Which Akron Neighborhood? (Barberton, Tallmadge, Shadyside: crime, chapel, houses)

[deskjockey]

Whats the name of the neighborhood at Kenmore Boulevard/Manchester Road intersection. Tell me about this neighborhood and surrounding area please

[reed303]

Look here http://www.city-data.com/nbmaps/neigh-Akron-Ohio.html

West of Manchester is "Kenmore", east is "Summit Lake"

Look here for profiles: Akron Neighborhood Profiles : City of Akron

[deskjockey]

Originally Posted by reed303

Look here http://www.city-data.com/nbmaps/neigh-Akron-Ohio.html

West of Manchester is "Kenmore", east is "Summit Lake"

Look here for profiles: Akron Neighborhood Profiles : City of Akron

Thank you. If you have personal opinions about these two neighborhoods, I would like to know.

[SquareBetterThanAll]

Summit Lake probably ranks across the board as either the worst or in close competition for the worst neighborhood in the city - crime, demographics, % of homeownership, the whole nine. Me personally, for whatever money you would spend over there you could probably spend the same and be in a much better location. Summit Lake would fall on the east side of the Lake.

That being said, Kenmore would be significantly better out of the two. It's still a working class/lower middle class/middle class area (depending on the section) and depending on where you are there may be some crime issues (for example, you have to be buzzed into one of the cell phone stores on the Boulevard now because they've gotten robbed a couple of times). Housing is fairly inexpensive, it does have basic shopping on the strip on Kenmore Boulevard, and does have easy access to I-277. What you see is what you get, it is a legacy factory worker neighborhood and isn't on a side of town that I would expect any major development anytime soon. But if you're looking for inexpensive housing, basic amenities (library, food, cell stores, parks, etc), and are ok with being in the proximity of occasional crime it's doable. It's an area that would pay to do a little research on a street-by-street basis as there is some variance in there on who your neighbors are and what they are or aren't up to.

With that in mind I don't think I would be looking right at the intersection of Manchester and Kenmore. Things are better west of the Lake and south of 76/77 but that is right at the bottom of the lake which makes it blocks from Summit Lake neighborhood. You can literally feel the change going from being completely dead and rotten to getting into the business section a few blocks down Kenmore. If you want to be right there I would try to hop up the hill closer to East Avenue (there is a big "cliff" between East Ave and Manchester Road which is a natural buffer) or further south down Kenmore Boulevard to put a little distance between you and the all out hood. I always thought it looked nice where Shadyside Park is on the bend on Kenmore Boulevard which, again, is a little bit further south.

Since you've been asking about neighborhoods, why don't you tell us what you are looking for in a location? Close to work or something else, a certain price range, certain amenities? It might make it easier to point you to where you can get the most bang for your buck.

[deskjockey]

Thank you for the detailed and helpful response. I appreciate it. I am looking for a neighborhood where folks who were born in other countries will be accepted. Safety is another criteria. Prefer a smaller rather than a larger single family home.

[SquareBetterThanAll]

Originally Posted by deskjockey

Thank you for the detailed and helpful response. I appreciate it. I am looking for a neighborhood where folks who were born in other countries will be accepted. Safety is another criteria. Prefer a smaller rather than a larger single family home.

I don't think you should have much of an issue with that in any neighborhood in the City or suburbs really. There's always the possibility of running into an idiot no matter where you are but I would be really surprised if you had any major ethnicity-related issues in any neighborhood.

I'm guessing, but North Hill or University Park probably has the highest amount of foreign born residents around if that helps any.

North Hill has the International Institute on Tallmadge Ave which makes it a congregating point for new(er) immigrants, so you have a higher concentration there. There seem to be stores catering to a variety of backgrounds including multiple Asian stores, an African market, multiple Hispanic stores/markets, etc. Many of them have a specific country of origin behind them but I only know a few (some are Mexican, one is Nepali, etc).

North Hill also ranks in there with being a mixed bag depending on what part of the neighborhood one lives in. Some parts are fairly quiet, other parts are not good, kind of like the other neighborhoods you asked about. There are some sections that are made up of smaller houses as you get closer to Chapel Hill (WWII-era housing stock) Zip to search is 44310.

University Park of course has many people around of varying ethnicities specifically because of the University. The issue there is if you don't want to be in close proximity to students that rules out a large portion of the housing available over there. I also probably would not look to purchase a house as a residence there.

You might also try looking on the Northwest side of Akron which tends to be a pretty accepting area in my experience. Highland Square/West Hill, Wallhaven, and Merriman Valley all have a variety housing choices. If you are looking for smaller houses Merriman Valley has several sections made up of smaller-ish houses. Same with Wallhaven. Zips to search are 44302, 44303, 44313.

I think Barberton also has a core of first and second generation Eastern Europeans if that's your thing. (44203)

[mkeller234]

Sorry I cannot help, I just wanted to make a comment about Summit Lake. I find it so strange that lake front property is home to such a poor neighborhood and housing projects. Akron is by and large a great place, but that is one thing I cannot understand. Maybe the Valley is a more desirable feature than a lake?

I've used the bicycle path through the Summit Lake neighborhood. It's was a little bit dicey for sure.

[deskjockey]

Originally Posted by SquareBetterThanAll

I don't think you should have much of an issue with that in any neighborhood in the City or suburbs really. There's always the possibility of running into an idiot no matter where you are but I would be really surprised if you had any major ethnicity-related issues in any neighborhood.

I'm guessing, but North Hill or University Park probably has the highest amount of foreign born residents around if that helps any.

North Hill has the International Institute on Tallmadge Ave which makes it a congregating point for new(er) immigrants, so you have a higher concentration there. There seem to be stores catering to a variety of backgrounds including multiple Asian stores, an African market, multiple Hispanic stores/markets, etc. Many of them have a specific country of origin behind them but I only know a few (some are Mexican, one is Nepali, etc).

North Hill also ranks in there with being a mixed bag depending on what part of the neighborhood one lives in. Some parts are fairly quiet, other parts are not good, kind of like the other neighborhoods you asked about. There are some sections that are made up of smaller houses as you get closer to Chapel Hill (WWII-era housing stock) Zip to search is 44310.

University Park of course has many people around of varying ethnicities specifically because of the University. The issue there is if you don't want to be in close proximity to students that rules out a large portion of the housing available over there. I also probably would not look to purchase a house as a residence there.

You might also try looking on the Northwest side of Akron which tends to be a pretty accepting area in my experience. Highland Square/West Hill, Wallhaven, and Merriman Valley all have a variety housing choices. If you are looking for smaller houses Merriman Valley has several sections made up of smaller-ish houses. Same with Wallhaven. Zips to search are 44302, 44303, 44313.

I think Barberton also has a core of first and second generation Eastern Europeans if that's your thing. (44203)

Much obliged for the detailed response. Thanks. Cheers.