Living in Richmond without a car?

[JavaJunkieDC]

I currently live in Arlington in the DC area. I am kicking around the idea of relocating to Richmond area in the next couple of years, primarily because the cost of living here is out of control. I work for a nonprofit, so my salary is not great. Currently about $3,700/month after taxes). I don't retire for another 12 years.



I have my driver's license but...I just don't use it. And at my age to just suddenly start driving again seems odd and frankly not something I want to do.



Is moving to the Richmond area doable at ALL? I work from home, would only need to come back to the DC area for work a few times a year and can use Amtrak for that. I am fine with public transit, and ideally I would not want to live out in the middle of nowhere, so I'd be looking for a walkable neighborhood. I guess my budget would be around $1,600-$1,700/month plus utilities and I would need a one BR (though a studio is fine as long as it's not tiny).



I was looking at some of the apt. listings downtown on Min Street, but the reviews for them are awful, plus they likely skew younger (I have nothing against young people though, ). I'm 55.



What about Short Pump? I the most important things I'm looking for are walkability and safety (though I'm almost never out past dark,

[mpier015]

Scotts Addition, Museum district and the Fan are probably the best areas for car free living. They would have everything you need within the neighborhood such as shops, grocery and transit. Parts of churchill could be do-able depending on how close you are to either the Chimbo market or the Market in Shockoe. What is your age range? Museum district skews older. the Fan is a mixed bag. Young professionals in Scott's addition. Manchester is up and coming but has no grocer. Short Pump does not have much in the way of transit at the moment and isn't super walkable. There is a express bus that runs out there but it only runs at certain times of the day. There are talks about eventually running the pulse BRT out to Short Pump but there is no current timeline on that, that I know of.

[VA Yankee]

Short Pump is the last area or walkability and safety, it is a car centric area. Try looking at the Willow lawn area for a rental or maybe parts of the Carytown area that would give you the transportation and shopping access that you want.

[YorktownGal]

Originally Posted by VA Yankee

Short Pump is the last area or walkability and safety, it is a car centric area. Try looking at the Willow lawn area for a rental or maybe parts of the Carytown area that would give you the transportation and shopping access that you want.

From what little I've seen of Short Pump, it's strip mall hell!

Richmond has 13 colleges serving the area, including 7 private colleges and universities, 1 public college or university, and 2 community colleges offering 2-year degrees.

University of Richmond - over 3,000 students.
Virginia Commonwealth University with 20,000 students.
Virginia Union University with 1,000 students

From what I've seen, students rent out some houses by the Museum District. However, it seems like the Museum District is your best bet for a walkable neighborhood.

You need to drive around the city to see for yourself. Stony Point neighborhood in Richmond is country-like and urban Carytown - two extremely different neighborhoods. BTW - as someone said - Carytown is nice!

I feel your pain. My daughter works for a non-profit in Pittsburgh. On her limited budget, her rent went up by a third! Real estate prices are crazy all over!

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by YorktownGal

From what little I've seen of Short Pump, it's strip mall hell!

Richmond has 13 colleges serving the area, including 7 private colleges and universities, 1 public college or university, and 2 community colleges offering 2-year degrees.

University of Richmond - over 3,000 students.
Virginia Commonwealth University with 20,000 students.
Virginia Union University with 1,000 students

From what I've seen, students rent out some houses by the Museum District. However, it seems like the Museum District is your best bet for a walkable neighborhood.

You need to drive around the city to see for yourself. Stony Point neighborhood in Richmond is country-like and urban Carytown - two extremely different neighborhoods. BTW - as someone said - Carytown is nice!

I feel your pain. My daughter works for a non-profit in Pittsburgh. On her limited budget, her rent went up by a third! Real estate prices are crazy all over!

I think you mistook me for the one asking, I have been here over 25 years. I mention the locations that I did because people want more than a corner Bodega and delivery Pizza and that's all you'll find in much of the city. Manchester is a food desert and even Stony Point near the mall has nothing unless you drive up to Forest Hill Avenue...

[YorktownGal]

Originally Posted by VA Yankee

I think you mistook me for the one asking, I have been here over 25 years. I mention the locations that I did because people want more than a corner Bodega and delivery Pizza and that's all you'll find in much of the city. Manchester is a food desert and even Stony Point near the mall has nothing unless you drive up to Forest Hill Avenue...

No, I knew you weren't the OP.

As you said, Stony Point looks country like - meaning it requires a car. It's lovely but car centered.

I don't know Manchester.

[JavaJunkieDC]

Thanks for the responses. The Museum District sounds like a possibility. I am going to Richmond later this summer with a friend, but just for the day. I might go for a couple of additional days myself, but that wouldn't be until next spring, I am thinking.



What about the section called City Center or Monroe Ward? It looks like Broad St. is a major artery. Does it by chance have a bus line going up and down it?

[getatag]

I think tiny is all you will get for under 3000 a month in the Museum district.

[JavaJunkieDC]

Originally Posted by getatag

I think tiny is all you will get for under 3000 a month in the Museum district.

That's criminal pricing for a rental. I don't care how many bells and whistles a place has. The same thing is happening in northern VA.

[aquest1]

Originally Posted by JavaJunkieDC

Thanks for the responses. The Museum District sounds like a possibility. I am going to Richmond later this summer with a friend, but just for the day. I might go for a couple of additional days myself, but that wouldn't be until next spring, I am thinking.



What about the section called City Center or Monroe Ward? It looks like Broad St. is a major artery. Does it by chance have a bus line going up and down it?

Right now City Center is mainly just government offices, the city courthouse, closed Coliseum, and VCU buildings, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend living there. Monroe Ward is kind of wedged between, but the housing options aren't so plentiful. If you are looking more centrally, my recommendation would be Carver and Jackson Ward, which are both better-scaled, walkable with access to restaurants and a Kroger.

Yes, the RVA Pulse, a BRT line, goes right down Broad St., and runs from Rockett's Landing to the area 7 miles uptown called Willow Lawn, which has its own shops/restaurants. It's free to ride.