Jax Downtown Apartment

[sgcray]

What cities have you lived in?

Philly and NY.. I enjoyed living in centre city in Philly.

Umm i really dont know what to expect now. Kinda spooked. I never needed a car before. Riverside could be an option but seems like its out of my budget.

[ronchamblin]

What cities have you lived in?

Philly and NY.. I enjoyed living in centre city in Philly.

Umm i really dont know what to expect now. Kinda spooked. I never needed a car before. Riverside could be an option but seems like its out of my budget.

Downtown sir.  That's the the place to live and be.  I urge you to ignore the negative comments, as they are from people prejudiced to their neighborhoods, who wish they could live in the core.  Downtown is coming back.  Be there to see it.  Participate in the return to vibrancy.  Assist it. Enjoy it.  Live it.   

[ProjectMaximus]

What cities have you lived in?

Philly and NY.. I enjoyed living in centre city in Philly.

Umm i really dont know what to expect now. Kinda spooked. I never needed a car before. Riverside could be an option but seems like its out of my budget.

Nah. The best accommodations are over budget but Riverside has a huge price range of options. The biggest issue is that available units through most of the neighborhood go very quickly, so it's almost a matter of checking craigslist or driving around looking for signs daily. You might reach out to Traditions Realty or similar company to assist you. If Center City in Philly and NYC (assuming thats what you meant by NY) are your barometers, prepare yourself for some shock. But please don't be scared. Just know that Riverside will be your best starting point in your search and quite likely would be your best final choice.

Downtown sir.  That's the the place to live and be.  I urge you to ignore the negative comments, as they are from people prejudiced to their neighborhoods, who wish they could live in the core.  Downtown is coming back.  Be there to see it.  Participate in the return to vibrancy.  Assist it. Enjoy it.  Live it.   

I love and appreciate your passion, ron. Jax is so much better for it. And I agree, I'd want everyone who is like the OP to move to downtown, as things would quickly improve. But I obviously can't preach it since I reside in San marco, and I also would rather a transplant enjoy the Jax metro than be unhappy in downtown if expectations weren't realized.

Anyway, I'm definitely not advising against living downtown, I am simply advising against choosing downtown by default, sight unseen. Cause in Jax, downtown is not the ideal carless neighborhood.

[ronchamblin]

Appreciate comments PMax.  Looking better for the core in that, according to Stephen, a Starbucks plans to move into the core within a fews months to a year or so. All the better for the total mix, when someone is entertaining living in the core.  What we need to do now is get the Dalton Agency on a second level, and bring Boomtown back to Hemming.

[UNFurbanist]

If you end up choosing the core I would go with 11E. Not sure if it is in your price range but that part of DT is on an upswing and will soon have a bunch of good dining and nightlife options. I have a friend who lives there and she really enjoys it.

All that being said I hope you are ready to be a downtown advocate in your new home. Jax is a very friendly town and you will hopefully love it for many reasons. However, a strong urban lifestyle will probably not be one of those things. Like most cities in the south you might want to lower your expectations in that regard, especially coming from NYC or Philly. Jax needs people who are trying to build something down here. It is getting better (yes it was once worse!) and you will have plenty to do but you're kinda coming in at a transition phase if you will. Unfortunately the city has been so focused on the suburbs and neglectful of the core for decades that only recently has there been a return to our center. Think Detroit.

Don't be spooked because there is legitimately awesome stuff going on here and if you learn the JTA system you can get around but you might just need to adapt some. I think everyone on here just wanted you to be aware of the difference.

Welcome to the neighborhood! 

[tufsu1]

Philly and NY.. I enjoyed living in centre city in Philly.

Umm i really dont know what to expect now. Kinda spooked. I never needed a car before. Riverside could be an option but seems like its out of my budget.

I lived in center city Philly during college...and now live in downtown Jax...they surely aren't the same, but I am still happy with my decision to purchase downtown almost 10 years ago.

[Bill Hoff]

Hi

I will be moving to Jax soon and was thinking about living in the downtown area to be able to walk to office.

What are some of the good apartments in this area. My search gives me Carling and 11east. Any others to consider? Budget would be around $1000.

Where do people shop for groceries in downtown. I dont see too many places come up on the map. No trader joe's downtown? Or a whole foods or a super fresh?

Thanks for your help.

There's 6-7 good Downtown spots that you may like. Most have been mentioned.

Winn-Dixie is a good grocer for basics, Fresh Market for higher end & speciality items.

Downtown Jax has a lot going for it. If you're expecting some urban Shangri-la, it's not, but if your have a bicycle, there's  lots of nightlife, dining, essentials, event venues & festivals within a 5-10 minute ride. With more coming.

[mtraininjax]

If you do not visit Town Center on your trip, you will regret it later as you spend many, many, many nights there, if young and single. Check it out, the dining, shopping and lifestyle that it has to offer. Downtown is not there yet, don't be lured into "shopping is coming, nightlife is coming", its already there at Town Center, and its closer to the beach, which is a huge draw for most newcomers to Jacksonville.

Until downtown has a game changer in the Landing or Shipyards, I would not move there. Riverside is a nice 2nd, but not nearly as many places as what TC has to offer.

[Bill Hoff]

If you do not visit Town Center on your trip, you will regret it later as you spend many, many, many nights there, if young and single. Check it out, the dining, shopping and lifestyle that it has to offer. Downtown is not there yet, don't be lured into "shopping is coming, nightlife is coming", its already there at Town Center, and its closer to the beach, which is a huge draw for most newcomers to Jacksonville.

Until downtown has a game changer in the Landing or Shipyards, I would not move there. Riverside is a nice 2nd, but not nearly as many places as what TC has to offer.

None of my friends enjoy spending free time at the Town Center, a mall.

Guess it kinda depends on your preferences, huh?

[mtraininjax]

None of my friends enjoy spending free time at the Town Center, a mall.

The packed parking lots speak for themselves....an open-air mall and......... community.

[ProjectMaximus]

None of my friends enjoy spending free time at the Town Center, a mall.

The packed parking lots speak for themselves....an open-air mall and......... community.

Packed parking lots kinda implies that the OP wouldn't be living carless. I think Riverside wins out over the SJTC on that score.

[Downtown Osprey]

I lived in City Place for almost two years before moving back out to the beach. While not in the best of locations, the units are typically pretty nice for a cheap price. They are actually condo's so you deal with a landlord which is nice. Most of which have all been renovated and if you get one on a higher floor, you'll have the best view of downtown. It's also a short bike ride to Riverside and you are down the street from Hemming.

If you choose downtown, I would definitely consider it.

[camarocane]

If you do not visit Town Center on your trip, you will regret it later as you spend many, many, many nights there, if young and single. Check it out, the dining, shopping and lifestyle that it has to offer. Downtown is not there yet, don't be lured into "shopping is coming, nightlife is coming", its already there at Town Center, and its closer to the beach, which is a huge draw for most newcomers to Jacksonville.

Until downtown has a game changer in the Landing or Shipyards, I would not move there. Riverside is a nice 2nd, but not nearly as many places as what TC has to offer.

Ive lived at the TC for a year and recently purchased a home in Avondale. Although not downtown (I wanted a house), I frequent there quite often and did so while living at the TC.
The TC is nice, new, fresh etc. but has an auora of chain establishments. After about 6 months, I was bored...

[JFman00]

I'm single twenty-something and I would shoot myself in the head if I had to spend "many, many, many nights" at Town Center. If you love middling chain restaurants, every-mall-in-America stores, traffic, and exploring parking lots, then sure it's the place for you.

I lived in the Metro Lofts for a couple months before moving to Riverside. DT is still, at best, a work-in-progress. Riverside/Avondale and San Marco are the only neighborhoods I'd personally choose to live in for their approximation to an urban lifestyle.

[jake_jax]

I live in Downtown Jacksonville and love it! Downtown is showing lots of signs of life but you will need a car in Jacksonville, its too spread out to not have one.
It makes me laugh when people bash Downtown that there is no parking, no restaurants and no stores.

Grocery Shopping- Winn Dixie, Fresh Market or a 5 minute drive to Publix in Riverside

Restaurants- Sweet Pete's, Zodiac Bar and Grill, Azucena Deli, Super Food & Brew, Indochine, Burrito Gallery, Chomp-Chomp, Casa Dora
Uptown Kitchen abd Bar, Hola, Pho, Olio, the Landing

Parking- Meter Parking and Parking Garages

The issue most of the people in Jacksonville are suburbanites and want to pull up to the front door of a business. Go to a real city New York, Boston, Seattle, Chicago. You park in a parking lot or parking garage and walk.

Crime- I have lived DT for 6 months and feel totally safe walking around Downtown