Me and my wife will be moving to Cleveland later this year (all the way from Youngstown!) and are looking at a few different areas.  My wife will be going to CSU Law, so the closer to CSU the better.  Our first choice is to live downtown but unfortunately we'll both need our vehicles and parking really adds to the cost of rent.  We'd prefer a two bedroom but would probably go with a one if we had to. 

 

Since proximity to CSU is important, I was mostly looking at Reserve Square and the Chesterfield.  I haven't heard anything good about the Chesterfield but it definitely is affordable with a 2BD + parking + utilities.  I don't hold much hope for this buidling...

 

Reserve Square seems like a decent place.  I've stayed at the Embassy Suites before and vaguely remember it being alright.  Does RS share the pool and exercise room with the Embassy?  I think the 2BR's here might be a bit out of our range. 

 

Should I be looking elsewhere downtown?  I really don't want to get much higher than 1100 / month, which would include at least heating, preferably AC, and two parking spots.  East 4th is expensive and doesn't seem to offer the big building amenities that reserve square does, same for Huron/Osbourne (and parking is like 120/spot here), and Statler Arms also seems pretty expensive and doesn't have the pool or grocery store like RS does.

 

Another question I had was about the cheaper apartments in the warehouse district/east bank.  Namely National Terminal and Crittenden Court.  Are these buildings worth looking into?  I don't like that they are not within walking distance of CSU but I would still prefer the warehouse district over the suburbs.

 

 

Next...

 

Is Coventry.  I seem to be having a tough time selling the wife on moving here.  She is pretty concerned with it being a shady area.  I figured the apartments on Coventry Rd and Euclid Heights Blvd. near Coventry Rd. would be a pretty safe area and still be an interesting place to live.  How is this area? 

 

Lastly is Lakewood and Rocky River.  I don't like these options but the areas seem to be a lot safer than downtown or Coventry.  My wife will be at CSU and I'll likely be at CWRU, so I'm a bit concerned with the commute.

 

Any help is appreciated.  We'll be spending a few nights up there next month to check out areas and actually view some apartments, so getting the list of apartments to tour as clean as possible is the goal!

Welcome to Cleveland. 

 

Are you sure you'll need both cars after moving into the city?

 

• The Statler is a 3 minute walk from the RS and the Chesterfield, so grocery store and other amenities are within the immediate area.
  
• In regard to the Warehouse District.  When looking for an apartment, you should leave no stone unturned.
  
• If you want to be near CSU & CWRU, the westside wouldn't be an option and in regard to "safety", downtown Cleveland IMO is very safe.  Not sure how one would think Coventry is not safe.
  
• If you live downtown, you'll be on the HL which is a quick ride between Downtown and University Circle.  If you live in the WHD, your wife can take the loop to CSU and you can ride the HL to Case.
  
• Other options are to look at homes in Little Italy/Murray Hill; University Circle and have your wife do the reverse commute, however, not sure if that fits in with  your lifestyle.  Do you want to live in the heart of it all, but commute for work or school vs. do you want to live in a good neighborhood and commute downtown for dining, entertainment and age appropriate fun?
  
• Look at Shaker Square.  You're wife could take the train downtown, then transfer to the trolley to CSU and you could take the bus to University Circle.
   
   
  

Thanks for the tips.

 

Yeah, I have no idea what her problem with Coventry is.  She's actually more familiar with the area then I am because she used to work at a museum in UC and would go there often for lunch.  I plan on looking around that area still if a decent deal can be had on a 2BR.

 

I think we'll likely at up at one of the 3 apartment buildings on 12th/Euclid/Chester.  If paying for two spots still seems like a waste of money, I'll have my wife leave her car at a CSU deck.  She'll be walking to school most of the time anyway...

 

We're looking at a pretty busy 3 years because she'll be in law school while I'm working full time and doing a part time MBA, so I'm looking mostly for convenience and a walkable area with some entertainment choices.  I think downtown is best for both of us, the only issue is cost/space...is it better to be a little cramped in a 1BR but be in the heart of everything or pay the same for a 2BR but be in sprawl and have longer commutes.

 

Just from what I've seen online, reserve square seems like the best fit besides the fact that they don't seem to have anything in between 775 and 1025/month.  It would be perfect if they had a slightly larger 1BR, maybe with a den/study in the 825-950 range.  Chesterfield has that but I don't have high expectations for when we tour it next month.

What area of Youngstown?  I'm from Howland.

 

Coventry is not shady at all.  Coventry is one of the best around here, and the great thing about the Heights area is all the little villages like that clustered together.  Show her Coventry along with Shaker Square, Cedar-Fairmout, Cedar-Lee, and all the cool things around case.  It's a package deal.  But go up Mayfield to Superior, turn left and go down the hill.  That will highlight her point of view, and it is a package deal.  But bear in mind that it's also like that near downtown or Lakewood.

 

Lakewood is sometimes underrated.  The east end has good transit access, the middle has almost whatever you need, and the west end is as nice as anywhere.  Rocky River is nice too, but it's pretty suburban and that's getting far away.  Lakewood is a little far if you're at Case.  And though it has much better highway access than Coventry, the main routes east out of Lakewood will be torn up for the next few years.  I go to CSU law and Lakewood has worked out great for me.  With the 55 bus on Clifton, along with the Health Line or the Red Line train, you can get to Case in under an hour.  Don't try this in the middle of the day because they come less frequently.  The Detroit bus runs 24 hours.  Another plus for Lakewood is that it's all underpriced.  It's worth some looking.  The worst area near Lakewood is the West 70s thru the West 90s, so show her that too.  For your situation, the far end of Lakewood is far, and the near end deserves the same shady rating as Coventry.

 

Downtown is where I'd prefer to live, but I can't do it right now for the same reasons you mentioned.  I've heard good things about all those buildings in the warehouse district.       

Thanks for the tips.

 

Yeah, I have no idea what her problem with Coventry is.  She's actually more familiar with the area then I am because she used to work at a museum in UC and would go there often for lunch.  I plan on looking around that area still if a decent deal can be had on a 2BR.

 

I think we'll likely at up at one of the 3 apartment buildings on 12th/Euclid/Chester.  If paying for two spots still seems like a waste of money, I'll have my wife leave her car at a CSU deck.  She'll be walking to school most of the time anyway...

 

We're looking at a pretty busy 3 years because she'll be in law school while I'm working full time and doing a part time MBA, so I'm looking mostly for convenience and a walkable area with some entertainment choices.  I think downtown is best for both of us, the only issue is cost/space...is it better to be a little cramped in a 1BR but be in the heart of everything or pay the same for a 2BR but be in sprawl and have longer commutes.

 

Just from what I've seen online, reserve square seems like the best fit besides the fact that they don't seem to have anything in between 775 and 1025/month.  It would be perfect if they had a slightly larger 1BR, maybe with a den/study in the 825-950 range.  Chesterfield has that but I don't have high expectations for when we tour it next month.

 

I don't want to come across as knowing you or your wife, but I wouldn't necessarily rule out Univ. Circle, Little Italy/Murray Hill, or Shaker Square as they are neighborhoods in Cleveland with good transportation, restaurants, housing, amenities, etc.  Also, you say you want to keep two cars, those area's have housing with garages. The rent for the space will be larger and the cost for a heated garage will be significantly cheaper than downtown.  In addition, there is safe street parking.  Cedar-Fairmont and Coventry are in Cleveland Heights and have a young, upwardly mobile base, mixed in with long time older residents and gorgeous homes.  Parking in Coventry will be an issue especially on weekends.

 

Living in Cedar-Fairmount, Coventry will be one bus ride with a transfer (in the UC area) to the Redline, HL  or numbers bus lines to get downtown.  University Circle is serviced by two train stations and the HL.  Shaker Square has three train stations and very frequent bus service into UC.

Scott-

 

I live in Lakewood, I am getting my MBA at CSU and i work right down the street from Case.  I love Lakewood.  I also like downtown and coventry...but right now I choose Lakewood because its cheap for me...offers many of the same perks of coventry, etc...yet I can drive over the bridge and be in Rocky River and near everything it has to offer.  I often take the 55x bus from lakewood and I am at CSu in 20 minutes.  It runs through lakewood on Clifton.  Your wife will get a free RTA pass with tuition to CSU...as will you to CWRU.  You could theoretically ride the bus with her to CSU and take the healthline tO CWRU...all very easy.  If you drive, its also just a short drive on the shoreway to MLK or downtown.  Im not trying to sell Lakewood, because I love downtown too, but just giving you my input from Lakewood.  Good luck!

I currently live at Crittenden Court and I like it a lot.  It doesn't have the amenities that Reserve Square offers, but it is very affordable and it would be very easy for your wife to take the E-line trolley to and from CSU.  Parking here is $80 a month per spot.  I live with my girlfriend and we get by just fine with one car.  I take the car to work everyday and she can walk or take the bus to work.  It may seem daunting at first to get by with just one car, but I've found that it can be done and is a great way to save a ton of money.

 

Good luck with your search!

I currently live at Crittenden Court and I like it a lot.

 

So that's where the shindig is?  lol  :wink:

The main drawback with both Coventry and Lakewood is that a lot of the apartments don't offer ANY parking. While I'm much more familiar with the Lakewood buildings than Coventry, the typical deal is street parking only, or at best you might get 1 parking spot.  Street parking can be very tricky in Lakewood as you can't leave your car in one spot for several days on any East-West street, and there are very limited parking spaces on the N-S streets.  Because the E-W streets are to be cleared for commuting, it can become complicated (no cars on the S side of the street during morning commute hours, no cars on the S side during evening rush).  This is generally do-able if you have an 8-5 M-F office job but if your hours are anything different than that, it can be tough.  Course it depends where in Lakewood you are looking.

 

That being said I agree the selection of apartments and prices can't be beat compared to downtown and you should look around Lakewood as much as you can.  The other big neg is it's hard to look there online because many, many of the buildings simply put up "for rent" signs in their yard and you basically need to drive around Lakewood with someone who has a pen and paper writing down phone numbers, then make a bunch of calls.

 

JMO but I would look in the Coventry area first if you are going to be at Case and her at CSU.  I would look at Lakewood 2nd and downtown 3rd.

Just a couple of suggestions/comments:

 

- If your wife is a student at CSU she'll have free access to a nice, Olympic size pool at the new Rec Center (which is in general pretty awesome) - just in case the pool thing is a dealbreaker

- Have you checked 1900 Euclid Lofts? They're right across the street from CSU. Not exactly the nicest place ever but inexpensive rents and you can't get a more convenient location. I think parking is cheap too.

- You might take a look at Ohio City and Tremont too. Ohio City in particular is served by several bus lines that go directly to CSU. I lived in "the OC" when I was a grad student at CSU and loved it; it has a cozy neighborhood feel. Depending on exactly where you live in OHio City, there's a full-service grocery, the West Side Market, a library branch and tons of restaurants within walking distance.

I would avoid the Chesterfield, it's pretty dumpy. Reserve Square is decent. Statler is nice but a little pricey and the garage owner has a penchant for raising prices without notice (it's increased >50% in the three years I've been here).

 

The commute from Lakewood/Rocky River isn't terrible. If you need to drive (instead of RTA which is very accessible), taking the Shoreway is a nice alternative to I-90.

I would check out WT Grant Lofts.  The apartments are decent, the prices are very reasonable relative to other downtown apartments, and parking is $100.  It's right on Euclid Avenue near the East 4th Street neighborhood.

 

http://www.wtgrantloftapartments.com

I lived in lakewood and it was nice. It took my roughly 12-14 mins to get to CSU from Andrews and Detroit.

The commute from Lakewood/Rocky River isn't terrible. If you need to drive (instead of RTA which is very accessible), taking the Shoreway is a nice alternative to I-90.

 

Since they closed the eastbound right lane (until summer 2010 IIRC), the morning commute is a lot less nice. Still OK in the off-peak times though.

I currently have one of my apartments on the market right now. It's on the west side about a half mile south of Lakewood. It's a 2 bedroom side by side, kinda set up like a townhome. Has parking for three cars just for this unit. It's on a double lot, so it has a large fenced in back yard if you have a dog or kids. Good next door neighbors as well. Full basement. Triskett Rd. RTA Rapid station is within walking distance. 625/mo. Let me know if theres any more info you may want. Jus throwin it out there.

Scott-

 

I live in Lakewood, I am getting my MBA at CSU and i work right down the street from Case. I love Lakewood. I also like downtown and coventry...but right now I choose Lakewood because its cheap for me...offers many of the same perks of coventry, etc...yet I can drive over the bridge and be in Rocky River and near everything it has to offer. I often take the 55x bus from lakewood and I am at CSu in 20 minutes. It runs through lakewood on Clifton. Your wife will get a free RTA pass with tuition to CSU...as will you to CWRU. You could theoretically ride the bus with her to CSU and take the healthline tO CWRU...all very easy. If you drive, its also just a short drive on the shoreway to MLK or downtown. Im not trying to sell Lakewood, because I love downtown too, but just giving you my input from Lakewood. Good luck!

 

FYI - you won't get a free parking pass from Case as I am a grad student ther right now.  If you are full time, you can buy them for $75/semester, but if you are part time, you will have to buy monthly passes from RTA.  I live in the Avenue District Townhomes (they are not rentals) caddy corner from Reserve Square, and I can walk to the bus stop, jump on the Healthline or the #9 bus, and be in my office at Case in about 30 minutes.

 

As I've been around the Case campus for almost 7 years right now, I can tell you that my friends who have lived in Coventry have had problems with parking.  Most buildings have some parking, but not enough spaces for all of the units, and definitely not 2 spaces for 1 unit.  You can park on the street, but that gets really tough with regular parking restrictions, and it's even worse in the winter with snow emergency parking bans.  Safety is not a problem, however, in my opinion.

No RTA U-pass from Case included?  Thats the least they can do with their tuition fees.

No RTA U-pass from Case included? Thats the least they can do with their tuition fees.

 

They really should do U-pass at Case.  It's one of the best things CSU offers.  Unfortunately, many CSU students go nuts when they get billed for it.  They hate that is isn't optional.  But there's no way RTA would offer such a price break ($25 for the equivalent of 4-5 monthly passes) if it were optional.  I always worry that CSU's going to cancel it, under pressure from anti-transit suburban kids. 

No RTA U-pass from Case included?  Thats the least they can do with their tuition fees.

 

They really should do U-pass at Case.  It's one of the best things CSU offers.  Unfortunately, many CSU students go nuts when they get billed for it.  They hate that is isn't optional.  But there's no way RTA would offer such a price break ($25 for the equivalent of 4-5 monthly passes) if it were optional.  I always worry that CSU's going to cancel it, under pressure from anti-transit suburban kids. 

 

Case has a UPass for undergrads - $25/semester automatically added to the tuition bill.  They tried to do the same thing for graduate students last year, but they took a vote and couldn't get it passed.  They just recently worked out the $75/semester optional pass for graduate students, but I'm about 99% sure you have to be a full time student to get it.

Case has a UPass for undergrads - $25/semester automatically added to the tuition bill. They tried to do the same thing for graduate students last year, but they took a vote and couldn't get it passed. They just recently worked out the $75/semester optional pass for graduate students, but I'm about 99% sure you have to be a full time student to get it.

 

Correct, as a part-time graduate student, I cannot get it.  But as an employee, I can buy my monthly pass cheap with pre-tax dollars!

You can park on the street, but that gets really tough with regular parking restrictions, and it's even worse in the winter with snow emergency parking bans.  Safety is not a problem, however, in my opinion.

 

Parking is not permitted on most Cleveland Heights streets between the hours of 3:00 am-6:00 am unless approved by the Chief of Police for a specific reason (new driveway, etc.) On some streets, overnight parking is allowed with a permit.

http://www.clevelandheights.com/faqs_police.asp?id=105

 

I made many "contributions" to the city for violating this law while living in Cedar Fairmount.

 

Municipal parking lot permits are $90 a quarter, but there is an endless waiting list for most "prime locations" in the Coventry and Cedar Fairmount areas.

We pretty much have it narrowed down to either Reserve Square or Statler Arms.  Reserve Square seems significantly more convenient (great indoor pool, huge workout rooms, grocery store, cheaper parking) but I keep hearing about bug problems there.  Statler Arms was really nice but the workout facilities were small and parking was very high.

^I know someone that lives at Statler and just changed parking garages to the Halle Building garage.  It's across the street and down an alley, but it's only $85 a month.  I think Statler garages rates just went from $120 to $150 a month or something insane like that.  I'm sure the manager of Statler Arms isn't too excited about that.

 

In any case I always thought Statler Arms felt more like a home... somewhere families could live, while Reserve Square seems more like a college dorm.  Just my opinion though!

 

Good luck with whatever you choose.

^I know someone that lives at Statler and just changed parking garages to the Halle Building garage.  It's across the street and down an alley, but it's only $85 a month.  I think Statler garages rates just went from $120 to $150 a month or something insane like that.  I'm sure the manager of Statler Arms isn't too excited about that.

 

In any case I always thought Statler Arms felt more like a home... somewhere families could live, while Reserve Square seems more like a college dorm.  Just my opinion though!

 

Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

Hootenany (saying/typing that makes me giggle), I think you're right.

 

Statler arms has a majestic feeling,like you've "arrived". RS feels like another downtown large apartment building. 

I think it was 150 for a unreserved spot and 170 or 180 for a reserved at Statler.  Reserve Square and Chesterfield's garages were around 85 or so.

 

I noticed a surface lot that is just down the road from Statler on Euclid for $95 a month.  I'm not sure what else is available around there.  I'll have to look around one day.

 

I just wish I could get a handle on how "on top" of the bug situation K&D is.  If they are actually on the ball, I'd probably just move into Reserve Square.  For $1050 you get a 2BR, a balcony (which is really nice to have), an indoor pool, and a high quality workout facility, a full grocery store, a bar and a couple restaurants on site.  The building looked clean as did the units we toured (which were furnished suites), so I'm not sure how much of the bug situation is a building-wide issue and how much of it is more based on a few dirty tenants (which you're going to get in a building that large).  I've lived in apartment buildings where dirty tenants had roach problems and my apartment had no issues at all.  On the same token, I've heard stories of extremely clean tenants having bugs because of others around them.

Large roaches are not uncommon in downtown buildings, unfortunately.  Be glad you don't live in the state office building.  It's really potluck throughout the area.  RS is also known for bedbugs, which I haven't heard of anywhere else in Cleveland.  I've heard way too many accounts to believe they're "on the ball" with exterminating there.     

I heard bedbugs there too but don't know how they've specifically dealt with the problem.  I would ask them, straight out, what they've done to combat the problem.

I had a good friend who had to move out of Statler because of bed bugs about a year ago.  To be honest, there is a large number of foreign students who live in Statler and RS.  It is quite possible they are transferring them.

No RTA U-pass from Case included? Thats the least they can do with their tuition fees.

 

They really should do U-pass at Case. It's one of the best things CSU offers. Unfortunately, many CSU students go nuts when they get billed for it. They hate that is isn't optional. But there's no way RTA would offer such a price break ($25 for the equivalent of 4-5 monthly passes) if it were optional. I always worry that CSU's going to cancel it, under pressure from anti-transit suburban kids.  

 

You would think that kids shelling out about $35k in tuition alone, an extra $25 a month would not be such a big deal.

No RTA U-pass from Case included? Thats the least they can do with their tuition fees.

 

They really should do U-pass at Case. It's one of the best things CSU offers. Unfortunately, many CSU students go nuts when they get billed for it. They hate that is isn't optional. But there's no way RTA would offer such a price break ($25 for the equivalent of 4-5 monthly passes) if it were optional. I always worry that CSU's going to cancel it, under pressure from anti-transit suburban kids.

 

You would think that kids shelling out about $35k in tuition alone, an extra $25 a month would not be such a big deal.

 

That battle gets fought at CSU too.  I had to talk my one friend out of raising a big stink last year.

Are you allowed to have a cat at either Reserve Square or Statler Arms?

 

I ask because when I moved into my building in Lakewood in 1996, I saw a few roaches. My two cats saw them, too. Haven't seen any roaches since....

Are you allowed to have a cat at either Reserve Square or Statler Arms?

 

I ask because when I moved into my building in Lakewood in 1996, I saw a few roaches. My two cats saw them, too. Haven't seen any roaches since....

 

Hahaha.  I'm hoping now that I have cats I won't see any more house centipedes this summer....

I've never had nor heard of problems with bugs in Statler. I have cats though so who knows :wink: Large dogs are allowed as well, btw.

 

I can't emphasize enough how ridonkulously crappy the garage is. Like I said before, they raise prices with no notice (I've had billing invoices just show up $20 higher with no explanation). Plus if your pass mysteriously stops working (as mine has three times in the last year now) you are locked in or out at night since they no longer have 24 hour attendants. I've heard good things about the Halle parking for $85 / mo though.

 

I don't want to spread rumors, but I have heard some really unpleasant things about Reserve Square --- the bedbugs, as well as something about faulty wiring which caused fires. This was from a good friend considering moving there, a trustworthy person, but it's secondhand so take it with a grain of salt, I suppose.

 

But, to be frank, neither is as big a deal, really, as the fact that I think you'd be happier on E 4 or in the Warehouse District because there are places to go at night *other than* your building. To me, Reserve Square seems like a model of what *not* to do in urban planning --- namely, build a massive self-contained compound rather than developing a neighborhood.

 

As far as the buildings you ask about, I did know someone who lived at National Terminal, and it worked for them. There is some subsidized housing in the building, so it's mixed income; I think you should be aware of that, but I don't think it's a reason not to live there at all. See it for yourself. I live in the Hat Factory and have been happy with the apartment, the management, etc. It's one of the less expensive buildings, so I'd add that to your list, too. It's managed by Colliers Ostendorf-Morris, mostly a commercial management company.

And to state the (perhaps) obvious: given the current market, I think there's going to be ample room for negotiation on rent, and I wouldn't assume that the more expensive buildings downtown are necessarily out of your range. See them, and if you fall in love, I would negotiate. I'd be surprised if you couldn't talk them down, especially for bigger units. (1 beds are most in demand around here I think.)

Thanks WarehouseGal! 

 

I've pretty much given up on the theater/gateway area.  Compared to the Warehouse District, it just feels dark and dingy.  Outside of business hours and game nights, there seems to be more bums around than regular folks.  The Warehouse district is brighter, less dreary and seems to have much better energy.

 

One question about the Hat Factory, is it loud inside your apartment on the weekends w/ all the w. 6th street noise from the bar crowds?