Virginia Commonwealth :)

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Who else will be starting at VCU for August 08? :monkeydance:

On that note I guess I'll go ahead and throw out there...any new (pref female) students to VCU for Fall 2008 want a roomie/study buddy for one of the downtown area apts...pm me! :yeah:

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Southside is probably the most questionable area.

First, I will be one of your classmates in August. I'm looking forward to meeting you all!

Second, Southside encompasses a rather large area of Richmond, which is cut in half (North and South) by the James River. I live on the Southside of the James in Chesterfield County, a 'burb of Richmond, and have been here for all of my 27 years. Chesterfield is a great place for families, but has unfortunately felt the brunt of rising housing costs (as is true across America). Hull Street Road and Midlothian Turnpike, the major thoroughfares in Chesterfield, have wretched traffic, but have countless shopping, dining, and other ins and outs. Schools in Chesterfield are fantastic. As a general rule, you get more house and land for your buck in Chesterfield. Crime is particularly localized to the Southside nestled closest to the James River.

The West End, including Short Pump and Western Henrico, is also a great area. The housing boom has created, however, a Northern Virginia crisis for the West End, inflating the cost of living and creating traffic jams reminescent of D.C. Million dollar acres are not uncommon on/off West Broad Street, the main artery slicing through the West End. The cost for building and renting are commensurate with land values, so expect to pay premium dollar in some areas. Shopping and dining hotspots are plentiful. Goochland County is taking many overflows from the West End.

The West End and Southside have been in a cultural battle since I can remember for who is the best, blah, blah, blah. So far as I'm concerned, each has positive and negative attributes. Both are great areas. Both are still the same old Richmond. You'll get the same out of either of them. Southside has Saks Fifth Avenue. The West End has Nordstrom. You can easily break the bank at either. The same goes for everything else.

The East End and Northside, including Church Hill and Mechanicsville (respectively), has its nice points. Church Hill is not the most idyllic for families, a result of the schools and crime rate. You can find beautiful Antebellum homes there, however, and usually earn a tax abatement. The inner city contains some of the highest priced real estate, worst slums, prettiest historical sites, best restaurants, and scarriest crime statistics--- a paradox that is true for most cities. Mechanicsville north of town is mostly a good choice. As with the West End and Southside, don't go too far on certain streets.

Outside of the Richmond Metro area, the Tri-Cities to the south and Ashland to the north are options available. Petersburg in the Tri-Cities is much like Church Hill- crime abound with gorgeous homes. Sad, really. Ashland is a beautiful old train stop, but most of the best homes in the best areas are older and in the high $100,000s.

As an employee and a past student, VCU Parking is the thorn in my side, as will it be yours. The satellite sites around the city where we will take cases are easily navigable, and parking is far more forgiving. Depending on your location around Richmond, you may be paying tolls approaching $2, which is easily forgettable with the out-of-site, out-of-mind SmartTag... you're still paying the tolls, just not having to stop and do so.

Richmond is beautiful, historic, and generally accommodating. It has its set of problems, but will hopefully satisfy and please your families during your stay. I've hung around for this long, so something about it keeps me.

:welcome:

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Thanks Dignout! That is a great summation of the areas and will come in helpful when I fly out this spring to look for housing. It is nice to hear that you still like Richmond after living there for so many years.

I'm looking forward to school starting. It will be nice to meet all of you in person.

Jen

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Thanks, DigNOut. Great info on housing in the area. What do you think of Glen Allen located a little Northwest of Richmond?

Adonai

See you this August!

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Glen Allen is a nice area that has seen a huge boom here of late in housing and economic growth. Being North of Richmond, and having the growing population it has, traffic is fun during rush hour... that being said, few places are immune in Richmond from traffic especially along the I-64 and I-95 corridors. The Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center has become a hotspot for local cultural events that are great for families. Homes are modestly priced as compared to Short Pump, but are still higher than Chesterfield (so far as I know). Low crime and good schools make it a good area for families. Hope this helps.

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Specializes in AICU/CCU.

Ei guys! i got a call from VCU today and i'm accepted for the fall 08 class! im so high, almost could not believe it... it still has to sink in. Hi dignout, do you know if I could rent at VCU's dormitory? since we're still considered students is it possible? wow i'm so excited to meet all of you guys! classmates! yipeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

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Congratulations SirJazz! That is awesome- it sure sounds like you worked really hard and will be a great student. I look forward to meeting you in a few months!

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Ei guys! i got a call from VCU today and i'm accepted for the fall 08 class! im so high, almost could not believe it... it still has to sink in. Hi dignout, do you know if I could rent at VCU's dormitory? since we're still considered students is it possible? wow i'm so excited to meet all of you guys! classmates! yipeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Check out http://www.graduate.vcu.edu/community/housing.html. Craigslist is also a good resource for roommates etc. Congrats and see you in August.

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...considering too that I came all the way from the Philippines just for this.

Guess I should be saying bati. :up::up::up:

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Congratulations SirJazz!!!........I was hoping that everything would turn out well for you..... Especially after reading some of your post on how worked up you were about your interview.....:chrs:

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Specializes in AICU/CCU.
Guess I should be saying bati. :up::up::up:

hahahahahaha i don't know what you meant by bati? are you sure you got the word right?

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hahahahahaha i don't know what you meant by bati? are you sure you got the word right?

I saw you were from the Philippines, and thought I was speaking Tagalog. Oops if I missed the mark- congrats anyway :specs:

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