Newark, DE

[Jess77]

I'm currently in my first year as PhD student at UDel but I commute from South Jersey...sucks, but I don't really want to move to Delaware, lol. It's a beautiful campus, though, and Main Street is awesome. A lot of people live in University Courtyards, Studio Green, Southgate (which is really really really close to the campus/football field)...and there's rentals all over the place. If you are able to log in with your username/password on UD's website, click on Students at the top, then you'll come to the main Students page and click Graduate and then Classifieds. Housing is open all over the place right now.

[aber_leider]

I'm currently in my first year as PhD student at UDel but I commute from South Jersey...sucks, but I don't really want to move to Delaware, lol. It's a beautiful campus, though, and Main Street is awesome. A lot of people live in University Courtyards, Studio Green, Southgate (which is really really really close to the campus/football field)...and there's rentals all over the place. If you are able to log in with your username/password on UD's website, click on Students at the top, then you'll come to the main Students page and click Graduate and then Classifieds. Housing is open all over the place right now.

Thanks, gonna check it right away

[spaul]

Hi,

I will be joining University of Delaware in Fall 2011 for Phd program in engineering. I applied for graduate family housing and is allotted one apartment in Conover Apartments. Can someone tell me more about the Conover Apartments and the quality of life there? Do you have any problem with the maintenance? Which appliances are included? Is it better than the off campus housing? Are there any recreational activities in the campus?

I mainly looked for on campus housing as I wanted to be within the student community (specially with students with families) and to be in a calm and quiet atmosphere. I am also looking forward to bond with other student families to have a good community feeling.

It will be extremely helpful if someone gives me some insight about the Conover Apartments and in general the campus life in UDel before I move in. I live quite far so I cannot explore the campus before I shift there.

Thanks in advance....

[fromrio]

Living in Newark is great in from April 20th - November 10th. Winter at UD is hell - partly because of the weather (90% cloudy - 80% rainy - 100% windy), and partly because Main Street is only 4 blocks long. There isn't much to do in the Winter months besides study, drink, and stay inside as much as possible. That said, Spring is bikini season for the undergrads, Summer is quiet but mild, and Fall is beautiful for hiking.

Main Street is always changing, but several places are legendary for their services.

1. Newark Deli and Bagel - or "NDB" as it is commonly referred to - is a mecca of breakfast and lunch sandwiches. The best bagels I have ever had outside of fresh NYC bagels, they have over 12 different kinds to choose from. They make almost all of their toppings by hand - including fried eggs and thick smoky bacon. Chicken salad here is to die for, as is the BLT. Get the coffee here over the coffee shops generic brand - it is phenomenal + free refills. Most orders are 3-6 bucks for food + drink, and they serve fresh dill pickles with every lunch order. Get it to go and walk 2 minutes for a picnic on the Green.

2. Ali Baba - located at the east end of Main Street. Very nice hookah selection, outdoor patio with heaters during the winter. Is expanding to include a belly-dancing bar. Genuine hand-made Lebanese food. Can be pricy - but order the lunch wraps (for dinner too) via phone for pickup - 5 dollars for a phenomenal sandwich the size of your forearm. The Chicken Schawarma wrap is garlicky and intensely delicious, the Greek Style Gyro is sublime and filling. Get the Ali Baba's hummus - comes with a huge helping of fresh ground beef on top - with some fresh pita bread for an app. Grape Leaves are good. If you are going to order one thing - make it the Baklava. Large triangle of nutty and sweet phyllo dough for 1 buck - best my whole family has ever had. Owners are good people - honest and hard-working - Ali Baba is a family-owned gem.

3. Homegrown - bar and restaurant in the middle of Main. Chill out when you go here - bohemian style and interesting food are good for philosophical debates or plain old classroom gossip. Pitchers of beer for 8 bucks, good happy hour specials and really good local bands on the weekends. Great bar if you want a drink, and you want to avoid undergrad party-seekers.

4. Margerita's Pizza - Fantastic and authentic NYC style pizza pies - god-awful tasting cardboard "pizza" by the slice. For some reason, Margeritas is amazing when fresh, but horrible when slightly aged. Pitchers of beer for 8 bucks, large pies are between 12 and 15 bucks, feed 4 regular adults. Best fresh pizza for 50 miles.

5. Klondike Kate's - only reason I am mentioning this pop-princess heaven is for the Tuesday night 1/2 price nachos & pitchers, and the Thursday night 1/2 price wings and pitchers. Some of the best - crispy - wings outside of NY. Cheap beer. Go upstairs to watch the "popular" crowd get plastered to loud music.

As far as housing in the area goes...look early and often. Craigslist is just ok for the area, as many landlords prefer to keep things more local - and will only put For Rent signs up for a week or two in the Fall. Everybody wants to live off campus and as close to school as possible, so the nicer close places are filled up to a full year in advance. Most houses are between 500-700 for a bedroom, apartments in the area are mostly full of trashy undergrads and are not very safe. Look for housing over by West Main Street, away from campus, and in the West and East Park Place neighborhoods. These are about a 10-20 minute walk to campus, very safe, nice houses mostly occupied by families or good students. Try going to the Newark City Offices and look up the directory of home-owners in the area. Get numbers for houses in those neighborhoods and start calling.

If you need to get away (and you will) Newark is a quick car ride away from Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, New York City, Atlantic City and several beaches. Good luck.

[aber_leider]

Living in Newark is great in from April 20th - November 10th... etc.

This is a really really helpful post. the one that i have been looking forward to find since march. Thank you very much and hope it helps other incoming

students. I'm having a hard time finding housing via internet(I'm from Mexico and wont be able to visit prior my moving date, adding to htat the fact that I will be bringing my cat with me) So far my only option is at studio green on a 2 bedroom shared apartment. Is this place nice and in a good zone? Also, can one live decently wtih around 20K per 12 months paying a rent somewhere between 650 (studio green shared) and 800 (pet friendly studios or 1 bedrooms)?

Thank you

[Roccoriel]

I'm just starting here this fall, but have lived in the north DE, southeastern PA region all my life. I currently live in a suburb of Wilmington and intend to stay there, it's a cute, if older apartment complex and my bf already works in Newark, so I have a free ride or can take the train if needed, so I'm not a lot of help on housing, unless you want to be quite off campus and then I can maybe help. I've been out a few times in Newark (a friend is dating a guy at UDel) and the main street is pretty nice with a lot of bars and restaurants. I've eaten in a few and enjoyed them. It's also not far from Wilmington or Philly (I'd say 15-20 minutes Wilmington and maybe 45-60 minutes for Philly). If you like the country side, there is a lot of that around, along with a few state parks and if you're into the beach about an hour away. The area around Newark may be country, but if you're a foody, there are some amazing restaurants within a 45 minute drive (if pricey, I only go on super special occasions). I grew up riding horses, so i can also tell you that there are a lot of horses and horse events nearby if you're into that (like shows, pony polo, etc). :-)

[mjej]

Hey all! I thought I would "bump" this Newark/UDel thread to see if we can get some discussion going for 2012...

I am considerting a Masters program for Fall 2012 & I'm looking to explore Newark during a visit there next week. I have a wife & a 3 yr old who would be moving with me, so I'd love to have some advice about affordable places that *not* party complexes.

Can anybody weigh in on the atmosphere (and value) of the following complexes, and/or add new ones for us to consider? Any info is greatly appreciated!!

West Knoll Apartments

260 Elkton Rd, Newark, DE 19711

302-368-7912

Victoria Mews Apartments

12A Odaniel Avenue, Newark, DE 19711

302-368-2357

Studio Green

91-2 Thorn Lane, Newark, DE 19711

302-368-7000

Apartments at Pine Brook

1314 Wharton Drive, Newark, DE 19711

302-731-9253

University Courtyard

100 Scholar Way, Newark, DE 19711

302-894-1500

Foxcroft

120 Wilbur St., Newark, DE 19711

302-456-9267

Conover Apartments

(On-Campus, University Grad Housing)

Pride's Court

LeSussex Road

University Village

207 Mederia

Cavalier Country Club Apts

Chelsea on the Square

41 Winterhaven Drive

Apple Chase

2102 Ashkirk Drive

[user_name]

is living in Wilmington and commuting possible/recommendable?

[mjej]

is living in Wilmington and commuting possible/recommendable?

Hi "User_Name".....

This board has proven to be inactive thus far in 2012. I've been trying to get info myself. That said, I spoke with someone from UDel who said one person in their department communtes from Philadelphia (!). Not recommended, but she does it. So I've gotta imagine that Wilmington is possible: Mapquest says it's a half-hour commute.

[Nikara]

In my program we have one person who commutes from Philly and two (!) who commute from DC, and are full time masters students (but not funded). Lots of people commute in, and it is generally against traffic, since most people are going into the big city in the morning. I live in Conover Apartments, and I enjoy it. It's very quiet, and there are plenty of families with here (one family with two kids out of our set of four apartments). There is a small playground, and lots of grass to play on out front. The kitchens are sort of pathetic if you enjoy cooking (like I do), but function for basic needs. I consider the value of the apartment to be excellent, but I come from Los Angeles, so all of the housing here seems super cheap.

I don't know anything about the other apartment complexes, but I can ask one of the other students in my program tomorrow who was also here as an undergrad and knows more about the area. In my very small department there are three students with children/wives, and they don't seem to have many additional difficulties because of that. It's also fun to have the babies at some of the events for the rest of us!

[mjej]

In my program we have one person who commutes from Philly and two (!) who commute from DC, and are full time masters students (but not funded). Lots of people commute in, and it is generally against traffic, since most people are going into the big city in the morning. I live in Conover Apartments, and I enjoy it. It's very quiet, and there are plenty of families with here (one family with two kids out of our set of four apartments). There is a small playground, and lots of grass to play on out front. The kitchens are sort of pathetic if you enjoy cooking (like I do), but function for basic needs. I consider the value of the apartment to be excellent, but I come from Los Angeles, so all of the housing here seems super cheap.

I don't know anything about the other apartment complexes, but I can ask one of the other students in my program tomorrow who was also here as an undergrad and knows more about the area. In my very small department there are three students with children/wives, and they don't seem to have many additional difficulties because of that. It's also fun to have the babies at some of the events for the rest of us!

Nikara.....Thanks much for sharing! My wife & I are actually hoping to look into Conover Apartments while we're in Newark on Friday. We like the idea that they're right there on campus & all the utilities are packaged into the rent price. A couple of questions:

Do you know if there is a lot of turnover from year-to-year? The housing lady said there is already one family ahead of us on the waiting list if we apply now, and could be more in front of us if we wait very long.

Also, do you know if they show open units? I'm guessing not, since they are probably all full.

Thanks!

[Nikara]

There is some turnover from year to year, as people graduate. As far as I know, most students stay in the apartments for the entirety of their grad experience. It depends on how many people are graduating any specific year. I'm pretty sure there aren't any open units- I believe that they are all full.

[mjej]

There is some turnover from year to year, as people graduate. As far as I know, most students stay in the apartments for the entirety of their grad experience. It depends on how many people are graduating any specific year. I'm pretty sure there aren't any open units- I believe that they are all full.

Thanks, Nikara. One other question: Someone above (from a previous year) mentioned that the apartments feel kind of "dorm-like," noting that they have a cinder block wall and tile floors. How do you feel about that? Do they feel like fairly normal apartments? Is there decent light/windows?

Thanks again!

[GreenePony]

Just wanted to put this out there- I have a friend at UDel and he commutes from West Chester everyday since his girlfriend takes the train into Philly for her PhD, during the start of evening rush hour it took me under an hour to get from UDel's campus to their apartment and that's driving at or under the speed limit (I'm terrible driving in new places).

But the director of the program I had applied to said that most of the grads live in Wilmington (took me about 20 to drive through on my way to WC).

Edited March 7, 2012 by GreenePony

[Nikara]

The lighting/windows are fine, but it is a bit cinderblocky. They aren't the nicest apartments ever, but they work well for me.

[cokohlik]

Any advice on what to expect for Delaware winters? I grew up in Winnipeg, MB so I'm used to the cold and snow, but I've been living in Los Angeles for the past 10 years and am so ready to be back where snow actually falls! I spent thirty minutes trying to find out what to expect for Newark winters and ended up with nothing. Does it snow? Is it freezing cold (please say yes)? Will we need to buy "real" winter coats (e.g., like this one), or should a basic un-lined peacoat or something similar suffice?

Thanks in advance!

[GreenePony]

I grew up a little bit directly east (and have a friend from my hometown who goes to Udel)- from what I remember growing up and what he's said, I don't think you will need a full parka. I mean, my husband will probably use his (don't know why he has it)- but he hasn't lived "in yankee land" in almost 20 years and is a total wimp with cold.

There will probably be a bit of snow and some freezing days but it will likely just be "cold".

Have you checked out Weather.com's averages for the area? http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/USDE0043

[Karima]

Anyone could help me out with housing tips in Newark?

[Nikara]

Weather- I'm a native Angeleno, and I found this winter to be rather cold, but I've been assured by anyone living on the East Coast that this was a rather warm winter. I used a real winter jacket, but I'm a bit of a wimp with the cold. This past winter it only really snowed 3 times, and stuck once. Again, this is rare. A couple of winters ago they got two feet of snow in a storm, but that is also rare. Generally, it is somewhere in between. I really don't have a good way of judging because of how warm this last winter was. Sorry that I can't be of more help!

Karima- What kind of housing are you looking for?

[rinit]

Can we bump this thread up for Fall 2013? I'm visiting in a few weeks, prospective grad student in ocean engineering. Any hints/tips/useful information from current UDel students?

[Compass]

yes!  ^ bump

[caromd50]

Any Fall 2013 persons-- info on Housing, Apartment/House search, room  mate situations, etc?  I'm concerned about a 16.5K stipend (although research suggests that others have found this adequate) with Housing in a *good* area--and not near large/loud undergraduate parties.  Any other thoughts out there? Anyone know Newark area well enough to answer this, and/or send some tips about Housing/things to be aware of?

[Ciscily]

Exactly what caromd said. I also got 16.5k stipend, and same preferences for housing, please.
From what I gathered so far: don't leave in apartments, leave in houses, and more on the west side of the town?

Also, how convenient would it be to live, for example, in Wilmington, and just commute in with public transport?

[rinit]

Also looking for living information. I'm visiting Newark next week-- any must see spots on or around campus to check out?

[caromd50]

Can we keep this thread going?  Especially, information related to Housing Search, living situations, and other F13 applicants who are dealing with this.  When are people planning to house hunt, etc?