A couple of questions about car-free living in Minneapolis. (Franklin: best neighborhoods, apartment) - Minneapolis - St. Paul - Minnesota (MN) -Twin Cities - City-Data Forum

PDF · 06-21-2011, 11:07 PM

I am considering a move to Minneapolis in the winter (early or late) but I do have a few questions.

I would be living without a car as the title suggests. There are other cities where I can easily get a picture of what the city is like without having actually been there, but I'm having a hard time doing that with Minneapolis. And yes, I am considering visiting the city beforehand if it grabs my interest that much.

What neighborhoods should I be looking at? I realize that Minneapolis doesn't have urban neighborhoods on the scale of some of the other big cities, but after doing some research I like what I see. I'm just not finding much of it on Craigslist or other places. I wouldn't want to live in a house in a quiet neighborhood, but rather an apartment on a city block or something. Again, not expecting a NYC-Boston-type neighborhood ... but I did see photo tours of some neighborhoods and that was good enough for me.

I have heard Uptown suggested by a lot of people. I would be without a job initally, so a roommate situation would be ideal. Can someone fill me in on what some of the other neighborhoods are like?

Also, regarding transit ... just how much is it a month? I did not see a monthly price on the Metro Transit website. Does the bus not have a monthly fare?

Thanks! And yes, I'm actually really looking forward to your winter. Minneapolis really seems like my kind of city (I loved Seattle), just trying to get a handle/better view on it.

Mason3000 · 06-21-2011, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PDF

I am considering a move to Minneapolis in the winter (early or late) but I do have a few questions.

I would be living without a car as the title suggests. There are other cities where I can easily get a picture of what the city is like without having actually been there, but I'm having a hard time doing that with Minneapolis. And yes, I am considering visiting the city beforehand if it grabs my interest that much.

What neighborhoods should I be looking at? I realize that Minneapolis doesn't have urban neighborhoods on the scale of some of the other big cities, but after doing some research I like what I see. I'm just not finding much of it on Craigslist or other places. I wouldn't want to live in a house in a quiet neighborhood, but rather an apartment on a city block or something. Again, not expecting a NYC-Boston-type neighborhood ... but I did see photo tours of some neighborhoods and that was good enough for me.

I have heard Uptown suggested by a lot of people. I would be without a job initally, so a roommate situation would be ideal. Can someone fill me in on what some of the other neighborhoods are like?

Also, regarding transit ... just how much is it a month? I did not see a monthly price on the Metro Transit website. Does the bus not have a monthly fare?

Thanks! And yes, I'm actually really looking forward to your winter. Minneapolis really seems like my kind of city (I loved Seattle), just trying to get a handle/better view on it.

Uptown would be a great fit for you imo. Everything you need is Uptown, downtown is a breeze, all of S Mpls is just a bus ride away & it'd be a snap to find a room mate in that area. I'd also look at Loring Park & Downtown. In the summer, get a bike.

uptown_urbanist · 06-21-2011, 11:24 PM

I think Uptown is easiest, as it has the best blend of amenities and public transportation options. If you're lucky, you'll get a discounted monthly pass through your work. Otherwise they do offer them -- prices vary depending on whether you want one good for all the time (i.e. including rush-hour) or for off-hours. I don't have a regular rush-hour commute so I just load my metro pass with money and replenish as necessary (you can add money at many grocery stores or online); I find that to be the cheapest way. Northeast by the river is also a good option for living without a car, especially if you end up with a job downtown or near the University campus. Whittier could also be a good bet. And I'll second the bike suggestion; this is a major biking city (even in the winter for the truly hard-core bikers out there). Loring Park has a more city feel in terms of architecture, but there's not as much going on at street level. It would be a great option if you worked downtown, however; you could just walk to work, and at least now the downtown Target has a larger grocery section (and I think there's yet more talk about a full-service grocery coming into Loring Park/downtown, too).

xandrex · 06-21-2011, 11:30 PM

It's definitely possible to live a car-free lifestyle, though it is a city that was built with cars in mind. I lived without a car last year, but I'm at the University of Minnesota, where nearly everybody has a bus pass and tons of routes pass through the area. That said, a car is a great convenience in this area (especially with grocery shopping!).

Uptown and Northeast are great options that I think you'll hear over and over again. They have excellent bus service and they fit the more urban vibe you're going for.

There are parts of Minneapolis that also have much more dense living, probably similar (except smaller in scale) to what you'd see in bigger cities. Places near downtown like Stevens Square and Whittier would also be good options and a couple of the routes that run down to Uptown go through these neighborhoods.

A monthly bus pass will depend on what types of buses you use. Assuming you'll using the bus during rush hour, a 31-day pass (which can be purchased as SuperSaver cards or Go-To touch cards) will run at $85. If you're using express buses, I believe it's $113.50 for a 31-day pass. More info here.

Drewcifer · 06-22-2011, 12:34 AM

I don't have a car. I live in Whittier and work in Uptown. The part of Whittier I live in is only a couple of blocks from Lyndale so I can walk to the grocery stores on Hennepin. I thin the two most important factors are proximity to transit and having a grocery store within walking distance. With that in mind I think the best neighborhoods are Uptown, Whittier, Lyndale, the area of Northeast right across from downtown and the area around Lake St and Hiawatha. You could also live anywhere along the Hiwatha line or Lake St and take transit to the grocery store pretty easily, Stevens Square works too because you can take the 17 to Uptown for groceries and are within walking distance of downtown which is cool. You could also live in Dinkytown or Marcy Holmes and take the 16 to the Lunds across from downtown, the disadvantage to that is that you would be locked into buying high end groceries and you would be living around college students.

All of the neighborhoods I have mentioned have most of the other necessities of life within walking distance or via a short bus ride. Uptown and Whittier have the best selection of restaurants, bars and nightlife within walking distance, they are also close to the lakes. In my opinion I think they are the best bet for car free living; Whittier is cheaper than Uptown but farther from the lakes.

UKUKUK · 06-22-2011, 11:06 AM

I'll be car free in Minneapolis as of the 18th of July!

I'll be buying a bike and living in Como.
See you guys there, FINALLY.

Laggard · 06-22-2011, 12:40 PM

I live in Stevens on Franklin Ave. The 2 runs past here which will take you through Seward, Phillips the West Bank, the East Bank and the U of M. I'm two blocks from the 17 and 18 will take one downtown, to Uptown, to NE and deep into South Mpls..

It's hard to think of a location that is better suited for bus riders.

gearedtowardssalad · 06-22-2011, 03:39 PM

I just realized that I know more people in Minneapolis who don't own a car than people who do. If you're coming from Tampa then you should find it a lot more convenient living here without a car than there. The population density of Minneapolis is similar to Seattle's at 7000/sq. mile.

kuan · 06-22-2011, 04:12 PM

If you intend to bike please visit mplsbikelove.com.

FamousBlueRaincoat · 06-22-2011, 04:20 PM

It's certainly possible - I did it for 5 years. Although it did get very frustrating at times - keep in mind that the bus system is not 24 hours (and in fact, becomes pretty useless after 10 or 11 depending on where you live). I also was lucky that I had in-laws to give me rides every so often.

Uptown is probably your best bet. I did not live there, didn't care for it: but I did it in Marcy-Holmes near Central Avenue (bus routes 2, 6, 10, 11, 17 all came within blocks of my apartment and it was also technically within walking distance of downtown) and also in Powderhorn within walking distance to the 5, 14, and 21.

The thing to do to make your life the easiest is to live within walking distance to a grocery store, though, from my experience - as there is a lack of good neighborhood corner stores that you'd find in larger cities.