Seattle neighborhoods around south lake union
February 23, 2010 4:35 PM Subscribe
What's the best area to live in Seattle if a) I'll be working in south lake union, b) want to be able to bike/take public transportation to work, c) want to easily be able to get out of town on weekends for hiking/skiing/etc., and d) would be (cheaply) fun for a just-graduated-college 20-something year old?
Capitol Hill, Denny Triangle, Eastlake, sound good. But if you want to take pt, then you want to be a single route away from your work, so you should start by finding what buses (or the SLUT) you could catch to easily get to work, and follow them out - there might be a good route straight to Ballard or the U District for you. Then use Housing Maps to check out craigslist offers and get an idea of average prices in the areas your buses go to.
I wouldn't worry about getting out of town so much - it's never very hard on the weekend so long as you're reasonably near one of the freeways.
posted by jacalata at 5:22 PM on February 23, 2010
I wouldn't worry about getting out of town so much - it's never very hard on the weekend so long as you're reasonably near one of the freeways.
posted by jacalata at 5:22 PM on February 23, 2010
I agree with jacalata on the neighborhoods and getting out on the weekends, except maybe for Ballard. It is one neighborhood where you're getting a fun active young area but paying for it with annoying distance to the freeway. Not such a problem for weekend trips, tho.
The west side of Capitol Hill (between I-5 and ~Broadway) is full of older apartment buildings and attracts young people. Good bus access, super walkable. Highly lousy parking.
South Lake Union (as you've probably seen) is rapidly developing and has some newer aptmt and condo buidings. Not as lively, and not as residential a neighborhood, but there are pubs and places to eat popping up too.
Eastlake is somewhat more single-family residential but also has many large (60s-80s era) aptmt buildings with views of Lk Union.
If you like a more urban environment, take a look at Belltown. It's adjacent to downtown, walkable to the nearer parts of South Lk Union (or to the streetcar, which reaches the rest). Older apartments and newer condos--though the latter probably pricy.
And +1 on single bus line commutes.
posted by mvd at 5:39 PM on February 23, 2010
The west side of Capitol Hill (between I-5 and ~Broadway) is full of older apartment buildings and attracts young people. Good bus access, super walkable. Highly lousy parking.
South Lake Union (as you've probably seen) is rapidly developing and has some newer aptmt and condo buidings. Not as lively, and not as residential a neighborhood, but there are pubs and places to eat popping up too.
Eastlake is somewhat more single-family residential but also has many large (60s-80s era) aptmt buildings with views of Lk Union.
If you like a more urban environment, take a look at Belltown. It's adjacent to downtown, walkable to the nearer parts of South Lk Union (or to the streetcar, which reaches the rest). Older apartments and newer condos--though the latter probably pricy.
And +1 on single bus line commutes.
posted by mvd at 5:39 PM on February 23, 2010
Capitol Hill or Fremont. Anywhere closer to South Lake Union will be closer to downtown and much more expensive.
If you live on Capitol Hill you can bike down John -> Olive -> Denny -> Westlake Ave. to get to SLU.
If you live in Fremont, you can bike the Burke Gilman to Fremont Bridge, cross over to Westlake Ave. and head south to get to SLU.
Both regions are also tied closely to major Seattle Metro bus arteries.
Both areas are reasonably close to accessing I-5 and SR-99 which will get you out of the city and to all the fun outdoors stuff an hour away in all directions.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 5:43 PM on February 23, 2010
If you live on Capitol Hill you can bike down John -> Olive -> Denny -> Westlake Ave. to get to SLU.
If you live in Fremont, you can bike the Burke Gilman to Fremont Bridge, cross over to Westlake Ave. and head south to get to SLU.
Both regions are also tied closely to major Seattle Metro bus arteries.
Both areas are reasonably close to accessing I-5 and SR-99 which will get you out of the city and to all the fun outdoors stuff an hour away in all directions.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 5:43 PM on February 23, 2010
Let me swim against the tide here and recommend somewhere in SE Seattle near the Link light rail line. You could then take Link downtown to Westlake and either transfer to the SLUT streetcar to S. Lake Union or ride a bike or even walk (it's not that far, and it is flat unless the part of SLU you are talking about is more like the Cascade neighborhood up by Fairview). The other recommendations people are giving you here would have you riding buses, which can be less fun (and depending on the bus, may run less frequently). You would be near I-90 for getting out of town on the weekends (and maybe near I-5 too, if you are on Beacon Hill).
Truthfully, living near Link is awesome -- it runs every 7 minutes during much of the day and even after 10pm is still every 15 minutes. It is faster than the bus, too.
The "fun" part depends on your definition, I guess. If you mean clubbing, SE Seattle is probably not your place, but there are good restaurants down here and getting up to Capitol Hill or over to Georgetown is dead easy from most of Southeast Seattle.
SE Seattle rents are cheaper than the neighborhoods others here have mentioned. It is also substantially more diverse, which many of us see as a positive, not a negative.
posted by litlnemo at 6:27 PM on February 23, 2010
Truthfully, living near Link is awesome -- it runs every 7 minutes during much of the day and even after 10pm is still every 15 minutes. It is faster than the bus, too.
The "fun" part depends on your definition, I guess. If you mean clubbing, SE Seattle is probably not your place, but there are good restaurants down here and getting up to Capitol Hill or over to Georgetown is dead easy from most of Southeast Seattle.
SE Seattle rents are cheaper than the neighborhoods others here have mentioned. It is also substantially more diverse, which many of us see as a positive, not a negative.
posted by litlnemo at 6:27 PM on February 23, 2010
I live in the Fremont/Wallingford area and I think it is pretty great. But honestly, if I were working in SLU I would prefer to live in any of the other neighborhoods mentioned here just for an easier commute. Capitol Hill would probably be my first choice, Eastlake second, a Link ride away third. Capitol Hill is really fun but you'll get less space for more rent than these other places.
posted by grouse at 7:26 PM on February 23, 2010
posted by grouse at 7:26 PM on February 23, 2010
Capitol Hill, Eastlake, Fremont and Wallingford are exactly what you want, with various pluses and minuses for each. You could also consider parts of Belltown and Queen Anne, but then the general expense level starts going up considerably.
Re: Getting out of town ... in any of these neighborhoods, you will be very close to any number of freeway/highway options. No deal-breakers to be had in this selection.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:19 PM on February 23, 2010
Re: Getting out of town ... in any of these neighborhoods, you will be very close to any number of freeway/highway options. No deal-breakers to be had in this selection.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:19 PM on February 23, 2010
I can't tell about public transportation, but in the category of "nice places to live" that are bike distance from SLU, I'd say "Uptown" (some term real estate people throw around when referring to Belltown/Denny Triangle/Lower Queen Anne/SLU) or Capitol Hill.
LQA seems to be more of a "local neighborhood", where you meet locals at bars, and pass by locals in the streets, etc. It's also far enough from downtown to have actual supermarkets and such (us downtown/Belltown people have to go up there to grocery shop)
Belltown is a recently-ish gentrified "bar district", which means you pass by mostly homeless people in the street during the day, and have to find your way between partygoers from everywhere during weekend nights. It's fun, but it's not a "hey, neighbor" kind of community, if you're looking for that kind of thing.
I can't tell much about SLU, but it seems to me it's still a couple years away from being an urban residential neighborhood. Lots of office buildings, some apartment buildings, some local commerce supporting the office buildings, but not many places catering to residents. Also, it's kind of Paul Allen town, dude owns a good chunk of it, and is actually one of the main forces trying to develop it.
Capitol Hill you probably heard about already, and (take this with a grain of salt - I've never lived there) I'd move there if I weren't so lazy about moving. It's a very active local neighborhood, has great local entertainment, etc. However, the buildings are either old or expensive, and (although it might not matter for you) it's a bitch for parking (and older buildings don't have garages).
posted by qvantamon at 8:24 PM on February 23, 2010
LQA seems to be more of a "local neighborhood", where you meet locals at bars, and pass by locals in the streets, etc. It's also far enough from downtown to have actual supermarkets and such (us downtown/Belltown people have to go up there to grocery shop)
Belltown is a recently-ish gentrified "bar district", which means you pass by mostly homeless people in the street during the day, and have to find your way between partygoers from everywhere during weekend nights. It's fun, but it's not a "hey, neighbor" kind of community, if you're looking for that kind of thing.
I can't tell much about SLU, but it seems to me it's still a couple years away from being an urban residential neighborhood. Lots of office buildings, some apartment buildings, some local commerce supporting the office buildings, but not many places catering to residents. Also, it's kind of Paul Allen town, dude owns a good chunk of it, and is actually one of the main forces trying to develop it.
Capitol Hill you probably heard about already, and (take this with a grain of salt - I've never lived there) I'd move there if I weren't so lazy about moving. It's a very active local neighborhood, has great local entertainment, etc. However, the buildings are either old or expensive, and (although it might not matter for you) it's a bitch for parking (and older buildings don't have garages).
posted by qvantamon at 8:24 PM on February 23, 2010
You have lots of choices. When we moved to Seattle after graduating 19 years ago, we ended up on Capitol Hill, and it still seems to be a popular spot for new grads when they come to Seattle.
Depending where you'll be working in South Lake Union, you might want to look in Phinney Ridge/Greenwood/Woodland Park. There is good bus access along Aurora & Dexter that should be a pretty easy walk to much of south lake union.
I'd also look along the light rail route. It makes getting too and from downtown easy, and you can get to South Lake Union on the street car.
posted by Good Brain at 9:34 PM on February 23, 2010
Depending where you'll be working in South Lake Union, you might want to look in Phinney Ridge/Greenwood/Woodland Park. There is good bus access along Aurora & Dexter that should be a pretty easy walk to much of south lake union.
I'd also look along the light rail route. It makes getting too and from downtown easy, and you can get to South Lake Union on the street car.
posted by Good Brain at 9:34 PM on February 23, 2010
FYI on that "live on the light rail line" idea:
Southeast Seattle may have lower rents and be more diverse ethnically, but it's not hopping with young people or things to do. The train ride takes 15-20 minutes, but then add wait times, plus a street car ride... all in all it'll take longer than walking to work from *anywhere* on Cap Hill, even east of Broadway.
posted by mvd at 3:36 PM on February 24, 2010
Southeast Seattle may have lower rents and be more diverse ethnically, but it's not hopping with young people or things to do. The train ride takes 15-20 minutes, but then add wait times, plus a street car ride... all in all it'll take longer than walking to work from *anywhere* on Cap Hill, even east of Broadway.
posted by mvd at 3:36 PM on February 24, 2010
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posted by dacoit at 4:40 PM on February 23, 2010