Moving to Minnaeplis from Boston (Minneapolis, Tower: apartments, rentals, lofts)

[mattolson]

I know these must get old, but I've never been to Minneapolis and want to make sure I'm not wasting time for the couple days I get to check it out before I move. A little about me...I'm a 25 year old male that is going to be working in the Mall of America. I definitely want an area with people around my age and things to keep me entertained.

My questions are mostly about the areas of the city and apartment buildings/complexes. I know for a fact that I want to live in either Uptown, Downtown, or North Loop; unless you have some area I don't know about. I am looking to spend $1,300-$1,600 for a one bedroom, really like the loft style, but don't need it. I need a parking spot as well. Places on my list to look at are Elsewarehouse, Eitel Building, Vue, Mill District City, Tower Lofts, Blue, SoHo Lofts, Lake Calhoun City, Herschel Lofts, and Sexton Lofts.

Anyone have any experience with any of these apartments?

What utilities normally come with apartments in Minn?

How will my commute be from North Loop, Downtown, and Uptown? All apartments I'm looking at are within 12 miles of the mall.

Thanks in advance!

[MplsTodd]

I don't have any experience with the places you listed, but they all seem to be newer housing developments ( either new construction or adaptive reuse renovations of older loft buildings). Several are actually condo buildings, which must haveunits available for lease. Some places may include some utilitieswithin the rent, while others (typically the newer ones like you mentioned) are separately metered to allow landlords to bill back for all utilities.

I think either downtown or Uptown would be great places to live (I consider The North Loop to be a neighborhood of downtown). Downtown has a Lunds and Target for groceries, plus a Whole Foods under construction, lots of restaurants, music venues and other nightlife, plus trails along the Mississippi River for walking, biking, jogging. Uptown also has Rainbow andLunds for groceries, lots of restaurants and bars, and easy access to the Chain of Lakes.
Commuting from downtown would be easier via transit due to the LRT connection. If you're ambitious you'd also be able to bike to the MOA from downtown ( via west river road and hiawatha to Fort Snelling). A driving commute wouldn't be too bad from either place. From Downtown, I'd take I-35W to Crosstown 62 to Hwy 77 to MOA. From Uptown, just take Lake Street east to I-35W.

Good luck with your search!

[mattolson]

Thanks for the info! I do have a car, any idea what commute times would be like?

[xandrex]

I don't think many posters here have experience with luxury rentals. Even if they do, many of the places you list are so new that it seems unlikely we'd have an active poster who has moved to one of them.

I think for someone your age (I'm about the same age as well, so I'm not just conjecturing), your aim should be the North Loop or Uptown. It looks like your other downtown picks are places in the Mill District. I love that area...it's gorgeous! But the problem is that I've never really seen young people living in the area. It seems to mostly be 30+ professionals or older empty nesters.

Between the North Loop and Uptown, you'll have to balance a few things. Both areas have buildings with high ceilings, exposed ducts, stainless steel, etc. But if you want a historic building that features exposed brick and the like, you'll have to look to the North Loop (of course many buildings are new construction there, but mixed with older, renovated buildings like ElseWarehouse). If you want a mass of 20-30-somethings, you're better off aiming for Uptown. There are a lot of other new luxury rentals going up in the area, so you could certainly find one you like.

Your budget can certainly accommodate a luxury rental. Be aware of the fact that in these place, most utilities are not included (minimally you'll pay electric and cable/internet...lots of these new places have you pay for heat and water as well). Parking will probably run $100/month for a spot. If you have a car, this is a must for downtown. In Uptown, you might be able to find free street parking, but likely several blocks away from the concentration of luxury rentals.

If you do decide on the North Loop, consider getting a Go-To card and simply taking the light rail to the Mall of America. It would be a hassle-free way to skip traffic. You could also take it from Uptown, but it would require taking a bus to the station. Not sure on driving times from downtown to the mall. It really depends on any number of factors.

[Fossil Fools]

Originally Posted by mattolson

Thanks for the info! I do have a car, any idea what commute times would be like?

I used to make that commute from SW Mpls to MOA at 7:40 and was in my desk by 8:00 a.m. It shouldn't be much different from the Uptown area.

[ManBearPig1]

Live downtown; take the light rail to work.