Apartments Downtown Minneapolis (Nicollet: rent, lofts, condos)

[Brinson]

So I'm relocating with my wife for a job opportunity from Dallas, and was up there a few weeks ago so had a bit of a look around, but will be back up there again to look for an apartment. We want to be within walking distance of downtown and a stone's throw away (or, better, attached) to the skyway. Though I will be commuting to the suburbs, my wife and I are convinced the skyway will make the weather change easier to cope with.

Now we're looking for apartments downtown. If anyone can help me out would be much obliged!

1. Can anyone reccomend any good buildings to look at when we are up there? We are fine with a one bedroom, but would prefer a two if possible. Our budget is around $1500/month.

2. Are utilities usually covered in rent? I see a few on their website that say they are, and some that just don't mention it.

3. The food/shops on the skyway level of the city seemed to mostly close at 2-3pm when we were there. As it gets colder is there any chance they will extend their hours?

4. Can anyone reccomend any casual food places? I noticed when up there you guys have a bunch of really nice places, but was having difficulty finding alot of fast casual type places. Saw Chipotle, Noodles, and Punch Pizza, but not many others. Any suggestions would be great.

[mike6679]

1. I'm paying 1200 where I'm at. Symphony place, skyway attached. Not sure on availability. Craigslist might be a good place to look for others. Or google search which sounds like you may have already done.

2. Some are, some aren't. Hard to give definitive answer.

3. Skyway businesses cater more to the office workers. Hours are what they are. Lot of them don't even open on weekends. Just isn't the foot traffic to justify being open outside office hours.

4. Someone else will have to step up here. I don't get out to eat much. Plenty of selection though.

Edit..just did a quick search on craigslist for downtown apartments and came up with a few possibilities. Lot of studios, which you may not be interested in. A 2 bedroom skyway attached might be out of budget. I would suggest looking there and you could weed out what may or may not fit.

[ellysbelly]

I just moved here from South Florida and while I don't want to minimize the VAST temperature/weather difference between Dallas and Minneapolis, I think that moving downtown for the Skyway, rather than somewhere where there are better shops and restaurants (and still walkable) and still an easy commute to downtown (plus, where are you working? That will help determine possible other neighborhoods that you might want to consider.)

I live in the 'burbs, so I'm not as familiar with Minneapolis proper, but from what I gather, living right in downtown may not be the best option (as evidenced by the fact that many places close by 2 or 3pm) but there are many neighborhoods that might work even better-- and I promise you that you'll adapt to the weather; a great coat, boots, gloves and a hat will go a long, long way.

[wushuliu]

Originally Posted by Brinson

So I'm relocating with my wife for a job opportunity from Dallas, and was up there a few weeks ago so had a bit of a look around, but will be back up there again to look for an apartment. We want to be within walking distance of downtown and a stone's throw away (or, better, attached) to the skyway. Though I will be commuting to the suburbs, my wife and I are convinced the skyway will make the weather change easier to cope with.

Now we're looking for apartments downtown. If anyone can help me out would be much obliged!

1. Can anyone reccomend any good buildings to look at when we are up there? We are fine with a one bedroom, but would prefer a two if possible. Our budget is around $1500/month.

2. Are utilities usually covered in rent? I see a few on their website that say they are, and some that just don't mention it.

3. The food/shops on the skyway level of the city seemed to mostly close at 2-3pm when we were there. As it gets colder is there any chance they will extend their hours?

4. Can anyone reccomend any casual food places? I noticed when up there you guys have a bunch of really nice places, but was having difficulty finding alot of fast casual type places. Saw Chipotle, Noodles, and Punch Pizza, but not many others. Any suggestions would be great.

Little confused by wanting to live 'within walking distance of downtown'. You might want to start with rent.com and craigslist to get a feel for what you get for $1500 downtown. I'm guessing Loring Park and North Loop/warehouse district. You'll pay for the convenient location but $1500 should get you a 1BR, if barely.

I don't think there are any apartments attached to the skyway. Actually I don't think the skyway is what you think it is. The skyway is a convenience for hotels and business/employees, it is not a panacea for beating the winter. In fact the skyway can take longer to make your way through than just using the street, so if you're running late... And there are lots of food options but no they won't be open past business hours and no they won't have longer hours for the winter. The skyway is really just a way to grab a bite eat and take care of some errands during the lunch hour without bundling up. It's not a self-sustaining ecosystem for living and working in downtown.

You can't avoid the winter! The sooner you accept that, the more your options will open up.

[wushuliu]

Here are some options on CL

Sexton Urban Lofts

Luxurious Downtown Living at The Skyscape!

Where you want to be

[irootoo]

Originally Posted by wushuliu

I don't think there are any apartments attached to the skyway.

Where did you get this? I used to work in an office building in downtown Minneapolis. My boss had an apartment in the next building over and commuted by skyway every day. He used to joke that in the winter, his feet never touched pavement for months.

[mike6679]

Originally Posted by irootoo

Where did you get this? I used to work in an office building in downtown Minneapolis. My boss had an apartment in the next building over and commuted by skyway every day. He used to joke that in the winter, his feet never touched pavement for months.

Agree. Bunch of skyway attached apartment buildings. I'm living in one now.

[wushuliu]

Originally Posted by irootoo

Where did you get this? I used to work in an office building in downtown Minneapolis. My boss had an apartment in the next building over and commuted by skyway every day. He used to joke that in the winter, his feet never touched pavement for months.

yeah i was wrong about that hence the craigslist postings i linked above...

[IntlFalls56649]

Downtown Minneapolis is an absolute ripoff these days for housing. When I lived down there from 1996-2006 my studio, on 12th & Yale, which admittly was tiny, was $375. Today there have been so many 'boutique lofts' and overpriced apartments just waiting for these kids to finish Carleton or St. Olaf or St. Thomas and get into one of the Fortune 500 jobs downtown so they can justify $1100 for an efficiency - that's NUTS - even the West/South/North Loop of Chicago doesn't charge rents that high. I enjoyed living down there and loved the apartment and the couple who owned the building, but I could tell when the condos moved in nearby that was the end of lower rents for single adults without kids or white collar jobs downtown, and I came back to my hometown where I continued what I've been doing since I was 18 (EMT). I've been down to Minneapolis a couple times and just don't identify with how downtown clearly caters to people with money (and the prices - whether it's rent or gym memberships or even to-go food- reflects that).

[MplsTodd]

Although it's been three years since I lived in Mpls, I still visit often enough to remember the following:
1. Apts on skyway:
Metro apts-fairly plain design, but good central location a half-block from Target
Symphony Place: 1980s vintage high-rise w good location near south Nicollet mall restaurants, bars & Target
Marquette Place: 1980s hi-rise near convention center
Churchill apts: 1980s hi-rise near river, about three blocks from Whole Foods
Soo Line: recently opened adaptive reuse of historic office bldg. expensive, but supposed to be very nice
Nic on 5th: new high-rise at LRT station, expensive

2. Most new apartments do NOT include utilities, but older buildings often will. Newer buildings usually have their utilities individually metered so it's easy to charge you directly for what you use.

3. The hours of businesses in the Skyway vary according to their location. Places that are within a block or so of 7th & Nicollet often have longer hours, such as places in the IDS Center or City Center. When I worked late in dwtn Mpls, I'd often go to various places in these developments. Target stays open until 10:00 too.

4. Cosi and potbelly in IDS CEnter, Panera Bread on Nic Mall between 8th & 9th. Sorento's Italian in north star bldg skyway level, Zen Box Japanese in 6 Quebec. Plus lots of Subway's, Jimmy Johns.