Providence, RI

[Guest guest]

i'm a second-year grad student here at brown--if you have any specific questions, fire away!

[Guest browngradstudent]

i put up the post before this one...

to answer the questions that have been posted here:

1) one can still find housing in august, but obviously options become more limited the longer you wait.

2) it won't be hard living in the east side (near brown) on $1500/month... you can get a very nice place with roommates for about 500-600/month, or a single apt. for ~900/month. food is not unreasonably expensive, and things are close by enough that one can do fine without a car.

3) i think it's better to live off campus since everything is close by and you can get a lot more space for the same money than if you were to live on campus. of course, if you're not able to come here ahead of time to check out apartments/roommates, then going for an on-campus accommodation might be a safer bet. in my opinion, it's much better to just look up a few apartments on craigslist or dailyjolt and come over here for a few days to check out the places.

[Guest Cridamour]

Thanks for the answers! Please stick around, I can do with some help.

What about Internet access, for example. Would it be possible to survive without having a connection in the house? Are the Internet services in the library OK? (enough places? Working fine?) And what are other possibilities to use the Internet for free?

[rising_star]

I second what everyone has said about on and off campus blending together. My sister lived 'offcampus' and was on the campus-only shuttle line and lived across the street and half a block closer to the main buildings than she did as a 1st year.

Coming early to arrange housing is always best but I'm guessing that's nearly impossible for you Cridamour. Maybe if you find a potential roommate, they can arm themselves with a digital camera and then you two (or more) can decide that way and secure something before August.

As far as internet, the library is open till 2am which is generous for an Ivy (because some close at midnight) so you might be fine without internet at home. I dunno, if you've got roommates and split it, the cost really isn't that bad.

[Guest Cridamour]

Thanks Britt! I'm a bit of a maniac when it comes to organizing, that's why I'm already trying to arrange these things now... I guess I should probably keep on checking the housing forums for the next months and then start deciding. As for Internet connection, I'll probably need one at home as my boyfriend will be in another continent and Internet will be vital to keep in touch.

A library open until 2 AM, that's just unimaginable for me! In Belgium (where I live now), university libraries close at 9 PM or so and that's only on the late days. They are also closed on Sunday and only open until 5 PM or so on Saturday.

[Guest browngradstudent]

cridamour, as far as internet goes, it all depends on how much you use the internet. i'm in the sciences, so i want to have a good wireless connection pretty much anywhere i go--the sciences area of campus seems to have a good wireless signal that any student should be able to use when in the area. at home, i have high-speed internet since myself and my roommates really use it a lot (this probably costs us each <$20/month, for all three of us). if you're a phd student (again, i don't know what department you're in) you'll probably have an office which will have a good internet connection. the library has decent internet access (at least the sciences library, i'm not as familiar with the rockefeller library at the other end of campus, known as "the rock"), so all else fails you should be ok. there are a few stores/coffee shops/a bookstore on thayer st., which is right next to campus, that may offer wireless internet. all in all, i think you'll find that there are enough reasonably cheap options for internet access in the area.

[Guest guest]

Hi there gradstudent,

Im goign to be joining Brown from this fall too. Could you tell me how far away Miller Hall is and how comfortable/spacious convenient it is? Im a grad student too. I would be looking to do my own cooking no meal plans! If Miller doesnt work out then im looking to share an apartment for less than $650 a month. I live in Europe right now so cant really look for places either.

thanks!

[Guest browngradstudent]

i haven't lived on campus in miller hall, so i can't tell you anything about it. the whole campus is pretty small and is intertwined with the surrounding neighborhood, so it won't be any farther a commute whether you live on or off campus. there are plenty of good apartments off campus that are a 5-10 min walk away, you just have to look them up online (craigslist, dailyjolt, brown's graduate student bulletin). good luck!

[Guest Cridamour]

Hey, I think I'm close to securing housing. I was thinking of all the expenses I'll have during the first year (silly things like buying new luggage, a new laptop, possibly a palm, etc.) and stumbled upon Miller Hall (the grad dorms, basically) and saw the prices were really LOW! (5,498 USD for one academic year). Anyhow, I decided to ask the grad office manager of my department whether he knew of any students of the program who had any experience with it. Now, he sent an e-mail with that question to all grad students in my field and I got two nice reply, one of someone giving me more info about the graduate apartments arranged through the school, and one of a student in the final year who is looking for a roommate and had a great deal to offer (even cheaper than Miller and loads of other benefits!). So, I'm just waiting for some pictures of the place, but it seems great!

All of this just to tell you it might be a good idea to contact the grad office manager of your department and ask about these things. Some people might know of someone else vacating an apartment for next academic year etc. And people in your department are not going to want to suggest an aweful place, overprice it, etc., if they know they'll be in close contact with you for some years. So, it's a pretty safe bet. I'm excited!!!!

[Guest daphna]

So, we're looking into a few options in Providence, and there's a piece of information we are sorely missing:

the expense on utilities.

I know this changes depending on the house etc., but about how much a month can one expect to pay for water, electric, gas and heating? Anyone know?

[Guest browngradstudent]

hi daphna, like you said, it all depends on the house you're living in. the apt. i lived in last year had utilities (cable, internet, oil heating, elec, gas) come to about $90-100/person/month, with the winter months being more like $150+. the apt. i'm in now has gas heating instead, and is <$60/person/month, even during the winter. so, it can vary drastically. with the price of oil growing right now, you might want to make sure that the apartment you're moving into has gas heating instead of oil heating. hope this helps!

[Guest daphna]

Thanks. That does actually help. So if we take a "pretty bad scenario" (I'm not saying "worst case", cause obviously it can be worse) then about 300$ a month for a couple in the winter? We're just trying to figure out the whole university housing vs. finding an apartment thing right now.

While you're already reading, can I trouble you with another question?

I read some reviews of apartments where people said a specific place had nice apartments but the street really didn't feel safe and there was a lot of vandalism etc. This was quite close to campus, so it got me a bit confused. I had previously worked under the assumption that the areas immediatly around the campus were a pretty nice residential area (that's what I had been told).

Could you sort of give me a basic rundown of which are the safer areas to live near the campus? I really don't want to live somewhere where I don't feel safe.

[pleasegodletmein]

crap. i just wrote a long hilarious post about providence and deleted it by accident. here's the short version:

providence has only two decent coffeeshops, both of which close at some ridiculously early hour (like 5). the edge cafe on wayland and something that has to do with the devil or hell downtown.

during my 7 month stint in providence, there was a drive-by in front of my house (i wasn't in the ghetto), the pizza place below my apt was robbed at gunpoint twice, and there were several club shootings. it seems harmless with all the round-faced people, etc., but it's not.

if you are a lesbian, bring your own woman. the girls there are absolutely unsightly. if you are hideous yourself, please disregard.

autumn is gorgeous- wholesome prospective activities include apple-picking, playing in the leaves, and having sex on the capital building's lawn.

"downtown" is oh... three blocks big. there's nothing to do. NOTHING. once it gets cold.

the people are either 1) hicky and nice, or 2) unbearably snobby. don't be surprised if you go into starbucks one day and a man dressed in pressed courdoroy pants and a tweed jacket with elbow patches on it glares up at you from his brand-new copy of harry potter translated into latin (no joke) when you arrive. if you are bringing a significant other with you to school, warn her/him that she/he might never find a job apart from filing if she/he didn't graduate from brown or harvard.

wear full body armor if you go to the Brown gym. not only will this protect you from the germs that have been festering there for nigh on 200 years, you will also be well-clad should you decide to join the fencing team that practices on the basketball court. hilarious.

go to some ivy-league sporting events. the marching bands, with their bagpipes and violins, will have you in stitches, as will the pansies playing the game (exception: women's hockey).

well, i've got to do some work or i'll have a long road ahead should i not get accepted into grad school (knock on wood).

[dedalus]

I'm headed to Brown for the fall! Anyone else moving to Providence?

Right now, I'm in the process of finishing my BA six or seven hours away, so I probably won't be able to easily do a lot of apartment hunting until May. Does anyone have any experience with the realtors in the area? I've been looking on Craigslist, and it seems like a lot of properties are owned by various realty companies. I'd like to find a place on the East side, since I won't have a car, but does anyone have any suggestions?

[adizzygirl]

I'm heading to Brown too I've been periodically checking craigslist for housing, I'm moving in early though, so I've been looking to sublet something for the summer and look for something more permanent for the fall after I move. I'm not too familiar with realtors/landlords in the area, but I'll see what I can find out if you have specific questions.

[Capriccio]

Hi

Congratulation ! Brown is a great university, and Providence is a great place. If you neither like huge city with millions of people (like NYC, Boston) nor a place in the middle of nowhere (with lots of corn), you will like Providence. It's a small pretty city.

House renting: For about $500/month, you can find a decent place to live. I'm living in a $450/month. included all utilities and I'm totally satisfied. (considering the fact that I stay in school most of the time =)

Bicycle: There is a bicycle shop on Brook street. Very close to the campus. (3 - 5 mins walking, I guess). They sell and repair bicycles. You can also buy bicycle from Walmart (but that bicycle shop wil NOT repair bicycles from Walmart - I don't know why).

Shops: There is a huge Mall Downtown. Closer, there are Whole Food and East Side Market Place down Waterman St. (15-20 mins walking). And there is trolley (bus) from the campus to that supermarket (free for Brown student).

[peppermintgal]

Hello! I will be moving to Providence with my boyfriend this summer as I will be attending Brown Grad School in the Fall. We are looking for a 2-bedroom apartment near campus and I just wanted to ask if anyone knew how much we should expect to pay per month...? I saw a great apartment online for $1150 not including utilities and wanted to know if this was on the high end of things or average. Thanks!

[swr22]

Chilangos is probably Providence's only Mexican restaurant. It rocks, though. Federal Hill is also wicked for Italian food.

Also, Boston can definitely be done as a day trip. We used to often go to Sox games, galleries, Foxwoods and Mohegans, go see the football team play at Yale, Columbia etc.

[arod107]

Don Jose Tequilas is on Atwells Ave and Torilla Flatts is on Hope Street. Both have good Mexican Foods.

Oh and $1150 is a bit expensive. If you are going to pay that price then you should have parking included and be in the zip code 02906. That is the east side (where Brown is) and is more expensive. If you like more alternative lifestyle (funky, artsy, vegetarian), a better place to live is in the west end near Broadway (02909). It is cheaper on in the west end, but if someone has never lived in a city, they might think it was dangerous. I lived there for 2 years and loved it. I paid $500 with utilities included there, but I had a roomate. I know that average anywhere in the city for a 2 bedroom is around $900. There are no apartment complexes in Providence. Everyone rents from private owners who either rent out the upstairs or the whole house by floor. I've lived here for 3 years so feel free to ask more questions. Good luck.

[swr22]

Hi there gradstudent,

Im goign to be joining Brown from this fall too. Could you tell me how far away Miller Hall is and how comfortable/spacious convenient it is? Im a grad student too. I would be looking to do my own cooking no meal plans! If Miller doesnt work out then im looking to share an apartment for less than $650 a month. I live in Europe right now so cant really look for places either.

thanks!

I lived in Miller Hall. I wouldn't again. Live off campus.

[mallyajiggs]

I've lived here for 3 years so feel free to ask more questions. Good luck.

hi , i m joining the ScM program in Comp Science this fall.

What the procedure to lease apartment ? whats the average advance payment?

Any tips to avoid being tricked ?? could you please mentions some easy steps to rent an apartment / House ?

[peppermintgal]

Hi! Thanks for the tip on apartments. We ended up finding a two-bedroom for $1065 without utilities in the 02906 area. In fact, it is right near my department, so is very ideal. I noticed a lot of great looking places for less money a bit further afield, but I think it is worth it for convenience sake. However, I am a bit worried about the cost of utilities in winter, which, from what I've heard, can be very high in Providence. I hope we're not being completely ripped off! Compared to the overpriced Brown graduate housing, it seems like a real deal!

Anyway, if anyone has any tips on places to eat, grab a good coffee, or nice beaches, let me know!

[peppermintgal]

Hello, My boyfriend and I just leased an apartment in Providence, so while I am new to the city, I can give a few tips on the process. I found the Brown Auxiliary Housing website (http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Aux ... index.html) very useful. It gives tips on good neighborhoods to live, general housing & utility costs, things to consider/watch out for before signing a lease, and also has a section with apartment listings. I also had good advice from other graduate students in my department and from professors, so I would recommend getting in touch with people in your program who have lived there for a couple years. Finally, I found Craig's List to be the best place to look because you can get in touch with the landlords themselves instead of going through rental agencies of which there seem to be a lot of in Providence. Often landlords will happily send more photos and answer all your questions, and even go out of their way to secure the apartment for you if they have a good feeling about you.

In terms of advanced payment, I had to pay one month's rent as a security deposit plus an additional $150 cleaning deposit. I do not think you can be charged more than one month's rent for the security deposit, so that is what you should expect to pay.

Hope this helps!

[JustAnotherModernGuy]

Anyway, if anyone has any tips on places to eat, grab a good coffee, or nice beaches, let me know!

Hello All,

For those interested in learning more about Providence, RI, here is some information I recently gathered together for a perspective student (at URI) that might be helpful. She was interested in food, coffee, films and music. Hope this is helpful:

Coming from Boulder Colorado, it took my wife and I quite sometime to warm up to Providence--however I think this fact speaks more for Boulder than against Providence. There are some great restaurants out here--though we're of the opinion it's better to save and splurge on great restaurants here (than eat out frequently at cheaper places).

Great restaurants (in our opinion) include:

Pizzico

http://www.pizzicoristorante.com/

A cheese shop (which also opens as restaurant for dinner/lunches)

http://www.farmsteadinc.com/ SHOP

http://www.farmsteadinc.com/lalaiterie.html Restaurant

Red Stripe

http://redstriperestaurants.com/

Restaurants close to, but not on the "Eastside" include:

Julian's.

http://www.juliansprovidence.com/

Loie Fuller's

http://www.loiefullers.com/

Venda Ravioli (Italian Market)/Costantino's Ristorante

http://www.vendaravioli.com/

(and just down the block for desert)

Pastiche

http://www.pastichefinedesserts.com/pastiche/home.html

Our favorite Coffee Shops are:

Blue State Coffee

http://www.bluestatecoffee.com/

Seven Stars (also an amazing bakery)

http://www.sevenstarsbakery.com/

And Cable Car (shows films--recently hosted Brown's French Film Festival)

http://www.cablecarcinema.com/

Films (see Cable Car above):

The other good cinema in town is the Avon

http://www.avoncinema.com/

Further out of town (Newport, RI) is another great film festival:

http://www.newportfilmfestival.com/2009/default.asp

I'm not too familiar with the local music scene, but a good place to start getting information might be following (not very user-friendly) website:

http://www.lupos.com/

(almost every picture and text at the website is link)

[ragans1]

I will be moving to Providence from Brooklyn late this summer. Some friends tell me that Olneyville is the place to be in the city in terms of music scene, young people, and affordability. Would it be possible to commute to College Hill from Olneyville via bus/trolley? Any other recommendations of places to live that aren't necessarily on the East Side? Thanks.