Survival Guide (Indianapolis) - MSA — IU School of Medicine

Living, Finding the Basics —
Indianapolis Survival Guide

Congrats! You’re in medical school! So, where are you going to live? Buy food? Work out? Here are some tips from the oh-so-very-wise Class of 2012

Apartment Hunting

You’re going to be spending a lot of time at school, but you always need a good place to go and get your sleep every night (finals week notwithstanding). Indianapolis has hundreds of living options, and what you should choose simply depends on what matters most to you. Proximity to school and price are two important factors to consider, and sadly enough they are pretty much exclusive of one another.

Keys to finding a good apartment

Start early. Many apartments have long waiting lists, especially those near school.
Look for move in specials. May-August is the peak season for leasing apartments, so you may have a hard time finding these deals, but they can be had with some searching.
If money is a big issue for you, consider finding a roommate. Two bedroom apartments are generally less expensive. See the Finding a Roommate section below!
Ask the leasing agent about the length of your lease. If you know you’ll be going back home after school ends in May, you can look into signing a lease for less than a year, but you’ll have to pay a little bit more per month and will have to find housing once you come back.
Ask about locations of things that matter to you: Grocery stores? Coffee shops? Bars? Libraries? Gas stations? Malls? Parks?
Clarify with your leasing agent exactly what your rent covers. Some places don’t charge for water, and a few pay even more.
Be prepared to fork over a few hundred bucks for an application fee and deposit, as well as your first month’s rent before moving in.
If none of these resources help you find the apartment you want, you can always search www.craigslist.com, www.forrent.com, or www.citysearch.com for other listings.

Downtown

If you want to live downtown, START EARLY as there are often waiting lists. You definitely pay for convenience when you live downtown. However, while the rent may be higher, students who live downtown can walk or ride a bike to class, saving both time and money… and helping the environment all at the same time. They also don’t have to pay for a parking pass at school, can go home for lunch (or a nap), and are a short distance from downtown nightlife. One downside is that outside of O’Malia’s, there isn’t a decent grocery or retail store (i.e. Meijer’s, Target, Walmart, Kroger) within 15 minutes. The following are some of the more popular places for students to live:

Lockefield Gardens: This is the closest apartment complex to campus. It is located across the street from campus and has a shorter walking distance to class than from the parking lot. This is probably one of the best values in downtown Indy, as a nice one-bedroom will run you about $600-$800 depending on what floor plan you choose. Outdoor parking is free, or you can get a garage for $50/month 317.631.2992 M-F 9:30-6, Sat 9-5, Sun noon-5
The Gardens of Canal Court: This is one of the nicest apartment complexes downtown, and the rent (between $842-1005 for one, $975-1300 for two bedrooms) reflects that. These apartments are a 10-15 minute walk to school and offer access to the canal. The units are fairly spacious and the grounds are very well kept. Outdoor parking is free, or you can get a garage for $75/month. 317.636.2126 or 800.846.0444 M-F 9:30-6, Sat 9-5, Sun noon-5
Canal Square: This complex is just south of The Gardens of Canal Court, and is also about a 15 minute walk from campus. One advantage of this place is that it offers free secured parking for one tenant, but it is $75 bucks/month for each additional car in case you have a roommate. 317.631.7030 or 800.357.7048 M-F 9-6, Sat 10-5, Sun noon-5
Riley Towers: Features Indy’s only high-rise living. You can spend anywhere from $535 for a studio up to $1300 for a two-bedroom “town home”. Ask about the campus shuttle service. (rtowers@indy.net) 317.635.300. 650 N. Alabama M-F 9-6, Sat 10-5, Sun noon-5
The Continental and Blacherne apartments: These apartments are located at the intersection of Meridian & Vermont, which puts you a few blocks away from Monument Circle and a few blocks away from campus. The apartments are newer and quite spacious, but parking is tricky unless you want to pay $90/month for a parking spot in the garage. 317.972.4100 410 North Meridian Street M-F 9-5, Sat 10-5, Sun noon-5
Riverpointe: This complex is located just west of the White River, and offers the cheapest of all the downtown apartments. For about 500 bucks you get a one bedroom apartment with all utilities paid including cable and high-speed internet. Two bedrooms are even cheaper per person. The Four Seasons it’s not, but they do offer a shuttle to campus and a playground. 866.423.4816 M-F 8-6, Sat 10-4, Sun closed
The Block: These apartments are located in the historic Block Building above TJ Maxx, and offer direct access to the Circle Center Mall. If you want a cool loft and have the money (about a dollar per square foot) this is a really nice place to live. The apartments are brand new and offer super-tall ceilings and downtown views. Parking is pricey, but the mall and downtown access might just make it worth all that coin. 866.446.3244 M-F 9-5, Sat. by appointment
Other Downtown Housing: There are lots of other apartment complexes located downtown. These are just a few popular choices. You might also consider renting a house close to school. There is about a three block radius bounded by Indiana, 10th, West St., and St. Clair that offers a lot of remodeled homes for rent. This may be an especially good deal if you have a couple of people to live with. If that doesn’t work out for you, here’s a list of property management companies that run a lot of the downtown complexes.

Van Rooy – 317.684.7300 or www.vanrooy.com
Sexton – 317.846.4444 or 800.846.0444 or www.sextonproperties.com
Zender – 317.488.8800 or www.zender.us

Outside the immediate downtown area

One popular location is the West 38th Street area (38th and I-465 area), where many apartment complexes are located. These apartments are about a 15 min drive to campus.
The advantages to living near the Broadripple area (50-60th and College Ave.) are the many popular nightspots nearby. The commute from Broadripple will be 20-30 min.
Few students live on the North/Northeast side (Keystone and Castleton areas) due to the lengthy morning commute (30-45 min).
Other apartment complexes are listed online at apartmentguide.com. Similar apartment guides can be found at local newspaper vending machines. The Rent Indy section of the Indianapolis Star is helpful as well.

Finding roommates

Some students have tried to find roommates from the medical school (or law, dental, PT schools, etc...). If you are interested in rooming with other med students, check the forums for the Class of 2012 on www.iusom.org. Also try directing questions to Jose Espada ...he is an excellent resource for many different things...get to know him early on!

Try these options: