Moving to Spartanburg area- few ?'s (Columbia, Greenville: crime rates, house, employment)

[elyrob]

My husband is being relocated so we're leaving Northeast Florida, which I adore. I have a 2 yr old. My questions...

1. How far are Spartanburg & Greenville from one another?
2. Which of the two cities (or any in-between) are safer, nicer & offer more to residents? His job is in Spartanburg so I don't know how feasible a commute would be.
3. What zip codes should I be looking up on the realty sites for homes. I want a nice safe neighborhood that offers amenities.
4. What is there to do around town with a baby. Just for example, here we have places like Pump It Up, My Gym, Toddler Town, YMCA, zoo, museums, tons of parks, 4 different water parks, multiple libraries, the beach... I want to know that I won't be stuck in the house all day with my baby.
5. My sister & nieces are moving with us. I've heard bad things about all the schools- is there one district that is better than most? Are there any magnet school programs there?
6. How far is the zoo from Spartanburg. I saw there's a zoo & also a wild animal park?
Thanks in advance!

[panamint]

You might want to check out the Boiling Springs area. We are a few minutes from Spartanburg and 25 minutes from Greenville. They are in a newer area that is growing fast. I moved here a few years ago and love it. As for schools the district I am in is District 2 and my daughters school is only a few years old and a very good school. They just built a new 5th and 6th grade school here this year.
What we like about this area is that you are away from the larger part of town and its only 10 min to the mall or main shopping hub. Boiling Springs has a lot of newer homes and new ones being built. We have about 6 grocery store , a Super Walmart , Lowe's and many smaller stores.
If you need a realtor the one I used is great. Very dependable, she just sold my sons house last month. Here is here web site
* CINDY COLLINS
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Scott

[elyrob]

Thank you- that is just what I needed! As you're obviously a mama too, do you find there are plenty of activities to keep the children busy?

[Carolina_1690]

I'm going to answer your questions as best I can! I have some familiy in the Jacksonville area, so I know NE Florida well. The First Coast is one of my favorite places to go

1- Time to Greenville can vary. Downtown Spartanburg to Downtown Greenville is about 30-40 minutes on average usually a little longer during rush hour. Eastside Spartanburg will take you longer, westside shorter.


2- Spartanburg is a great place to live. There are plenty of nice subdivisions to choose from or old parts of town if your into that. My opinion is that safety is a matter of perception. Spartanburg will return higher crime rates that Greenville (city vs city) but the reality is that its a neighborhood to neighborhood comparison within each city. There are parts of any city that you know not to go, and the same is true with Spartanburg. I have lived in Spartanburg for many years, and I've never felt unsafe.

Spartanburg is not far from Greenville. So, while it does have a larger variety of stores due to its larger population, and some more entertainment options, its not so far you can't drop over for an evening.

Honestly, the commute on 85 is horrible. I would avoid that if at all possible. If you are bound and determined to live closer to Greenville you might try living in one of Spartanburg's western suburbs like Duncan, Lyman or perhaps Roebuck.


3- Keep in mind that Spartanburg is still small enough that one zipcode can encompass many types of neighborhoods. 29302, 29306, 29307, and 29316 are some good ones. Like I said, some zipcodes cover a lot of territory and neighborhoods. When you find an area you like, post about it here and I'll try to tell you more about it.


4- As for things to do, you must first remember that Spartanburg is not Jax. We aren't a major metropolitan area, so you aren't going to have the same level of activities. I don't know that much about baby care since I don't have kids, so I hope that someone else will be able to help you in that matter.

I do know that downtown is becoming a more popular place to go. There are lots of kids in this town, so I would assume that there are mom & kid related groups you could join and probably some of those types of businesses you mentioned. There is a zoo in Inman (Hollywild) thats pretty popular with kids. We have a great library system (www.infodepot.org), and they are building a new museum/arts center/theater downtown. I've heard that they are going to have lots of shows once it opens this fall. There is the Memorial Auditorium that is the largest theater in the Carolinas which has lots of great shows. Then there is Zimmerli Amphitheater, which is has concerts and shows as well. At First Baptist Church downtown they have "The Hanger" which is a youth center that has concerts for the public from time to time. So, there are things to do in Spartanburg. And the Bi-Lo Center and the Peace Center in Greenville have good shows too.

We also have lots of festivals and other gatherings downtown. You have Jazz on the Square and Music on Main during the summer, which are weekly events (www.cityofspartanburg.org). The city is trying to add more regular events. There are many annual events as well, which you will learn about. Lots of fun to be had!

Basicly, downtown is more and more becoming the place to be. So if I were looking, I would try to take that into consideration. But if a new subdivision is what you want, there are tons of those too.

Also, one of the great things about Spartanburg is that the mountains are right up 26. Most of western NC is super convenient. Northern Spartanburg and Polk County are 25-30 minutes away. Plenty of scenery, hiking, and quaint mountain towns up there (Landrum, Tryon, Saluda).


5-You hear lots of bad things about schools in SC from other places, but the reality is that they are not bad if you stay in the cities. As a graduate of SC public schools and universities, I can attest to this fact. So, with that said, in Spartanburg you have many nationally recognized schools. In this county we have 7 school districts. Of these districts as a whole, District 2, 5, and 6 are the most suburban in nature and therefore have the best schools as a whole.

However, District 7 covers the City, and if you're interested in living on the Eastside (the established, wealthy party of town) then I can suggest specific school zones you can look in. Certain schools are top notch, best in the county. Others are not. So if you stay in the good school zones, you will be set in District 7.


6- There are two soos in the Upstate. Hollywild Animal Park in Inman (just north of Spartanburg is a cool zoo, but its not one like you would find in a city. http://www.hollywild.com/ It has lots of exhibits, but its more 'natural.' Greenville zoo is the other. I've never been there. Its kind of small, but I hear its good. The best zoo in SC is Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia. Its about 90 minutes away, but it ranks as one of the top 10 in the nation.


I hope that you find this info useful. Please reply with any other questions, and I will do my best to answer!

Originally Posted by elyrob

My husband is being relocated so we're leaving Northeast Florida, which I adore. I have a 2 yr old. My questions...

1. How far are Spartanburg & Greenville from one another?
2. Which of the two cities (or any in-between) are safer, nicer & offer more to residents? His job is in Spartanburg so I don't know how feasible a commute would be.
3. What zip codes should I be looking up on the realty sites for homes. I want a nice safe neighborhood that offers amenities.
4. What is there to do around town with a baby. Just for example, here we have places like Pump It Up, My Gym, Toddler Town, YMCA, zoo, museums, tons of parks, 4 different water parks, multiple libraries, the beach... I want to know that I won't be stuck in the house all day with my baby.
5. My sister & nieces are moving with us. I've heard bad things about all the schools- is there one district that is better than most? Are there any magnet school programs there?
6. How far is the zoo from Spartanburg. I saw there's a zoo & also a wild animal park?
Thanks in advance!

[roadsscholar]

Originally Posted by elyrob

My husband is being relocated so we're leaving Northeast Florida, which I adore. I have a 2 yr old. My questions...

1. How far are Spartanburg & Greenville from one another?
2. Which of the two cities (or any in-between) are safer, nicer & offer more to residents? His job is in Spartanburg so I don't know how feasible a commute would be.
3. What zip codes should I be looking up on the realty sites for homes. I want a nice safe neighborhood that offers amenities.
4. What is there to do around town with a baby. Just for example, here we have places like Pump It Up, My Gym, Toddler Town, YMCA, zoo, museums, tons of parks, 4 different water parks, multiple libraries, the beach... I want to know that I won't be stuck in the house all day with my baby.
5. My sister & nieces are moving with us. I've heard bad things about all the schools- is there one district that is better than most? Are there any magnet school programs there?
6. How far is the zoo from Spartanburg. I saw there's a zoo & also a wild animal park?
Thanks in advance!

Hello,

Carolina_1690 wrote you a real nice reply but I'll try to add something a little different.

Greenville and Spartanburg are 30 miles apart geographically but light years apart culturally. I like Spartanburg because it's a town that's really changing. Other than a very nice downtown, Greenville is mostly sprawl. Some would argue that Spartanburg is heading in the same direction but being a bit smaller it might just develop more densely.

The commute to Greenville is not good, especially in the morning as Interstate 85 is the only real option.

In Spartanburg you basically have three areas to choose from. The Eastside. Older, more established, old money, professional people. Schools are good. Crime is not too bad. A massive lifestyle center shopping complex is being planned here and the older and popular Hillcrest Shopping Center is getting a major overhaul. The downside: for heavy duty shopping you'll have to drive across town.

The Westside. Most of the shopping and dining, good schools, not much crime, close to the interstates. The downside: the worst traffic in Spartanburg.

Boiling Springs. Explosive growth, close to the interstates, good schools. The downside: potential for sprawl.

Spartanburg has plenty of choices for a family with a baby. Good parks, trails, health clubs, shopping, etc. Barnet Park downtown is a real jewel.

Spartanburg schools particularly districts 2 (Boiling Springs), 6 (Westside), 7 (Eastside) are some of the best in the state. I'm not familar with the magnet school program but suggest you take a look at each district's website.

The Hollywild Zoo in nearby Inman, SC is specifically geared toward children. They have a nice setup, especially around Christmas. Checkout their website.

I hope you fine this an honest assessment of Spartanburg. I would be anxious to know what you think.

[Skyliner]

What do you mean by "light years apart culturally?" I have not seen this at all. Both cities have culture, both have numerous amenities that people want, both have traffic and sprawl. Greenville is much larger and therefore has more to offer in each of these categories - much more in some cases, but not "light years" of difference yet. If anyone thinks they are going to avoid sprawl by choosing to live in Spartanburg, think again. With the rapid growth taking place everywhere in the Southeast, very few - if any - metro areas have been able to curb that problem. Spartanburg is no different in that regard. I speak from firsthand knowledge, as someone who works there and has been all over the county for various reasons. I also can speak for Greenville and guarantee that it is the best Upstate city to live in or near if you want the most amenities closeby. It is not just "downtown and sprawl." It is a leader in urban and suburban revitalization as well as transition into new industries, with quite a bit happening on a global level. As the governor recently stated, Greenville is the dominant economic force in the state in terms of attracting new jobs. Greenville has also developed a robust tourism industry in recent years, which has led to the attraction of several national events being hosted by the city.

Okay, now that I have gotten that off my chest (), I wanted to reply to elyrob's initial post.

1. The others have answered this question. It is a 30-minute drive from downtown Greenville to the city of Spartanburg, and less from the Pelham-Batesville area.
2. This really depends on what you want. Since your husband is being relocated to Spartanburg, I recommend looking around Spartanburg first, especially in Boiling Springs, Duncan, and the Eastside. If you want or need as many nice amenities as you can have in this region, I recommend looking around Greer and Pelham-Batesville, which are in the eastern portion of the Greenville metro area. These would be my first choices for living and commuting. Contrary to the above posts, I know firsthand that the commute between Greenville and Spartanburg is not bad via I-85. I drive this nearly everyday and have never experienced problems beyond minor delays related to construction (there is no more of that going on currently) and accidents (a rare occurance). What part of Spartanburg County is your husband's place of employment located?
3. 29650
4. Greenville has a great array of beautiful and fun parks, trails, a very expansive countywide library system (broken link) (multiple facilities), including the second-largest facility in the state, multiple YMCA facilities, plus the soon-to-be-built Kroc Community Center, the largest waterpark in the Upstate, with plans for another to be built, the Greenville Zoo, GattiTown, Chuck E. Cheese, Gymboree, Kids Planet, & etc...
5. Greenville County School District has a great list of magnet schools in several categories.
6. The Greenville Zoo is on the edge of downtown Greenville. Hollywild Animal Park is located in Inman, SC.

Now, here are a few additional links that might be helpful regarding your list of amenities. Keep in mind that this is not at all an in-depth list:

• Upstate Parent
• The Peace Center for the Performing Arts
• The BI-LO Center
• The South Carolina Children's Theatre
• Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

Since I am out of time, I will have to add more later, but I hope this is helpful at least in part, if not in full.

[Carolina_1690]

Its true that Greenville isn't just downtown and sprawl. Its a nice city to be sure. But the traffic there is noticably worse in all aspects, which is just part of being a larger city.

Maybe its just me, but I don't see Greenville as having more amenities in its suburban areas. Theres more shopping and a larger downtown, but those are easily accessible from Spartanburg. You get access to that without having to put up with that traffic every day.

Here are some helpful links to Spartanburg's Schools:

District 2 - Boiling Springs , Chesnee & Northeastern Spartanburg County
District 5 - Duncan & Western Spartanburg County (excluding Greer)
District 6 - Westside/Roebuck/Canaan
District 7Central Spartanburg County/Eastside

[ILMK]

I've lived in the area all my life, but just moved to the city of Spartanburg and I don't recommend it.
Go for one of the smaller towns in between, Greer, Taylors.
The eastside of Greenville is nice, 20 minutes to Spartanburg and access to everything in Greenville.

Greer is right in between both cities and has a lot. You have to go to Gville or Sptbg to go to the movies or a mall, but that will only be for another 6-9 months or so.

[eena]

The Westside. Most of the shopping and dining, good schools, not much crime, close to the interstates. The downside: the worst traffic in Spartanburg.


I SO disagree! I live in westside Spartanburg, and I hate it! There was a shooting at the mall and also at Walmart not too long ago. I live right off the main road, between 296 and 29, and it seems like cops are everywhere dealing with this problem or another. Groups of people park their cars in the parking lots of many local businesses on the weekends at night and just kind of 'hang out'. I haven't seen them doing this at Walmart since that shooting, and it does appear that they're trying to clean up the area, but until then.... I don't know all parts of westside spartanburg, but from what I've seen, I can't wait to move! Call me crazy, but if I see police arresting people at least once a week or even just strolling around all the time like they're looking for something, that tells me there's got to be some problems with the area.

P.S. At least the schools are good and shopping is close!

[Carolina_1690]

ILMK:
I dont take it to seriously when you can't even say why you wouldn't recommend it.

eena:
Obviously I can't speak for your experiences, but what you just described isn't unique to Spartanburg. Most malls in this state are having the same problems with gangs. Haywood in Gville, and Columbiana and Columbia Place in Columbia... they all have curfew type rules for young people. But like you said, the police have stepped up and started to fix the situation.
Every city has a growing part of town like the westside, so if you choose to live there, be prepared for some "traffic." And I say "traffic" in quotations because traffic in Spartanburg is not bad at all. Go to Greenville to see some traffic. OR- go to Charlotte to see some real traffic. Bleh! I'll take Spartanburg any day!