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If I could choose all over again, I would not choose to move to Hampton Roads. I would've stayed in Colorado. I'd rather put up with hispanics & snow to be quite honest...
Just the opposite...I lived (not a choice of course) in CO and I don't care for the area. I love people of all cultures, but snow, cold, mountains are not my gig.
Maybe the majority of people who live in neighborhoods like Lake Edward,Northrigde,Newpointe Village,Bayside Arms/Alden Park,Plaza,Twin Canal Village and Friendship Village dont want to live there by choice.On the other hand,If they spent a little time living in my old Wesleyan Chase stomping grounds,they might hate it because its fairly quiet there, Too quiet. No drug activity,no fear of being robbed at gunpoint,or being hit by a stray bullet meant for someone else. However,this is the 21st century and things can happen anytime,anywhere to anyone. Whether your work the average nine to five job and make 75k a year or make twice that amount in a month by selling street poison,your life can be cut shorter than a midget on his knees.
I'm looking at places to move and am considering Virginia Beach. I have no kids, so schools are not an issue. I'm an older person looking to rent, and want to be near a good library. I've visited Virginia Beach several times in the past, but always to vacation, so I have no idea what it would be like to live there. Am wondering what rents are like, how crowded the area is, safety, crime, driving, all the things that make/break daily living.
Any info is appreciated.
Well over 400,000 people. Suburban in most parts, but it is still crowded 4 lanes in each direction in some areas. Keep in mind Virginia Beach is just one city out of 7 in this area, so you are also getting people from the general MSA coming through, which is in excess of 1.6 million.
Town Center is the unofficial downtown area. 24 blocks of development there, high rises and parking garages. The Oceanfront is growing. There are plans to have continuous high rises from Town Center to the Oceanfront by 2050.
Still has low crime. A lot of Blacks, Latinos and Filipinos in the area. Not a lot of libraries for the population, but then again that is just how it is in HR.
I like the main libraries here in HR though, with the exception of Portsmouth, which reminds of me of one of the suburban libraries back home. Very old, back in the 70s, as is the case with a lot of stuff in downtown Portsmouth. In serious need of a complete demolition they should start again from scratch.
I only know where two of the libraries are in Virginia Beach. The main library is cool but it seems like it is stuck in time as well. A lot of older, 70s, post-modern architecture in Virginia Beach, with the exception of Town Center.
It is not uncommon to drive 30 minutes or more to get somewhere in Virginia Beach. Not because of the traffic, but because of the distance. I-264 helps a lot. I used to get lost a lot when I first came here and it would take an hour or more to figure out where I was going. Virginia Beach is a very large city, physically.
if your lookin for a good neighborhood in VA Beach avoid livin by norfolk or the beach id live in da middle part of VA beach the middle part isnt bad its just surrounded by bad neighborhood trust me i should know i grew up in the slums of virginia beach aragona village represent but for real avoid the bayside,first colonial, green run,oceanlakes,and salem areas and you should be safe va beach does have a real big gang problem and as n ex gangmember i should know so if your lookin for a good safe neighborhood stay in the middle of the city oh and when you reach town center dont go past it cuz from town center to norfolk is nothin but ghetto
if your lookin for a good neighborhood in VA Beach avoid livin by norfolk or the beach id live in da middle part of VA beach the middle part isnt bad its just surrounded by bad neighborhood trust me i should know i grew up in the slums of virginia beach aragona village represent but for real avoid the bayside,first colonial, green run,oceanlakes,and salem areas and you should be safe va beach does have a real big gang problem and as n ex gangmember i should know so if your lookin for a good safe neighborhood stay in the middle of the city oh and when you reach town center dont go past it cuz from town center to norfolk is nothin but ghetto
I read all 9 pages of this thread and wanted to comment. I laughed at some of the comments very heavily and enjoyed reading the posts. Some, I took with a grain of salt. I know the post is old, but it is good to hear comments about VB. I grew up in VB and am a native of VB, but live in Charleston, SC now for over 10 years. I often visit VB and miss it. It is a great area, and although I have been out of the area for 12 years or so, I still miss the Chesapeake Bay, Chick's beach, the North End of the Oceanfront, going to Old Dominion basketball games, going to the VB Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre, going to the Beach Pub for lunch! I would say this Charleston, SC and Va. Beach, Va are both very nice cities to live in. I don't think Charleston is any better than Va. Beach though! Va. Beach is a great City! God Bless from CoastalCat
I think that Virginia Beach is a huge military town and that is mostly all they talk about. Your constantly around military or GS workers. When your child is in school, that is what they implement in the school system. The jobs are odd. So when its time for your child to graduates from high school you either join the military or work at a restaurant just to keep up with he high price of rent that is set for a military pay chart. The cost of living does not match the paychecks that business owners are willing to pay.
The shopping sucks. Many businesses are closing and moving to better areas. Stores like Restoration Hardware and Ann Taylor ran so fast out of this area. Supply and demand I guess. The people here shop at the Dump Furniture store Rent to Own. It freak-in sucks. When you go to Walmart, the people are in there pajamas and scrunchies in their dirty oily hair, smelling like they just rolled out of bed. Writing this makes me depressed. I'm moving.
I know that your reply is old. But I ran across it by accident. I would love to move to Charleston. I feel so bored here. To me, Charleston SC is more scenic than Virginia Beach. Would you agree?
I think that Virginia Beach is a huge military town and that is mostly all they talk about. Your constantly around military or GS workers. When your child is in school, that is what they implement in the school system. The jobs are odd. So when its time for your child to graduates from high school you either join the military or work at a restaurant just to keep up with he high price of rent that is set for a military pay chart. The cost of living does not match the paychecks that business owners are willing to pay.
The shopping sucks. Many businesses are closing and moving to better areas. Stores like Restoration Hardware and Ann Taylor ran so fast out of this area. Supply and demand I guess. The people here shop at the Dump Furniture store Rent to Own. It freak-in sucks. When you go to Walmart, the people are in there pajamas and scrunchies in their dirty oily hair, smelling like they just rolled out of bed. Writing this makes me depressed. I'm moving.
Definitely sounds like moving is best for you. Fact is, Hampton Roads is a place where most people are average middle-class, working stiffs. Regular Joes, working class, blue collar, and real. It's what I love about the area personally, but if you're looking for high-end shopping to match high-paying corporate jobs you're in the wrong place. Best of luck finding a Wal-Mart where people go dressed to impress.
I am with XgrendelX, I am a regular Joe, and don't need to seek attention, impress, or shop at high end stores. I could care less about the shopping at a place, as I don't like to shop!
Don't kid yourself, I see people here at grocery stores in their pajamas and they look a mess too. I was not brought up like this, as my family has manners and so forth. Just to know, there are people everywhere without manners, here in Charleston too!
Also, many businesses and stores here have closed too. It is very sad, some had been here 25 years or more. Are you aware of the economy in the United States and what is happening?
I don't know what area you live in in VB, but when I grew up I rarely saw military people and the public schools were very good, in fact , you can research it , VB schools are in the top 5 in the country in a City that size.
The public schools here in Charleston are largely very poor and rated very low. There are also many more jobs there in Tidewater than here in Charleston!
Do I agree Charleston is more scenic than VB? NO, I do not.
Charleston has more history and I do not care much about this. The downtown has many historical buildings and old streets(that need to be paved over!)
Virginia Beach has a much prettier oceanfront and a very nice boardwalk that goes for a couple miles. Also , the Chesapeake Bay is more Scenic than anything here!
Maybe I am partial to VB, as I am a native from Tidewater, VA, but overall VB is just as nice or a nicer place than Charleston SC.
Take your chance, and move to Charleston, find out for yourself. The grass is not always greener.
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