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Old 08-16-2011, 12:34 PM
 
Location: Springfield, Ohio
14,637 posts, read 14,507,796 times
Reputation: 15347

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Oakwood is fine if you like the quiet, safe suburbs. Yellow Springs if you prefer a small town as liberal utopia. Oregon District if you enjoy urban living with walkable shops & restaurants.
I prefer the latter two, but that's just me.
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Old 08-25-2011, 08:34 PM
 
61 posts, read 92,079 times
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I lived in Oakwood for five years. It's very pedestrian/runner/bike friendly. If you have pets and kids this is a great place to raise them. I lean to the left and I felt very comfortable and safe in Oakwood. There's a civility and community spirit there that I miss very much. There are plenty of older homes on tree lined streets, no ugly cookie cutter ranches. You can wa1k to the grocer's, library, pet store, hairdresser etc. One of the remarkable things I remember about Oakwood is that I used to walk my dog down the middle of the smaller side streets and cars would just wait patiently behind me to pass us.
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Old 02-06-2012, 12:59 PM
 
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Our move to Dayton is official! You all were so helpful with my initial inquiry that I thought I would ask again for advice on our final, big decision.
We have narrowed our search to Oakwood (E of Far Hills), Oregon District, South Park, and St. Anne's Hill. We also just added McPherson Town to the list (and this is the neighborhood about which I know the least amount). We are very torn; there are great aspects to all of these options.
So: if you were a couple in your late 20's with two dogs and kids in the near future, looking for a relatively crime-free (or low-crime) area with walkable streets and nice restaurants and other amenities within walking distance, which would you choose?
We are working with a great realtor, but she can only say so much re: safety, schools, etc. We know DPS schools are bad, and this hurts resale. But we also hear that the downtown neighborhoods are on the upswing popularity-wise.
Help! We are headed up to Dayton in a couple of weeks to hopefully make an offer on a house. Any input would be GREATLY appreciated.
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Old 02-06-2012, 02:35 PM
 
12,064 posts, read 23,105,074 times
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Downtown Dayton is gaining in popularity but, to me, it seems it is growing in popularity for singles or couples without children (either young couples or empty-nesters). While my divorce was pending I was seriously looking at the Oregon District and the South Park areas, but you need to realize those areas are a work in progress. For a family with kids, I'd go for Oakwood in a heartbeat. Safe, walkable and dog friendly, not to mention the community center and various parks that are well maintained. It is also the best education your kids are going to get. If kids are still a couple of years away, perhaps consider a Dayton rental if you want the urban experience for awhile......
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Old 02-06-2012, 03:16 PM
 
Location: "Daytonnati"
4,244 posts, read 7,138,529 times
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Quote:
So: if you were a couple in your late 20's with two dogs and kids in the near future, looking for a relatively crime-free (or low-crime) area with walkable streets and nice restaurants and other amenities within walking distance, which would you choose?
Oakwood east of Far Hills. No contest.

It's the "Crime Free" thing thats the decider, since city neighborhoods do have property crime issues. Young kids on the way means schools and you have an excellent school system in Oakwood.
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Old 02-06-2012, 07:20 PM
 
Location: NKY's Campbell Co.
2,107 posts, read 5,056,058 times
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Rent in the Oregon District or perhaps South Park till the kids come if the urban life is what you really want, otherwise I would choose Oakwood. Low crime and amazing schools would be the seller. Of the urban neighborhoods, Oregon over South Park. And while I am sure Oakwood has some property crime, it is probably on a much smaller scale than Dayton. Police force in Oakwood is also stellar or draconian, depends on your view. They are certainly quick to pull you over if you are speeding even six over.

As Joe noted, South Park is still a work in progress, but has some ok/decent areas. The local businesses are cool to visit, but I don't know if I would want to own there.
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Old 02-06-2012, 08:13 PM
 
Location: Springfield, Ohio
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Crime in Oregon and South Park is really nothing to worry about...live a little before you migrate to the sterile suburban blah-topia.
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Old 02-06-2012, 08:34 PM
 
Location: Dayton, OH
13 posts, read 28,791 times
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I happen to be a 20 something that is in a similar position and I live in the Oregon District. I love it here and I don't see the issues other people are saying with walking or safety. The Oregon District has a very cute park in the middle of the neighborhood and their are plenty of families with young children here. In the summer there are often great park events for the whole family and I have had so much fun participating with the quaint community spirit that exists down here. Push come to shove on the education front, there is always private schools that offer some of the best education in Dayton. With Holy Angels and Chaminade-Julienne close to downtown, they make great picks as far as private schools.

I get the feeling the people talking about South Park, the Oregon District and downtown in general do not spend much time here. Since moving here I've noticed that the burb folks have a really narrow perspective on Downtown that doesn't tend to be well-informed. I will agree that Oakwood does have good amenities because they have a lot of money in the area but it doesn't have the spirit, diversity or urban amenities downtown has. I've noticed Dayton is working very hard to make downtown comfortable for all types of lifestyles and there are lots of good things to come.
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Old 02-07-2012, 06:43 AM
 
Location: "Daytonnati"
4,244 posts, read 7,138,529 times
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Quote:
I get the feeling the people talking about South Park, the Oregon District and downtown in general do not spend much time here.
Actually I am downtown nearly every day since I use RTA to go to work and do all of my nightlife downtown or in the OD (weekends). I also had a boyfriend in St Annes Hill and know people in South Park.

The BF got mugged in the OD back in January...beat up when they found he didnt have much cash. There was house break-ins on his street in St Annes Hill, and his car was broken into as part of a rash of car thefts.

There are also issues with break-ins in SP and, sometimes, issues with redneck neighbors, which Ive heard of from my South Park contact.

For a long time I thought the crime issue was overblown, too, until I began to hear about it from people who actually live in these places, and recent personal experience. My personal experience is that my car was broken into and some quarter rolls stolen from the glove compartment. This was last fall, on 4th Street near the old Dayton Daily News bldg...say half block w. of Ludlow.

So when people try to minimize this...no...you ARE at higher risk of property crimie in the center city and nearby areas.
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Old 02-07-2012, 09:43 AM
 
Location: Dayton, OH
13 posts, read 28,791 times
Reputation: 23
@Dayton Sux

So we both have two completely different experiences. All the friends I have had who live in SP (who happen to own a home there) have had no problems. Yes people do get mugged but every time I've heard of a mugging someone has been walking alone at night (maybe you can refute this claim by saying your BF was walking in the day). And based on what you said, you only work Downtown and come here for nightlife on the weekends, correct? If you only do that then it means you don't live down here and don't get a chance to participate in the community who lives here. Weekends and weekdays are a different story in OD. Also, I wasn't trying to minimize property crime and I actually wasn't even addressing your specific comment.

My comment was in regards to an overall negative attitude towards Downtown in these forums. I can address you if you would like; I find it hard taking your opinion seriously when your username is "Dayton Sux". Sure, there are aspects that are not good but it seems like you aren't even a somewhat objective, fair poster with a name like that and from the few posts I have read from you.

I really like Downtown but I did try to be fair to the other areas like Oakwood which is a very nice suburban area. You said "Oakwood east of Far Hills. No contest" without offering much perspective on why not the other areas. Crime happens and so far I have not heard of any families getting hurt down here. It's not a great thing but the people who often get mugged or hurt are men who are walking alone at night. People who commit crimes aren't necessarily evil or out to get families. For us privileged folks who can own homes it can be inconvenient and scary to have your home broken into (or mugged) but I feel very fortunate that I don't have to be the people who do that; so desperate and have so few alternatives, they need to commit crimes. I don't think property crime is the end of the world and certainly should not scare families away from living here.

Last edited by SoOh; 02-07-2012 at 09:53 AM..
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