Information About University Heights Ohio (Cleveland, Cleveland Heights: cul-de-sac, upper-class, houses)

[LadyLynwa]

Hello. I was wondering if anyone could tell me why so many houses are on the market in University Heights, Ohio. Also, can anyone offer specifics as to why so many residents are moving out of that city versus in? Input from former residents would be greatly appreciated.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by LadyLynwa

Hello. I was wondering if anyone could tell me why so many houses are on the market in University Heights, Ohio. Also, can anyone offer specifics as to why so many residents are moving out of that city versus in? Input from former residents would be greatly appreciated.

Hmm are people really moving out? My parents live in University Heights, I used to live there too. When I've visited them, things seem fine as usual. UH is a pretty pleasant place. Home values took a hit during the recession but things are on the rebound now. I've known a few young couples that moved there from Ohio City and Tremont to have kids. It's not a particularly exciting place, but it's really small and close sandwiched between Shaker and Cleveland Heights. A couple big bus lines run through and the rapid was only like a 10 minute walk from me. Close to Cedar-Lee area. What are of the UH are you looking at? A few blocks are kinda upper-classy near Beachwood, while a large portion is solidly middle class and JCU students.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Hmm are people really moving out? My parents live in University Heights, I used to live there too. When I've visited them, things seem fine as usual. UH is a pretty pleasant place. Home values took a hit during the recession but things are on the rebound now. I've known a few young couples that moved there from Ohio City and Tremont to have kids. It's not a particularly exciting place, but it's really small and close sandwiched between Shaker and Cleveland Heights. A couple big bus lines run through and the rapid was only like a 10 minute walk from me. Close to Cedar-Lee area. What are of the UH are you looking at? A few blocks are kinda upper-classy near Beachwood, while a large portion is solidly middle class and JCU students.

My hometown as well. I actually think the nicest homes are not nearest to Beachwood, but right around JCU and the streets that come off of Fairmount Boulevard just west of Warrensville Center Road.

Overall the city is in decent shape. My guess is that those who choose to leave are leaving for the same reasons why all other inner-ring suburbs are slowly losing population: A perception of public poor schools, changing demographics and the desire for newer, larger homes with more space. UH does have some nice assets, but for young families who want open concept 2500 square foot homes with an acre of land in homogeneous communities, they're going to have to look elsewhere.

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by Clevelander17

My hometown as well. I actually think the nicest homes are not nearest to Beachwood, but right around JCU and the streets that come off of Fairmount Boulevard just west of Warrensville Center Road.

... no wonder the houses are nicer... Just west of Fairmount Circle is Shaker Heights and its ritzy North and South Park areas, to boot.

Originally Posted by Clevelander17

Overall the city is in decent shape. My guess is that those who choose to leave are leaving for the same reasons why all other inner-ring suburbs are slowly losing population: A perception of public poor schools, changing demographics and the desire for newer, larger homes with more space. UH does have some nice assets, but for young families who want open concept 2500 square foot homes with an acre of land in homogeneous communities, they're going to have to look elsewhere.

The CH-UH schools are struggling, no doubt. I still think UH is a pleasant place to live... It's all in what you want. If you want newer, homogeneous places then the West Side burbs like Strongsville and Medina are what you probably want... However, despite the population decline (which is slowing considerably according to census updates), there are plenty of people who like diverse communities, esp near quality colleges like JCH -- if you can put up with the undergrads -- JCH's are pretty tame compared to most... If you like those lily-white homogeneous places, with cookie-cutter, cul-de-sac houses, malls, freeways, poor-to-zero transit and relative isolation, they certainly exist in Greater Cleveland...mainly West/southwest of the Cuyahoga River though... UH ain't one of them...

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by TheProf

... no wonder the houses are nicer... Just west of Fairmount Circle is Shaker Heights and its ritzy North and South Park areas, to boot.

Yeah, that area more directly borders Shaker Heights and if memory serves that portion of UH was also developed by the Van Swerigens. That said, those UH homes are not in the fashion of the large homes along South Park/North Park, but are more modest but well-built brick colonials usually around 2000 square feet. These neighborhoods tend to have a lot of families that use Gesu School for K-8 and St. Ignatius, Beaumont, University School, Gilmour Academy, Hathaway Brown, or Laurel for high school. So in other words, they don't tend to care much about the quality of the Heights Schools.

Originally Posted by TheProf

The CH-UH schools are struggling, no doubt. I still think UH is a pleasant place to live... It's all in what you want. If you want newer, homogeneous places then the West Side burbs like Strongsville and Medina are what you probably want... However, despite the population decline (which is slowing considerably according to census updates), there are plenty of people who like diverse communities, esp near quality colleges like JCH -- if you can put up with the undergrads -- JCH's are pretty tame compared to most... If you like those lily-white homogeneous places, with cookie-cutter, cul-de-sac houses, malls, freeways, poor-to-zero transit and relative isolation, they certainly exist in Greater Cleveland...mainly West/southwest of the Cuyahoga River though... UH ain't one of them...

I agree entirely. And there are some positive things happening in the city, like the new park that is being developed where Northwood Elementary School used to be.

[Apteryx]

I lived there for a time, on Washington Blvd, and it was a very nice place to live, and very walkable. I loved the Fairmount circle area near JC, some great casual restaurants to walk to in the summer like Pizzazz and Dave's Cosmic Subs. Plus, if you ever need to get to the big retail stores, they're all at Cedar/Warrensville. Theft seems to occur often these days in UH but mostly around the retail areas, mostly caused by Cleveland residents who stumble into town...I know a lot of people who had parked at stores by the Whole Foods or at Macy's/Target and they've had their cars broken into. I would just use common sense. I personally never experienced theft, but I know people who have.