Apartment near Light Rail (Mesa, Scottsdale: for sale, apartment complex, rentals)

[teeej]

I have a job offer with the IRS which is 4000 block at Central Ave. I already have a place in South Scottsdale that has been unsucessfully listed for sale, so I imagine that i'll just live there as long as it makes sense to, but it looks to be not the best location for car traffic in the morning and I would have to drive to a light rail spot.

it looks like I could go to the park and ride at McClintock and Apache, but is there a decent apartment complex that is close to the light rail line and might even minimize the need for a car?

[yukon]

Can't help with the light rail/apartment question, but if your place in S Scottsdale isn't selling you might consider renting it or putting it up on AirBnB. It would give you some extra income, always handy if you have to rent somewhere else for yourself.

[Desert Ray]

Originally Posted by teeej

I have a job offer with the IRS which is 4000 block at Central Ave. I already have a place in South Scottsdale that has been unsucessfully listed for sale, so I imagine that i'll just live there as long as it makes sense to, but it looks to be not the best location for car traffic in the morning and I would have to drive to a light rail spot.

it looks like I could go to the park and ride at McClintock and Apache, but is there a decent apartment complex that is close to the light rail line and might even minimize the need for a car?

Depends on your budget. I live right on Central, and completely use light rail. They have built a bunch of apartments right on Central, near light rail. What is your price range?

[teeej]

Originally Posted by Desert Ray

Depends on your budget. I live right on Central, and completely use light rail. They have built a bunch of apartments right on Central, near light rail. What is your price range?

Price isn't really an issue, I am paying 1600 here in Hawaii
I would just need my scottsdale place to sell and so far if hasn't. What are some of the nice complexes?

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by teeej

I have a job offer with the IRS which is 4000 block at Central Ave. I already have a place in South Scottsdale that has been unsucessfully listed for sale, so I imagine that i'll just live there as long as it makes sense to, but it looks to be not the best location for car traffic in the morning and I would have to drive to a light rail spot.

it looks like I could go to the park and ride at McClintock and Apache, but is there a decent apartment complex that is close to the light rail line and might even minimize the need for a car?

Hey! I used to work in that complex (used to be in that high rise on the 4th floor, I remember what that complex looked like during tax season) and now I work right across the street. I live next to McClintock and Apache (so that's the station I take, or sometimes Dorsey if I drive), and I get off at the Indian School station. I do your hypothetical commute twice a day for five days a week.

The McClintock station park and ride is literally surrounded by an apartment complex. I know people who live in the apartment complex (Tempe Metro) and like it. Rent there is actually not that bad depending on your salary, but everyone I know there has a roommate to make rent for them even cheaper. There are plenty of apartments to look at. East Tempe will be a little cheaper than Central Avenue, and personally a little nicer than the 19th avenue corridor of the light rail, and still nicer than West Mesa, so it's definitely a good option to look into.

The downside is that from the McClintock station to Indian School takes about an hour, factoring in walking time. I usually catch the train that runs around 7:25 am or so from Dorsey (7:20 give or take from McClintock) headed westbound and I usually get off the train at 8:17. Then factoring in walking time to get to my building, I usually arrive at 8:22, 8 minutes early. In theory I should be able to wait for the next train since they are supposed to come every 7 minutes, but it's too risky. It takes roughly the same time back. This is contrary to driving, which is 30 minutes in the morning and 45-50 minutes in the evening.

If you have a nice budget, it would be cheaper and less of a commute to live in Midtown or Downtown. Or even near the Mill Ave station.

[teeej]

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

Hey! I used to work in that complex (used to be in that high rise on the 4th floor, I remember what that complex looked like during tax season) and now I work right across the street. I live next to McClintock and Apache (so that's the station I take, or sometimes Dorsey if I drive), and I get off at the Indian School station. I do your hypothetical commute twice a day for five days a week.

The McClintock station park and ride is literally surrounded by an apartment complex. I know people who live in the apartment complex (Tempe Metro) and like it. Rent there is actually not that bad depending on your salary, but everyone I know there has a roommate to make rent for them even cheaper. There are plenty of apartments to look at. East Tempe will be a little cheaper than Central Avenue, and personally a little nicer than the 19th avenue corridor of the light rail, and still nicer than West Mesa, so it's definitely a good option to look into.

The downside is that from the McClintock station to Indian School takes about an hour, factoring in walking time. I usually catch the train that runs around 7:25 am or so from Dorsey (7:20 give or take from McClintock) headed westbound and I usually get off the train at 8:17. Then factoring in walking time to get to my building, I usually arrive at 8:22, 8 minutes early. In theory I should be able to wait for the next train since they are supposed to come every 7 minutes, but it's too risky. It takes roughly the same time back. This is contrary to driving, which is 30 minutes in the morning and 45-50 minutes in the evening.

If you have a nice budget, it would be cheaper and less of a commute to live in Midtown or Downtown. Or even near the Mill Ave station.

What is the parking situation like for work?

[markeg]

There are many nice apartments on Central Ave downtown and midtown. Your commute would be 5-10 minutes. Some condo buildings also have rentals. It’s a great area, and you have restaurants, bars, theatre, museums within minutes.

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by teeej

What is the parking situation like for work?

I’ve never had any issues parking at that garage, but usually I’d had to go up a few floors. It’s been a few years since I’ve worked for the public health department in that high rise.

The downside to that area is I’m going to assume if you drive you’d be coming from the east on Indian School. Assuming you work a 9-5, the stretch of Indian School between Central and 7th street is always a mess in the mornings. I recommend giving yourself a few extra minutes (from what the GPS says) to get through that. Fortunately you’d be turning just before central so you don’t have to wait as long, but I’ve seen the left turn lane (to get onto central southbound) traffic buildup all the way to 3rd street. And of course that would block your entry into the garage.

An even better option for you is to turn on 3rd street and take the back way in, you’ll save even more time.

[WSPHXPELON]

Originally Posted by teeej

Price isn't really an issue, I am paying 1600 here in Hawaii
I would just need my scottsdale place to sell and so far if hasn't. What are some of the nice complexes?

If price is really no issue I would recommend either https://cityscaperesidences.com/ or 44 Monroe. Both are VERY nice and VERY convenient.

[kytoaz]

I don't really think that commute would be horrible enough to make you sell and move immediately. There are a multitude of new high-rise apartments in that immediate area just look on zillow. Many so close that you could walk to work. Driving to that park and ride would add a ridiculous amount of time to your commute. You'd basically spend almost as much time driving there just to grab a train back into the city which is about a 40 minute train ride from there and 40 minutes would be longer than just driving to work from Scottsdale.