Tucson, AZ

[Lily2]

I am pretty sure I will be attending UofA in the fall and I am super excited about it! Like most people, I have a question about housing. The advice on here so far about areas to avoid/shoot for has been very helpful. I'm wondering though if anyone has any recommendations on specific apartment complexes. I've done general searches for complexes in the 'recommended areas' and there seem to be tons and I'm a bit overwhelmed. Plus, everyone seems to say even the 'good areas' can be very hit or miss- so I don't really know if these complexes are on a better block.. so to speak. If any one lives/has lived in a complex you've been happy at or know of one people seem to like and could share it, that would be great!

I doubt I will have a car for atleast my first few months there, so I'd like to either be directly on a bus route to campus or within walking distance to campus in a 'safer area' (I realize that is relative). I don't necessarily *mind* living in an "undergrad complex" (I live in one now as a grad student) so long as it isn't one of the crazier ones. If there are complexes that are predominantly grad/professional students though, that would be good to know!

[waitinginohio]

between 1st Ave and Country Club (east-west) and Broadway and Limberlost (north-south) is pretty good, for the most part.

That is a huge area!

Any thoughts on West University and Iron Horse?

[rising_star]

Honestly, most of the grad students I know don't live in the big complexes. They live in casitas, guesthouse, duplexes, etc. The area I mentioned before would put you within a couple of miles of grocery stores, regardless of where you live, so you could get around pretty easily on a bike.

[Joel418]

That's a bummer about needing a car - UA advertises how great the city is for biking, but a bike isn't enough?

Just FYI, I did my Master's at U of A from 04-06. Heading off to PhD work in the fall in Boston, but I thought I might stop in and give whatever help I can to all of you coming to Tucson!

Tucson is a great city for biking; plenty of bike lanes/paths throughout most of town. (In fact, if you are any kind of sporting biker, the Tour de Tucson is one of the more popular races in the professional and amateur circuit.) Two bits of advice for parking on campus: there is a lot of bike and bike seat theft on campus, so park in highly-visible, well-traveled areas; get a good u-lock, and lock your front wheel and frame together.

One word of warning: if you need to get places on a day-to-day basis, you will need to be willing to bike long distances. For example, if you rented a place to the east of campus, you will be biking anywhere from 2-4 miles to reach a supermarket. If you're looking for a big-box store (Wal-Mart, Target, etc), you will be biking at least 10 miles from the same location. Tucson is very spread out, so just be ready to really pedal if you like certain stores or restaurants.

[rising_star]

Tucson is a great city for biking; plenty of bike lanes/paths throughout most of town. (In fact, if you are any kind of sporting biker, the Tour de Tucson is one of the more popular races in the professional and amateur circuit.) Two bits of advice for parking on campus: there is a lot of bike and bike seat theft on campus, so park in highly-visible, well-traveled areas; get a good u-lock, and lock your front wheel and frame together.

One word of warning: if you need to get places on a day-to-day basis, you will need to be willing to bike long distances. For example, if you rented a place to the east of campus, you will be biking anywhere from 2-4 miles to reach a supermarket. If you're looking for a big-box store (Wal-Mart, Target, etc), you will be biking at least 10 miles from the same location. Tucson is very spread out, so just be ready to really pedal if you like certain stores or restaurants.

I would clarify two things about what Joel said. First, lock your frame and rear wheel together, as the rear one will cost you more to replace than the front one will. Second, it isn't quite that far from grocery stores and Target if you live to the east of campus. If you live in about one mile east of campus (Sam Hughes, Blenman Elm, Catalina Vista), there will be a Whole Foods on Speedway and a Safeway on Broadway within 1-2 miles of your house. There's a Target, Home Depot, and Office Depot just to the west of the intersection of Broadway and Alvernon, which wouldn't be more than 2 miles away. It would be further to get to Sunflower Market, Trader Joe's, or any of those stores.

[Joel418]

All ye foodies:

I am heading out of Tucson after five years, and I wanted to take the opportunity to share a couple of hidden gems with you all:

The first is the Blue Willow on Campbell a little north of the university, a pan-european restaurant; my wife and I recently have had many a celebratory dinner there, and it is absolutely fantastic. The atmosphere is characteristically relaxed (a Southwestern trait), but the food is excellent and uncharacteristically inexpensive (you can get two salads, two entrees, drinks, and dessert for about $60). The other is Tork's Cafe, a mediterranian restaurant on Grant between Alvernon and Country Club. Even more than Blue Willow, the atmosphere is very relaxed, but the food is made by a Libyan family and is simply incredible for a pretty low price (an appatizer, two entrees, and drinks will probably run you about $50).

Enjoy!

[savantarde]

This is my final semester at the University of Arizona, in Tucson. I moved here 3 years ago from Yuma, Arizona, also known as the Devil's Armpit. For those who aren't geographically acquainted, Yuma is in the Southwestern most tip of the state, and is 10 minutes from the border of Mexico. Tucson is a 3.5 hour drive to the Northeast, and is 45 minutes from the border.

Here's what I have to offer:

* HOT. This is southwestern Arizona. Granted, it is the middle desert, but isn't high enough to be cool year-round. If you are coming from colder weather, it is absolutely imperative that you obtain housing with Air Conditioning. Don't rent a place that has only swamp cooling (evaporative cooling). You WILL NOT fare well during the summer months, as temperatures can be in excess of 120 degrees F.

* Transportation. People are right. You will probably want a car in Tucson. The public transportation only runs 'til about 11pm or Midnight every day of the week. Tucson, like most cities in Arizona, is VERY sprawling. That being said, it *is* possible to get away with a bike, but only if you plan on living on or around campus (which is quite large). There is one grocery store within a mile of campus--Safeway. It is walkable, but somewhat of a trek. You won't want to be walking during summer, though. One of the best benefits of having a car is exploration. If you're new to the desert, you'll want to make trips outside the city. There is LOTS to see. The BioSphere is currently available for touring. There are two Desert Museums, one of which is an enclosed sanctuary/zoo with native animals and plants. There's Colossal Cave within 30 minutes or so, Old Tucson Studios (used for filming westerns back in the day), and Tombstone and Bisbee, which are great for weekend trips. Lots and lots of history everywhere.

* Campus. Big, but not the biggest. Very, very nicely maintained. It is an arboretum, so there are TONS of native and non-native plants and trees, all with information placards at every turn. Buildings are almost all new or newly remodeled. The new Student Union is very large and central, and houses a large bookstore (looks like a Barnes & Noble), a StarBucks, arcade, several eateries, lots of study room and a huge downstairs TV lounge/computer lab. UofA is a public university. This means that *anyone* can visit campus proper. As such, there are a fair amount of strange folks wandering campus at any given time, but I have never encountered anything threatening or out-of-the-ordinary.

* Food. Some great places to eat, no doubt. Most of what you'll want to try is some distance from campus, but there are areas within walking distance that are up to snuff. Everyone should visit 4th Avenue, straightaway. Lots of bars, but some great little restaurants. Congress Street is another destination. This is in Downtown Tucson, which feels like a *completely* different city. Would highly recommend walking around there at dusk during the spring. Beautiful! Mexican Food is good, but in my humble opinion, it is not "authentic." But, there are different regions of Mexico, serving altogether different food. There are no good Mexican Food restaurants near campus. But that's just my opinion. Go to La Parilla Suiza for *Spanish* food, or Maya Quetzal for *Peruvian* cuisine, to spice things up.

* Food on Campus. I hear that, due to complaints about the substandard food options, students can use their ID cards (which are linked to meal plan accounts) to shop at Safeway Grocery. Good thing. Campus eateries include: Chik-Fil-A, Papa John's Pizza, Burger King, Panda Express, a Sandwich Deli, and three, school-operated cafeteria-style options--two of which are Mexican and Italian cuisine. One is a standard cafeteria fare option. All of these eateries are located in one of the two Student Unions.

Last but not least, don't believe what MANY coed undergraduates complain of incessantly: "There isn't anything to do here but drink!" But I didn't have to tell you that. You're going to grad school, you've got a brain, and you're resourceful! There are many, MANY things to do in Tucson. Just ask people! Lots of hidden gems everywhere.

P.S., if you ARE a bar-goer, you'll want to check out "The Meet Rack"--just look it up. It's the stuff of Tucson lore. Also, if you dig Midcentury Modern--straight up drinks on the rocks, martinis and swanky furnishings, go to "The Shelter." It was built to look like a Fallout Shelter, and is very hip.

"The Surly Wench Pub" is on 4th, and it's like a dark, seedy pirate bar with arcade games, pool and foosball tables, air hockey, and an awesome jukebox. Nice melting pot, too.

HAVE FUN!

[davolicious]

My question isn't specifically about the town, but about the University. I was accepted to the U of A, but my funding offer is a bit sketchy. They offered a relatively low amount, to which they added an "outstanding scholar" fellowship (a one year bonus of about $2K). My biggest concern is that second and third years of funding are supposedly guaranteed, yet they still say "contingent on availability of funds." After the third year, apparently all bets are off "although we can fund most students." How bad are the budget cuts at Arizona? If I were single, I might be more willing to risk it, but I've got a wife and two kids, and I can't afford to suddenly lose not only my stipend, but also my tuition waiver. Am I being too overly concerned, or is it really that bad?

Side note: While making a visit to another school, one of the grad students there said he attended one semester at Arizona, and that his funding was gone after that. Should I avoid U of A?

[breakfast]

You need to keep in mind that every level of the state government is run by crazies. The Tea Party, unfortunately, resonated very well with voters in that state. When I graduated a few years ago from one of the state universities, there were serious funding cuts and tuition hikes planned for the future. Faculty and staff were forced to take unpaid furlough days. I honestly can't imagine that things have gotten better these last two-three years. If anything, state funding for university education is probably even more under attack from the state legislature.

If you want to do some research, go to azcentral.com or azstar.net and read up on the state financial crises and university funding cuts.

[SLP_419]

My question isn't specifically about the town, but about the University. I was accepted to the U of A, but my funding offer is a bit sketchy. They offered a relatively low amount, to which they added an "outstanding scholar" fellowship (a one year bonus of about $2K). My biggest concern is that second and third years of funding are supposedly guaranteed, yet they still say "contingent on availability of funds." After the third year, apparently all bets are off "although we can fund most students." How bad are the budget cuts at Arizona? If I were single, I might be more willing to risk it, but I've got a wife and two kids, and I can't afford to suddenly lose not only my stipend, but also my tuition waiver. Am I being too overly concerned, or is it really that bad?

Side note: While making a visit to another school, one of the grad students there said he attended one semester at Arizona, and that his funding was gone after that. Should I avoid U of A?

I am not sure if it is the same for grad and it was for undergrad, but I was offered funding/scholarship my freshman year, and it was upheld all 4 years of my undergrad. I was even able to defer it for a semester when I was abroad. The downside, I started my freshman year with almost a full scholarship, but with the tuition increases, it barely covered 50% by the time I was a senior.

It may be worth contacting the financial aid department if the funding is through the university. They have always been helpful in answering questions (although sometimes it takes talking to a few people...)

Also to whoever plans on moving there, I would HIGHLY suggest bringing a car. Even when I lived 5 blocks from campus, it was great to drive to the different restaurants, stores, etc. There are restaurants and a grocery store in close distance (depending on what side of campus you live on), but you will want to explore more! Also, if you bring a car you can live further away from campus. Depending on the direction you go, the further away you are, the nicer/safer the area becomes!

Edited March 3, 2011 by SLP_419

[nessapsych]

"contingent on availability of funds." "although we can fund most students." How bad are the budget cuts at Arizona?

I was accepted for a different program and my letter contained the exact same thing. I am a little worried, although I'm choosing to just ignore it. In the emails so far, I didn't get the impression that it was THAT bad. And I believe that the department / your POI wouldn't be happy about having to drop you after 2 years of trainig. So they'll likely do their best to secure further funding, won't they?

On another issue: Does anyone have opinions about La Aldea graduate housing? It seems nice....near campus, very convenient, kinda new.....but it's somewhat expensive ($620 for living together with 3 other people!!). Is it worth the price (especially if I don't want to get a car...at least not right away)? Or is it rather a waste of the already small stipend?

Thanks for your help!

[enbe]

That's a bummer about needing a car - UA advertises how great the city is for biking, but a bike isn't enough?

I don't have a car in Tucson but my house has one. You can shop for groceries and get around town easy enough on a bike (and it is a great biking city!) but for purchasing things while moving in (you try biking pillows and laundry detergent around town!) and for buying more than a six-pack of beer, a car helps. The nice thing about Tucson is that you can live within walking/biking distance of the university and a supermarket and the downtown bar area VERY CHEAPLY. That said, many people I know who came without cars ended up buying one. It depends on how dependent you are on cars (I'm 24 and never owned one) and what your living situation is like (ie: can you borrow one to make major shopping trips). Also, if you like to hike/camp/get out in the wilderness, it's nice to have a car on hand. But that's true even in cities with great public transportation.

My advice, come without one, buy one here if you feel the need...

Edited March 10, 2011 by enbe

[enbe]

On another issue: Does anyone have opinions about La Aldea graduate housing? It seems nice....near campus, very convenient, kinda new.....but it's somewhat expensive ($620 for living together with 3 other people!!). Is it worth the price (especially if I don't want to get a car...at least not right away)? Or is it rather a waste of the already small stipend?

Thanks for your help!

It's just plain not worth it!

You can get an apartment by yourself in the $400-600 range (I had one for $400 but it was a great find, not too typical) and get a room in a nice Tucson-style adobe OR a newer development house for ~3-500. It's pretty darn cheap to live in Tucson. I live 4 blocks from campus in a cute, old stand alone house with a giant yard and I pay $425+utilities a month with one roommate...and that's a little on the expensive side for Tucson because I chose to live close.

Those graduate housing buildings are such a rip-off and anyone I know who has lived in them got out as soon as possible. Check with your dept and craigslist (which works really well in Tucson) for people looking for roommates. I've had great success with craigslist and later just biking around neighborhoods and calling numbers (obviously you can't do that remotely).

[chaospaladin]

I got accepted to an undergraduate research program for the summer. Is a bike needed, required, or recommended here for University of Arizona?

[dblalock]

It's just plain not worth it!

You can get an apartment by yourself in the $400-600 range (I had one for $400 but it was a great find, not too typical) and get a room in a nice Tucson-style adobe OR a newer development house for ~3-500. It's pretty darn cheap to live in Tucson. I live 4 blocks from campus in a cute, old stand alone house with a giant yard and I pay $425+utilities a month with one roommate...and that's a little on the expensive side for Tucson because I chose to live close.

Those graduate housing buildings are such a rip-off and anyone I know who has lived in them got out as soon as possible. Check with your dept and craigslist (which works really well in Tucson) for people looking for roommates. I've had great success with craigslist and later just biking around neighborhoods and calling numbers (obviously you can't do that remotely).

I was wondering about this myself, as I'll be attending in the fall. Since I won't be able to visit the town, I really don't want to sign a lease with an apartment I can't tour personally. I may end up living in La Aldea through next May just to get my bearings on the city.

[rising_star]

I was wondering about this myself, as I'll be attending in the fall. Since I won't be able to visit the town, I really don't want to sign a lease with an apartment I can't tour personally. I may end up living in La Aldea through next May just to get my bearings on the city.

Honestly, you could move and just stay at a hotel or with another grad student for a 1 week and easily get your bearings on the city, find a place to move, etc. If you contact the current grad students in your department, they can give you a sense of areas to avoid, places to live, etc. Use the resources at your disposal. This is the same advice that gets posted in every thread on "City Guide".

[bellefast]

Hi guys,

Can anyone tell me how University of Arizona is? And things about where to live?

Thanks

[kriskros]

I did my undergraduate at U of A. I loved it down there! I would stick with Sam Hughes neighborhood to the east of campus or any of the neighborhoods north of campus. Going too far south gets a little scary... It's also nice to be close to campus because traffic can be pretty awful at rush hour. Stay away from the big college oriented apartments (starpass, sterling) unless you like a lot of partying and police visits at 2 am for noise disruptions. U of A itself is a nice red brick campus thats near downtown. Lots of activities and diversity. My only complaint was the weather, the summers are really hot!

[metamorfoz]

Thanks for the useful information! I am seriously considering UofA and I am excited to live in Tucson. I have been to Flagstaff, Sedona and Phoenix for a couple of days for traveling purposes and quite enjoyed my time there. I know living in the desert can be challenging but I am coming from a town where summers are hotter than Tucson! (Ok, 1 or 2 C but still!). I am used to dry weather and I believe I won't have any problem regarding the weather conditions.

Would you recommend living in other areas rather than Sam Hughes? I am planning to come with my spouse and would like to know which areas are rather safer. Another question would be about the estimated cost of accommodation. For two persons, including utilities, how much do you think I would pay for rent monthly? and do you think I can find a nice place with reasonable price if I arrive by August 9? (Orientation is likely to be that day and I will have more than a week to search for a place)

Sorry for tons of questions. Not easy when you come from across the ocean!

[kriskros]

I would recommend Oro Valley if you don't mind a half hour commute. It's much nicer and cleaner, but definitely a trek getting to campus. I lived in a nice duplex with 2 bedrooms/2 bathrooms that was about 10 minutes from campus with my boyfriend and we paid 700 per month. Cost of living is very reasonable, but there are some more run down areas of town, so it pays to go see places in person. If you are looking for decent apartments at a reasonable price I would look at the area north of campus. Anywhere from Speedway up to Prince is generally safe and affordable. It is mostly populated by other college students. If you would prefer a house or duplex to an apartment I would recommend looking on craigslist. I'm sure you won't have any issues finding housing in a short amount of time, just make sure to go see anything in person before signing up! It's nice to get a good idea of the area because pictures can be deceiving!

[metamorfoz]

Thanks kriskros for the great information! I will definitely go and see first before signing up!

Great to see old posts here as well. Thanks!

[heathenist]

Anyone have any info or know of any rumors about when the streetcar project will be completed or how useful it will even be once completed?

[soñando]

could anyone tell me if a car is necessary to live in tucson if attending u of az?

[TeaGirl]

could anyone tell me if a car is necessary to live in tucson if attending u of az?

 

I did my MS at U of A and I didn't have a car during that time. Bus lines are pretty decent and reliable as long as you make sure you live close to one. A couple major buses run every 15 minutes which is really convenient, others are typically every 30min. Living within walking distance of Speedway was a big bonus as you can find almost any major store along that one bus line. Walking everywhere is not feasible because Tucson, like all southwestern cities, is very spread out. Biking is also possible.

As far as getting to/from campus getting errands done, you can do it without a car. However, going out, especially at night gets tricky. For the sake of full disclosure, I did have plenty of friends with cars and when I really needed a ride I could get one.

[soñando]

So I'm considering a spot I was offered at Tucson and have a few questions regarding housing.  I don't want to be near a lot of noise and have been looking for 1BR places north of campus.  I know the north and east of campus are the safest (single female so that's a big concern of mine!), but how far north and how far east?  For example, if i stay south of Glenn St. and directly north of campus, does anyone know if that would keep my bike to campus under 10-15 min?

 

Also, any experience with crime there?  Will it be tough to get by on a $14,000 stipend?