Gainesville, FL

[eastcoastdude123]

Okay, I'm going to be heading down to Gainesville in the fall. I know almost nothing about the place except that I loved it when I visited. I'm a single male in my early 20's, and while I value my social life,I am by no means a party animal. I'm looking for an apartment complex that is graduate student friendly, and I'm more than willing to have roommates (in fact, one might call that a necessity). Does anyone know which apartment complexes would be a good fit for a person in my situation? As always, I thank you in advance for any feedback!

[tresleches]

Hi,

I've been accepted to a PhD program at UF with an outstanding fellowship and a mentor I both like and respect. I am convinced that I would have a rich educational experience at UF, and I think I would enjoy all the nature offerings in and around Gainesville. But I am a single woman in her early 30's, and I am really concerned that I will not find good dating outlets in Gainesville. I also have been accepted into PhD programs in bigger cities, such as Chicago, Boston, Madison, and San Diego. Based solely on academics, I might choose Florida. ....But what is the dating scene like for a woman in her early 30's who will have to be in Gainesville for a minimum of five years? Thanks!

[eleri]

I did my undergrad at UF. I really don't think it's a great place for dating in your thirties. I hate to say it because I love UF and Gainesville but UF is dominated by twenty somethings/undergrads and I don't think you'll have much luck with alachua county residents. I think you'd be better off in one of the cities you mentioned if finding a husband is a priority.

[BobLoblaw]

Who cares about dating? Where should I live in Gainesville? More broadly (at this point,) which neighborhoods? I'm not interested in partying on a Tuesday night, but at the same time I'm 24 and not 54 and don't want to be excluded from the events and atmosphere that makes college great. I'm finding this search far more difficult than I anticipated, but living in Michigan doesn't help.

[Diego M]

Who cares about dating? Where should I live in Gainesville? More broadly (at this point,) which neighborhoods? I'm not interested in partying on a Tuesday night, but at the same time I'm 24 and not 54 and don't want to be excluded from the events and atmosphere that makes college great. I'm finding this search far more difficult than I anticipated, but living in Michigan doesn't help.

Hey I just finished my undergrad at UF and I can help you! What neighborhoods are you looking at?

[BobLoblaw]

Hey I just finished my undergrad at UF and I can help you! What neighborhoods are you looking at?

Thanks! It seems that there are a few different locations of student housing. A large cluster of apartments SW of campus near 34th and Archer, an area directly North of campus with housing and a few apartments, then an area between campus and downtown and extending south. Would you recommend one of these areas over another? I'd like to walk to class, and I'm used to walking a decent distance from my time at Michigan State, but I feel like some of the apartments near 34th and Archer are too far... Any insight would be useful. Where did you live?

[gatorgirl]

The first thing you need to know, if you want to walk to class, is where your classes are. This varies for the different disciplines and it is a very large campus. What program are you going to be in? Also, if your heart is not set on walking to campus, there are a number of wonderful places to live. Also, keep in mind that the bus system is free and graduate parking is much closer to classes than undergraduate.

I live in Hawaiian Village. I think it is the hidden gem of Gainesville. While it doesn't have granite countertops or anything fancy, it is a clean, cheap, nice place to live. It is within a mile of the law school. (Be careful if something says it is close to campus, becuase there is a large part of campus that has no classes and is quite far from them.) The best part about my apartment is the cost of electric. Make sure to check what the average bill is where ever you go. I have friends who's electric is "included" in their rent, but really it is just an allowance. They go over their allowance by about 30-50 dollars each in a 3/3. My 2/2 averages 30-45 dollars a month total, so I split that with my roommate. Also, my 2/2 is quite large and I have a walk in closet. The whole apartment is only $780/month, so $390 each. Internet will run about $50/month for any apartment (everyone has cox cable) so $25 each in a 2/2. Cable will depend on how many channels you want. I think it starts out around $17/month for limited basic and goes up from there.

NOTE: If you call cox after you have your service and say you want to reduce it, they will do anything to keep you. I have basic cable (with free HD) and every six months I call them and tell them I want to switch to limited basic cable to save money. Somehow they always find random discounts to keep me at the higher level for drastically reduced costs. I still pay more than if I had limited basic, but they give me about 40-50% off my internet and cable. It always is a promotional offer that only lasts around 6 months, so once that time runs out I call again. It works. I have done it 3 times now. :-)

Let me know what your program is, and Ill tell you where on campus that is. Then I can help you find something close and not bad. Be careful that some of the places super close to campus are too small, too expensive, older, and not the cleanest.

[BobLoblaw]

The first thing you need to know, if you want to walk to class, is where your classes are.

Wow, thanks for the thorough response!

I went to Michigan State which has a gigantic campus, so I'm ok with walking a decent distance. I used to routinely walk 2 miles to get to class up there. But I definitely see your point where the places near 34th/Archer might say they're a mile from campus, but they're actually much farther from any class. I'll be studying Geography at UF, which is based in Turlington, but I think it's one of many programs based there... I'm not sure where the majority of the classes are held.

I also love the idea of a balcony... I will definitely look into Hawaiian Village.

[Lovelyn]

I live in a place called Sun Bay, and if you're on a budget, it's a great little place. It's right across the street from a grocery store and has 2 bus lines that take you to campus. The rent is some of the cheapest you'll find in Gainesville, and while the apartments aren't fancy, they're safe, comfortable, and in a great location, I think maybe 2 miles from Turlington. You don't need a car, I just bike or ride the bus since it's free for students. I negotiated a deal this year and got a 2BR/1BA for $500 and they waived the pet fee for my cat.

My advice to you would be to just go to padmapper, since it shows you what's listed on craigslist too, I think

--------------

As for the dating scene for older students, I'm not sure what it's like - maybe sign up for a free dating site just to see how many singles are in the area?

Edited April 5, 2011 by Lovelyn

[luvedance21]

Hi! You guys seem to have some great advice on where to live. I'm going to UF for speech pathology so I'll be mainly in Dauer and occasionally the health center. I do want to walk to campus. After living in Michigan (hi other michigan person!) I want to take advantage of the nice weather. I do have a cat so anything pet friendly is a must.

Do you guys have any advice on where to live?

Also...I know this isn't typically the forum to ask this but, does anyone know much about their speech program? I know the basics but would love to talk to someone who has been there or knows someone who has been in the program.

[Lovelyn]

Hi! You guys seem to have some great advice on where to live. I'm going to UF for speech pathology so I'll be mainly in Dauer and occasionally the health center. I do want to walk to campus. After living in Michigan (hi other michigan person!) I want to take advantage of the nice weather. I do have a cat so anything pet friendly is a must.

Do you guys have any advice on where to live?

Also...I know this isn't typically the forum to ask this but, does anyone know much about their speech program? I know the basics but would love to talk to someone who has been there or knows someone who has been in the program.

Hey! Welcome to the UF community Sadly I don't know much about the speech program, but Dauer is pretty close to Turlington, the Hub, and the Student Union, and is located towards the North East side of campus (www.campusmap.ufl.edu).

My first suggestion (and I'm echoing a previous poster) would be to go to padmapper.com and to a lesser extent, http://www.gainesville-rent.com/) and look at all the places that are near that side of town. Someone also mentioned http://www.apartmenthunters.com/Homepages/Gainesville.aspx, but to be honest I was much more productive looking at places myself. I actually live on the South East side even though my classes are near yours, and it's a very easy bike ride. Something to keep in mind is to find out if there is a bus line nearby that will take you to campus (for when the weather is lousy) and to grocery stores (assuming you don't have a car/bike).

Once you limit yourself to a certain rent range it will help you cross a lot of places off the list, then look at each place's website and cross off properties that look poorly maintained. I also looked at http://www.crimereports.com/ to make sure the neighborhoods I was looking at were safe. I narrowed it down to a few and took tours, asked questions, etc., and I also advise you to visit them at night/after hours - some places looked fine during the day but had loud parties and whatnot at night.

Most places you will find are pet friendly, just remember to negotiate everything - pet fees, rent, etc. If you have questions about specific properties, feel free to ask!

[gatorgirl]

The crime reports idea is a great one. There are some not so nice parts of gainesville, but overall it is pretty safe.

I would suggest NOT living on 20th. There are a ton of apartments down that road, but you will fight traffic all the time. Check out some places on 35th. Also, near sorority row is decent. It is close, but not too expensive. There are a bunch of houses near the law school that students rent together. Those can be very nice and the commute to campus is very close. Be careful with the places on University right across from campus, they tend to be very tiny and very expensive. I dont know about prices everywhere, but at Hawaiian Village you can get a 1/1 for $540, a 2/1 for $620, a 2/2 for $780, a 3/1.5 (townhouse) for $825, or a 3/2 for $870. Those are prices for the entire unit. That means that you can get a place for as low as 275/person if you are willing to share a bath. Just be aware that you don't have to pay a ton for rent here. There are places that charge $500 per room or more in a 3/3 and that is a rip off. Some of the places closer to the oaks mall are very nice, but you will need to take the bus or drive. Biking is possible but it is far. LOTS of people bike here. Make sure to get a very good lock for your bike. A U-lock is the best and lock both the front tire and bike frame. Bikes and tires are FREQUENTLY stolen here. I have had a bike stolen, and my friend just got her back tire stolen. (Yes, back tire. That takes work.)

Some great places for food here are La Tienda (mexican), Chopstix (Pan Asain), Bento (Pan Asain), Mochi (AMAZING frozen yogurt), the Swamp (Soup, salad, sandwich, beer), Yamato (Habachi), New Deal Cafe, and Sachels (The best pizza you will ever eat. Try the deep dish!).

FYI to the poster above, Turlington is central to the vast majority of classes with the exception of Vet, Med, Eng, and Law.

[luvedance21]

Thank you guys so much You've been really helpful. Ideally I'd like to be able to walk to campus, but I will have a car so if I have to drive I will.

If I live near sorority row wouldn't it be obnoxious though? I do have to do a lot of studying for my program so I don't want to be up all night because my neighbors are partying on a Tuesday.

Also, thanks for the restaurant suggestions! I'm originally from Chicago so it's exciting to know Gainesville has deep dish!

[CSC]

How is biking in Gainesville with the heat and humidity? Im starting to look into apartments and trying to factor in distance and transportation. If I lived 4-5 miles away, Id love to commute by bike over taking the bus. But is that miserable (and very sweaty) for several months out of the year? Would it be better to live within a mile or two of class? Thanks for any advice/insight.

[Lovelyn]

How is biking in Gainesville with the heat and humidity? Im starting to look into apartments and trying to factor in distance and transportation. If I lived 4-5 miles away, Id love to commute by bike over taking the bus. But is that miserable (and very sweaty) for several months out of the year? Would it be better to live within a mile or two of class? Thanks for any advice/insight.

It really depends on what kind of weather you're used to. The summers here are absolutely miserable, and it rains (and thunders) almost daily during the later summer months. It also depends on what hours you're going to be biking - early morning isn't so bad, but midday can be sweltering and humid. You get used to it after a while, but I've been here for a year and it's still not easy. I've gotten into the habit of just timing my time on campus by weather, and if I really only have to be there for class in the afternoon, I make sure to show up early so I can at least cool off a bit before heading into class. I also only live about 2 miles from campus. The closer you can get to campus, the better off you'll be, but don't forget to factor in proximity to grocery stores, etc.

My advice to you would be, if you can, come visit Gainesville during the summer and feel the heat for yourself. No matter where you live, make sure you've got at least 2 bus lines near you that take you to campus, for the really hot/cold/rainy days.

[CSC]

What is everyones favorite spots in Gainesville (restaurant, bars, markets, parks, hiking/biking trails, etc)?

[Ecualung]

Favorite Bars:

The Midnight, The Bull, The Top. I hear Tall Paul's is really great, but I haven't been there yet

Restaurants:

Boca Fiesta, Emiliano's, Big Lou's, Chopstix

Markets:

The downtown farmers' market, I guess. The Publix on Archer near I-75 (next to Old Navy and Target) is probably the best big grocery store, but many are partial to Ward's for good reason

Parks/trails:

The La Chua trail at the Alachua sink can't be beat, especially if you're into wildlife (read: LOTS of gators). Also, the adjacent Payne's Prairie State Park is great, too.

On 7/1/2011 at 11:55 PM, CSC said:

What is everyones favorite spots in Gainesville (restaurant, bars, markets, parks, hiking/biking trails, etc)?

 

[missus]

Hi, I am most likely coming to Gainesville end of this year (2011) or early 2012 for a PhD. Need some advice on good places to live, but have specific "circumstances": two kids! So space is important (at least 2 br, preferably 3), area i.t.o. safety but also schools (older one goes to elementary school), but most importantly price. I will be on my own with the two kids, and as you can imagine, things will be tight on a PhD stipend (am applying for more grants/funds). Through craigslist I've seen some fairly affordable houses around University Ave (i.e. few streets behind it), but when I check the street view through googlemaps, I am not sure whether these are "good" areas... Distance to campus is actually the least of my worries, will organise a car. However, also do not want to be out in the boonies - a social scene would be nice! Any advice, recommendations, tips...?

PS PhD will be with Agricultural and Biological Engineering, which I guess is at the main campus?

[tetrandra]

Hi, I got into the PhD program at UF with fantastic funding, and I love the research work of my would-be mentor. Academically, UF is a fantastic fit for me. However, I am a single woman in my early thirties, and I hope to find a husband. Dating is important to me. How is dating at UF for someone over the age of 30? My understanding is that Gainesville is a small town that mostly revolves around UF and that the scene at UF is dominated by undergrads. So I worry about adult dating outlets. I also have great offers in other cities, including Madison, Chicago, and maybe San Diego. However, I really am excited about the program and mentor at UF. Please help!

The advice others have given is great. My input re: dating in Gainesville is that the prospects are not so good. I lived there for three years in my late 20s, and for context info I was a rather busy/serious, non-traditional upperclass(wo)man. There just weren't many people in the same boat as me, not to mention the dating pool. The numbers just weren't there for much success (although admittedly some of it had to do with me personally, haha) and I often went out with people who didn't live locally.

I had the option to continue on at UF for grad school, but the #3 reason I decided against it was because I wasn't meeting anyone. I ended up attending school in Los Angeles, dated a LOT, and had enough luck to find a non-Angelean who ended up becoming my husband. I'm really glad I didn't stay in FL, as it really would have been a big waste of relationship-building time--time which became much more valuable to me as I got older. YMMV, but I think that it's wise to consider different cities. It might be an adjustment but it sounds like having more dating possibilities is important to you. Good for you for knowing what you want. My two cents...good luck!

Edited: Sorry, didn't realize this was a old & moldy question.

Edited December 9, 2011 by tetrandra

[Chande]

I'm considering attending UF (I'm a native Floridian), but I am concerned because I know that there is a law banning unmarried couples from living together in Florida. My fiance and I want to move together and live together, so I am wondering how much apartment complexes in the area care about the law and how much it would be enforced in Gainesville. I don't want to have undue difficulty in finding a place to live because of a law that I believe is unconstitutional and outdated, and if it's a problem it would really be a deal-breaker to me about staying in Florida, as we won't be getting married for another year at least.

[AudioEnvy]

I'm considering attending UF (I'm a native Floridian), but I am concerned because I know that there is a law banning unmarried couples from living together in Florida. My fiance and I want to move together and live together, so I am wondering how much apartment complexes in the area care about the law and how much it would be enforced in Gainesville. I don't want to have undue difficulty in finding a place to live because of a law that I believe is unconstitutional and outdated, and if it's a problem it would really be a deal-breaker to me about staying in Florida, as we won't be getting married for another year at least.

I literally didn't know that law existed...

Anyways I honestly can't imagine it being a problem. From my experience, I am pretty sure that law isn't enforced at all. I know couples who live together with no problem. Also, I lived for a year with someone of the opposite sex (not a boyfriend, just a friend) and nothing was said...

[Gibbas]

I'm considering attending UF (I'm a native Floridian), but I am concerned because I know that there is a law banning unmarried couples from living together in Florida. My fiance and I want to move together and live together, so I am wondering how much apartment complexes in the area care about the law and how much it would be enforced in Gainesville. I don't want to have undue difficulty in finding a place to live because of a law that I believe is unconstitutional and outdated, and if it's a problem it would really be a deal-breaker to me about staying in Florida, as we won't be getting married for another year at least.

I currently live in Florida, and I have all my life and I've never heard of that law. Right now I live with my boyfriend, and have known other people who have done the same. You will definetely not have a problem.

[Chande]

I currently live in Florida as well and I only heard about the law when USF was proposing to make a dorm co-ed within the same room and ran into issues because of the law. Apparently one person in the state legislature wanted to repeal it but it didn't get anywhere and other legislators were opposing him because they said they wanted to take a stand for monogamy or some similar BS.

http://www.usforacle...58#.T0b54fEgdv4

But if it will be a non-issue in Gainesville and we can find an apartment together without any issue than this shouldn't be a problem, I guess.

Edited February 24, 2012 by Chande

[latamedant]

I assume the law pertains exclusively to public/campus housing. The article you cited refers to the off-campus alternative for couples barred by state law from obtaining on-campus housing together. On-campus housing isn't especially popular or attractive at UF, so there's really no concern. You'll find an apartment, and I can say as a Gainesville native that it is currently a renter's market. Good luck searching.

[Mandi Desormeaux]

I just found this post and I'm curious if you found a place to live with your fiance. Did you end up going to UF? This is the first I've heard about this law. I've lived with boyfriends in the past and never had a problem, but is it enforced in Gainesville?