Renting in Columbus OH

February 20, 2008 1:08 PM

I've been offered a job in Columbus, Ohio and I'm flying out this weekend to see the office, etc. Suggestions on a good place to rent an apartment if I take the job? (and anything else I should do while I'm out there?)

I wouldn't mind living in a reasonably walkable area if that's even possible in Columbus. My office will be near the airport though in the Easton/Steltzer Road area which doesn't look very walkable.

There are a million apartments on Craigslist. I was thinking of either someplace in the city with a lot of walkable resources or something out a ways where there would be some dirt and trees... I'm not really a suburbs person, more of an either-or. (and my wife is the same way) We don't have kids, so schools etc are not part of the equation.

posted by selfnoise to Travel & Transportation around Columbus, OH (6 answers total)

Gahanna is okay, and it's not too far from the airport. It's a little suburb on the fringe of the airport area that is growing pretty rapidly. Now that being said, I know you've professed to be not a "suburbs person."

Near downtown C-Bus there are a lot of really shitty areas, so be careful.
posted by jimmyhutch at 1:48 PM on February 20, 2008

My favorite walking neighborhood in Columbus is Victorian Village near The Ohio State University and The Short North. Don't let its proximity to the University scare you though, gentrification has ensured that most undergrads have camped elsewhere. Instead there's an eclectic mix of grad students, professors, working professionals, artists, and families who've owned homes in the area since the streetcar once ran down Neil Avenue. There's also a vibrant gay community so if you're a homophobe it's probably not the place for you.

Slightly further away than the Short North but still within walking distance is The North Market, a great farmer's market and The Arena District, home of The Columbus Blue Jackets and a variety of shops and restaurants. If you like movies, The Arena Grand is very nice in the heart of downtown and it's operated by Drexel Theaters, the local indie theater company. So there's always at least one or two offbeat movies playing there.

I've got a friend that lives in the Village and manages a daily commute to New Albany without much complaint. If you've got any questions I'd be happy to ask my friends around town. I'm not in Columbus anymore so I'm sure I'm missing a lot of cool attractions you could check out. Pick up a copy of The Other Paper to see what's going on this weekend. It'll help you get a feel for the different neighborhoods and events. Good luck!
posted by scottdavidsanders at 1:53 PM on February 20, 2008

I like German Village, personally, but have never lived there. The Short North is pretty cool too.
posted by olinerd at 2:35 PM on February 20, 2008

I live in Victorian Village, and I've actually lived in quite a few other neighborhoods around Columbus, including Gahanna.

Gahanna - OK, but I felt really isolated from anything walkable and/or interesting.

Victorian Village - Short North, Campus, Grandview are all within 5 minutes drive. Plenty of stuff to walk to. Only takes about 15-20 minutes to get out to the Easton/airport area on 670.

When you come this weekend, try to take a stroll around the Short North, and wind up with a trip to the North Market. PM me if you need other suggestions, or have questions about other areas, or specific areas within neighborhoods. For example, German Village has a lot of nice places, but also some very dodgy spots.
posted by Liosliath at 2:44 PM on February 20, 2008

When I lived in Columbus, about five years ago, all my friends wanted to live in German Village, but couldn't afford it. But they certainly didn't want to live in any of the more OSU-off-campus-apartment areas. So they mostly lived in Clintonville.
posted by box at 4:54 PM on February 20, 2008

I live in Clintonville and like it. Its pretty standard suburb fare but its convenient to downtown, Worthington/Dublin, the Easton area and all the highways. Its marginally walkable but the city in general has never felt very pedestrian/bike-friendly to me.
posted by zennoshinjou at 9:33 AM on February 21, 2008