East side of Youngstown, how safe? (university, live, store)

[JR_C]

I would say that most of the city is not a warzone.

I probably wouldn't live on the south or east side of the city (and to a lesser extent the north side) without carefully researching the immediate neighborhood. But I wouldn't rule out an entire quadrant of the city just because of a few dangerous blocks. I haven't let the existence of these dangerous areas deter me from living in the city completely. I've never felt unsafe passing through "rough" areas of the south side. (I've never been to the east side, though--no reason to go there yet)

If the same logic expressed in some previous posts was used for other cities, no one would live in Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Charlotte, LA, etc. becuase they have bad neighborhoods. OK, let me get off my soap box now.

[bethany12]

But then you could look at things this way - Youngstown is just a smaller representation of what is happening throughout the country in larger cities. White flight is occuring in most major cities. The fastest growing population centers are now the suburbs surrounding cities. I don't think things are going to change anytime soon.
And that is not necessarily a bad thing. From my research, the areas surrounding Youngstown in NE Ohio and NW PA have a lot to offer. I think many locals have been taking what they have for granted by moving away.

[JR_C]

Originally Posted by bethany12

But then you could look at things this way - Youngstown is just a smaller representation of what is happening throughout the country in larger cities.

You're right. The point I try to make is that Youngstown is like most other cities. However, the attitude of the locals (and former locals) is that Youngstown is some sort of special gateway to hell, and even those who are looking for city life are cautioned to avoid it. Actually, the city of Youngstown itself offers an interesting mix of urban/suburban/rural living.

White flight is occuring in most major cities. The fastest growing population centers are now the suburbs surrounding cities. I don't think things are going to change anytime soon.

This is sad for me because I dislike most stereotypical suburbs.

And that is not necessarily a bad thing. From my research, the areas surrounding Youngstown in NE Ohio and NW PA have a lot to offer. I think many locals have been taking what they have for granted by moving away.

I agree here, too. As suburbs go, those found in the Mahoning Valley are nice enough. And, I'm just as happy to see someone move to the area, as I am to see them move into the city.

[CortlandGirl79]

^Gateway to hell.............lol..........you sure hit the nail on the head there. I get annoyed when people say there is nothing to do here.

Most of the people that i know moved away in their late teens or early 20s. They went away to college and partied in bars and clubs...maybe took road trips to Cleveland to party in the Flats or Warehouse district, then they come back home after graduation and say there is nothing to do here. LOL! It's like the bar/club scene is the gauge for what there is to do. They also don't know of or take advantage of things there are to do. Their parents must not have taken them to things around here like my parents did. I think they were always going on vacations to the beach or disney world.

There is plenty to do in the Mahoning Valley. Water sports, sports leagues (for adults and children), plays, live music, festivals, parades, Party on the Plaza, museums, historical activities, shopping, a wonderful park system, etc. If you can't find something to do here you won't find something to do anywhere else in the country.

When i was a kid we didn't have a lot of money so we always were taking advantage of things to do here. My dad took us to The Butler, The Arms Museum, The John Stark Edwards House in Warren, Mill Creek Park, The Youngstown Club (trains), the Warren Library (mom took us to Cortland), Mosquito Lake (definitely cool to walk around during the drought of '88), Packard Music Hall (to listen to the Packard Band, especially on the 4th of July), The Cortland Street Fair, etc. Sometimes my parents and grandparents would take us over to Linesville, Pa to feed the fish (Where the Ducks Walk on the Fish, Linesville, Pennsylvania), visit Welcome to Pymatuning Deer Park - Jamestown, PA, and have some fun at Welcome to Conneaut Lake Park • Conneaut Lake, PA USA, which unfortunately has fallen on hard times.

Here are some good resources:

Events for Saturday, March 14, 2009 | Valley24.com | Entertainment, Local Music, Bands, Drink Specials in Youngstown, Warren, Boardman, Austintown, Niles Ohio, Mahoning Valley

City of Warren, Ohio

[000000]

Originally Posted by JR_C

If the same logic expressed in some previous posts was used for other cities, no one would live in Chicago, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Charlotte, LA, etc. becuase they have bad neighborhoods.

the difference being, of course, that each of those cities also have more people, more opportunity for jobs, a higher number of affluent areas which tend to have more affluence within them. while chicago has its corruption, it is still entirely unfair to expect a small cities like youngstown and warren to compete with large cities. yes, the large cities also have bad neighborhoods, but they also have more of everything. even detroit and cleveland, the closest to the mindset of youngstown among the big cities of the us are unfair comparisons. youngstown is too small to matter to people who do not live there. more directly useful comparisons would be between youngstown and fort wayne ia (although youngstown is more like gary), macon ga, duluth mn.

Originally Posted by bethany12

White flight is occuring in most major cities. The fastest growing population centers are now the suburbs surrounding cities. I don't think things are going to change anytime soon.

it won't change unless american society deals with the underlying issues which cause such wide income disparity and such societal ignorance.

Originally Posted by JR_C

However, the attitude of the locals (and former locals) is that Youngstown is some sort of special gateway to hell, and even those who are looking for city life are cautioned to avoid it.

that graffiti is still up. it probably will not be cleaned anytime soon. i would say the problem with youngstown is that there is nothing special about it other than cheap housing. the housing is cheap because there are no jobs for lots of people to move to hold, or be able to work at to stay in town it is just another town on the rust belt with little going on it after steel moved out. now, it finally is trying to make a "comeback" as the world market is changing away from sprawl back to giant metro areas.

Originally Posted by CortlandGirl79

It's like the bar/club scene is the gauge for what there is to do. They also don't know of or take advantage of things there are to do.

i would not underestimate the ability of people who grow up in the area to do everything there is to do in the area within twenty years of their life. while i do not like the area, i give the kids in the area some credit. it is not hard to outgrow an area the size of mahoning county. even if they like the slower pace of life in the area has to offer, there are still slower places in ohio they could go to.

Originally Posted by CortlandGirl79

When i was a kid we didn't have a lot of money so we always were taking advantage of things to do here. My dad took us to The Butler, The Arms Museum, The John Stark Edwards House in Warren, Mill Creek Park, The Youngstown Club (trains), the Warren Library (mom took us to Cortland), Mosquito Lake (definitely cool to walk around during the drought of '88), Packard Music Hall (to listen to the Packard Band, especially on the 4th of July), The Cortland Street Fair, etc. Sometimes my parents and grandparents would take us over to Linesville, Pa to feed the fish (Where the Ducks Walk on the Fish, Linesville, Pennsylvania), visit Welcome to Pymatuning Deer Park - Jamestown, PA, and have some fun at Welcome to Conneaut Lake Park • Conneaut Lake, PA USA, which unfortunately has fallen on hard times.

have you ever left the area to compare? while these are all fine small town activities, these are hardly the activities which can justify moving to a new town over for people who are not from the area. they can do all of these things, in different forms, throughout the midwest. this may be what some people move to the area to do, but it is hardly the stuff to hold up as special- this is more stuff for if one has just moved in they can do all in one year.

[KenD]

Originally Posted by bethany12
White flight is occuring in most major cities. The fastest growing population centers are now the suburbs surrounding cities. I don't think things are going to change anytime soon.

Originally Posted by 000000

it won't change unless american society deals with the underlying issues which cause such wide income disparity and such societal ignorance.

Actually, the migration patterns are changing. It is expected that by the end of this year or next, the majority of people on this planet will live in urban environments.

The United States is showing this pattern, as we can see, with such cities as Boston, San Francisco, and New York City commanding the highest prices for homes while maintaining a very low vacancy rate even during a downturn in the housing market.

[000000]

yes, but you still see those cities having problems with different groups not wanting to comingle. classism is alive and well, which is the main catalyst behind the white flight phenomena.

[ctownplayer]

i've visited youngstown, some residents are nice and others can be rude. i think i visited it on a quiet week, not a hell of a lot going down. i visited my old stomping grounds of st. clair in e. cleveland the following week and it was an absolute nightmare.

[TDAILEY]

I live right outside Youngstown and from my experience there is no good side of Youngstown. The city as a hole has a big problem with gangs and drugs. I would look into the outskirts like Campbell, Struthers Liberty area.

[bethany12]

Originally Posted by KenD

Actually, the migration patterns are changing. It is expected that by the end of this year or next, the majority of people on this planet will live in urban environments.

The United States is showing this pattern, as we can see, with such cities as Boston, San Francisco, and New York City commanding the highest prices for homes while maintaining a very low vacancy rate even during a downturn in the housing market.

Maybe in other countries, but not in the US. That is a fallacy put out to mislead people.