Walkable, Entertainment, Urban, Arty and Diverse Neighborhoods In Phoenix (Mesa: apartments, rental)

[Obamanation]

Hey all, I am a 24-year old college guy from Tampa considering a move for ASU. Long story short I love the weather and landscape of AZ and know a friend in Gilbert.

Downaside is PHX seems like one big suburb to me, so much mindless sprawl. I like to hang out/party/people watch in nice urban areas where you're not stuck in a strip mall and can bar hop etc. Neighborhoods with a bit of color and "edge." From my questions/research places like this seem to be:

Old Town Scottsdale (VERY imrpessed there)

Mill Ave Tempe (Also very nice, and adjacent to ASU)

Downtown Phoenix (seems up-and-coming like Tampa's DT)

Downtowns of Mesa and Glendale (smaller areas but seem nice)

Here in Tampa I am spoiled by tons of districts like this. Are the ones I listed the only such areas/neighborhoods in Phoenix Valley? Any more insight is very much appreciated, thank you.

[exit2lef]

You've identified most of them. I'd add Downtown Chandler, which is small but has a nice walkable cluster of independent restaurants, wine bars, etc. It's on par with the downtowns of Mesa and Glendale, but a little more lively after dark.

[Azalea City Man]

Are there really multiple districts like that in Tampa? If so, awesome. You are the first person I have ever heard say that though. Most say that there is not much there (when referring to neat little independent/indie areas of town). I have family and friends in Tampa, but have never been there myself.

[ivanabacowboy]

I've been to Tampa a few times. I forget what it was called there was some like huge street that they blocked off to traffic that was nothing but bars dozens of them-including a few "wayyyy" alternative places like cross-dressers and the like and shady dudes selling Cuban cigars on the street. For the life of me I cannot remember the name. It was a cool place (of course I was a tad younger then too). If that is the type of area you are thinking, you won't find anything on that scale in Arizona-closest you will come is the places folks already identified.

[cmist]

Originally Posted by Obamanation

Hey all, I am a 24-year old college guy from Tampa considering a move for ASU. Long story short I love the weather and landscape of AZ and know a friend in Gilbert.

Downaside is PHX seems like one big suburb to me, so much mindless sprawl. I like to hang out/party/people watch in nice urban areas where you're not stuck in a strip mall and can bar hop etc. Neighborhoods with a bit of color and "edge." From my questions/research places like this seem to be:

Old Town Scottsdale (VERY imrpessed there)

Mill Ave Tempe (Also very nice, and adjacent to ASU)

Downtown Phoenix (seems up-and-coming like Tampa's DT)

Downtowns of Mesa and Glendale (smaller areas but seem nice)

Here in Tampa I am spoiled by tons of districts like this. Are the ones I listed the only such areas/neighborhoods in Phoenix Valley? Any more insight is very much appreciated, thank you.

Phoenix is indeed one big suburb. The areas that are walkable and funky are miniscule compared to suburbia. The night life areas are pretty much filled with either cliques of college people, or cliques of yuppie rich types and not much of anything in between... If you have your own college aged crowd to hang with and you all love top 40 music, you will be in heaven.

Music is primarily either top 40 or country, so not much variety in that respect either. Sure you can find some hole in the wall jazz/blues or progressive/indie rock places but for the most part they are not part of the "circuit" in any of the night life areas. The walkable places are so similar to one another it almost doesnt matter which one you end up in. For more unique places, you will have to drive to an isolated strip center elsewhere.

Also, remove downtown glendale from the list. Its an antique shop mecca and not a place for nightlife whatsoever.

The edgiest neighborhoods would be in central phoenix or tempe, but due to the fact that its also very tiny compared to suburbia, the demand is high and therefore pricing is quite ridiculous for an old fixer upper rental in a shady area. The pricing keeps out adventurous/artsy free spirit types. Most of the people living in the "edgy" areas are actually busy professionals trying to be close to work, so while you may find the "look" edgy, the demographics are boring. To be among more like minded people, stay as close to the college as possible.

I will finish by clearing up the fact that its been a few years since I've walked through the clubs in the areas you mention, so maybe things have changed and others can correct me where I'm wrong... but based on my previous experiences in those areas, I have had no desire to go back.

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by cmist

Phoenix is indeed one big suburb. The areas that are walkable and funky are miniscule compared to suburbia. The night life areas are pretty much filled with either cliques of college people, or cliques of yuppie rich types and not much of anything in between... If you have your own college aged crowd to hang with and you all love top 40 music, you will be in heaven.

Music is primarily either top 40 or country, so not much variety in that respect either. Sure you can find some hole in the wall jazz/blues or progressive/indie rock places but for the most part they are not part of the "circuit" in any of the night life areas. The walkable places are so similar to one another it almost doesnt matter which one you end up in. For more unique places, you will have to drive to an isolated strip center elsewhere.

Also, remove downtown glendale from the list. Its an antique shop mecca and not a place for nightlife whatsoever.

The edgiest neighborhoods would be in central phoenix or tempe, but due to the fact that its also very tiny compared to suburbia, the demand is high and therefore pricing is quite ridiculous for an old fixer upper rental in a shady area. The pricing keeps out adventurous/artsy free spirit types. Most of the people living in the "edgy" areas are actually busy professionals trying to be close to work, so while you may find the "look" edgy, the demographics are boring. To be among more like minded people, stay as close to the college as possible.

I will finish by clearing up the fact that its been a few years since I've walked through the clubs in the areas you mention, so maybe things have changed and others can correct me where I'm wrong... but based on my previous experiences in those areas, I have had no desire to go back.

Moderator cut: of topic
Anyway, what matters is density and demographics. Bottomline, central Phoenix, Tempe, Glendale and Mesa are the densest and most diverse regions of the metro area. There are properties that range from the 150k to whatever Bill Gates can afford. And neighborhoods just as diverse; from Gayborhoods in Melrose and Coronado to uber-expensive enclaves like Encanto-Palmcroft and Alvorado (million dollar and up estates in Central Phoenix, blocks from downtown).

If you want "edgy" areas you just need to look to those areas. Moderator cut: personal
The Central City is also the safest precinct in the city of Phoenix, watch out for sections of Maryvale, Cactus (the square), Laveen, and South Phoenix...but even saying that is a broad generalization. While there has been a surge of youth violence in other cities like Chicago, New York, Atlanta, L.A., Seattle, Detroit, Philly, Boston, and on and on there has been a huge drop in Phoenix especially in Maryvale and S. Phoenix (not all gone of course).

So, because of this the best entertainment districts/walkable urban neighborhoods would be in...Central Phoenix and Tempe and not Surprise or Lake Pleasant Drive. Come down to Roosevelt, Downtown, "between the 7's," Evans-Churchill (still much in-fill needed), Mill Ave, and definitely Old Town Scottsdale. The only sad part about Scottsdale is its lack of connectivity to the light rail. If it wasn't so inward looking, it would have an even more vibrant existence and diversity but it is definitely a large walkable "urban" district. Westgate is a cool "entertainment" district in Glendale but I wouldn't call it urban; it is the purest entertainment district in that sense. Lesser entertainment districts are Tempe Marketplace, and some of the NE Valley shopping/entertainment districts (Kierland, Desert Ridge, CityNorth).

[KarmaPhx]

Old Town Scottsdale would be your best bet, it has everything you're looking for, but the cost of living is slightly higher.

Tons of bars, restaurants, and shopping, and a great art district. The area is more modern and upscale, tons of newer loft style apartments for good prices.

[fcorrales80]

[Moderator cut: orphaned quote
Moderator cut: off topic The only problem I have with your descriptions and post are that you say things in definate and well described terms, but then say things like "Phx was mostly one huge suburb." What city isn't. The point I was making is that in any city, you don't look for diversity and "edgy" things in the suburbs...The mentality worth arguing is that there is a huge misperception of Phoenix, even among long term residents.

I've met people that have lived in Phoenix 10+ years and have never seen a historic district, a "diverse" neighborhood, or urban existence in their stay here. They go from Arrowhead, to Deer Valley, and back home and then claim there is no culture. In that sense, it is worth getting out the word that there is more to my home, your home, our home then suburbia.

Moderator cut: redundant

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by KarmaPhx

Old Town Scottsdale would be your best bet, it has everything you're looking for, but the cost of living is slightly higher.

Tons of bars, restaurants, and shopping, and a great art district. The area is more modern and upscale, tons of newer loft style apartments for good prices.

I think it is the most developed for sure. And despite its high price (great deals to find), actually has something for everybody (Old Town). There are all kinds of bars, urban, gay, mixed, no one cares, biker, latino, sports, and on and on so in that sense, Scottsdale's got it all; same with downtown Phoenix but much newer and downtown actually has more diversity. And as far as the street in Tampa is concerned, I believe Ivana was talking about Franklin Street??? I haven't been there in years either but I think that's the name. There aren't any streets like that in metro Phoenix by design, but Mill Ave., Stetson, 5th Ave, and Most Streets in old town are larger but aren't closed to car traffic except during events.

[cmist]

[Moderator cut: orphaned quote
This is how I experienced it. There was not a diverse collection of music OR people in the walkable places (even in downtown phoenix/scottsdale - not talking about deer valley). It was dominated by top 40 culture, or country pop. If you were seeking something more off the beaten path, you would have to drive to an isolated strip center. "Edgier" places are not incorporated into the walkable districts as they are in other cities.

Moderator cut: personal