Possibly moving from Chicago to Kansas City (St. Louis, Liberty: best cities, 2009)

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by Chicago-Eman

KCMO- thanks for the information. It sure would be nice if KC still had the street cars from the 50's. My concern with KC is the suburban sprawl, where people work in the city and disappear at night back out to the suburbs, similar to St. Louis. I had a project in St. Louis and was surprised that the city was barren during the week after 5:30!? I know the weekends are different, but I want a city where professionals actually live, work and play. And if KC is like that, I could definitely make it home. And yes I am seriously considering the offer.

Tina- great to hear about your experience. Sounds like you miss all the same things I would miss and not sure that I really want to give it up. The opportunity I have is actually really lucrative, but would require me to be there for a good period of time. If it was a two year gig with the option to return to Chicago I would jump at it, however, it would be for significantly longer as I would build my new territory.

North- I understand what you are saying. The project I had in St. Louis allowed me to interact with some locals when I went to a gym at night and the common question was "Where did you go to high school?" When told that I wasn't from the area, it took a little longer for them to warm up to me. But that could be anywhere. Thanks for your input.

KC sounds like it would be a good fit for me, I really have to weigh the friends and family aspect though. I know we live in an age where getting a hold and maintaining relationships is easier, but you cannot substitute actual face to face get togethers (i.e., hanging out with friends and family). This is going to be a tough decision for me!

Well, you have to remember that Downtown KC or StL have very little residential (although KC is better than StL when it comes to downtown residential). There are parts of downtown Chicago that pretty much shut down after business hours as well. The difference in KC or STL is that the cities are so much smaller that you feel you are leaving the “city” to find areas like Lincoln Park.

We don’t have 10 miles of 25 story buildings.

But you can live in KC or StLouis in a very thriving urban area that is busy all the time like you desire, the actual downtown just may not be the area.

In KC, the area around the Plaza is loaded with high density housing, retail, office space etc. That area of KC is really the only area that will truly give you a non-stop urban vibe. Same with St Louis, you will have to go quite a ways west of Downtown to get into areas that are more mixed use or residential, but still urban.

I personally like these areas better than the actual Downtown because they tend to be true neighborhoods and the people walking around actually live there and are not just going to the convention center or arena.

I think this is what Indy lacks and that is why I would choose KC over Indy in a heartbeat. But I would leave KC for Denver just as quickly .

[Chicago-Eman]

KCMO- I totally hear what you are saying. I don't need the downtown area to be alive at night, just as the Loop (downtown Chicago) dies in the evenings (except for the shows); but I do need the urban neighborhoods and want to be able to explore different areas as I do here. I want an urban neighborhood exactly as you described it. I want to be able to walk to a restaurant at night during the week and see other people--not just the lonely straggler. I want to be able to go outside my place and walk to a bar, restaurant, movie, etc. and there be some semblance of activity. As you can tell, I am not ready to plop myself into suburbia.

Like you, there are cities I would prefer and jump at a lot quicker in terms of making a decision. But this is the city right now in question and I appreciate the time you all are taking in responding to this thread.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by Chicago-Eman

KCMO- I totally hear what you are saying. I don't need the downtown area to be alive at night, just as the Loop (downtown Chicago) dies in the evenings (except for the shows); but I do need the urban neighborhoods and want to be able to explore different areas as I do here. I want an urban neighborhood exactly as you described it. I want to be able to walk to a restaurant at night during the week and see other people--not just the lonely straggler. I want to be able to go outside my place and walk to a bar, restaurant, movie, etc. and there be some semblance of activity. As you can tell, I am not ready to plop myself into suburbia.

Like you, there are cities I would prefer and jump at a lot quicker in terms of making a decision. But this is the city right now in question and I appreciate the time you all are taking in responding to this thread.

Well, then I think you would be just fine in the plaza area. The plaza can really be a slice of Chicago or any other big city, it’s just that we don’t have 50 square miles of such an area like Chicago does on the north side.

Here is a ink to a photo thread of the plaza. Feel free to bump it and ask any questions.

Although you might have to settle for Uno’s Pizza, some of the better deep dish places in KC are in the burbs and those may not be worth the drive. KC has plenty of great restaurants of all types though. I think the only areas we lack in is the pizza/Italian category. It’s not horrible but it’s not Chicago or St Louis.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/kansa...-district.html

[Chicago-Eman]

Those are great photos and it is nice to see people out in the parks and such--if you have more links, I would love to see them. Looks very similar to the area I live, city with a lot of green (greass and trees)!! And I am sure I would miss the pizza, but not the pounds that I have gained over the years of eating it. Variety of restaurants is what I enjoy, not the cookie cutter commercialized places found in the burbs.

Are there any lakes or water sport areas near by besides the river?

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by Chicago-Eman

Are there any lakes or water sport areas near by besides the river?

There's several lakes.. er.. reservoirs in the metro. Fleming Park is home to Blue Springs Lake and Lake Jacomo. There's also the Smithville Reservoir, Longview Lake, and the James A. Reed Conservation Area in Lee's Summit.. just to name a few. All mentioned are actually within the metro and pretty much surrounded by suburbs. For larger bodies of water, the Truman Reservoir, Lake of the Ozarks, and Lake Stockton are close enough for a weekend getaway. Again, those are just a few in the area.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by kcmo

I would say that even most people that do like urban kcmo are typically from the college towns around the area (Midwest) and simply don’t want a suburban life just yet. But I wouldn’t really compare them to true urbanites from other large cities. College sports and drinking seem to be all most really get into.

It's true...I work with a large majority of recent grads (21-26 age range is the norm at my workplace), and they're almost ALL transplants from small, rural towns and/or midwestern college towns. But, then, I, who am slightly older, spent most of my upbringing in small, rural towns and a midwestern college town. I don't think it makes me any less convincing an urbanite, though. I've lived a good while in inner cities and can walk the walk and talk the talk, and feel right at home. You'd be surprised at how many people you think to be quite urbane are country folks by upbringing. I just don't think that being a lifelong urban dweller (or not) has much bearing on being a good citizen in a city. Call my cynical, but I don't think you have to have any kind of "street cred" to enjoy and contribute to your chosen city.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by Chicago-Eman

Those are great photos and it is nice to see people out in the parks and such--if you have more links, I would love to see them. Looks very similar to the area I live, city with a lot of green (greass and trees)!! And I am sure I would miss the pizza, but not the pounds that I have gained over the years of eating it. Variety of restaurants is what I enjoy, not the cookie cutter commercialized places found in the burbs.

Are there any lakes or water sport areas near by besides the river?

IMO, KC's public greenspace is one of the things I most highly recommend about it. The pictures posted are around some of the most popular and nice parks in the metro, right on the Plaza.

The lack of pizza IS a downfall of KC, I will admit (though Waldo Pizza's tasty). But there are a few really decent Italian joints to be found if you crave that end of things. My boyfriend is a NY-born and bred Italian with the goombah name to prove it, Sicilian on one side and Campagnese on the other, and he swears that eating at Accurso's is like being home.

[Chicago-Eman]

TabulaRasa- thanks for posting, I really appreciate it. The more I hear the more comfortable I am about making this decision to potentially move to KC. It sounds pretty good and I can get over not having the pizza. I love BBQ just as much!!

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by Chicago-Eman

TabulaRasa- thanks for posting, I really appreciate it. The more I hear the more comfortable I am about making this decision to potentially move to KC. It sounds pretty good and I can get over not having the pizza. I love BBQ just as much!!

I'm no expert, especially on New York v. Chicago, but there is quite a bit of really good pizza around KC. It seems that people who are stuck on one, don't seem to care for the other. Not sure what the big difference/deal is.

There's a place in Liberty called The Dish, which is run by a guy from Chicago. I'm guessing it's very authentic. I like it a lot, but I don't have much to compare it to.

[TinaMcG]

Eman, the thing that struck me the most about our move from Chicago to the KC area was how unbelievably warm and welcoming the people are. I lived in Chicago all my life and I was beginning to think that once you reach middle age, you just don't make new friends anymore. I was joining clugs, went back to college -- and people seemed to hold each other at arms length. Now here in Kansas, I have so many friends, even people I wou8ld call close friends who would be there for me in a heartbeat if I needed them. I think that in itself was worth the move.