Why does Indianapolis get a bad rap as a boring city? (Columbus: appointed, transplants)
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My only intent was to correct the post I previously responded to that asserted that Indy has everything big cities have, which I've done - no tears required
All you've done is point out that you think indy is a step down from Chicago and similar larger cities in terms of amenities.
All you've done is point out that you think indy is a step down from Chicago and similar larger cities in terms of amenities.
Thanks for the shocking info?
I am totally shocked! I thought that Yolk, Giordano's, and Aurelio's announcing their upcoming locations here caused us to leap right up to Chicago's level of amenities.
First of all I am not pretending anything. I never said Indy is a big major city and I am glad it's not. I personally find life in major cities very overwhelming and draining. You just have a set mentality that bigger the city the better. I don't look at it like that. I am comfortable with what this city is offering.
I'll take indy's public transportation over l.a's any day. See just because a city is bigger doesn't mean it is better. Besides in a "big" city, there is more people, more poverty and more buildings thus less parking space, expensive gas, and expensive parking lots. Also crazy traffic and crazy drivers because those big cities don't have enough foundation for everyone to drive comfortably. So people kind of have to rely on public transportation. Do you know how much money those transportation companies make? It is no brainer for them to be more efficient since there is so much demand for it. In Indianapolis people drive because parking is cheap, gas is cheap, no traffic and is much more easier to afford a decent car unlike in those big cities. The indygo doesn't have money to schedule a bus every two minutes and even if it did the bus would run empty cause there is not much demand for it either. I use public transportation each time I visit Chicago and it is always creepy and uncomfortable. I cannot afford parking my car downtown Chicago even if I do I cannot find a parking space. Lol I actually cannot look for a parking space without a crazy cab driver honking and cussing me out behind cause I slowed down.
I also volunteer for IMPD. I have lots of police officer friends yet you are the only person saying how crime is bad. I don't know if I should believe them or you. In big cities crimes don't even make the news buddy.
Also you complain that there is not much ethnic restaurants which is bull crap. Indianapolis is a spread out city and the restaurants are spread out as well so I am sorry that all the ethnic restaurants couldn't move to your location of convenience. If you are an ethnic restaurant junkie go on your phone find them and drive to them. Or go to broad ripple or downtown or fountain square. there is an ethnic restaurant in every corner and it's walkable. There is also lots of family business and genuine coffee shops there.
I met some of the kindest people in this city and I continue meeting them. Surprisingly they are from all around the country and they moved here for a better life. The locals are always down to earth and humble.
I hope you get to live somewhere you like so you won't have time try to prove your point to people who don't have any problems with here. I am tired of ppl bashing this city. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's bad. Obviously a lot of ppl like it in here because it is growing super fast. I am done.
First of all I am not pretending anything. I never said Indy is a big major city and I am glad it's not. I personally find life in major cities very overwhelming and draining. You just have a set mentality that bigger the city the better.
Hmmm, funny, since I never said anything of the kind. "Better" is subjective anyway and it's certainly not directly proportional to the size of the city, IMO. All I said was that, contrary to what you stated, Indy doesn't have everything that major cities offer.
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I don't look at it like that. I am comfortable with what this city is offering.
Very happy to hear it.
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I'll take indy's public transportation over l.a's any day. See just because a city is bigger doesn't mean it is better. Besides in a "big" city, there is more people, more poverty and more buildings thus less parking space, expensive gas, and expensive parking lots. Also crazy traffic and crazy drivers because those big cities don't have enough foundation for everyone to drive comfortably. So people kind of have to rely on public transportation. Do you know how much money those transportation companies make? It is no brainer for them to be more efficient since there is so much demand for it. In Indianapolis people drive because parking is cheap, gas is cheap, no traffic and is much more easier to afford a decent car unlike in those big cities. The indygo doesn't have money to schedule a bus every two minutes and even if it did the bus would run empty cause there is not much demand for it either. I use public transportation each time I visit Chicago and it is always creepy and uncomfortable. I cannot afford parking my car downtown Chicago even if I do I cannot find a parking space. Lol I actually cannot look for a parking space without a crazy cab driver honking and cussing me out behind cause I slowed down.
All that's good and well but alas, has nothing to do with my point - that Indy doesn't have everything that major cities offer, however creepy and uncomfortable those extra things may make you
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I also volunteer for IMPD. I have lots of police officer friends yet you are the only person saying how crime is bad. I don't know if I should believe them or you. In big cities crimes don't even make the news buddy.
Yeah, I'm the "only person". You don't have to take anyone's word for it. Statistics are available for anyone who cares to look:
Also you complain that there is not much ethnic restaurants which is bull crap. Indianapolis is a spread out city and the restaurants are spread out as well so I am sorry that all the ethnic restaurants couldn't move to your location of convenience. If you are an ethnic restaurant junkie go on your phone find them and drive to them. Or go to broad ripple or downtown or fountain square. there is an ethnic restaurant in every corner and it's walkable. There is also lots of family business and genuine coffee shops there.
Not a complaint, but an observation. I am well aware of Indy's options for ethnic cuisine as I lived here for 15 years and still visit from time to time. Those options are impressive compared to Terre Haute. Compared to San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Boston? Not so much.
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I met some of the kindest people in this city and I continue meeting them. Surprisingly they are from all around the country and they moved here for a better life. The locals are always down to earth and humble.
That's awesome and I am very glad to hear it. Sadly, it still has nothing to do with my point, which is that that Indy doesn't have everything that major cities offer, like you stated.
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I hope you get to live somewhere you like so you won't have time try to prove your point to people who don't have any problems with here.
I do.
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I am tired of ppl bashing this city. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's bad. Obviously a lot of ppl like it in here because it is growing super fast. I am done.
Sorry, but no bashing was offered in my post, just a minor correction of something you had typed.
It's a discussion board. People come here to debate and offer counter-points. Lighten up.
I did see it and my point still stands in my retort. All cities literally have the same amenities. Just the way it is. The larger the city, the more raw number of any said amenity. Supply and demand. Indy has roughly the same as its population group. Minney at 3.5 million people should have more than Indy or stl. It's a numbers game. Areas of roughly 1.7 m to 2.3 m people will have roughly the same amount.
As someone who rode indygo everyday for years if you live in center you should have no issue with public trans. Its the outer townships in particular franklin and decatur.
Hood wise, Indy did need help as everything was downtown but that's definitely changing.
Crime stats are misleading. A city of 100k people with 30 homicides is statistically worse than NY, LA etc. The reality though is they are not worse than those places. The media hypes up the least committed crime and folks eat it up using 100k population as the base. Makes the 100k city look bad but the 3 million city, not so much.
South side, Perry township has a lot of non us shops, markets, etc. My favorite was always saraga international market. Also one off of Lafayette rd. That entire corridor has international flavor. Most here more than likely would not dare travel by Lafayette square so really just Dont know.
Now being in a larger "hip" area Indy def goes pound for pound. Again it isn't Chicago or NY but holds its own from Tampa on down to its population range.
I did see it and my point still stands in my retort. All cities literally have the same amenities. Just the way it is. The larger the city, the more raw number of any said amenity. Supply and demand. Indy has roughly the same as its population group. Minney at 3.5 million people should have more than Indy or stl. It's a numbers game. Areas of roughly 1.7 m to 2.3 m people will have roughly the same amount.
Bolded mine. Come on, seriously ? No, some cities have more amenities than others, even if you factor in and adjust for the size.
You're likely to find great night life in New Orleans, casinos in Las Vegas, great asian food in San Francisco, convenient commuter rail and museums in DC, etc..
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Hood wise, Indy did need help as everything was downtown but that's definitely changing.
Crime stats are misleading. A city of 100k people with 30 homicides is statistically worse than NY, LA etc. The reality though is they are not worse than those places. The media hypes up the least committed crime and folks eat it up using 100k population as the base. Makes the 100k city look bad but the 3 million city, not so much.
Not sure what's misleading about simple statistics. Again, are you denying that some cities are worse in this category than others ?
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South side, Perry township has a lot of non us shops, markets, etc. My favorite was always saraga international market. Also one off of Lafayette rd. That entire corridor has international flavor. Most here more than likely would not dare travel by Lafayette square so really just Dont know.
Again - I'm not denying that these places EXIST. My only point is there aren't many of them proportionally.
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Now being in a larger "hip" area Indy def goes pound for pound. Again it isn't Chicago or NY but holds its own from Tampa on down to its population range.
I do agree with Tampa comparison. I've been to Tampa a few times and it reminded me of Indy quite a bit. Except Indy's downtown is way better and more lively. Other than the climate, I'd definitely prefer Indy to Tampa, based on what I've seen.
To outside eyes, it is: a mid-sized or second-tier older lower midwestern city identified with mid-20th century economy. It is also land-locked and flat, not an airline hub, not an immigration hub, not a "new economy" hub, over 200 miles from nearest marquee-name magnet city for tourism (say, Chicago or Nashville), and not blessed with outrageous natural beauty. Not someplace for a destination vacation, unless you're a pro sports lover (many many are, I know). Is any of that incorrect?
To inside eyes, it is: all the above but also, comparatively affordable, stable, possessed of awesome historic housing stock downtown (but most residents with money still prefer the outer suburban rings), possessed of sufficient amenities, and (again, if you love professional sports) a home to numerous pro teams.
One way to measure things would be to measure out-migration among those (especially in their 20s) who are leaving Indy by choice for what they see as "less boring" cities. "Less boring" often brings it own problems, of course: just look at the problems of Portland, Oregon in the age of the Portlandia buzz. And the superstar cities are very very expensive, with many hassles.
Goodness, I was standing in line behind an Indiana Pacer last night at Marsh's downtown. He was gracious, with toddler girl, and quite tall. Others in the store were abuzz at his presence.
I live in Indy because my wife and I got jobs here. It was not our dream city, but we are grateful to be employed here. We might prefer to be in cities that are at Indy's fighting weight but with a few more characteristics. Places like Pittsburgh: it is similar to Indy but with beautiful hilly terrain which creates more distinct walkable and appealing urban neighborhoods rather than Indy's grid, three rivers for recreation and eye-candy, greater proximity to east coast magnet cities, great concentration of universities and colleges which creates spillover of arts and music and creative twenty-somethings who stay in Pittsburgh and make new things for a new city. Indy, by contrast, doesn't have that density of education institutions. To me, that's a comparative disadvantage.
So far, to me, Indy feels like an older mid-20th century paradigm, a red-state city still and at the mercy of its wealthy suburbs and exurbs. Unlike some sadder rust belt cities trapped in planning, political, and economic problems from the past (poster child: Detroit, of course), Indy has come around the corner and is peering at a better future. The question is, can it draw and hold a vital and young and worldly educated workforce? Is pro sports and affordability and convenience enough? Only the Shadow knows.
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