Best areas near metro stations (subway)? (Pasadena, Highland: affordable apartments, foreclosure, lofts) - Los Angeles - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

Machino · 02-03-2009, 01:56 PM

What are the best areas to live if you plan on using the metro as a main method of transportation?

Also what areas are the best investment that has a station?

I have been looking at N.Hollywood but heard it might be a little dangerous. Can anyone help me go over pros and cons of the neighborhoods with stations?

timelesschild · 02-03-2009, 02:05 PM

What is your budget?

I don't know much about North Hollywood, but I will tell you the 3 stations I know the most about. They are from the lower half of the Gold Line:

Mt. Washington is nice, and has a station, but the houses on the side with the station are more expensive than the houses on the other side. No grocery stores, and steep hills. If you are walking groceries up those steep hills, it would... um... be a GREAT workout!

Highland Park is inexpensive, but not as safe/nice/upscale as the rest of the gold line. There is a Super-A grocery store, lots of other businesses, and plenty of buses.

South Pasadena (Mission Station) is super-nice, super-safe, and there are affordable apartments which are walkable to the station, as well as to Trader Joe's and the farmer's market. Other grocery stores are a bit more of a hike.

I've answered you as if you are going to be using ONLY public transportation, although I realize that you might also have a car. It does give you a sort of sense of the neighborhoods, though, to know what is around.

Hope this helps...

Machino · 02-03-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timelesschild

What is your budget?

I don't know much about North Hollywood, but I will tell you the 3 stations I know the most about. They are from the lower half of the Gold Line:

Mt. Washington is nice, and has a station, but the houses on the side with the station are more expensive than the houses on the other side. No grocery stores, and steep hills. If you are walking groceries up those steep hills, it would... um... be a GREAT workout!

Highland Park is inexpensive, but not as safe/nice/upscale as the rest of the gold line. There is a Super-A grocery store, lots of other businesses, and plenty of buses.

South Pasadena (Mission Station) is super-nice, super-safe, and there are affordable apartments which are walkable to the station, as well as to Trader Joe's and the farmer's market. Other grocery stores are a bit more of a hike.

I've answered you as if you are going to be using ONLY public transportation, although I realize that you might also have a car. It does give you a sort of sense of the neighborhoods, though, to know what is around.

Hope this helps...

I haven't considered these options, all 3 sound interesting and worth looking into. Is the Gold line a light rail or is it a bus line? I might be crazy, but I am hoping that I don't have to use the bus lines, only rail.

Are there any of the neigborhoods along the rail lines Industrial? Perhaps undergoing a change where there are more entertainment venues moving in. Also, which of the neighborhoods along the rail lines would be thought of as a hippy or artistic collective?

LASam · 02-03-2009, 02:39 PM

How about living near the Sunset/Vermont station in Los Feliz. Los Feliz is safe, hip, walkable, and should be relatively stable in regards to investment due to the central location and popularity of the hood.

bhcompy · 02-03-2009, 02:53 PM

where are you going to work? areas around the blue line in long beach are nice(downtown, bixby knolls, wrigley, virginia and lakewood country clubs, the city of signal hill, etc)

Christine Joan · 02-03-2009, 02:57 PM

Los Feliz is fantastic. If only it wasn't so expensive. If your budget allows you to afford Los Feliz, that soulds like a winner to me too.

If your budget doesn't go up that high, the Koreatown stations of Vermont/Wilshire, Normandie/Wilshire and Western/Wilshire are all good. They are all within walking distance to grocery stores, banks, post offices, etc. so bringing the groceries home would not be an issue. Also, there are very good mixes of affordable housing nearby. Every year the neighborhoods continue to upgrade here with brand new apartment complexes, brand new condos, and new shopping options. Within the next few years, there will be a brand new mall at Vermont/Wilshire.

Good luck.

Mike121 · 02-03-2009, 02:59 PM

The best connected neighborhood in the whole of the city is Chinatown, north-west of Union Station. It is at the nexus of the Red, Gold, and Metrolink trains.

KnoxTown · 02-03-2009, 03:15 PM

North Hollywood is NOT unsafe.

Machino · 02-03-2009, 03:43 PM

I've been browsing a few listings for pre-foreclosure lofts in the Pershing square area, which has a stop. Anybody in the know with this place?

the one · 02-03-2009, 04:20 PM

the gold line is light rail. and the new extension is just opening up this year.

but that goes to the east side. on that leg of the route i would stay closer to the j town stop. at first and alameda. its at the edge of little tokyo. if you go further east you are in boyle heights.

as for buses. if you choose a major street like whittier/6th/wilshire you can take the rapid bus. they are the most reliable of the buses, even during later hours.

stick to rail and the rapids.

you can also look at the washington stop on the blue line. that is industrial. a bit of a dodgey area, but we all need adventure everynow and then...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Machino

I haven't considered these options, all 3 sound interesting and worth looking into. Is the Gold line a light rail or is it a bus line? I might be crazy, but I am hoping that I don't have to use the bus lines, only rail.

Are there any of the neigborhoods along the rail lines Industrial? Perhaps undergoing a change where there are more entertainment venues moving in. Also, which of the neighborhoods along the rail lines would be thought of as a hippy or artistic collective?