moving to Kzoo from Georgia (Detroit, Grand Rapids: neighborhoods, construction, college)

[georgia woman]

We are moving to Michigan from Georgia and we were wanting to get some info on what is the best place to move? Should we move to Kzoo or Grand Rapids. We want to live in a really nice area with lots of things to do and good shopping. We are used to going to Atlanta for concerts and shopping and will surely miss that. My husband lost his job after 14 yrs. and so we have to go where the money is. We will probably be moving in June.

[suydam]

Where is the job you're coming for? Kzoo and G.R. are far enough apart that my first recommendation would be to live near your job. Especially because the commute between the two towns can be really bad in the winter.

[Indentured Servant]

Kzoo is closer to Chicago and Detroit than is GR. You probably can get to the loop area of Chicago in less than two hours from Kzoo and you probably can make it to downtown Detroit in an hour and a half. In both of those cities you will find what you find in Atlanta, if not more (with the exception of jobs). If you want more things to do on a daily bases, then I would pick GR as the area is probably 3 times more populated than the Kzoo/Battle Creek Metro. GR has about 1.3 million people and Kzoo area has about 450K (including Battle Creek area). Obviously the bigger a place is the more things to do….the more wealthy areas, as well as, a larger area of poor.

[SnowedinMichigan]

I live in Grand Rapids and recently moved here too. How big is the city you currently live in? I think if I had something to compare it too it would help. I once worked in Kalamazoo and know the area.

[beachmouse]

Originally Posted by Indentured Servant

Kzoo is closer to Chicago and Detroit than is GR. You probably can get to the loop area of Chicago in less than two hours from Kzoo and you probably can make it to downtown Detroit in an hour and a half.

No way can you make it to downtown Detroit from Kzoo in an hour and a half, even with the usual moderate speeding on I-94. It's going to take more than an hour and a half just to get as far as Ann Arbor, and A^2 doesn't even count as a Detroit exburb.

Signed,

She who went to Albion College and got to know that part of the I-94 corridor very well.

[mcoll22]

I have lived in the Kzoo area my whole life. Grand Rapids has more to do, hands down. But...if the job is in Kzoo I would live there purely for the commute in the winter...the drive on 131 from Kzoo to GR can be brutal!! Kzoo is closer to Chicago & Detroit (it will take you longer than 1.5 hrs to get to downtown though). But with Kzoo you have a 40 min drive to GR, 40 min drive to South Haven (gorgeous beaches, fun festivals & other summer activities), and easy drive to Chicago & Detroit areas. But if you are looking for more day to day action GR is where that would be. You can find things to do in Kalamazoo for sure, especially in the warmer months. Hope this helps a little.

[suydam]

Just to leave subjectivity out of the equation:

Kalamazoo->Detroit = 140 miles. With light traffic and acceptable speeds of 75mph on the highway you're talking about 2 hours on the nose from downtown->downtown.

Kalamazoo->Chicago = 146 miles. With light traffic (which is less likely) you are 2 hours from CHicago too.

In my experience, there is rarely "light traffic" and the drive to Chicago is almost always 2.5 hours from Kalamazoo.

IndenturedServant is correct that Kzoo->Chicago is a shorter (distance) drive than GR->Detroit. That said, the drive from GR->Detroit is always going to take the same time (barring massive construction delays) because traffic in and out of Detroit isn't bad (compared to Chicago).

Hope that helps.

I think it needs to boil down to the commute. I don't know many people who would voluntarily take on the US-131 commute between Kzoo->GR in the winter. It will be impassible at least a few days a year, and "pretty bad" for entire weeks of the winter where you'll be driving slower, dealing with black ice, and arriving generally stressed out. That's for the people who grew up driving in snow. If you're a driver from the south, you will downright hate that commute for 4 months a year.

[j2k]

Regarding the Kzoo area, we are considering a move to that general area. Any recommendations on nice neighborhoods to live in - preferably not big subdivisions - something more interesting and hip. Any chance of that in Kzoo, Battle Creek, Galesburg, etc?

[xlabel]

I don't know about hip, but Oshtemo, Texas corners, Alemena, Paw Paw, Mattawan, Lawton anything west of 131 is where I would look at.

[Softballfan]

Originally Posted by j2k

Regarding the Kzoo area, we are considering a move to that general area. Any recommendations on nice neighborhoods to live in - preferably not big subdivisions - something more interesting and hip. Any chance of that in Kzoo, Battle Creek, Galesburg, etc?

Absolutely nothing hip about Galesburg. Other than downtown Kalamazoo, its not a "hip" living environment. Maybe the Vine neighborhood would be considered hip, but its also considered somewhat unsafe, and housing is bad.

I know a great Realtor if you need one. (not me )