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I realize there have been a few versions of this question asked and I've gotten a lot of information from those posts - thanks! I'm considering this move from Long Island, NY to KCMO for a great opportunity. I am not familiar with KCMO at ALL though, having only visited for 1 day total. As a single female in her 30s (with a 35 lb dog), I'm really looking for an area where there are young professionals around the same age. I'm trying to research from afar while deciding about this opportunity, so any additional info about Young Professional groups (and age ranges), etc. would also be WELCOME!
For the neighborhood, I'm looking for a walkable-bikeable-MAXable & young professional (30s) area with a large population of singles without kids - walk to restaurants, upscale bars (just meaning not college-aged bars). I'm thinking that I'd like to be close to the MAX so I can go to other neighborhoods. I did notice in my very short drive through KCMO down Main St (mostly) that there was no one out on a Sunday night EXCEPT in the Plaza area, maybe a little bit in Westport...was I missing something? Anyway, I've been thinking (based on other posts) of Westport, Plaza, River Market, Hyde Park? (but I haven't seen much about that area on here). I kind of like the idea of (parts of) Hyde Park being close to Westport and Plaza, with the MAX on Main St right there to take me up to other parts of town...but I don't know if it's safe, what vibe it has, etc.
Commute would be to Overland Park, I'd like to keep it under half an hour, but am really concerned with living in the right place since I'm used to (and liked living in) places like DC & Arlington, VA, Jacksonville, FL (Southside area), Long Island, NY (where there are walkable villages and such)...but I'm not looking for suburban like some of these places have been. My favorite and what I'd love to find was Arlington, VA (understanding that there's no DC right next door!) I'm not concerned with grocery stores and that sort of walkability, since I will have a car and can shop on the way home from work. More concerned with walking on weekends to places like restaurants, bars, the park, an exercise class, etc.
Here are some other things I'd be looking for in the apartment itself, if that helps (somewhat priority order):
1BR+Den (preferred size, otherwise large 1BR, small 2BR) around $1,000 - can go a little up, prefer not to
Pets allowed (35 lb dog)
W/D in unit
Dishwasher
A/C
NOT LOFT style
Hardwood/upgrades would be nice
Garden level or yard area/very close park (for the dog, leashed only OK but nice to have an off-leash area somewhere nearby)
Nice to have but low in priority: Pool, Fitness Center (very basic OK)
Although I appreciate and would like new and modern, in the past I've rarely used some of the typical amenities that come with the brand-new full amenties-types of places.
I think the River Market would be great for the demographics of single young professionals with a walkable village vibe and MAX access. However, you might have trouble with some of your want lists (many are loft style, dog might be an issue, budget will limit you).
I think the Plaza area could also be a good fit and you will have more non-loft options as well as more garden apartments and green spaces nearby. You might even be able to find a small rental bungalow home in your budget in the West Plaza which could be a good option for your dog.
I might also suggest the Volker area near 39th St West district, although those are mostly historic/vintage and not much new and modern. Also it is not near the MAX.
Sundays can be a little bit sleepy in KC - although Westport can often be busy on Sundays, likely due to many service industry people going out that night (but that depends on the time and exact location). Main St is not a the best street to take if you are looking for vibrancy - it is a bit rundown in spots doesn't really give the best impression of KC.
Well, Overland Park is definitely suburban, so I think you're wise to look to urban neighborhoods, since that seems to be more your speed.
Sundays are pretty chill, but there are lots of neighborhood/hole-in-the-wall watering hole-type places that benefit from that...and there are a lot of areas people go out and socialize that wouldn't be visible to you from driving down the midtown/Main Street corridor, overall. The Volker/39th Street area near KU Med is a GREAT area for your age/demographic (which is pretty similar to mine). It's walkable/bikeable, but the Max doesn't have a presence there. I lived on the Plaza and loved it, and also really enjoyed Waldo, which also has a good social scene. I lovelovelovelovelove Hyde Park, but it's spotty in regard to being the safest area (some areas are totally fine, next block could be problematic, etc.), and walkable night life options are more limited than in other areas. Love the vibe, but I think it tends to suit the "urban pioneer homeowner" type who are looking to buy an old home for cheap and fix it up, and spend much of their time doing that...at least, that has been the MO of folks I've known who have been happiest in Hyde Park. River Market is a lot of lofts (Columbus Park has some neater vintage-y structures, though), and so is downtown/Crossroads. I also didn't have the easiest time finding rentals in KC that had in-unit washers and dryers...only one rental I ever had boasted this. But that could have been due to my preference for vintage buildings, as well. The one rental I had that had in-unit W/D was a stand-alone 1960s-era ranch-style house on a slab that I rented. Everything else I ever rented had a communal coin-op laundry room.
I lived in Piper Lofts at 20th and Wyandotte. They are lofts which might disqualify them. But they have everything else you've specified: walkable location near lots of young people, proximity to both MAX and the coming streetcar line, dog-friendly, AC, washer-dryer included (at least in my unit), parks nearby, rooftop pool/patio and fitness center. I don't know about price for a 1 BD, but it could be worth a call if you're flexible on the loft thing. The area is fabulous, right in the heart of First Fridays.
Thanks for all the info - at this point, I'm deciding whether KC is a good move for me. It sounds like there is a lot to do and will be a few areas to live that I can check out and will meet a lot of my "wants" and "needs". Pet-friendly is a need, while not loft-style is more of a "want". Something about that style doesn't appeal to me, though there could be some that I haven't seen yet that do! I'll need to first finalize my decision on the opportunity, then take some time out there to look at different neighborhoods, complexes, etc. But, this information has been really helpful to start looking into this move - I really appreciate it! I had a feeling that Sunday night driving down Main St wasn't a good representation of KCMO !
Any thoughts about the neighborhood this posting is in: Contemporary Townhome in Art Gallery District I'm thinking it's Art Gallery or Southmoreland, but I mistakenly thought that was considered Hyde Park when I posted before. Is this area walkable, quiet or lively, safe, etc?
I'm thinking the location & style of River Market might not be best for me, but will keep it on the list to check out when I come out there. I also want to look more into Volker...now that I look at the map over there, do people live in KCK and walk anywhere in KCMO or is that crazy and just looks possible on the map? Also, to help me understand the different neighborhoods, what words would you use to describe the neighborhoods below so I can get an idea for the different vibes?
River Market
Westport
Plaza
Volker
39th St W
Southmoreland or whatever neighborhood I referenced above
Are some of these too close together to really differentiate between? I think I will concentrate on these...I'll have limited time to really get to know areas, so (again) your help is very much appreciated!!
I really haven't heard much about Waldo....I'll look into it some more.
Here is a map of neighborhoods in the Midtown area of KC.
Some of the boundaries and neighborhood definitions can be amorphous and interpreted differently by individuals, but this should give you a good starting point:
Yes, that posting is in the north end of the Southmoreland neighborhood which contains The Nelson and Kemper art museums, as well as the Kansas City Art Institute. Therefore, you have a good amount of art students (although they are more heavily concentrated a bit further south, closer to campus).
The walkability of that location is pretty good - just a couple blocks away on Main St you have some decent amenities: a coffee shop, a bar (though probably not the upscale bar you are looking for), grocery, etc. Also it is just about a half mile to the center of Westport with a plethora of amenities.
I think Southmoreland is a safe area - although around the intersections of 39th and Main/Warwick on the northwest boundary of the neighborhood, you will find some vagrants and shady people/activities - but I don't consider it to be a dangerous area (although some people might be uncomfortable there).
It is definitely possible to live and KCK and walk to KCMO -it is just a small street that separates the two. Many of the amenities on 39th St are close to State Line Rd, so I'm sure many people who live just across the border walk there often.
Here are my thoughts on these areas:
River Market - urban area on north end of Downtown with many lofts and historic building stock. Home to the City Market (farmer's market) and a number of good restaurants - but it still can have a bit of a quiet vibe. Leans more to the single professional/semi-upscale side (which is the main reason I suggested it first as that demographic seems what you are looking for, rather than the college/artist/bohemian/eclectic vibe that is more prevalent in some of the other neighborhoods).
Westport - entertainment district with numerous bars, restaurants, etc. Fairly diverse, but leans towards the college/hipster side. Used to be the main party district in KC, but the Power and Light district downtown has taken that mantle.
Plaza - upscale shopping/dining district with beautiful architecture and fountains.
Volker - urban neighborhood with fairly diverse housing stock and demographics - everything from college/20s to young families to older long-time residents. Leans Bohemian.
39th St W - the hub of the Volker neighborhood with great dining, coffee shops, boutiques etc.
One other area I might suggest is Union Hill, which is just north of the Broadway Gillham section on the map. Urban neighborhood with a more professional/upscale vibe. Walkable to Martini Corner and other amenities, along the MAX line, and undergoing a construction boom right now.
Also, as pacificwhim suggested, the Crossroads could be another option worth exploring.
Waldo is a south Kansas City neighborhood, rather than part of midtown or downtown, like most of what's already been discussed...it lies slightly south of the Countryside neighborhood on the map posted, with Brookside just to the north of it. It has its own community feel, maintains its own chamber of commerce and has sunk quite a bit into maintaining and opening new retail businesses, restaurants, cafes, bars, night life, etc. It's gathered a fairly eclectic demographic in recent years...much like Volker, tends to be a combo of young singles (houses are fairly cheap to rent...there are more stand-alone, single-family rentals and small cottages than multi-unit apartments, FWIW), people who are neighborhood lifers, and people with families, due to several schooling options that aren't part of KCMO's lacking public school district, yet aren't hugely pricey private schools, either...several charter options, etc. You tend to see more families here than in some urban neighborhoods, but it's also really singles-friendly. It may or may not be what you're looking for, but it's quite accessible to Overland Park, and might be worth looking into.
I've gone to a few of the bars in the Quality Hill area, but haven't known very many people who live there. I went out with a guy a few times who lived in the Garment District, neighbors Quality Hill, just across Broadway, and his place was, like a lot of the other housing there, turn-of-the-century industrial buildings converted to lofts, lots of exposed antique brick and modern exposed ductwork...kind of vintage/industrial. Quality Hill seems to be largely condo, but I'm sure there are rentals as well.
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