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Old 01-25-2008, 07:56 PM
 
9 posts, read 51,310 times
Reputation: 11

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My wife and I will probably be moving to Madison within the next two years or so and are wondering if there are any neighborhoods (primarily populated by families / professionals - NOT students) where we could find all of the following within walking distance:
- Grocery stores
- Cafes, bookstores, restaurants, etc.
- Parks
In short, we're looking for a nice neighborhood where we can buy a house with a yard, be close to the amenities Madison offers, avoid the noise of the student population and rarely use a car (never would be ideal, but that's probably not realistic). I'm assuming that the isthmus would probably be the best section of town, but I'm not familiar with all the different neighborhoods. I want to avoid sprawling, car-centered areas and live in a very pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. The most important criteria here is the ability to conduct daily activities without driving or being constantly surrounded by students. Thanks so much.
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Old 01-25-2008, 10:06 PM
 
Location: Indianapolis
47 posts, read 162,704 times
Reputation: 17
Have you seen this website? Walk Score - Helping homebuyers, renters, and real estate agents find houses and apartments in great neighborhoods.
That might help you find a walkable neighborhood!

When I visited earlier this month noticed that the Hilldale mall area seemed to have residential in close proximity to all that you have mentioned above. Im moving to town in May and I'm trying to figure out where to live too :-)
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Old 01-26-2008, 12:47 PM
 
5,680 posts, read 10,301,470 times
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Actually, you could probably find most of what you're looking for in most neighborhoods within about a 3 or 4 mile radius of the Capitol. We've found Madison to be a very pedestrian and bike focused community, and quite a number of our acquaintances manage very nicely without a vehicle, living in areas where they can walk and bike wherever they need to go.

It is also worth mentioning that Madison is one of a very few communities in the country with a shared-vehicle program. Madison Community Cars has a smallish fleet of vehicles that are kept parked in locations around the city, and participants in the program can sign up to use a vehicle for a few hours at a time. There's a blurb about the program here: Isthmus | The Daily Page - Six drivers divorce their cars in Madison from the Isthmus (alternative free weekly paper).

You can generally stay away students if you avoid the region starting at very heart of downtown and going west a couple of miles. That said, there'll still be at least a few students in most neighborhoods within 5 miles of campus; after all, there are 40,000 of them, and it takes a fair bit of housing to accommodate them all. However, the rowdiest of them are the undergrads, and they're the ones who want to live closest to campus. If you look a couple miles away, you should be ok.

Good luck, and let us know how you do!
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Old 01-26-2008, 05:38 PM
 
395 posts, read 1,853,319 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MidwesternBookWorm View Post
... very few communities in the country with a shared-vehicle program.
These car sharing programs are increasingly common. Even Milwaukee has one.
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Old 01-26-2008, 06:00 PM
 
395 posts, read 1,853,319 times
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If you lived off of Monroe Street you could walk to Trader Joe's and plenty of cafes along Monroe, and the Arboretum. You'd be somewhat close to campus, though, as the neighborhood is adjacent to the madness that is Camp Randall stadium.

The Willy Street area is pretty compact with a co op, and plenty of cafes. Not very many students in that neighborhood. And if you worked in Downtown Madison (which basically means you work for the State or the University) you could easily get to work on the bus, foot, or bike.

Further east you've got the Atwood neighborhood, which has some nice restaurants and cafes to walk to. I can't think of any grocery stores over there, though.

I lived in Madison for six years, and the only people I knew who went without a car were students. Almost everyone else drives. Madison might have some nice bike paths, but the transit system is a joke. Even in Chicago, a dense city with a comprehensive transit system 75% of people commute by automobile. There's only one place in the whole US where the majority does not drive, and that's New York.
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Old 01-26-2008, 08:14 PM
 
Location: Back in MADISON Wi thank God!
1,047 posts, read 3,977,201 times
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Hilldale area is great.I lived in Sunset Village neighborhood.Lots of smallish family homes,some apartmants.Everything you need was a walk away.To Hilldale[which has all new things since I lived there],walk to University Ave. and all the shops there,walk up to Midvale Plaza to the Library and shops there.Even Doctor's offices and dentists.And then a short drive to downtown.
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Old 01-26-2008, 11:20 PM
 
9 posts, read 51,310 times
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Wow, thanks so much for all the quick and informative replies! You've given me some really great places to start looking.
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Old 01-26-2008, 11:54 PM
 
9 posts, read 51,310 times
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Milwaukee Ronnie:
I gather you now live in Milwaukee after your six year stint in Madison. In your experience, how do the two cities compare in terms of culture, progressiveness, quality of life, urban vitality, crime, economy, etc? Also, how realistic would it be to try to make it in Milwaukee without a car?
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Old 01-27-2008, 10:16 AM
 
395 posts, read 1,853,319 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by setherik View Post
Milwaukee Ronnie:
I gather you now live in Milwaukee after your six year stint in Madison. In your experience, how do the two cities compare in terms of culture, progressiveness, quality of life, urban vitality, crime, economy, etc? Also, how realistic would it be to try to make it in Milwaukee without a car?
Search the forum for my name and you'll see plenty of posts where I sound off on the differences between Milwaukee and Madison.

I like Milwaukee far, far more than Madison.
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Old 01-27-2008, 10:52 AM
 
8 posts, read 40,401 times
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Madison is great! The first neighborhood I thought of when I read your post was Monroe St., and the homes just off Monroe. It's got a lot of fun restaurants, great shops, parallels a major bike path, near Lake Wingra/Vilas Park, etc... While there may be a few students nearby, they are likely to be more in the "Vilas Neighborhood," which is closer to Regent St. and Camp Randall.

Willy St. (aka Williamson St.) and Atwood/Winnebago is really funky and very liberal. Also, lots of great restaurants and shops, and relatively close to downtown without a lot of the students.

Shorewood Hills is pricey, but near some of the more chain-y restaurants, and the up-and-coming Hilldale mall area.

As far as transportation goes, I've lived here for 7 years and never owned a car. I think the public transportation is very good for a city of this size.

Good luck with your searching!!
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