Young family moving from Cleveland to Minneapolis looking to rent (St. Paul: apartments, rentals)

[gonomad8183]

Hi,

My husband has got a job in downtown Minneapolis and we will be moving there from Cleveland very soon. We will not have much time to search plus we have an infant so looking for suggestions that can help us focus our search once we get there (will be great if you can suggest the apartment names along with the areas as well)

Some of the things we are looking for:

-- Looking to rent an apartment (2 bed/1.5-2 bath) arnd. $1200-$1300
-- Will prefer relatively new apartments with parking and washer-dryer in unit
-- In a good and safe neighborhood with walking space (to take the baby out )
-- While my husband will mostly drive to work but we share a car and will prefer easy access to downtown using public transport so that he can leave the car behind a couple of days a week (I am a stay at home mom)
-- We love eating out and so an area with diverse food options will be an added bonus

I have gone through many posts and it seems Edina and the surrounding Lynnhurst, Fulton, Linden Hills are good areas but I am not sure if they fit our budget.

Any suggestions on areas and actual apartment names will be appreciated a lot.

[golfgal]

Eagan and Inver Grove Heights both have a lot of rentals that are newer and will at least have laundry hook-ups available. Both are easily accessible to buses going into downtown as well and there is a high likelihood of finding a carpool or van-pool, which I think is much more convenient than riding a bus anywhere. Both communities are very safe, have walking paths everywhere, very wooded, very green areas with large parks, etc. Inver Grove Heights also has the best Early Childhood Family Education program in the state. They were the pilot program 35+ years ago and just wonderful. You will want to sign up for those classes for sure no matter where you live. They are for families with children birth to kindergarten. Fabulous way to meet people with kids the same ages. One complex to look at would be the Graystone apartments in IGH. They are fairly new, w/d hook-ups in unit, great play area for the kids, pool for residents, attached garages, bus stop pretty much across the street at CHS and just a few blocks down the road is an elementary school where you can take the ECFE classes-or at other locations around the area.

You will also find a LOT of young families in that complex and similar ones in the area. There is a fantastic park not far from IGH that our kids LOVED with then were toddlers--in West St. Paul off Thompson Ave.

[uptown_urbanist]

I wouldn't discount Linden Hills, etc., yet -- you may be able to find something in your price range.

I would also give close consideration to St. Louis Park, especially the Minnekahda Vista/Wolfe Park area; lots of kids, close to downtown, good bus service, and enough updated or newer apartments that you should, I think, be able to find something that will work for you in your budget. There's a big rec center right there (lots of activities, including big pool for the summer), lots of playgrounds/parks, an indoor play space (Kiddiewampus, I think it's called) that seems popular with local playgroups, etc. You'd also still be close to Linden Hills and the lakes, so could easily get over there to go to events at the Wild Rumpus, meet friends for walks around the lakes, etc.

[golfgal]

Just got back from Eagan. There are some townhome apartments and regular apartments on Town Center Drive near Yankee Doodle and Lexington intersection--O'Leary Manor and Waterford Place (next door to each other). The Waterford place ones are the Townhome style ones with garages available, the O'LEary Manor are more apartment style but with underground parking. Both complexes are on a pond and near a huge park with walking trails everywhere. About 4 blocks down the road is a Grocery Store, Walmart, several restaurants, drug store, Big Lots, etc. Easy walking to/from and easy enough to get to the transit station in Eagan. They looked well kept up from the outside. Something to look into.

[ferr0052]

In response to golfgal's post - I've heard okay to good things from people living there. Also the promenade townhouses are good too. I will say that Eagan would be similar to Cuyahoga Heights for you guys. Very nice suburb, however it will feel "out there".

Looking for new apartments in Minneapolis will put in you "luxury" territory--you'll find those in uptown, downtown, midtown (which may be a good option cost wise), and U of Mn.

I did a quick search and found "oak glen" of edina. It's near 70th street that will have bus service--however, I don't think it will be a direct route to downtown. I mention this because a lot of these type of apartments (decent square footage/in unit laundry/garage, etc.) got converted to condos during the housing boom--plus you mentioned that area in your post.

Hopefully, somebody will follow-up with some information on Edina bus service. I have heard good things about it--but, can't tell you if that pertains to downtown--or in and around edina itself.

[uptown_urbanist]

Don't know about Oak Glen, but would guess that that area of Edina is not the best for walkability and bus service, BUT, there could be an express bus from near there, so it's worth a look. The part of Edina with the best bus service is around Southdale (OP might want to look into the apartments around the Centennial Lakes area in particular -- also right by an indoor park/playground and the Y, which would both be handy with a baby, and would have direct buses to downtown). 50th and France area also has okay public transportation, certainly direct to downtown, but budget for a new place will be tougher around there. There are also a bunch of apartments right across from Southdale, but that immediate area is not very walker-friendly. Head over those few blocks right by Centennial Lakes and it's much better, though. That area doesn't -- I don't think -- have as many kids, however.

If open to an updated house or duplex, Kenny neighborhood in Minneapolis might have some rentals in that price range. It's cheaper than Linden Hills, there's express buses to downtown, nice for strolls, and the place is overflowing with babies and SAHMs. Kenny School is also one of the Minneapolis locations for ECFE, and has excellent parent/baby programs. It's mostly single family homes over there, but they do sometimes come up for rent.

[gonomad8183]

Thanks! I was not sure if people will know Cleveland well but for those who do we stay in Westlake area here and love it.

Do you guys think linden hills/lynnhurst/Fulton have places in our budget?

[ferr0052]

Yeah, any suburb won't be walkable. However, it was near a large park--if I read correctly, I think the OP wanted someplace to walk around in a stroller or with a toddler.

FYI the Oak Glen is just off of 100 on the west side. I am thinking the bus service goes to Southdale and up/down France. Its a great schools system in Edina, however, I think it may be too suburban for them. I concur with the idea of renting a house or townhouse. Only a couple sectors of Minneapolis (read: North) was pummeled by the housing crisis--unlike Cleveland. Hence, they'll find a decent rental situation, in my opinion.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by ferr0052

Yeah, any suburb won't be walkable. However, it was near a large park--if I read correctly, I think the OP wanted someplace to walk around in a stroller or with a toddler.

FYI the Oak Glen is just off of 100 on the west side. I am thinking the bus service goes to Southdale and up/down France. Its a great schools system in Edina, however, I think it may be too suburban for them. I concur with the idea of renting a house or townhouse. Only a couple sectors of Minneapolis (read: North) was pummeled by the housing crisis--unlike Cleveland. Hence, they'll find a decent rental situation, in my opinion.

I guess you missed how those apartments were 4 blocks from everything, with sidewalks and everything. It is a MYTH that the suburbs are not walkable perpetuated by those that have never been to the suburbs in the Twin Cities metro area.

[ferr0052]

Golfgal,

It is HARDLY 4 blocks from everything. I don't understand why you are trying to change the convential wisdom of what "walkable" means. Walkable doesn't mean you can walk from point A to point B.
THAT WOULD BE EVERYWHERE. You can WALK anywhere. Plain and simple!

When people ask about the "walkability" factor...they are relating it to an urban area. VERY dense urban population..think New York City.

Minneapolis has NONE of that. Period. I know that uptown is trying to be nice and state that there are a "couple" areas in the Minneapolis region that are "walkable"--but there are truly VERY few areas that are like that. Trying to tell someone that you live 6 blocks from Target is walkable makes you appear extremely naive. I live 6 blocks from Mall of America and 6 blocks from walmart. Does that make mean I live in Manhattan???? I am quite literally closer to every amenity, right????