what suburb has the best downtown? (Columbus, Westerville: houses, neighborhood, movie theater)

[kabou]

Still researching Columbus area and need more advice.

My husband and I are trying to find a subrurb that has a good "walking" downtown with shops, restaurants etc. We want to find a house that is close enough to a little downtown so we don't have to drive everywhere, but can walk with the kids. I don't want to feel isolated when we move since I won't know anyone. We are willing to give up the big yard, golf course, and new build space for something older that's closer to a good downtown so I can walk. I like the homes in Bexley, but from what I read, if you walk too far, things can get dicey. And I have no idea if Bexley has shops and restaurants. I've been looking at New Albany, but it looks like we'd have to drive everywhere too.

What neighborhood sounds like what we are looking for? Thank you so much.

[HuskerDu]

Check out Grandview Avenue in Grandview. It has a really nice little village type area with shops, bistros, coffee places and outside seating all along the Ave. It's a very nice little area and good for families. Great schools also. Here is a random link I googled and found...

Grandview Avenue: Columbus' High-Class High Street Alternative - Associated Content

[kabou]

thank you so much-that link is really informative!

[sdmlions]

Originally Posted by kabou

thank you so much-that link is really informative!

Grandview really does sound like what you are looking for. The downtown is really nice and the whole place is very walkable. I love the coffee shops and smaller type restaurant's there and the Grandview Cafe is very nice on the corner of 3rd and Grandview Ave. The schools are great for your kids as well, although I hear lately that this school district has taken a slight turn for the worse. But that's just from talking to other people...I don't have kids so I wouldn't know how to compare.

Some other areas you might consider are:
Upper Arlington: Pricey but outstanding schools and very walkable throughout much of the area especially central Arlington (north of Lane Ave)
Worthington: It has a really nice downtown with a sprinkling of shops and a nice 'town square' type area. Schools are very good there as well.
Clintonville: Areas close to High street in the north part of Clintonville are generally packed with people walking dogs or running (although don't know too much about schools in Clintonville)

Another downtown which really surprised me was Grove City, which was very nice. But the problem with commuting via an Auto to get to larger stores is maybe nowhere more obvious in Columbus Metro than in Grove City. There is a great deal of rapid, sprawling growth occuring along the I-71 corridor and it's certainly not pedistrian friendly.

Good Luck, let me know if I can answer anything else for you

[sftong]

Powell downtown has been renovated, plus there are many large commercial projects on-going and completing soon right next to down-town. Within 1 mile radius (or even less, take at junction of West Powell road and Sawmill parkway), you can probably reach multiple grocery stores, restaurants, specialty shops, and even Columbus Zoo, Zoombesy bay, 3 golf courses (yes 3).

By the way, Powell is building pedestrian pavements all around city to make it a real bike-able, and walkable city.

[bichita13]

I agree that Grandview is probably my all-time favorite burb with a great (and walkable) downtown, but another one no one has mentioned yet is Worthington. The high street downtown is small, but nobody can argue that it isn't the most picturesque little place!

[moving_time]

Grandview (Grandview Ave 5th-1st sts), Worthington (high street around 161), Bexley (not sure of the cross streets, look for the Drexel movie theater which is right in its downtown) and UA (look within walking distance of the main library on tremont). Dublin has a small area around 161 and bridge st (?), too. I live in UA, but looked at all these areas. Grandview is my favorite downtown.

[NewToCA]

I wouldn't call Dublin or Upper Arlington walkable communities within the context of downtown areas. I agree with Grandview being a good choice and possibly Worthington and Westerville.

[irfan]

I lived in the grandview area the last 5 years, and loved it. Im moving away to chicago and am sad that I probably wont find a place like it there. Its very very safe, grandview avenue is very walkable.

On grandview avenue you will have coffee shops: Starbucks @ 5th, then heading south you will have Caribou then Staufs.

Restaurants (i'll forget a couple Im sure): Trattoria Roma, Z Cuchina, Grandview Cafe, Figlio & Vino Vino, Spaggio, Shoku, Alladins, WG Grinders, Hoggy's

Jeni's Ice cream is always packed in the warmer months, great place to take kids.

Drexel Grandview has 2 screens, independent/artsy movies usually.

There are a couple clothing boutiques, a flower shop, and a many other independent shops.

At 5th/Grandview you will have a Giant Eagle fr groceries. There are maybe 4 banks along Grandview avenue as well.

5th avenue has tons of fast food, pretty much everything you could as for besides a White Castle (for shame... and they tease me with that small office building @ 5th/norton). 5th avenue is a driving road though, its not too fun to walk down it, although its definitely doable.

If you want to just take a stroll, the streets are great for that. Just tonite I took a walk from Caribou, down Grandview Ave to 1st... east down to northwest where there is a park and a little league tournament was going on... also down there you will have Marshalls (breakfast.. and cheap happy hours), a coffee shop, and Old Bag of nails pub. Then walked up NW to 3rd and back to grandview avenue just walking along the streets and staring at the houses.

so theres my 15 minute advertisement for Grandview.

PS- worthington is also very nice, but I like grandview. its more diverse since its closer to campus (but still very very safe). Dublin isnt a walking suburb, just a ton of sprawl. Historic Dublin is nice I guess, but I tend to think of that as a little gimmicky. UA is also nice, but again its pretty big and spread out.