Gateway District (Cleveland, Youngstown, Euclid: condo, crime, home)

[scottykick]

How is it to actually live in the area, I currently live in NYC and have been kicking around the idea of relocating for awhile, looked at places like Pittsburgh, Oakland, San Fran and so on, when researching Cleveland I heard about this area and I like the fact that the area has access to two sports venues.

I live without a car in NYC, would this be possible in this part of Cleveland? Does the area have access to places for day to day needs like supermarkets, is the area fairly safe.

I would be working from home, and from the prices of condo's and apt's I have seen it looks to be much cheaper then the areas of Pittsburgh I was looking at.

How is public transportation in Cleveland? I would not expect an expansive system like the MTA here in NYC, but if there is a way to get from point A to point B without a over the top hassle i'm good with it.

How is the climate in Cleveland, is their four seasons or two (Hot or Freezing) LOL

Thanks in advance for any info.

[5Lakes]

Gateway is a cool neighborhood, but is still lacking amenities for day-to-day living. Downtown has no real grocery store and you will also have to leave downtown for many household goods and clothing. There is a small grocery store downtown for smaller items and a mall (really cool urban mall but weak selection of stores), but they are not likely to be adequate. For these reasons I think you will find it best to have a car. Frankly, a lot of mid-sized cities are like this though.

What the neighborhood does have is a great restaurant and bar scene and the ability to walk to down the block to two sporting arenas. You will not likely find cheaper living in a downtown neighborhood in any other city either. Overall I would say it’s safe, but it will lack the street activity you are used to at certain times.

As far as transport goes it is pretty decent for city its size. There is a rail system that will get you from downtown to the airport, University Circle (Cleveland's cultural hub), and to a few other notable neighborhoods. You could take the train one stop and be in a neighborhood that has a typical grocery store and also perhaps the best old-school food market in the country.

The weather in Cleveland is probably not all that much worse than NYC. It gets more snow and winter will drag on a bit longer. I think you would find the difference most notable in the spring when you are still getting cold, grey days later in the year. Summer and Fall are excellent.

[costello_musicman]

Gateway has 170+ home games every year (81 Indians, 41+ Cavs, 40 Lake Erie Monsters Hockey, 8 Gladiators arena football), plus concerts/events. The bar scene in good during games.

Nearby is E. 4th Street, Cleveland's new resturant hub. East Fourth Neighborhood - Cleveland, OH

What it lacks is a grocery store. There's one at E. 12th street that is closing sadly (no idea...!). If you move there, you can take the REDLINE rapid train to the W. 25th stop to the westside market. The West Side Market: Clevelands Oldest and Most Trusted Market. Constantino's Market is on W.9th street and would be about a 15 min walk -- this is your closest walkable grocery store.

Yes, Cleveland is VERY affordable!

Public Transportation -- you are at the heart of Cleveland's public transportation. The REDLINE, BLUE LINE, GREEN LINE, and HEALTHLINE all meet at public square and Terminal Tower. Not to mention, many buses cross around you as well. If you're living AND working Downtown, you can live without a car.

Four seasons. Probably similar to NYC, with just a little more snow (lake effect)

If you have any questions, just let us know!

[scottykick]

Thanks for all the info, it's been very helpful.

[marence]

A few things to add:

Groceries: There is a Dave's Supermarket near the West Side Market, a short rail ride or bus ride away from downtown, and I have been told that Dave's has delivery service for a fee.

Weather: Our winters are generally more extreme that NYC, but less so than upstate NY. Summer heat waves can equal those of NYC summers, but because of the lake & less density of buildings downtown, it's not nearly as insufferable.

Safety: Gateway is right downtown, and the Cleveland Police have made great strides in keeping the area safe. Yes, there's crime, it's a city, after all, but stay out of the alleys and odds are, you'll be fine.

Transportation - as well as the buses and trains mentioned by the others above, there's a free trolley line operated by RTA (http://www.riderta.com) that runs all over downtown on weekdays.

[scottykick]

Thanks, yeah I find some people expect to find places that have no crime and be in a city, but common sense goes along way. I live in Brooklyn in a fairly crime free area, but stuff still happens from time to time and as long as you use common sense and are not in the worst of the worst areas (i'll use East New York section of Brooklyn as an example) you will be fine...so no skipping through dark alleys at 3AM with an iPad in clear view and a roll of $100's sticking out of your pocket...and wearing a Steelers jersey (or a LeBron James Knicks jersey)...and i figure I'll be fine...LOL

For the record, I am a New Yorker but for the benefit of the league, I hope Lebron stays in CLE, nobody likes to remember Joe Montana on the Cheifs, nobody likes to remember Willie Mays on the Mets, nobody like to remember Jordan on the Wizards...granted those are extreme examples of guys at the tail end of their career...I just like guys who play their whole career with one team, it's a lost form of loyalty.

If I decide to move there, I'll probably get season tickets for the Indians & Cavs...I love baseball, and all sports for that matter...how are the crowds for the Lake Eerie Monsters AHL team?

I'm not familiar with the layout of CLE, the only part of Ohio I have been to is Masury/Youngstown area...is it difficult to get to a Browns game via public transit from Gateway?

[marence]

Monsters games, unfortunately, are very sparsely attended. It's the best sports bargain in town.

I can walk to the Stadium from E.4th and Euclid in about 15 minutes. It would probably take 5 minutes longer via bus from Public Square. BTW, the Healthline down Euclid Avenue runs 24/7, and during the day it runs every 5 to 15 minutes. You can get from downtown to University Circle (where the Museum of Art, Museum of Natural History, Botanical Gardens, and dozens of other cultural institutions are) in 15 minutes.