Duluth: Pros and Cons

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by newcastle

For a company to want to relocate to an area there has to be a competative advantage for doing so (e.g., lower taxes, nonunion labor, access to transportation, highyl educated workforce). Duluth has an antiquated zoning code, strong union presence, not a lot of land available for large manufacturing enterprises, and is fairly isolated as a distribution center. Don't get me wrong, I love Duluth and want it to grow, but it is more likely that smaller businesses within Duluth will grow before Artic Cat or Yamaha move in.

As Cirrus grows and it distributors you may see a cluster of other Aerospace companies move into the area as colleges like LSC begin to expand programs that cater to Aerospace companies and a more highly developed workfroce emerges.

Perhaps Mator Ness will usher ina more business friendly attitude and pressure the Building and PLanning Departments to modernize.

If Duluth is ever to improve economically, then Mayor Ness better usher in a business friendly attitude.

[jmj0128]

Well, I might move to duluth within the next 8-12 months for a employment relocation. I've been studying the area remotely online, and honestly, its been, 10+ years since I've been in the area. The houses seem somewhat reasonable, and I plan on visiting probably in June for a weekend to grasp a good feel for it. I am more interested in what the schools have to offer for my children, ages 14, 10, and 9. I am also interested in the areas best for children, how many children in the neighborhoods, etc. Call me picky.

[newcastle]

Well the Duluth area has a lot of opportunity for children in those ranges. There is the Arrowhead Youth Soccer Association, Duluth Amateur Hockey Association, Chester Bowl Ski Club, Spirit Mountain, Curling CLubs, cross country skiing, snowboarding, and more outdoor activities than you can list.

My kid is into horesirding and there are shows for horse jumping. The Duluth Playhouse and Children's Theater is growing and active. UMD hosts a summer Recreation and Sports Clininc for kids that includes canoeing, climbing, swimming and kayaking. St. Scholastica has a summer dram camp and summer soccer camp too.

Duluth has and abundance of trails and parks (23 creeks run into the lake within the city limits). Hartley Nature center is an old farm that has been turned into a nature center that educates on renewable energy and eco firendly stuff. There are bike trails, joggin and hiking trails, and in the winter snowmobile trails and groomed cross country ski trails.

The Duluth Schools are going througfh a reorganization and closure as a result of declining enrollment. They will contract from 3 highschools down to two. There is an alternative high school called Harbor City downtown and a provate school Marshall that offers good programs. Duluth has Edison Charte schools for elemenatry and middle school. They have proved to be popular and have waiting lists for enrollment. The Duluth Schools routinely score above the state averages for testing. The far eastern elemenatry, middle, and highschools tend ot eb the schools most people want to send their kids to, but Morgan Park, LAura Macarthur and Denfeld are good too.

Hermantown (somewhat of a suburb pop 8500 or so) merges with Duluth and has a good school system too. A lot of new housing developments are there along with a rural feel to the town.

As far as kids in neighborhoods it is hit or miss. My neighborhood is a mix of college kids, elderly, and families with younger children. Other neighborhoods nearby me are chock a block full of kids (Lakeside and Hunters park). Chester Park is almost all rentals for college age kids.

I hope that helps. The Duluth schools are really good despite the contrvoersy over closures and remodeling.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by newcastle

Well the Duluth area has a lot of opportunity for children in those ranges. There is the Arrowhead Youth Soccer Association, Duluth Amateur Hockey Association, Chester Bowl Ski Club, Spirit Mountain, Curling CLubs, cross country skiing, snowboarding, and more outdoor activities than you can list.

My kid is into horesirding and there are shows for horse jumping. The Duluth Playhouse and Children's Theater is growing and active. UMD hosts a summer Recreation and Sports Clininc for kids that includes canoeing, climbing, swimming and kayaking. St. Scholastica has a summer dram camp and summer soccer camp too.

Duluth has and abundance of trails and parks (23 creeks run into the lake within the city limits). Hartley Nature center is an old farm that has been turned into a nature center that educates on renewable energy and eco firendly stuff. There are bike trails, joggin and hiking trails, and in the winter snowmobile trails and groomed cross country ski trails.

The Duluth Schools are going througfh a reorganization and closure as a result of declining enrollment. They will contract from 3 highschools down to two. There is an alternative high school called Harbor City downtown and a provate school Marshall that offers good programs. Duluth has Edison Charte schools for elemenatry and middle school. They have proved to be popular and have waiting lists for enrollment. The Duluth Schools routinely score above the state averages for testing. The far eastern elemenatry, middle, and highschools tend ot eb the schools most people want to send their kids to, but Morgan Park, LAura Macarthur and Denfeld are good too.

Hermantown (somewhat of a suburb pop 8500 or so) merges with Duluth and has a good school system too. A lot of new housing developments are there along with a rural feel to the town.

As far as kids in neighborhoods it is hit or miss. My neighborhood is a mix of college kids, elderly, and families with younger children. Other neighborhoods nearby me are chock a block full of kids (Lakeside and Hunters park). Chester Park is almost all rentals for college age kids.

I hope that helps. The Duluth schools are really good despite the contrvoersy over closures and remodeling.

What controversy about the schools? What are the details of the neighborhoods?

[roneb]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

What controversy about the schools? What are the details of the neighborhoods?

Many of Duluth's fine citizens (probably the ones without kids, or with kids in schools due to be closed) want to force a vote on the plan to consolidate schools and build new facilities. They argue it is too expensive. What they don't realize is that keeping older facilities open (particularly three high schools vs two) will be far more expensive in the long run and the longer you wait to build, the more it will cost the city. Construction and realty costs always outpace inflation costs!

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by roneb

Many of Duluth's fine citizens (probably the ones without kids, or with kids in schools due to be closed) want to force a vote on the plan to consolidate schools and build new facilities. They argue it is too expensive. What they don't realize is that keeping older facilities open (particularly three high schools vs two) will be far more expensive in the long run and the longer you wait to build, the more it will cost the city. Construction and realty costs always outpace inflation costs!

If that is the case, Duluth needs to get that situation solved quickly.

[newcastle]

Originally Posted by roneb

Many of Duluth's fine citizens (probably the ones without kids, or with kids in schools due to be closed) want to force a vote on the plan to consolidate schools and build new facilities. They argue it is too expensive. What they don't realize is that keeping older facilities open (particularly three high schools vs two) will be far more expensive in the long run and the longer you wait to build, the more it will cost the city. Construction and realty costs always outpace inflation costs!

This is true. The other aspect of the controversy is socioeconomic. The current highschools are located in West Duluth (traditionally working class and poorer), Central (again working class and poorer) and East Duluth (White collar and more wealthy). The "Red Plan" (each school board plan was color coded) would close Central and divide the school district into two highschools one in the poorerWest Duluth and the other in the wealthy East Duluth. Many people belive this would segragate the Duluth Schools. The minority opposing the "Red Plan" offer the solution of One Duluth highschool located at Central. The problem there is that the school would be huge with over 4000 students. The number of students is forcasted to continue to decline until about 2013 and then stabalize and begin to climeb back up. So, in the long run one highschool is not really an option either.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by newcastle

This is true. The other aspect of the controversy is socioeconomic. The current highschools are located in West Duluth (traditionally working class and poorer), Central (again working class and poorer) and East Duluth (White collar and more wealthy). The "Red Plan" (each school board plan was color coded) would close Central and divide the school district into two highschools one in the poorerWest Duluth and the other in the wealthy East Duluth. Many people belive this would segragate the Duluth Schools. The minority opposing the "Red Plan" offer the solution of One Duluth highschool located at Central. The problem there is that the school would be huge with over 4000 students. The number of students is forcasted to continue to decline until about 2013 and then stabalize and begin to climeb back up. So, in the long run one highschool is not really an option either.

Can you give a description of Duluth's neighborhoods in deeper details?

[aluminumpork]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Can you give a description of Duluth's neighborhoods in deeper details?

I made a post quite awhile ago about most of Duluth's neighborhoods. People seemed to like it, so here ya go: http://www.city-data.com/forum/2014103-post76.html

[newcastle]

Duluth is about a mile and a half wide and 26 miles long running north to south along Lake Superior. The City is built into the side of 600 to 800 ft hillsides that are solid bedrock with some portions too steep to be built upon.

The far western section of Duluth is made up of small little "towns" that were annexed by Duluth too long ago to remember. Thos neighborhoods are called Fond du Lac, Gary New Duluth, Smithville and Morgan Park. They are all old company towns when US Steel had its Duluth Works plant near Morgan Park (named after JP Morgan). Continuing "north" toward Downtown Duluth you next approach West Duluth.

West Duluth used to be its own city and has a downtown of sorts and one high school Duluth Denfeld. You next drive through Spirit Valley which is a broad flat land with light industrial parks, old abandoned iron works, and large train tracks crossing toward the harbor. You finally come to Lincoln Park (West End) which is also old iron works, factories, and full of hundred year old housing.

Downtown Duluth does not have a lot of housing but it abuts the Central and East Hillsides also old housing, high rental properties and college kids. Near the top of the hill is Central High (set to eventually close).

Crossing Chester Creek you get to the Eastern Duluth neighborhoods which are Hunters Park, Woodland, Congdon, Chester Creek, Morely Heights, Lakeside, and Endion. This is all housing, parks, small little "village type" shopping centers and contains the University of Minnesota Duluth, the College of St. Scholastica, also hundred year old housing but some neighborhoods are full of 3000 sq ft mansions. East Highschool is set smack dab in the center of a very wealthy neighborhood.

All of Western Duluth faces the harbor and is very industrial. There is a paper mill, the sanitary district and lots of old contanimated inustrial sites.

The housing stock is old and the traditional homes are all on small lots. Some of the lots are so close together that you can open a window and touch your neighbors exterior wall. I'm talking 6 inches apart in some cases. Many old row houses, duplexes, and run down rentals.

If you look at the census figures and maps. Eastern Duluth's average income is way higher than that of the Western side of the city. I actually think that West Duluth and the surrounding neighborhoods do have a the best chance of new growth and development for housing as they also have access to the St. Louis River and many tax forfeited forest land and park areas.

There is a snap shot of the city. aluminumpork's post is useful too.