Summer Apartment Near Blue Line-Safe? (Charlotte, Monroe: apartment complex, leases, crime rates)

[hllywd1]

Hello all,

My husband and I and our two young boys are coming to Charlotte this summer for an internship. We may come back after grad school so I would like to get a feel for South Charlotte. We only own one car and hope that we can live in an apartment near the Lynx and my husband can walk to and from it (leaving the car for my use,taking the boys out, running errands etc.). I am hoping The Reserve off Sharon Rd and South Blvd will rent short term.

I have noticed a few threads concerning crime in general and along the blue line. While I will not be out alone at night, my husband will likely be walking home from the train late at night.

We have lived in Manhattan the past three years and know how to keep our guard up but I just thought I would check to see if our plan raises red flags for any of you locals.

Thanks!

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by hllywd1

Hello all,

My husband and I and our two young boys are coming to Charlotte this summer for an internship. We may come back after grad school so I would like to get a feel for South Charlotte. We only own one car and hope that we can live in an apartment near the Lynx and my husband can walk to and from it (leaving the car for my use,taking the boys out, running errands etc.). I am hoping The Reserve off Sharon Rd and South Blvd will rent short term.

I have noticed a few threads concerning crime in general and along the blue line. While I will not be out alone at night, my husband will likely be walking home from the train late at night.

We have lived in Manhattan the past three years and know how to keep our guard up but I just thought I would check to see if our plan raises red flags for any of you locals.

Thanks!

The light rail is not the only way to get to uptown and there are other areas of the city I'd recommend over that particular area for sure. If he plans to just take a bus every day instead you will have infinitely more possibilities of places to live. What is your price range?

[newbie09]

It's not necessary to live near the Light Rail, there's plenty of buses that go to Uptown (in fact, the vast majority of buses end at Uptown.) And there's much safer, lower-crime areas to live in besides South Blvd and Sharon Rd WEST. I don't have kids, but I take buses a lot (don't have a car) and spent a lot of time researching safe areas to live near buses and shopping/stores.

I would recommend getting a transit map which shows you all the bus routes and look online for bus schedules (map can be picked up from some libraries and of course, the transit center.) I'm more familiar w/ bus routes in South Charlotte & recommend living along the #19 Park Rd bus which runs extensively 7 days a week. You can probably find short-term housing right along this route that would also give you a little more space for your kids. You might also find a place near a shopping center such as Park Rd Shopping Center where you could occasionally walk to stores instead of always driving. Just a suggestion from someone who has never owned a car & has lived in Charlotte about 2 years now.

I live just south of Southpark Mall on Sharon Rd, a good area for buses/shopping but maybe a little pricey for a family w/ kids. I'll give you this important heads up: here in Charlotte, there's about 10 different streets with "Sharon" in the name. Sharon Rd West or Sharon Amity Rd are very different from Sharon Rd. (There's also Sharon Lane and Sharon View Rd, to name a few more!) Easy to get these streets confused (to me, Charlotte seems set up to confuse newcomers!) And since I lived near Sharon Rd West for a few months, I wouldn't recommend it as a place for a newcomer w/kids, especially where it's real close to South Blvd: higher crime rates there. Good luck with your move.

[hllywd1]

Hello,

Thanks for your replies! I looked into the buses on the CATS website before and the times were limited. Maybe I am looking in the wrong place but most of the schedules (like for #19 or the 61 express) show the last bus going out of the downtown area at 5:50pm. ? My husband will likely have late nights- like 11pm.

I would like to keep rent less than $1000 but considering we would like a short term lease and preferably a pool I expect we may end up paying more.

Maybe I can survive without a car and just hang out by the pool

Thanks again!

[brokensky]

Originally Posted by hllywd1

Hello,

Thanks for your replies! I looked into the buses on the CATS website before and the times were limited. Maybe I am looking in the wrong place but most of the schedules (like for #19 or the 61 express) show the last bus going out of the downtown area at 5:50pm. ? My husband will likely have late nights- like 11pm.

I would like to keep rent less than $1000 but considering we would like a short term lease and preferably a pool I expect we may end up paying more.

Maybe I can survive without a car and just hang out by the pool

Thanks again!

I have been in the one-car situation before and it would be a much better idea to choose a great apartment complex and let your hubby have the car - or - take hubby to work on days you want to use the car.

[sheenie2000]

Originally Posted by hllywd1

Hello,

Thanks for your replies! I looked into the buses on the CATS website before and the times were limited. Maybe I am looking in the wrong place but most of the schedules (like for #19 or the 61 express) show the last bus going out of the downtown area at 5:50pm. ? My husband will likely have late nights- like 11pm.

I would like to keep rent less than $1000 but considering we would like a short term lease and preferably a pool I expect we may end up paying more.

Maybe I can survive without a car and just hang out by the pool

Thanks again!

The 14 (non express) runs the same line as 61. And it runs till around midnight.

Try Strawberry Hill, they have short term leases (3-4 months). When I rented there, it was around 870 for a 2 bdr/2.5 bath townhouse. There's also a Rite Aid, Fresh Market and a couple other shops in the apartment complex. It's a nice safe area and the bus stop is right at the entrance of the apartment complex. There's a pool too.

[brokensky]

Originally Posted by sheenie2000

The 14 (non express) runs the same line as 61. And it runs till around midnight.

Try Strawberry Hill, they have short term leases (3-4 months). When I rented there, it was around 870 for a 2 bdr/2.5 bath townhouse. There's also a Rite Aid, Fresh Market and a couple other shops in the apartment complex. It's a nice safe area and the bus stop is right at the entrance of the apartment complex. There's a pool too.

Great suggestion! That's where we rented for six months when we moved here. Very convenient and yes - bus stop, pool, playground and retail right there.

[coped]

Originally Posted by hllywd1

Hello,

Thanks for your replies! I looked into the buses on the CATS website before and the times were limited. Maybe I am looking in the wrong place but most of the schedules (like for #19 or the 61 express) show the last bus going out of the downtown area at 5:50pm. ? My husband will likely have late nights- like 11pm.

I would like to keep rent less than $1000 but considering we would like a short term lease and preferably a pool I expect we may end up paying more.

Maybe I can survive without a car and just hang out by the pool

Thanks again!

The expresses might leave at 550, but the last #19 Park Road to South Park goes by my window at 1am. Strawberry Hill is a good complex, as are a few others in that area on Providence on the 14 line. The only problem would be if he works Sunday night, the last 14 leaves at 727. On weekdays the last 14 leaves at 1147 and Saturdays 1120. The 19 runs past midnight 7 nights a week.

Ideally, you could find something near a shopping center where you had everything within a short walk. Strawberry Hill (14 line) or some place along Park Road (19 line) are probably your best bets in that department for short term housing. There is an awesome looking complex on the corner of Park and Tyvola, which would put you in walking distance of South Park Mall and a couple grocery stores but I can't think of the name of the place.

You might also look into the Matthews/Galleria area (#27 line). It would be a longer ride for your husband but it is a decent area and it is not hard to get by without a car if you live near the Sardis Rd. N./Monroe road intersection. The 27 is a slightly rougher bus than the 19 or 14 as it passes through a few rough areas....But once you get past the bend near McAlpine Creek, things improve.

Stay away from anything on the 11 or 22 lines. They both end in nice places, but they go through the roughest part of town. He would have no problem riding during the day, but at night on those two lines, I would not risk it.

Don't rule out uptown either. Rents are down if you know where to look..Several 2 bedrooms in pool buildings for 1200 and under, but maybe not shortterm housing.

[ex-burgher]

The 14 bus runs frequently down Providence to the Arboretum. In addition to Strawberry Hill Apts, there is the less expensive Pinehurst on this route as well as a complex at the Providence/51 intersection.
If you want to be near the Lynx, consider apartments closer to the city in the South End. This is a safer area than the one you mentioned.

[newbie09]

I'm the person who suggested living along the #19 Park Rd bus. Not sure what schedules you looked at, but 7 days a week there's a #19 bus leaving from Uptown around midnight. Maybe you saw an express bus schedule? You can view all the bus schedules on the Charlotte transit system website (use ridetransit.org to get there.) If you go to the "customer service" page, you'll get more info (including the ph# 704-336-RIDE to speak to a customer service rep.) Another good feature is called Trip Planner, this can work well for you once you get the hang of it. There's also transit sytem maps available online but I've always found them difficult to view clearly online, better to get an actual foldout map from the transit company (also sometimes available at library branches.)

Important fact about the #19 bus route: you'll have access to every single #19 bus as long as you live along the #19 route north of Tyvola/Park Rd. However, if you reside south of Tyvola Rd/Park Rd, only half the #19 buses will go past your area (the #19 route splits at Tyvola Rd, half of those buses turn left off Park Rd to go to Southpark Mall.) So it's a real advantage to live between Tyvola Rd and Uptown if you live along this bus route.

Someone here mentioned an apt complex at Park Rd and Tyvola but that might be above your budget, think that area might be pricey, especially for a short-term rental.

I'm not as familiar with the #14 Providence Rd bus route but have seen lots of good reviews of the Strawberry Hill apt complex. Good luck with your search & your move. Feel free to direct message me if you'd like-- since I ride buses myself, would be happy to give you more suggestions & tips based on my own experience.