Kalamazoo, MI

[redread]

I've been accepted to Western Michigan University, but I don't know much about Kalamazoo or even Michigan. I'm particularly interested in the cost of living. The farmer's markets look pretty promising. Does anyone know how pet-friendly the city is (I've got two labrador retrievers)? Any information would be great!

[chitown]

I only have limited knowledge of Kalamazoo so take this with a grain of salt; a friend of mine attended WMU and I visited her a few times. I suggest living close to campus as parts of Kalamazoo can be sketchy. It is not really a college town. It's more like a small truck-stop town that happens to have a college. Cost of living is fairly cheap. My friend rented a nice, spacious two bedroom for about six hundred.

It is also about two and a half hours from Chicago, accessible via the Amtrak. There are also some cute vineyards not too far from K-zoo in southwest Michigan.

Good luck with your decision!

[kdilks]

http://www.yelp.com/biz/bells-eccentric-cafe-kalamazoo

[whatshewrote]

I'm going to bump this topic, since I'd like to find out more about Kalamazoo as well. I've been accepted to WMU, but, of all the schools/cities to which I applied, it's the one I know the least about. Is it fun? Freezing? Friendly? What's the story? I'd love to hear about the academic environment, too, if anyone can offer insight on that. Thanks!

[leopolds]

Hey, I don't know too much about the academic environment at Western but Kalamazoo is a nice town. There's a lot of new development going on there so there are a lot of amenities nearby. Last time I was on the Western campus, I did visit a really cool cafe just a block away from central campus. I also know that K-College has a lot of diversity so I imagine that Western is similar. The downtown area is really little but there are some cool shops, like a nice skate shop if you're into that! Can't offer much more than that but best of luck!

I'm going to bump this topic, since I'd like to find out more about Kalamazoo as well. I've been accepted to WMU, but, of all the schools/cities to which I applied, it's the one I know the least about. Is it fun? Freezing? Friendly? What's the story? I'd love to hear about the academic environment, too, if anyone can offer insight on that. Thanks!

[byjo0801]

yeah i am just bumping this topic in the hopes someone who has some exp. at WMU may see it.

[cmg0610]

Hey guys, I just finished up my undergrad at WMU and I'm from the area originally.

There's a ton of housing around Kalamazoo, and most of it is pretty cheap. There are a ton of student apartments (because most Western students live off-campus), as well as plenty of apartments that aren't saturated with undergrads. There's a big residential area just south of campus that's mostly houses available for rent to students, and a lot of them are quite cheap (I lived in one of these for a couple of years, and paid $200 a month plus utilities with a couple of housemates). There are a number of apartments available in the area, and many of them are pretty reputable. As a grad student, I'd stay away from The Pointe and Copper Beech, because they're both full of undergrads and are usually the sites of loud parties at least three nights a week. If you're looking at renting a house, try to stay away from the north side--that's where Kalamazoo's serious crime tends to take place.

Otherwise, I really like the area. It's definitely not a huge city, but it has a lot of the college town amenities like cheap food and plenty of places with student discounts. Bell's Eccentric Cafe, the brewpub of Bell's, a well-respected microbrewery, is downtown and is a great place to hang out.

It's cold in the winter. The winter lasts a long time. It snowed yesterday, and I'm sure it won't be the last snow of the year. Being this close to Lake Michigan brings lake-effect snow and all that entails. The summer, however, is really nice.

Quick edit--the city is pretty pet-friendly as well. Quite a few apartments allow pets.

If anyone has any more questions, feel free to ask.

Edited March 11, 2011 by cmg0610

[northstar22]

I'm from Kalamazoo. The town itself is very nice, overall . . . as others have mentioned, it's not really a college town, but that atmosphere does exist around WMU and K-College's campuses. It also has decent, upper-middle-class areas on the south and west sides of the city. You'll want to avoid the Northside and Eastside neighborhoods (dangerous, crime-infested ghettoes), as well as the nearby city of Parchment, which used to be nice but has really gone downhill in recent years. Basically, stay south of M-43 and west of Portage Road, and you'll be good.

Most of the undergrads live in rental housing in the Vine Neighborhood (known to locals as the "student ghetto"), the West Michigan Neighborhood (south of W. Michigan Ave and east of Kenwood Circle) and in a few west-side apartment complexes, like Drake's Pond, The Pointe, Copper Beach, The Landing, Dover Hills, and The Arboretum. Concord Place Apartments is near campus and really cheap, but it's also full of low-income Section 8 types, and crime is high. If you want a quiet place to live, try Countryside Apartments over on West KL, near 8th Street. It's a small complex a few miles from campus, but in a very quiet, peaceful residential area. The managers are very good, and they keep the place up very well. I used to live there, and I had no problems. You can also live in the nearby suburbs of Mattawan or Portage, where you'll avoid the undergrads and still be close to shopping and dining. Three Rivers is a cool small town about 20 minutes south of WMU's campus, and it has a significant population of mature students and young professionals. Rent there is significantly cheaper than it is in Kalamazoo proper. Spindler Hall and Goldsworth Apartments are on-campus places set aside just for grad students, and most grad students live in one of those buildings.

The downtown area, especially the Kalamazoo Mall, has a lot of interesting bars and high-end restaurants -- I'm a big fan of The Union, SushiYa and Shakespeare's Pub. Bell's Brewery is based in Kzoo, and they have a really good brewpub downtown. The university brings in a lot of international people, and there are a lot of good ethnic restaurants like Rasa Ria (Indonesian/Malaysian food), Spice Rice (Indonesian), and Shawarma King (Middle-Eastern -- LOVE that place)! The Vine Neighborhood has a lot of interesting restaurants and cafés (Third Coast is really good), but I wouldn't recommend living there unless you like loud undergrad parties. Crossroads Mall in Portage has all of your big-box stores, like Target and Meijer (a Michigan-based better version of Wal-Mart), as well as generic chain restaurants like Applebee's and Olive Garden (but why would you want to go there when there are so many good local restaurants in town)?

If you want to visit a larger city, you can take the Amtrak to Chicago for about $40 (sometimes less). Grand Rapids is a fairly large city about 40 minutes away from Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek is about 15-20 minutes away. You'll also be within driving distance of Detroit and Indianapolis.

Drat, writing this post has made me really homesick .

[bh192]

I'm visiting WMU soon, any new info to share about the area?

[alanc]

Kalamazoo is a complete dump. Visit before accepting any offer.

[dr. t]

I go there every May for a big medievalist conference, and I have to say I agree. Its only redeeming quality is that it's two hours from Chicago.

[MangoSmoothie]

Well, I'm bumping this thread because I was also accepted to WMU and am considering going! I love the program I was accepted to, and I'll be visiting in a few weeks to see the town and campus in person.

 

I'm just curious (if anyone around here knows...) when do students usually start looking for or signing leases for the next academic year? Where I am now, students sign leases for the next year from January to March, and most apartments are signed for by April, but it doesn't seem the same for Kalamazoo. I did a bit of browsing, and at least the rent seems cheaper than what I'm used to, so that's a huge plus. Do most grad students really live in those campus apartments/dorms?

 

Is it necessary to have a car in Kalamazoo? I do have one and will be bringing it, but I don't really like driving to campus and hate the hassle of finding parking. Or is this not really an issue here?

 

Also, does anyone have any experience with WMU and changing to Michigan residency for tuition purposes? They advertise that they allow this, but it seems like it might be best to wait until the second year to try this.

Edited March 8, 2015 by MangoSmoothie

[alanc]

The rules about resident tuition are very strict in Michigan. As a rule, anyone who comes to Michigan from out of state for the purpose of education will be considered an out of state student for the duration of their studies. Exceptions are: residency for 12 consecutive months prior to the first day of class, parents making permanent residency with permanent employment, proof of acceptance of permanent employment in state, or a spouse who is a permanent resident. Going for one year and then applying for residency won't ever do it. They will tell you that you can apply but you will be denied. Check their website for all of the rules.

[happy3313]

Is it necessary to have a car in Kalamazoo? I do have one and will be bringing it, but I don't really like driving to campus and hate the hassle of finding parking. Or is this not really an issue here?

 

I drove all four years of my undergrad, and parking wasn't the greatest, especially if you were running late. I would recommend trying to park at least 10 mins (or 15 to be safe) before class/before the hour/half-hour. That gives people time to leave after class and is before the rush. And, of course, some of the buildings are far from parking lots no matter which one you choose... But after 8pm you can park in employee lots (R lots) or at meters, which can be closer to where you need to go. (Unless you also have a TAship and you get an "R" parking pass to begin with? I'm not sure how all that works. If you are able to get that parking pass though, I would say that it doesn't get as crazy with parking, but I'm sure there are times when the one lot you want might be full.)

 

There really isn't much to do within walking distance, and you're going to want your car in the winter. It's worth it to scrape off that car and drive rather than walk, or wait for the bus. Granted, I didn't really do much hanging out in Kalamazoo as an undergrad, and it's already been a couple of years since I've graduated. Maybe take what I say with a grain of salt.

 

-h

[plasticities]

Well, I'm bumping this thread because I was also accepted to WMU and am considering going! I love the program I was accepted to, and I'll be visiting in a few weeks to see the town and campus in person.

 

I'm just curious (if anyone around here knows...) when do students usually start looking for or signing leases for the next academic year? Where I am now, students sign leases for the next year from January to March, and most apartments are signed for by April, but it doesn't seem the same for Kalamazoo. I did a bit of browsing, and at least the rent seems cheaper than what I'm used to, so that's a huge plus. Do most grad students really live in those campus apartments/dorms?

 

Is it necessary to have a car in Kalamazoo? I do have one and will be bringing it, but I don't really like driving to campus and hate the hassle of finding parking. Or is this not really an issue here?

 

Also, does anyone have any experience with WMU and changing to Michigan residency for tuition purposes? They advertise that they allow this, but it seems like it might be best to wait until the second year to try this.

To answer your questions:

- It was my impression that mostly international students lived in the campus apartments/dorms. Rent is pretty cheap, but stay away from the big complexes (like Copper Beach). They tend to cater to undergrads and have a lot of drunken, useless, crime. The "student ghetto" isn't bad, but usually best to stay away from there, too. 

- It is necessary to have a car. The bus system is horribly unreliable and has very limited hours. Parking can suck at times, but as long as you're not running extremely late, it's doable. Parking permits are expensive, too, so that might be something to consider. There isn't much walk-able housing that isn't exclusively undergrads either.

- Getting residency is pretty easy. If I remember correctly, you have to prove that you were residing in the state for a year or two. I didn't even change over my license or registration from my home state. I just provided pay stubs and rent receipts for the two years. 

 

Overall, it's a nice little town, not the greatest, but nice. If you have time to go out on the weekends, there are a bunch of nice breweries and bars. There's a really swanky cocktail bar/restaurant that used to (not sure if it does) do $4 martini Thursdays. Top shelf. It was amazing. The "food scene" is also really great. The school of music's jazz program is phenomenal and they do a lot of shows downtown, so if you're into that sort of thing, there's always something to do. 

[MangoSmoothie]

Thanks for the responses! I visited and a few people said they drove, but most in my program seemed to walk and some lived in the "student ghetto." I'm kind of learning toward driving if the buses aren't great. The parking permits are much cheaper than at my undergrad uni (Over $1,000 for the year, and very difficult to get), so the price at WMU seems cheap to me.

 

I've also been told by current students and students who hope to get residency for tuition purposes that they have gotten in-state residency the second year no problem. Our program has no break in the summer, which might be why. Good to know that really happens.

 

Would anyone recommend or advise against living in, say, Portage and driving?

 

Glad to hear at least the jazz program is good! I love live music, and I'm going to miss my cheap student tickets to the symphony in my current city, so I'll be seeking out options if I end up in Kalamazoo.

[MacaronAmour]

I too will be going to WMU in fall 2015 for a phd! I visited during interview weekend, and yes, it's definitely a small town with some charm. Coming from Orlando, I don't expect as many events or variety.. I stayed in a house in the student ghetto, and it wasn't too bad. It was definitely an old building, but the people around the area didn't seem too bad.

Can anyone suggest apartment recommendations? I'll look into the ones posted above but wanted some recent ones too.

[plasticities]

If you're willing to drive a little further, look into Gull Lake.
 

Stay away from Concord Place and pretty much all of the apartments on the eastern corner of KL and Drake.

 

The apartments on W Main are much quieter than those a little closer to campus.

[plasticities]

And Portage isn't bad. Traffic can be a bit much at times, but I definitely think it's possible on a grad student schedule.

[Thorongil]

I'll be a grad student at WMU in the fall. Was just informed that my first choice, Spindler Hall, is full. I found this thread, which has been helpful, but want to bump it in case anyone else might help me. I'm already following a few leads, mostly some houses in the "student ghetto" mentioned above. I have a very tight budget and would rather not live with or near noisy undergraduates. 

 

I also don't have a car, but I've been told the city and university buses go pretty much everywhere I would need to go (i.e. campus and grocery stores). 

[jakecd]

Feeling generous today and thought I would help anyone coming through here for 2016. I lived in Kalamazoo for over six years, four of those I was an undergraduate. Kalamazoo is a great city. Not too big and not too small. Easy to get away from the noise and also easy to find something to do. With WMU and Kalamazoo College, as well at KVCC, it is bustling with college life. I left just this year, unfortunately, and I will say the city continues to grown in all sorts of different ways. The craft beer lifestyle is huge out here. There's many pubs and cool bars to visit, with awesome food. See Kalamazoo Beer Exchange, Principle (this one's new and getting great reviews), Bell's Brewery, etc, etc. Farm to table is becoming a huge thing. It's overall a relatively healthy city that is constantly adopting economical and more progressive ideas. The Farmer's Market is growing as well. There's a People's Food co-op. There's tons of awesome breakfast places--Crow's Nest for less pricey, and Food Dance for a little more expensive, although the best you'll find just about anywhere (their food is entirely local and homemade).

OK-- MOST IMPORTANTLY, where you should and shouldn't live:

Assuming we're all going for Masters and PhDs, DO NOT live on the west side of campus. This includes West Michigan Ave, Lafayette Ave (I lived here for one year-CONSTANT PARTYING), Greenville, Redwood, Campus Courts (Don't Do It--Party Central), Frat Village (that's actually the street name), etc, etc...Unless you want to do some major partying and go to bars that are obnoxious and loud and have 1$ PBR nights, do not live over here. This is undergrad territory and it's meant to stay that way.

Student Ghetto: OK, firstly, it's not entirely a ghetto. The North End of Kzoo is the real ghetto, but this area has been deemed the student ghetto because of its atmosphere and look. This area is: Davis, Oak (great street to live on), Locust, Vine, Wheaton, Lovell (don't live on this one, people tend to drive like idiots on this one way street). It is largely made up of massive old homes either broken into apartments or used as homes. It is VERY diverse around here. There are undergrads, grad students, med students, families, etc. all living here. It is, you could say the "alternative" part of town. It is East of WMU, in the mix with downtown. I lived on Oak for a year and really enjoyed it. I had a single bedroom apartment above a family of five and never had any problems (not saying you won't). It's a pretty relaxed environment around here. Rarely are there parties loud enough to disturb you. You can walk into downtown from this neighborhood. The houses are old and most of them are actually pretty beautiful if you appreciate that kind of thing, although a lot of them have been neglected over the years. This is largely a relatively middle-to-lower-class area in terms of wealth, which is a given because of the students and the families aren't rich or anything. The farther south you go, which you'll then kinda be considered outside of the Student Ghetto, the more familial it gets and the more kept up  the homes look. The Student Ghetto can be pretty cheap. My one bedroom was 550/month and I knew multiple people who had bigger one bedrooms for the same price.

WARNING: SOUTHSTREET PROPERTIES: Is, obviously, on South St, which isn't the student ghetto but it's right before it. South St. is beautiful. Like seriously, it's gorgeous all year round. These homes are stunning. But, I am warning you about SouthStreet Properties: He owns about six homes on this street and their all divided up into apartments. I had a very very bad experience with this, as well as many many other people I know, including undergrads and grad students and professionals. I am warning you. He wants your money and nothing else and he's very good at marketing his "professional neighborhood". Don't get me wrong, the homes are nice on the outside, but his staff is made up of a bunch of do-it-yourselfers who don't know much about building and remodeling and repairing (fyi, I have a carpenters license, I would know). You will not get your deposit back. Trust me on that. I got 47$ of my 450$ deposit. Just, be wary of living under his command.

Other than that, if you can find a place on South Street that isn't under the rule of the communist SouthStreet Properties, and you can afford it, do try and live here. It's beautiful and quiet and close to downtown and very safe...for some reason the homeless and the crime kinda stays off this street. I lived under Southstreet Properties, which was a money pit, like I said, and I also lived with an independent landlord on this street. His home was beuatiful, and he rented out his first level apartment to me (he lived upstairs) for a few months while I got back on my feet financially. Great person. It's a great street if you can avoid the rule and command of SouthStreet Properties. 

Stuart Neighborhood: This is largely made up of KCollege kids and then the father North you go, the more you get into the hood. If you can find a place on Stuart or around there, closer to KCollege, that's great. This place is kinda like the Student Ghetto, except the homes are a little more kept up and clean, albiet a bit more pricier. I tried living over here but didn't work out.

If you have money you can live downtown. Downtown, of course is going to be expensive, but certainly not as expensive as any other city. If you have roomates you may be able to find something more affordable. The apartments on Kalamazoo Mall are super nice and more for professionals who make a nice dime, but hey, if you've got it, might be worth considering. Don't live in the Prange Building. These apartments look really cool and enticing with their tall ceilings, but the landlord sucks and the maintenance is shoddy at best. I had friends who lived here and said it was overpriced and you're paying for location, that's it.

If you're going to WMU or KCollege, you don't need a car. If your far from campus, you'll be able to catch a bus. Biking is highly encouraged in kzoo. Parking at WMU (I dont know about KCollege) is ridiculously overpriced and not worth it.

IF YOU HAVE A DOG! I had a dog my last two years in KZOO. I like to get her exercise daily. Davis St. in the student ghetto has a HUGE HUGE HUGE patch of land that is only used by the rugby team and Ultimate frisbee team, so it's pretty much always empty. It's huge. You can go there whenever. I went there almost everyday. Many people bring their dogs here.

So, anyway, Kzoo is pretty darn affordable. Great downtown atmosphere. Always festivals during the summer, almost every weekend. The downtown bars are great. There's always live music somewhere. The new Med School is downtown, too, fyi. There's a lot going on downtown right now and it's growing. Beer is a big deal. Biking is becoming bigger and bigger. Kalamazoo Coffee at Black Owl Cafe is some of the best coffee in the state, if you're into that. If you want to really get away from the downtown and college lifestyle, consider Portage (you'll have to have a car) or somewhere more toward Portage (which is South of kzoo) like Whites Rd. or Parkview (which is where the engineering college is). Avoid downtown bars such as Monoco Bay, Great Gatsby and Wild Bull--these are your more snobby nightclubs...Wild Bull is filled with mostly people from the west side of campus who want to come downtown for once a semester...It's filled with people dancing on each other and being annoying..I got stuck here one New Years and it was not fun....Kalamazoo Mall is great to walk down in the summer, filled with little boutiques and restaurants....Alamo Drafthouse is a movie theatre and it's super cool....There's a lot to do in Kzoo, so don't be deceived by its size.  

 

[kjb12180]

Recently got accepted into Western Michigan University as Geoscience M.S. degree-seeking student. Is there any good affordable housing options on/off campus? 

[jakecd]

Yes, there's many. You can find a lot on craigslist. On Campus you could live in the Western View Apartments, although this may be considered off-campus they're literally right on campus and super close to all of the Geo halls. Western View is affiliated with the University so I think it can be included in your tuition. I could be wrong about that. I've had plenty of friends live there and they liked it. It's relatively quiet and the location is unbeatable and they're not even five years old!

Off campus, the student ghetto is pretty cheap. If you don't live in Western View, there's pretty much two areas of off campus housing: west side and east side. West side is partyville, and includes Frat Ville and Lafayette Ave, etc,  while the east side includes the student ghetto and downtown area and is more mixed between professionals, families and students, so a lot less partying goes on.