Moving to West Palm need info (Miami, West Palm Beach: for sale, 2013, lease)

[Dallas Gator]

As the name suggests I'm not a stranger to Florida. However I've never lived on the east coast. I'm single looking to rent in upscale neighborhoods (willing to pay up to $2,000/mth - would really like a loft or a townhome type home with garage) where there's an abundence of cafes, restaurants, martini/wine bars and the like (I'm past the club scene) that I can either walk to or that are a short cab ride away. From what I see there are two options convenient to my workplace - Cityplace and Palm Beach Gardens.

So give me the lowdown - is the crime dowtown that bad? I'm relatively streetsmart but I don't want to worry about getting mugged walking home.

Palm Beach Gardens - is it just suburban hell?? What's going on down there from a social scene? Places to check out to live and recreate.

I'm going on a househunting trip next week so any feedback is appreciated...

[PBCboy]

Down town is very transient. You can be in a nice area one second and go a little north and be in the ghetto the next. Just be careful, and always be wary of "good values" on homes. They're probably cheap for a reason.

[KoZmiC NinJa]

Abacoa in Jupiter is a little way from WPB but has all the stuff you
are looking for to some degree.

[Lilybeans]

I think downtown West Palm is kind of neat.

[TriMT7]

I currently live in Downtown West Palm Beach, in Cityplace. There's a glut of condos, lofts and townhomes downtown, so at 2000/month, you can get a really nice place. You have a a lot of options. (I'd say the average rent for a 2 bedroom condo downtown is around $1300-$1500). There are also loft buildings under 2k/month.

The cityplace area is a good location to live for an "upscale" feel, and it's still walkable to the intracoastal, Clematis Street, etc. The key to living anywhere downtown is to know your boundaries. If you look at a map of of Downtown West Palm, stay South of Banyan, unless you're looking at condos on Flagler Blvd. Don't be fooled by places like "Cityside" that offer townhomes "Close to cityplace."

For townhouses, there are some IN Cityplace, and just South of Okeechobee Blvd. that are walkable to Cityplace. The ones just South of Cityplace/Okeechobee are right behind the convention center and would be in your price range are called "Elan in the City:"

ELAN IN THE CITY 2/2 W. GARAGE! FULLY UPGRADED! WALK TO CITYPLACE! (http://westpalmbeach.craigslist.org/apa/495831398.html - broken link)


If you'd like info on specific buildings, just ask. I saw a LOT of different buildings and/or know the specific locations of buildings when I was looking for a place. Downtown West Palm has a lot of young professionals living in it, but it does have a bad rap for crime in comparison with Gardens or Jupiter. Keep your wits about you, and stay out of obviously bad areas, and you should be fine. It's not REALLY rough till you get North of Banyan and into the Palm Beach Lakes area/Northwood.


Now, for Palm Beach Gardens, it's definitely going to be a "safer" option, crime wise. But, it's not a "real" downtown experience. Everything is newer, nicer, and more upscale, however. A lot of young professionals hang out at Downtown at the Gardens at places like Yard House, but there's no real club scene there as there is in Downtown West Palm (Not that West Palm really has a club scene comparable to Lauderdale or Miami though).

Bottom line: Downtown West Palm is more exciting than Gardens, in good ways and bad, lol. West Palm has a walkable downtown, and Gardens does not, but Gardens has great shopping and dining, and is safer.



I have to run, but let me know if you have any other Q's.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by gg4000

I will miss the area. I'm selling my house and moving to Jupiter.
Home for sale

You know, I've seen your house on Craigslist. I actually drove by it once, back when I was flirting with the idea of moving to one of the Historic Southern neighborhoods. Now I have no idea what I "want" when the time comes to buy, however.

Good luck!

[eaglecall]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

I currently live in Downtown West Palm Beach, in Cityplace. There's a glut of condos, lofts and townhomes downtown, so at 2000/month, you can get a really nice place. You have a a lot of options. (I'd say the average rent for a 2 bedroom condo downtown is around $1300-$1500). There are also loft buildings under 2k/month.

The cityplace area is a good location to live for an "upscale" feel, and it's still walkable to the intracoastal, Clematis Street, etc. The key to living anywhere downtown is to know your boundaries. If you look at a map of of Downtown West Palm, stay South of Banyan, unless you're looking at condos on Flagler Blvd. Don't be fooled by places like "Cityside" that offer townhomes "Close to cityplace."

For townhouses, there are some IN Cityplace, and just South of Okeechobee Blvd. that are walkable to Cityplace. The ones just South of Cityplace/Okeechobee are right behind the convention center and would be in your price range are called "Elan in the City:"

ELAN IN THE CITY 2/2 W. GARAGE! FULLY UPGRADED! WALK TO CITYPLACE! (http://westpalmbeach.craigslist.org/apa/495831398.html - broken link)


If you'd like info on specific buildings, just ask. I saw a LOT of different buildings and/or know the specific locations of buildings when I was looking for a place. Downtown West Palm has a lot of young professionals living in it, but it does have a bad rap for crime in comparison with Gardens or Jupiter. Keep your wits about you, and stay out of obviously bad areas, and you should be fine. It's not REALLY rough till you get North of Banyan and into the Palm Beach Lakes area/Northwood.


Now, for Palm Beach Gardens, it's definitely going to be a "safer" option, crime wise. But, it's not a "real" downtown experience. Everything is newer, nicer, and more upscale, however. A lot of young professionals hang out at Downtown at the Gardens at places like Yard House, but there's no real club scene there as there is in Downtown West Palm (Not that West Palm really has a club scene comparable to Lauderdale or Miami though).

Bottom line: Downtown West Palm is more exciting than Gardens, in good ways and bad, lol. West Palm has a walkable downtown, and Gardens does not, but Gardens has great shopping and dining, and is safer.



I have to run, but let me know if you have any other Q's.

Very good info, thanks. I am also probably moving to downtown west palm, with a lower budget but maybe I'll be able to get a 2/2. Seems like rent prices are going down a little bit, that will help me by the time I'm ready to move.

[Gary4000]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

You know, I've seen your house on Craigslist. I actually drove by it once, back when I was flirting with the idea of moving to one of the Historic Southern neighborhoods. Now I have no idea what I "want" when the time comes to buy, however.

Good luck!

Now I have the Christmas lights up.

[Dallas Gator]

Thanks for the info - zeroing on downtown...

[THX 1138]

Originally Posted by Dallas Gator

As the name suggests I'm not a stranger to Florida. However I've never lived on the east coast. I'm single looking to rent in upscale neighborhoods (willing to pay up to $2,000/mth - would really like a loft or a townhome type home with garage) where there's an abundence of cafes, restaurants, martini/wine bars and the like (I'm past the club scene) that I can either walk to or that are a short cab ride away. From what I see there are two options convenient to my workplace - Cityplace and Palm Beach Gardens.

So give me the lowdown - is the crime dowtown that bad? I'm relatively streetsmart but I don't want to worry about getting mugged walking home.

Palm Beach Gardens - is it just suburban hell?? What's going on down there from a social scene? Places to check out to live and recreate.

I'm going on a househunting trip next week so any feedback is appreciated...

Palm Beach Gardens is getting very upscale, downtown WPB is a mixed bag. Mayor Frankel has her problems, I wont' go into detail.

Clematis St. is nothing spectacular anymore, it was 8 years ago, the place to be but now the street is filled with empty store fronts and for lease signs.

City Place is ok, but a lot of places have come and go and more will follow with the downturn in the economy.

Downtown at the Gardens is similar but much bigger.

I would pick Palm Beach Gardens, if I was deciding between the two but that all depends on where your going to work. If your working in downtown WPB, better to live there. There are some nice neighborhoods, El Cid and etc..