Oh, there is plenty to do and plenty of places to eat/hang out in that area. Speaking of walking, It takes me, a middle aged woman, about 20 minutes of walking to reach the downtown library from that neighborhood. There is even a grocery store on Broadway (QFC, I think ) within a 5-10 min walk from the main apartment cluster, so he can easily replenish essential stuff like TP, beer, and spaghetti.
As SSeamom mentioned, the street car should be running down Broadway to Lake Union (fingers crossed, soon), and Metro bus routes 12 and 2 connect the area with downtown going up and down First Hill. Both run every 10-15 min during peak hours.
One more thing: there is plenty of medical/dental/optometrist offices just up the hill, because the area houses three major hospitals. Very convenient, too, IMO.
I’ll pass this info on. Around here, I usually recommend young adults avoid the area closest to the colleges because oftentimes those students are willing to pay more for an apartment since they’ll put two people in a bedroom and they still have stupid loud parties. It’s interesting hearing everyone’s comments about growth and abundance of bars and coffee shops - I can’t wait to visit!
Son’s first apt was in First Hill, now S lake Union are. We actively considered Seattle for retirement because it is liberal, taxes and a great place- except for the gloomy weather. Guess we’re wacko retired physicians- but ended up in Tampa (many Indians here)and a mix of politics. Nephew’s wife is a Redmond native and said people don’t use umbrellas- they just put up their hoods. They got a house in Kirkland. We were there last November (highly recommend the Hyatt Place Hotel near S Lake Union area if you don’t rent a car and stay out of the walkable to downtown et al area) and used our umbrellas- tourists (too hot in FL for hoodies and the rain too heavy btw).
You will have to visit in the summer- long days, better weather… We had vacationed there a few times before son moved. He is some 3000 miles away from parents now. Feel free to PM me about things.
No- visited but too small. Weather also cold and dark in winter. We want the big city amenities and culture. If Anacortes had great libraries like Tampa does I would consider it for the greater sunshine, landscape et al if son still in Seattle when we are elderly. Something that I did not expect to bother me but did was the feeling of being hemmed in by the trees and mountains- confined to the coastal region instead of feeling we could drive only N-S to go to other cities. No place is perfect. And I still want land to garden with so owning a condo in one place and a house in the other is not an option.
Belltown is about to change as well. A number of long time, historic businesses on 2nd have just been notified that they are losing their leases for new developments. The developers are destroying the atmosphere and charm that they are promoting with their projects.
That’s how the Pike Place Market survived; years ago developers planned to knock it down for new construction. Ordinary folks and civic leaders said NO WAY!!! I don’t think the same fervor exists today for downtown and other areas, especially in the more residential neighborhoods. My childhood neighbors sold their home just above Madison Valley a couple of years ago. Their lot was huge, and of course the new owners subdivided the property to install a hideous small apartment building next door to the old house.
I was out this past weekend with a group, and one young woman recently moved to a loft in SoDo and loves it. I didn’t know there was anything there other than the stadiums. Also as others have said, First Hill/Cap Hill, lots of city flavor and close to downtown, but be aware that, due to the hospitals, it is also the stomping grounds for much of the mentally ill population.
Shameless plug, but if he is interested in finding a group of young, active people he will be in time for this year’s basic climbing class at the Seattle Mountaineers, no prior experience or even fit level required. If you move to an area surrounded by so much natural beauty, you might as well learn to enjoy it.
Thanks for the latest posts. Son is currently in an orientation training in another state, but I’ll pass on the suggestions. He does like to do some hiking - not so sure about climbing, but it sounds like fun!
Heard sirens at least once when I talked to son when he lived within blocks of at least two hospitals. At least I knew if he needed it medical care was close.
At least those were medical sirens… In Belltown, when the bars empty out at 2am, you’d hear screams, fights, and cops’ sirens. If one can afford an apartment on a high floor with water view, then Belltown night scene is not a problem.
I talked to my son last night. He’s flying out Saturday to Seattle. He made arrangements to see three apartments in Belltown on Sunday and meet up with someone else that is looking for a roommate in Capital Hill early in the week. All the apartments are the same price as would be the shared apartment. I don’t quite get how he could pay just as much for a shared apartment - it’s not THAT big, but maybe it’s the location? I looked it up and I believe it’s the Lyric apartment building. The reviews are very good and the location looks great. The locations in Belltown are on 5th Avenue, and two on 4th Avenue. Any thoughts as to this place compared to Bell town in general? He and I both see pros in having a roommate, and he seems like a nice person, also in the tech field.
The Lyric is in a good location, IMO. Capitol Hill is a very desirable location for younger folks, lots of techies from Google and Microsoft rent there, and the prices usually reflect that. There is a lot of life around there!.. Bell and 4th or 5th is better served by buses, but the area is not as nice, IMO. I would not call it unsafe, it is just more traffic, more noise, bigger tourist crowds, some homeless folks looking for places to sleep and hang out. He will be closer to the Seattle Center and Amazon campus.
This site: https://www.walkscore.com/ is a wonderful tool for evaluating locations - it will give the ease of transportation, the closest services, the crime rate etc. for any Seattle address. Click on bigger map for the location of the nearest supermarkets etc. (you can zoom in or out on this)
I think he is looking at the walking scores for each of the places. He mentioned that when we talked last night. He said that the Belltown places would be either a 30 minute walk to work or 20 minutes via public transit. It looks like none are bad, but the 4th Avenue ones are not as good as the roommate one in Capital Hill or the other Belltown one.
I’m sure someone already has the plans for high rise condo buildings to replace Pike Place Market.