Urbana: Birthplace of the HAL 9000, the only Kubrick villain more sinister than Jack "Heres Johnny!" Torrance!
Urbana is the quintessential Midwestern college town young, hip, and funkier than Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s 42,000 students make up a big chunk of Urbana’s 41,250 residents, which explains why the city is filled with inexpensive pizza joints, beaten-up Hondas bought off Craigslist, and 18-year old freshmen sneaking fake IDs into bars. Which isn’t to say that Urbana is only a college town; it is an old city with a rich history. But the dominating presence of the university which, incidentally ranks among the 15 best public universities in the country colors all perceptions of the city. The weather is hot in the summers, cold, but not bitterly so, in the winters. Since there are plenty of college students around, a thriving entertainment and restaurant industry has developed in Urbana and its sister city next door, Champaign (together called Champana). Champana is also the home of the burgeoning Illinois tech industry, often dubbed the Silicon Prairie.' So if it’s a liberal college-town with great food, excellent entertainment, and tech jobs youve been searching for, read on!
Not to scare you or anything, but house hunting in Urbana can be a little tricky. For one, there aren’t a ton of great homes to be had (a familiar problem in college towns), and the ones that are decent enough get snapped up faster than a Ryan Gosling lookalike at a bachelor auction. Youll often find groups of students sharing large apartments near the University of Illinois campus. The quality of accommodation improves the further you move from the campus, but that also makes it that much more difficult to be in the city’s best hangout spots.
Getting to the city can be somewhat difficult as well. The Champana metropolitan area is served by the tiny Willard Airport, which is operated by the university. Only two commercial flights fly into this airport, one each from Dallas and Chicago. Youll have much better luck getting in by train, as the city is served by the Amtrak system. I-57 N connects the city with Chicago, which lies 140 miles to the north. You can also take the I-74 to Cincinnati, 232 miles to the east.
How Much Will It Cost?
It depends. Rental rates increase the closer you move to the university campus because of high demand from students. Places within walking distance from the university are not only expensive, but as elusive as Big Foot. A mile or so off-campus, you can get large 3-4 bedroom places for rather modest sums. However, most of these places are rather "lived-in" (by college kids, no less), which, in realtor-speak, means worn out carpeting, torn wallpapers, and leaky faucets, not to mention loud college parties next door.
Go further east/north and rental rates increase, but the quality of housing improves as well. A quality 2 bedroom place near Urbana’s popular Dog Park will be much less expensive, for example. Plus, there wont be any pesky, no-good college kids to bother you this far out from the university.
When to Start Looking
This is the part that separates the men from the boys, the grain from the chaff, the Rockys from the Ivan Dragos. Getting a good place in Urbana can often mean months of looking no, were not kidding, literally months. It isn’t unusual for people to sign a lease in October for move-in the following August, especially around the University area. Of course, you can save yourself weeks of agony and stress-induced hair loss by getting a place a little further from the University. In keeping with the cadences of a college town, most of these places get on the market around March-June for August leasing. If you’re in a hurry and want something as quickly as possible, you’ll have to move even further from the campus and be prepared to plop down cash on the table immediately after making an offer.
What Youll Need
As a college-town, expect landlords to be a pretty laid back when it comes to the required documentation for getting a place. That doesn’t mean you can sneak in without income proof (or, barring that, an admission offer from the University) and identity proof. If you’re young and can show that youre either studying or just graduated, most landlords will let a few requirements like credit history slide. Not looking like a practicing Rastafarian will help as well. Stow away your cat with your spinster aunt though; most apartments anywhere near the campus aren’t exactly pet-friendly.
For someone moving from Chicago, Urbana’s neighborhoods can look decidedly uniform with their brick buildings and stately old trees. However, a bunch of relatively new neighborhoods have gone up in the last two decades, such that Urbana can even be said to have its own suburbs. Most residents, including students, on the other hand, prefer the 3-4 bedroom family homes that can be found aplenty in the citys neighborhoods, some of which are:
East Urbana: A historic neighborhood where most homes are a hundred years or older, this is the kind of place you’d want to move in when you are a distinguished professor at a top rated public university (like, ehem, the University of Illinois). The homes here evoke a stately elegance usually found only in special New England towns. Brick roads and old, thick trees only add to the charm. Downtown Urbana and Lincoln Square are within walking distance, and the university campus itself is just a short bike ride away.
West Urbana: Like East Urbana, this neighborhood boasts a rich history, brick roads, and thick, old trees.You can also walk to the university or the downtown, which is why homes in this neighborhood are among the most sought after in the city.
Stone Creek: Stone Creek is a recently finished development with modern, upscale single family homes spread out on large lots overlooking the Stone Creek Golf Course. Theres plenty of room for outdoor activities with jogging tracks, parks, and of course, the golf course all located within the community. You _will_need a car to drive to downtown, unless biking five miles in Midwestern winters is a particular hobby of yours.
Myra Ridge and South Ridge: Myra Ridge and South Ridge are proof that Urbana is much more than just a college town. Homes in these two neighboring subdivisions were constructed around 15-30 years ago and boast a peaceful, suburban vibe. Plenty of University of Illinois employees, as well as married professionals plying their trade in Champana, call it home. The South Ridge Park is the dominant land feature and a favorite haunt of local residents.
Berringer Commons:Located in the city’s northeast, Beringer Commons is the citys most upscale neighborhood with 15 year-old homes built around four lakes. Most homes are on huge lots with spectacular views of the lakes.
I Love College
Never forget that Urbana is largely a college town (dont worry; the droves of college students will constantly remind you). Be prepared to meet college kids just about everywhere in town, which, depending on what side of 35 you fall on, is either the greatest thing since someone combined peanut butter & jelly, or a nightmare inducing scenario.
Cars are Optional
Urbana is a small city; the C-U bus system is efficient enough, and the weather is mostly nice the year round making walking and biking not only efficient, but also pleasurable. In other words, in Urbana you won’t need to visit the most expensive place in town the gas station, of course!
The Ghost of David Foster Wallace
Few writers influenced modern American writing the same way as David Foster Wallace. His father, Professor James Wallace, is professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as well. Which is to say, if you run into any English majors (and who are we kidding; you will run into a lot of English majors), be prepared for long elegies to the man who wrote Infinite Jest.
The Farmers Market is Awesome
Most cities have farmers markets. Few cities can boast something as awesome as Market at the Square. Originally just a place for nearby farmers to sell their corn, tomatoes and watermelons, the market has grown into a full-fledged community organized commercial enterprise where you can buy everything from artisan beer to locally produced crafts.
Serious Sweetcorn Love
You know you’re in the Midwest when your city hosts an annual sweetcorn festival. The Urbana Sweetcorn Festival, originally started in 1975, has ballooned into a huge attraction with dog shows, car shows, book sales, and of course, sweetcorn, in all its glorious avatars.
