<p>I'm wondering where I can find a really nice apartment/duplex/house in or around Oakland. Looking for a safe, quiet and well-maintained building. Money is not an huge issue. Room for at least four people. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>Are you looking at apts. for your son? If so, have you looked into the apartments that Pitt owns, such as Bouquet Gardens?</p>
<p>Yes, Bouquet Gardens looks nice. As juniors next year, I think they would be high enough in the lottery to get in there. But I understand that Pitt doesn't give housing to (non-athlete) seniors. Is it true that students get booted from university housing after junior year? If so, maybe they would want to check into a nice apartment/duplex/house that they could keep for two years.</p>
<p>I'd heard that university housing was not guaranteed for seniors, but not necessarily totally unavailable to them.</p>
<p>What we were told at Pittstart this summer was that once the new dorm came online they would probably be able to give you four years. That is the newest dorm, not Sutherland, I think they are going to call it Panther Hall, maybe?</p>
<p>Check out the Pitt student shuttle bus routes. There are some nicer places a little further than Oakland that are less student ghetto. </p>
<p>Shadyside and Friendship would be nicer neighborhood options, with decent restaurants and nightlife. This area is where most of the East End development is going on, including Whole Foods and the new Trader Joes.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of the tips! Personally, I'd be glad if they stayed on campus for all four years. For one thing, I like that there is building security. But, I can see that there might be advantages to an apartment, like maybe more space, less noise, ability to use it over the summer, etc. </p>
<p>Any input on closer university housing vs. further private housing options?</p>
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like maybe more space, less noise, ability to use it over the summer, etc.
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<p>They do seem to have more space (sometimes) and pretty much all of the leases run Aug 15 - Aug 15 (I had one from May - April once, but that was kinda special from what I've seen). However, if you live in S. Oakland it is even noiser than living on campus. </p>
<p>You should look in N. Oakland, like up north on Craig Street. I hear it is normally quieter there and they will actually rent to undergraduates. </p>
<p>I really wanted to live in Shadyside my senior year, but was unable to find a place to rent to a mature undergraduate (even with character references). However, I did have one friend who live in a great apartment complex in Shadyside...I unfortunately can't remember the name of it (it was across the street from a Giant Eagle).</p>
<p>I had a few friends in Bouquet for junior year, but found their own places for senior year. </p>
<p>Also, I recommend Kelly Realty for a landlord. I never had any problems with them. Beware of slumlords! I had a slumlord my junior year that didn't turn the heat on until it got to ~45 degrees in the apartment (I believe a fellow tenent went to the city to get it turned on).</p>
<p>Thanks ophiolite! I know south Oakland can be wild, but do you know if Bouquet Gardens is either rowdy or dangerous? I think that is a place son and his friends want to live in next year. </p>
<p>Would that apartment complex perhaps be the Center Plaza Apts that are owned by Pitt?</p>
<p>Bouquet never seemed outrageous, kids do drink there (of course since many are of legal age) but most of the crazy parties seemed to be house parties. It's definately not dangerous. I actually lived about a block south of Bouquet my senior year and cut through there all the time, it's very well-lit compared to most of Oakland.</p>
<p>After looking at the website, he may have lived in Centre Plaza. I never really realized there was campus-supported housing out that far, but it looks similar (without seeing a picture of the rooms). </p>
<p>Another option is Forbes Craig. I really wanted to move in there with friends my senior year, but as I had lived off-campus for junior year it would have been impossible to get a spot back 'on-campus'. I hear Forbes Craig is very mellow as it is mostly honors students.</p>
<p>What neighborhood is Meyron St in? Wow. Those houses looked like major fire traps. (In fact some were burned down, one had had a fatality recently...)</p>
<p>Centre Plaza Apts would be a decent location. Quieter, short walk to Shadyside. Further from campus, but on Pitt bus route. New retail development at Centre and Morewood. Only blocks from a redesigned Giant Eagle w/free Wifi, a Starbucks, a Panera Bread. Couple more blocks and you hit a Whole Foods.</p>
<p>I live a few blocks from Centre and Morewood, on the other side of Baum Blvd.</p>
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What neighborhood is Meyron St in?
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<p>It's in South Oakland. Yeah, I lived in an apartment on Ward St that really violated fire code. The fire escapes didn't go to every apartment since they decided to split all of the two bedroom apartments into one bedroom apartments. Never again...never again...but it was a good experience and taught me how to look for an apartment :D</p>
<p>^ We were walking up and down some of those streets on our way to various restaurants and I kept saying to my kid, "You are NOT going to live in that house (or that house, or that house), so don't get your hopes up!"</p>
<p>S lives in a townhouse on a steep street. Looks like one big party on a
Friday or Saturday night. A little slumlordish, but seems to build character. Hot water went out this week, looking for landlord to fix before the end of the weekend. Rents are cheap in Pittsburgh. S has largest room this year.</p>
<p>I lived in a great building on Dithridge St. in North Oakland called Camelot Apartments. Great location (about 10 minute walk to the Cathedral,) relatively quiet area, cheap rent, and it even has a study lounge.</p>
<p>They look nice! Are they well maintained? How is the security? Are the residents all/mostly students?</p>
<p>They are quite well-maintained. The security is average, I never felt unsafe. And the building is used solely for students, both undergraduate and graduate.</p>