Richfield and Hopkins? (Minneapolis, Bloomington, Eden Prairie: low income, apartments, condo)

[MSMCGirl]

Hi...I've already asked about Minnetonka vs Eden Prairie but there are some super cute homes (and you get much more for your money) in Richfield and Hopkins. Any opinions?? Thanks!

[uptown_urbanist]

Hopkins has a cuter downtown, and eventually they'll have a light rail line. Richfield doesn't have a real downtown, but it does have some main commercial nodes, and areas like Penn and 66th are currently organizing to do some significant upgrades (more pedestrian-friendly, that sort of thing) in the future. Wood Lake Nature Center is there (first urban nature center in the country!), which I think is a great perk. They have a lot of activities of all kinds, a boardwalk over the lake, and cross-country skiing in the winter. I like both places, and both seem to have a good feeling of community, a mix of residents, and are proactive when it comes to making their city a nice place to live. Schools are better in Hopkins. Both have some very nice houses at a good price. My impression is that Hopkins might have a bigger percentage of younger and single residents, but could be wrong about that. Richfield is pretty heavy on older people and young families, although a lot of single people or couples without kids have been buying there in recent years, too, since the value is so good for the location.

[MSMCGirl]

Thanks, Uptown...you are always very knowledgable! That's kind of the vibe I got from both areas. Hopkins feels a little more like SLP to me?...but Richfield has some great homes/neighborhoods too it seems (closer to Southdale)...

[mn55110]

Uptown_Urbanist is absolutely right about Wood Lake Nature Center near West 66th Street and Lyndale Avenue S.; it is a beautiful place. With the I-35W sound wall now constructed, you no longer see and hear the expanded Interstate 35 W.
The aforementioned 66th and Lyndale intersection has undergone mid-rise condo construction with walkable street level shopping and restaurants. Southdale Shopping Center, the Galleria and Centennial Lakes are right along its western border with Edina while on it's eastern side, near the airport,at East 66th Street and Cedar Avenue S. (Hwy 77) is the new SuperTarget and Home Depot.
Having all the perks of the I-494 Strip literally on Richfield's southern border with employment opportunities, dining options and shopping is nice too.
"The Hub" is an older shopping center at 66th street and Nicollet Avenue S. which has become more "ethnically diverse" in recent years. This scares some people, but the area is not dangerous by any means. If the area was not safe, Academy of Holy Angels would not have stayed at that intersection as they have all these decades. Residential areas are well lit by streetlight posts at night. Post World War II houses and some older apartment buildings are the norm in Richfield. Many of these homes have soundproofed by the federal and state government due to Richfield's proximity to MSP International Airport.

Hopkins is a little newer, mainly 1950's and 1960's houses. Mainstreet in downtown Hopkins as Uptown_Urbanist mentioned is very cute. There is a city-owned Performing Arts Center along with a nearby privately owned movie theatre, numberous restaurants and bars. There are a number of apartments along Main Street as well. The Luce Line Trail runs right through the center of Hopkins idear for bicycling, running , walking etc. Minnehaha Creek meanders its way from Grey's Bay on Lake Minnetonka toward the famous Minnnehaha Falls and the Mississippi RiverIf the Southwest Light rail line is ever built along the railroad tracks parallell to Excelsior Boulevard ( Hennepin County Road 3 ), between Downtown Minneapolis and the Southwest Suburbs of Eden Prairie and Chanhassen, property values in Hopkins will increase with the new rail stop. Cargill and their new corporate center along US hwy 169 and Excelsior Boulevard have helped along with Super Valu corporations large grocery distribution center near the same freeway exit bring new business to the city. Ridgedale Shopping Center and Knollwood Mall are both just outside the Hopkins City Limits are great too.
Hopkins School District ISD #270 is excellent along with Hopkins High School, which is actually at Cedar Lake Road and Lindbergh Drive across the street in Minnetonka, has great academics and athletics attracting transfer students from throughout the west metro along with the criticism which understandably goes with it.
Much of the areas people think are Hopkins actually are located in Minnetonka or St. Louis Park and sometimes Edina.

[MSMCGirl]

Thanks, MN 55110! I agree...I get confused as to whether I'm in Hopkins/Minnetonka/SLP. I do like that area a lot though. I like Richfield too (from what I've seen). You both gave great info....

I'm also considering Bloomington (I'm all over the place!)...will probably post asking about that too.

Thanks!!

[Glenfield]

Since Bloomington is really a fairly large city (3rd largest in MN) it is not going to be possible to give a short capsulized description of it. Better to ask about a specific part of Bloomington if you want some useful feedback.

[MWtoReno]

Yeah, Bloomington is all over the map as far as living conditions.

You have the areas that are low income, lots of crime, not a nice place to live

and you have your areas that are top notch, gated communities

[Radical_Car]

Well I myself like Hopkins and Richfield much better then Minnetonka and Eden Prairie. Between those 2, Hopkins does have a cute downtown, heck, uptown explained it better then I will ever be able to