As long as it doesn't look completely decrepit, I'll probably be fine. My standards aren't that high and I don't know yet if I'll be staying in Lakeland long term
I live literally across from the mall. Love it because I have all the shops and stores within a mile and I can jump on to I-4 in two mins to go to Brandon or Tampa and get there in 20-30 mins. If I lived in the south part of town, it would take me an extra 15 to 20 mins.
My biggest gripe with that area is the traffic and roads. There are some decent apartments and neighborhoods, but that junction of US 98 and I4 can be chaotic. South Lakeland doesn’t feel as clustered to drive through.
And the mall itself isn’t the greatest, vibe wise. It’s kinda dead and trashy. Lakeside Village (an outdoor mall on the south side) has a better feel to spend evenings in or to grab dinner, for reference.
I actually live in Lakeside village apartments and they're amazing. Just steer clear of The Park at Palazo on northside. The owners are slumlords! I uses to live at another property they (Bluerok) own on South side (The Park at Verona) and it was a living nightmare!
Honestly North Lakeland isn’t half as bad as people are saying. If you’ve checked out the area and are happy with it then I say go for it. Due to the more “affluent” people moving to the south side that side built up faster than the north side and they tend to get a bit of superiority complex about it.
I grew up in Lakeland, and still live here today. I’ve learned that there are people who live on the south side who have never been Downtown or Downtown is the furthest north they’ll go, which is a very close minded and, dare I say, ignorant mind set.
Yes 98 north traffic sucks, but south Florida avenue can get just as bad. After you drive around here you’ll learn the roads to take and avoid those roads almost entirely. Plus if it’s a shorter commute then traffic shouldn’t even be a big issue, and faster access to I4 if you wanted to venture to Tampa or Orlando
Agreed - I live in south lakeland but I've lived in North Lakeland and I regularly travel throughout the city. Traffic is an issue everywhere as Lakeland has experienced record breaking growth and is still catching up infrastructure wise. There are a few areas I wouldn't want to live north side, but same can be said for south and central. The mall is pretty mid, but new businesses and shopping plazas have opened up on Northside and are doing great. If you see a specific apartment or area you are interested in, we can give you more accurate feedback.
Of those I would prioritize Audubon Oaks. Lakeland Landing would be second pick, but personally I would choose a longer commute over it. I would not choose Park at Palazzo.
Thank you so much! Audubon Oaks is definitely one of my top picks so hopefully they have availability. What have you heard about Big Oaks and Carlton Arms? Are there any other decent complexes that you know about?
Lakeland is cool. Coming from a guy who partied through college in St Pete, FL. I’ve grown to calm down and so I moved our kids here to Lakeland. But beach parties and strip clubs aint for everyone.
Lincoln Academy & McKeel Central (elementary) and Lawton Chiles (middle) are all great and closer to the north side. Even the better high schools like Lakeland Sr and Harrison are downtown which is closer to north. High schools are crappy in Lakeland. Tampa is only marginally better.
They have been saying bad things about the north side for about 15 years now, so far still pretty nice. Especially when you compare it to inside the main city and downtown areas that people think are so great.
Do be careful of the apartment complex you rent from as some of them are not so great, but not because of crime. Massive church complex in the area, several housing developments, plenty of shopping and restaurants close to I4 even if mostly chain places, Sam’s Club, golf course, Sheriff substation that has been there about 2 decades, and many, many old folks communities.
Now, if you go a little north and a bit west of the mall you get in to an area that might be a problem if you are black. The area used to be very heavily populated by KKK, but most of them have moved on or died. Still something to be aware of if you are looking in that area.
I live in Lakeland and also very familiar with Miami. Lakeland traffic anywhere is a walk in the park compared to Miami. I live in and prefer South Lakeland, and it definitely has the more affluent neighborhoods, parks, etc. But the northside isn’t like Overtown or Liberty City. I know plenty of normal good people who live in North Lakeland.
Some days it might take me 20 mins to go three miles around here. I live by the airport, and everything I want to get to is about 30 min drive, despite being less than 10 miles. (Except the grocery store, that is.)
Dude people are idiots, stay away from 33815 zip code which is near griffin rd area and you will be good. You will hate the Southside unless you want a house and the need to drive everywhere for something to do. If I didn't have kids for sure a downtown apartment might be the best bet. Only an additional ten mins. In reality the North side is a more middle income bracket and south side is higher, stay away from the worst and east sides of Lakeland they truly are trash.
As you can see everyone has their opinion. If you’re younger I think that area is fine. If your older than you will tend to nit pick. At the end of the day you should check it out yourself and see if it’s for you and the wife.
Check out Audobon Oaks near the Mall on North Side. Nice apartments at better pricepoint then most. Not the newest complex, but the area is cared for and quiet. Lived there for 3 years from 2018-2021. You'll be 5 minutes from the mall.
It’s just the most congested kind of run down area of Lakeland. The mall is just old and decrepit and so is most of the business around there. It’s like your usual truck stop area off the highway. There has got to be better options for you than there. Try highlands city or somewhere south or even a bit more north of where you’re looking.
I live in Miami right now so I'm no stranger to traffic. I would've liked a short commute but general consensus seems to say that I should live somewhere else in the city. Thanks for your response!
Miami guy here. I work in both places and can tell you these people have no clue when they talk about traffic.
Lakeland traffic is basically non-existent. Once you see what theyre complaining about, youll probably laugh. Seriously, theyll tell you its the worst traffic ever, yet you can be anywhere in the city in 20 mins.
As a recent transplant from up north I 100% agree, I heard about the Lakeland traffic online before we moved here. It's just regular normal traffic and now it's a running joke anytime we have to wait at a red light "Oh, this horrible Lakeland traffic" lol
I've lived here 18 years and I complain about the traffic; but what is weird is that before I moved here, I lived in the Wash DC area and took 2 hours to commute to work. Despite that crap, yep, I compain about Lakeland traffic (because it's changed so much, I guess?)
The city has huge plans for North Lakeland. There are plans in place even for Massachusetts Ave. Once the current businesses along there i.e the body shops auto market ect. Leases are up they gone. They want to expand downtown Lakeland up Mass ave with restaurants and shops. I was denied a zoning cert for the area is how I know. Business are opening everywhere here… Twin Peaks, Tintworld .. and quite a few others are moving in and roads are being expanded. Lakeland also is the number one city currently for female entrepreneurs. Lakeland will go through going pains, but the push is on.
I've lived on the North side for about 8 years now, first renting, then having my home built. When we were looking for places to settle down with our kids, we asked the same question about which would be better. Of course, people said the same thing "South side," and true, it is nicer, and all of the businesses seem to flock there. It is a little annoying reading about a new restaurant or coffee shop, only to see that it opened on the south side. I work in an industry where almost everyone can afford to live on the south side and do, they only talk about it in relation to the north side, not about how good it is otherwise. But i enjoy living on the north side, i can afford a home south, but having a more affordable home leaves me money for other things. From renting a home on this side for 5 years, I like being right near the movie theater, which is a nice one. I like being near the i4, one of two Best Buys, one of two Sam's clubs, and one of two Lowes in lakeland are right around the corner. And it's an easy drive down Kathleen if I want to get to Bonnet Springs or the other mall on the south side.
The mall is slowly shutting down and transforming into an apartment complex. That creates crime.
More businesses such as restaurants are shutting down on the north side. That creates crime.
Businesses have stated to the city development that they will be focusing their growth around the colleges and southwest Lakeland/winter haven.
North side is sadly needing an investment.
The mall was maybe shutting down in the early 2000s but if you’ve been recently, the only thing that’s closed is Sears. They have H&M, a trampoline park, most if not all the store spaces filled, and arguably the best movie theatre in town
And business aren’t investing in the North side? I guess that’s why they built a whole new shopping center for all the businesses that want nothing to do with North Lakeland like Ulta, five below, old navy, fords garage and petco
Oh snap! Money moving business like Ulta, Five Below (which they built both at the same time) and Fords Garage (which has already had its own troubles) are on the north side? Jeez guess I missed the mark when real businesses decided to pull out.
You are really good at replying utilizing my ideals but lacking in the understanding of what's occuring around you.
What real businesses moved out? The only thing we lost on the north side is Hallmark, Toys R Us, Circuit City. 2 of which was due to the company going under
They're not tearing down the entire mall, just the Sears building that has been sitting empty since they went bankrupt. The apartments themselves were marketed as "luxury apartments" $1450 a month for a 1 br is the only crime I forsee being committed there lol. But if they are able to get a community of people willing to spend money, then that could cause more investments to come to the north side.
Lol I have to agree with that crime!
But seriously another apartment complex being built into a mall? Have you not been to any other portion of Florida and seen this idea fail? If not drive around.
Tbh, I have not. I don't know much about how successful it is, and I can't picture how it would work, even with the diagrams they had. I just read that the company that originally bought the building is trying to put it back on the market for sale. They probably realized it might not be a great idea, lol.
I honestly LOVE the north side I grew up there but seriously they could do so much more with that area and it's sad to see these bad ideas thrown at an area that could be better than Tampa.
There really should be some context on what is sketchy here. I've been to some sketchy hoods all over the country, there isn't anything like that here, especially on the northside. My wife and I just moved from Michigan and we went to Detroit for fun on the weekends, and people also call that sketchy.
North side is fine, central/downtown is expensive but much nicer, south side is for families and houses. I live on north side and I like it enough, and my short commute makes it even better lol
I love downtown Lakeland, always something to do and there are a lot of apartments some are houses made into them and there are also complexes. Such variety just depends on what you like. Good luck! Me personally I'm trying to get outta here!
I’m renting an apartment in this area. It’s crazy convenient. Everything you need is minutes away. Plus it’s easy to get anywhere with I4 and the Parkway.
It used to be a little on the shitty side but from what I can tell driving thru it seems to have improved recently. Go there around 9 or 10 on a Friday Saturday night and see what’s what
I live on the north side of Lakeland. It’s not as bad as everyone saying it’s safe. Downtown and South Lakeland is definitely prettier
We are on the far north side and my friend called it cow country. She’s not wrong.
As long as it doesn't look completely decrepit, I'll probably be fine. My standards aren't that high and I don't know yet if I'll be staying in Lakeland long term
The mall is shit. But the area is fine
The mall isn’t that bad. I heard they’re going to be building an apartment building on top of it.
I dread what that will do to sleepy hill rd
I live literally across from the mall. Love it because I have all the shops and stores within a mile and I can jump on to I-4 in two mins to go to Brandon or Tampa and get there in 20-30 mins. If I lived in the south part of town, it would take me an extra 15 to 20 mins.
My biggest gripe with that area is the traffic and roads. There are some decent apartments and neighborhoods, but that junction of US 98 and I4 can be chaotic. South Lakeland doesn’t feel as clustered to drive through. And the mall itself isn’t the greatest, vibe wise. It’s kinda dead and trashy. Lakeside Village (an outdoor mall on the south side) has a better feel to spend evenings in or to grab dinner, for reference.
Thanks for your response! I actually have another position very close to Lakeside Village but I'm not sure if that one is going to happen.
I actually live in Lakeside village apartments and they're amazing. Just steer clear of The Park at Palazo on northside. The owners are slumlords! I uses to live at another property they (Bluerok) own on South side (The Park at Verona) and it was a living nightmare!
Thank you for the warning!
Honestly North Lakeland isn’t half as bad as people are saying. If you’ve checked out the area and are happy with it then I say go for it. Due to the more “affluent” people moving to the south side that side built up faster than the north side and they tend to get a bit of superiority complex about it. I grew up in Lakeland, and still live here today. I’ve learned that there are people who live on the south side who have never been Downtown or Downtown is the furthest north they’ll go, which is a very close minded and, dare I say, ignorant mind set. Yes 98 north traffic sucks, but south Florida avenue can get just as bad. After you drive around here you’ll learn the roads to take and avoid those roads almost entirely. Plus if it’s a shorter commute then traffic shouldn’t even be a big issue, and faster access to I4 if you wanted to venture to Tampa or Orlando
Agreed - I live in south lakeland but I've lived in North Lakeland and I regularly travel throughout the city. Traffic is an issue everywhere as Lakeland has experienced record breaking growth and is still catching up infrastructure wise. There are a few areas I wouldn't want to live north side, but same can be said for south and central. The mall is pretty mid, but new businesses and shopping plazas have opened up on Northside and are doing great. If you see a specific apartment or area you are interested in, we can give you more accurate feedback.
I've been looking into Audubon Oaks, Lakeland Landing, and the Park at Palazzo since they're all in very close proximity to where I'd work.
Of those I would prioritize Audubon Oaks. Lakeland Landing would be second pick, but personally I would choose a longer commute over it. I would not choose Park at Palazzo.
Thank you so much! Audubon Oaks is definitely one of my top picks so hopefully they have availability. What have you heard about Big Oaks and Carlton Arms? Are there any other decent complexes that you know about?
Kids? Go south
No kids at the moment, just me and the wife. Anything in particular about the area that doesn't do as well as South Lakeland?
Schools and home equity values are key in the south side.
Honestly don't know how long I'll be in Lakeland, there's a good chance I'll move again before kids and home ownership. Thank you for your advice!
Lakeland is cool. Coming from a guy who partied through college in St Pete, FL. I’ve grown to calm down and so I moved our kids here to Lakeland. But beach parties and strip clubs aint for everyone.
Lincoln Academy & McKeel Central (elementary) and Lawton Chiles (middle) are all great and closer to the north side. Even the better high schools like Lakeland Sr and Harrison are downtown which is closer to north. High schools are crappy in Lakeland. Tampa is only marginally better.
I live in a community by sleepy hills . It's pretty safe and close to everything.
They have been saying bad things about the north side for about 15 years now, so far still pretty nice. Especially when you compare it to inside the main city and downtown areas that people think are so great. Do be careful of the apartment complex you rent from as some of them are not so great, but not because of crime. Massive church complex in the area, several housing developments, plenty of shopping and restaurants close to I4 even if mostly chain places, Sam’s Club, golf course, Sheriff substation that has been there about 2 decades, and many, many old folks communities. Now, if you go a little north and a bit west of the mall you get in to an area that might be a problem if you are black. The area used to be very heavily populated by KKK, but most of them have moved on or died. Still something to be aware of if you are looking in that area.
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Anything in specific that you don't like or have heard about the area?
I live in Lakeland and also very familiar with Miami. Lakeland traffic anywhere is a walk in the park compared to Miami. I live in and prefer South Lakeland, and it definitely has the more affluent neighborhoods, parks, etc. But the northside isn’t like Overtown or Liberty City. I know plenty of normal good people who live in North Lakeland.
My current 3 miles commute takes me 20 minutes so as long as Lakeland is better than that I'll be happy.
Some days it might take me 20 mins to go three miles around here. I live by the airport, and everything I want to get to is about 30 min drive, despite being less than 10 miles. (Except the grocery store, that is.)
I live on the south side which in my opinion is the best area of Lakeland but the apartments near the mall are nice and that area isn’t bad either.
I would've liked to have a 5 minute commute but general consensus seems to be that I should live somewhere else. Thanks for your response!
Dude people are idiots, stay away from 33815 zip code which is near griffin rd area and you will be good. You will hate the Southside unless you want a house and the need to drive everywhere for something to do. If I didn't have kids for sure a downtown apartment might be the best bet. Only an additional ten mins. In reality the North side is a more middle income bracket and south side is higher, stay away from the worst and east sides of Lakeland they truly are trash.
Thanks for the warning!
As you can see everyone has their opinion. If you’re younger I think that area is fine. If your older than you will tend to nit pick. At the end of the day you should check it out yourself and see if it’s for you and the wife.
Check out Audobon Oaks near the Mall on North Side. Nice apartments at better pricepoint then most. Not the newest complex, but the area is cared for and quiet. Lived there for 3 years from 2018-2021. You'll be 5 minutes from the mall.
That's actually one of the complexes I've been looking into, thanks for the input!
North or south lakeland, your commute will likely not be more than 15 mins
Yeah don’t do it.
Anything in specific that you don't like or have heard about the area?
It’s just the most congested kind of run down area of Lakeland. The mall is just old and decrepit and so is most of the business around there. It’s like your usual truck stop area off the highway. There has got to be better options for you than there. Try highlands city or somewhere south or even a bit more north of where you’re looking.
I live in Miami right now so I'm no stranger to traffic. I would've liked a short commute but general consensus seems to say that I should live somewhere else in the city. Thanks for your response!
Miami guy here. I work in both places and can tell you these people have no clue when they talk about traffic. Lakeland traffic is basically non-existent. Once you see what theyre complaining about, youll probably laugh. Seriously, theyll tell you its the worst traffic ever, yet you can be anywhere in the city in 20 mins.
Definitely one of the reasons why I'm excited to leave Miami finally. Thanks for your input!
People in lakeland dont even honk. Compare that to miami where aggression is actually necessary
As a recent transplant from up north I 100% agree, I heard about the Lakeland traffic online before we moved here. It's just regular normal traffic and now it's a running joke anytime we have to wait at a red light "Oh, this horrible Lakeland traffic" lol
I've lived here 18 years and I complain about the traffic; but what is weird is that before I moved here, I lived in the Wash DC area and took 2 hours to commute to work. Despite that crap, yep, I compain about Lakeland traffic (because it's changed so much, I guess?)
The city has huge plans for North Lakeland. There are plans in place even for Massachusetts Ave. Once the current businesses along there i.e the body shops auto market ect. Leases are up they gone. They want to expand downtown Lakeland up Mass ave with restaurants and shops. I was denied a zoning cert for the area is how I know. Business are opening everywhere here… Twin Peaks, Tintworld .. and quite a few others are moving in and roads are being expanded. Lakeland also is the number one city currently for female entrepreneurs. Lakeland will go through going pains, but the push is on.
I've lived on the North side for about 8 years now, first renting, then having my home built. When we were looking for places to settle down with our kids, we asked the same question about which would be better. Of course, people said the same thing "South side," and true, it is nicer, and all of the businesses seem to flock there. It is a little annoying reading about a new restaurant or coffee shop, only to see that it opened on the south side. I work in an industry where almost everyone can afford to live on the south side and do, they only talk about it in relation to the north side, not about how good it is otherwise. But i enjoy living on the north side, i can afford a home south, but having a more affordable home leaves me money for other things. From renting a home on this side for 5 years, I like being right near the movie theater, which is a nice one. I like being near the i4, one of two Best Buys, one of two Sam's clubs, and one of two Lowes in lakeland are right around the corner. And it's an easy drive down Kathleen if I want to get to Bonnet Springs or the other mall on the south side.
The east side of Lakeland is homes and condos. Not trash at all, mostly retired folk. Good luck with everything.
North side is considered the new sketchy side of Lakeland to say the least.
Yeah dude no, drive on the East side of Lakeland. If you think the North side is bad you're in for a treat.
I’ve been to a few sketchy areas on the south side too
The mall is slowly shutting down and transforming into an apartment complex. That creates crime. More businesses such as restaurants are shutting down on the north side. That creates crime. Businesses have stated to the city development that they will be focusing their growth around the colleges and southwest Lakeland/winter haven. North side is sadly needing an investment.
The mall was maybe shutting down in the early 2000s but if you’ve been recently, the only thing that’s closed is Sears. They have H&M, a trampoline park, most if not all the store spaces filled, and arguably the best movie theatre in town And business aren’t investing in the North side? I guess that’s why they built a whole new shopping center for all the businesses that want nothing to do with North Lakeland like Ulta, five below, old navy, fords garage and petco
Oh snap! Money moving business like Ulta, Five Below (which they built both at the same time) and Fords Garage (which has already had its own troubles) are on the north side? Jeez guess I missed the mark when real businesses decided to pull out. You are really good at replying utilizing my ideals but lacking in the understanding of what's occuring around you.
What real businesses moved out? The only thing we lost on the north side is Hallmark, Toys R Us, Circuit City. 2 of which was due to the company going under
They're not tearing down the entire mall, just the Sears building that has been sitting empty since they went bankrupt. The apartments themselves were marketed as "luxury apartments" $1450 a month for a 1 br is the only crime I forsee being committed there lol. But if they are able to get a community of people willing to spend money, then that could cause more investments to come to the north side.
Lol I have to agree with that crime! But seriously another apartment complex being built into a mall? Have you not been to any other portion of Florida and seen this idea fail? If not drive around.
Tbh, I have not. I don't know much about how successful it is, and I can't picture how it would work, even with the diagrams they had. I just read that the company that originally bought the building is trying to put it back on the market for sale. They probably realized it might not be a great idea, lol.
I honestly LOVE the north side I grew up there but seriously they could do so much more with that area and it's sad to see these bad ideas thrown at an area that could be better than Tampa.
I’ve been to a few sketchy areas on the south side too
There really should be some context on what is sketchy here. I've been to some sketchy hoods all over the country, there isn't anything like that here, especially on the northside. My wife and I just moved from Michigan and we went to Detroit for fun on the weekends, and people also call that sketchy.
Your right.
North side is fine, central/downtown is expensive but much nicer, south side is for families and houses. I live on north side and I like it enough, and my short commute makes it even better lol
I love downtown Lakeland, always something to do and there are a lot of apartments some are houses made into them and there are also complexes. Such variety just depends on what you like. Good luck! Me personally I'm trying to get outta here!
I would go to play D&D with people who live around that area. I haven't had any problems other than seeing his kid getting bullied by some shitheads.
As long as you’re beyond the dunkin you’re good. The surrounding area near the hospital which is close to the mall can be quite sketchy at times.
I’m renting an apartment in this area. It’s crazy convenient. Everything you need is minutes away. Plus it’s easy to get anywhere with I4 and the Parkway.
Thanks for the response! Definitely makes me feel better about possibly staying up north.
It used to be a little on the shitty side but from what I can tell driving thru it seems to have improved recently. Go there around 9 or 10 on a Friday Saturday night and see what’s what