Where to live for Case Western Reserve

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by WeSoHood

No I'm speaking in terms of right around the campus has crime issues.. Of course there are nice areas. I just gave them a time of travel like requested. Shaker and Cleve. Hts are great areas - but you making it sound they are part of Cleveland proper. Then go on to bash me about my supposed negative views of the city!

Little Italy and areas around the Euclid/Mayfield intersection are in Cleveland proper, including the large high-rise Triangle Apt complex and famed Hessler Court. Are not those areas safe; even prosperous? So strong UCI is planning a major upgrade of Euclid-Mayfield to E. 115 street. RTA's taking (this year) bids on a new, relocated Rapid Station at Little Italy. Also, you apparently haven't witnessed the city-funded (via HUD I believe) rehab of the old mini-mansions in the Magnolia Historic District along the Wade Park Ave area. A few years ago Progressive Urban Real Estate sponsored the rehab of an old brownstone building into luxury condos just north of Wade Park Ave (I think it's called University Villa). It's been sold out for some time... So while Cleveland Heights is not w/in Cleveland borders (which I don't understand the big deal, MtnGoat's question centered on living near the CWRU campus, not what political jurisdiction it happens to be in.

[ExCMHer]

Originally Posted by Mtngoat

Hey,
Thanks for the information. What can you tell me about the area just north of Case, Glenville, and the Forest Hill neighborhood? In general, what is the housing like within a 1 mile radius of University Circle? Everybody's definition of the 'hood' is different, but we'd like a neighborhood where my wife can safely walk alone with the baby, and where she can be out in the yard alone without having to pack heat

I think The Prof is giving you a bit too glorified view of the area right outside University Circle on the north side. I lived on Magnolia Drive, so I know that neighborhood pretty well.

There may be a portion of the Glenville neighborhood that is patrolled by the University Circle Police Department, which is separate from the Cleveland Police Department. However, other than that, I probably wouldn't live in Glenville. Wade Park Avenue is probably the furthest north I'd go, if I had a wife and baby.

I had some friends get roughed up pretty good a couple of times wandering off campus too far at night. One of those assaults even happened on the Case campus itself on Bellflower, so even Case students aren't totally immune.

If you were going to live off campus/outside of University Circle, I'd stay towards that south side of campus over in Little Italy going towards Cleveland Heights. I wouldn't bother moving all the way over to Lakewood when it really isn't all that different from Cleveland Heights, IMO.

[xtra333]

how is the pollution there?

[Nysee53]

I think I might look in Lyndhurst, Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights, and Warrensville Schools. You won't have top-tier schools but they will be pretty good. Shaker Heights has the best schools of the one's I have mentioned. It is also more expensive than the others so you may end up with a fixer-upper. Shaker is where my wife grew up so I know that area quite well. Lyndhurst is also nice and you might get lucky and find something in the Beachwood School District which is a perfect 10!

[Steve36]

To be honest I would not buy a home in the $200K range in Cleveland Heights. The few areas worth the investment risk in CH will be out of your price range unless you can find something that needs a lot of work. I'm sure there are exceptions but I think if you will be buying from out of town with limited time to shop it would be hard to get to know the area well enough to make the right decision.
Shaker would be a better bet, the housing values here are also pretty unpredictable but there are still viable middle class neighborhoods in Shaker.
The architecture in both towns is dominated by popular styles at the turn of the last century: craftsman as well as tudor,colonial, and georgian revival styles are all pretty common. Contemporary is unlikely.