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We're a couple in our 20s and have been looking for rental units in Providence for some time now. We would really appreciate some help. We've visited a couple of pretty nice units in Blackstone/Wayland. Now we've come across apartment communities in Downtown Providence - such as the 903, Regency etc. which look really modern and nice as well. Are these good locations? Safety is the most important issue for us and since we're not local, we don't really know what would work best.
I don't think safety is too much of a concern at the places and areas you mentioned. It somewhat depends on what you want from the place you're looking to rent. Do you want it to be in a funky part of town with lots of college students and small shops? Go East Side then. Do you want it to be closer to the Providence Place Mall, Train Station and clubs and theater? Go with places like the 903.
I gotta say that if you're concerned, you may not care for the area where the 903 is. It's on "the other side" of the mall at the bottom of the Valley neighborhood. It's a lot of mills (converted and not yet), a fairly hip neighb, but not posh. I'd rate it as gritty. It's a very quick walk on a fairly ugly piece of street to get up under the highway and the mall and BANG, you're downtown. Google street view it.
I agree with Frymaster and I believe I'd add only that it all comes down to if you like being outside.
The 903 and The Promenade are modern, relatively pleasant buildings on the inside. Modern, clean, and I think that they have gyms, pools, and the 903 has (or had) a movie theatre. When the Promenade opened I believe there was some sort of outdoor, enclosed Zen garden in it. The Promenade is a Victorian-era converted mill building. The 903 was constructed as an apartment/condo community.
But the walk from there, though quick, is somewhat creepy and there isn't anything directly around it. It's just a bunch of big weird buildings and you are basically walking under a series of highway overpasses and the superstructure for the mall parking garage as well as a weird dead zone where they recently demolished the former produce market.
However, on the other side of the mall and highway are Waterplace and Avalon at Center Place - much more pleasantly situated.
Regency Plaza isn't quite as oddly located as the Promenade and the 903 but it does seem to be a little overpriced for what it is.
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