Ann Arbor, MI

[dabeth]

Curious-- has anyone lived in University Towers housing? If so, how is it? I'm going to be starting econ grad school at Michigan this fall and I'm looking for a place to rent.

[kiley]

Curious-- has anyone lived in University Towers housing? If so, how is it? I'm going to be starting econ grad school at Michigan this fall and I'm looking for a place to rent.

I've heard pretty bad things about U Towers - I've never been inside, but my suggestion is to look elsewhere first. I did have a friend that lived there - she's an outrageously positive person and so she didn't complain much about it, but she did say it was kind of crappy. I think the main problem is that it's old and out of date. The location is amazing though. There are new apartment complexes in that area, on S. Forest as well as a lot of other apartment buildings and houses.

[timuralp]

Curious-- has anyone lived in University Towers housing? If so, how is it? I'm going to be starting econ grad school at Michigan this fall and I'm looking for a place to rent.

My girlfriend live there and one other friend did too. They didn't complain. It's pretty small and I think you get hosed on the price. If money's no obstacle, check out the new complexes like the poster above told me. If you want best value for money, look outside of central campus. So far, I've only heard stories about terrible landlords who could care less if the roof comes tumbling down; they get away with it because of the location. I'd check out Kerry Town, if I were in your shoes or a bit down the street off Washtenaw (may be too far) or Geddes.

Edited April 14, 2010 by timuralp

[moonrock02]

Hey Michigan people. I'm an Ann Arbor townie, but I'll be starting my PhD in the History Department at UM in the fall. In the meantime, while I'm off doing some research for the summer, I'm looking for someone to sublet my apartment (about a ten minute walk from campus) starting in June. It's in a great neighborhood with mostly grad students and young professionals, in an area of town where you definitely don't need a car. It would be the perfect place to come get acclimated to Michigan before having to sign a full year lease (most of which start in September, anyway). Take a look at my craigslist post and be in touch with me directly for more information: jmoevans at gmail dot com.

http://annarbor.craigslist.org/sub/1692412033.html

[deleteuser_184321]

Which bank is generally recommended for checking and savings? I noticed last summer that there are no Wells Fargo banks/atms in the state. Would you recommend TCF simply because it's linked to the M-Card?

Thanks

[worrywort]

Anyone else looking for a place to live in A2 right now? I'm out of state and hoping to go up there next month to look for a place to live. Any ideas on where to look other than the obvious (craigslist) are appreciated. I'm looking for a quiet area not too far from campus (def don't wanna live in Ypsi). What areas are recommended? Will be attending class in the North Quad. I appreciate any help/suggestions!

[GradHopeful31]

Which bank is generally recommended for checking and savings? I noticed last summer that there are no Wells Fargo banks/atms in the state. Would you recommend TCF simply because it's linked to the M-Card?

Thanks

I second this. I would love to know any recommended banks in Ann Arbor!!

[kiley]

I second this. I would love to know any recommended banks in Ann Arbor!!

I've had a TCF checking account for almost 5 years, since I opened my account as a freshman at Michigan. I really like it - I've had no problems, even when I had my identity stolen and fraudulent charges were made to my account. They were really good about fixing it right away. There are 2 branches on campus and at least one of them has extended hours and is open on weekends. The staff is really friendly. Linking to the MCard is not that big of a deal though - I guess I've used my mcard a few times at the TCF atm in the union, but it's not a big bonus in my opinion.

I've heard that University of Michigan Credit Union is good too, though I don't know from personal experience.

[amercanist]

Can someone explain how to survive winter's in Michigan? I am a Texan and have only seen snow in the movies . Do I need snow shoes? How are the buses during winter months? Do they run on time? Anything else I should know about Michigan winters?

[amercanist]

I cannot speak from personal experience, but I am planning to go with UM Credit Union simply because it's a credit union as opposed to a bank. Probably doesn't help you much but I thought I'd chime in.

I've had a TCF checking account for almost 5 years, since I opened my account as a freshman at Michigan. I really like it - I've had no problems, even when I had my identity stolen and fraudulent charges were made to my account. They were really good about fixing it right away. There are 2 branches on campus and at least one of them has extended hours and is open on weekends. The staff is really friendly. Linking to the MCard is not that big of a deal though - I guess I've used my mcard a few times at the TCF atm in the union, but it's not a big bonus in my opinion.

I've heard that University of Michigan Credit Union is good too, though I don't know from personal experience.

[kdilks]

National City (which was just recently taken over by PNC) is also an option. Pretty comparable to TCF. Which one is better really depends on whether or not TCF/PNC have locations in your home town, but if that's a push, I'd say that TCF is the marginally better option.

Snow shoes are not necessary. You probably want to get boots or some kind of rugged/waterproof shoes, but they aren't absolutely necessary (you just might have to deal with wet feet when the sidewalks get slushy). The key to staying warm is layering (and wearing a hat). Columbia Interchange parkas are pretty awesome, because not only does it keep you warm in the winter, but you can split up the interior fleece and the exterior shell to use during the spring/fall. You'll probably want to wait until you get there to buy warm stuff, since stores here will have a better selection than in Texas.

Do the buses run on time even in warm weather?

[timuralp]

I bank with KeyBank and had no problems. They have another promotion now, where if you open an account, setup direct deposit, and do some online payments, you can get an iPod touch, I think. A lot of people I know like Chase here, and others use BoA. In my opinion, all the options are pretty comparable.

With buses, you can check http://mbus.pts.umich.edu/ for when it's going to get to your stop. Altogether, they also run often enough. And as far as winter clothes, there was a big thread somewhere about what to wear in the winter. People's suggestions range from packing heat packs (this was in NYC, but sounds like they were preparing for Antarctica) to just putting on a jacket and gloves. My attire in the winter only changes to flannel lined jeans, sneakers, and a jacket. If it's really windy, I'll wear gloves, and I prefer a headband to a hat. I don't think you need snow shoes or even boots, but I guess others play in the snow all day?

[dabeth]

How is ZipCar in Ann Arbor? I'm entering this fall and I was really thinking about taking a car up there, but everything I've heard about corrosion and snow makes it seem like it's more trouble than it's worth. It would be great to just hop into a car that I didn't have to maintain. On that note, are ZipCars readily available, or is there a steep demand for them? Would I ever have to dig one out of the snow?

[timuralp]

As far as I know, a number of zipcar locations are in garages. You could check that online...

Also, with "maintenance" in the winter from corrosion, the only really important thing is to wash the car on regular basis (once in a couple of weeks). Other than that, the only thing that'll happen is if the car's already rusting, it may rust faster. My car is 12 years old and spent 6 of those in New England and 3 in Michigan. It's still in one piece, but it does have some rust problems around the doors, under the plastic.

[GutLogic]

So right now I'm really excited about University of Michigan. The only thing that would make me more happy about it would be if my boyfriend and I were more excited about the location. He's planning to move with me, and he doesn't want to influence my decision, but I get the feeling that he would really prefer if I went just about anywhere else (everywhere else I applied is in larger cities). The larger cities are looking pretty tempting to me too, honestly, though their programs aren't so much. So, I'm looking for reasons we can be excited about this location, too.

So, what does Ann Arbor have to offer for those who are not students? He would be particularly excited about good food, and a variety of it, especially hole-in-the-wall places. Can we find a lot of different types of cuisines there?

What is the culture or character of the area like?

Is the night life dominated by undergrads, or are there places you can get away from all that?

Are there nice parks around, or scenic places to walk/jog? Is it dog friendly?

I guess all we really need is good food (a variety of it), a good social environment, and nice places to walk with our dog. We don't really do much.

[schoolpsych_hopeful]

So right now I'm really excited about University of Michigan. The only thing that would make me more happy about it would be if my boyfriend and I were more excited about the location. He's planning to move with me, and he doesn't want to influence my decision, but I get the feeling that he would really prefer if I went just about anywhere else (everywhere else I applied is in larger cities). The larger cities are looking pretty tempting to me too, honestly, though their programs aren't so much. So, I'm looking for reasons we can be excited about this location, too.

So, what does Ann Arbor have to offer for those who are not students? He would be particularly excited about good food, and a variety of it, especially hole-in-the-wall places. Can we find a lot of different types of cuisines there?

What is the culture or character of the area like?

Is the night life dominated by undergrads, or are there places you can get away from all that?

Are there nice parks around, or scenic places to walk/jog? Is it dog friendly?

I guess all we really need is good food (a variety of it), a good social environment, and nice places to walk with our dog. We don't really do much.

YES to all of the above. Ann Arbor has a ton of great food to offer. Middle Eastern (Jerusalem Garden, Sheesh, Pita Kabob), Indian (Raja Rani), Ethiopian (The Blue Nile), Sushi (Sadako, Sushi.com), Pizza (Pizza House, Cottage Inn), and pretty much everything in between. If your boyfriend likes hole-in-the-wall type places, Ashley's is a great one. It's right on campus, and they have good food and a crazy beer selection.

The areas closer to campus are definitely more dominated by undergrads (around South university and State Street). Main Street area is only a few blocks away, and it's an older crowd (in a good way, haha). Tons of great restaurants and bars, as well as music venues (The Ark, The Blind Pig, Live at PJ's).

The Arb is a huge park right on campus, it's great to hang out there in the warmer months. I think you'd really enjoy it here, let me know if you have other questions!

[mcsokrates]

So right now I'm really excited about University of Michigan. The only thing that would make me more happy about it would be if my boyfriend and I were more excited about the location. He's planning to move with me, and he doesn't want to influence my decision, but I get the feeling that he would really prefer if I went just about anywhere else (everywhere else I applied is in larger cities). The larger cities are looking pretty tempting to me too, honestly, though their programs aren't so much. So, I'm looking for reasons we can be excited about this location, too.

So, what does Ann Arbor have to offer for those who are not students? He would be particularly excited about good food, and a variety of it, especially hole-in-the-wall places. Can we find a lot of different types of cuisines there?

What is the culture or character of the area like?

Is the night life dominated by undergrads, or are there places you can get away from all that?

Are there nice parks around, or scenic places to walk/jog? Is it dog friendly?

I guess all we really need is good food (a variety of it), a good social environment, and nice places to walk with our dog. We don't really do much.

Ann Arbor is actually a pretty decent place to be for non-undergrads. You'll find that there are plenty of young professionals around (Ann Arbor is the home of a major Google office as well as JSTOR, and a number of firms and startups either affiliated with the University or the U of M hospital.) In terms of night life, there's good news and bad - the good news is that if you stay away from South University, you can avoid the largest concentration of party party party undergrads. The bad news, though, is that its impossible to avoid them altogether - Ann Arbor's downtown is small enough that even "grown up" places - like, say, The Jolly Pumpkin (Belgian style gastropub) or the aforementioned Ashley's (Microbrew focused bar - they have like 50 taps and rotate through really obscure beers) will have at least a few undergrads hanging around. They're usually pretty well behaved.

As for food, just check Yelp - pretty much every major cuisine can be found in Ann Arbor (although if you want a good and authentic taco, you'll have to head over to the East side of Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti.) If you can scrape together the dough, get a sandwich at Zingerman's deli for sure, and Zingerman's Road House (on Jackson on the West side of town) has been getting some national press for their modern barbeque. Seriously, though, if your boyfriend likes holes in the wall, send him post haste to Ypsilanti (Ann Arbor's poorer, grittier, less annoying neighbor, 10 minutes down the road) You can get a burger at Sidetrack (one of GQ's best 25 burgers in the country,) a breakfast the size of a semi-truck at the Bomber, the best Thai food in Washtenaw County at Thai-Thai (do take out though, there's literally 3 tables,) crazy good Tacos at La Casita, etc.

The Arb got mentioned in terms of primo outdoor zone, but there's also the Matthei Botanical Gardens just outside of town, and I believe there are 2 or 3 dog parks (you can get an off-leash permit from the city too, if that's your thing.)

[GutLogic]

Ann Arbor is actually a pretty decent place to be for non-undergrads. You'll find that there are plenty of young professionals around (Ann Arbor is the home of a major Google office as well as JSTOR, and a number of firms and startups either affiliated with the University or the U of M hospital.) In terms of night life, there's good news and bad - the good news is that if you stay away from South University, you can avoid the largest concentration of party party party undergrads. The bad news, though, is that its impossible to avoid them altogether - Ann Arbor's downtown is small enough that even "grown up" places - like, say, The Jolly Pumpkin (Belgian style gastropub) or the aforementioned Ashley's (Microbrew focused bar - they have like 50 taps and rotate through really obscure beers) will have at least a few undergrads hanging around. They're usually pretty well behaved.

As for food, just check Yelp - pretty much every major cuisine can be found in Ann Arbor (although if you want a good and authentic taco, you'll have to head over to the East side of Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti.) If you can scrape together the dough, get a sandwich at Zingerman's deli for sure, and Zingerman's Road House (on Jackson on the West side of town) has been getting some national press for their modern barbeque. Seriously, though, if your boyfriend likes holes in the wall, send him post haste to Ypsilanti (Ann Arbor's poorer, grittier, less annoying neighbor, 10 minutes down the road) You can get a burger at Sidetrack (one of GQ's best 25 burgers in the country,) a breakfast the size of a semi-truck at the Bomber, the best Thai food in Washtenaw County at Thai-Thai (do take out though, there's literally 3 tables,) crazy good Tacos at La Casita, etc.

The Arb got mentioned in terms of primo outdoor zone, but there's also the Matthei Botanical Gardens just outside of town, and I believe there are 2 or 3 dog parks (you can get an off-leash permit from the city too, if that's your thing.)

Thanks! This makes me feel a bit better about it. We were already considering renting in Ypsilanti, and from how you described it, it sounds like our kind of place. Also, you hit on 2 of his favorite things- authentic Tacos & Thai food- as well as 2 of mine- breakfast & microbrews. I'm looking forward to checking out the area now!

[kdilks]

In terms of microbrews/brew pubs, Arbor Brewing Company has a brewpub in both downtown AA and Ypsi, Grizzly Peak Brewing Company is in downtown AA, Jolly Pumpkin has a location in downtown AA (somewhat recently the New York Times did a review of various Belgian beers, I think 9 from the US, 9 from Belgium, 2 from Canada...brews from Jolly Pumpkin took 1st and 3rd), Blue Tractor BBQ and Brewery is in downtown AA, Wolverine Brewing Company is out on the west side (only one without food, to my knowledge). If you venture out a little further, Jolly Pumpkin's original place is in Dexter, and Original Gravity Brewing is in Milan. Ashley's doesn't brew their own stuff, but they're considered one of the top two beer bars in the state (along with HopCat in Grand Rapids) because of their wide selection.

[GutLogic]

YES to all of the above. Ann Arbor has a ton of great food to offer. Middle Eastern (Jerusalem Garden, Sheesh, Pita Kabob), Indian (Raja Rani), Ethiopian (The Blue Nile), Sushi (Sadako, Sushi.com), Pizza (Pizza House, Cottage Inn), and pretty much everything in between. If your boyfriend likes hole-in-the-wall type places, Ashley's is a great one. It's right on campus, and they have good food and a crazy beer selection.

The areas closer to campus are definitely more dominated by undergrads (around South university and State Street). Main Street area is only a few blocks away, and it's an older crowd (in a good way, haha). Tons of great restaurants and bars, as well as music venues (The Ark, The Blind Pig, Live at PJ's).

The Arb is a huge park right on campus, it's great to hang out there in the warmer months. I think you'd really enjoy it here, let me know if you have other questions!

Thanks so much! This is so full of great information and somehow the first time I checked back here I completely missed it! We will definitely be heading to some of those places when we go to check out the area.

[Nurse Wretched]

We live in Ypsi and love it. Not thrilled with the school district, but it's great for grownups. Rents are a little lower here.

Edited February 17, 2011 by Nurse Wretched

[iss315]

So whats there to do in Ann Arbor?

[newms]

Hey, welcome! There's actually a 5 year old ongoing thread on Ann Arbor here: so perhaps you could browse through there and ask questions there, since a lot more people will see it than if you started a new thread.

[electrifice]

I''m visiting the town in early March... what kind of clothing should I bring with? I guess I can bring along gloves and a hat, but would a big coat be necessary (I don't have any...)? And what kind of shoes are appropriate? I've lived in a warm climate my whole life so I'm absolutely clueless about this!

[Iknownothing]

You might as well buy a jacket now - it sounds like you're going to need one in the future

The good news is that because it is the end of winter, you will probably find excellent sales on jackets!