Help to compare Seattle living areas.... (Republic: apartments, neighborhoods, closing)

[mamainfl]

Can anyone compare 1400 Hubbell Place (Elektra Building) with 304 Bell Street (Adams Building)?

How safe are these areas? Can anyone paint me a picture? Any decent grocery within walking distance in either area? Should we avoid either one or both, or are they good areas to live?

[Hemlock140]

Both are fairly safe, though Bell & 3rd, in the heart of Belltown will get more homeless people hanging around, more car prowls and sometimes the area bars have fights at closing time. The nearest grocery stores are probably QFC at lower Queen Anne and Whole Foods on 15th at Interbay, neither is a easy walk.
I haven't been to the new Target at 2nd & Pike to see if they have fresh foods or not.

Hubbell is within a few blocks of QFC foods on Broadway and is a little farther removed from the Belltown/Westlake homeless/drug areas.

[Steve Bowen]

Originally Posted by mamainfl

Can anyone compare 1400 Hubbell Place (Elektra Building) with 304 Bell Street (Adams Building)?

How safe are these areas? Can anyone paint me a picture? Any decent grocery within walking distance in either area? Should we avoid either one or both, or are they good areas to live?

Walkscore can help with this: http://www.walkscore.com/

[JBVirtuoso]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

Both are fairly safe, though Bell & 3rd, in the heart of Belltown will get more homeless people hanging around, more car prowls and sometimes the area bars have fights at closing time. The nearest grocery stores are probably QFC at lower Queen Anne and Whole Foods on 15th at Interbay, neither is a easy walk.
I haven't been to the new Target at 2nd & Pike to see if they have fresh foods or not.

Hubbell is within a few blocks of QFC foods on Broadway and is a little farther removed from the Belltown/Westlake homeless/drug areas.

There's also a Safeway at Republican St/1st Ave W, and a Whole Foods at Denny/Westlake. No need to schlep all the way to Interbay.

Target does have fresh food, but the selection isn't stellar. There are a number of other small grocery stores (more like corner stores) that will have stuff if you're in a pinch.

[Kayela]

FWIW, I love living in dense, urban neighborhoods, but I don't like to have my guard up at all times. Hubbell would win my vote just because there's less crap to deal with. Less tourists, easier in and out traffic, fewer homeless, less panhandling and less nightlife (although there is plenty nearby, and more to my liking). It's closer to a transit hub, closer to day-to-day type stores and more convenient to the rest of Seattle while still being very close to DT.

[amaiunmei]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

Both are fairly safe, though Bell & 3rd, in the heart of Belltown will get more homeless people hanging around, more car prowls and sometimes the area bars have fights at closing time. The nearest grocery stores are probably QFC at lower Queen Anne and Whole Foods on 15th at Interbay, neither is a easy walk.
I haven't been to the new Target at 2nd & Pike to see if they have fresh foods or not.

Hubbell is within a few blocks of QFC foods on Broadway and is a little farther removed from the Belltown/Westlake homeless/drug areas.

The Target downtown has a tiiiiiiiiny produce section; you'd be better off getting produce at Pike Place Market.

Don't live on 3rd Avenue downtown unless you know what you are getting into, as it is not everyone's cup of tea.

[JBVirtuoso]

Originally Posted by amaiunmei

Don't live on 3rd Avenue downtown unless you know what you are getting into, as it is not everyone's cup of tea.

I wouldn't recommend it for someone who's new to urban living, or who wants a quiet street environment. But for people moving here from other large cities, it wouldn't be much of a problem.

That said, I'd probably pick Hubbell if the apartments are comparable. I think Pike/Pine blows Belltown out of the water.

[amaiunmei]

Originally Posted by JBVirtuoso

I wouldn't recommend it for someone who's new to urban living, or who wants a quiet street environment. But for people moving here from other large cities, it wouldn't be much of a problem.

That is an important distinction to make, and thank you for making it.

The vast, vast majority of the homeless downtown are quite harmless. Beyond some panhandling, they are mostly not going to interact with you much. However, that sort of thing is not everyone's cup of tea.

And yes, for overall services, the Pike/Pine area is superior to 3rd ave in most ways (3rd ave is better in transportation, being a major arterial for the buses).

[BATCAT]

Based on this article:

Seattle's worst buildings - seattlepi.com

And also the Facebook postings of an acquaintance, I would avoid the Elektra building.