Thoughts on this area in college park near greenbelt? (Baltimore: apartments, rentals)

[justjenkins]

I'm moving to MD in a few months and found a house that's 10 minutes from the Greenbelt metro, on Iroquois street. My primary concern is safety, and I should also add that I'll be a graduate student at UMCP and won't have a car, so I'll either bike or take the shuttle to campus.

Is this a good location? Are the routes bike-friendly? Is it safe during the day?

What are peoples thoughts on this area?

Sorry I'm out of state and I can't visit myself to make my own judgement. Also feel free to recommend areas for me that are closer to campus and safe, or any general comments.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by justjenkins

Is this a good location? Are the routes bike-friendly? Is it safe during the day?
What are peoples thoughts on this area?

It's a typical low-budget neighborhood near campus. I would not be afraid to walk around during the day. I don't think there are significantly better areas within biking distance to campus.

There are no marked bike lanes or sidewalks, so I won't say it's bicycle friendly. If you bike to campus, be aware of potholes, dogs, unfriendly motorists, and heavy traffic on Rhode Island Ave and Route 1. Get a good chain and lock.

[justjenkins]

Thanks for your comment - haven't committed anywhere yet. Also looking at an option in Berwyn Heights (Osaga Street). Any thoughts on that?

In general, could you suggest to me areas that I might want to look into that are close to campus and are themselves safe (and nice for a single grad student) neighborhoods?

Appreciate your help!

[oldway]

The umcp campus is nice.....the area around the campus not so much.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by oldway

The umcp campus is nice.....the area around the campus not so much.

Agreed. Osage Street looks slightly nicer. If the OP has the budget for a high-rise apartment and can take a Metro bus or shuttle to campus, that might result in some nicer housing. I was thinking of the Westchester Park Apartments. Also this one, which gets better ratiings: Parkside at College Park, 8125 48th Avenue, College Park, MD . Or this one: University View at 8204 Baltimore Ave,
College Park, MD . University View presents itself like a luxury apartment building, with a workout room, a pool and a billiard room.

[dkf747]

From the first street, there is a bike path that starts where Rhode Island Ave ends, across the street from the 7-11. It gets you close to campus. The Osaga st address is in a much better area. If you follow Berwyn road to the end, there is a pedestrian bridge over the Metro tracks. Once over that, it's just a few blocks to the same path mentioned previously. The Iroquois one isn't far from a path to the Greenbelt Metro, but usually you have to go around the long way to get there.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by oldway

The umcp campus is nice.....the area around the campus not so much.

Please, when you say the area around campus is not so "nice", PLEASE be specific. Does that include the Knox Boxes or does that include Hyattsville, Adelphi, Riversdale, and Greenbelt? This person is from out of town and has no clue what the statement "around campus" means according to you.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by justjenkins

Thanks for your comment - haven't committed anywhere yet. Also looking at an option in Berwyn Heights (Osaga Street). Any thoughts on that?

In general, could you suggest to me areas that I might want to look into that are close to campus and are themselves safe (and nice for a single grad student) neighborhoods?

Appreciate your help!

First let me say that I'm someone that lives and eats in the area around campus. Some people like to make statements without much elaboration instead of making themselves clear. Personally, I wouldn't agree that the area around campus is not nice or is unsafe. Around ANY large university campus a single female has to be vigilant. Should you fear for your life? No. If I had a daughter, I would have no problem with her living in the areas around campus. Some people make things out to be more dangerous than they really are. No, College Park is not shiny, neat, and new like suburbia, but it has some charm of its own. God knows it could use a LOT more. The city, when not getting in its own way, is on the right path to making the town a top college town.

There is a nice neighborhood to the west of golf course which has a few rentals called Cool Spring Terrace. Also, to the east of Rt. 1 in College Park there is Hollywood. Berwyn Heights is a nice neighborhood with a popular restaurant called Fishnet. There is also Riversdale Park.

Some would have you live so far from campus that you'd have to catch a bus and I don't think that's fair to you or the people of College Park. You are more than welcome to call up any of the neighborhoods I provided links for to ask them question about their respective neighborhoods. I'm sure they can provide answers to some questions you may have regarding rentals, etc.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

If I had a daughter, I would have no problem with her living in the areas around campus.

Do you have information for the OP on the amount of bicycle theft? I had the feeling that a bike would not last long if she were using it daily, and that's why I suggested places on bus lines instead.

[dkf747]

I want to add to my earlier post that the College Park Metro might be easier to get to than to the Greenbelt Metro.

As for safety, the Lakeland section of CP is generally safe, but when I lived there it didn't "look" safe. I did see students using the path to get to Campus every morning.