Apartment near TU

[tshane250]

I have lived here two years and have seen all of two roaches.  If you keep your place clean, they shouldn't be a problem.

Now one insect I have not seen here, but used to see quite a bit in my apartment when I lived in Indianapolis is the house centipede.  Those things are super creepy, though easy to kill as long as you can catch them - they're pretty fast.

[SXSW]

I've seen a cockroach in my house maybe once or twice ever, if you keep things clean and exterminate you shouldn't ever see them.  I've seen spiders and ants more than I have roaches for sure. 

I can't name a specific complex in Riverview to look at, maybe someone else can help you there.  There are lots of them located along Riverside in between 21st and SW Blvd.  The fairly dense (by Tulsa standards) area is on a hillside between the river and downtown with older homes mixed in with your typical apt. complexes and some taller highrises.  The best part is the access to the river trails and especially when the River's Edge (restaurant/bar by the river at 19th) is rebuilt and open again. 

[Conan71]

I've wracked my brain and I can't think of any full-amenity apartment complexes within easy walking distance of TU.  I've lived four blocks south of campus for the last four years and I know of several liveable rental houses near campus right now.  They aren't designer showcase homes, but they are tidy and clean.  This area is very walkable and pretty much every amenity you need is within a two mile radius.

Riverview would be a good compromise for you if your fiance is going to be at the fire academy at Newblock Park. You might also see if you can find a condo to rent in Central Park Condos or Liberty Tower in downtown.  I've not been in University Club Tower in years, but there's another idea, and I believe those are apartments, not condos.  Those are three high-rises which come to mind, I have no idea how much you'd expect to rent one for, but I believe there's a pool and fitness center in Central Park and University Club.  Those are all within reach of Riverparks and downtown and will be within a few miles of TU.  I do believe you can catch a bus close to any of these and get out to TU, but I could be wrong on that.  You can bike from downtown to TU in 15 minutes or so.

You are more than welcome to drop me a PM and I'll get you some specific addresses if you like.

[SXSW]

I've wracked my brain and I can't think of any full-amenity apartment complexes within easy walking distance of TU.  I've lived four blocks south of campus for the last four years and I know of several liveable rental houses near campus right now.  They aren't designer showcase homes, but they are tidy and clean.  This area is very walkable and pretty much every amenity you need is within a two mile radius.

Riverview would be a good compromise for you if your fiance is going to be at the fire academy at Newblock Park. You might also see if you can find a condo to rent in Central Park Condos or Liberty Tower in downtown.  I've not been in University Club Tower in years, but there's another idea, and I believe those are apartments, not condos.  Those are three high-rises which come to mind, I have no idea how much you'd expect to rent one for, but I believe there's a pool and fitness center in Central Park and University Club.  Those are all within reach of Riverparks and downtown and will be within a few miles of TU.  I do believe you can catch a bus close to any of these and get out to TU, but I could be wrong on that.  You can bike from downtown to TU in 15 minutes or so.

You are more than welcome to drop me a PM and I'll get you some specific addresses if you like.

There are two bus lines you can take, one where you would have to walk or bike up to 11th & Denver and catch the eastbound #111 that goes from downtown down 11th with stops right at TU.  Or you take the eastbound #215 from the heart of Riverview at 15th & Denver down 15th through Cherry Street to Delaware and walk 1/2 mile north to TU, taking the westbound buses to get back home.  It's about 3 miles from Riverview to TU so if you bike it would take a good 15-20 min. or longer depending on how fast you bike.  The easiest way to do that would be to bike into downtown and ride east down 6th all the way to TU. 

[dayzella]

Not exactly what you are looking for, but ...

I live west of TU near 15th and Yale.  TU is about a mile to the east, at 11th and Harvard.  For a year, my husband and I had a one car household and made it work, even though Tulsa isn't a public transportation friendly city.  There are several duplexes in the area that might fit some of what you are hoping to find. 

(On Yale near 13th, there is a very small triplex or quadraplex that has been remodeled this year.
The back unit is currently for lease - it definitely looks like a one bedroom.)

At this location, you'd be half a mile north of a large strip shopping center block that has a Lowes, a liquor store, a dollar store, a Target, a Reasor's (a Tulsa grocery supermarket), several quick service restaurants (Subway, a Mexican fast food place, a hot wings place, a hamburger/frozen custard place,) a Sears store, a tchotke store, and probably at least 8 other little businesses that I'm not remembering right now.  This strip mall is across from the current Tulsa Drillers stadium and fairgrounds.  There is no direct bus line that services this part of Yale, but the route is walkable, and bikeable if you stayed on the sidewalk.

From this location, you'd be within 2 blocks of a small private fitness gym run by a local business man called Pit Power Club, at 11th and Yale.  It is across the street from the same businessman's diner, Tally's.  The gym is $35 a month, no contract and has a juicebar attached as a second business next door.  The restaurant is done up as a 50's style diner, and gets an interesting cross section of Tulsa visiting.  Also on this block are several antique/junk shops, and a gas station.

In the mile span towards campus along 11th, along with the seemingly thousands of used car lots are several fast food restaurants, a local coffeehouse called the Collective, a deli called Ella's, several laundromats, a couple of hole-in-the-wall bars, a barbeque takeout place, a tattoo parlor or two, hair cutters, and other small businesses.  11th Street itself is serviced by a bus line, the 111.  I have been running and walking by myself and with my dogs on 11th as early as 5 am and have never felt unsafe.  The 111 bus has an "all walks of life" pack of riders, but again - I've never experienced a problem.

The neighborhoods to the north of 11th and east of Yale are more run-down than those south of 11th and east of Yale, but again - I've run before dawn by myself and walked my dogs in most of them, and have not once had a bad experience with a stranger.  Farther from a grocery but with equal access to neighborhood restaurants and the like is the area between 11th and 15th, closer to Harvard than Yale.  A bus line runs on Harvard, and that area is a couple of miles closer to Cherry Street.

If what you are truly hoping for is a nightlife, an apartment complex with amenities, and something that feels like a city or at least village scene, then accepting that your own commute to TU will take a longer trip on public transportation and will not be usually walkable would be your best bet, and then looking for housing near Cherry Street or Brookside or 18th and Boston.

Good luck on your move - I hope you have a chance to explore Tulsa before you pick a spot.

You'll want to make use of the Tulsa Transit maps while you look up addresses.
Here is the website link:
http://tulsatransit.org/

[godboko71]

Yale is east of TU, and there are lots of duplexes scattered about i the areas around the campus. Riverview or downtown (and its surrounding areas) would be a great compromise if you can't find something in the TU area. 

Good Luck and an early welcome to the area, hopefully you enjoy your stay once your here!!!

[SXSW]

I think you'll notice once you actual walk around TU that the campus itself is very nice, well landscaped with stately older sandstone buildings mixed with new modern glass buildings.  It's a very pedestrian-friendly campus and with the many new apartments that have been added over the years you always see students walking around.  Many argue they could've integrated the apartments into campus better and made it more urban (and I agree) but the apartments are nice and provide needed on-campus housing.  The view from the library looking west toward downtown is great and TU has good D-1 football and basketball teams, both of which have very nice facilities and both located on campus.  One thing that is sorely missing though is a walkable student commercial district by TU like what you see at most colleges.  Along 11th, the main street by TU and the original Rt. 66, there is a collection of fast food places, some retail shops, and a few bars but not much else.  I hope someday someone sees the value of improving that stretch of 11th and creating a 'campus corner' type area, but there is Cherry Street which fills that void about a mile and half to the southwest along 15th between Peoria and Utica.  There you can find local stores and restaurants, coffee shops, and several bars. 

[cjmcinty]

just wanted to thank everyone for all of the information. while overwhelming, your advice and suggestions are greatly appreciated! i have never lived in a city the size of tulsa, so i'm taking in everything i can. more info is definitely welcomed!

[Red Arrow]

i have never lived in a city the size of tulsa, so i'm taking in everything i can.

Looking at a road map of Indiana and checking the population of South Bend, Tulsa will be bigger.  If you read some of the other threads here, you will find that Tulsa is not very dense compared to Chicago, NYC, Philly etc.  Tulsa has a lot of land area but much of it is suburban in nature.  The satellite view in Google Maps has pretty good resolution for most of the Tulsa area. I hope you will enjoy your stay here.

[cjmcinty]

Looking at a road map of Indiana and checking the population of South Bend, Tulsa will be bigger.  If you read some of the other threads here, you will find that Tulsa is not very dense compared to Chicago, NYC, Philly etc.  Tulsa has a lot of land area but much of it is suburban in nature.  The satellite view in Google Maps has pretty good resolution for most of the Tulsa area. I hope you will enjoy your stay here.

yes, i believe it's quite a bit bigger than south bend. i grew up in a town a fraction of the size of south bend; population 1,300.

[dayzella]

just wanted to thank everyone for all of the information. while overwhelming, your advice and suggestions are greatly appreciated! i have never lived in a city the size of tulsa, so i'm taking in everything i can. more info is definitely welcomed!

Another site for you to use while you are looking at the addresses of different housing options:
http://www.walkscore.com/

Here is an explanation of what the site's algorithm is computing:

How It Works

Walk Score helps people find walkable places to live. Walk Score calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc. Walk Score measures how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle—not how pretty the area is for walking.
What does my score mean?

Your Walk Score is a number between 0 and 100. Here are general guidelines for interpreting your score:

    * 90–100 = Walkers' Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.
    * 70–89 = Very Walkable: It's possible to get by without owning a car.
    * 50–69 = Somewhat Walkable: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
    * 25–49 = Car-Dependent: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
    * 0–24 = Car-Dependent (Driving Only): Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

[cannon_fodder]

I think you will be please to discover that Tulsa citizens generally are more analogous to your town of 1300 than to Chicago or even Indianapolis.  You can talk to people on street corners, in elevators, or at checkout lines without getting that "pancakes is wrong with you look."  The people are friendly and willing to help.

If you have any questions, keep asking!  We are happy to help.

(My wife is from a town of 1400 and integrated into Tulsa with no problems)

[tshane250]

There are two bus lines you can take, one where you would have to walk or bike up to 11th & Denver and catch the eastbound #111 that goes from downtown down 11th with stops right at TU.  Or you take the eastbound #215 from the heart of Riverview at 15th & Denver down 15th through Cherry Street to Delaware and walk 1/2 mile north to TU, taking the westbound buses to get back home.  It's about 3 miles from Riverview to TU so if you bike it would take a good 15-20 min. or longer depending on how fast you bike.  The easiest way to do that would be to bike into downtown and ride east down 6th all the way to TU.

What he said, but you could also catch the 215 (15th Street Bus) the opposite direction at 15th and Denver and go to the downtown station (Denver Avenue Station) and catch the 210 (Harvard Bus), which takes you down 3rd Street (on the north side of campus) and then turns onto Harvard (the east side of campus).  So you have three viable transit routes if you wanted to live in the Uptown/Riverview area. 

[cjmcinty]

I am currently looking at the following apartments:

The Vintage on Yale
Westport on the River
Woodland Oaks
Lincoln Park
Renaissance Uptown

The prices vary by about $300/month, so I'm looking for pros and cons regarding location, convenience, amenities etc. so I can better compare complexes. As always, your input is greatly appreciated!

[Conan71]

Vintage on Yale and Lincoln Park are a good ways from TU, especially in morning/evening traffic.