Family Moving to Minneapolis

[StilltheSame]

I agree with Uptown as to the top 3 choices, but then I may be biased.
As a recent relo to the TC's my budget was nowhere near OP's but schools were important as was a short commute. Coming from private schools, we looked at both private and public - but preferred public if possible. Our research landed us with 2 primary first options: Southwest Minneapolis - with the Lake Harriet schools for our elementary and middle schooler - and SW high has a great reputation; and St. Louis Park. We were lucky enough to land in Minikahda Vista and the SLP schools and so far so good. We are centrally located - close to everything - urban enough to be walkable to most things. I love the space and layout of the suburban houses, but for me convenience, commute and walkability is more important. On OP's budget, she wont have to make a choice - she will get the right house in any of these areas.

[On Air]

Besides Minikahda Vista, are there any other nice neighborhoods in St. Louis Park?

[StilltheSame]

Originally Posted by On Air

Besides Minikahda Vista, are there any other nice neighborhoods in St. Louis Park?

MV - is the only one I would be interested in - its a large enough area. Beyond that - I would be interested in the adjacent areas which end up being Ediina or SW Minneapolis.

[MnMomma]

The Browndale neighborhood of St. Louis Park is also very nice.

[StilltheSame]

Originally Posted by MnMomma

The Browndale neighborhood of St. Louis Park is also very nice.

Agreed - it shows how ill informed I am - I thought that was either Edina or MV. Browndale is also a good choice.

[uptown_urbanist]

There are other "nice" neighborhoods, but Browndale and MV are the only ones that I can think of that fit my interpretation of what On Air is looking for. They're the older sections with historic homes, and is part of that Southwest/Edina/SLP area that once developed along old streetcar lines. (Morningside and Country Club in Edina, MV and Browndale in SLP, Linden Hills in Minneapolis: they all flow into one another. All are family-friendly with good schools and nice parks.).

Other similar neighborhoods in Minneapolis include Lynnhurst and East Harriet, parts of Fulton. Those are all either by Minnehaha Creek and/or Lake Harriet, have upscale historic houses, great park access, etc. (they're also fairly close to the Mpls/Edina/SLP border) I prefer the lakes myself, but Minnehaha Creek is definitely a nice local amenity, and houses on or across from the creek are considered highly desirable.

I believe all of those neighborhoods have their own websites and/or Facebook pages, which would be another place to go for photos, to read newsletters, that sort of thing.

[On Air]

Thanks everyone for the info! We're going house hunting this weekend in Chicago and next week in Minneapolis before we make up our mind for which jobs to accept.

[Libby01]

I do agree with the Linden Hills suggestions, but don't forget to look in St Paul if you are looking for a great older house! With your budget, you could have a lot of options.

Summit Avenue has probably the best collection of large historic homes in the state. It's a designated historic district. Homes are typically on large lots and have loads of charm. Not sure what is for sale in this area, but even outside of Summit, there are some great houses and neighborhoods. I know a number of people living in this area and it's very family friendly.

Also look along Mississippi River Blvd or Mount Curve Blvd. Great homes, large lots and access to loads of bike/walking trails that go along the river. This is especially nice for kids learning to ride bikes, because they can go for miles and miles without having to cross a street. It's also a great way to commute into Minneapolis for work (bike or driving).

There are a lot of excellent school choices. Capitol Hill magnet school is for gifted/talented (your child needs to test in), Horace Mann in Highland, Randolph Heights, St Anthony, are just a few of the great elementary schools. There are also charter school options- such as Nova Classical Academy. I believe St Paul Academy was mentioned earlier (BTW, it's not a private school, but rather a charter for middle school/ high school). But your kids are still young, so I would focus on elementary choices rather than high school at this point.

Good luck on your search!