1073 replies to this topic

[runawayjim]

Jenkins, on Oct 19 2008, 07:57 AM, said:

My 23 year old sister-in-law is looking at an apartment on Toby Street near Broadway. How is the area? She is from a very small town up in central Massachusetts and has never lived in a city setting.

Right near broadway, it's not that bad.  That's where Nick's is.  If you go much further north on Tobey, it can be a little sketchy, especially for a non-urbanite.  South of Broadway isn't bad.

[jencoleslaw]

Jenkins, on Oct 19 2008, 07:57 AM, said:

My 23 year old sister-in-law is looking at an apartment on Toby Street near Broadway. How is the area? She is from a very small town up in central Massachusetts and has never lived in a city setting.

Not terrific. I would have her move in a little closer to downtown.  That area, Tobey and Almy have been in recent past, a major drug thoroughfare.  The Column is a nice area (the little stretch between carpenter and Broadway) and on the other side of broadway near Kenyon Street.

[Jenkins]

jencoleslaw, on Oct 20 2008, 10:50 AM, said:

Not terrific. I would have her move in a little closer to downtown.  That area, Tobey and Almy have been in recent past, a major drug thoroughfare.  The Column is a nice area (the little stretch between carpenter and Broadway) and on the other side of broadway near Kenyon Street.

Thanks 'slaw and Jim, they looked at the place and it was just a bit sketchy for them. They are looking more towards east side apartments now and seemed to have found a couple of good leads.

[matt]

Jenkins, on Oct 20 2008, 11:56 AM, said:

Thanks 'slaw and Jim, they looked at the place and it was just a bit sketchy for them. They are looking more towards east side apartments now and seemed to have found a couple of good leads.

If this is their first urban living experience, and they want a little more of a gentle transition, do consider the Elmhurst neighborhood.  There, you get both the advantages of city living, with the quiet of the 'burbs.

[runawayjim]

matt, on Oct 20 2008, 02:12 PM, said:

If this is their first urban living experience, and they want a little more of a gentle transition, do consider the Elmhurst neighborhood.  There, you get both the advantages of city living, with the quiet of the 'burbs.

This is a great suggestion.  In addition to having more of a gentle transition, there's also more reasonable rents for the quality of the unit when compared to the east side.  If you live near Chalkstone, but north of it (south of it gets a little sketchy) east of Academy, it's a pretty walkable area with lots of restaurants, markets, laundry, and bars.  You get the best of both worlds (quiet suburbia and a little urban as well).  I don't know what's for rent, but there are a lot of 2 and 3 family homes on River Ave, along Pleasant Valley Parkway, and on Academy Ave.

I actually just bought a house (or am in the process) in that area.  It's really nice and while Chalkstone can be noisy, just half a block north of it is nice and quiet.

[Jenkins]

runawayjim, on Oct 20 2008, 12:44 PM, said:

This is a great suggestion.  In addition to having more of a gentle transition, there's also more reasonable rents for the quality of the unit when compared to the east side.  If you live near Chalkstone, but north of it (south of it gets a little sketchy) east of Academy, it's a pretty walkable area with lots of restaurants, markets, laundry, and bars.  You get the best of both worlds (quiet suburbia and a little urban as well).  I don't know what's for rent, but there are a lot of 2 and 3 family homes on River Ave, along Pleasant Valley Parkway, and on Academy Ave.

I actually just bought a house (or am in the process) in that area.  It's really nice and while Chalkstone can be noisy, just half a block north of it is nice and quiet.

It is my niece's first urban experience for sure, although her roommate has lived all over Europe (army kid). I will mention the Elmhurst thing to them, although they both work in Mass. off 95, so elmhurst may be a bit inconvenient for them. In fact I was seriously considering elmhurst when I was first looking in Providence, but it just added too much to my commute versus being in the north end (right off exit 25). I really liked what I saw of elmhurst, though.

Edited by Jenkins, 20 October 2008 - 01:50 PM.

[runawayjim]

Jenkins, on Oct 20 2008, 03:49 PM, said:

It is my niece's first urban experience for sure, although her roommate has lived all over Europe (army kid). I will mention the Elmhurst thing to them, although they both work in Mass. off 95, so elmhurst may be a bit inconvenient for them. In fact I was seriously considering elmhurst when I was first looking in Providence, but it just added too much to my commute versus being in the north end (right off exit 25). I really liked what I saw of elmhurst, though.

There's really not that much difference in the commute versus the east side.  If they're driving, they should keep in mind that a lot of east side places don't include parking, while most Elmhurst places do.  The best way to go north on 95 from Elmhurst is to go to Branch Ave and get on there.  That's how I always used to do it when I had to go north from Elmhurst and depending on where I had to go, I'd sometimes go up 146 and hop over 295.

[09/21/38]

There are a lot of appartments and houses for rent near PC I have noticed this year.  Traditionally students rent these units but there are now appartment style dorms on campus and so many of the off campus houses are available.  I would look on Huxley, River, Eaton, or Smith St.  the bus also travels down and around campus so you are not that far from the bus line.

[matt]

09/21/38, on Oct 20 2008, 03:03 PM, said:

I would look on Huxley, River, Eaton, or Smith St.  the bus also travels down and around campus so you are not that far from the bus line.

Consider the side streets off of the above suggested routes, too.  I live off of River Ave, which means, I simply need to walk to the end of my block to catch a bus.  Likewise, I can hop on 95 or 146 via Branch Ave, or 95S via Douglas Ave in less than 5 minutes.  

This weekend, I biked to India Point Park in less than 10 minutes.

[Frankie811]

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[Griswald]

So I grew up on the East Side of Providence, and after living elsewhere have been back in PVD since 2004.  First, my wife and I (at the time just dating) lived in an apt. on Brook St & Wickenden.  In 2006 we bought a townhouse in the Arm0ry district.  We love where we live for a lot of reasons - tons of friendly neighbors our age, diversity, enough services and new businesses within walking distance, affordability, etc. But now that we have a 2 year old and a second child on the way this summer, my wife is longing for a yard and a bit of a different neighborhood.  I am a city person, who appreciates the need to get out of the city on a semi-regular basis. We go to the beaches in RI, and to the local parks (Lincoln Woods, RW, etc.)  My wife is not as much of a city person, now that we have a young family.  Providence is a good compromise for us though, because of its proximity to other geographic areas - woods, beaches, mountains, family on Cape Cod...

My task now, is to research neighborhoods in PVD or immediately surrounding, where we could both be happy.  We can't necessarily sell right now, but I just want to do some exploring.  Although I know parts of the city very well, other parts I only know from passing through at best.  The East Side would be ideal (for us and everyone else I'm sure), but it's too expensive.  I wish I could just move into the house on Meeting St that I grew up in, but unfortunately my parents sold it almost a decade ago.  Hope village would be great - walk to tons of restaurants and businesses, nice housing stock, yards, pretty safe, and easily accessed from 95 and points north.  After a quick look on Zillow, I didn't see many properties for sale.
My wife likes where we live now on Sycamore St. but feels like it's better suited for us without kids, and doesn't want to buy again in this neighborhood.  This would rule out Elmwood for the same reasons (even though there are some great properties in the historic section, and at great value....)

So the neighborhoods I want to know more about, are Smith Hill, Elmhurst, and maybe some of the surrounding areas - Mount Pleasant, Wanskuck, Charles, Mount Hope, etc.  What do people think about the best places to find single-family homes in the low 200,000s, with a yard, walkable amenities, safe, clean, etc.?  I liked Fox Point to an extent, but there isn't much for sale there. I think the far east side (Wayland) is probably too expensive.  Parts of the east side near Miriam might be ok, but also expensive unless you're near some of the shadier areas around Camp St. - or maybe the reputation there is changing.

Outside of Providence, I could live in Pawtuxet (not a ton for sale, and the stuff closest to the village is a little pricier, and I will only live there if I can walk to the village); Wickford center is great, but that would be too long a commute for me; I could live in East Providence because of its proximity to PVD and there are plenty of amenities - but I don't know if there are many neighborhoods pertfectly suited for young families.  I'd love to live in one of the new developments on the water where the brownfields sites are, but they're just in planning stages.  Can anyone here recommend places in EP?  

I always get way too long-winded, but if anyone has any insight I'd really appreciate it.  These boards are LOT quieter than a few years ago, but I know you're all still out there.  Thanks...

Edited by Griswald, 28 April 2010 - 12:41 PM.

[runawayjim]

Griswald, on 28 April 2010 - 12:41 PM, said:

So the neighborhoods I want to know more about, are Smith Hill, Elmhurst, and maybe some of the surrounding areas - Mount Pleasant, Wanskuck, Charles, Mount Hope, etc.  What do people think about the best places to find single-family homes in the low 200,000s, with a yard, walkable amenities, safe, clean, etc.?  I liked Fox Point to an extent, but there isn't much for sale there. I think the far east side (Wayland) is probably too expensive.  Parts of the east side near Miriam might be ok, but also expensive unless you're near some of the shadier areas around Camp St. - or maybe the reputation there is changing.

You should seriously consider Elmhurst. It has a nice balance of the urban amenities you want and the suburban amenities your wife wants. If you want lots of places to walk to, live closer to one of the major commercial zones (Chalkstone, Smith St, Admiral St). I live between Chalkstone and Pleasant Valley Pkwy just west of River Ave. The Chalkstone area is one of the most walkable neighborhoods in the city, and it's quite diverse. You'll want to stay north of Chalkstone though. As you get into Mount Pleasant, it can get a bit more dangerous and not quite as walkable. Most of the houses have yards. I've got a small postage stamp, but it's big enough for kids to play in (though they might lose a ball over the fence in one of the neighbor's yards). I have a driveway that holds 3 cars and a 1 car detached garage (I use it as a shed basically). The parkway makes for a nice place to walk and let kids play in the stream. There are 3 parks within walking distance besides the parkway (Fargnoli, Davis, and the one at the corner of River and Regent, might even be others). I walk to work and the walk is peaceful and relaxing.

I'll throw in some negatives though. I get annoyed by the rudeness of some of the people around me, which, to be honest, seems to come from some of the lower income people (honking horns for 20 min until someone comes out to the car is the big one, and not an exaggeration, it's literally 20 min and the same car). My wife is annoyed by the kids on the bus who are just plain rude and loud, and likes it much better when school is not in session. We get a lot of loud latino music blasting from all directions, though I plan on fighting back with my music this summer (hopefully it won't piss off my neighbors). I wouldn't mind if it was from one house, but 5 of them is a bit much. litter and unkempt houses/yards is also a problem, but it's less of a problem the further you get from Chalkstone. I keep my area tidy. You might actually not mind some of these negatives having lived where you do. It's primarily a hispanic neighborhood, similar to Cranston St. The farther you get from Chalkstone, the more mixed-race it becomes.

As much as I complain about those things, I do really like where I live. I like the meat selection at Academy Market. I like the diversity. Our neighbors are great, some have been on our street for 20+ years. It's relatively quiet most of the time. Most importantly, it had the urban amenities I wanted and the suburban amenities my wife wanted (sound familiar). Most importantly, I feel safe. I have heard about break ins in other parts of Elmhurst, but not recently where we are. I will admit that we are looking to move, though it won't be for 2-3 years. It's not our neighborhood, it's southern New England. We're looking to head north, likely to Vermont or northern New Hampshire.

Wanskuck always feels run down to me without much action going on to improve it. If you want to be a pioneer, that's a good option. It's also a bit more urban in feel in areas close to the commercial centers (Eagle Square Park and Douglas Ave) and tends to have more crime (a lot of it is against PC students who walk alone at night). You might be able to find a better deal on a house there, but it's not somewhere I'd want to live unless it was within a block or 2 of Admiral St, and not up by the projects.

I can't really speak much about the other neighborhoods. I looked at houses in the North End (I think it would be Charles) and it's a weird dynamic over there. The commercial zones are Branch Ave, Charles St, and Silver Spring. It's just not as nice. I was partly hoping to live within walking distance of the square where Charles and Branch intersect (can't think of the name), but didn't find much to our liking. I do get my haircut at Jack's though, and they have the only (as far as I know) remaining Spikes in the city. Because of the way the streets were laid out, it didn't make for a nice walkable area, while Elmhurst is more or less a grid.

One last thing I forgot to mention... there are a TON of kids and young families in Elmhurst. That seems to be the most common type of people buying homes here as the elderly die off. It's mostly elderly and younger families.

[Griswald]

Jim - thanks a lot for the info.  It does sound like Elmhurst has a lot to offer.  The only part of that area I know best is Whitford Ave, where some friends of mine lived and still own property.  There are some nice neighborhood streets around there, and you attest to the walkability and amenities nearby.
Some of the negatives you mention are experienced in my neighborhood as well - horn-honking (haven't heard a 20-min long one yet), bad driving in general (speeding etc.), and litter are the things that bother me the most.  People can not seem to keep trash in their bins, and some people don't care about trash on their property.  The demographic is pretty similar to Elhurst it sounds.  I like the diversity too, but I think some of the other cultures have different values than I do - when it comes to noise and cleanliness.

In talking to my wife, it sounds like she really wants to make our next move out of the city, unless it were the East Side proper (College Hill, Wayland), or the Hope St area near Rochambeau.  So unless a recruiter calls me up and offers to double what I'm making, or we find a complete fixer-upper, things aren't looking good for me.  I could do East Providence or Pawtuxet, but I don't know what 'hood in EP has everything I'm looking for, and Pawtuxet is either a bit expensive or there just aren't many great properties for sale.

Thanks for the info again - I think I need to drive wifey through Elmhurst to give her a better idea of the area - she's judging it without really knowing it... but mainly because she wants out of the city.  I have to find a compromise, because I'm not ready for rural living, and I'll sooner die than live in the 'burbs. At least she knows that much...    Thanks

[runawayjim]

Definitely bring her through Elmhurst. Specifically, bring her through these particular areas. While these areas might border each other, each has a different feel in my opinion. I live on Grosvenor, which is close to Chalkstone and more similar to your neighborhood. These other areas are quieter, less diverse (or at least lack the "cultures" that like their streets littered and their music loud enough to hear 3 blocks away).

The area surrounded by Smith St to the north (or even Wabun or Whitford to the north), River Ave to the east, Academy Ave to the west, and Pleasant Valley Pkwy to the south. This is my favorite area of Elmhurst. We almost bought a house here, but it was too much house for us and just out of our price range (we were looking for a purchase price of no more than $200k).

The area surrounded by Eaton St to the north, Hilltop Ave to the east, River Ave to the west, and Smith St to the south. This is close to PC, but very few, if any, students actually live in that area.

The area surrounded by Admiral St and Isabella Ave to the north, River Ave to the East, Gentian and Smith to the west, and Eaton St to the south. I used to live in this area on Sharon St.

All of Gentian is also pretty nice until the very end near Admiral St. The area between Smith St and Mount Pleasant Ave south of where they intersect and north of LaSalle Academy is also nice, but with few walkable amenities. The area between Mount Pleasant Ave and Academy Ave just south of LaSalle is, again nice, but not quite as nice as the 3 areas I mentioned above. In those 3 areas, you'll find lots of young families on those areas. I don't know of you guys use RIPTA at all, but the beauty of Elmhurst is the peace and quiet and the close proximity to the bus routes in pretty much the whole neighborhood. It's a great neighborhood for people who want the amenities of the city but the quiet and roominess of the suburbs (though it's not as roomy as going to the outer suburbs).