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People here are great. I noticed there is a lot of advice in homes to buy, but I will be renting. I will relocate in February to Minneapolis for a job in Chanhassen.
I have heard great things about NE, but isn't that far away from Chanhassen. What neighborhood would you recommend me on my way to Chanhassen?
Currently, I live in Adams Morgan, DC. It is a great area, very centrally located, bohemian and diverse. In Minneapolis, I would like something similar: A progressive neighborhood within walking distance to metro, that has independent shops and restaurants and a very artsy, relax feel.
will need a 2 bedroom plus den townhome/home. That is also affordable; I am not interested in poshy or preppy areas.
Thank you for your help!
Last edited by Afrodita; 12-13-2008 at 09:11 PM..
Reason: Format
I'm sorry you will have to drive out to Chanhassen. I just wikipedia-ed Adams Morgan (I am unfamiliar with Washington). It seemed like the Whittier neighborhood in south Minneapolis would be most similar. The area is centered on Nicollet Avenue (and extension of the main downtown street) and has many ethnic restaurants. The area is also home to the Mpls. Inst. of Arts and the Mpls. Coll. of Art and Design. The neighborhood has a nice mixture of housing stock, most of which is more affordable than in places like Uptown. There is only one train line here (now); but Nicollet, Lake and Franklin are major bus routes that can get you alot of places. Chanhassen is not one of them. Certain parts of Whittier can be sketchy, but sketchy by Minneapolis standards.
Good luck on your move.
I have heard great things about NE, but isn't that far away from Chanhassen. What neighborhood would you recommend me on my way to Chanhassen?
Currently, I live in Adams Morgan, DC. It is a great area, very centrally located, bohemian and diverse. In Minneapolis, I would like something similar: A progressive neighborhood within walking distance to metro, that has independent shops and restaurants and a very artsy, relax feel.
will need a 2 bedroom plus den townhome/home. That is also affordable; I am not interested in poshy or preppy areas.
Thank you for your help!
Greetings, Afrodita:
First off: Chanhassen is a 2nd or 3rd-tier suburb, so it's a bit of a hike from Minneapolis proper. Depending on which route you take, you will go through one or more of these suburbs to get to Chanhassen from Minneapolis: Minnetonka, Hopkins, St. Louis Park, Eden Prairie. I'm an inveterate city boy, but if I had to choose a suburb to live, St. Louis Park would be one of my picks. There's a fair amount of business there- downtown-like nodes where people walk from their condo to a variety of local restaurants and nightlife. The housing stock isn't bad, either, being for the most part bungalows of at least moderate charm.
Hopkins, in my humble opinion wouldn't be bad either, but I'm not fond of Eden Prairie- it's a pretty "new" suburb, without much architectural charm to speak of, but I'm certain there are posters here who like it- to each their own. Lastly, Minnetonka's ok- significant parts of it are fairly wealthy, and the sprawling, meandering Lake Minnetonka creates many a beautiful bay/shoreline view.
As far as the part of Minneapolis nearest Chanhassen, that would be southwest Minneapolis. It's one of the wealthiest parts of the city, but I do not believe it would have the "bohemian" feel you are looking for- think "wealthy families with children in largish houses". A very nice area with many beautiful houses (and lakes) to be certain, but I don't think it's what you want.
Relative to overall distance to Chanhassen, it won't matter much where in Minneapolis city proper you choose to move. Highway 35W is probably where you would need to start out anywhere in south Minneapolis for a trip to Chanhassen. In Northeast, you could hop on 94 to 35W, which is a quick, smooth, easy hop to make- and that coming from a freeway hater! In other words, Northeast is a viable option, IMHO, so I wouldn't necessarily count it out.
Minnehahapolitan made some very good points/suggestions. There is only one train line currently in the Twin Cities region. None of the neighborhoods along that train line are exactly like what you mention. Min's suggestion of Whittier is nowhere near the train, but there are many buslines that run through it and I believe the neighborhood- and some of the nearby neighborhoods (Wedge, Lyndale, East Isles) would fit many of your criteria. As Min pointed out, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design is in the Whittier neighborhood, as are a number of small, independent galleries and a multitude of hipster coffee shops. A large swatch of Nicollet Avenue is known as "Eat Street", and consists of numerous mom-and-pop restaurants owned and operated by recent immigrants from SE Asia, China, and South and Central America.
IN GENERAL, Minneapolis is safer than DC, and certainly much cheaper. Two BR apartment with den in Whittier, in one of the nicest, newer condos? $1400-$1500. Same type of apartment in an older brick or brownstone? $1200-1300.
Finally, this: I love NE, and would live there in a heartbeat. However, I don't think it's hipster/bohemian like Whittier, etc. It's more wealthy, youngish, hipster-yuppie. Think "made lots of money being web designer" type folks. Not an insult at all to them, but the area is gentrifying and not really so much for starving artists. There are some light industrial factories that have been converted into artists lofts, but they are a little ways away from what most people think of NE, and tend to be in sort of god-forsaken areas with railroad tracks and residential tracts surrounding them.
Last note: if you are going to work in Chanhassen, you must make regular visits to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. It is a very large arboretum and I believe it is fairly well regarded nationally. If any part of you at all connects with the natural world, or if you get aesthetic joy from trees, grasses, flowers, etc. you should not miss the Arboretum. Definitely one of the homes of my soul here in the Twin Cities.
Thank you Veridian and Minnehahapolitan. I will be driving to Chanhassen for work, I just want the public transportation because it is always convenient. Thank you for letting me know about SW, it is definitely not what I look for. I will look into the places you mentioned and get back to you with more questions.
No offense to previous posts, but I do not know where folks are getting their information and strongly disagree with several points.
1) Southwest Minneapolis is not this fanciful place of wealthy families in large houses. Within Southwest Minneapolis is the Linden Hills neighborhood and two lakes. The Linden Hills neighborhood is rather posh, but it is nestled in its own little world and the houses are surprisingly small for such a financially secure neighborhood. The homes around the lakes are huge, but nothing compared to the homes around Lake Minnetonka. As for the regular 'ol neighborhoods around the rest of Southwest Minneapolis, totally normal and middle/working class. For example, in my neighborhood of Kingfield, you can easily find very nice 1BR apartments in brownstones for $650-$800. In fact, an old apartment of mine...just two blocks from where I am now and closer to the lake, has 2BR+den/sunroom apartments for $1000. I'm close in age to the OP and familiar with D.C, I could easily see my neighborhood and many other parts of Southwest Minneapolis meeting her criteria. I do think that the areas around Lake of the Isles would be a bit more snooty and less community-minded than she'd prefer.
Condos in the area are going for 90-200K, depending on how big/snazzy/and close to the lake you want. Rent for a 2BR in the area should run $850-$1200.
2) NE isn't hipster/bohemian?! "It's more wealthy, youngish, hipster-yuppie." WHAT?!
NE Minneapolis is the epitomy of hipster/bohemian these days. Uptown Minneapolis used to be the hub of Minneapolis' hipster/bohemian folk, but in the last decade the area has sold out in many, many ways. Now, uptown...while still great in many ways...has lost its old feel and draws in suburban folk for all the new/generic bars and restaurants that have pushed out the wonderful independent businesses that once filled the area. Where has that culture gone? To NE Minneapolis. It's the up-and-coming bohemian neighborhood for the city, with tons of art galleries, trendy little restaurants, and fantastic bars...all as hipster as can be. Places like Psycho Suzie's, Erte, The Modern Cafe, The 331, etc. It's a very blue-collar area and the Russian, Polish, and old Slavic communities, that once made NE what it was, have been both thankful for the growth and upset at the growing changes in their area. It is not, by any means, wealthy or posh. Just the opposite.
Moving on...
As the previous responses did mention, Chanhassen is not a nearby suburb to Minneapolis. It's not like D.C where you can hop on the Metro and zoom to Arlington in reasonable time. Suburbs here are not like they are on the East Coast, everything is much more spread out...because we have space that the East Coast doesn't. Chanhassen is going to be a half hour drive for you, in good weather. For public transportation, the light-rail doesn't go out in that direction - nor does regular bus transit (at least not to the degree that it does in the city...because people around here drive, drive, drive). Public transportation in Minnesota doesn't have the fanfare that it does on the East Coast. There are park-and-rides in many suburbs, but if you're planning to live in the city and transit to the suburbs...I'd imagine that public transit would be a pain in the a$$..if it's at all possible. Usually, bus service is set up for those looking to come into the city...not for city folks looking to go out to the burbs. The park-and-rides are for burb folk to park their cars and hop transit express buses into downtown Minneapolis in the morning and again at the end of the business day.
There are several fantastic neighborhoods in Minnepolis with progressive feels about them and where, likely, your neighbors would be a bit more bohemian than in other areas. Most all of them, with the exception of NE Minneapolis, are particular areas in South Minneapolis...Seward, Wedge, Powderhorn, Longfellow, Kingfield, Whittier, Corcoran.
If you're looking to purchase your townhome/home, you'll be hard-pressed to find anything in Seward. It's a fantastic area...so fantastic that it is one of the very few spots in the city that has been undaunted by the housing crisis. But, all the other areas I mentioned have plenty of foreclosures to have resulted in a great housing market for buyers.
If you want an urban feel, you'll have to stick in the city. But, if you want the distance to work to be less of a pain, I'd second the previous post's encouragement to look at St. Louis Park or Hopkins. The next closest areas, within the city, are going to be (in order): Southwest Minneapolis, Kingfield, Uptown, Wedge, Whittier, Powderhorn, Corcoran, & Longfellow. NE Minneapolis is in another direction...but I'd say the distance to Chanhassen would be similiar to Corcoran or Lonfellow.
Most neighborhoods have area websites/newspapers. I'm sure you could find them with an easy Google search and the information therein, including the list of local business', should also help introduce to the personality of each area.
Best of luck!
p.s: since you're moving here in the winter, make sure you pre-familiarize yourself with our Snow Emergency policies. It is a great system, but it always seems to make a big buck off of new residents.
No offense to previous posts, but I do not know where folks are getting their information and strongly disagree with several points.
My information comes from intimately knowing the neighborhoods in question by living/working/or shopping there on a daily basis, tailored to the OP’s statements: “Currently, I live in Adams Morgan, DC. It is a great area, very centrally located, bohemian and diverse. In Minneapolis, I would like something similar: A progressive neighborhood within walking distance to metro, that has independent shops and restaurants and a very artsy, relax feel.”
So, let's keep these criteria in mind-
1. centrally located
2. bohemian
3. diverse
4. walkable
5. independent shops and restaurants
6. artsy, relaxed feel
Quote:
1) Southwest Minneapolis is not this fanciful place of wealthy families in large houses. Within Southwest Minneapolis is the Linden Hills neighborhood and two lakes. The Linden Hills neighborhood is rather posh, but it is nestled in its own little world and the houses are surprisingly small for such a financially secure neighborhood. The homes around the lakes are huge, but nothing compared to the homes around Lake Minnetonka.
Aside from Linden Hills, there are Fulton, Lynnhurst, Kenny, Armatage, East Harriet, etc. All of these neighborhoods are predominately single-family dwellings much larger than a single person would generally want to have. Kingfield, which is on the east border of what is Southwest, has slightly smaller houses, but is it 2) bohemian 3) diverse 4) walkable (i.e.: from one business/shop to another). Aside from isolated pockets, by and large the answer is "No".
Housing in southwest is for the most part "large" in the sense that they are larger than a single female would be interested in buying. I tailored my response to what she is looking for. There was nothing "fanciful" in my response- do you think Armatage, etc. would be good neighborhoods for a single female looking for an urban, hipster feel?
Quote:
As for the regular 'ol neighborhoods around the rest of Southwest Minneapolis, totally normal and middle/working class. For example, in my neighborhood of Kingfield, you can easily find very nice 1BR apartments in brownstones for $650-$800. In fact, an old apartment of mine...just two blocks from where I am now and closer to the lake, has 2BR+den/sunroom apartments for $1000.
Please, do tell – aside from Kingfield and shunning Uptown, what other neighborhood in Southwest has a significant proportion of smaller rental dwellings. In my 20+ years of going to high school, working, living, etc. in that very part of the city, I haven’t found this remarkable hidden neighborhood you speak of.
Quote:
I'm close in age to the OP and familiar with D.C, I could easily see my neighborhood and many other parts of Southwest Minneapolis meeting her criteria. I do think that the areas around Lake of the Isles would be a bit more snooty and less community-minded than she'd prefer.
True, but are neighborhoods like Kingfield "hipster" and "in the thick of things" like the OP asked for? Me neither. Again, see her criteria.
Quote:
2) NE isn't hipster/bohemian?! "It's more wealthy, youngish, hipster-yuppie." WHAT?!
NE Minneapolis is the epitomy of hipster/bohemian these days. Uptown Minneapolis used to be the hub of Minneapolis' hipster/bohemian folk, but in the last decade the area has sold out in many, many ways. Now, uptown...while still great in many ways...has lost its old feel and draws in suburban folk for all the new/generic bars and restaurants that have pushed out the wonderful independent businesses that once filled the area.
First of all, when people think "NE", they're not thinking the entire quarter of the city north and east of the river. Generally, they're thinking the area running along Hennepin from the bridge into northeast through the stretch of businesses that extends for about 10 blocks. Now, this is of course a matter of semantics and definitions so one could go either way on what one dubs "northeast". If you read articles, etc. about NE being "up and coming", they're almost always focused on "Near NE".
Quote:
Where has that culture gone? To NE Minneapolis. It's the up-and-coming bohemian neighborhood for the city, with tons of art galleries, trendy little restaurants, and fantastic bars...all as hipster as can be. Places like Psycho Suzie's, Erte, The Modern Cafe, The 331, etc. It's a very blue-collar area and the Russian, Polish, and old Slavic communities, that once made NE what it was, have been both thankful for the growth and upset at the growing changes in their area. It is not, by any means, wealthy or posh. Just the opposite.
Northeast in your sense is fairly spread out, with isolated business nodes, like the one around Psycho Suzie's. Again, I tried to tailor my response to the OP's wants. I did say to not count out NE, but I think the area that most people think of as NE is not the expanse of poorish housing with scattered nodes of business or artistic areas and light industrial buildings surrounded by moats of railway lines. From business/arts node to business/arts node, broader Northeast is neither walkable, hipster, nor as centrally located as the areas I suggested. The part of Northeast that is walkable is largely new condos for people higher on the income chain than what I believe the OP is looking for. I’ll never forget seeing a billboard on the block just behind Kramarczuk’s advertising condos “from $450K to Upper Income”…the joke being that I see $450K as upper income already.
As far as "Uptown", that is also open to interpretation. The nonsense about "chain restaurants" proliferating in the area is a myth, however. I don't know why this myth is so prevalent, but it is a myth nonetheless. Chains have had a notoriously bad time staying open in Uptown Minneapolis. The McDonald's that has been there since I was in high school (more than 20 years ago...) is one of the few chain restaurants that has survived.
Like the Panera Bread and the Brueggers in Near Northeast, there is a smattering of chain restaurants in the Uptown area- the vast majority, however, are one of a kind establishments.
What HAS happened in Uptown is an increasing "yuppification" - that much is true, and it mirrors exactly the situation in near Northeast. However, if one skirts the edges of Uptown, going to the Lyn Lake area or north on Hennepin from Hennepin/Lake, you will run into small, independent, local shops galore. In fact, Herkimer's Brew Pub just open a Saki Brew Pub- the only one of its kind outside of Japan. Chainification, my rear end: please, name for me all the "chains" that have opened in Uptown recently (and survived). For every Northface opening, a Gap has failed Uptown. Calhoun Square is sparse and failing, and even it has quite a large number of independent shops. Border’s closed there recently.
Muddy Waters, the Soo Line art gallery, Intermedia Arts, Stella's Fish Cafe, The Independent, Bryant-Lake Bowl, JP's Bistro, The Ecopolitan, Red Dragon, CC Club, French Meadow, the Uptowner (breakfast place in fa ormer Burger King which, like most chains Uptown, tanked), Vera's, etc. etc. etc. are all non-chain, "hipster" joints in the Uptown area. You will not find as many and as densely packed independent businesses and restaurants in any other part of the city.
Again, drive down Lyndale, drive down Hennepin, open your eyes, and you will see small business after small business.
In the interest of keeping the work commute as short as possible (especially in bad weather), I'd look at the Southwest and Calhoun-Isles areas of Minneapolis, and perhaps St. Louis Park.
As you can probably see, moving to NE Minneapolis would add quite a bit to your commute. In a bad rush hour, your commute could increase 20 minutes or more just driving across the city to and from Chanhassen. I don't recommend it.
I don't know what your budget is, and while Calhoun-Isles and Southwest are typically the more expensive areas of the city, there is still a wide range of prices and property types that are rentals. There are many neighborhood commercial districts scattered throughout south Minneapolis, so finding a rental within walking distance of a store, coffee shop, or something else interesting shouldn't be too much of a chore.
St. Louis Park is probably another good option that's close fairly close to uptown and the lakes, and it would shorten the commute with relatively quick access to Hwy 100.
In case you're wondering what a snow emergency means in Minneapolis, here's another helpful link: Snow Emergency Parking Rules If you mess up and get towed, it costs $138 to release your car from the impound lot, plus there will be a parking ticket to pay (about $33, IIRC). Note that these rules only apply to Minneapolis; St. Louis Park will have their own set of winter parking rules.
Caution about renting in south Minneapolis: Uptown Properties Inc., (aka UPI, Uptown Classic Properties, SZ112 Inc., R110 Inc., S1322 Inc., etc.) owns a variety of rental properties in south Minneapolis. The owner's name is Spiros G. Zorbalas. DO NOT RENT FROM HIM. His rent prices are very competitive, but you get what pay for; he's a slumlord.
I've personally been in a number of his buildings, and UPI does not take good care of them. Stuff that breaks is half-ass repaired (if it's repaired at all) and nothing is ever updated.
They don't take good care of their tenants either. A personal friend of mine, and all of his neighbors in a 20+ unit UPI building, were without heat last February for over a week. That's unacceptable, not to mention illegal. A responsible landlord would have had repairs underway within a couple hours of learning that the heating system had failed during a cold snap, even if that meant paying extra for emergency after-hours service. (What did Zorbalas care though? He was most likely in his Florida mansion at the time.)
Here's an article about him. I knew about UPI and their crappy buildings before I read this article, but I didn't know about Zorbalas's criminal record. He's a real piece of [pick your own four letter descriptor]. The Slumlord of South Minneapolis - Feature - City Pagespage 1
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