Victorian, Italian and German Villages (Columbus, Washington: low income, apartments, condo)

[zarmal]

Guy's

As the date of my move to C-bus comes closer I am still trying to work out what area to live in.

A lot of my co-workers who have lived in Columbus for ever keep pointing me towards Grandview, Clintonville etc. Whenever I asked them about the Victorian, Italian and German Villages areas, I keep getting the same answer that thay are all surrounded by 'SHADY' areas. They do not go into details of what they mean by 'shady' and I have to say that they may not be used to living in urban areas and interacting with people from a different a demographic from them, however I do want to make sure that where ever I live will be safe for my wife and child.

Any opinions or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

ZM

[andrew0816]

I suggest that you visit the area(s) that you are interested in at different times of the day to get the feel for the neighborhood. Also, talk to people who live in the area and see what they have to say. MOD CUT Good luck!

[Zippy7fo]

I visited grandview for the first time a couple weeks ago...I gotta say it too is surrounded by shady neighborhoods but I would live their in a heartbeat...very nice..

[streetcreed]

Guy's

As the date of my move to C-bus comes closer I am still trying to work out what area to live in.

A lot of my co-workers who have lived in Columbus for ever keep pointing me towards Grandview, Clintonville etc. Whenever I asked them about the Victorian, Italian and German Villages areas, I keep getting the same answer that thay are all surrounded by 'SHADY' areas. They do not go into details of what they mean by 'shady' and I have to say that they may not be used to living in urban areas and interacting with people from a different a demographic from them, however I do want to make sure that where ever I live will be safe for my wife and child.

Any opinions or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

ZM

That is a load of Cr**.

Honestly, Victorian Village is not surrounded by any bad or shady areas. Some people (most likely these coworkers) are use to the suburbs and do not understand that an urban area is not shady simply because you see someone of a lower social/economic class on the street.

German Village is a very nice area, it is bordered by downtown on the north, and yes it does have some lower income areas within a few blocks to its east. But that is it, it is not surrounded by them.

Now the Short North/Victorian Village/ Grandview are surrounded by not one large "bad" area. Downtown borders it to the south (it is one of safest precincts in the city.) Then everything NW of downtown is very nice, stable, and sought after. Grandview/Short North both fall into this. Also, Ohio State is north of these areas.

Some people generalize the innercity and fail to really know its different areas or the neighborhoods. Personally I would never live in a cookie cutter, bland post 1960s area. Different strokes for different folks. I strongly suggest you investigate these areas night and day before listening to their advice. Obviously it is it not the majority opinion or the short north and downtown wouldn't continue growing in population and in housing demand even during a recession. Columbus is lucky to have such strong neighborhoods right next to downtown and in downtown. Many cities (our size or smaller) would die to have those assets.

PS I live in the northern part of the Short North (and have for 8 years) plus I lived in Grandview for 2.

Short North Condo Building under construction (even during the recession.) Eveidence of the areas increasing demand. The reason? Location, location, location. The central city of Columbus is hip and interesting. Far from the more dull atmosphere of the outer areas of the city and most of the suburbs.

[HuskerDu]

Short North (vic village/italian village) has pretty much eclipsed the whole "gentrified" thingy and is now one big central suburb since the Arena District and Cap were attached. It's almost laughable to call it urban. So yeah, it's very safe.

[streetcreed]

Short North (vic village/italian village) has pretty much eclipsed the whole "gentrified" thingy and is now one big central suburb since the Arena District and Cap were attached. It's almost laughable to call it urban. So yeah, it's very safe.

That is ridiculous. The short north is a dense area with multistory buildings built in the 19th 20th and 21st centuries. It is not a suburb, full of strip malls, it is the definition of an urban area. Your sentence was poorly phrased.

The urban layout and design of the short north is in no way suburban and is considered one of the best urban neighborhoods in the state, because it has a great mix of retail and restaurants (almost all locally owned) and renovated homes, new build condo buildings, and apartments. There is also still a few low income units keeping the area decently diverse in incomes.

However, you could argue that the Short North/northern downtown is so gentrified that the people who venture into may of the businesses look "suburban" or have "Suburban incomes." If you really want to generalize down that path I would say you have some argument.

[14thandYou]

Two points:

If you think Victorian Village/Short North/Italian Village are surrounded by "shady areas' then perhaps city living is not for you.

Secondly, calling the Short North "suburban" is laughably inaccurate.

[streetcreed]

Two points:

If you think Victorian Village/Short North/Italian Village are surrounded by "shady areas' then perhaps city living is not for you.

Secondly, calling the Short North "suburban" is laughably inaccurate.

Exactly, The Short North is right next to the downtown of the one of America's largest cities yet it is clean, livable, and nearly crime free (for being in the middle of a large city.)

People should realize that Columbus has some great, livable neighborhoods right in our central city. And it wasn't some accident. It took decades of work and progress to clean these areas up. The Short North is one of the most successful urban neighborhood turn arounds in America.

Some people are just never happy. They would complain if the neighborhood was still shady and boarded up and they complain if it's gentrified. To those skeptics, do you have any better suggestions? I am waiting..

Second, if you think these areas are too dangerous then yes; you should probably not live in the city and look into a two story cookie cuter home next to the walmart parking lot with a steak n shake nearby. Columbus, and most notably the sprawl burbs, have many areas like this, as well.

[HuskerDu]

Originally Posted by streetcreed

That is a load of Cr**.

Honestly, Victorian Village is not surrounded by any bad or shady areas. Some people (most likely these coworkers) are use to the suburbs and do not understand that an urban area is not shady simply because you see someone of a lower social/economic class on the street.

German Village is a very nice area, it is bordered by downtown on the north, and yes it does have some lower income areas within a few blocks to its east. But that is it, it is not surrounded by them.

Now the Short North/Victorian Village/ Grandview are surrounded by not one large "bad" area. Downtown borders it to the south (it is one of safest precincts in the city.) Then everything NW of downtown is very nice, stable, and sought after. Grandview/Short North both fall into this. Also, Ohio State is north of these areas.

Some people generalize the innercity and fail to really know its different areas or the neighborhoods. Personally I would never live in a cookie cutter, bland post 1960s area. Different strokes for different folks. I strongly suggest you investigate these areas night and day before listening to their advice. Obviously it is it not the majority opinion or the short north and downtown wouldn't continue growing in population and in housing demand even during a recession. Columbus is lucky to have such strong neighborhoods right next to downtown and in downtown. Many cities (our size or smaller) would die to have those assets.

PS I live in the northern part of the Short North (and have for 8 years) plus I lived in Grandview for 2.

Short North Condo Building under construction (even during the recession.) Eveidence of the areas increasing demand. The reason? Location, location, location. The central city of Columbus is hip and interesting. Far from the more dull atmosphere of the outer areas of the city and most of the suburbs.

I could've sworn this was a new condo project in Grandview at first glance. Seriously, I love the Short North area and actually grew up down the street on 3rd in VV, but you could probably use the lighted arches as a support stucture for a glass atrium and call that portion of High Street a mall these days. Ok, I'll sorta give it to you... by Columbus and/or Indianapolis standards, present day Short North is posh, suburban-friendly urban neighborhood.

[14thandYou]

Originally Posted by HuskerDu

Ok, I'll sorta give it to you... by Columbus and/or Indianapolis standards, present day Short North is posh, suburban-friendly urban neighborhood.

Actually, by just about any standard it's a fantastic urban neighborhood.

I live in Washington, DC, in the 14th Street/Logan Circle neighborhood--regarded by many as one of the top urban neighborhoods in the nation at the moment. And I can tell you that the Short North beats the pants off it, in terms of retail diversity, restaurants and cleanliness. I've traveled through pretty much every well-regarded urban neighborhood in the country, and the Short North is up there with any of them. I don't get the "suburban" label at all, unless you mean that there's not enough trash in the streets and the neighborhood isn't dangerous enough. in which case, sure, the Short North is quite "suburban". But in practically every other way--density, retail diversity, location--it's as urban as you get. I'm sorry that there's a Starbucks there now, but hey...they're in New York, DC and San Francisco too. Even in the really cool places.