Hey, I've read quite a few of the past posts on moving to cleveland and was wondering if anyone could help me pinpoint the best place to move to (area and specific buildings).  I'm intrigued by Lakewood and Ohio City.  I don't know much about University Circle, Cleveland Heights, Warehouse district or the Flats.  I've only been to cleveland twice, once in high school 10 years ago and then once last year for a few hours to interview so I don't have a good grasp of the layout.

 

Here's my deal.  I'm going to be starting my residency at Case/UH and would like to be at most 20 mins away from the hospital.  I will also be rotating at MetroHealth, the VA hospital, and St. Vincent's.  I will be taking home-call, meaning there is a good chance I will have to drive back and forth to the hospital in the middle of the night multiple times.  I'm looking to rent, mostly b/c I'm not sure how hard it would be to sell a place 3 years from now. 

 

I'm used to living in downtown Boston in the middle of everything: bars, great restaurants, all public transportation, airport etc.  I like living in an apartment building rather than a brownstone or a house.  I like the added security, and having utilities for the most part included.  Are there any new constructions on the horizon that I should look into?  So what I'm looking for with rent up $1200 for a really nice 1BR or $1500 for a really nice 2BR:

-Apartment building - relatively quiet (meaning good insulation from neighbors and also so I can play my music as loud as I want)

-20 mins drive/walk from UH, MetroHealth, St. Vincents, and the VA

-Relatively new building (either construction or rennovation) - with a modern kitchen (new appliances etc) - i like to cook and a gym/pool would be great

-In-suite w/d - a huge plus for me

-Accessible public transportation (a place where I wouldnt have to wait 20 mins for the next ride)

-An area that is fun to hang out, close to cool bars and great restaurants.  A place where there is a younger crowd.

-Lastly, most importantly, a safe place - door man/indoor parking - i really don't want to have to worry about this all the time.  i dont want to have to worry about my car.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.  I'm looking forward to the move after 10 yrs here in Boston back closer to home for a few years.

Welcome to the forum and welcome to Cleveland!

 

You'll get plenty of advice here - just skimming over your post, here's what I have to offer:

 

Lakewood's Gold Coast (a cluster of a dozen or so high-rises along Edgewater Drive and the Lake Erie shoreline) is probably at the upper limit of your 20-minute drive to UH, but I know a lot of the construction has thick concrete floors (aka loud music might be workable). Any further west would probably not be feasible, given your potential schedule. Just a heads up - the area isn't in the most happening neighborhood - don't get me wrong, there are a few bars and restauarants in walking distance but it's not "saturated" with nightlife. Here is a rental in Winton Place, the tallest residential tower in Greater Cleveland and likely the poshest highrise on the Gold Coast:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/rentals/view.cgi?num=3793

 

Next door is the Carlyle (this unit offers a garage space):

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/rentals/view.cgi?num=3688

 

And another in Marine Towers East:

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/rentals/view.cgi?num=3487

Within 20 mins from UH I would be looking in these neighborhoods- Downtown(including the Warehouse District and the Flats), University Circle (which is where UH is located), Little Italy, Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights/Shaker Square, perhaps Ohio City or Tremont.  Downtown puts you in the middle of all of the hospitals you are going to be working at.  The others are either where UH is located (University Circle) or to the almost immediate south and east of UH (Little Italy/Cleveland Heights/Shaker).  Ohio City and Tremont are beyond Downtown the other way, and with traffic and or bad weather could be outside of 20 minutes, though not by much.  Lakewood could be done in under 20 minutes if you lived right by the highway and there was no traffic in Downtown or University Circle.  Cleveland traffic isn't bad, certainly not compared to Boston, but that is still not likely.  Here is a pretty map of Cleveland neighborhoods, with Lakewood, Cleveland Heights, and Shaker Heights also denoted: http://www.livecleveland.org/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=B7F7EE7DA6B3406F83F9D970A14D7BE9&type=gen&mod=Core+Pages&gid=557BF8D1BB6C4F06AC1361DDB8EF01D9

 

All of the neighborhoods above have at least some younger people and some nightlife.  What kind varies somewhat, though.

 

Downtown is very geared towards young professionals, with the most "club" nightlife, as well as bars and restaurants.  It also has may of the region's special events venues- the sports stadiums, Playhouse Square, House of Blues, a few smaller concert venues.  It can seem empty after work when there isn't a special event, though.

 

Tremont has the most laid back/hipster/pubby nightlife.  It also has an inordinate amount of pricey restaurants and art galleries.  Ohio City, right around the corner, is similar but with less galleries and high end restaurants and more inexpensive ethnic joints.  It also has great food shopping with the Westside Market and a few other import shops right in that area.

 

Lakewood and Cleveland Heights seem similar, though they are on opposites sides of town.  Both have an almost college town atmosphere, though neither actually has a college.  Cleveland Heights is close to Case and alot of Cleveland State (and other college) students live in Lakewood.  Lakewood is a city of bars and inexpensive restaurants  and shops spread along two main streets.  Cleveland Heights is a bit more upscale, befitting it's proximity to Case.  Not to mention that it is part of "The Heights", which was Cleveland's "garden suburb" area, which in a nutshell means 1920's uber-rich.  You might say it is Cleveland's equivalent of the East Coast "Ivy League hippy" scene.

 

Shaker Square/Shaker Heights is the other part of "The Heights".  It is less "college", a bit of an older crowd, a bit more sophisticated and quiet.  There are a few bars and restaurants along Larchmere, and some nice cafes and restaurants in Shaker Square and along Cedar in Shaker Heights.  Most of the rental housing will be right around Shaker Square or along Van Aken.

 

University Circle is a college neighborhood (of course), and is mostly full of large institutions.  There are a couple of newer buildings with housing, though, so you may check it out.  It has a few nice restaurants and bars, but isn't a major nightlife destination.

 

Little Italy is, of course, full of Italian eateries and cafes.  Alot of college students live there now, more so than Italians.  There isn't a lot of modern apt housing, but if you can find something it would be a nice neighborhood within walking distance of UH.

 

Downtown has the best public transit access, as it is the hub of the system.  All the rest have at least some bus service, though perhaps not so great in Tremont or Cleveland Heights.  Shaker Square/Heights, Ohio City, Little Italy, and University Circle are on the Rapid, Cleveland's rail transit system.  Even on the rapid headways can be up near 20 minutes at off peak times.  You may not be able to find the level of transit service you are used to in Boston. You can get system maps and schedules here: http://www.gcrta.org/

 

In the price range you mentioned, you could find a nice place in pretty much any Cleveland area neighborhood.  I can't speak too much to the actual features of the buildings, but for the sort of large complexes with the sort of amenities and indoor parking your best bets may be to look in Lakewood's Gold Coast area (highrises along the lake right next to the Cleveland border), Downtown, University Circle, or Shaker Square.  I doubt you'll find many doormen in Cleveland.  Good luck, I hope my rambling was helpful.

out of curiosity: Tufts University? Tufts Health Plan?

^I'm guessing Tufts Med School from the context, smack dab in Boston's Chinatown.

 

Tufts, it's not itself exactly within easy walking distance of the night life or other amenities, but you might want to check out Park Lane Villa, a recently rehabbed gilded age apartment building in University Circle.  It is in walking distance of UH and the VA hospital and easy driving distance to the other hospitals on your list, and to just about everything else worth doing in Cleveland.  It's not close to the rail system, but isn't too far from Euclid Avenue on which a new Bus Rapit Transit System (similar to the above-ground portions of Boston's Silver Line) is being built right now.  The building has a gym and I think a doorman too, and secure parking.  I know driving to find life is not ideal, but you might like the building enough to think it's worth it.  It was developed with folks like you in mind and is likely full of UH and Cleveland Clinic medical pros...who might be the last people on earth you want to see more of when not on the job, but still probably worth a look.

 

X covered the general landscape well, so nothing to add there.

Are there many buildings in Cleveland with doormen?

I don't think that phenomenon (i.e. wealth) really exists downtown....

Thanks for all the responses.  I went to both tufts undergrad and tufts med hence the '02 and '07.  while the undergrad wasnt exactly close to anything the med school and where i live are right next to quite a few bars/clubs and restaurants and all the t stops. 

 

I think you guys have helped me narrow down to Downtown (only downside is that its dead after work hours?), Ohio city (like the idea of west side market and more ethnic restaurants), Lakewood (i would love a place on the water as long as it meets some of the other criteria) and possibly this building, park lane villas in UC (though its on the cusp of my budget).  Can you recommend any buildings in downtown or ohio city?  Are the places off the gold coast in lakewood too far away?  I'm sure I can deal with traffic occasionally making the commute more than 20 mins and late at night I'm not sure traffic will be an issue for my commute.

 

Thanks again

Oh and btw I didnt mean a doorman as in someone to open the door for me but more as a security guard of sorts

For Downtown spots, I'd recommend:

 

http://perrypayneapts.com/

 

http://www.east4thstreet.com/ (although I hear they may be at capacity??)

Some areas of downtown are dead during after-work hours, mainly those areas which are almost entirely office buildings (East 9th, Superior etc). But areas having housing and restaurants are usually relatively active (Warehouse District, East 4th, the Prospect/Huron area of the Gateway District, or Public Square etc.). And some areas on weekends may be too noisy -- Warehouse District or East 4th. In those areas, you might look for apartments that are higher up or don't face the main thoroughfares (namely West 6th or St. Clair in the Warehouse District).

 

While you may be interested in new buildings, many of the recently rebuilt older buildings feature modern amenities. Renovations have brought much of the latest housing downtown (as well as in surrounding neighborhoods)onto the market. And even if they don't have fitness centers on site, some buildings have deals with nearby fitness centers, such as those in the Euclid-Superior Arcade or in the Colonial Arcade between Euclid and Prospect.

 

I live in a condo a couple of streets off the Gold Coast in Lakewood, and there are no buildings off the Gold Coast which have rental housing AND fitness centers/gyms. There are some on the Gold Coast which do offer these facilities, and some have restaurants in them. There are also restaurants, grocers, shops, coffee houses, drug stores, banks and bars along and near West 117th from Clifton south to I-90. I can walk to a lot of stuff within 15 minutes of my condo, though the Target at West 117th/I-90 is too far to walk to, especially if I'm carrying big purchases home.

 

The best best is to visit each of these areas -- downtown, Lakewood, Ohio City, Tremont, University Circle, Cleveland Heights (Coventry Village, Cedar-Fairmount etc), Shaker Square. Walk around those areas to get a feel for them. You'll probably make your choice based on how you feel about a neighborhood, then see if there's housing there that meets your needs. If you'd like tour or some more suggestions, just let one of us know.

For an overview of rentals downtown: www.downtown-digs.com

For downtown living: www.clevelandcityliving.com

 

Modern highrises downtown:

 

Crittenden Court (Warehouse District):  http://www.forrent.com/apartment-community-profile/1001590.php

smallish apartments, modern building with fitness center and parking garage, no balconies/patios, but nice city/river views

 

Reserve Square (Theater District): http://www.thekdgroup.com/profiles.asp?AID=12662

1970's era building, updated, with grocery store on first floor, parking garage, fitness center, rooftop tennis court, and indoor pool.

 

Chesterfield (Theater District): http://www.metprop.com/property/thechesterfield.htm

1960's era highrise, updated, parking garage, rooftop pool, fitness center

 

Stonebridge - modern apartments across river from downtown:  www.stonebridgewaterfront.com - amenities vary by building

 

Lots of older buildings in the downtown area have been rehabbed within the last 10 years, especially in the Warehouse District and Gateway Districts (near arenas, Jacobs Field), and have modern kitchens, fitness centers, garages/reserved parking.  Check the downtown digs site for links.

 

Are there many buildings in Cleveland with doormen?

 

Do the bigger downtown properties really not have doormen?

Are there many buildings in Cleveland with doormen?

 

Do the bigger downtown properties really not have doormen?

 

Almost every building downtown has a doorman/concierge/security person or persons.  However, it is usually more a glorified phone answerer, guest sign in, package delivery, etc. role and not a true "doorman" or "concierge" or "security", although the reserve square people carry guns.

 

yeah, i have a person to sign for packages, drop them off in my apartment, get my dry cleaning back into my closet, but i wouldn't consider them a doorman....

Did anybody  mention Park Lane Villas in University Circle?  Awesome Building!

http://cleveland.about.com/od/apartmentliving/p/parklanevillas.htm

 

 

Re: traffic

 

Tufts, I'm assuming you're starting a surgical residency with rotating to all those hospitals (medical residencies are separate at UH, Metro, and St V's), so you're going to be headed to work well before any traffic problems, and heading home at odd hours usually after the rush.  Cleveland traffic is only heavy for about an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon, and even then, it's not gridlock unless there's a pile of snow falling or a major accident downtown.  Even so, your commute from downtown wouldn't involve highway travel to any of those hospitals except Metro, and you're often better off taking Scranton Road through the industrial valley from downtown than you are getting on I-71.

 

Also, re: housing - I have never heard a good thing about living in the Triangle in Univ Circle or Waldorf Tower in Cleveland Hts, despite their proximity to UH/CCF.

 

 

Welcome tufts0207

 

Are there many buildings in Cleveland with doormen?

 

we used to have a seperate door man for each building, now its been consolidated into "concierge services".

 

yeah, i have a person to sign for packages, drop them off in my apartment, get my dry cleaning back into my closet, but i wouldn't consider them a doorman....

 

That similar to what I have.  They bring the car around, drop of flowers, food deliveries, UPS, etc.

Are there many buildings in Cleveland with doormen?

 

Do the bigger downtown properties really not have doormen?

 

Almost every building downtown has a doorman/concierge/security person or persons.  However, it is usually more a glorified phone answerer, guest sign in, package delivery, etc. role and not a true "doorman" or "concierge" or "security", although the reserve square people carry guns.

 

 

Gotcha.  Looking back at the thread, I think I fell into the same semantic trap as Tufts0207- I think of "doorman" just meaning "staffed lobby".

After doing a little more research and planning a trip out to Cleveland in early May to look for a place to move in around June 15th, the places that intrigue me the most are in no particular order: Park Lane Villa, Quay 55, The Bingham, and Stonebridge condos (if I could rent from someone).  I'm not sure I'm ready to buy a condo in Cleveland as I'm not sure if I will be there more than 3 years just yet. 

 

Can anyone comment on the above properties? 

 

Park Lane seems very nice and seems very accessible once the new public transport line is finished.  Although not next to much nightlife, I think I could sacrifice that for convenience as long as there is some sort of public transport for late nights back to my apt (how safe is this?). 

 

Quay 55 seems amazing but I can't find much info about it and it seems far away from things and without any public transport. 

 

I can't seem to decipher the stonebridge condos from the rentals as far as how nice the units are. 

 

And I seem to hear that the Bingham is overpriced for what you are getting. 

 

Again I'm looking for either a 1BR/2BR, <$1300, secure parking, close to public transport, modern appliances/kitchen (nice countertops etc) and w/d in unit. 

 

I'm always open to other specific suggestions as I'd like to see as many properties as possible in the 3-4 days I will have in May

I would also check out http://www.prospectplaceapartments.com.  These are downtown and just opened in the last couple of months.

 

Park Lane Villas - Here's a link to the Park Lane Villas thread on this board.  It's got some pictures that a forumer recently took during an open house.  http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,11775.msg270929.html#msg270929

 

Stonebridge - There are both rental units and condo units within this development.  Here's a link to the website.  http://www.stonebridgewaterfront.com/

there are usually a couple of stonebridge condos for rent on craigslist cleveland. The condos are generally nicer than the apartments-ie may have hard wood floors etc.

Quay 55 is pretty remote; you can't walk to much except parks, etc. It's somewhat accessible by public transit, as the #2 bus on East 55th comes up to the South Marginal Road (south side of I-90) where it turns around to head south again. But if you're going downtown or to University Circle, you have to connect to other bus lines. If you want transit access, you can do much better than Quay 55.

http://www.riderta.com/pdf/2.pdf

http://www.quay55.com/html/home.htm

 

I've seen the inside the Bingham and I think it's pretty cool. The hardwood floors in the hallways are a bit annoying when there's people coming and going. And I'm not sure why the windows in the suites are so high which prevent you from seeing out while sitting on a sofa or chair. But I like the layout of the units, and the location of the building and having a small grocery store (Constantino's) in the building. They have a great selection of prepared foods and a small cafe/coffee shop. There are tons of restaurants nearby; Tower City Center is nearby with its shopping and movie theaters.

 

You might also check out the Osborn Building and Huron Square apartments at East 9th/Prospect/Huron. You can see them and other downtown Cleveland apartments at:

 

http://www.forrent.com/apartment-community-profile/1030655.php

How is the East 9th street and Prospect avenue area in terms of safety and restaurants/coffee shops?

How is the East 9th street and Prospect avenue area in terms of safety and restaurants/coffee shops?

 

Welcome and just like the rest of downtown.  Check some other relocation threads for reference.

Welcome aboard Moving to Cleveland! Hopefully you stop by here after you move here so that you'll have to change your forum name. ;) Where are you moving from and when?

 

East 9th's share of restaurants/coffee shops are geared more toward the 9-5 office worker -- given that East 9th has more office space than any other part of downtown. If you want some evening/weekend restaurants/coffee shops, you should venture to other parts of downtown. However....and there's always exceptions, one of the best downtown coffee shops is AJ Rocco's on Huron. You can also get a meal and a beer there. It's just west of East 9th and the Huron/Prospect/East 9th intersection. See www.ajroccos.com

 

Another decent place on East 9th that doesn't stick to bankers' hours is the Market Cafe and Wine Bar, 1801 E. 9th St. I can't find a website for them, but Google shows there's plenty written about them on the Web.

I'm moving from Chicago, and I'll be there in May.  From what I've read on the forum, east 9th street and Prospect is good because it has shops in the area for business hours.  But I've also read that Prospect ave between east 9 and east 4 can be a little dangerous to walk around in the evenings or night.

 

I want to live near the Huron/Prospect intersection because I figure it has shops during the day and, for the most part, I can safely walk to east fourth street for night life/groceries/gym/evenings.  Is that correct?  Anything else that might be a 'negative' for huron/prospect/east 9?

 

(P.S. this forum is the best thing I have come across after three weeks of searching the internet and talking to multiple people.  Thanks!)

"I can safely walk to east fourth street for night life/groceries/gym/evenings."

 

Walk safely, yes. Walk feeling safe, that all depends on who you are and where you are coming from.

 

 

I live at 9th and Prospect / Huron.  I've been making that walk for quite some time at night.  Of course, I am a 6', 190 pound man... granted "strangers" don't know I haven't been in a fight since 2nd grade, but who's counting.  :lol:  But I agree... walk safely, yes... feel safe, depends.  In almost 5 years down here I have never even HEARD of anything happening to anyone around there.  It's just that you have to deal with the creepy abandoned building (back of 668 Euclid Avenue), which is dark, lifeless, and looks like something out of a horror movie at night.  I walk WITH my fiance past here all the time.  But like I said I think it's more perception versus reality.  And they are supposed to start with rehabilitation of that building at some point this summer, which should help tremendously.

I live in the Pointe at Gateway which is by the corner of East 9th and Prospect. I've been there for about 2.5 and I feel it is very safe. During the evening I feel safe walking to CVS, East 4th etc.

 

However, since The Q and Progressive Field are around the corner we do get more panhandlers than other parts of downtown. This causes some people to feel unsafe but the vast majority aren't aggressive and since you've already lived in an urban area I doubt you will notice it as much as someone who is moving from the suburbs. Additionally, the safety patrol downtown is very responsive to reports of aggressive panhandling.

 

I really like the area and highly recommend it. Good luck with your search!

 

Hello Moving to Cleveland, I'm another neighborhood resident.  I've lived on East 4th St for about 2.5 years (I must have moved down here the same time as you jmc8651!).  Here's my input:

 

There aren't alot of shops around Prospect and East 9th, to be honest.  The majority of businesses there are sports bars, owing to the proximity to Gateway.  The largest concentration of shopping Downtown would be in Tower City, which is a Downtown mall, albeit a struggling one (are there any that aren't?).  That is within walking distance, as are groceries, but on East 12th, not on East 4th.  There is also a CVS at East 9th and Euclid, one block north.  There is a gym in the Colonial Arcade, near East 4th. 

 

I think the stretch of Prospect between East 4th and East 9th is safe, though the aforementioned panhandlers are an irritant.

I go for a lot of walks at all hours, especially between Prospect at 9th and 4th (ask cle3202), and have never felt uncomfortable.

Hey all, just wanted to say thanks for all your input.  I was in Cleveland last weekend to find a place and decided on Park Lane Villa.  It's a beautiful building and can't wait to move in.  My only issue with the building was that for the price of rent I was hoping for better finishing (i.e. better countertops, less carpeting, etc).  Thanks again for the help!

You're welcome.  Enjoy your new place, and let us know how it works out for you.

Welcome! Park Lane Villa is a pretty place.

 

Don't be a stranger here. Feel free to post more questions or share your experiences.

Hey all, just wanted to say thanks for all your input.  I was in Cleveland last weekend to find a place and decided on Park Lane Villa.  It's a beautiful building and can't wait to move in.  My only issue with the building was that for the price of rent I was hoping for better finishing (i.e. better countertops, less carpeting, etc).  Thanks again for the help!

 

Congrats!  please don't be a stranger here.

Tufts, and movingtocleveland, you've been bombarded with a lot of good choices, but I have to add Bridgeview Apartments to the list, as well.  It's a good building, the views are good, and it's right on W. 9th along with the Bingham.  The leasing staff is very nice, and they'll be happy to help you.

 

EDIT: Missed tufts post about Park Lane Villa.  Good choice. :)