Culture of University of Indianapolis area? (Beech Grove, Southport: apartment complexes, rentals, violent crime)

[Fever]

Help - considering moving/visiting U of Indy - what is surrounding area like? Hotels, shopping, safety? What about University Heights or Beech Grove? Motels to avoid or recommend?

[hapaleeretired]

The area around the university is an older one with smaller homes. For the most part they are neat and tidy. The area to the norheast of the campus has smaller houses many of which are rentals. It is perhaps a little red necky but safe. Beech Grove is a town of small houses well kept, neat and safe.
I haven't been that way for a couple of years but the only big problelm in the area was a Super 8 Hotel on Keystone that they had a lot of trouble with. I think about the closest motel you'll find is at 31 and 465 also a nice safe area.

[linda d]

Get out there is nothing to do in this boring city.

[billman5000]

the area around U of I is part small-house suburban, part dump. it is not a big draw or a cultural attraction. there is literally nothing to do around there.

u of i is seen as a bit of a religious, conservative school and i think that influences the environs.

[jillkmilk]

I work for the university of Indianapolis and have lived in this area since moving to Indianapolis 4 years ago. There is no Super 8 motel on Keystone for starters, there is a Holiday Inn Express and a Days Inn. I would stay away from the Days Inn. There is a Super 8 right off of 465 at 31, used to be a Quality Inn that was poorly managed...anyhow...The area around UINDY is made up mostly of 1000-1200 SQ foot houses, there are some really nice areas near the campus, look closer to Meridian street for the nicer areas. I would stay away from most apartment complexes in this area, I lived for 3 years in one about a mile from campus and it was a dump. As far as safety goes, I sometimes ride my bike home from work (at 11PM) and I have never had any problems. The area is close to downtown and close to Fountain Square. Restaurants are almost all fast food choices, though Enzo's Pizza is amazing. The school itself has a very loose afiliation with the Methodist church, but the campus itself is not all that conservative. There is no Greek life to speak of on campus however, so parties might be harder to come by, giving the school a stuffier feel than it really has. All in all, not a bad area, and if I decide to buy a house in Indy will probably stick to this general area (but closer to Meridian). Beech Grove is a small little town inside of Indianapolis, with its own police and mayor (which annoys me for some reason). It is probably safer than university heights, and does present more shopping areas and more non-fast food restaurants.

[fluharty07]

I will start at UINDY very soon. I currently live on the East side of Indy, which was a very bad choice! I am new to the town and just got my apartment broken into. I want to find the safest neighborhood possible, can you help?

[chalcedony]

University Heights by the school is not bad at all, with attractive older homes, but it is probably shy on rentals (unless some of the homes have been subdivided). Actual apartments in the area are going to be older and generally very low cost, but that usually implies a concomitant higher level of crime. Never heard of violent crime in the area, but apartments around there don't have a great reputation, and the retail has been dying slowly over the past twenty years. Your best bet is in Beech Grove, or, for good rentals, some of the new apartments around Emerson Avenue and Southport Road are in great shape and are still close by.