What can anyone tell me about the "Minor" area of town... (Seattle: sublet)

[mamainfl]

Specifically 18th Ave and E. Spruce Street. We are looking at a house to sublet for a few months in this area. It did not look like there was much in the way of grocery stores (real grocery shopping not convenience store types) . What about libraries, and banking? Is this an ethnically diverse area? If so, what is the major population here? The street I am looking at seems residential and fairly quiet. This would be a big plus.

So, what is the general vibe of the area? This would be our first taste of the area, and it is pretty important for the Dad in particular to really like it. The kids all want to go to Seattle so bad, I am sure they would be happy with most anything. It says it has a walkscore of 86. Which seems great!

I was really thinking more about North of the canal. ie. Wallingford, Ballard, Phinney Ridge, Green Lake etc.

Anyway, any help/insight you could provide would be super!!

[BATCAT]

Originally Posted by mamainfl

It did not look like there was much in the way of grocery stores (real grocery shopping not convenience store types) . What about libraries, and banking?

As for grocery stores- there is actually a Trader Joes and Central Co-Op (a pretty good natural/organic foods market) about ten blocks from there. There are also a QFC (Kroger) and a Safeway another five or so blocks away.

It's not too far (a long walk or a short bus/cab ride) to the main public library downtown, or to the Capitol Hill branch. (there might be a closer one; I don't know) There are certainly some banks around there also.

[Ira500]

It's the Central District, and not a part of the Central District that's been totally gentrified. The Yesler Branch of the library is at 23rd and Yesler, an easy walk. Red Apple is the nearest supermarket at 23rd and Jackson. 12th and Jackson has Vietnamese supermarkets. The Pratt Fine Arts center is close at 20th and Yesler, and they have classes that people like.. It's very close to Swedish Hospital's Cherry Hill campus( former Providence). The Cheeky Cafe is at 18th and Jackson, and if you've never had Kim Chi Mac and Cheese, it's way better than it sounds. Delicious, and a decent, fairly inexpensive restaurant. Home of Good BBQ is at 17th and Yesler, and is Seattle's oldest BBQ joint(and pretty good).The bad? Some of the immediate neighborhood is still a bit run down. It's certainly a convenient location, close to DT Seattle, and easy access to I-90 and I-5.

[fnh]

Hey, we would be neighbors! Welcome!

The Central District neighborhood is surprisingly leafy and residential for being so close to downtown (which you can walk to if inclined, and you can also walk to Lake Washington to the east.) There are loads of transit options, quite a few parks big and small, the Douglass Truth library is at 23rd & Yesler, there is a Red Apple grocery store at 23rd & Jackson (with the nicest employees, I will add) and several pocket grocery stores although I also shop the Whole Foods downtown which is easy to get to via Boren or by bus. There is a terrific nano brewery (Standard Brewing) near the Red Apple, a Chuck's Hop Shop within walking distance now, Broadcast Coffee at 20th & Yesler, and the Franz Bakery on Jackson & 20th makes the whole neighborhood smell puffy and delicious and sells their products crazy cheap on site. Central Cinema at 21st & Union has excellent food and second-run movies and is a fun gathering place for happy hour even with the kids. (Oh, I have been a WSECU member for twenty years now so I can't tell you where there is a bank anywhere in town other than the one I use.)

I do wish there were more "nicer" restaurant options, not super fancy but generally more upscale neighborhood joints. Ira lists a couple of good casual places and I would also add Ezell's for yummy fried chicken and sides, and Ethiopian options abound. We still seem to be able to eat very well not far away in downtown, Madrona, Capitol Hill, Madison Park...

The biggest downside (the only downside we can identify really) is that the neighborhood is still untidy and rough in (diminishing) spots, just as Ira mentions above. The area has suffered over many years of red-lining and disinvestment but it also means that the neighborhood has more original, classic Seattle homes than most other neighborhoods in the Seattle metro. The Central District is one of the oldest Seattle neighborhoods and I myself live in a historic landmark - literally a renovated, burned-out crack house in the '90's. You can practically feel the history oozing from many of the homes in the area. Some types of disrepair are OK though while others are nothing more than blight. Broken windows and trash littering the sidewalk isn't charming, no matter how you spin it. But, you are a mile from downtown and the prices can hardly be beat for the location and amenities. We feel really lucky to be a part of the CD. I hope you fall in love with it as we have!

[Thaxter]

It's not a bad area at all to live -- I on 14th and Spring for years and enjoyed it. It's near to the city and very close to the international district. Really, it's one of the better neighborhoods though people on the north end where I live now consider it "dangerous" because it's the CD (Central District) and yes, there have been some shootings there over the years, but it's not nearly as crime-ridden as it once was. You will be happy to be so close to downtown, Capital Hill, and the International District and for those reasons alone I think it's a good area.

[fnh]

A neighborhood restaurant update, we walked over to Central Pizza last night to give it a try. We will definitely go back - yum!

Central Pizza

(This was after having a beer at Standard Brewing: Standard Brewing -)



What did you decide on the sublet, mamainfl? How old are your kids? My kids are now middle school/late elementary and, too impatient to linger after dinner, they walked home on their own with a stop at one of the parks. Earlier in the day the kids and I walked home from downtown after taking a Seattle Architecture Foundation Family Tour. If your family needs proximity to downtown, this neighborhood is pretty hard to beat.