Hello everyone, thanks in advance for helping me out! 

 

I just got a job in aurora but am looking to find an apartment closer to downtown.  I'm just out of college so i'd like to live in an area that's not too suburban where i can walk to stuff like restaurants, bars, shops and the like.  I've heard tremont is nice, as well as the area around CWRU.  Thoughts? Advice?

 

oh yeah and i'd like to stay under $1000/month in rent

Can't go wrong with Tremont or Ohio City!

@Clefan98 - I've been checking out Tremont Place Lofts but there are really mixed reviews online, do you know anything about that place/ would you recommend it?

My friend lives there.  His basic breakdown:

 

Loves the cool building, loves the neighborhood, likes the washer and dryer in unit, thinks the walls are too thin.

 

Overall he likes it and has never had a problem.

 

Remember that a decent percent of people post online with a motive of being pissed off.

Would you want to live downtown? Cause you could easily afford it.

Welcome to UrbanOhio Tim. I also work in Aurora and live downtown at Reserve Square. You can get a really great apartment downtown for $1,000 not to mention your minutes from Ohio City, Tremont, etc.

@murray hill - thanks for the input, i'll definitely check it out in person for myself before i decide. washer and dryer in unit is a huge plus

 

@hubz1124 - How long is the commute to aurora from downtown? I was looking mostly around CWRU because it's a bit closer but if the drive isn't too bad I'll look at downtown as well.  What are some of the places downtown I should look into?

It takes about 40 minutes, little long but manageable. There's easy highway access from Downtown, I am not sure there would be from the CRWU area.

 

Here are some places to check out.

 

e.4th apartments- http://www.east4thstreet.com/

 

668 Euclid

 

Reserve Square

 

 

 

 

@hubz - thanks! i didn't think about the highway issue and 40 min isn't terrible. 30 min or less would be ideal, but it looks like it would be hard to find an area I like that close to aurora  :-(  oh well

Ironically, it looks like Tremont is the shortest commute compared to the Eastside neighborhoods of Little Italy, Coventry, and CWRU/University Circle.  All according to Google....plus you'd be doing more "reverse rush hour."

Tim, living in an east-side neighborhood, although more physically close to Aurora than downtown, isn't any faster owing to the lack of highway access. But that's also what makes that area more attractive -- terrific density, pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, good transit, etc. All of that is great if you're taking the train downtown or walking/biking to school at CWRU. But if you're commuting to Aurora, it's can take longer from the east-side neighborhoods near University Circle.

 

I used to live in Bainbridge, just north of Aurora, and we always assumed a 30-minute drive to downtown in good traffic and 40 minutes in rush hour. That was 20 years ago. Today, the traffic on I-480 and US-422 is bad in both directions in both rush hours. So I would allow yourself 40 minutes. If you are working on the south side of Aurora, such as between Aurora and Streetsboro, you could be looking at a 40-60-minute drive. I have experienced 1-hour drives to Streetsboro especially when there is snowy weather. If your job is in that area, you might stay on I-480 all the way to Frost Road and exit there for SR43 or Aurora-Hudson Road.

 

If you want a historic town center that is nearer to Aurora, but has still maintained its pedestrian-friendly character, check out the downtowns of Bedford, Hudson and Chagrin Falls. All were once separate towns that have since been swallowed up by the suburban sprawl, but suffered few demolitions and aren't dominated by parking lots. Hudson recently opened a mixed use development called First & Main (http://www.firstandmainhudson.com/). I suspect you will be able to find some nice rentals in those communities for $1,000 or less.

 

I prefer urban living too, but I suspect you will tire of that commute. Hubz1124 does it and is still sane, so I guess it's doable.... He's a better man than I!

@KJP - Thanks a lot for the detailed input, I'm going to have to take all these things into account before i make a final decision on where to live.  I will be working in the south of aurora, google maps confirms your estimate of 40min ish from downtown.  Right now I'm still leaning toward tremont or downtown simply because at this point in my life I'd be willing to have a longer commute in exchange for urban living.  There's no doubt that I'll tire of the long drive, but for a year or two I think it'll be worth it.  After that, it will be time to look into the ares you mentioned

^ Tim Its totally worth it, you'll have a great time living downtown or tremont.

 

Just be sure to take 77 to 80. DO NOT TAKE 480!!!

 

 

^ Tim Its totally worth it, you'll have a great time living downtown or tremont.

 

Just be sure to take 77 to 80. DO NOT TAKE 480!!!

 

 

Now why didn't I think of that?!?! That would be so much faster! And it's so much more scenic.

 

See some of the other threads here for suggestions on where to live downtown or nearby neighborhoods, and what to look for. Ultimately however, you need to walk through some of the neighborhoods. Driving helps you see a lot fast, but if something catches your eye about a neighborhood, get out and walk. Visit a few restaurants, bars and shops, etc. and talk to the bartender, the patrons, the shopkeepers and others. It's the only way to get to know a neighborhood.

^ Tim Its totally worth it, you'll have a great time living downtown or tremont.

 

Just be sure to take 77 to 80. DO NOT TAKE 480!!!

 

 

Now why didn't I think of that?!?! That would be so much faster! And it's so much more scenic.

 

See some of the other threads here for suggestions on where to live downtown or nearby neighborhoods, and what to look for. Ultimately however, you need to walk through some of the neighborhoods. Driving helps you see a lot fast, but if something catches your eye about a neighborhood, get out and walk. Visit a few restaurants, bars and shops, etc. and talk to the bartender, the patrons, the shopkeepers and others. It's the only way to get to know a neighborhood.

 

 

Awesome, this is going to help me out a lot, thanks!  I'm currently in pittsburgh so hopefully i'll have several chances to drive out and visit the various neighborhoods in the coming weeks

Glad to have you from Pittsburgh. I'll never admit this to fellow Browns fans, but I really like Pittsburgh. I often go for a drive to the 'Burgh and now I can take the Megabus for as little as $1 (if I book early enough). It's a terrific city, and I love the South Carson Street district, Oakland and much of downtown. If there's an area in Pittsburgh that you really like, let me know and I'll give you the Cleveland equivalent -- sans hills, of course!