Apartments/Neighborhoods around U of A (apartment complex, rentals, houses)

[adesguy]

My wife and I are looking at U of A as a possibility for school soon. We would be moving fromm Seattle. Can anyone please advise what the area around the U of A is like. Is it safe clean etc..?

Thanks

[azdr0710]

I hope you both have a chance to get down here with a few days to spare before committing to a place....very nice to just walk/drive the 'hoods around the U and get a feel for each....

west of the U is the West University neighborhood...much older feeling, lots of student rentals and junky feeling in parts as a result, strong neighborhood association, close to funky 4th Avenue, trolley line (short, not too practical right now), very walkable

north of the U is the same oldish/studentish feeling, but not quite as historic feeling as west...don't know the 'hood name right this sec, some scattered apt buildings, lots of bikers

south of the U is even a bit more junky feeling just because of all the student rentals....not a refugee camp at all, but scattered nice stuff in with the "sofas on the front porch"-type places....

east of the U (south of Speedway) is the much, much nicer Sam Hughes area....homes built from the 1930s on, trees, neat and clean....some profs live there, very few apt type places, a few guest houses, students living in places their wealthy parents bought for them, hard to get in there for < $250K or so.....easily goes to $1M

the entire UA area is in an older central part of town, so will feel junky at times....lots of bikers and very good bus service....great funky restaurants and bars, especially just outside the Main Gate on the west side....the campus is attractive and compact, lots of grass, brick buildings mostly, nice new Student Union, casual atmosphere

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by azdr0710

east of the U (south of Speedway) is the much, much nicer Sam Hughes area....homes built from the 1930s on, trees, neat and clean....some profs live there, very few apt type places, a few guest houses, students living in places their wealthy parents bought for them, hard to get in there for < $250K or so.....easily goes to $1M

I agree. There is an apartment complex at Country Club & 6th St as well as guest houses in Sam Hughes. However, I'm pretty sure students' priorities don't match mine. They normally rent crappy party houses.