area that is very safe, but also a reasonable commute to fun things to do. Shopping, nightlife etc. My optimal situation would be being in a trendy area that is fun but also safe.I would like to keep my rent 1000 or lower.

Based on my research so far, and from reading this forum, I am thinking that I would prefer to live in either the North land or The Country Club Plaza area. The North land because it appears to be a safe area that is a short commute to down town. The Plaza area seems like it would be a very fun place where I would be around lots of things to do and people in my age group. How safe of an area is The Plaza? Also do you think I should consider other areas or suburbs?

So far I plan on visiting at minimum the following complexes(list growing and I appreciate any recommendations):

Carrington Park
Crossing at Barry
City View

Fountain View
Icon on the Plaza
Plaza Terrace

I am visiting the area sometime next week to scout it. Apparently as a Cerner Employee I can get a discount at most of the complexes I named. I appreciate any help, and I am really looking forward to moving to your city because it seems awesome.

[kcmo]

I would live in the city if at all possible. Plaza, downtown etc. River Market would be a good place. You are only young once, live in an active walkable urban area. Places like the river market, plaza, crossroads and even much of midtown/westport would be perfectly safe. Just don't leave valuables in your car etc, but same can be said with suburban complexes.

The Northland is nice, but is suburban. Tons to choose from up there if you do decide to live in that area. I would imagine the newer the complex, the nicer (and more expensive) it will be.

[newkcresident]

Originally Posted by kcmo

I would live in the city if at all possible. Plaza, downtown etc. River Market would be a good place. You are only young once, live in an active walkable urban area. Places like the river market, plaza, crossroads and even much of midtown/westport would be perfectly safe. Just don't leave valuables in your car etc, but same can be said with suburban complexes.

The Northland is nice, but is suburban. Tons to choose from up there if you do decide to live in that area. I would imagine the newer the complex, the nicer (and more expensive) it will be.

Sounds great. Thank you for the feedback.I absolutely think I would prefer living in a lively area. I just wanted to verify these area was safe.And fortunately for me it sounds like The Plaza is.

[WiseOwlSaysHoot]

Originally Posted by kcmo

I would live in the city if at all possible. Plaza, downtown etc. River Market would be a good place. You are only young once, live in an active walkable urban area. Places like the river market, plaza, crossroads and even much of midtown/westport would be perfectly safe. Just don't leave valuables in your car etc, but same can be said with suburban complexes.

The Northland is nice, but is suburban. Tons to choose from up there if you do decide to live in that area. I would imagine the newer the complex, the nicer (and more expensive) it will be.

I agree with this post.

I would look at the Plaza, and if you want to expand your search, look at the neighborhoods north of the Plaza through Downtown.

[luzianne]

A lot of the Cerner employees live in one of the complexes close to Cerner. Maybe you'd like living downtown or the Plaza, but it seems like a hassle to me to drive from downtown or the Plaza when you can live so close to work - although my daughter could have worked for Cerner and some friends of hers do, and part of what she didn't like is that everyone worked together and then basically lived together. She said it was sort of like a Cerner cult. But to me, living close to work is a plus. My thinking is you can live and work with Cerner during the week, and drive downtown or to the Plaza on weekends for fun. But that's just me!

[TabulaRasa]

The Plaza will probably be more your speed. Of those complexes, the only one I have experience with is Plaza Terrace, which I considered renting in around late 2012, early 2013...ended up going with a neighboring building instead. Plaza Terrace is is one of the older complexes on the Plaza, which causes it to be one of the less expensive rentals. Because of this, though, it (at least that time) was in need of some updating. Not bad "starter" apartments, though. There is major construction going on right now right across Pennsylvania from them, which in my experience can lead to parking issues, noise issues, utility interruptions, and general hassles, something to bear in mind.

The location in general is great, and will provide you with a lot more to do than the areas immediately surrounding any of the Cerner campuses.

[rwiksell]

Originally Posted by luzianne

A lot of the Cerner employees live in one of the complexes close to Cerner. Maybe you'd like living downtown or the Plaza, but it seems like a hassle to me to drive from downtown or the Plaza when you can live so close to work - although my daughter could have worked for Cerner and some friends of hers do, and part of what she didn't like is that everyone worked together and then basically lived together. She said it was sort of like a Cerner cult. But to me, living close to work is a plus. My thinking is you can live and work with Cerner during the week, and drive downtown or to the Plaza on weekends for fun. But that's just me!

Where exactly would the OP have to move in order to ensure proximity to Cerner? He said he didn't know which building he would end up in, so he wasn't worried about trying to guess. It may seem like a hassle to you to commute very far, but the OP was very specific about how this was not (indeed, could not) be one of his criteria. You'll have to find a different excuse to advise him against living "downtown or the plaza".

I know you qualified it by saying that's "just you" but if your perspective is so clearly opposite from the OP's, then why comment at all?

I agree with previous commenters, who recommended anything between (and including) the River Market and the Plaza. The vast majority of this is perfectly safe for a young single man, and also lively enough to meet the OP's expectations.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by rwiksell

Where exactly would the OP have to move in order to ensure proximity to Cerner? He said he didn't know which building he would end up in, so he wasn't worried about trying to guess. It may seem like a hassle to you to commute very far, but the OP was very specific about how this was not (indeed, could not) be one of his criteria. You'll have to find a different excuse to advise him against living "downtown or the plaza".

I know you qualified it by saying that's "just you" but if your perspective is so clearly opposite from the OP's, then why comment at all?

I agree with previous commenters, who recommended anything between (and including) the River Market and the Plaza. The vast majority of this is perfectly safe for a young single man, and also lively enough to meet the OP's expectations.

Well actually, I was basing my answer on the fact that some of the apartments he listed ARE in the northland. I totally missed the part where he said he doesn't know where he will be working. He listed some northland apartments, so I was thinking he was going to be in the northland. I agree there's no reason to live in the northland if your final location could be somewhere else.

[TabulaRasa]

I'd definitely rent pretty centrally.

[TabulaRasa]

Just looked up Icon on the Plaza...turns out this is the former Dunleith Towers. I'd check apartment reviews and/or visit for yourself for this property. I toured it two years ago when looking to rent, and it was gross. They really liked to push their pool, and dowplay the fact that the units were rundown and sketchy, as well as being small for the price. Not sure if it's new mgmt or just a new name. Maybe the upkeep has changed, but I'd check.