St Cloud

[snowlandcook]

I realize now that I neglected to answer some of your specific questions. I'll do that here.

You asked: In particular, how stable is the economy?
Lots of new homes being built--that's a sign of a good, strong ecomony! There are only a few industrial-type employers. Fingerhut, a major employer, had some serious lay-offs a few years ago, but they have since re-hired many of those laid off. There are more low-paying (retail) jobs than anything else, though there are of course professional positions (in law, education, medicine). There's just not much in-between.

You asked: What challenges are facing the area?
The biggest challenge (from my perspective) is managing growth. See my earlier post about traffic.

You asked: Is local government setting groundwork for the growth taking place?
The short answer is NO! They are not doing enough. Roads are slow to be expanded to account for new housing developments springing up all over the place.

You asked: How does the area feel about newcomers?
Better now than 20 years ago. It used to be a small town where everybody knew everyone else (and was related to them somehow), but there has been so much growth that that is not the case anymore.

In short, people will say hi to you on the street--they will seem friendly, but if you are looking to cultivate close friendships, it is difficult to do so here. People kindof keep to themselves.

You asked: What is the political, social climate?
Liberal thinkers at the university, conservative thinkers in general. We have a new mayor--too soon to say what I think.

You asked: As one of us does not drive, how is the public transportation system?
It stinks. We have a bus system (free to university students, so that is a plus) but hardly anyone rides it. The routes aren't conducive to ridership, and I have to say, it drives me crazy to see a bunch of empty buses driving around town! No local train, subway, etc. The only way to commute to the Twin Cities is by car--and if you're lucky, you can find/create a carpool. No train, no bus to take you there either. There are taxis available.

As for air travel: we have a small airport that flies only NW affiliate Mesaba. It goes to Twin Cities Int'l Airport only, but sometimes you can find flights leaving here and connecting in Mpls for an overall fare that is less than if you flew just from Mpls.

Oh--and if you do want to fly in/out of Mpls, the only way to get there is car (your own) or through a van (shuttle) that costs around $40 per person each way.

You asked: Also, what is the climate for independent and small businesses?
Good. St Cloud is a retail haven. You will find support--and customers! New businesses are welcome--but you'll have to advertise to let us know you are there. Otherwise, it would be easy to get lost in the crowd of the other businesses.

One last thing--I forgot to mention 2 additional high schools in St Cloud in my last post: Cathedral (a Catholic High School) and St Cloud Christian School (the name speaks for itself).

[ymbk]

Apologies on not saying "thank you" sooner. Computer problems.

Wow. Without a doubt, yours is is one of the most helpful replies to a query I've read on these boards! Detailed, straight from the hip, complete and informative. I tip my coffee mug to you.

Thank you very much!

[mudmuffin]

don't really see St. Cloud as having a major crime problem. The only traffic problem they have is people passing thru on Hwy 10 or I-94 on their way up north or back to the Cities. It's definitely not a bedroom community as the commute would be an hour or better each way to St. Paul and Mpls. during rush hour. On the positive side, if you want to go up north for a weekend you don't have to deal with all the extra traffic. Not sure on the economy, it seems to be no worse than some areas in the metro area. Another plus, they have a Fuel Bank so you can purchase gas at one price and continue to pump at that price until the amount you purchased runs out. I believe some people are still filling up for under $1 a gallon.

As for St. Paul, it's a working class city and leans heavily to the democratic side. The downtown area is small enough to navigate easily but lacks evening traffic except near the Excel (Civic) Center when there is a hockey tournament. St. Paul has a wide range of housing options and income levels and has more of a neighborhood feel to it than Minneapolis. The street numbering system seems to be a challenge for some but you should be able to master it. One of the trendier areas now is Grand Avenue with Highland Park nearby.

A word of caution about Minneapolis, the area North of downtown does have a problem with crime.

The neighborhoods in St. Paul can be somewhat confusing as the West Side is actually south of downtown and is next to West St. Paul (also south of downtown) which is near South St. Paul. lol

The Midway area (on University Avenue) is a large commercial area that has it's ups and downs but in general seems to have a lot of successful businesses on it. There are quite a few colleges and universities in St. Paul, especially in the area west of downtown.

http://www.visitsaintpaul.com/
http://www.grandave.com

[snowlandcook]

Originally Posted by ymbk

Apologies on not saying "thank you" sooner. Computer problems.

Wow. Without a doubt, yours is is one of the most helpful replies to a query I've read on these boards! Detailed, straight from the hip, complete and informative. I tip my coffee mug to you.

Thank you very much!

Who are you talking to? One way to "tip your mug" is to boost their rating

[jjdc]

Hey I have lived in st cloud my whole life pretty much its a good place to be the best schools if you care is sauk rapids schools there is always something to do the shopping is good i have heard its better than the moa in the cities not only is the living expences cheaper here but the crime is lower too compared to the cities the main reason i am replying is because if you are really considering moving here i currently have a house up for rent or sale which ever it is an old brick home has lots of character and is amazing... if you have any questions about st cloud just ask there isnt much i dont know or cant find out about this town