Fashion Sq Mall area? Good place to live? (Orlando, Winter Park: apartment complex, condos) - Florida (FL) - City-Data Forum

chicklet280 · 05-17-2007, 08:32 AM

I'm looking at Archstone Promenade apartments. The ratings appear to be good online and the prices match what I'd like to pay. I'm just not sure about the area, as I'm moving from out of town. I love the idea of Baldwin Park and would eventually like to buy there if I enjoy the area. This area seems close to Baldwin Park (walking distance??) and also appears to be in walking distance to the mall.
I will be coming down in a couple of months to look but wanted opinions from anyone familiar with the area...
Is it a fun place to live?
Is it safe compared with other areas? I'm a single female, but also used to big city problems, as I've lived in NYC and DC...
If I worked downtown, is it an easy commute?

Thanks so much!!!

Annie31 · 05-18-2007, 04:20 PM

Well, I am don't know exactly were those apartments are I haven't been down in that area for awhile now. But, I do know that Fashion Square Mall is very close to downtown area, there is alot of stores & resturaunts. You also have to know that there is a few bad areas by downtown. If I was a single woman I wouldn't want to live near downtown Orlando. Just my opinion.

If you do come down to check out the area and the apartments, just stay away from a few streets in downtown such as Parramore,South Orange Blossom Trail, Kaley...there is a few more also, but those are all right down by the downtown area. South Orange Blossom trail is known for drugs, sellers & users and prostitues, you have several stripper bar clubs there also.

blueoktober · 05-21-2007, 09:07 PM

The area isn't bad at all. The apartments are nice (most Archstone's are). It's literally across the street from Baldwin Park. It's less than 2 blocks from the mall and 17/92 which has everything under the world. (Seriously...from local businesses to every big box under the sun).
It's also right around the corner from Corrine Ave which has a very cool coffeehouse/rare movie/live venue. Park Ave CDs and some really cool shops are on that street. You're also on the back end of Winter Park.

I'll tell you this, I am pretty freaked out about a lot of the random crime going on here, but I would feel completely happy at those apartments. You have everything anyone could want within seconds and the people in this area are of all ages and backgrounds but are the nicest in Orlando (IMO).

As for being a single woman downtown.... I cannot think of a better place other than maybe downtown Winter Park. The area is completely alive with people walking, jogging, eating, playing, shopping.... The only bad parts of downtown are south and west. Most of downtown is now too expensive to even live in, so it's definitely a decent place to live.

Also, Kaley (east Kaley) is one of the most expensive and nice streets in Orlando. Delaney Park is like a norman rockwell picture. I have no idea where the previous poster gets information on Kaley, but it's not correct.

chicklet280 · 05-22-2007, 08:00 AM

Thanks so much, it did strike me as a really nice area so I'm glad to hear that!!

Prichard · 05-22-2007, 08:50 AM

It's a decent area, especially if you like being near downtown Orlando. It's not near paramore or pine hills, however, like any city, there is some higher degree of crime in that area as it is simply bussier than the outlying suburbs. As you move a little further eastward, you get into the "Old Cheney" area, which isn't all that great, but not terrible either.

Annie31 · 05-22-2007, 10:19 PM

I would suggest you read the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper online. Just remember that a apartment complex might be nice but just visit the area around it. There are tons of shopping,mall,resturaunts. Anyone knows that has lived in Orlando for a long time that downtown Orlando is not very safe, some parts are ok, but lets not sugar coat it and say that it would be a great place for a single woman to stay. You may have homes that are very expensive and more luxury condos/townhomes or apartment complexes but just because they are expensive and nice on the inside that doesn't mean the area around all of it is nice and going to be safe. So, just do some research and visit the whole area of downtown Orlando. Like I said at the beginning of my post go online and read the Orlando Sentinel online for atleast a couple of weeks to know exactly what is going on in some areas and the downtown area.

Prichard · 05-23-2007, 07:22 AM

Who's sugar-coated anything? I've read all of the responses, and they describe the are quite accurately.

blueoktober · 05-23-2007, 09:57 PM

I live downtown. Do you Annie? I've lived on and off for over 6 years in downtown Orlando and I find it the safest and best place to live in all of Orlando. I have lived in Altamonte, GhettoWest and St. Cloud. I feel extremely safe in my neighborhood. At 9pm at night there are women jogging ALONE around Lake Davis. It really bothers me that people who do not live downtown or spend much time downtown make such negative comments without really having knowledge to back it up. Yes, read the Orlando Sentinel and tell me about crime downtown. Because what I see is many young professionals, beautliful landscaping, lakes, jogging trails, cobblestone streets, cafes, music stores, coffee houses, children practicing soccer in Cherokee or Delaney Park, old couples walking along Curry Ford holding hands, hundreds of yuppies bustling in Thornton Park, gay couples having dinner with straight families. I don't see or hear the loud and obnoxious rap music or the wind-up hondas reving their engines. I don't see prostitutes. I have never seen a drug dealer. I don't have homeless people sleeping in my yard. (Hello Metrowest, I am looking at you!).
I also don't have snooty ass people pushing me off the road in their SUVs.

To the Original Poster: Go with your gut instinct. Downtown Orlando is very nice and of course it has it's share of crime. But like Prichard said just get familiar with which areas to head into at night and which ones not to.
Anything West of I4 is bad in relation to downtown. But anything North, East (before Old Cheney Highway) and many parts of the immediate south are vibrant, unique and as safe as Orlando can be at this point. I work in Altamonte and see a lot more sketchy people up that way than down here.

pianogal · 05-24-2007, 05:30 AM

I work downtown and drove through this area down Corrine daily when I lived in Winter Park. It is a lovely area. There is almost always lots of people out and about and it seems to be getting better and better. With upscale Baldwin Park and Windsong close by, the whole area seems to be rising as well. Then there are those luxury condos slated to be built at Mills and Nebraska - the whole area seems to be undergoing a great revitalization and the location is great. You are between the commercial districts of Colonial and Winter Park - easy access to both.

blueoktober · 05-24-2007, 11:28 AM

Pianogirl, do you happen to know what they are going to build on all that cleared land on mills? I thought the condos were going to be on the corner but I cannot figure out how they will all fit. Are the condos going on the corner or in that large cleared area where all the antique places used to be?