Other cities with better suburbs than Baltimore?

[GoPhils]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Maybe it's just me, so it'll be interesting to hear what comments this generates.

But, nontheless, I didn't care for any of the DC suburbs whatsoever. However, Baltimore suburbs all had a ton of character and seemed amazingly liveable. So liveable, that I could actually understand why in Baltimore a person might opt for the suburbs over the city itself. (Not just because of safety associated with suburbs), but just that Baltimore suburbs seemed to have many amenities of city living, and the advantages of not being in an American city (better schools, etc.)

Which DC suburbs did you go to? Aren't a lot of the inner DC suburbs pretty much city-living? Silver Spring, Bethesda, College Park, etc.

[KLynch10]

Originally Posted by jonjj

I don't get the Towson experience at all. It is walkable for about two blocks. I think the goal was to have it sort of become a Silver Spring or Chevy Chase. It's got a long way to go. Catonsville is a bit better. It does have a walkable downtown area and some diversity.

I think they made a mistake by not running the Light Rail through downtown Towson. Downtown Towson doesn't look great at the moment, but their are some good projects in the works and TU is growing like crazy. Hopefully it is something more impressive in the next 5-10 years. It certainly has a lot of bars and restaurants though.

[barante]

Let's make one thing clear. No mistakes were made in the region's mass transit planning. Politicians and planners simply followed their hearts and constitutients' pressure to keep the "outsiders" and "those people" out. That's why plans for an all-encompassing metro-Baltimore transit system were never realized. That's why Ruxton doesn't have a light-rail stop and there is no parking at the light-rail stop in Linthicum, where recent agitation wants the stop removed altogether. Simple enough?

[ay jayy]

Not a fan of most the Baltimore suburbs, there are a few good ones like Ellicott City, Catonsville, and Towson. DC's arent great either, though I think they are improving.

Philadelphia has great suburban towns.

[barante]

Does Pennsylvania's township structure give more cohesion to the suburbs? By contrast, there is not a single incorporated town in all of Baltimore County.

[Miss Crabcakes]

I actually bought a house in Owings Mills New Town last winter and I absolutely love the area. But what I love about it are things mnay city-lovers don't generally appreciate like space, green grass and trees and the newness of most of the homes, streets, etc. Mahy would find my neighborhood cookie-cutter and boring but having grown up in a rundown, inner city neighborhood near Pimlico, it feels like a slice of paradise to me.

I also love how dead quiet it is at night, that I have yet to hear any neighbors through walls and rarely anywhere else. That its extremely clean and the neighborhoods and homes are pretty and fairly young and there's lots of land and greenery. I can also hop in my car and get to nearly any store I need within 5 miles and I'm close to 695, 795 and 83. There's plenty of non-chain restaurants, parks and I feel safe jogging down the street. We'll also get a Wegman's and a developed mall in coming years and the schools are better than the ones I went to off Park Heights in the city.

I also love that our house backs to woods and its totally private and at night you can hear crickets. And no parking issues! I can park in front my house, every single day! For this former city girl, its a nice change.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by barante

Does Pennsylvania's township structure give more cohesion to the suburbs? By contrast, there is not a single incorporated town in all of Baltimore County.

I've often thought about that. Towns in PA are towns, distinct from one another, not vaguely defined post offices.

Baltimore County's suburbs are basically the opposite of New England, where counties are, for the most part, meaningless except for courts and there is very little (if any) unincorporated land.

[MsBlueCrab2U]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Maybe it's just me, so it'll be interesting to hear what comments this generates.

But, earlier this year, I was exploring Baltimore, Washington DC, and Maryland. I've never personally lived in a suburb, and never had any interest to live in one either. (Maybe that's what makes Baltimore suburbs appealing?)

But, nontheless, I didn't care for any of the DC suburbs whatsoever. However, Baltimore suburbs all had a ton of character and seemed amazingly liveable. So liveable, that I could actually understand why in Baltimore a person might opt for the suburbs over the city itself. (Not just because of safety associated with suburbs), but just that Baltimore suburbs seemed to have many amenities of city living, and the advantages of not being in an American city (better schools, etc.)

Anyhow, with all that being said. Am I way wrong on this, or do some people actually agree with some of this? (It's basically just an observation based on a short visit).

Could be that many of suburbs were/are towns in their own right, growing beside Baltimore City as opposed to attributing most of their growth from the city itself.