Objective Euclid (Utopia Beach Club) Assessment (Cleveland, Mentor: sale, crime, buying a home)

[Seeking_4_Seasons]

Moving from out of state and I have the assessment of my Realtor and one Cleveland acquaintance, and I trust both. However, someone (a former Cleveland resident) just made a comment to me that frightened me about the crime in the area. I’m a college educated, research professional, fiscally conservative, socially moderate-liberal, Protestant Christian, family-oriented, single female. I like a nice, safe, well-kept area. I get along well with people from all walks of life and I’m not a snob. Safety is paramount, but I’m not a shrinking-violet.

I love a sense of community, support local businesses, block parties, socializing and entertaining!

Please tell me if this is an area that you’d be comfortable with your mom or sister buying a home. Thank you!

[WRnative]

Generally, north of I-90 in Euclid is better, and north of Lakeshore Blvd., such as the Utopia Beach Club area, is even better. Call the Euclid Police Dept. and ask about the crime risk in the neighborhood. There are online website that provide crime statistics for a neighborhood. Sliderules99 has mentioned one in his posts in the last year.


Perhaps post in this website or on Facebook.


https://nextdoor.com/neighborhood/ut...b--euclid--oh/


Understand Ohio's municipal income tax system. Euclid has a 2.85 percent city income tax, one of the highest in Greater Cleveland. So, if working in Cleveland, you'll pay an additional 0.85 percent "residential" income tax if you live in Euclid.


https://www.ritaohio.com/Municipalit...berPage?id=280


This pays for good safety services, roads, snow removal, and above average city amenities, such as a municipal golf course and ice rink.


Did you see this thread?


http://www.city-data.com/forum/cleve...clid-like.html


If you enjoy living near the lakeshore, and are working nearby, Euclid likely offers the best housing prices.


Reaching the retail center of Mentor and northern Ohio's upscale shopping district in Beachwood Mall/Legacy Village are both easy because Euclid also offers among the best freeway access in Greater Cleveland. Ditto, for University Circle and downtown.

[bjimmy24]

I live maybe 1 mile from Utopia Beach Club. It's a great area, wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Former Cleveland residents typically don't know anything at all what they're talking about.

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by WRnative

Understand Ohio's municipal income tax system. Euclid has a 2.85 percent city income tax, one of the highest in Greater Cleveland. So, if working in Cleveland, you'll pay an additional 0.85 percent "residential" income tax if you live in Euclid.


https://www.ritaohio.com/Municipalit...berPage?id=280

I forgot that Cleveland recently raised its municipal income tax rate to 2.5 percent. So, a Euclid resident working in Cleveland would pay an additional 0.35 percent residential income tax based on my understanding (which could be wrong).

[Seeking_4_Seasons]

@WRnative and bjimmy24 — Thank you very much! You’ve set my mind at ease. The neighborhood is beautiful (on Google Earth) and I just couldn’t imagine it was a bad as described. I can see that south of Lakeshore is more of a concern, as mentioned!

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by Seeking_4_Seasons

@WRnative and bjimmy24 — Thank you very much! You’ve set my mind at ease. The neighborhood is beautiful (on Google Earth) and I just couldn’t imagine it was a bad as described. I can see that south of Lakeshore is more of a concern, as mentioned!

South of Lakeshore isn't that bad either, although the demographics are different, certainly less affluent. As I said, some, but not all, of the neighborhoods south of I-90, are a greater concern. Like bjimmy, I suspect you'll find living north of Lakeshore Blvd. an extremely enjoyable location.



Note that Unicorn hunter actually lives in Euclid. See post 9 here:


https://www.city-data.com/forum/clev...-location.html


Perhaps DM her if you want a resident's opinion or perspective about anything. There has been a great change in the demographics of Euclid over the last three decades, resulting in a decline in the ratings of the public schools, and that has changed persons perspectives of Euclid. Yet I've read that Euclid High School still produces an occasional National Merit semi-finalist.


https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fa...ohio/POP060210


Note that Euclid is one of the handful of cities in Greater Ceveland to enforce point of sale inspections by the Euclid building department. This certainly has helped maintain the quality of the housing stock, although greatly post-WWII bungalows, in the city.

https://irp.cdn-website.com/83d949c5...ifUf58ayek.pdf


https://www.cityofeuclid.com/property-maintenance-codes


BTW, bjimmy lives in the North Collinwood neighborhood of Cleveland, immediately west of Euclid, and sharing the East 185th commercial and restaurant strip and I-90 interchange with Euclid. See the discussion of East 185th St. beginning with post 20 in this thread, all of this south of Lakeshore Blvd.


https://www.city-data.com/forum/clev...-proper-3.html


Many Euclid families relocated to Mentor, and Mentor greatly was inspired by Euclid, especially regarding the super convenient marginal roads through industrial parks lining the major freeway (Route 2 in the case of Mentor). Mentor, like Euclid, has a single, very large high school (to increase athletic prowess) and a very heavy emphasis on recreational amenities, which Mentor has carried to an extreme level, likely topping any community in Greater Cleveland with the acquisition recently of the Heisley Racquet and Fitness Club. For old-timers such as myself, who remember Mentor when it was a village of less than 10,000 persons before the construction of Route 2 and I-90 freeways, and who are very familiar with Euclid, it's all very fascinating to see one progressive city recreated in a more modern version.


Plan on spending a lot of time in the Mentor/Kirtland area with the massive retail presence in Mentor and the likes of Holden Arboretum, one of the largest and best in the U.S., in Kirtland. Other great attractions there easily accessed by Euclid residents include Mentor Headlands Beach State Park (the largest natural sand Lake Erie beach in Ohio) with the Mentor Dunes State Nature Preserve at the eastern end of the large parking lot; the Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve (a National Natural Landmark); and Mentor's Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve with 1 1/2 miles of wild Lake Erie Beach with a nice forest trail on the bluff above the beach.


Check out the Lake Metroparks and the nearby Cleveland Metroparks, including the nearby to Euclid North Chagrin Reservation, actually partially located in Willoughby Hills in Lake County. The Arthur B. Williams Woods there also is a National Natural Landmark.


Of course, Euclid is close to Cleveland's University Circle (10 miles; 16 minutes drive), one of the nation's top cultural and medical centers, and to downtown Cleveland attractions. See "Visit" here:


https://www.universitycircle.org/

Are you familiar with winter driving, "black ice," etc.? Not as big an issue within Euclid, whose nickname at least once was the "City of Salt," due its almost excessive use of salt to keep city streets dry in the winter, but a concern for all pedestrians and drivers living in Greater Cleveland with its freeze/thaw cycles in winter.

Good luck!

[bjimmy24]

I second WRNative that south of Lakeshore does not necessarily mean "bad." The commercial strips of E 185,200, and 222 are of course all south. I just think that north of Lakeshore is worth it, since there is almost no through traffic, it's very quiet, and the streets north are just very tight knit, almost all owner occupied, frequently homes are in the family for generations and generations. Definitely a small town in the city kind of atmosphere that I don't think exists many other places around the area.

[Unicorn hunter]

Hi OP! Yes, I live in Euclid. It is a perfectly fine place to live and housing is less expensive than some other areas. As others have mentioned, if you can afford/find a house to buy north of Lakeshore, that area is amazing! I am north of I-90, close to the Lake County line and have had no issues with crime of any sort. Sometimes deer maurading through the back yard and eating my hostas, but that is about it. Where are you moving from? I moved to Ohio from the Seattle area, and it is a bit of a culture shock. I just mention as we sound a bit alike. If you are coming from a more liberal area, be prepared...much more conservative here once you are outside the urban areas. In fact, I'd say just going over the border into Lake County one notices the increase in Trump signs, etc. The positives to this area (IMO) are: Lake access (Euclid just put in a nice trail along the waterfront), easy driving distance to Cleveland for cultural/sports activities, etc., as well as easy access to natural areas (North Chagrin Reservation), shopping as mentioned previously at Beachwood, Mentor etc. The main negative factor I have found is lack of good public transit. Right by me, in Lake County there are numerous electric buses that seem to run everywhere. I have a car, so not a huge issue, but would be nice to have better alternatives. Euclid is a pretty decent town, but I find the downtown area a bit of a disappointment and generally head to Willougby, Mentor and even Painesville to do a lot of shopping/dining. Seriously, I find Euclid a fine place to iive, other than the disadvantages I mentioned. Let me know if you have any questions that I might be able to answer!

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

I second WRNative that south of Lakeshore does not necessarily mean "bad." The commercial strips of E 185,200, and 222 are of course all south. I just think that north of Lakeshore is worth it, since there is almost no through traffic, it's very quiet, and the streets north are just very tight knit, almost all owner occupied, frequently homes are in the family for generations and generations. Definitely a small town in the city kind of atmosphere that I don't think exists many other places around the area.

Originally Posted by Unicorn hunter

Hi OP! Yes, I live in Euclid. It is a perfectly fine place to live and housing is less expensive than some other areas. As others have mentioned, if you can afford/find a house to buy north of Lakeshore, that area is amazing! I am north of I-90, close to the Lake County line and have had no issues with crime of any sort. Sometimes deer maurading through the back yard and eating my hostas, but that is about it. Where are you moving from? I moved to Ohio from the Seattle area, and it is a bit of a culture shock. I just mention as we sound a bit alike. If you are coming from a more liberal area, be prepared...much more conservative here once you are outside the urban areas. In fact, I'd say just going over the border into Lake County one notices the increase in Trump signs, etc. The positives to this area (IMO) are: Lake access (Euclid just put in a nice trail along the waterfront), easy driving distance to Cleveland for cultural/sports activities, etc., as well as easy access to natural areas (North Chagrin Reservation), shopping as mentioned previously at Beachwood, Mentor etc. The main negative factor I have found is lack of good public transit. Right by me, in Lake County there are numerous electric buses that seem to run everywhere. I have a car, so not a huge issue, but would be nice to have better alternatives. Euclid is a pretty decent town, but I find the downtown area a bit of a disappointment and generally head to Willougby, Mentor and even Painesville to do a lot of shopping/dining. Seriously, I find Euclid a fine place to iive, other than the disadvantages I mentioned. Let me know if you have any questions that I might be able to answer!

Both very insightful posts!!!