Dirty Art Grungy area - Moving (Kent, Covington: crime, neighborhood, buy)

[wolden]

Originally Posted by crazyelvis

I live semi hood in Pittsburgh. But i have been living here for 4 years. So I feel safe. I also have to think of the safety of my fiance. I live right now in a neighborhood that has been artists rehabbed. So that is kinda what I am looking for. Thanks for the replys.

Which neighborhood do you live in Pittsburgh? South Side? East Liberty?

[crazyelvis]

Lawrenceville

[wolden]

Originally Posted by crazyelvis

Lawrenceville

Clifton Gaslight is a reasonable place compared to Lawrenceville IMHO

[crazyelvis]

Thanks. I am going to look at places there.

[crazyelvis]

Clifton Gaslight was ok when we went on your trip this weekend.
What do you think of Northern Kentucky like covington. We drove through there and it looked nice also. The Northside has more of the lawrenceville feel, but I think we would live in a place that is super safe the first year then find another more artsy place the second year.

Right now we narrowed it down to clifton gaslight and covington.

[goyguy]

Covington is dicey at times. The "Mainstrasse" (how corny a name is that) area has had some troubles with late-night muggings near bars. Some of it's been classified as "hate crime" in the news - seems at least one club is popular with gay people - but any single person or couple is as good as the next when you're out to roll somebody fast. Most of the blocks nearest the river have been gentrified, not to mention all those high-rises right at the foot of the bridges, but no sooner than 4-5 blocks in do you start seeing "downscale" establishments. Pike St headed farther out from town does have a cool vibe about it, though: some of the Northside feel with apartments in old brick buildings upstairs from vintage-clothing shops and cutesy bars. Rent would almost definitely set you back less than north of the river, but at least one car would be needed in the household. Since Greater Cincinnati has no regional mass transit between the states you'd have to take a "TANK" bus into downtown Cincy and then indirectly transfer to Metro service the rest of the way to UC. I wouldn't rule it out, though, nor would I be right to not mention the Wallace Woods neighborhood still farther south.
Gaslight Clifton is safest west of Clifton Ave and north of Ludlow, sketchiest around Bishop St and the parallel Ruther Ave east of Clifton Ave. It's also nice south of Clifton Ave if you look strictly on Howell, Terrace, Whitfield, and Middleton. (If that portion of the neighborhood wasn't nice the "Clifton House" B & B at the Terrace/Whitfield corner couldn't stay in business let alone charge what they do!)

[crazyelvis]

We have 2 cars so transportation is no big deal.

To me, we didnt go through Covington at night, it didnt seem that bad? In the area I live in we have shootings, drug deals, minor muggings etc. But in Pittsburgh if you arent dealing drugs, selling drugs, and minding your own business you arent going to get into trouble. Of course there is a random mugging every now and again, but dont you have that in any big city?
When we come back over in a month I will roll through there at night. But if it is super bad please let me know. I wont consider it.
I am also curious on what the commute would be like from covington to UC. I work at home but my girlfriend would be driving there.

Newport? Is that a little worse then covington? I didnt mind Newport either.

Goyguy all this info is really helpful on clifton gaslight and also Covington, thanks a lot.

Clifton Gaslight kinda feels a little too orderly for me? Although we only spent like 5 hours there. But it still may be our safest bet for the first year in the City.

[Wilson513]

There is a nice high rise in Covington and a couple of places on the River with a good view (you don't have to look at Covington). Other than that, its a toilet.

[Sarah Perry]

About 15 years ago I spent a lot of time in the Mainstrasse area of Covington. If Clifton Gaslight seems too "orderly" for you (I think I kind of know what you mean) then you might like that part of Covington just fine. I have friends who've lived there for years without incident, and there are a lot of bars, restaurants and retail. It's lively, in a word. The area on the riverfront is yuppified and pricy. Wallace Woods is about a 5-10 minute drive to the south and is a nice older residential neighborhood also. Covington has a lot of poor neighborhoods and poor people. Like any other urban area, you just need to carefully check out prospective living places and do your homework.

[crazyelvis]

Wilson have you lived there?

Sarah, I will have to look at Wallace woods also. Do you friends live right off of the Mainstrasse area?

Anyone else that has lived in Mainstrasse want to chime in?