Off-Campus Housing

Neighborhoods Near the Bastyr Campus

Close to Campus (Kenmore and Surrounding Areas)

• Bastyr University is located in the city of Kenmore in King County, however, the adjacent communities of Juanita, Kirkland and Bothell are just a short drive or bike ride away. To avoid the State Route 520 bridge, access campus from North Seattle via State Route 522 (Lake City Way), around the top of Lake Washington. SR522's name changes to Bothell Way at Northeast 145th Street.
• At the north end of Lake Washington are Kenmore and Bothell. The cost of housing in these cities varies significantly from very expensive homes to older cottages and apartments that are moderately priced. Both areas offer more reasonably priced housing than other Eastside areas (east of Lake Washington), are closest to campus and have a bus line that runs directly to the University. Wonderful biking and hiking trails provide excellent recreational opportunities along the Sammamish River.
• Just northwest of campus are a number of communities, including Lake Forest Park, Shoreline, Bitter Lake and Mountlake Terrace. These areas may seem far from urban Seattle, but they offer a suburban feel that you can further embrace by traveling deeper into Snohomish County, whose southern border intersects Bothell. With the campus 10 miles away from Seattle and its congestion, it may be more appealing to you to move "out in the country," where living is easy and cheaper.

Seattle

• Lake City, the closest you can get to campus and still live within Seattle city limits, is very commercial through its business district on Lake City Way. But just a block off that major road, Lake City turns into a residential community with housing that tends to be more affordable than in other nearby areas. There are plenty of apartments, and if you stay away from the lake views, rents tend to be cheaper. Bus service along Lake City Way is very good.
• The Green Lake area is defined by the lake bearing this name. With a nearly 3-mile path around the lake, it is often crowded with runners, bicyclists, baby strollers, roller skaters and dogs. At Green Lake you'll find a community center with a swimming pool and gymnasium, playing fields, the Bathhouse Theater and a boathouse, as well as plenty of restaurants surrounding the lake. You'll also find a PCC Natural Market (a natural food co-op) in the area. Rents are a bit higher in this area, but because there have been a number of new apartment buildings built in the past decade, there also are plenty of shared housing opportunities for students.
• Next to Green Lake is Wallingford, a cozy area with many shops and restaurants as well as Bastyr Center for Natural Health, the teaching clinic for the University's students. The housing consists mostly of private homes and older, quaint apartment buildings. Rent is moderate, but it increases as you get closer to Lake Union, which borders on the south.
• To the west of Wallingford is Fremont, an artsy, bohemian district filled with interesting public artwork and monuments such as Waiting for the Interurban and the Aurora Troll. Other finds include the Sunday Flea Market, the summer outdoor movies, a statue of Lenin, lots of hip stores and boutiques, and a PCC Natural Market.
• The University District is the major neighborhood east of Interstate 5 featuring the University of Washington and a plethora of student housing and businesses that cater to its students. It is a busy area with a lot of activity and noise.
• Wedgwood, View Ridge, Bryant, Ravenna and Roosevelt are just north of the U-District, featuring nice parks and residential neighborhoods. Housing is generally cheaper the farther north you travel, with smaller houses and yards and some apartments. Roosevelt has a Whole Foods and a bustling shopping district, while neighboring Ravenna has an expansive park, community center and an interesting mix of homes and people, ranging from UW professors to student renters. Bryant is very similar to Ravenna, but with bigger homes and yards, more single-family residences and fewer rentals. Housing is similar in View Ridge and Wedgwood, however View Ridge boasts a PCC market, while neighboring Wedgwood has a more defined business area.
• Northwest of the Green Lake area lie Greenwood, Phinney Ridge, Crown Hill and North Park, which also offer affordable housing for students. To the northeast of Green Lake is the residential Maple Leaf neighborhood, which offers a mix of single-family houses with decent-sized yards and affordable apartments; and Northgate, home of the very first enclosed shopping mall (1950). The Northgate neighborhood remains a major shopping district combined with office and apartment complexes, and housing prices that are moderate. There also is a community center and a major Metro (bus service) transfer station adjacent to the mall.

East Side of the Lake

• The neighborhood just south of campus is Juanita. It consists primarily of single-family residences with the most expensive homes and apartments near the lake.
• The city of Kirkland lies to the south of Juanita. Kirkland has a great variety of commercial activity, with some excellent restaurants and shopping and very nice parks along the lake. There is a PCC Natural Market at Houghton Village (Northeast 70th Street) and one of the busiest Costco stores is just east of Interstate 405. As always, housing near the lake, or with decent views, is very expensive. However, there are some moderately priced apartments and rentals in the area.
• Bellevue, Washington's fifth-largest city, is south of Kirkland and has experienced tremendous growth in the past decade. Some areas of Bellevue are among the more expensive places to live on the Eastside, but there also are more affordable rental options in the large city. There is a Whole Foods market in the heart of downtown Bellevue.
• Redmond is east of Kirkland and Bellevue, and perhaps most noted for being the home of the Microsoft Corporation. There is a PCC Natural Market and a Whole Foods in Redmond, and reasonable housing costs.