Best City in Iowa (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids: credit, theatre, high school)

[metroplex2003]

Originally Posted by DSMGuy

Two more things to add since I'm on a roll....

Like golf? DM is a regular stop on the Champions Pro Tour (Seniors), CR isn't and probably never will be.

Like NASCAR? Newton (30 mi away) is on the NASCAR circuit.

DM is boring???

If I were to return to Iowa, it would probably be Des Moines, since I consider it the most urban (be it small) of the Iowa cities.

I consider CR as a bigger version of Sioux City.

But Des Moines, as small as it is, still has so much you can do. I have yet to find a Farmer's Market that matches that of Des Moines. You also have a lot of big city restaurants now. (though my favorite is still Cosi Cucina). You have job opportunities that other staganant places in Iowa does not have. You have good freeway access.

[zz4guy]

Originally Posted by DSMGuy

You couldn't be more wrong. DM's downtown blows CR's out of the water. In the last 5 years hundreds of millions of $ in construction has happened in DT Des Moines and it continues. Overall construction in DM is about 10X as much as CR.

DM has nationally recognized events like the Iowa State Fair, Art Festival, CR has none.
DM has Living History Farms (picked one of the top outdoor museums in nation), CR has none.
DM has a new Science Center, State Historical Museum, main library. CR has no attractions/museums at this level.
DM has a new 17,000 seat arena that attracts big name concerts. CR is lucky to get any big time shows at its small arena.
DM metro has the largest mall in IA. CR needs to drive to IC for a mall that is even close to it.
DM has a zoo, albeit small, CR has none.
DM has opera, CR has none.
DM's airport has twice as many non-stop destinations.
DM has AAA baseball (1 level below majors), CR has small time A baseball.
DM has AAA hockey, CR has none.
DM has arena football, CR has none.
DM has an amusement park, CR has none.
DM is a regular stop for Broadway plays, CR has none.
Boring? DM has a lively night scene. CR drives to Iowa City for fun.
DM has a nationally recognized Farmers Market that attracts 20K-30K people every weekend. It is more of a weekly festival than just a bunch of farmers selling stuff. If CR has a farmers market, does it attract even 300 ppl?
Also, CR has overwhelming odors in many parts of town. DM has one pocket of odors on the east side, but the rest of the metro has fresh air for a metro area.

I guess there are a few differences??

I don't normally like to obliterate a city like this, but with your negative attitude toward DM and misinformation, I couldn't resist this hanging curve ball to knock out of the park!

I hate to break it to you but there is more to a city than waking up on Saturday and saying hmm what event should I attend this weekend?

There are also things like:
Jobs - If you want to work in finance or government, DesMoines is great, but manufacturing, technology or engineering fields?? Forget it.
Crime - Dsm might be lower than say Milwaukee, but it is takes the cake each year in IA for homicides and violent crime.
Proximity to things besides um corn... sorry DM
Traffic - I-235 at rushhour... need I say more?

[DSMGuy]

DM does have a lot of tech jobs in the financial sector as well as biotech and several software startups.

No we don't have much mfring or engineering, but insurance companies don't give off foul fumes.

Crime here is higher than most of Iowa, but very low compared to the rest of the nation.

Proximity to corn, that is rather silly. We sit on two major interstates and are 3 hrs from KC, 4 from Mpls, 2 from Omaha, and 5-6 from Chicago. Your proximity to Chicago doesn't make you the "center of it all." Once again, you have very little going on there except for your proximity to Chicago, I'm sure you know far more about corn than we do. Compare the lists again.... I think you are covertly trying to say CR is so urbane and DM is so hick. LOL! Look who has more college grads.

Well different strokes, if you like waking up to not much to do, that's fine. It's a free country. Most economic development types are trying to make their cities more vibrant rather than dull.

[pirate_lafitte]

Waterloo may be older and less appealing, but it's safer than Des Momines and with some rebuilding, the city can shine again.

[zz4guy]

Originally Posted by DSMGuy

DM does have a lot of tech jobs in the financial sector as well as biotech and several software startups.

No we don't have much mfring or engineering, but insurance companies don't give off foul fumes.

I'll take the foul odors over going to work for Initech M-F!!!

I agree there's more to do in DM than CR, but when I have a weekend to go do something fun I'd rather just get the heck out of IA all together. There really aren't any big metro-areas here.

[DSMGuy]

Just make sure to return my stapler.

[metroplex2003]

Originally Posted by zz4guy

I'll take the foul odors over going to work for Initech M-F!!!

I agree there's more to do in DM than CR, but when I have a weekend to go do something fun I'd rather just get the heck out of IA all together. There really aren't any big metro-areas here.

Well, you got nearby Chicago...and STL and MSP arent too far away.

[LuvPlmBch]

I really like Keokuk, I stayed at the Grand Anne Mansion B&B about 10 months ago. I found Keokuk to be facinating, the scenery is beautiful. I loved the historic homes and buildings. Yes, many need work, but overall to see so many historical treasures was a treat. I lived my first 19 years in San Diego and for the last 20 years in the Palm Beaches, so maybe the "Mid-West" is just new to me, but I have never met friendlier people. I even bought a big 30 plus room home just 2 blocks from the river. Now I will live the next 40 years in Keokuk AND West Palm Beach, my 2 favorite places................

[Bloviator]

Dubuque is gorgeous! Not sure I'd want to live there though. I have some friends who grew up there and they describe it as somewhat redneck. No offense to any Dubuqers.

I’ve lived in CR, Davenport and Iowa City. I love Iowa City. Davenport would come in second, only because it’s part of an area that has almost a half million people (the overall Quad Cities) and there is a lot to do / a lot of diversity among the population. There are many gorgeous outdoor areas, partly because of the Mississippi River. Cedar Rapids has its own nice qualities (but sorry, the downtown is not one of them!). I went to high school in Cedar Rapids and that was a great education. I do not know much about the other cities. I would probably like Des Moines.

I am very biased and opinionated though. I have lived in the Midwest all my life and grew up in a small Minnesota town. I am not a fan of small towns or even small cities. I enjoy big cities and diversity and if I couldn’t live in Iowa City, I don’t think I’d live in Iowa. It’s not big at all, but it does have people from all over the world and at least a smidgeon of diversity and culture that you find in larger metro areas.

The down side to Iowa City is that salaries are fairly mediocre (unless you are a doctor) and housing costs are fairly high (for the midwest, and for Iowa).

[pepe1]

Originally Posted by zz4guy

I hate to break it to you but there is more to a city than waking up on Saturday and saying hmm what event should I attend this weekend?

There are also things like:
Jobs - If you want to work in finance or government, DesMoines is great, but manufacturing, technology or engineering fields?? Forget it.
Crime - Dsm might be lower than say Milwaukee, but it is takes the cake each year in IA for homicides and violent crime.
Proximity to things besides um corn... sorry DM
Traffic - I-235 at rushhour... need I say more?

I am an engineer and I had no problems finding a job in Des Moines. In fact, I had several very good offers to work in Des Moines.

Crime? In Des Moines? What are you talking about? Des Moines practically has no crime.

Proximity to things besides corn? I'm honestly never starved for entertainment in Des Moines. There is always something going on here. If I need to get away, I can be in Minneapolis in 3 hours or Kansas City in 2.5 hours.

Traffic? Can't complain. On the worst of days it takes 45 minutes to commute to work, typically 20 minutes.