My experience apartment hunting...

[automated]

I don't see it. The city just isn't very walkable- sure you've got a very pleasant downtown, but it is largely uninhabited by "normal" residents, with many being the super-rich who don't live there for much of the year. There's no cultural/population diversity in the downtown area. If you're just talking about the way the buildings look, sure...but it looks very "musuemified" in that it's been artificially frozen in time and building has been very tightly regulated to preserve one very particular aesthetic.

Plus it's lacking one thing that those Euro cities do very well- sensible public transit. On top of that you've got a generally non-bohemian culture in the urban area...dunno I'm not seeing the likeness other than some aesthetic similarities in the historical buildings, and many European cities have modernized around their history rather than trying to preserve it for its own sake.

Again, none of this is meant as a slight, if Charleston was inhabited by a middle/lower working class, with shops and culture tailored to their needs rather than the wants of tourists and college students, the comparison would be a little more compelling....but just looking in this thread, hardly anyone responding here actually lives downtown despite commenting on how pleasant an experience it can be. The architecture is breathtaking, and even north of Broad many of the residents put a lot of time and effort into maintaining beautiful homes...they're often juxtaposed with frat houses where people are content to use their shrubs as recycling bins. The artificially high rents IMO contribute to this demographic homogeneity...

[JimmyCh]

There is a huge income disparity in the South. That's why we see very nice house a few blocks away from ghetto like area (personally, I think it is a bad thing). I just moved to downtown and renting a one bedroom. I live 10 minutes from work walking. Since I have no life, the downtown is not very walkable at least for me right now is due to the heat. I was sweating like mad just been out for 10 minutes.

[automated]

Originally Posted by JimmyCh

Since I have no life, the downtown is not very walkable at least for me right now is due to the heat. I was sweating like mad just been out for 10 minutes.

Ha, that's gonna be us. After a five minute walk down there I need a shower. And I'm in OK shape- my commute in NY was a 2 mile walk each way...that humidity is killer...

[Rggr]

Originally Posted by automated

Ha, that's gonna be us. After a five minute walk down there I need a shower. And I'm in OK shape- my commute in NY was a 2 mile walk each way...that humidity is killer...

I had a friend move here from NYC. He told me that he planned to walk to work (in a suit) which was about a mile and a half away. I cautioned him and told him that if he did, he would only do it once. He walked the first day, and that was it.

[automated]

It seems doable in the morning if you're dressed properly, but it just doesn't seem to cool down . During July and August (which are pretty brutal in NYC, though this year has been mild) , I always made sure I left for work by 9 to beat the heat and stayed at least until dark. As long as you don't have too far to go, you're way better off walking than waiting on the subway platform, which is unbearable in a suit. And you always have the option of walking on the shady side of the street...

How walkable/bikeable is the JI connector? I don't remember a dedicated bike lane. It's hard for me to imagine what September and October are going to feel like. But November-March can't be all that bad, right?

[JimmyCh]

JI connector has a lane but it looks very dangerous without any barrier from the car.

[Rggr]

Originally Posted by JimmyCh

JI connector has a lane but it looks very dangerous without any barrier from the car.

It doesn't have a barrier, but the lane is pretty wide. I've run it a few times. November-March would be the better time to do it if you were going to work.

[huskylaw]

automated -
I would check out Andolini's pizza on wentworth (not the one on JI), the mellow mushroom on King, Big John's Tavern (a dive bar on East Bay), and definitely AC's on upper King. These all have somewhat an alternative feel to them (especially AC's though you may find it too young). I am leaving Charleston due to what I feel is an arrogant close minded southern culture, but not everyone is this way and there are some really great things about Charleston that will stay forever in my heart. I know everyone here kind of jumped on you at the beginning, but you should take that as indicitive of everyone's love for their hometown (If everyone agreed that Charleston sucked that would be even worse IMO!). Good Luck and keep us updated!