Young, Urban, Diverse, Accepting (Davenport, Bettendorf: apartments, houses, neighborhoods)

[dlpatte1]

Looking for a trendy area in the QC with urban style living in an open minded and friendly community. The closest thing to a Chicago type neighborhood like Lakeview, Lincoln Park or Andersonville. Thanks!

[QuadCityImages]

Are you looking for an apartment or house?

I can think of a couple of areas for either, although I don't know how close they can come to Chicago. I would say most of the apartments downtown would have all 4 characteristics in the title, and there's a great neighborhood of brick apartment buildings near St. Ambrose University that would be good also.

[DMRyan]

What about the Village of East Davenport? That's always been one of my favorite little enclaves when visiting the QC's.

[Northern Traveler]

The area along Crow Creek Rd. in Iowa.

[QuadCityImages]

Originally Posted by DMRyan

What about the Village of East Davenport? That's always been one of my favorite little enclaves when visiting the QC's.

Our East Village is nothing like yours... there aren't many residential options right in the main area, and its really more touristy than young, urban, diverse, and accepting. If you could find a place to live right in the heart of the Village it might be alright, but most of the homes have been converted to retail. The area to the east, McClellan Heights, is a fantastic neighborhood of beautiful old homes, but again, not really any of the title characteristics. More like, old, white, rich.

Originally Posted by Northern Traveler

The area along Crow Creek Rd. in Iowa.

I'm pretty sure you're joking... as almost no part of Bettendorf fits the title of this thread.

[mfrerkes]

Originally Posted by dlpatte1

Looking for a trendy area in the QC with urban style living in an open minded and friendly community. The closest thing to a Chicago type neighborhood like Lakeview, Lincoln Park or Andersonville. Thanks!

I recommend The District in Rock Island, IL. There has been quite a bit of loft-style housing added to that area in recent years, with more currently under construction. There's easy access to dining and arts/entertainment venues. Circa 21 (a dinner theatre), The Figge (an impressive art museum), MWA Park (a picturesque minor league baseball stadium), and the Adler Theatre (a top-notch concert venue) are all within one mile of The District. There are numerous live music events (YaMaka My Weekend, Gumbo YaYa, RIBCO, Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, River Roots Live) throughout the summer.

You'll also be right next to the scenic beauty of the Mississippi River, which really is a nice attraction all by itself. Whether you like watching boats move up and down the river during spring or summer, or seeing Bald Eagles nesting on the banks during the winter, the Mississippi adds so much charm to The District. A scenic bike trail also runs right through downtown Rock Island.

Getting around the area is pretty simple as well. In addition to the dining and cultural offerings within The District, you can catch METRO seven days a week from there. METRO is the Illinois Quad Cities mass transit system, and The District is a hub for five of its transit lines. If you need to hop over to Wal-Mart, the shopping mall, or the airport...METRO is a very efficient way to do that. Last summer when gas was $4.50 a gallon, my car sat parked the whole time while I used the Quad City mass transit providers instead. I had no problem getting to work and doing shopping that way.

[mfrerkes]

Originally Posted by QuadCityImages

I'm pretty sure you're joking... as almost no part of Bettendorf fits the title of this thread.

Not everyone who lives in Bettendorf is a Rush Limbaugh-worshipping millionaire Republican who watches FOX News 24-7. Granted, there are not any old-style urban neighborhoods in Bettendorf. Most houses in the city were built after 1960. However, it's unfair to stereotype all Bettendorfers as close-minded and unaccepting of other lifestyles.

[QuadCityImages]

I'm not saying there aren't young, diverse, accepting people in Bettendorf. Just that most people wouldn't describe the city that way. There are conservatives in San Francisco, but no one refers to it as a conservative area.

Bettendorf has a median income around $10,000 a year higher than Davenport's, its 95% white, the median age is 5 years higher than Davenport's, and it has almost nothing that could be considered urban. Whether its considered accepting or not is hard for me to judge. I have plenty of anecdotal experience of people moving there to avoid diversity, but its not like I've done a study. Basically, out of the "5 Quad Cities" I would say Bettendorf fits the thread title the least. Its basically a suburb.

[mfrerkes]

Originally Posted by QuadCityImages

I have plenty of anecdotal experience of people moving there to avoid diversity, but its not like I've done a study. Basically, out of the "5 Quad Cities" I would say Bettendorf fits the thread title the least. Its basically a suburb.

If you see my post to the originator of this thread, I recommended Rock Island because it better meets their qualifications. I was born in Rock Island and the city is actually my favorite of the region. However, I've been living in Bettendorf since 2006 and really enjoy my neighborhood.

I had the exact same stereotypes about Bettendorf you have, but the last few years have shown me it's not all "white, rich, and snobby" like other QCers think it is. My neighborhood is very modest and (gasp) there are actually some people of color living in it! While Bettendorf is not very urban, it is young, there is a little diversity, and all the neighbors gladly accept my NPR-listening, Barack Obama-bumper-sticker, VW Beetle-driving girlfriend. As a young couple, we've had no problems making friends with our neighbors here....and (gasp) we're both liberals living in sin!!!

[Dport7476]

I'm a Bettendorf liberal. We exist.

But as far as an Urban, Hip, young place The District in Rock Island is pretty much the only option.

Bettendorf has no downtown area really, Davenports downtown area has started jumping a lil bit in the last few years but not too much. And it's not exactly pedestrian friendly. If you lived in the Cresent apartments where would you walk to? Boozies?