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I moved to the Inner Richmond (sort of by accident, long story) and I'm surprised at how great the neighborhood is. It may be better just for living, but I thin

by neilk 16y ago

I moved to the Inner Richmond (sort of by accident, long story) and I'm surprised at how great the neighborhood is. It may be better just for living, but I think it could be practical for a penny-pinching startup too. - Much cheaper rents - Services: lots of restaurants, especially Asian, many open very late (you have lots of options even from midnight to 3AM), bookstores, bars. - If you pick your location properly (close to California or Geary, and near certain stops) you can catch express buses to and from downtown at peak hours. 20-25 min to a BART station or SOMA. Off-peak it's more like 30-40 min. - Unlike SOMA, my cell phone works here ;) - Downsides: no techie neighbors, except Archive.org who recently took over the old Christian Science building on Park Presidio & Clement. Just generally, the place feels like a real neighborhood rather than some sort of Potemkin village constructed for yuppies or hipsters. That's important to me, anyway.

geebee 16y ago
I lived in the inner richmond while I was working down the peninsula. I agree with everything you've said about the neighborhood - a lot of good bars, inexpensive restaurants, quick access to downtown on express buses, cheaper rents. Huge downside: very difficult to get south on the freeways. There's no clear path, so you have to fight your way through city traffic. At rush hour, this can easily add 25 aggravating minutes to your commute (and add in an extra 10-15 minutes to find parking in the inner richmond). Really, it's a lot easier to live in the city and work south from the south-central neighborhoods (sunnyside, glen park, mission terrace, bernal). Ultimately, I'd say that if you work downtown and only need to go to the valley now and then, the inner richmond is a great pick. But if you're in a daily commute type situation going south, I'd avoid it.
ardit33 16y ago
I agree. Lived close to the Inner Richmond (Laurel Heights), and I loved the neighborhood. The starbucks at the Laurel Village is open 24hr, and always full! It is a very nice place if you want to hack at midnight, and get some caffeine. You can also run all the way to the Marina/Chrissy fields if you are feeling for a long and hilly run, or just run to Golden Gate Park for a more flat one. The only downside is the weather. Inner richmond gets some good amount of fog/wind (not as bad as outter richmond, or sunset), but still it is significant. I moved to mountain view now, and I miss it :(

by neilk 16y ago

geebee 16y ago

I lived in the inner richmond while I was working down the peninsula. I agree with everything you've said about the neighborhood - a lot of good bars, inexpensive restaurants, quick access to downtown on express buses, cheaper rents. Huge downside: very difficult to get south on the freeways. There's no clear path, so you have to fight your way through city traffic. At rush hour, this can easily add 25 aggravating minutes to your commute (and add in an extra 10-15 minutes to find parking in the inner richmond). Really, it's a lot easier to live in the city and work south from the south-central neighborhoods (sunnyside, glen park, mission terrace, bernal). Ultimately, I'd say that if you work downtown and only need to go to the valley now and then, the inner richmond is a great pick. But if you're in a daily commute type situation going south, I'd avoid it.

ardit33 16y ago

I agree. Lived close to the Inner Richmond (Laurel Heights), and I loved the neighborhood. The starbucks at the Laurel Village is open 24hr, and always full! It is a very nice place if you want to hack at midnight, and get some caffeine. You can also run all the way to the Marina/Chrissy fields if you are feeling for a long and hilly run, or just run to Golden Gate Park for a more flat one. The only downside is the weather. Inner richmond gets some good amount of fog/wind (not as bad as outter richmond, or sunset), but still it is significant. I moved to mountain view now, and I miss it :(