Impressions of Lexington After Visit

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by Al555

In anticipation of a possible move to Lexington from Columbia, SC my wife and I visited the city for four days last week, and after meetings regarding job negotiations we spent most of our time with a local realtor looking at property. We got, I think, a pretty good sampling of Lexington neighborhoods, including historic areas, older neighborhoods like Ashland Park and Chevy Chase, and newer suburban developments. We also hung out a good bit in the downtown, by ourselves and with folks from the university.

Though we now live in SC, both my wife and I are from large northern cities and we like cities very much, so we came to Lexington without a good idea of what to expect and probably, to be honest, with somewhat low expectations. To say that we fell in love with the city might be an exaggeration, but not by much. We arrived on a Thursday night and found the downtown buzzing. People were out, going to concerts and restaurants and bars, and it felt alive. The downtown is intimate and compact and well maintained with lots of green space. We ate at a restaurant called Bellini's, which could have been in Manhattan, and we had a few beers at a place called Da Sha's, which looks out over a green square. You get a sense in the downtown of something happening, with good restaurants and entertainment and new downtown living spaces.

We found the city in general to be attractive, especially the preserved historic homes scattered around downtown. The sprawl of housing developments on farmland around the city is, I think, unattractive everywhere, but Lexington manages to make it look better than most. Even the commercial areas seem neat and well designed.

We were told many times that Lexington considers itself to be a Southern city, but after living in Columbia, we felt back in the north. The geography is more familiar, trees actually have broad leaves, and the archetecture has an urban feel. We have been warned many times now about the conservative personality of the city, and have no reason to doubt that. But again, our recent point of reference (SC) is at least a temporary buffer to that. My wife and I are quite liberal, some tell us obnoxiously so, so we are sure to have our moments in Lexington, but even in our 4 days there we met many like minded people and felt welcomed and had a surprisingly good time.

Anyhow, the job negotiations went very well and we actually put a contract on an 1890 house in the downtown northside. We had been steered toward Ashland park and really liked it there, but we found what feels to us like the perfect house and neighborhood downtown. It was a little funny because someone had written here, in response to a question about where not to live in Lexington, about the dangers of w. 3rd street. So, we're buying a house on west third street. It is a truly spectacular neighborhood (to us) that borders a not so good one, but we're actually used to that. We'll be moving sometime during the next few months.

Thanks for all the help. This is a great board.

Al

Welcome to the bluegrass. Lexington has a beautiful downtown and it is just a very safe town, not too big and not too small. I really haven't found an area in Lexington that I consider dangerous. There are some seedy parts but I would never consider the near north side dangerous. If you are looking for more cultural amenities, a more urban "northern feel" or nicer restaurants or a more happening nightlife, check out Louisville. But Lexington has plenty to keep you entertained for awhile. Let me say I am glad you chose a historic home in an urban area!

[connie3448]

Keep the front door and windows locked. Keep the gate latched. Walk with a friend in day light. Cautiously drive in at night. Enjoy ice tea on the porch 6 months of the year! Sayre, a wonderful private school is your neighbor.

[stephanieuk]

Originally Posted by whoabuck

What a relief to hear you say that...

We are tentatively planning a move to the area later this year, and I'm pretty nervous about it...the weather (I hate cold), the politics (I'm hopelessly embedded in the left), and the culture (what does it mean to be a Kentuckian, or even a Lexingtonian). It's such a geographically small state, I feel (and I know I'm being completely irrational...) like it might not have a real identity.
I grew up in California, and have lived in Texas for 17 years - talk about state identity...Two words: Dude. Y'all. I embrace them both.

Politics are big in Lexington! At least in the little world that I run in and I must tell you that I am about as (to the right) as you get. I do feel that Lexington is too, but funny that we are registered democrat. Anyway, it is cold sometimes, like today, 35. eeeww it's cold, but our summers are nice and not as humid. You are not being irrational, but being correct. Our identity is lacking (in my opinion). Chain restaurants galore, shopping, etc. But...not much culture. I tend to like it like that, but I know there are others that don't. Anyway, good luck with where ever you move and just know that we welcome the debate of the left in Kentucky!

[Al555]

>>What a relief to hear you say that...

We are tentatively planning a move to the area later this year, and I'm pretty nervous about it...the weather (I hate cold), the politics (I'm hopelessly embedded in the left), and the culture (what does it mean to be a Kentuckian, or even a Lexingtonian). It's such a geographically small state, I feel (and I know I'm being completely irrational...) like it might not have a real identity.
I grew up in California, and have lived in Texas for 17 years - talk about state identity...Two words: Dude. Y'all. I embrace them both<<

Whoabuck-- I missed your post because I was... in Lexington closing on a house. I think my wife and I are sort of in your spot, moving to Kentucky with little knowledge of the state or the city. Since telling friends that we are moving to lexington, we have heard only good things about it. Without exception. "Beautiful" is what most say of it, and it is. I have now spent a total of eight days in Lexington over two weekends-- enough time to know absolutely nothing, but I have never been shy about forming opinions. So these are mine.

I have lived in many states, grew up in Pennsylvania which I love and which will always be home. But this thing about state identity is, I think, overrated. I've lived in Ohio, Tenn, NC, SC, and Kansas, and each of these places had an 'identity', I suppose, but not one that I wanted to identify with. Especially SC, which might have the strongest identity of them all. Not my kind of place.

I have found Lexington welcoming. People there seem to look you in the eye, and there is a warm outgoing-ness which I like. The city is more upscale than many, with a downtown that is trying to re-invent itself. I have met many liberals, like myself, and last week went to a showing at the Lexington Arts League on Nude Art where there were plenty of interesting people.

The neighborhood where we bought a house has plenty of progressive folks, and I met two liberal judges and some local politicians, so despite the overall conservative flair to the city, "our" side is represented. There are some good bars downtown as well, which, coming from Pittsburgh, I regard as the defining quality of any city. And the University seems to have good energy, which I think breathes life into a city.

I can't help you with the cold. I love the cold and I say, get it while it lasts.

From someone who knows next to nothing about the city, I think you would find it pleasing here. (But check back with me in six months.)

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by connie3448

Keep the front door and windows locked. Keep the gate latched. Walk with a friend in day light. Cautiously drive in at night. Enjoy ice tea on the porch 6 months of the year! Sayre, a wonderful private school is your neighbor.

Are you implying this area is dangerous? I haven't found a single area in Lexington I consider dangerous. There are seedy areas where I would not buy a home, but outright dangerous? I think not.

[cartomanlex]

connie3448 Says "Keep the front door and windows locked. Keep the gate latched. Walk with a friend in day light. Cautiously drive in at night. Enjoy ice tea on the porch 6 months of the year!"

I do all these things. I lock the front door and the downstairs windows every night before I go to bed, I latch and lock the back gate when I am finished using it, I walk with my wife(and best friend) in the daylight and at night, I drive cautiously at night and in daytime(there are aggressive idiots out there) and I enjoy iced tea, lemonade and other beverages on the patio and deck around 9-10 months a year. I do all this and I live in the suburbs by the lake. Thats just common sense.

[wheresthereef]

IMO the "Identity thing" that people refer to so much about Lexington derives from the fact that Lexington is a fairly young city in it's growth. It's not like New York, Phily, Cinci, Cleveland, Chicago etc. Those cities drew their populations from imigrants years and years ago, and so derived an identity from generations and generations of people being born there.

Lexington doesn't have much of that. It really is hard to find a second generation family here. In fact most of the people who live here are from somewhere else. Therefore, it is not an ethnicly diverse town. Most of the restaurants are chain restaurants.

Did you know that Lexington is the largest land locked city in the world? Most cities of any size were settled on a river, lake, or ocean because of shipping. There is no logical reason for Lexington being bigger than Frankfort.

That said. Lexington is a great place to raise a family.

Since most people are not from here, they don't think of anybody as an outsider, so people transferring here are generally welcomed with open arms.

It is a safe place to live. Are there places you don't want to go alone? Of course there are. But anyone with reasonable intellegence that looks out for their well being will always feel safe here.

They are trying to make downtown a place to be. It kind of runs in spurts. There will be periods of time when it seems that everyone is going downtown, and periods of time when it seems like no one is going downtown.

The cost of living is not low, but it is not high either. You can still get a lot of house for under $200,000. The same home would cost $500,000 in Chicago or $750,000 in California.

The winter are mild compared to Cleveland and cold compared to Florida. We average about 3-6 inches of snow per year. And it seems like 100" of rain in the spring. Summer is a grab bag. In general days get in the mid to upper 80s and nights drop back down to low 70s or upper 60s in June and July. August tends to bring the 90s and high humidity. Fall picks up in early September and drags well into November. You'll wear shorts in the daytime, and jeans and a sweatshirt at night for a long time. But in all winters not too cold. Summers are not too hot. Spring is nice if not a bit wet. Fall is beautiful and is my favorite time of year.

[loveurlife]

I am researching some of the school and housing market on lexington. The registered sex offender rate is unusually high to me in the zip search on google that takes you to citi-data. I compare the information that pulls up to the six other states that we've lived in bcs that is pretty much my experience. It is still really high. I don't get it. Has anyone done citi-data.com on the lexington zips and found they could get their choice of schools, church and neighborhood in a low sex offender rated zip? It is hard to know how data effects reality always. Any help?