Westlake, OH 101 Apartments for Rent

The lovely Cleveland, Ohio suburb of Westlake was called Dover until 1940, when it was renamed to avoid being confused with another Ohio town, also, unsurprisingly enough, called Dover.

Westlake became a city in 1957. With a post-World War II doubling of it’s population, it was no longer a village. Current population hovers at 32,000 residents, but the town began with just two families and an oxcart in 1810. Homesteaders cleared heavily forested land, providing fields for livestock, and water power for sawmills. A key agricultural enclave, Westlake was a large shipping outlet for grapes. Fruit of the vine, anyone? Today, the town grows more than just grapes. It houses a centrally located hub of housing, shops, and offices, as well as a core green space park filled with fountains, community areas, and even chess boards.

Living In Westlake

Along with Crocker Park, which stands as the largest development in the city, Westlake has encouraged business growth for major employers such as Hyland Software, Dave and Busters, and the University Hospital Health System. We wonder - do Dave and Busters employees play video games at least a portion of every work day? American Greetings, the bastion of Get Well, Happy Birthday, and Congratulations wishes on cards across the U.S., is also located here.

Only twelve miles from Cleveland, bike paths and pedestrian friendly sidewalks and trails make Westlake an easy community to get around. The town features a mix of condos for rent, duplexes for rent, and home rentals. If you’re looking for hi rise apartments, they’re in good supply too. A mix of single family homes, attached homes, and apartments of all types make up the character of Westlake. Most properties were built between 1970 and 1999, with a strong supply of newer homes and older, elegant properties available too. Six different wards, each rife with parks, recreation facilities, and community social life, make up Westlake. Lake Erie is near by, for boating, bathing, and wildlife watching.

Right in town, you’ll find The Westlake Recreation Center with it’s soccer and baseball fields, track, tennis, and fishing pond. Indoor facilities abound, including an aquatic center with a lazy river and water slides. There are three area golf courses, Lakewood Country Club, Meadowood, and Hilliard Lakes where you can swing a nine iron.

Neighborhoods

West Dover: Arguably the most buzz worthy neighborhood in Westlake, this established neighborhood has a low vacancy rate. Most homes here were built between 1970 and 1999.

Dover Village: This classic community features mid-century modern design unique enough to warrant city building guidelines to preserve it. The properties are both older and more luxurious than West Dover.

Crocker Park: Located downtown, this mixed use development features a variety of housing, as well as businesses, recreation facilities, and open space. Modern apartments and town homes are the primary form of residence.

Bretton Woods: This is a neighborhood of primarily detached houses, with some larger rental complexes mixed in.  While a river doesn’t run through it, the bucolic Schwartz Creek does.

Laurel Woods: This is the neighborhood for you if you want to reside in an area mixed with houses, apartment complexes, and town homes.

The Estates: Looking for luxury living in a central location?  The Estates is a planned community featuring a pool and tennis courts.

Tips for Renting     

Westlake residents spend a lean fifteen to thirty minutes commuting. While many drive solo to work, residents employed in-town can often bike to work, and residents of the Crocker Park area may have their workplace in easy walking distance to their home.

Start searching about a month or two before a planned move to the Westlake community. With many housing options available, vacancy rates are low in this desirable area.