Anyone familiar with MADISON, WI?

[brentspeak]

I posted a similar question on the Lounge back in the summer, and got some general feedback: avoid the southside downtown and Allied Drive areas (crime), and aim for the east and westside parts of town. Also, to look into the surrounding communities (Fitchburg, Middleton, Verona). Also, to avoid the big apartment complexes along Fish Hatchery Ave. The University of Wisconsin has a list of possible apartments on their website, and I'm wondering if anyone here would know which among the following are the "good" and the "bad" areas:

111 S Bassett St
5154 Brindisi Ct - Apt. 3
1667 Capital Ave - Apt. 15, 18
6633 Century Ave
501 Clemons Ave
421 1/2 W Dayton St
2500 Fiedler Ln
2500 Fiedler Ln
8551 Greenway Blvd - Apt. 206
121 S Hamilton St
2302 High Ridge Trl
2222 Independence Ln
812 E Johnson St - Apt. 2
820 E Johnson St - Apt. 2
422 W Johnson St
545 W Johnson St
1314 W Johnson St - Apt. 305, 306, 308, 402...
222 E Lake Lawn Pl
201 Langdon St
265 Langdon St
265 Langdon St
431 W Main St
431 W Main St
437 W Main St
437 W Main St
641 W Main St - Apt. 208
1049 McKenna Blvd
4037 Monona Dr
1515 Monroe St - Apt. 4
305 Palomino Ln - Apt. 1
6504 Pheasant Ln
529 N Pinckney St - Apt. 4
1402 Regent St
4715 Sheboygan Ave
1214 Spring St
2301 Traceway Dr
2301 Traceway Dr
523 W Wilson St - Apt. B

[joneschick]

1. kicking

there must be some Madisonians around here somewhere!

[Callalily]

2. Try posting

in State & Country Forums - Wisconsin. You may get better results there.

Good luck!

[mzteris]

3. I just recently moved here.....

So I'm not *that familiar* with the place, but I recognize "some". I could maybe check some of them (on the eastside) for you if you're really interested (and if it ever stops snowing!)

The only one I recognize right off the bat is Monona. That seems like a nice area - I'd have to check the specific address, though.

What, exactly, are you looking FOR in your immediate community area?

Proximity to school? Schools for children? Shopping? Diversity? Vegetarian grocery? Yuppies? A Starbucks - wait - there's one every couple hundred feet so that doesn't count. :) Actually there are some very good LOCAL coffee shops.

[brentspeak]

7. Proximity to the University, safety, and quiet

Even though I would be attending the University, I don't want to be a neighborhood full of college kids. And I don't want my travel route to school to be in a high traffic area.

[jane_pippin]

4. I haven't lived there in a while but this is what I remember:

W. Main, W. Dayton, W. Mifflin. W. Wilson--avoid like the plague if you don't want to be living among loud undergrads in crappy apartments. Cheap apartments--for Madison, but still. (Some are nice over that way--that was a generalization, but one made from 5 years of exerience there, 2 of which I spent living in that area.)

Langdon is where all the frat houses and sorority houses are. Very nice buildings, but again, frats and sorority houses so if it's not your thing stay away. Slightly past Langdon, (like Pinckney st. and the area right near the park known as "mansion hill" is still student-y but it's slightly more of a mix between grad and undergrad and longtime residents. It's still right near Frat-land, but I lived there for a while and it was ok. I actually lived on Pinckney for a while. 500 block is ok, but if I remember correctly the 400 block is prettier if you care about that. Monster hill to walk up though. The buildings are pretty nice but I think they're almost all apartment rentals so if you're not looking for that it might not be the best place to look. It is a good location "Capitol Loop" wise, however. Lots of students live around there too, but generally students who got sick of living on the W. Main, W. Dayton, W. Mifflin, S. Bassett side of things. It still can be kind of loud, but less often.)

E. Johnson is pretty nice. It's a main drag, but from what I recall a relatively nice one. If you want to live near the Capitol/Downtown but out of the way, I suggest looking on Williamson street and in that area. It's far enough away from campus that you don't have a lot of all night parties going on, but close enough to walk to the Capitol if the spirit moves you, a nice bike ride, or a short car ride. It's also near a lot of nice little shops and restaurants, and the neighborhoods there tend to be more home-owner occupied, though there are plenty of nice apartments over that way too.

That's all based on my experience about 5, 6 years ago when I was a student there. I know a lot has changed since then, and being a 20-something kid gives a different perspective than a wise "older-statesman" type resident, which I never was of course, but my guess is that for the most part those generalizations still hold true. Good luck to you. :hi:

[brentspeak]

8. Thanks Jane and WI_DEM (and others)

Williamson street and the quieter areas are the kinds of street names that will be useful.

[WI_DEM]

5. Willy (Williamson) Street, Winnebago and Atwood (Shenk's Corner)

are great areas. In fact, Madison's near eastside on the Isthmus is wonderful and within walking (or bike riding) distance of downtown Madison.

[madrchsod]

6. google earth has high rez pictures of madison

hell you can see the house you want to buy....