Student Housing in Milwaukee (New Berlin, Berlin: low income, apartments, leases)

[austin4555]

Hi Guys,
I'm a Senior in HS right now, planning on attending school in Milwaukee this Fall (beginning in Oct.) at the Art Institute. I am starting to do some poking around looking into apartments in the area but am having some trouble finding places that offer short term leases (9 month) or offer a month by month rent lease. Does anyone know of any places that I should look into?

A little more info that may be helpful...
Looking in the price range of $5-600 tops.
The closer to the Art Institute, the better, but will have a car so am willing to have a few miles commute.
Would prefer to stay out of the "rough" parts of town if I can.
I also already know of places like the 2040 Lofts, but would prefer to go with a Studio or small 1 BDR so that I don't have to share space with people I don't really know (trust)..

If any of you guys can help me out a little and point me in a good direction of where to look/who to contact, that would be AWESOME!! Greatly appreciate it guys!

[austin4555]

Holy crap, this website is great! Just clicked a link at the bottom of the page here after I made my post and I found a good number of, what seems like, good apartments for me to start looking into! haha, that's sweet.. but still if anyone's got any recommendations, tips or advice for me I'd love to hear it!!
Thank you!

[Allan Trafton]

It sounds as if your going to MIAD. I believe MIAD has arranged for housing at an apartment building called The Park on Park and Cramer on the east side. It's a new building and fully furnished. It set up like a dorm, but is an apartment. I live near this building and it's keeped up very well. The building is only 2 years old and the rent is reasonable. MIAD will provide transportation to and from The Park. You may want to check this out.

[Milwaukee City]

I would recommend getting a room mate from Milwaukee area that could also chip in for rent. I know you're a little leary of this but seek a roommate through school, they will be more trust worthy. Walker's Point has a lot of MIAD students in this area. There is a studio building on the corner of 1st & Walker that houses may students.

[Allan Trafton]

MKE City - What is going up on 1st and National?

[Milwaukee City]

Originally Posted by Allan Trafton

MKE City - What is going up on 1st and National?

Oh that is the National Lofts construction expected this summer - JSOnline. National Avenue Lofts and Skyline | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/compujeramey/5459704033/ - broken link).

This actually was a big controversy here in Walker's Point because like every new construction project in the city of Milwaukee must have some sort of lower income portion to receive a grant or city/county/state money. So basically everyone in the neighborhood showed up to protest the building of this project because it was a lower income apartments. We all felt that Walker's Point was making great strides and 5 new lower income apartments all within Walker's Point was going to set us back as a area. The developer has since backed off of 3 or 4 of them and so far is only starting on the one you see at 1st & National.

I find it interesting as a side note on how everyone was calling New Berlin people racist because they didn't want a lower income apartment building in there city but yet they propose 5 in one neighborhood the whole Walker's Point goes ballistic. All of the people doing the complaining were my liberal friends and business owners. I am not trying to make this a political statement but more of a observation. On the New Berlin thing they say it was conservatives out in the suburbs didn't want any minorities living out there but yet when liberals complain about the same thing not a peep about how Walker's Point residents were afraid of more minorities moving into the area. I agree with both New Berlin and my liberal neighborhood cohorts.

Walker's Point has come a long way and I don't want it to go back down like it was in the early 90's. So I guess we will see how this new building is managed.

[Allan Trafton]

If they do a good job of managing the building it will be O.K. There are plenty of decent tenants of modest income. It's the management and screening of tenants which causes problems.

[Milwaukee City]

Originally Posted by Allan Trafton

If they do a good job of managing the building it will be O.K. There are plenty of decent tenants of modest income. It's the management and screening of tenants which causes problems.

True and which caused me to change my mind on the project I was against and now for it, was the fact that the two new buildings right next to Alterra Foundry in Walker's Point are low income apartment buildings. They have had no problems and they are very well kept.

[austin4555]

Originally Posted by Allan Trafton

It sounds as if your going to MIAD. I believe MIAD has arranged for housing at an apartment building called The Park on Park and Cramer on the east side. It's a new building and fully furnished. It set up like a dorm, but is an apartment. I live near this building and it's keeped up very well. The building is only 2 years old and the rent is reasonable. MIAD will provide transportation to and from The Park. You may want to check this out.

Actually not MIAD but The Art Institute of Wisconsin.. the new school they opened up last Oct (I believe), it's on Buffalo St.. They currently don't have a dorm but recommended the 2040 Lofts to me because they must have something worked out with them.. but like I said, not very interested in that idea..
It would be nice to have a roommate and all to split cost but it's not really a matter of not being able to afford a place, but rather looking for places that offer a 9 month lease, so far I've mostly come across 12 month minimums.
Also, I'm going to school for video production which means I will have all of my video editing equipment, cameras, etc. and I don't think I'd trust it around a total stranger to me.