You can sense it in the ubiquitous “Help Wanted” posters in artsy shops and restaurants, in the ranks of university students living out of their cars and in the outsize percentage of locals camping on the streets.
This seaside county known for its windswept beauty and easy living is in the midst of one of the most serious housing crises anywhere in home-starved California. Santa Cruz County, home to a beloved surf break and a bohemian University of California campus, also claims the state’s highest rate of homelessness and, by one measure based on local incomes, its least affordable housing.
Leaders in the city of Santa Cruz have responded to this hardship in a land of plenty — and to new state laws demanding construction of more affordable housing — with a plan to build up rather than out.
A downtown long centered on quaint sycamore-lined Pacific Avenue has boomed with new construction in recent years. Shining glass and metal apartment complexes sprout in multiple locations, across a streetscape once dominated by 20th century classics like the Art Deco-inspired Palomar Inn apartments.
And the City Council and planning department envision building even bigger and higher, with high-rise apartments of up to 12 stories in the southern section of downtown that comes closest to the city’s boardwalk and the landmark wooden roller coaster known as the Giant Dipper.
“It’s on everybody’s lips now, this talk about our housing challenge,” said Don Lane, a former mayor and an activist for homeless people. “The old resistance to development is breaking down, at least among a lot of people.”
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Said current Mayor Fred Keeley, a former state assemblyman: “It’s not a question of ‘no growth’ anymore. It’s a question of where are you going to do this. You can spread it all over the city, or you can make the urban core more dense.”
But not everyone in famously tolerant Santa Cruz is going along. The high-rise push has spawned a backlash, exposing sharp divisions over growth and underscoring the complexities, even in a city known for its progressive politics, of trying to keep desirable communities affordable for the teachers, waiters, firefighters and store clerks who provide the bulk of services.
A group originally called Stop the Skyscrapers — now Housing for People — protests that a proposed city “housing element” needlessly clears the way for more apartments than state housing officials demand, while providing too few truly affordable units.
City officials say the plan they hope to finalize in the coming weeks, with its greater height limits, only creates a path for new construction. The intentions of individual property owners and the vicissitudes of the market will continue to make it challenging to build the 3,736 additional units the state has mandated for the city.
“We’ve talked to a lot of people, going door to door, and the feeling is it’s just too much, too fast,” said Frank Barron, a retired county planner and Housing for People co-founder. “The six- and seven-story buildings that they’re building now are already freaking people out. When they hear what [the city is] proposing now could go twice as high, they’re completely aghast.”
Susan Monheit, a former state water official and another Housing for People co-founder, calls 12-story buildings “completely out of the human scale,” adding: “It’s out of scale with Santa Cruz’s branding.”
Housing for People has gathered enough signatures to put a measure on the March 2024 ballot that, if approved, would require a vote of the people for development anywhere in the city that would exceed the zoning restrictions codified in the current general plan, which include a cap of roughly seven or eight stories downtown.
The activists say that they are trying to restore the voices of everyday Santa Cruzans and that city leaders are giving in to out-of-town builders and “developer overreach laws.”
The nascent campaign has generated spirited debate. Opponents contend the slow-growth measure would slam on the brakes, just as the city is overcoming decades of construction inertia. They say Santa Cruz should be a proud outlier in a long string of wealthy coastal cities that have defied the state’s push to add housing and bring down exorbitant home prices and rental costs.
Diana Alfaro, who works for a Santa Cruz development company, said many of the complaints about high-rise construction sound like veiled NIMBYism.
“We always hear, ‘I support affordable housing, but just not next to me. Not here. Not there. Not really anywhere,’ ” said Alfaro, an activist with the national political group YIMBY [Yes In My Back Yard] Action. “Is that really being inclusive?”
The dispute has divided Santa Cruz’s progressive political universe. What does it mean to be a “good liberal” on land-use issues in an era when UC Santa Cruz students commonly triple up in small rooms and Zillow reports a median rent of $3,425 that is higher than San Francisco’s?
Beginning in the 1970s, left-leaning students at the new UC campus helped power a slow-growth movement that limited construction across broad swaths of Santa Cruz County. Over the decades, the need for affordable housing was a recurring discussion. The county was a leader in requiring that builders who put up five units of housing or more set aside 15% of the units at below-market rates.
But Mayor Keeley said local officials gave only a “head nod” to the issue when it came to approving specific projects. “Well, here we are, 30 or 40 years later,” Keeley said, “and these communities are not affordable.”
Today, with 265,000 residents, the county is substantially wealthy and white.
An annual survey this year found Santa Cruz County pushed past San Francisco to be the least affordable rental market in the country, given income levels in both places. And many observers say UC Santa Cruz students contend with the toughest housing market of any college town in the state.
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State legislators have crafted dozens of laws in recent years to encourage construction of more homes, particularly apartments. While California has long required local governments to draft “housing elements” to demonstrate their commitment to affordable housing, state officials only recently passed other measures to actually push cities to put the plans into practice.
Regional government associations draw up a Regional Housing Needs Assessment, designating how many housing units — including affordable ones — should be built during an eight-year cycle. The state Department of Housing and Community Development can reject plans it deems inadequate.
For years 2024 to 2031, Santa Cruz was told it should build at least 3,736 units, on top of its existing 24,036.
Santa Cruz and other cities have been motivated, at least in part, by a heavy “stick”: In cases when cities fail to produce adequate housing plans, the state’s so-called “builder’s remedy” essentially allows developers to propose building whatever they want, provided some of the housing is set aside for low- or middle-income families. In cities like Santa Monica and La Cañada-Flintridge, builders have invoked the builder’s remedy to push ahead with large housing projects, over the objections of city leaders.
The Santa Cruz City Council resolved to avoid losing control of planning decisions. A key part of their plan envisions putting up to 1,800 units in a sleepy downtown neighborhood of auto shops, stores and low-rise apartments south of Laurel Street. Initial concepts suggested one block could go as high as 175 feet (roughly 16 stories), but council members later proposed a 12-story height limit, substantially taller than the stately eight-story Palomar, which remains the city’s tallest building.
City planners say focusing growth in the downtown neighborhood makes sense, because bus lines converge there at a transit center and residents can walk to shops and services.
“The demand for housing is not going away,” said Lee Butler, the city’s director of planning and community development, “and this means we will have less development pressure in other areas of the city and county, where it is less sustainable to grow.”
A public survey found support for a variety of other proposed improvements to make the downtown more attractive to walkers, bikers and tourists. Among other features, the plan would concentrate new restaurants and shops around the San Lorenzo River Walk; replace the fabric-topped 2,400-seat Kaiser Permanente Arena, which hosts the Santa Cruz Warriors (the G-league affiliate of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors), with a bigger entertainment and sports venue; and better connect downtown with the beach and boardwalk.
Business owners say they favor the housing plan for a couple of reasons: They hope new residents will bring new commerce, and they want some of the affordable apartments to go to their workers, who frequently commute well over an hour from places such as Gilroy and Salinas.
Restaurateur Zach Davis called the high cost of housing “the No. 1 factor” that led to the 2018 closure of Assembly, a popular farm-to-table restaurant he co-owned.
“How do we keep our community intact, if the people who make it all happen, the workers who make Santa Cruz what it is, can’t afford to live here anymore?” Davis asked.
The city’s plan indicates that 859 of the units built over the next eight years will be for “very low income” families. But the term is relative, tied to a community’s median income, which in Santa Cruz is $132,800 for a family of four. Families bringing home between $58,000 and $82,000 would qualify as very low income. Tenants in that bracket would pay $1,800 a month for a three-bedroom apartment in one recently completed complex, built under the city’s requirement that 20% of units be rented for below-market rents.
The people pushing for high-rise development say expanding the housing supply will stem ever-rising rents. Opponents counter that the continued growth of UC Santa Cruz, which hopes to add 8,500 students by 2040, and a new surge of highly paid Silicon Valley “tech bros” looking to put down roots in beachy Santa Cruz would quickly gobble up whatever number of new units are built.
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“They say that if you just build more housing, the prices will come down. Which is, of course, not true,” said Gary Patton, a former county supervisor and an original leader in the slow-growth movement. “So we’ll have lots more housing, with lots more traffic, less parking, more neighborhood impacts and more rich people moving into Santa Cruz.”
Leaders on Santa Cruz’s political left say new construction only touches one aspect of the housing crisis. Some of the leaders of Tenant Sanctuary, a renters’ rights group, would like to see Santa Cruz tamp down rents by creating complexes owned by the state or cooperatives and enacting a rent control law capping annual increases.
“No matter what they build, we need housing where the price is not tied to market swings and how much money can be squeezed out of a given area of land,” said Zav Hershfield, a board member for the group.
The up-zoning of downtown parcels has won the support of much of the city’s establishment, including the county Chamber of Commerce, whose chief executive said exorbitant housing prices are excluding blue-collar workers and even some well-paid professionals. “The question is, do you want a lively, vital, economically thriving community?” said Casey Beyer, CEO of the business group. “Or do you want to be a sleepy retirement community?”
Just days after the anti-high-rise measure qualified for the March ballot, the two sides began bickering over what impact it would have.
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Lane, the former mayor, and two affordable housing developers wrote an op-ed for the Lookout Santa Cruz news site that said the ballot measure is crafted so broadly it would apply to all “development projects.” They contend that could trigger the need for citywide votes for projects as modest as raising a fence from 6 feet to 7 feet, adding an ADU to a residential property or building a shelter for the homeless, if the projects exceed current practices in a given neighborhood.
The authors accused ballot measure proponents of faux environmentalism. “If we don’t go up,” they wrote, “we have less housing near jobs — and more people driving longer distances to get to work.”
The ballot measure proponents countered that their critics were misrepresenting facts. They said the measure would not necessitate voter approval for mundane improvements and would come into play in relatively few circumstances, for projects that require amendments to the city’s General Plan.
While not staking out a formal position on the ballot measure, the city’s planning staff has concluded the measure could force citizen votes for relatively modest construction projects.
The two sides also can’t agree on the impact of a second provision of the ballot measure. It would increase from 20% to 25% the percentage of “inclusionary” (below-market-rate) units that developers would have to include in complexes of 30 units or more.
The ballot measure writers say such an increase signals their intent to assure that as much new housing as possible goes to the less affluent. But their opponents say that when cities try to force developers to include too many sub-market apartments, the builders end up walking away.
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Santa Cruz’s housing inventory shows that the city has the potential to add as many as 8,364 units in the next eight years, when factoring in proposals such as the downtown high-rises and UC Santa Cruz’s plan to add about 1,200 units of student housing. That’s more than double the number required by the state. But the Department of Housing and Community Development requires this sort of “buffer,” because the reality is that many properties zoned for denser housing won’t get developed during the eight-year cycle.
As with many aspects of the downtown up-zoning, the two sides are at odds over whether incorporating the potential for extra development amounts to judicious planning or developer-friendly overkill.
The city’s voters have rejected housing-related measures three times in recent years. In 2018, they decisively turned down a rent control proposal. Last year, they said no to taxing owners who leave homes in the community sitting empty. But they also rejected a measure that would have blocked a plan to relocate the city’s central library while also building 124 below-market-rate apartment units.
The last time locals got this worked up about their downtown may have been at the start of the new millennium, when the City Council considered cracking down on street performers. That prompted the owner of Bookshop Santa Cruz, another local landmark, to print T-shirts and bumper stickers entreating fellow residents to “Keep Santa Cruz Weird.”
Santa Cruzans once again are being asked to consider the look and feel of their downtown and whether its future should be left to the City Council, or voters themselves. The measure provokes myriad questions, including these: Can funky, earnest, compassionate Santa Cruz remain that way, even with high-rise apartments? And, with so little housing for students and working folks, has it already lost its charm?
There’s been quite a bit of discussion in the news and on MBS Live surrounding a few interesting questions regarding the Fed’s apparent pivot/shift on the rate outlook. Does the Fed think about politics? Was the pivot a surprise? Was it justified? If it’s an unjustified surprise, is it therefore political? etc. Because today’s trading session offered so very little in terms of market movement to analyze, we’ve instead turned our attention to addressing those more interesting questions in today’s recap.
Jobless Claims
205k vs 215k f’cast, 203k prev
Philly Fed Index
-10.5 vs -3.0 f’cast, -5.9 prev
Q3 Final GDP
4.9 vs 5.2 f’cast
deflator 3.3 vs 3.5 f’cast
08:38 AM
unchanged to a hair weaker overnight, but now stronger after data. 10yr down 1.5bps at 3.838. MBS up 2 ticks (0.06).
10:12 AM
Gains turning to losses. MBS down 3 ticks (.09) and 10yr up 2.8bps at 3.881.
01:26 PM
weakest levels of the day. 10yr up 4.8bps at 3.901. MBS down 7 ticks (.22).
02:52 PM
Off the weakest levels. MBS down only 3 ticks (.09) and 10yr up 4bps at 3.894.
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The South End is a unique neighborhood. Like many in Boston, it is built on reclaimed marshland. But the modern-day South End is a bustling, vibrant, diverse district filled with hipsters and doctors and old school Bostonians, trendy eateries and dive bars and pricey mansions and housing projects.
The South End is alive with public parks and green spaces, restaurants and vintage clothing shops, mansions and South End apartments. Even before its swaths of gentrification, it was a haven for the LGBTQ community.
But its most distinguishing feature is its Victorian-style row houses. In fact, South End, Boston’s 300-acre district of original Victorian homes which is the largest collection in the nation.
Where is the South End in Boston?
Despite its name, the South End is not the south end of Boston. South End is not even directly south of downtown, that’s reserved for Southie. Sure, there was a time when the South End was the southern limits of the city, but that was back in the days when most of Boston was tidal marshes.
Source: Rent.
The South End sits southwest of downtown, with Chinatown forming its northern border. Back Bay and Fenway-Kenmore are along its western side. Roxbury (and more specifically Lower Roxbury) is to its south. And, yes, South Boston is to the east. The Mass Pike and the I-93 Central Artery join at the northeast corner. Melnea Cass Boulevard and the Massachusetts Avenue Connector are along South End’s south end. The Boston & Providence Railroad and the Southwest Corridor Park form its northwest border.
Tremont and Washington Streets and Columbus Avenue are the primary east/west thoroughfares. The South End, Boston ZIP Code 02118 covers most of the neighborhood.
South End overview
The South End in part is as homey and traditional Boston as the old neighborhoods of Southie. It’s also in part as buzzy and hip as Fenway–Kenmore. And parts are as upscale as the best of Back Bay.
It’s the South End’s diversity that keeps it fresh and unique. Every block of South End is distinct from every other, and a plethora of different people, cultures and economic backgrounds exist.
Studio average rent: $2,586
One-bedroom average rent: $3,304
Two-bedroom average rent: $4,590
Walk score: 95.17
Bike score: 84.82
Transit score: 93.29
Living in the South End
So what is it like living in South End, Boston? It’s a diverse and distinct neighborhood. There are many whites as non-whites, and represents backgrounds and cultures from across the globe. It’s hip and traditional, upscale and down to earth. It’s family-friendly and LGBTQ-friendly, with gritty old-time New Englanders and young couples.
The South End is convenient and lively, full of things to do and places to go. And wherever you are, it’s easy to get to.
Demographics
The South End has always been diverse. It has Irish, Lebanese, Greek, Puerto Rican, Jewish and Black communities, many dating back to the 1880s. Today it is home to many immigrant and ethnic communities, young professionals, long-time residents and a significant LGBTQ presence since World War II.
The neighborhood has both wealthy and low-income sections, with an average income nearing $60,000.
Despite gentrification, the neighborhood remains nearly 50/50 white versus non-white, including nearly equal populations of Black, Latino and Asian-American residents.
The median age is 36, just below half live alone and just over half are college grads.
Education
The South End is home to the McKinley Schools, a collection of institutions for kindergarten through graduation, including the McKinley South End Academy. Blackstone Elementary School matriculates students through fifth grade. Josiah Quincy Upper School operates from sixth through twelfth grade. These are all public institutions within the Boston Public Schools system.
The Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology is a private college for engineering and industrial technology. It was founded in 1908 with funds from Franklin’s will and a gift from Andrew Carnegie.
Safety
Previously, the neighborhood was one of the most dangerous in the city. Today, with its economic diversity, the South End is broader, with both safe family-friendly blocks and risky streets near subsidized housing.
In general, it has relatively low rates of violent street crime compared to other nearby neighborhoods. Property crime is also on par with Boston in total.
Sidewalks are readily available and the streets are mostly well lit.
Recreation and entertainment
The South End is known for its lush and accessible green spaces. The neighborhood features 11 residential parks, many of which are English-style squares featuring fountains and cast iron fencing. There are a number of pocket parks and community gardens as well.
Some of the best trendy restaurants and cafés dot the South End, including the original J.J. Foley’s Café which dates back to 1909. The neighborhood is ranked the second-best for restaurants in all of Boston. It also has a lively bar scene, especially of the dive variety. Jazz it up over at Wally’s Café, one of the nation’s oldest jazz clubs.
Galleries abound, particularly in the SoWa (South of Washington) Art + Design District. And nearby, don’t miss the SoWa Open Market for everything from luncheonettes to art galleries with food trucks and pop-up beer gardens.
The South End also a shopper’s haven, including high-end florists, vintage clothing, twee furniture and even fresh meat at the iconic The Butcher Shop.
Transportation
The MBTA Orange Line runs along the northwestern border of the South End. Ruggles, Massachusetts Avenue and Back Bay stations all serve the neighborhood. As well, the T stations on the Green Line at Copley, Symphony and Prudential in Back Bay are just a block or two away. MBTA commuter rail trains stop at both Ruggles and Back Bay stations along the Franklin, Needham, Providence/Stoughton and Framingham/Worcester lines. And the Silver Line bus rapid transit to downtown runs along Washington Street.
The South End is reached easily by car. The neighborhood is accessible off the Massachusetts Turnpike Exit 22 Dartmouth Street at Copley Place and Exit 24 at South Station.
Medical care
The South End is Boston’s premier medical district. The original Boston City Hospital opened in 1864 and merged with Boston University Medical Center Hospital in the 1990s to create Boston Medical Center.
Today, BMC is the largest Level I trauma center in New England. The Boston University School of Medicine, which uses BMC as its teaching hospital, is next door. Nearby is the South End Community Health Center offering affordable comprehensive healthcare and community services.
Because of the number of hospitals and medical facilities nearby, the South End is a popular neighborhood for doctors and medical professionals to call home.
10 things to do in the South End
There is so much to do in South End, Boston, you could find a different activity, eatery or event for every weekend day of the year, no matter your tastes.
Go shopping for the best vintage men’s clothing and accessories in Boston at SAULT New England.
Swing to hot jazz and cool standards at Wally’s Café, the former Wally’s Paradise, one of the oldest jazz clubs in America.
Take a selfie in front of the former St. James Hotel, now Franklin Square House Apartments. The familiar exterior was used for the fictional St. Eligius Hospital on the Emmy award-winning television series “St. Elsewhere.”
Brunch with your BFFs and catch up on the week at South End Buttery bakery and coffee shop.
Join a pickup game of ultimate Frisbee or hit a few tennis balls around at Carter Playground.
Take in a show and the history at the Boston Center for the Arts’ Cyclorama which dates back to 1884 and is the headquarters of the Boston Ballet.
Christmas shop at the SoWa Winter Festival, in South End’s South of Washington district, a holiday village and market featuring handmade gifts, winter cocktails, popup galleries and ice sculptures.
Enjoy some of Boston’s best vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meals at Five Horses Tavern South End.
View all the Victorian-style homes along the 300-acre Victorian rowhouse district, the largest intact collection in the nation.
Bring your pooch for a stroll, or just pup watch, at the 13,000 square feet off-leash Peters Park Dog Park.
Finding an apartment in the South End
The South End isn’t the cheapest place to live in Boston. But there are certainly places in the neighborhood more affordable than much of Back Bay, Fenway-Kenmore and the gentrified areas of South Boston.
The district is as diverse in its housing as it is in its people. You can find full-house rentals, rowhomes to lease and a slew of South End, Boston apartments.
Just be prepared to have a lot of visitors because everyone is going to want to spend time with you exploring one of Boston’s best neighborhoods.
Rent prices are based on a rolling weighted average from Apartment Guide and Rent.’s multifamily rental property inventory as of June 2021. Our team uses a weighted average formula that more accurately represents price availability for each unit type and reduces the influence of seasonality on rent prices in specific markets.
The rent information included in this article is used for illustrative purposes only. The data contained herein do not constitute financial advice or a pricing guarantee for any apartment.
Michael is a Philadelphia-based writer with a variety of interests, including music, concerts, TV, politics, travel and sports. His background includes a decade as a programming executive in network television, six years as a marketing executive at a technology company, and time at two magazines and two advertising agencies. He currently works as Craft Beer & Brewery contributor for the Visit Philly Greater Philadelphia Tourism Bureau and sits on the board of a non-profit law firm that assists veterans with disabilities. Michael is a proud Syracuse grad (Newhouse) who has lived in Wichita, Albany, Chicago, Washington DC, Boston and beyond.
High-profile government actions against some of the nation’s largest financial firms for alleged violations of fair lending laws and loan servicing principles have sent a sobering message to industry CEOs and their boards: the buck stops at the top.
We have entered a new regulatory era, one filled with expectations that a firm’s compliance with the letter and spirit of the law has the full attention of the C-suite and boardroom — not relegated to back-office compliance department functions.
We’d be mistaken to think this new environment is transitory, tied to one presidential administration or another. While the current leadership is vocal relative to consumer protection and racial equity issues, there are permanent, institutional commitments to fairness in housing and housing finance that have been enshrined in law for decades and that transcend politics.
A number of economic, legal, policy and public pressures will continue to keep fairness issues front-and-center for the foreseeable future — particularly around lending and loan default servicing. The compliance landscape for lenders and servicers will be increasingly complex as some oversight agencies and advocates evaluate and re-evaluate what constitutes unlawful or unfair conduct.
Indeed, multiple agencies pursuing the same general goals sometimes creates inconsistencies or conflicting interpretations of policy, making it difficult for financial institutions to navigate uncharted waters, even with the best of intentions. Recent regulatory actions have targeted marketing practices, credit allocation and product offerings.
Regulators will look to ensure that a financial firm’s leadership is accountable and actively managing their fair lending and servicing efforts. Companies will be judged on whether they are maintaining appropriate compliance management systems, including monitoring, written policies, risk management, change management, testing and company culture — and whether their boards are equally focused on their oversight function.
In this swirl of challenges, financial executives who fail to pay attention can face legal costs, fines, penalties, consent orders and contested litigation — or worse. Just ask the ones who in the recent past have lost their jobs or faced reputational damage.
CEOs need to understand their firm’s capacities and get ahead of problems before they become crises. Specifically, they need to work closely with the team members who are responsible for legal and compliance monitoring to reduce legal risks, comprehend data that might indicate disparate treatment or impact, identify gaps that may exist in their knowledge and experience and structure management teams accordingly so that they reflect a comprehensive approach to compliance. And they need to engage all board members, keep them informed, seek their guidance and make them aware of their own potential legal peril.
Most importantly, financial firms should work to understand the intent, not just the letter, of multiple rules and laws, as well as the mindset of varied enforcement bodies. Strong compliance programs are prudent, meaning they are focused on avoiding regulatory challenges, even if some practices might be defensible.
If financial executives do business anywhere along the housing supply chain, they are willingly part of our nation’s effort to live up to its highest ideals of helping to create homeownership opportunities and fairness for everyone.
As part of that obligation, private sector players are endowed with a complex, at times conflicting, set of actions under often-difficult-to-construe fair lending laws. They become vehicles for delivering public policies and bear risk while trying to implement them. However, as a result, company leaders are often required to think more like partners with regulators and agencies rather than their adversaries. It warrants mention that government agencies should recognize this relationship can work both ways — they too have obligations to their private sector partners, chief among them transparency, open dialogue and technology improvements.
As an industry, we must continue to act responsibly on the issues of compliance and discrimination. The struggle for equality and fairness will forever be a continuing part of the American experiment. All of us can be part of the solution. And it starts at the top.
Brian Montgomery is a founding partner of Washington, D.C.-based Gate House Strategies.
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of HousingWire’s editorial department and its owners. To contact the author of this story: Brian Montgomery at [email protected]
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Sarah Wheeler at [email protected]
There’s no universally right or wrong way to dress for an interview. It’s all about wearing crisp, clean clothing that matches the employer’s dress code and expectations, experts say.
Below, we’ll discuss how to pick your interview attire, the different types of professional dress codes and what to avoid wearing to an interview.
What to wear to an interview
Check the company’s dress code when deciding what to wear to an interview, recommends Purdue Global, an online university in the Purdue University system.
Look for photos of employees, either in the office or in a company photo, on the company’s website or LinkedIn page. Note how they’re dressed and whether they’re posing formally or casually.
Unless its employees wear a uniform, most companies adhere to one of these three dress codes:smart casual, business casual or business professional.
Consider the industry you’re interviewing in. Companies in law, finance or politics tend to adhere to more traditional dress codes. Tech or media companies tend to have more casual dress codes.
If you’re interviewing for a job that would require a uniform, including in a retail, restaurant, gym or medical setting, opt for business casual for those job interviews, recommends Coursera, a company that hosts open courses from universities and organizations online.
Dress for a position one level higher than the job you’re interviewing for, experts recommend. So, if most employees wear chinos and a casual button-down shirt, for example, go for slacks, a tucked-in shirt and a blazer.
Ask your interviewer about the company’s dress code if you’re still unsure of what to wear. If you’re working with a recruiter, you can plainly ask for advice on what to wear to an interview.
If you’d be asking the company’s hiring manager, consider asking, “How do employees dress in the office?” or “What kind of clothing is appropriate for this workplace?”
What is a smart casual dress code?
Smart casual is the most informal of the three professional dress codes. It emerged in recent years as more companies loosened their dress codes, per the Society for Human Resource Management.
Smart casual is relaxed but polished. You could wear trendier clothing and accessories from your personal wardrobe as long as they’re fit for a professional environment.
Companies in newer or creative industries — such as tech, media or advertising — may adhere to this dress code. Examples of smart casual workwear include:
Well-fitting pants — chinos, pleated pants or linen pants.
Dark blue or black jeans.
Sweaters, henleys, button-up shirts, or trendy blouses.
Loafers, flats or clean tennis shoes.
A clean, ironed T-shirt under a blazer.
Solid colors or stylish patterns.
What is a business casual dress code?
Business casual is more formal and conservative than smart casual but still doesn’t require you to wear a full suit.
Businesses across many different industries adhere to this dress code. It’s a popular dress code among employers and is considered appropriate for job fairs, networking events or professional meetings.
Business casual workwear can look like:
Chinos, khakis or dress pants and a belt.
A clean button-up, dress shirt, formal blouse or tucked-in polo shirt.
Closed-toe shoes, like Oxfords, brogues, loafers or flats.
A blazer.
Solid, neutral colors with minimal patterns.
What is a business professional dress code?
Business professional is the dressiest of the professional dress codes.
Older, more traditional industries — such as law, finance, professional services or politics — tend to adopt a business professional dress code. Executives and other high-ranking employees may also adhere to this dress code.
Some examples of business professional workwear include:
A suit and dress shirt.
Tailored pants, a dress shirt and a tie.
A dressy business skirt and formal blouse.
Heels, dress shoes or formal loafers.
Conservative, non-distracting jewelry and accessories.
Dark, solid colors, such as blue, black or gray.
What not to wear to an interview
Unless you’re interviewing at a beachside surf shop, avoid these items of clothing, according to Zippia, an online recruiting and careers platform:
Graphic T-shirts.
Casual sandals or flip flops.
Tank tops or sleeveless shirts.
Athleisure, sweats or pajamas.
Ripped jeans or pants.
The quality of your clothing is also important. Don’t wear items that:
Are stained or soiled.
Have holes or tears.
Are unwashed or dirty.
Are visibly old, faded or worn.
Outside of your clothing, pay close attention to your personal grooming. Career experts recommend you run through this checklist list before you leave for the interview:
Hair is brushed or neatly combed and styled.
Fingernails are clean.
Deodorant has been applied.
Shoes are clean and free of mud or dirt.
One more tip
It’s important to wear clothing that aligns with the employer’s dress code, but that’s not the only thing that matters.
What you wear can help you feel comfortable and confident. And wearing clothing that shows off your personality can help people at the company get to know you.
So, if you feel a yellow blouse mirrors your sunny disposition, go for a shade that’s cheery but not neon. Striking that right balance can be tricky but it’s worth the effort. It’s like the old saying goes: look good, feel good.
Philly’s coolest and trendiest neighborhood, Fishtown is a friendly place of both gentrifiers and long-time residents living in harmony. Former industrial lots and fisheries are now filled with people and purpose for many types. Galleries and public art. Dive bars and trendy taverns. Five-star restaurants and cheesesteak joints. Concert halls and rock clubs. Decades-old businesses and co-working spaces. Fortunately, it’s a dynamic urban cultural neighborhood along the Philadelphia riverfront.
Hipsters, artists, young families, gig economists, third-shifters, start-up entrepreneurs, foodies and of course, the working-class, all call the district home. Rowhouses, mid-rise rentals and loft-style Fishtown apartments line its blocks. In fact, it’s America’s hottest neighborhood. But what is it like to live in Fishtown, Philadelphia?
Where is Fishtown in Philadelphia?
Fishtown, Philadelphia is just northeast of Center City along the Delaware River. It’s bordered by similar-vibe neighborhood Northern Liberties to the south, up-and-coming Olde Kensington to the west and East Kensington to the north.
North Front Street, East York Street and the river form most of its border. I-95 forms a spine on its east side along Delaware Avenue. The Fishtown Philadelphia ZIP Code is 19125, also shared with the Kensingtons. Also, the neighborhood contains portions of 19123.
Source: Rent.
Living in Fishtown, Philadelphia
Like many gentrifying neighborhoods around the country, Fishtown has seen changes in demographics, increases in entertainment options and shifts in public services.
But Fishtown’s uniqueness lies in how it has been able to grow its new, younger population without pushing out longstanding residents. Considering this, how do some of the neighborhood’s most important community and lifestyle aspects rate?
Demographics
Nearly everybody lives in Fishtown. Zennials including empty-nesters, moms, recent grads, cops, novelists, homeowners, renters, natives and newbies. People from across the spectrum live in harmony in Philadelphia’s Fishtown.
Demographically, the neighborhood is pretty middle-of-the-road. Over two-thirds of Fishtown households make under $100,000 a year. Over half of residents are between 20 and 44, and half have never been married. Additionally, most have not completed higher than a high school education. Fishtown is overwhelmingly white, numbering over 85 percent compared to 35 percent for the city overall.
Education
Fishtown, as all of Philadelphia, is part of the School District of Philadelphia. Public school elementary school students attend Alexander Adaire School while older kids matriculate at Penn Treaty School for grades six through graduation. The neighborhood features one Catholic school, Saint Laurentius School. While there are no colleges in Fishtown, Temple University is just a mile away.
Safety
With gentrification comes security. Compared to some of its rougher neighbors like Kensington or Fairhill, Fishtown is extremely safe. In fact, Fishtown is one of Philly’s top 10 safest neighborhoods. It ranks ninth-best in the city in every category: violent crimes, property crimes and total crimes. Luckily, residents here have just a one in 35 chance of being a victim of a crime. And 88 percent of Fishtowners report the neighborhood as feeling “pretty safe” too.
Recreation and entertainment
For nightlife options, no neighborhood can match Fishtown.
If you’re a music fan, you have a run of venue types, including Johnny Brenda’s, The Barbary, Kung Fu Necktie, The Foundry and Fillmore Philadelphia.
The region is one of the best in Philly — if not the entire East Coast — for pizza, Mexican, breakfast and coffee, not to mention Joe’s Steaks, one of the city’s best cheesesteak jawns. Fishtown, also, offers one of the city’s best bar scenes, including Barcade, Murph’s Bar, Lloyd Whiskey Bar and Kraftwork.
Rivers Casino Philadelphia was Philly’s first gaming casino to open. Fishtown features several art galleries like Gravy Studio, Mothership Toy Gallery and Corridor Contemporary. And Fabrika is a unique cabaret space.
Penn Treaty Park is just one of many green spaces in Fishtown, including Palmer Park, Konrad Square and Hetzell Playground. Got a pupper? Palmer Doggie Depot features a cobblestone-lined play area, solar lighting and canine drinking fountains.
Transportation
Frankly, Fishtown is one of the most convenient neighborhoods in Philly.
SEPTA’s Market-Frankford train line runs along Fishtown’s western border on Front Street. There are stations at Girard Avenue and at Berks Street taking you into Center City in just 10 minutes. SEPTA’s Route 15 streetcar trolley begins by the Fillmore in Fishtown and runs along Girard and Richmond Avenues and all the way to West Philadelphia.
Additionally, Interstate 95 runs along the eastern side of Fishtown, northwest of Delaware Avenue. I-95’s Exit 23 dumps traffic directly into Fishtown at Girard and Delaware Avenues. Via the Interstate, it’s about 15 minutes to both the Philadelphia International Airport or to Camden, New Jersey. Not to mention, the neighborhood offers a walkability score of 91 and a bike score of 84.
History
The area that is now Fishtown was originally home to the Turtle Clan of the Lenape Native American tribe. But soon came the Swedish settlers, then the Germans, then the British. William Penn made his peace treaty with the Lenape at Penn Treaty Park in 1683.
Likewise, Fishtown was an early hub for Philly’s fishing industry — ergo the name. It was a blue-collar, working-class industrial neighborhood for 325 years.
Fishtown’s rise again began in 2003 — when two entrepreneurs decided to renovate an old boxer’s bar called Johnny Brenda’s into a craft beer and billiards haven with a killer concert venue upstairs. That one push began to transform Fishtown into its booming self today.
10 things to do in Fishtown
Fishtown, Philadelphia is one of Philly’s best ‘hoods for food, drink, coffee, art and entertainment. So what is there to do in the neighborhood? Probably start by eating… a lot.
Catch a show upstairs at Johnny Brenda’s, a 250-capacity two-story space featuring national touring acts, or the Fillmore Philadelphia, a 2,500-capacity concert hall.
Grab some ribs and a stein of Weissbier at Fette Sau, a popular barbecue spot, and Frankford Hall, the authentic German beer hall next door.
Play the slots and table games at Rivers Casino Philadelphia — one of just two casinos in the Philly city limits and the only one walking distance from Center City.
Bite into the classic lox sandwich at Philly Style Bagels, Bon Appétit Magazine‘s “Sandwich of the Year.”
Take in the riverfront views and the history at Penn Treaty Park, which surrounds the site where William Penn entered his famous peace agreement with Lenape Chief Tamanend in 1683.
Down a beer flight at Evil Genius Beer Company, which is known for ludicrous names for their amazing craft beer like “I Miss Precedented Times” and “Purple Monkey Dishwasher.”
Stay the night at Wm. Mulherin’s Sons, recently named USA Today “Best New Hotel in America.”
Snag a half-price happy hour latte at the flagship location of beloved local coffee shop La Colombe.
Laugh along with America’s best and most famous comics at Punchline Philly comedy club.
Eat a killer pie at Pizzeria Beddia, named “Best Pizza in America” by Bon Appétit, or at Pizza Brain, featuring the world’s first Museum of Pizza Culture.
Finding an apartment in Fishtown Philadelphia
In a city of neighborhoods, Fishtown is the king mackerel. A neighborhood for foodies, vintage shoppers, beer lovers, headbangers and hipsters, Fishtown has a diverse population of both new and generational, young and old, working and social class.
If you’re willing to pay the price, Fishtown is one of the best neighborhoods in Philly, if not the nation.
Rent prices are based on a rolling weighted average from Apartment Guide and Rent.’s multifamily rental property inventory as of June 2021. Our team uses a weighted average formula that more accurately represents price availability for each unit type and reduces the influence of seasonality on rent prices in specific markets.
The rent information included in this article is used for illustrative purposes only. The data contained herein do not constitute financial advice or a pricing guarantee for any apartment.
Michael is a Philadelphia-based writer with a variety of interests, including music, concerts, TV, politics, travel and sports. His background includes a decade as a programming executive in network television, six years as a marketing executive at a technology company, and time at two magazines and two advertising agencies. He currently works as Craft Beer & Brewery contributor for the Visit Philly Greater Philadelphia Tourism Bureau and sits on the board of a non-profit law firm that assists veterans with disabilities. Michael is a proud Syracuse grad (Newhouse) who has lived in Wichita, Albany, Chicago, Washington DC, Boston and beyond.
In our latest real estate tech entrepreneur interview, we’re speaking with Lara Gabriele from HomeWayz.
Who are you, and what do you do?
My name is Lara Gabriele and I have been involved in some aspect of the Real Estate Market since 1997. I didn’t realize until now that my path in life was going to lead me to this. I graduated high school and my first job was in banking. I learned everything from Loan Servicing to Fraud and Foreclosure to Processing and Underwriting through to selling actual Real Estate.
My background as a child was different in that my father died when I was young and my mother, who was from Lebanon, had to become the breadwinner. I learned early on that as a woman and a minority I was the only one who would be able to take control of my future. As a woman in Real Estate tech… well that was going to be much more difficult. Watching my mother struggle made that more real for me. I soaked up knowledge at every turn. Once I started to sell Real Estate it was evident that there were many manual tasks that could have and should have been automated so that the daily agent could do their job faster and much more efficiently than we were already doing. I was always asking my brokers where this technology was? Aside from lead gen and so-called training what were they really offering for a large percentage of my commission? Crickets…. so I decided to do it myself. I set forth to truly automate the things that agents do manually on a daily basis to free up their most valuable and limited resource: time.
What problem does your product/service solve?
HomeWayz Solves the not so glamorous problem of taking on the mundane tasks that an agent must accomplish in order to help their clients buy and sell the largest asset of their lives. We have created a truly unique fully automated workflow solution that allows for you to use automation for things like route generation, home schedules, feedback data, home search and allowing your client to have their own dashboard so they can enjoy the Journey. We created the first of its kind algorithm that will allow all of this to be done with a push of a button.
HomeWayz will eventually allow you the agent to do everything from uploading lead gen and CRM functionality to remarketing to your SOI while conduction a complete transaction on the platform at the same time. Yes, It’s a lot, but we have taken this on so you no longer have to.
What are you most excited about right now?
Honestly, everything. The industry is on tilt at the moment. The big boys are fighting amongst each other because they believe that the agent only cares about the front end of the funnel: lead gen. When you talk to veteran agents like myself we know that our business is so much more than that and we need help. I can’t wait to put my solution in the hands of the everyday agent on the go and see what they can accomplish with it! It will be an amazing turn of events once the agent has the ability to fully automate the most basic of processes.
What’s next for you?
We are headed to Inman Connect to showcase the core functionality of HomeWayz, the automated showing and route planner with Feedback. Once we get back we will be working on adding more features that are engaging and help showcase what an agent can really do in the eyes of their clients.
What’s a cause you’re passionate about and why?
Being Middle Eastern I am always concerned about what is happening there, The Middle East is made up of so much beauty and diversity that many times I believe that is lost through media and politics. I try to mentor people who have come to this amazing country. I work with the Women’s Junior League and other outlets to help as much as possible. Open dialogue and diversity are what this country is truly about..we are a beacon for so many other countries when it comes to many of the freedoms that they are not allowed to express. It truly makes me proud to be an American.
Thanks to Lara for sharing her story. If you’d like to connect, find her on LinkedIn here.
We’re constantly looking for great real estate tech entrepreneurs to feature. If that’s you, please read this post — then drop me a line (drew @ geekestatelabs dot com).
Living in New York City is expensive in every facet of life. Not only is it the most expensive U.S. city overall, but with an average of $6,499 a month for a two-bedroom unit, it has the most expensive apartments in the nation, as well.
Some people just have their hearts set on fancy, expensive apartments in Manhattan with every convenience and amenity imaginable. But there is an elite group of renters who are on the hunt for the most expensive apartment. And that honor goes to a three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath penthouse in Chelsea that will run you nearly 16 grand a month.
Meet Penthouse D at the Beatrice Apartments in Midtown, the most expensive apartment in New York City. Here’s what makes this grand “ultimate space for comfort, luxury and leisure” 54 stories above Manhattan worth so much.
The perfectly convenient Midtown South neighborhood
The Beatrice Apartments could not be more convenient. The building is located at the corner of 29th Street and Sixth Avenue. The complex is set inside the 12-square-block swath where the North Chelsea neighborhood overlaps Midtown South. Other Midtown neighborhoods, including the Garment District, NoMad, Koreatown, Flatiron and Rose Hill, are all steps away.
Nearly everything you could desire is just a short walk away. Every variety of restaurant, boutique, café, bodega and bar is nearby. Greeley Square Park is just two blocks away and Madison Square Park is four. The Empire State Building is a four-minute walk, and the Theater District and Times Square are just 15.
The building’s block rates a perfect Transit Score of 100, a “Rider’s Paradise.” Stops for the 1, 2, 3, B, D, F, M, N, Q, R and W subways and PATH trains are within a few-minute walk. And Penn Station is just four short blocks away for access to Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit.
In addition, the location earns a Walk Score of 99, a “Walker’s Paradise,” and a “Very Bikeable” Bike Score of 84. And the property charges no broker fee.
A deluxe apartment in the sky with stunning views
The most expensive listed apartment in New York City is Penthouse D, one of the building’s four penthouses. It occupies the southeast quadrant of the building’s top floor, the 53rd just under the rooftop lounge. The unit features wall-to-wall floor-to-ceiling windows above 6th Avenue, which is officially Avenue of the Americas. The spot offers direct views of the Empire State Building. But if interest in seeing out over Brooklyn and Long Island wanes, the entire unit offers blackout shades.
The three-bedroom and three-and-a-half bath unit stretches over 1,673 square feet in total. Its 10-foot ceilings hover over oak hardwood and porcelain tile floors. Every room has heat and air conditioning with its own controls.
The master suite features a 14-by-18 foot bedroom, a massive walk-in closet and two linen closets. The master bath offers a separate stand-up glass shower and soaking tub and a double-sink vanity. Both the 11-by-12 foot second bedroom and 12-by-12 foot third bedroom feature reach-in closets and their own full en suite bathrooms. All three bedrooms have eastern views out towards the Empire State Building.
The compact kitchen includes high-end stainless steel appliances from Sub-Zero, Viking and Miele and Italian marble and granite countertops. The kitchen island looks out over the spacious 21-by-21 foot living and dining area. And across from the second bedroom is a half bath.
Exclusive facilities 50 stories above New York
The “sleek, sophisticated and ultra-luxurious” Beatrice Apartments occupy 29 floors of a much taller building. The Beatrice begins on the 24th floor of the 54-story building, with the remainder occupied by the posh Kimpton Hotel Eventi. In all, the 620,000-square-foot building, completed in 2010, tops out at 614 feet in architectural height. That makes the structure the 92nd tallest in New York and 375th in the country.
Community facilities include a private catering kitchen, conference meeting room and fitness center with Peloton bicycles and a yoga studio. But the most prominent amenity is the Beatrice’s exclusive Cloud Lounge on the 54th-floor rooftop just one floor up from the apartment. The combined indoor/outdoor space is perfect for personal or party pleasure, with stunning eastern views all the way out to Brooklyn. Relax on the terrace, or play in the recreation lounge with two 60″ LCD televisions and a Brunswick billiards table.
The entire apartment building is fully pet-friendly and smoke-free. It offers 24-hour staff, including an around-the-clock concierge desk. Services include in-house valet dry cleaning and monthly parking. And the staff host annual Independence Day and winter holiday parties for residents and guests.
What else you could get for that money
Even for a jaded New Yorker, spending nearly $16,000 a month on a Manhattan apartment is a little crazy. But how do you put that kind of expense into perspective? Here are a few other things you can buy each month for the price of this penthouse at the Beatrice.
5,814 rides on the MTA subway
89 pairs of Vagabond shoes that are longing to stray
Thirty pounds of USDA Prime dry-aged strip steak from Peter Luger’s Steak House
139 tickets to see the New York Giants, but 170 tickets to see the New York Jets who play at the same stadium
Ten medium-sized Louis Vuitton handbags from Saks Fifth Avenue, or 320 knockoff medium-sized Louis Vuitton handbags from a table at the corner of Broadway and Canal
More affordable but still expensive units
Make no mistake, even a lousy apartment in New York City will still cost you a pretty penny. But if money is no object, what is one to do if you wish to live in the lap of luxury but this penthouse just isn’t your cup of high tea? Here are five other pricey Manhattan apartments that are slightly more affordable.
170 Amsterdam, 170 Amsterdam Ave. (Lincoln Square): $15,352 for three bedrooms
Prism at Park Avenue South, 50 E. 28th St.(Rose Hill): $10,480 for two bedrooms
West 96th, 750 Columbus Ave. (Manhattan Valley): $8,482 for two bedrooms
300 East 39th, 300 E. 39th St. (Murray Hill): $8,021 for two bedrooms
Parc East, 240 E. 27th St. (Kips Bay): $7,500 for two bedrooms
Enjoy it if you can afford it
Living in a swank penthouse apartment in Chelsea is the stuff of a rom-com or heist movie. That’s what you’d expect from the most expensive apartment in New York City. It’s a pipe dream for New Yorkers not named Icahn or Bloomberg. So, maybe a walk-up in the Village or a brownstone on the Upper West Side are more your speed.
But if your budget is a little less, head on over to rent.com and find a slew of apartments in Manhattan or elsewhere in New York that won’t break the bank.
The rent information included in this article is accurate as of September 2021 and is used for illustrative purposes only. The data contained herein do not constitute financial advice or a pricing guarantee for any apartment.
Michael is a Philadelphia-based writer with a variety of interests, including music, concerts, TV, politics, travel and sports. His background includes a decade as a programming executive in network television, six years as a marketing executive at a technology company, and time at two magazines and two advertising agencies. He currently works as Craft Beer & Brewery contributor for the Visit Philly Greater Philadelphia Tourism Bureau and sits on the board of a non-profit law firm that assists veterans with disabilities. Michael is a proud Syracuse grad (Newhouse) who has lived in Wichita, Albany, Chicago, Washington DC, Boston and beyond.
When it comes to quintessential Midwestern charm and an appealing blend of rural allure with a strong arts culture, Iowa stands out as a gem in the heartland of the U.S. From its expansive cornfields to its rich heritage, the Hawkeye State has much to offer in terms of jobs, attractions, art, food, culture and entertainment. But what is Iowa known for, exactly? Let’s learn a bit more about this Midwestern locale and prove that Iowa is in no way a flyover state.
Agriculture
Iowa’s sprawling landscapes are synonymous with agriculture, earning it the moniker “The Corn State.” The state plays a pivotal role in the nation’s large-scale agricultural production, with vast cornfields and soybean crops dominating the scenery. Agriculture is not just an industry in Iowa; it’s a way of life that shapes the state’s economy and fosters a deep connection to the land.
Education
Iowa has a reputation for outstanding education, anchored by institutions like the University of Iowa and Iowa State University. The state places a premium on learning, consistently ranking high in national education assessments. The commitment to education is reflected in its stellar school systems and the scholarly atmosphere that permeates the state.
Politics
Every four years, Iowa takes center stage in the political arena as it hosts the first caucuses in the U.S. presidential election cycle. The Iowa caucuses play a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of the presidential election, attracting attention from candidates, media and political enthusiasts alike.
Nature
For nature enthusiasts, Iowa offers a plethora of outdoor activities. Whether it’s exploring the ancient mounds at Effigy Mounds National Monument, spelunking in the caves of Maquoketa Caves State Park or driving along the scenic Great River Road, the state’s natural beauty beckons adventurers year-round.
Art
The arts scene in Iowa is strong. Cities like Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Iowa City serve as hubs for artistic expression, hosting galleries, theaters and events throughout the year.
The state is home to renowned institutions such as the Des Moines Art Center and the University of Iowa’s Writers’ Workshop, contributing to the nurturing of emerging talents. Whether it’s the annual Iowa Arts Festival or the music that echoes through historic venues, Iowa’s artistic community is as prolific as it has ever been.
Festivals
Iowa knows how to throw a party, and its festivals and community events are a testament to that. The Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, one of the largest in the nation, is a spectacle of agriculture exhibits, live concerts and, of course, a ton of mouthwatering culinary delights, like the one pictured above that was snapped at the fair in recent years.
Food
While corn is a staple, Iowa’s food scene offers a lot more than starchy starters. The state is renowned for its pork tenderloin sandwiches, a savory, delicious treat. The Iowa State Fair takes the culinary experience to another level with its inventive and sometimes outrageous food offerings, making it a haven for foodies seeking the hearty comfort fare of the Midwest.
Five of the best restaurants in Iowa in 2023
Covered bridges and Hollywood legends
Madison County is home to the famous covered bridges, as you’ll find immortalized in the novel and film “The Bridges of Madison County.” Visitors can traverse the scenic countryside and explore these charming structures by immersing themselves in the timeless romance of the area. Additionally, Winterset proudly claims to be the birthplace of legendary actor John Wayne, with a museum dedicated to his life and career.
Iowa’s more than alright
What is Iowa known for? Iowa’s unique blend of agriculture, education, political significance, outdoor beauty and more makes it a captivating spot to call home. Whether you’re exploring the historic covered bridges, savoring a pork tenderloin sandwich or participating in the political process during the caucuses, Iowa invites you to discover the heartland’s warmth and charm.
Indianapolis is probably best known for hosting the largest, annual, single-day sporting event in the world, the Indianapolis 500. But that’s not all this city has to offer. We’ll wow you with some of the lesser-known Indianapolis facts.
Only real locals know the ins and outs of their city. But if you want to learn about Indianapolis’ facts, you’re in luck! We’re about to show you some enthralling facts about this city. These facts are interesting and unusual — some are even mind-boggling. In the end, we’re sure these facts will make you fall in love with the city and perhaps even decide to find an apartment to rent in Indianapolis.
32 interesting Indianapolis facts only the locals know about
1. You must be a sports fan to live in Indianapolis. Alright, it’s not really a requirement but it definitely helps. Sports is a big deal in this city as it’s home to 11 professional sports teams, three national collegiate teams and multiple minor league teams. Of course, it’s also home to the Indianapolis 500. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Federation of State High School Associations have their headquarters in the city, too. Suffice it to say, if you live in Indianapolis, you’re going to hear a lot about sports a lot of the time.
2. Indianapolis isn’t just a hot foodie destination, it’s one of the top farm-to-table foodie destinations in the country. It is, after all, in farm country. However, what’s cool about Indianapolis is that urban farming has taken off in recent years. Locals don’t just rely on food from farms on the outskirts of the city — they can get it directly in town. There are over 134 urban and community farms in the city.
3. If you’re a fan of history and/or the macabre, you might find it interesting to know that Indianapolis is home to the third-largest cemetery in the U.S. The Crown Hill Cemetery encompasses 555 acres and is the final resting place of some well-known historic figures like John Dillinger and James Whitcomb Riley.
4. Another place to visit for those who love macabre history is the Indiana Medical History Museum. This sounds like it’s simply an educational destination, but it’s much more than that. The site was the Central Indiana Hospital for the Insane. On display are old and quite intimidating medical instruments (why do old instruments always look like medieval torture devices?), as well as an anatomical museum (yes, body parts are on display) and a 19th-century autopsy room. Paints quite the mental picture, doesn’t it?
5. Contrary to popular belief, Indianapolis doesn’t get blanketed with snow each winter. Instead, it averages less than the national average and typically occurs in an occasional dusting of snow, rather than a blizzard or downfall type scenario. It does get pretty cold, though, averaging in the 20s to 30s (Fahrenheit), though it can occasionally dip into the single digits. So, be sure to invest in some warm clothes (long johns, anyone?) for those brisk winter months.
6. Indianapolis is the home of Wonder Bread. The Taggart Baking Company created the white, fluffy bread in 1921 and was the first major company to sell sliced bread. Which in turn, gave us something we all know and love — the sandwich.
7. Want in on one of the top Indianapolis secrets? For such a big city, Indianapolis has one of the most affordable cost of living rates in the country. Overall, the cost of living is about 8 percent lower than the U.S. average. And housing costs are nearly 20 percent lower — ideal for anyone looking for apartments to rent in Indianapolis. That’s not to say there aren’t neighborhoods in the city with higher-than-average rental rates. Every city has to have those, right? But for the most part, the cost of living in Indianapolis is quite affordable.
8. Another common misconception about this part of the country is that it’s all cornfields. Indiana actually has an abundance of trees (you totally need to see them in the fall – gorgeous!), hills and stunning parks. Locals love visiting Holliday Park and hiking its beautiful trails, particularly around the White River. Residents of the city say it’s one of the top three parks in the city
9. One of the interesting facts about Indianapolis is that it’s one of the most hospitable cities in the Midwest, if not the country. Locals are so hospitable and provide such great service, in fact, that “Hoosier Hospitality” is an actual thing.
10. If you want a taste of what it’s like to ride around the Indianapolis 500 raceway, you can pay admission to the Indy 500 museum for the Kiss the Bricks tour. You’ll ride a bus once around the track and kiss the bricks at the starting line.
11. Indianapolis was home to Oscar Charleston, a man who had a 43-year career in baseball. His induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame took place in 1976.
12. Indianapolis has multiple slogans and nicknames, including Indy, Crossroads of America, Circle City, Naptown, The Hoosier Capital/City, The Capital City, City of Churches, Home of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing and The Railroad City.
13. Speedway, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis (approximately 12 minutes away), is home to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. From Sept. 1 through Sept. 6, 1978, there was a series of eight random bombings known as The Speedway Bombings. The bomber put bombs in trash cans and dumpsters, as well as an abandoned gym bag. No one died from the bombings, but a police cruiser exploded, a man was severely injured and the bomber shot a woman at her home before his arrest.
14. The Indiana State Museum is home to one of the most important Abraham Lincoln collections in the country. The collection includes copies of the 13th Amendment signed by Lincoln, as well as copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and personal belongings of the Lincoln family.
15. One of Indianapolis’ best-kept secrets (to outsiders only, of course) is that the Indiana State Museum holds an IMAX theater. This is truly one of the best ways to fully immerse yourself in a film.
16. Indianapolis is host to the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon — one of the largest half-marathons in the country and also named one of the best and most iconic races in the world. The race starts with an IndyCar driver leading each wave of the race in a pace car and includes a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
17. According to locals, some of the best places to get away from the hustle of city life include Monon Trail, Canal Riverwalk and Ft. Harrison State Park.
18. Indianapolis is the birthplace of several famous people in entertainment and politics, including:
19. This city is also the final resting place of several famous people including Ray Brown, a Grammy-winning bass player.
20. Art and culture are important to Hoosiers, so they’ve made them accessible to nearly anyone. For instance, the Newfield’s Museum of Art has free admission one day a week. The Indianapolis Symphony has a Summer Lunch Series — tickets are only $5.
21. Massachusetts Avenue is one of the unique hotspots in the city. It’s great for a night out on the town, as well as some daytime shopping. You’ll find public art that many describe as visionary and live theater that will leave you feeling inspired.
22. It’s an Indianapolis fact that if you want great music and amazing food, you need to go to The Rathskeller. This is a premier fine dining experience where you’ll get to enjoy delicious German cuisine while listening to some of the hottest local bands.
23. Most people know that Indianapolis is the state capital of Indiana. (If you don’t, ask a 5th grader.) But did you know that Indianapolis wasn’t the original state capital? Corydon was the state’s first capital. In 1820, the state authorized a committee to select a new city to become the state capital. After finding a location, the legislature passed a year later to name the new site Indianapolis.
24. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is a great place to take your kids — especially on a hot, summer afternoon. And while the attractions and exhibits within the museum are awesome, what’s equally interesting is the fact that this is the largest children’s museum in the entire world.
25. You definitely need to spend an evening at the Slippery Noodle Inn. Not only will you get to hear some of the best live blues in the city, but you’ll love the history of the place. First, it was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Second, John Dillinger once shot the place up. And finally, it’s the oldest continuously operating bar in Indiana.
26. This city has the most interstate legs in the country. Four interstate highways and two auxiliary interstates — I-65, I-69, I-70, I-465 and I-865 — intersect in the midst of the city.
27. A Hoosier penned “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” The song is incredibly well-known but not everyone knows or remembers who wrote it.
28. Tony Hinkle is a legend in this city. He was a football, baseball and basketball player, coach and eventually administrator. He also invented modern-day basketball. Hinkle is so popular that the basketball court on the Butler University campus — Hinkle Fieldhouse — was named in his honor. The court is famous for the 1954 state championship game that inspired the film “Hoosiers,” as well as for the fact that famous names like Larry Bird and Oscar Robertson played on Hinkle’s court.
29. Elvis Presley performed his last concert in Indianapolis. He died three months later.
30. Duckpin bowling is a sport that was popular in the city (really, what sport isn’t popular in Indianapolis?) in the early 20th century. It’s since gone the way of the dodo in most areas but there are still a few of these bowling alleys in Indianapolis, including Atomic Bowl Duckpin and Action Duckpin Bowl.
31. While the Indy500 is the most iconic motor race in the world, Indianapolis also offers another kind of racing at the Indianapolis Speedrome. It’s basically junk cars racing around a 1/5-mile oval track that’s approximately the size of a restaurant parking lot. Sometimes, they even race old school buses.
32. The gondolas in the downtown canal are authentic. They’re Italian-made and weigh one ton each.
Are you intrigued by our Indianapolis facts?
Learning about a new city is always fun. And even if you’re a resident of Indianapolis, there’s always something new to learn. That’s one of the great things about living in a large city. There are always fun people to meet. Seeing a city from their perspective or from their personal/familial experiences can give the city new life and make you fall in love with it all over again.