ayo

I'll be there in the fall as well. My wife and I found a place over the open house weekend; its, like, 3 blocks from the A+A building and is remarkable cheap considering its proximity to campus. We found it through a friend in the MFA program, and it seems that hitting up the graduating class is the way to find the good deals. However parking still sucks. I'm encouraged that there are a number of coffee and food places right across the street from the A+A building too, and there is that ghetto falafel place too. Also, that little magazine shop "News Haven" is great; they have Detail (the proper birkhauser one) and all the good international versions of Vogue.

-andrew

I am looking in the immediate A+A area as well... so far I'm finding decent 1 bedrooms starting at about $850/month. By decent I mean hardwood floors, nice windows and a usable kitchen (I like to cook) however they are all still a bit smaller than I would like (500 sq. ft. or so). I have a "mature" collection of furniture so I am trying to find a place where it will mostly fit! :)

Also, I am a bit ignorant of the New Haven scene... any particular streets/areas that should be avoided for safety/quality of life reasons?

Yeah, I don't really know either, but supposedly our place is kinda on the border of the New Haven "No Zone". Hower, it seems like most of the whole "New Haven is soooo dangerous" talk is overblown; sure, its not paradise, but as long as one uses their head, I'm sure its fine. That said, I think it is advisable to stay within 4 blocks or so of campus.

And I feel ya on the furniture collection. I think we are going to have to stash a bunch of stuff in my parents garage; the goal is to attempt to use the move as an attempt to jettison all the crap we don't need. We'll see how that goes... we are taking the books, plants and cat for sure, tho. heh.

-andrew

C'mon people, let's get this thread going. If for no reason other than I'm going to be trapped at work for at least another hour making sure a file uploads, and am ready to dedicate that time to the internet.

Also, I guess I'll mention that I'm considering starting a corroborative online "information dump/exquisite corpse/stream-of consciousness group blog" for anything even tangentially related to architecture. It would be inspired by the late, great FilePile and "internet surfing clubs" such as nastynets or supercentral. The goal: architectural info-mania. I have some IT friends that can help with the technical shit, we just need a collective will. If anyone is interested, let me know.

-andrew

***

If anyone needs a place to stay during the summer session during July and August, I have a place for sublet directly across the street from school.

email: jhaferd@gmail.com


also supersquare- most areas to the north and west of the sculpture building (dwight street onward) are unsafe... email me if you want more info..

Start a "YSOA Cass of '11" Facebook group, like our YSOA Class of '10.

The "whole New Haven is soooooo dangerous" thing is overblown. Yes. Your chances of encountering violent crime are pretty low. When I was applying to schools I got all sorts of warnings from well-meaning friends who said their sister's roommate's cousin told them that people wearing Yale sweatshirts are murdered on a regular basis as part of gang initiations. The reality is that 3 students have been murdered in the history of the university and that the most recent (1998) was found on the nicest street in the city.

But this doesn't really mean you should give no thought to safety, and I wouldn't recommend living beyond Dwight St. at the furthest, if you must live in that direction at all. Writing from experience and putting aside concerns for physical safety, I have to say from experience that neighborhood is tough on cars and homes and personal property.
My car was broken into until I learned to leave it completely empty and unlocked at all times, with the glove compartment propped open (remember to tape the light switch off if you do this so you don't run down the battery.) Classmates who paid to park in fenced university lots with key cards did not fare any better. I got towed by the city 4 or 5 times - not always for actual infractions - there were days when they just came along the street with a fleet of tow trucks and towed everyone and made up the reasons later. My license plates got tin-snipped twice (theft of registration stickers is rampant. Avoid getting CT plates if you can help it. Another reason for that is that there is personal property tax on cars in CT) . My apartment got broken into over winter break once - most likely by a neighborhood guy who'd been doing odd jobs for the landlord. Objects got stolen off my kitchen table on multiple occasions - grabbed through burglar bars, from a 2nd floor fire escape. When I think about all that I paid for auto glass, towing fees and tickets, replacement stuff for what got stolen, etc. I'm not sure I came out ahead with the cheap rent.

It's nothing compared to Columbia, where a student was murdered (pushed into traffic) during a robbery a few weeks ago.

Well I must say I am more concerned now than I was previously, and this is coming from someone who lives in one of the top three most dangerous metropolitan areas in the nation! I guess I figured it couldn't be any worse than where I am.

I do, however, appreciate the tips Needlebeam. I am not sure yet if I will bring my (notoriously cluttered) car, but I will work on decreasing it's thief attraction rating if necessary.

anonnyc10003 - do you work at Yale? I read your other post...

Heh, yeah, now I'm worried about my car. Its a piece of junk, but I always have tons of stuff in it too. Hmm. I guess its a good excuse to clear it out... otherwise it'll probably be done for me.

Supersquare, where are you coming from? Chicago?

-andrew

I come from tha Dirty South.

Ah yes, The South. Have you ever been to that club in Atlanta that is in an old underground parking garage? A friend took me there once, it didn't seem completely legit, but who knows.

Facebook group for the 2008 incoming class:
(Maybe this will prove to be useful!)

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12444193709

rabbits- I have never heard of/been to the underground parking garage club, but I have lots of friends in Atlanta so I may have to check it out!

Do it, it was a cool place. Heh. Stiff drinks, if I remember.

I've lived in the "grad ghetto" it's not near the arch school but there are yale busses

Two words: 91. Howe.

Thanks sevensixfive... I have heard about that place, but I haven't been able to find anything about it online (anyone know who manages it?). I plan to go up to New Haven in a couple of weeks and I will definitely check it out!

Ah, yeah, forgot about this, sorry, supersquare. Yeah, email me and I can put you in touch with the guy who manages the building.

I imagine prices might've gone up now that it's right across the street from the sculpture studio, but I'll bet it's still a good deal.