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Old 12-07-2019, 07:43 AM
 
741 posts, read 1,738,391 times
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I am relocating with my family to Cleveland and my work will be in downtown close to Playhouse square.

Please advise on Westlake vs. Solon vs. Beachwood as the possible suburb to relocate to from
  1. schools,
  2. commute to downtown,
  3. renting,
  4. close to shopping
  5. nice/peaceful neighborhood and
  6. raising a family perspective?
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Old 12-08-2019, 08:04 PM
 
Location: Shaker Heights, OH
5,257 posts, read 5,179,219 times
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Schools...Solon consistently is one of the tops in the state...
Commute...none is going to be great but Westlake is the most direct shot right up 90.
Shopping...Beachwood is best as Beachwood Place, Legacy Village, Pinecrest, Eton, and the Van Aken District are all around...along with several other shopping centers close as well...Westlake does have Crocker Park though.
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Old 12-08-2019, 08:05 PM
 
Location: Shaker Heights, OH
5,257 posts, read 5,179,219 times
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Commute wise, Beachwood is very close to the Green and Blue Lines which would allow a good way to get downtown...although, no stops around Playhouse Square so may not be that convenient.
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Old 12-13-2019, 07:48 PM
 
741 posts, read 1,738,391 times
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Though Solon has the best schools, due to commute and snow, I am not considering it at this point...

That leaves Westlake vs Beachwood

Both seems to have good schools...

What are the pros and cons for Beachwood vs Westlake?

As far as my understanding and not had chance to take a look at these in person... Here are the pros for

1. Westlake

a. Though little farther from downtown, commute is made easy due to I90 (especially outside of the peak hours).
b. Comparatively less snow
c. More diverse population
d. Close to airport



2. Beachwood
a. commute to downtown is not against sunlight
b. Lots of shopping options
c. Several alternate ways to downtown and commute using non-freeway will make a consistent commute time say (20 to 30 minutes all the time including peak hours).
d. Possibility of public transportation options

Please advise if I my understanding is right and is there any pros/cons I can add to Westlake/Beachwood.

Based on this which one I can chose to raise a young family with the work place commute to Playhouse square in Cleveland downtown
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Old 12-14-2019, 07:36 AM
 
11,610 posts, read 10,287,606 times
Reputation: 7213
Quote:
Originally Posted by spalam01 View Post
Though Solon has the best schools, due to commute and snow, I am not considering it at this point...

That leaves Westlake vs Beachwood

Both seems to have good schools...

What are the pros and cons for Beachwood vs Westlake?

As far as my understanding and not had chance to take a look at these in person... Here are the pros for

1. Westlake

a. Though little farther from downtown, commute is made easy due to I90 (especially outside of the peak hours).
b. Comparatively less snow
c. More diverse population
d. Close to airport



2. Beachwood
a. commute to downtown is not against sunlight
b. Lots of shopping options
c. Several alternate ways to downtown and commute using non-freeway will make a consistent commute time say (20 to 30 minutes all the time including peak hours).
d. Possibility of public transportation options

Please advise if I my understanding is right and is there any pros/cons I can add to Westlake/Beachwood.

Based on this which one I can chose to raise a young family with the work place commute to Playhouse square in Cleveland downtown
You haven't mentioned it, but be certain to check out the Crocker Park multi-use development in Westlake. It has a Graeter's while there's a Mitchell's in Beachwood, important for ice cream aficionados. Westlake is less than 20 minutes to the West Side Market and the Market District, where the Mitchell's ice cream shop and factory is a very popular local attraction (parking is in the back of the stores or at the West Side Market).

https://www.crockerpark.com/dine/

2.a. is an interesting observation that I'm not certain that I've seen before. Actually, in the winter months due to both shorter days and prevailing cloudiness, I don't think this is much of an issue. However, when the sun is low in the sky especially as in winter, the commute from downtown against the setting sun may be a bigger issue when heading to Westlake on days when it isn't cloudy. Putting the visor down and wearing sunglasses with good UV protection largely negates this issue.

One advantage of Westlake that may be important is shorter distance to the lake (check out distance from beaches if this an issue), but also check out local parks, including perhaps even Lakewood Park, and Edgewater Park and the Huntington Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks. E.g., Westlake is about 10 minutes from Huntington Beach in Bay Village, while Beachwood is over half an hour from Mentor Headlands Beach State Park, but a much larger beach than Huntington with significant adjacent nature preserves (Mentor's Mentor Lagoons, Mentor Dunes, and Mentor Marsh). Many Clevelanders living close to the lake make several weekly trips to the beach during summer months, even for a few hours after dinner, perhaps just to walk. My memory is that sunset viewing from Mentor Headlands isn't as good as from west side parks, especially from the likes of Lakewood Park where the activity is promoted.

https://northeastohiofamilyfun.com/lakewood-park/

Westlake is closer to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Beachwood is closer to University Circle cultural attractions (perhaps a very important consideration, especially in winter months) and to the Lake Metroparks Farmpark and the excellent Holden Arboretum. Westlake is sufficiently closer to Cedar Point and Sandusky waterparks to make day trips more enjoyable. Ditto for the superb birding attractions in northwest Ohio. Every Clevelander should visit the Magee Marsh Boardwalk during the spring warbler migration, but few do so; sadly, over the next few decades, climate change and wind turbine construction may greatly decrease the North American warbler populations.

Black Swamp Bird Observatory Brings You... The Biggest Week In American Birding - Home

Westlake also is closer to Vermilion, perhaps Ohio's best lakefront community and to the very good Lorain Metroparks Lakeview Park.

https://www.discoververmilion.org/visitors-guide

http://metroparks.cc/lakeview_park.php

Definitely check out comparable recreation facilities, programs and parks. My impression is that both cities have very good recreation facilities, but that Westlake may have better parks/nature trails.

Westlake is slightly closer to the Cleveland Metroparks Rocky River Reservation than Beachwood is to the Cleveland Metroparks South Chagrin Reservation and to Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

And while Beachwood has a heavy concentration of Jews, it is racially more diverse than Westlake with a significant African American (about 10 percent) population. Check demographics at city-data, Wikipedia or some other site.

Good luck!

Last edited by WRnative; 12-14-2019 at 08:04 AM..
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Old 12-14-2019, 05:35 PM
 
Location: Cleveland, OH USA / formerly Chicago for 20 years
4,068 posts, read 7,264,844 times
Reputation: 3055
Quote:
Originally Posted by spalam01 View Post
As far as my understanding and not had chance to take a look at these in person... Here are the pros for

1. Westlake

a. Though little farther from downtown, commute is made easy due to I90 (especially outside of the peak hours).
b. Comparatively less snow
c. More diverse population
d. Close to airport

2. Beachwood
a. commute to downtown is not against sunlight
b. Lots of shopping options
c. Several alternate ways to downtown and commute using non-freeway will make a consistent commute time say (20 to 30 minutes all the time including peak hours).
d. Possibility of public transportation options
I'm not sure how you arrived at the conclusion that Westlake is more diverse. I would think Beachwood is more so.
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Old 12-28-2019, 03:20 PM
 
2 posts, read 2,495 times
Reputation: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by spalam01 View Post
Though Solon has the best schools, due to commute and snow, I am not considering it at this point...

That leaves Westlake vs Beachwood

Both seems to have good schools...

What are the pros and cons for Beachwood vs Westlake?

As far as my understanding and not had chance to take a look at these in person... Here are the pros for

1. Westlake

a. Though little farther from downtown, commute is made easy due to I90 (especially outside of the peak hours).
b. Comparatively less snow
c. More diverse population
d. Close to airport



2. Beachwood
a. commute to downtown is not against sunlight
b. Lots of shopping options
c. Several alternate ways to downtown and commute using non-freeway will make a consistent commute time say (20 to 30 minutes all the time including peak hours).
d. Possibility of public transportation options

Please advise if I my understanding is right and is there any pros/cons I can add to Westlake/Beachwood.

Based on this which one I can chose to raise a young family with the work place commute to Playhouse square in Cleveland downtown
I was also going to point out that Beachwood is the only diverse community on your list, I would pick Beachwood for that reason along with the multiple routes to downtown that you mentioned.
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Old 12-28-2019, 07:59 PM
 
95 posts, read 69,987 times
Reputation: 136
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thelad View Post
I was also going to point out that Beachwood is the only diverse community on your list, I would pick Beachwood for that reason along with the multiple routes to downtown that you mentioned.
Beachwood and Solon essentially have the same racial demographics.
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Old 12-31-2019, 11:59 AM
 
4,466 posts, read 5,015,098 times
Reputation: 4722
Quote:
Originally Posted by ohioaninsc View Post
Commute wise, Beachwood is very close to the Green and Blue Lines which would allow a good way to get downtown...although, no stops around Playhouse Square so may not be that convenient.
... no, but PHS is easily connected by the Health Line BRT (or bus rapid transit -- a modern melding of light rail and bus) or the E-Line trolley; both of which leave every few minutes from the Tower City Rapid terminal and get to Playhouse Square in 10 minutes or less most times of day... Also PHS is .5 or .6 miles from Tower City, so one can easily hoof it, esp in nice weather.
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Old 12-31-2019, 12:40 PM
 
Location: Cleveland and Columbus OH
11,045 posts, read 12,313,043 times
Reputation: 10365
Second the point about Playhouse Square. Don't let the Tower City stop dissuade you from taking the blue or green lines. You could take tthe E or C trolley lines or Health Line to PHS directly. In nice weather, the walk is totally fine. You will never have to wait more than a few minutes to catch one of these, especially around the rushhours. The health line frequency alone at that time is every 5 or 6 minutes.
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