Does anyone think Indy is the best city in the midwest besides people who live in the city? (Indianapolis: attorney, schools)

[Colts]

Has it ever occured to some of you Indy-bashers that there might be a reason why people are actually moving there and why locals take such pride in their hometown? The city has come a long way and has a very bright future, unlike many of its fallen peers. Some of you keep bringing up highly subjective qualities like urbanity as a by-product of this. Indy is considerably more urban than places like Phoenix and Houston. So what?

If everyone on the face of the earth valued urbanity and artsyness and transit and good food and young people as much as you guys do (and I don't understand the obsession with young people because we all age at some point), Indy would be SHRINKING, if anything. But it isn't. I love all of those attributes in a place, too, but at the end of the day, I also see the value in having a slower pace of living. And even though I don't like sprawl, the vast majority of people do prefer suburbs and good schools and affordability and an overall sense of having a decent quality of life, all things considered and I can't necessarily blame them. Hell, I live in a large house in suburban Fort Wayne myself, and I could easily up and leave right now for a "better" city, but I don't because I can't think of too many places I would rather be right now.

Whether Indy is or isn't the best city (likely the latter) in the Midwest is irrelevant (and what I assume to be the original premise of this thread). All I'm saying is that it's wrong to knock someone for taking pride in his city when he's completely justified in doing so, just as you are justified in being in disagreement. I'm done, though. You may resume hating now. To each his own.

[tolovefromANFIELD]

Originally Posted by Colts

Has it ever occured to some of you Indy-bashers that there might be a reason why people are actually moving there and why locals take such pride in their hometown? The city has come a long way and has a very bright future, unlike many of its fallen peers. Some of you keep bringing up highly subjective qualities like urbanity as a by-product of this. Indy is considerably more urban than places like Phoenix and Houston. So what?

If everyone on the face of the earth valued urbanity and artsyness and transit and good food and young people as much as you guys do (and I don't understand the obsession with young people because we all age at some point), Indy would be SHRINKING, if anything. But it isn't. I love all of those attributes in a place, too, but at the end of the day, I also see the value in having a slower pace of living. And even though I don't like sprawl, the vast majority of people do prefer suburbs and good schools and affordability and an overall sense of having a decent quality of life, all things considered and I can't necessarily blame them. Hell, I live in a large house in suburban Fort Wayne myself, and I could easily up and leave right now for a "better" city, but I don't because I can't think of too many places I would rather be right now.

Whether Indy is or isn't the best city (likely the latter) in the Midwest is irrelevant (and what I assume to be the original premise of this thread). All I'm saying is that it's wrong to knock someone for taking pride in his city when he's completely justified in doing so, just as you are justified in being in disagreement. I'm done, though. You may resume hating now. To each his own.

I completely agree with you. If all residents of their respective cities took pride in their cities/towns this country would be better off for that. The problem you have with us Chicagoans is that we expect Chicago culture, sports, architecture, food wherever we move instead of embracing the culture of the locality that we currently live in. We Chicagoans ***** all day about weather, traffic, local and state government cost of living, and then we lets say move to Indianapolis and expect to get all the same ameneties without the cost of living and the headaches. It doesn't work like that. I mean for crying out loud Chicago immigrants all over country still import their Hot Dogs(Portillos). Now that is a disease

[Colts]

Originally Posted by tolovefromANFIELD

I completely agree with you. If all residents of their respective cities took pride in their cities/towns this country would be better off for that. The problem you have with us Chicagoans is that we expect Chicago culture, sports, architecture, food wherever we move instead of embracing the culture of the locality that we currently live in. We Chicagoans ***** all day about weather, traffic, local and state government cost of living, and then we lets say move to Indianapolis and expect to get all the same ameneties without the cost of living and the headaches. It doesn't work like that. I mean for crying out loud Chicago immigrants all over country still import their Hot Dogs(Portillos). Now that is a disease

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. I would give you a million rep points for this if I could. People come to Indy expecting Chicago and end up diappointed because they didn't do their homework first.

Indy is not Chicago. It never has been and never will be. BUT, for what it is, Indy is a kick-ass city that most people should do just fine in.

[Traveler87]

Originally Posted by stx12499

Sadly, Camp Washington, along with Over the Rhine, is dubbed th ghetto by locals and most people have never been! All in all, I think the ghetto parts of most Midwest city are not as bad as people make them out to be. Over the Rhine, and on over to Camp Washington, has some of the best architecture in the Midwest.

Its not really dubbed "ghetto" by the locals. You need to realize that Cincinnati has changed a lot in the past few years. You still look at it as the Cincinnati of five years ago. Over-The-Rhine is seeing one of the fastest redevelopment processes in the nation. I just got back from a month long stay in Cincinnati. I even saw a couple from Louisville buying a loft there. Its not only well known and well APPRECIATED by the locals, but from people all across the nation.

[Traveler87]

Originally Posted by Colts

I can't believe some of the BS I've read in this thread.

How are you gonna take a shot at someone for having pride in their city just because you don't care for it very much? That's the stupidest thing I've read, and would be akin to "I only respect your opinion IF I agree with it."

Every city has chains, sprawl, white people, etc. So what? There's a reason why Indy is the fastest growing metro in the Midwest. It's no New York by any means, but if you want culture, you can find it, even if it means looking a little harder.

Actually that was Sioux Falls!

But I see what you mean. Columbus and Indianapolis are two cities that are growing at good rates, and people like to take jabs at them because of their growth. These cities are finally working on making some type of unique character. I really like the canals in Indianapolis, and Columbus has awesome districts like Short North, German Village and the Arena District.

You have to find the positive in everything.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by Colts

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. I would give you a million rep points for this if I could. People come to Indy expecting Chicago and end up diappointed because they didn't do their homework first.

Indy is not Chicago. It never has been and never will be. BUT, for what it is, Indy is a kick-ass city that most people should do just fine in.

What amuses me is that Stx12499 dug up this thread just to take shots at Indianapolis; using logic that easily spins around against Louisville. Indy over-hypes itself. Indy lacks food. Indy has no counter-culture. Indy lacks a pedestrian culture. Indy has too many chain places/big box stores. Now, swap out Indy with Louisville. All of it is still true; or as true as it was with Indy. It is one thing to offer constructive criticism or discuss the positives and negatives of a city; it is different when you pop into a city's forum you don't live in and take shots that can be used against the city you are trying to hype up yourself.

[Charmedlife357]

I love Indiana but Indianapolis is dirty. I really, truly hope that Indianapolis is not the best in the midwest or the midwest is hurting.

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by DC 38

What amuses me is that Stx12499 dug up this thread just to take shots at Indianapolis; using logic that easily spins around against Louisville. Indy over-hypes itself. Indy lacks food. Indy has no counter-culture. Indy lacks a pedestrian culture. Indy has too many chain places/big box stores. Now, swap out Indy with Louisville. All of it is still true; or as true as it was with Indy. It is one thing to offer constructive criticism or discuss the positives and negatives of a city; it is different when you pop into a city's forum you don't live in and take shots that can be used against the city you are trying to hype up yourself.

Wrong, Louisville has many neighborhoods much more walkable than Indianapolis. It is a more historic, neighborhood oriented, walkable city. Indy does many things better than Louisville though. More high end shopping. Pro sports. More chains in general (if one views that as a good thing). More white collar jobs, and faster growth. Period. Cincinnati and Louisville have a similar amount of pedestrian oriented areas, although Cincy has much richer architecture, more history, and a much denser and more northern build to it (I like that). To be honest, Louisville's pedestrian culture in just one urban strip competes with some substantially larger sunbelt cities. Here is an interesting quote from the Atlanta Journal Constitution (if you have never been, the the three areas listed are part of Atlanta's largest concentration of walkable, counterculture type liberal areas):

http://www.ajc.com/travel/content/tr..._kentucky.html

"A nice break from the formal Main Street attractions lies about 10 minutes away by car, along Bardstown Road, a hip strip of tiny shops, restaurants and nightclubs. Envision Virginia-Highland, Little Five Points and East Atlanta strung along one long avenue — the neighborhood is even called the Highlands."

And Traveler, I am ALWAYS in Cincy. Unfortunately I live in a city without pro sports, and that is where I get my fix (and I like the urbanity and feel of Cincy big time over the feel of Indy). Man, I lived there for a short time right before I moved to Louisville. I have driven nearly every street in that hood. It is one of my favorite urban hoods in America on potential, even better than anything in Chicago or New York. That said, it is INDEED ghetto. I was there a couple months ago last time to hit up IKEA and they were burning a bon fire in a garbage can in front of Kroghetto on Vine and throwing dice one the sidewalk. There are a few nice condo projects and rehabs, but overrall, the neighborhood is in very poor shape. And honestly, why dont you try going to Mason or even Blue Ash, or heck, Hyde Park and ask what they think of OTR. A friend of mine who lives in Mt Adams summed up the opinion of local Cincinnatians regarding OTR: "It's the type of hood where if you drive thru and they see something shiny, you are getting carjacked."

Of course this is a ridiculous generalization, and, coming from Chicago, nothing in Cincinnati scares me. But the locals do indeed view the area as ghetto, which, is partially true, but the crime is overplayed. There are some nice shops up the main corridor (as there have been for years now), and a few nice condo developments, mainly on the southern edge of the area. Other than that, the area has largely shelled out and has a very very bad rep locally. I do think it is in better shape from what I remember on my first visit to the city in the late 90's, but to act like it is a safe, nice area is very misleading.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by rem

^ when i went to chicago i didn't see many people... There where about as many people in downtown chicago as there are in downtown indianapolis on a weekday afternoon, around rush hour on a friday no less. The only time i saw alot of people was when i was in the traffic jam getting into the city, idk where they all went to. At night i saw literally 2 people and a taxi on the street, there where a few people in the dunkin doughnuts store but they where comming from the same place we where! I didn't see many people until i got to s michigan ave and even then there where as many people out on the street as there would be in indy. Also this was the day before the gay pride parade.

b.s.

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

b.s.

Yea, b.s.

Look. Indianapolis is the newest midwest city. It wasn't even in existence as it is today until the early 70's. Indy has some nice things, and comparing it to Chicago is bunk and the people that get defensive about Indianapolis need to get a grip.

Indianapolis is still finding it's identity. Right now, you mention Indy to people and they think of the 500, not a bad thing, but that is what Indy is known for. Who knows, maybe this fella from Seattle will get Indy out of it's defensive funk.