Tell me about moving from Oak Park, IL to Zionsville, Carmel, Eagle Creek....other? (Fishers: crime, house)

[JessMartin]

I would suggest Meridian Kessler. It has all the character and charm your looking for and many of the blocks are very tight knit. Depending on what block you live on you will have several parks located within walking distance as well as restaurants. Dow would only be a 15 minute drive since she would be traveling the opposite direction of everyone from the burbs. Downtown Zionsville is still very charming though and could be a great option. When are you moving?

[Considering Oak Park]

Originally Posted by domergurl

If you want/expect oak park in Indiana ... You'll be disappointed. Zionsville is suburban with a cute village in the middle. You'd have to go to some of the neighborhoods like meridian Kessler, Irvington etc to get a smidgen of the oak park vibe.

Thanks, Domergurl. Do the neighborhoods of Meridian Kessler, Irvington feed into IPS? I would rather avoid that.

Also, what can you tell me about the Arden neighborhood?

My wife IS taking this job today so we will definitely be moving down to the Indy area.

[Considering Oak Park]

Originally Posted by JessMartin

I would suggest Meridian Kessler. It has all the character and charm your looking for and many of the blocks are very tight knit. Depending on what block you live on you will have several parks located within walking distance as well as restaurants. Dow would only be a 15 minute drive since she would be traveling the opposite direction of everyone from the burbs. Downtown Zionsville is still very charming though and could be a great option. When are you moving?

Thank you. We will move later this year in August.

[Considering Oak Park]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

I don't think Oak Park has much in common with Zionsville or Carmel from an intangible or built environment, but they are probably as close as you'll get in the Indy area. Pike is the school district in Eagle Creek, and it gets mixed reviews at best. I do have family in Pike, and they echo the "its ok" sentiment.

Thanks for your comment. Because of the schooling aspect you just described, we probably won't be considering Eagle Creek.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by Considering Oak Park

Thanks, Domergurl. Do the neighborhoods of Meridian Kessler, Irvington feed into IPS? I would rather avoid that.

Also, what can you tell me about the Arden neighborhood?

My wife IS taking this job today so we will definitely be moving down to the Indy area.

MK and Irvington both feed into IPS. There are charter schools aplenty in Indianapolis, and IPS has good magnet programs. IPS does get a bad rap, and is deserved in many respects, but the magnet schools in IPS are good. It does require effort on the parent's part to seek that out though.

[dewthedru]

we just moved from chicago (just north of you on oak park avenue in the city) to the indy area and wanted the exact same thing. it pretty much doesn't exist, at least in areas that have single family homes. there are a couple places downtown that are condo heavy and places like broad ripple that offer lots of restaurants. but finding a neighborhood with good schools, walkable parks, restaurants, and stores, and have older homes is about impossible. if you're looking to get in a magnet school the deadline for application for the 13/14 school year was last december.

meridian kessler has beautiful house but the lack of walkability to parks, stores, restaurants, and horrible schools led us to look elsewhere. we ended up just moving to brownsburg. new house. great schools. chipper middle class neighbors. new restaurants.

yawn.

[Coogles]

Originally Posted by dewthedru

we just moved from chicago (just north of you on oak park avenue in the city) to the indy area and wanted the exact same thing. it pretty much doesn't exist, at least in areas that have single family homes. there are a couple places downtown that are condo heavy and places like broad ripple that offer lots of restaurants. but finding a neighborhood with good schools, walkable parks, restaurants, and stores, and have older homes is about impossible. if you're looking to get in a magnet school the deadline for application for the 13/14 school year was last december.

meridian kessler has beautiful house but the lack of walkability to parks, stores, restaurants, and horrible schools led us to look elsewhere. we ended up just moving to brownsburg. new house. great schools. chipper middle class neighbors. new restaurants.

yawn.

It does exist, just in very small pockets. We have one park (Canterbury) within extremely short walking distance and three others (61st & Broadway, Broad Ripple, and Arsenal) a short bike ride away. Plus there are the basketball courts, a kickball court, and baseball/softball fields behind School 85 (on 54th just east of the Monon) we can use in the evenings. We're also a block away from the Monon.

There are tons of walkable restaurants (Zest, Mama Corolla's, Good Morning Mama's, Jazz Kitchen, Fat Dan's, 20 Tap, Yat's, Sam's Gyros, Moe & Johnny's, The Aristocrat, Delicia, SoBro Cafe, Taste, Sinking Ship, Recess/Room 4, Napolese, Barking Dog Cafe, & Binkley's), plus two walkable grocers (Fresh Market & Locally Grown Gardens). We don't do the bulk of our grocery shopping at those places, but when you only need a few things it's easier to justify going there when you don't have to get in the car to do it. There isn't much in the way of real shopping outside of a few boutiques in Broad Ripple like you'd find along, for example, Milwaukee/Damen in Wicker Park, but outside of that we have everything we need within walking distance.

We don't have kids yet, but we have every intention of sending future little ones to the CFI @ 57th and Central. We're within that supposed magic radius of being all but guaranteed admittance as long as you apply before the cut-off, so fingers crossed there.

I don't know what the solution is to getting into the magnet programs, but it's at least worth investigating if the suburban lifestyle isn't what you want for your family.

[domergurl]

The Merle Sidener School in IPS was given the 4 star designation last week.

You can look at the Indiana DOE site to see the press release listing the 4 star schools.

[hereinburbank]

Hi, I too am in the process of moving to indy somewhere. I am from the southwest burbs of Chicago and am so confused as to where to buy a house at. I dont want to be too rual but do want at least 1/4 acre of land not much more. I need all the big city advantages like being only a very short drive to wallmart stores etc. and I want a decent size house . I have been looking for at least 2 months but am really worried about the drug problems and crime . I have a good relator and thought I found the perfect house in New Castle Ind but then I googled it and its too rual and super high crime. Can any one give me any suggestions? Im so torn between Ohio and Indiana I am just so fed up with the taxes in Illinois I am done! I already sold me house and have to find a new one soon.

[domergurl]

look in columbus!