Cleveland Heights - Good spot for married couple in early 30s? (Cincinnati: transplants, renting)

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by airics

where do you live cle

At the moment? Scottsdale, Arizona. However very shortly I'll be returning to the Cleveland area, probably Shaker Heights.

If the schools were better, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase in the Roxboro, Canterbury, or Fairfax neighborhoods of Cleveland Heights.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by lcinva

It's one thing to want buzz and nightlife, but when you bring kids into the equation it's a different story. My husband and I are young professionals, and moving as soon as we finish various graduate/residency programs. Many of our colleagues have children, and are sorry that they chose to live closer to University Circle (Cle. Heights, etc.). Too much goes down around this area to warrant raising a family here, unless you don't have a choice because you already bought a home and can't sell.

Another poster noted that many kids here go to private school. As unfortunate as it is, that means exactly what you would expect in a diverse area with 33% living below the poverty line...many of the white kids are in private school, with more of the black kids in public school. My colleagues can't afford private school as this time in life, and so their kids are often the only white children at school, and are often picked on and bullied. I'm not saying it wouldn't be the same if it were one black kid with a bunch of white kids, (and maybe it is in the private schools) but it's something to consider, especially as this area continues to experience "white flight" - whatever race you are.

As a side note, I personally don't feel as if there is enough "buzz" in the Coventry area to warrant moving there for it, unless by buzz you mean college kids going there to eat at Tommy's and it's cleared out by 10pm. Word is that downtown/Ohio City is much more what you are looking for, but you are really asking for it if you move there. Sorry, I just think Cleveland has a long way to go before it can provide what you are looking for in a relatively safe environment for your kids.

Buyer beware, indeed. Anyone reading your posts should know that you're one of the Negative Nancies who is only a member of city-forum to bash Cleveland. Take what she says with a grain of salt.

[airics]

so when did you leave cleveland hts to go to arizona

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by airics

so when did you leave cleveland hts to go to arizona

I've been in the Valley since early last year.

[lcinva]

Originally Posted by Clevelander17

Buyer beware, indeed. Anyone reading your posts should know that you're one of the Negative Nancies who is only a member of city-forum to bash Cleveland. Take what she says with a grain of salt.

It's only fair to let people know that not everyone lives in this fantasy where inner ring Cleveland suburbs are kind to everyone. Please, feel free to recommend people with kids live in Cleveland Heights...don't feel bad at all when they get knifed like my neighbor did at prom last year.

Scottsdale, huh? You certainly didn't choose a developing inner-ring suburb there.

[Murphles]

When we moved to Cleveland, we were charmed by the lovely archtecture in Cleveland Heights. We left due to the schools within one year. And the fact that a foster child was stalking my daughter and threatening to knife her. And the fact that my son's bike was stolen out of our yard within minutes of being purchased while he ran inside for a drink. And we were in one of the "good blocks."

Having said that, our friends from our neighborhood remain our good friends.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by lcinva

It's only fair to let people know that not everyone lives in this fantasy where inner ring Cleveland suburbs are kind to everyone. Please, feel free to recommend people with kids live in Cleveland Heights...don't feel bad at all when they get knifed like my neighbor did at prom last year.

Scottsdale, huh? You certainly didn't choose a developing inner-ring suburb there.

lcinva, you've never had anything good to say about Cleveland at all, so I don't think I'm off-base in warning people about your attitude.

We live in a dangerous world where things can happen to anyone, anywhere. Cleveland Heights is a large, diverse city. There is no fantasy, bad things do happen. But for the most part, Cleveland Heights is safe. There is nothing wrong with choosing to live in the safer neighborhoods of Cleveland Heights. If you have kids, I wouldn't recommend the schools past the elementary level. But other than that, why trash it so venomously when no place is perfect?

Also, I didn't choose to live in Scottsdale and I hated it when I was out there. I lived there for free with my sister while I was getting to know the city and my job was nearby. It was a great deal for me but it got old pretty quickly.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by Murphles

When we moved to Cleveland, we were charmed by the lovely archtecture in Cleveland Heights. We left due to the schools within one year. And the fact that a foster child was stalking my daughter and threatening to knife her. And the fact that my son's bike was stolen out of our yard within minutes of being purchased while he ran inside for a drink. And we were in one of the "good blocks."

Having said that, our friends from our neighborhood remain our good friends.

Where did you live? Where do you live now? These things can and do happen everywhere. Get over it and stop blaming Cleveland Heights or any other locality.

[lcinva]

Originally Posted by Clevelander17

lcinva, you've never had anything good to say about Cleveland at all, so I don't think I'm off-base in warning people about your attitude.

We live in a dangerous world where things can happen to anyone, anywhere. Cleveland Heights is a large, diverse city. There is no fantasy, bad things do happen. But for the most part, Cleveland Heights is safe. There is nothing wrong with choosing to live in the safer neighborhoods of Cleveland Heights. If you have kids, I wouldn't recommend the schools past the elementary level. But other than that, why trash it so venomously when no place is perfect?

Also, I didn't choose to live in Scottsdale and I hated it when I was out there. I lived there for free with my sister while I was getting to know the city and my job was nearby. It was a great deal for me but it got old pretty quickly.

Honestly, I have no reason to falsely mislead people about moving here. It sounds as if you grew up here, or have roots here, and you are slightly defensive. I probably would be too about the area where I grew up. However, my husband and I are here in school, and in general we have had nothing but bad experiences with being robbed, treated poorly, etc., since we moved here. Those experiences, with ourselves and our colleagues in grad school, were most frequent in Cleveland Heights and dissipated as we moved further out.

Whereas you generally have nothing but GOOD to say about Cleveland (which is fine), I think it's fair that I share my experiences. I don't care whether people move here or not. However, as a person who has lived in quite a few metropolitan areas, it is only fair I can share my experiences and honest opinions about this one without being criticized, and I will do the same for you. You are correct in saying crime can happen in any locality; the problem is, it has only happened to me in Cleveland.

If ever you want to criticize the NYC, DC, Denver, or SLC areas, feel free, and I will hold my tongue.

As a final summary of my comments in regards to this post and the OP: I do not necessarily believe Cle. Hts. is the best fit for you, particularly with children. I would suggest looking elsewhere, based on my experiences.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by lcinva

Honestly, I have no reason to falsely mislead people about moving here. It sounds as if you grew up here, or have roots here, and you are slightly defensive. I probably would be too about the area where I grew up. However, my husband and I are here in school, and in general we have had nothing but bad experiences with being robbed, treated poorly, etc., since we moved here. Those experiences, with ourselves and our colleagues in grad school, were most frequent in Cleveland Heights and dissipated as we moved further out.

Whereas you generally have nothing but GOOD to say about Cleveland (which is fine), I think it's fair that I share my experiences. I don't care whether people move here or not. However, as a person who has lived in quite a few metropolitan areas, it is only fair I can share my experiences and honest opinions about this one without being criticized, and I will do the same for you. You are correct in saying crime can happen in any locality; the problem is, it has only happened to me in Cleveland.

If ever you want to criticize the NYC, DC, Denver, or SLC areas, feel free, and I will hold my tongue.

As a final summary of my comments in regards to this post and the OP: I do not necessarily believe Cle. Hts. is the best fit for you, particularly with children. I would suggest looking elsewhere, based on my experiences.

Anecdotal evidence gets us nowhere. Again I have to insist that it's unfair that you are extrapolating your bad experiences to the city as a whole. Cleveland Heights is, generally speaking, a safe suburb, especially for one located so closely to a bigger, more troubled city. Everything, the crime stats, the Cleveland Magazine ratings, backs up this statement. As long as the original poster isn't living in the sections in the north of the city, closer to East Cleveland, they'll be fine.

Additionally, Cleveland Heights has everything the original poster is looking for, including easy access to the best private schools in the Cleveland area. It truly boggles my mind that you're still so stubbornly recommending against it.

By the way, I did not grow in Cleveland Heights and I have no roots there. I simply think it's a fine city and unnecessarily gets a bad rap.