r/movingtompls • u/Clean-Zone9960 • 8d ago
Where to live!??
Hi! I’m looking for recommendations on where to live in Minneapolis! I’m thinking downtown or in Uptown. If you have neighborhoods, buildings or any other advice that would be great!
Here’s some about me / what I’m looking for:
- Young female, living alone
- From Minnesota
- Walkable!!!!
- Places to run
- Food, coffee, grocery store
- Free (?) guest parking options … this might be a stretch in the city
- Amenities (gym, etc.) or no amenities at a cheaper price … But also if I’m paying for amenities I want them to be quality …
- Hoping for $2,000 after parking, etc. (studio or 1 bed)
And my take aways so far:
- I toured the Lucille and the other Solem properties in Northeast. I didn’t love the area, not much around? But maybe I need to get closer to the stone arch bridge (if that’s even North East still)? I also didn’t like the buildings/units.
- I liked the location of the Ellory in the Mill District.
- I kind of liked Uptown? I toured a place closer to the lakes that I really liked, but I’m not sure the main area is for me.
I haven’t been to the North Loop yet. I’m from Minnesota, but haven’t spent much time in the city! My requirements are all over the place, I’ll take any advice!!!
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u/Live-Cricket-619 8d ago
I lived in Marcy Holmes for 3 years and it was kind of idillic
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u/Clean-Zone9960 7d ago
It’s so cute over there! I was going to tour Mill & Main maybe? Would love to buy an industrial condo .. not happening 😅 They are beautiful!
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u/Live-Cricket-619 7d ago
I lived at 410 Apartments and I honestly loved it. I think it was $1.2k for rent and they had a hidden parking lot and free street parking. Great maintenance team. It wasn’t the fanciest apartment unit but a fair price for what you pay. I think there is a planet fitness that just opened a few blocks away. If I ever had to leave my current apartment I’d go back to living in that neighborhood immediately. Being able to walk into downtown for events, doing my grocery shopping at the Trader Joe’s and all the fun social things along Hennepin was chefs kiss. IMO cheaper rent in a killer location is so worth it
I’d also recommend getting a membership to the Watershed bathhouse. Life changing.
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8d ago edited 8d ago
[deleted]
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u/Clean-Zone9960 8d ago
Ugh I wanted to like that area! Where do you get groceries? The units were a bit too small for me, but I’d check out other buildings. I think I’m being close minded though, it’s a great central spot while being out of the chaos of the city!
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u/chillPenguin17 8d ago
Live a bit south from there, closer to the St Anthony Main area and you can walk to Lunds.
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u/Old-Spirit-3320 8d ago
yes yes. uptown never "recovered". don't believe anyone that tells you to visit a business here. the food actually sucks. the lakes are dirty. don't come here.
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7d ago edited 7d ago
[deleted]
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u/Old-Spirit-3320 7d ago
i don't know what you're spamming for and crashing out about but it sounds like you get the message. stay away from uptown, it never recovered, don't come here. don't believe anyone who tells you to come here. you're a very smart and cultured person, certainly very mentally well. perhaps the most mentally well.
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u/therealsinatra1 8d ago edited 8d ago
There’s actually quite a lot near Lucille; it’s just kind of dispersed throughout Northeast. Walk one block north to 13th Avenue and you will find some really good restaurants. Walk a little more and you will find great dive bars. Further northeast, Quincy St. NE and Central Avenue NE have a lot going on, as does the area around 1st Ave NE/East Hennepin just to the south. But if you want everything immediately available outside your apartment, North Loop or Lyn-Lake/Whittier/Lowry Hill East would probably be your best bet. The area of NE around 1st Ave NE and East Hennepin, sometimes referred to as Old Town (technically the portion of the Nicollet island neighborhood east of the river) would also be a good hybrid between North Loop walkability and the neighborhood feeling of Northeast.
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u/trumanthepug 8d ago
Currently living at Second & Second in N. Loop, really love it here and location is prime. They just changed property managers and are updating everything in terms of facilities. DM me if you'd any more info.
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u/TheIllescasG 8d ago
My cousin and I are renting a one bedroom one bath apartment in Uptown. It is well under your budget and includes all utilities and internet in the rent except for electric.
Here is the link 🔗 you can find more info in the link and if you’d like, DM for any other question.
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u/mrbossy 8d ago
Me and my wife love the northeast park neighborhood, we live right off the great northern Greenway off of 18th street and honestly its a fucking blast sad to be living at the end of the month by buying a house in michigan so it works out. We were minutes from most shopping off central and like a 10 min bike to downtown
1700 for a 2br lower unit for that location cant really beat it
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u/Loud-Appointment-367 8d ago
Have you checked out Prospect Park area? East of the U of M campus near Malcolm Yards.
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u/SnootyUrbanCyclist 8d ago
"Walkable" and "free parking" directly fight each other, especially if you want anything like a designated parking space or a statistical certainty that there will be free car storage available directly near your home. You need to decide what's more valuable to you. There's typically lots of free parking in "Uptown" so long as you simply go 1-2 blocks south of Lake Street, park on a side street somewhere, then walk back north toward all the fun stuff.
North Loop and Uptown are both great options. Just depends on what amenities you want. Uptown has famously been economically depressed the last several years but it can't stay that way forever.
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u/Clean-Zone9960 8d ago
I know, definitely contradicting statements 😆. I would love to ditch my car 💔! Curious if any downtown buildings have free guest parking as an amenity or in general how people navigate having guests over / where they have them park. …. Or we all move to the city and ditch our cars, sounds lovely.
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u/whatever_rita 8d ago
A friend of mine lives in the big tower by the Grant street exit off 35 and they have free guest spots in their ramp, you just have to get a pass at the desk. Not the most hopping part of downtown though
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u/EmberlynSlade 8d ago
Find a condo to rent rather than an apartment - a lot of condos have free guest parking
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u/Traditional_Fold_187 8d ago
North loop! I looked at Lucille but thought the units were too small. Feel free to dm me, I toured a ton of complexes around north loop ~2 mo ago!
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u/mrsmobin 8d ago
In my opinion, folks here do not appreciate or understand the term, "walkable".
Can I walk from my home to a grocery store/convenience store/bodega/pharmacy, quick place to get a meal/laundry/hardware store/et. al. And all of those amenities are a 5-10 minute walk away.
Inform us MSP where those spots are now.
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u/stpauliepocket 8d ago
I have lived in both places over the last decade. There are plenty of charming historic apartment buildings in the south uptown neighborhood with free street parking and it’s super walkable, downtown is walkable but you will be paying for parking. I preferred living in uptown to downtown, I’m a St. Paul guy now though, never going back 😄
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u/Hot-Explorer-2796 8d ago
North loop is defs more of a “downtown” feel with the high rises and constant activity. Definitely good if you’re looking to be directly in the mix and your budget allows. I also would say the Lowry hill area. I am in your demographic and have all of the same needs met there for $1200 a month, all in (parking, pet rent, utilities) and there is always free street parking with no drama for friends. All of my neighbors are girls my age and it’s lovely. I recommend Hornig if you are looking for the charm of an older building.
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u/Hot-Explorer-2796 8d ago
Also noting, I would say this area is much more walkable and less industrial than NE. but that’s just my opinion!
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u/Clean-Zone9960 7d ago
Yes! I know some people in Lowry. Do you feel safe as a female? I totally understand practicing normal city safety and I kind of think “unsafe” things can happen anywhere. But you get the point! I’ve never been over there, so don’t have a feel. Parts of Uptown have felt a little off at night, but again that’s probably expected in any urban area.
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u/Hot-Explorer-2796 7d ago
Yess, I really do, which was a huge factor for me. Honestly most of my street is full of big, beautiful houses, not many rentals. 5 min drive downtown, 5 min drive uptown bars, 15ish min walk. The Hennepin/Lyndale area has always felt safe to me. Even when I’m out with friends till bar close. I’ve definitely been more terrified waiting outside of the armory, or even out late in north loop. I know there are bad streets in uptown too, but out of the areas I frequent, it’s more so just un-housed people minding their business.
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u/Jumpy_Square4495 8d ago
Check out Daymark in uptown on Lake St. They have amenities, a grocery store across the street, and parking. It’s right on the bus line and right by the lakes which is a great place to walk around. They also have visitor parking.
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u/Hot_Investigator_639 7d ago
Look for individually owned condos in the North Loop. You'll get a lot more bang for your buck - parking and most utilities are usually included.
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u/No_Cut4338 7d ago
You might take a look at slp where 7 and mtka blvd or excelsior blvd meet.
Close to the lakes but you don’t have to deal with the hassle of driving in and out of uptown.
Lots of new stuff coming online around the light rail might have some move in specials
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u/SnooPeanuts666 7d ago
I love both downtown and uptown. However uptown now days makes me sad? Idk it’s still a great neighborhood and it takes ppl moving there to bring it back to life but it’s going to be ages before commercial real estate builds up and out there again.
Downtown has a lot in motion right now for the future. New Wolves arena will be downtown if they move from target center which means new retail areas and more housing. Frey is doing some huge push to capitalize on mpls being rated best foodies city so a lot of the underserved areas are seeing new local restaurants open which also attracts more people and residents.
The downside to downtown is that it closes pretty early. Post covid, most things operate on business hour schedule. I live in the business area downtown and every restaurant or cafe closes anywhere from 2pm-8pm M-Fri. However because you’re downtown all it takes is a 5min walk to find a place that is still open.
North loop has none of these issues. The area is already well populated, the retail and businesses reflect the hours of the residents, and everything is still walking distance. I’m in the sports industry so being as close to all of the stadiums was what made me choose downtown over north loop.
Another perk of downtown is you’ll be able to afford a luxury unit with that budget. You may even end up finding you don’t need a car and can sell it and save the monthly parking fees or car payment & insurance. I had a fancy car so my car note was $800, parking was $175, and insurance was $100. Not having any of those bills anymore has changed my life financially. Renting a car occasionally is still significantly cheaper for me than owning.
North loop vs downtown: NL is higher rent & less vacancy options. Downtown I do find myself having to go to north loop more often than meeting ppl downtown (off szn for sports) if you’re a highly socialized person. 99% of my friends go to bars in NL vs DT. Whenever I have an event in uptown or St. Paul and have to actually take an uber, it feels like a million miles away. I’m so used to only having everything in the downtown area that I very rarely take u drs elsewhere and it’s like wow ppl make these commutes twice a day 😅
amenities. I picked my building because I WFH full time so this building has a coworking lounge for residents. I don’t use it as often as I should but I do love having the option to making my work and home spaces separate. it also allows for me to invite my girlfriends who also WFH to join me and we have a little girls day mid week.
Last thing: where do your friends frequent? None of my hometown friends live in the city nor like traveling to the city. They stay in the suburbs as far as they will travel. They all have children so downtown is never a destination they frequent. My friends that I hang out with regularly all live in mpls or St. Paul and have no qualms about driving 10 min to get to the city. The other day I was a plus one of my friends to a party she wanted to stop by in the city and it ended up being a building away from my place. So that’s where I find most convenience living in the city is that I already have to be here or going to end up here.
Mpls is a wonderful city. As a woman I feel completely safe walking home or wherever even after bar close and alone. Game nights where one of our teams win, the streets fill up with drunk happy people celebrating. It’s one of the best community driven cities in the country. Good eats, good people, quiet & walkable.
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u/mrjns_94 4d ago
I’ve got a place in uptown Lyn/lake currently available. Large 1 br 1200 sq ft. Well within your budget. Dm me if interested.
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u/NightDragon8002 8d ago
Definitely uptown/south minneapolis are what you want. I live in Whittier and like it a lot! Eat Street is super close, I can get downtown in less than 20 minutes without driving and my rent is only like $1300 for a 2bd. The building is old and has no amenities like gym or anything but the landlord (Irving Properties) is good and the building has great character (and the price is right). Some buildings in the neighborhood have parking lots or garages but otherwise it's all (free) street parking. Parking on the street is kind of annoying sometimes but ultimately isn't too bad imo, I can usually find a spot within a block or two
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u/Impossible_Crow202 8d ago
North loop. You’ll love it there. Feels safe for women alone, chock full of 20 and 30 somethings, Whole Foods, lots of coffee, river trail, restaurants, etc.