Safety: Apts in Altamonte Springs near the mall (Longwood, Maitland: fit in, apartments)

[WishiWiz]

I've recently moved to orlando and am looking for apartments in and around Altamonte Springs area.

My office is in Maitland and Altamonte seems to be a nice area.

I would like to know regarding the safety in and around the Altamonte Mall - the intersection of 436 and roads opposite to the mall.

Any and all answers are welcome. thanks

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by WishiWiz

I've recently moved to orlando and am looking for apartments in and around Altamonte Springs area.

My office is in Maitland and Altamonte seems to be a nice area.

I would like to know regarding the safety in and around the Altamonte Mall - the intersection of 436 and roads opposite to the mall.

Any and all answers are welcome. thanks

It's not the safest area and has quite a bit of traffic congestion which adds to the unsafe aspect. I would recommend going one exit north to Longwood (SR434). About a mile or so west of I-4 check out The Glades and Timberlake on Jamestown Boulevard (walkable to Fresh Market and a couple of restaurants/bars) as well as Camden Club, Sabal Park and Golf Brook which are on Wekiva Springs Road just north of SR434 and walkable to Publix, restaurants, bars and a Starbucks. The area is quite safe and a good bit less traffic congested unlike SR436 which is pretty much always jammed, though it can get quite busy at rush hour like most roads in the area.

[WishiWiz]

Thanks Kyle. So if I'm reading you correctly, you want me to be west of I-4?

I will be working around Maitland Center pkwy and don't have a car currently.

Are there any bus lines which will take me from Glades to the Maitland?

[beach.guy]

Re: bus lines.
Go to the Lynx site. They have complete routes and schedules. There is route planning info also.

[TehB33nz]

My Grandma (who was in her 80's) lived in a non-gated condo community directly across the street from the Altamonte mall behind the Toys-R-Us for about 10 years and never had a single safety issue or feeling of being unsafe. Maitland is a nicer, more expensive area and 434 is a little less congested but there is nothing wrong with the area right around the mall except for the 436 traffic which IMO is one of the worst roads in the area.

[OrlFlaUsa]

I live near this area, my apartments are not the nicest but not the worst at all, and we just got notified of 2 B&E's on the same night last week.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by TehB33nz

My Grandma (who was in her 80's) lived in a non-gated condo community directly across the street from the Altamonte mall behind the Toys-R-Us for about 10 years and never had a single safety issue or feeling of being unsafe. Maitland is a nicer, more expensive area and 434 is a little less congested but there is nothing wrong with the area right around the mall except for the 436 traffic which IMO is one of the worst roads in the area.

Escondido (the condos behind Toys R Us) is a nice condo complex but the rental communities on that side of SR436 aren't anywhere close to that in terms of quality or safety. Look at the crime map for the area. Maitland is also problematic in terms of the nicer/more expensive descriptive as much of the west side falls into the higher crime areas of bordering Altamonte Springs and Eatonville, which are the areas convenient to Maitland Center.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by WishiWiz

Thanks Kyle. So if I'm reading you correctly, you want me to be west of I-4?

I will be working around Maitland Center pkwy and don't have a car currently.

Are there any bus lines which will take me from Glades to the Maitland?

That would be your best bet in my opinion. I don't know bus routes but it would seem convenient to be at The Glades close to SR434, which is a main artery that passes along the west side of Maitland Center though not sure where that would be in proximity to your office building.

[OrlFlaUsa]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

That would be your best bet in my opinion. I don't know bus routes but it would seem convenient to be at The Glades close to SR434, which is a main artery that passes along the west side of Maitland Center though not sure where that would be in proximity to your office building.

Uhh yes, while The Glades (off Jamestown) is extremely convenient to Link 23 (picks up in front of apartments), the walk from the stop nearest 434 & 414 to Maitland Center would be rough, with little to no sidewalks, and very pedestrian unfriendly roads to cross. For a single seat ride to Maitland Center I'd suggest living near the Mall such as Altamira, Central Park, Promenade at Uptown, or even some of the semi-shady stuff off Wymore. That way he'll be a short walk to a stop along Link 1's route which is a single seat ride to Maitland Center and all those shiny offices.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by OrlFlaUsa

Uhh yes, while The Glades (off Jamestown) is extremely convenient to Link 23 (picks up in front of apartments), the walk from the stop nearest 434 & 414 to Maitland Center would be rough, with little to no sidewalks, and very pedestrian unfriendly roads to cross. For a single seat ride to Maitland Center I'd suggest living near the Mall such as Altamira, Central Park, Promenade at Uptown, or even some of the semi-shady stuff off Wymore. That way he'll be a short walk to a stop along Link 1's route which is a single seat ride to Maitland Center and all those shiny offices.

I agree regarding the walk through Maitland Center, not pleasant. I was also a bit blind-sided by the "having no car" issue as it wasn't mentioned in the original post. Living closer to work would be a large benefit in that situation as well.