Is it really Hell.... Should I move to Phoenix? (Tucson: relocating, transplants)

[jenlyn]

OK..Im a North Jersey native living in Phoenix. I would say that if you LOVE NY and culture, do not attempt PHoenix..no culture..unless you are Mexican. Everything is very spread out and travelling on a major highway is the norm/ My brother who lives and works in NY came here for a visit. He cant wait until I move to the Denver area so he doesnt have to visit me anymore here in Phoenix..it would waste his vacation time..LOL. All the homes are stucco, Walgreens and Walmarts on every corner..the city has no personality..no change in weather except for really, really hot and really nice in the winter...but gets boring. Someone had mentioned that celebrities choose to live here. Celebrities choose to have a "2nd home" here to visit in the winters...I highly doubt you will find Jennifer Aniston walking the streets of Phoenix from May thru September. Plus there are some awesome spas here and great golf courses that draw people with money to the PHoenix/Scottsdale area.. The average person can not spend $130 on a massage or a round of golf. Many people have second homes here for the weather..in the winter. You would be crazy to vacation here in the summer. I HIGHLY recommend you visit here in the summer months and just drive around,,especially the downtown area. You will most likely just laugh and get back on the plane to NY..And yes, Phoenix has more pollution than NY..you can find those stats on the internet. OK.that is just my opinion. Im off to visit Denver this week to most likely move my butt there!! But, Im going to check it out first..something I regrettably did NOT do prior to moving to Phoenix..or I would have never moved here..Good luck..but remember $$$ is not worth your happiness..

[Lehi]

Here is one of the many websites I browsed for information about Valley Fever: [url=http://www.valleyfeversurvivor.com[/URL] It mentions Nikkomycin Z which I assume is the possible cure steve22 was talking about that the U of A intends to do research on. You can find that in item 54 on this page [url=http://www.valleyfeversurvivor.com/facts.html[/URL]

There is a lot of information on that website. It will be an eye-opener to anybody interested in learning more about Valley Fever.

[a1m1700]

Originally Posted by jenlyn

OK..Im a North Jersey native living in Phoenix. I would say that if you LOVE NY and culture, do not attempt PHoenix..no culture..unless you are Mexican. Everything is very spread out and travelling on a major highway is the norm/ My brother who lives and works in NY came here for a visit. He cant wait until I move to the Denver area so he doesnt have to visit me anymore here in Phoenix..it would waste his vacation time..LOL. All the homes are stucco, Walgreens and Walmarts on every corner..the city has no personality..no change in weather except for really, really hot and really nice in the winter...but gets boring. Someone had mentioned that celebrities choose to live here. Celebrities choose to have a "2nd home" here to visit in the winters...I highly doubt you will find Jennifer Aniston walking the streets of Phoenix from May thru September. Plus there are some awesome spas here and great golf courses that draw people with money to the PHoenix/Scottsdale area.. The average person can not spend $130 on a massage or a round of golf. Many people have second homes here for the weather..in the winter. You would be crazy to vacation here in the summer. I HIGHLY recommend you visit here in the summer months and just drive around,,especially the downtown area. You will most likely just laugh and get back on the plane to NY..And yes, Phoenix has more pollution than NY..you can find those stats on the internet. OK.that is just my opinion. Im off to visit Denver this week to most likely move my butt there!! But, Im going to check it out first..something I regrettably did NOT do prior to moving to Phoenix..or I would have never moved here..Good luck..but remember $$$ is not worth your happiness..

LOL that was funny I like that Jennifer Aniston thing.

[doublet]

Originally Posted by Lehi

Here is one of the many websites I browsed for information about Valley Fever: www.valleyfeversurvivor.com. It mentions Nikkomycin Z which I assume is the possible cure steve22 was talking about that the U of A intends to do research on. You can find that in item 54 on this page http://www.valleyfeversurvivor.com/facts.html

There is a lot of information on that website. It will be an eye-opener to anybody interested in learning more about Valley Fever.

The stats I found on the Health Department's website are disturbing. http://www.maricopa.gov/public_health/epi/docs/hsr/hsr2002-2004.pdf?q=Coccidioidomycosis (broken link) Apparently there are many more reported cases now that more is known about this condition and its effects on the body. Sun City/Sun City West have 3 times the average for the county as a whole, and Surprise has over twice as many cases. Probably due to the boom in construction in the area and the large number of senior citizens who are less resistent because of aged immune systems and no prior exposure in the other parts of the country where they moved from.

At any rate, I am having a hard time finding unbiased information on Valley Fever from the people who live there. Everyone seems to want to minimize the seriousness of it since they have a stake in us moving there. Thanks, Lehi and Steve, for the reliable info.

[irwin]

The West Valley has generally older residents, so that is part of the reason there are more cases out there. Also, my general feeling is that the West valley is more dusty and arid than the East Valley (although they both are dusty and nasty as hell). Thus, since this stuff lives in the soil (more like sand) this may be part of the reason for the higher incidence in the West.

[a1m1700]

Originally Posted by doublet

The stats I found on the Health Department's website are disturbing. http://www.maricopa.gov/public_health/epi/docs/hsr/hsr2002-2004.pdf?q=Coccidioidomycosis (broken link) Apparently there are many more reported cases now that more is known about this condition and its effects on the body. Sun City/Sun City West have 3 times the average for the county as a whole, and Surprise has over twice as many cases. Probably due to the boom in construction in the area and the large number of senior citizens who are less resistent because of aged immune systems and no prior exposure in the other parts of the country where they moved from.

At any rate, I am having a hard time finding unbiased information on Valley Fever from the people who live there. Everyone seems to want to minimize the seriousness of it since they have a stake in us moving there. Thanks, Lehi and Steve, for the reliable info.

I can tell you this I had it and it was no picnic and I think it killed my dog.

[steve22]

Originally Posted by jenlyn

OK..Im a North Jersey native living in Phoenix. I would say that if you LOVE NY and culture, do not attempt PHoenix..no culture..unless you are Mexican. Everything is very spread out and travelling on a major highway is the norm/ My brother who lives and works in NY came here for a visit. He cant wait until I move to the Denver area so he doesnt have to visit me anymore here in Phoenix..it would waste his vacation time..LOL. All the homes are stucco, Walgreens and Walmarts on every corner..the city has no personality..no change in weather except for really, really hot and really nice in the winter...but gets boring. Someone had mentioned that celebrities choose to live here. Celebrities choose to have a "2nd home" here to visit in the winters...I highly doubt you will find Jennifer Aniston walking the streets of Phoenix from May thru September. Plus there are some awesome spas here and great golf courses that draw people with money to the PHoenix/Scottsdale area.. The average person can not spend $130 on a massage or a round of golf. Many people have second homes here for the weather..in the winter. You would be crazy to vacation here in the summer. I HIGHLY recommend you visit here in the summer months and just drive around,,especially the downtown area. You will most likely just laugh and get back on the plane to NY..And yes, Phoenix has more pollution than NY..you can find those stats on the internet. OK.that is just my opinion. Im off to visit Denver this week to most likely move my butt there!! But, Im going to check it out first..something I regrettably did NOT do prior to moving to Phoenix..or I would have never moved here..Good luck..but remember $$$ is not worth your happiness..

jenlyn, I just wanted to give you a heads-up on Denver.... and tell you how jealous I am . It's really a great town. The Denver-Boulder area was recently named by Forbes magazine as the best metro area for young singles in the U.S., for numerous reasons. Denver has a great downtown, it's gentrified quite a bit in the last decade or so and really has a lot to offer in terms of nightlife, entertainment, etc. Very walkable, and people are very friendly. Lots of outdoor parks, nice commercial districts like the Denver University area, Lodo and Cherry Creek abound. The weather's terrific, IMO near-perfect: 4 seasons, very low humidity, and with much milder winters than you'd imagine if you've never lived there. They actually have more sunny days per year than Phoenix has. It's very similar in climate to Flagstaff, although a bit warmer in summer. Of course, if you're into the outdoors, there's almost too much to do- biking, hiking, skiing, kayaking, climbing, etc., etc. And it's right outside your door, practically. The mountains are beautiful, huge and snow-capped with fir trees- not the sandy, brown, tiny cacti-studded eyesores that we have here. You'll never be bored or housebound there during any part of the year.

Denver has, statistically, the highest percentage of individuals b/w the ages of 22 and 40 with bachelors' degrees or higher of any major city in the U.S. The whole city is in the midst of a renaissance right now. They're building a new addition onto the Denver Art Museum, and it's likely to rival Boston, San Fran, and Chicago soon in terms of the cultural scene.

I loved it there, and would move back in a second if it were possible. Major upgrade from hell, er- I mean, Phoenix. Good luck, & have fun.

[mhogan10010]

Originally Posted by prizm

I'm shaking in my shoes. I can't believe how people hate Phoenix.

So here's the deal. I live in Manhattan. Love it This city is sooooo amazing. Don't want to leave, but the almighty dollar calls. Phoenix opportunities are calling. But ****, is it really worth it? I love the culture, people, vibe of New York City. I'm guessing Phoenix is just an incredible hell hole. That is the vibe I'm getting from long time residents.

Just shoot straight. Would I regret every second of living in Phoenix if I moved from NYC? Is there really no culture? Cool areas to live? Is it THAT awful?

-d

Dude

I lived in Manhattan for 7 years and had to move due to the sale of my hospital housing apartment building. I dreaded it and just didn't think I could survive outside of Manhattan. Well, moving to Park Slope was the best thing that ever happened to me. We love it. There is such a lively street life and the restaurants are as good or better than Manhattan and cheaper.
Since we are so close (4 blocks) to the Atlantic Terminal subway hub, the commute is nothing.
Seriously, before making a move to a suburban wasteland like Phoenix, find another more affordable part of the city. Most of South Brooklyn is really hip and lots of fun.
If you like the city, then you aren't going to like Phoenix. I lived in Nashville TN and also at both ends of NC, and if you like the vibe of a city, you aren't going to like these fast growing areas with their ever expanding first, second and third ring suburbs and exurbs ad-nausea.....

[irwin]

Originally Posted by mhogan10010

Dude

I lived in Manhattan for 7 years and had to move due to the sale of my hospital housing apartment building. I dreaded it and just didn't think I could survive outside of Manhattan. Well, moving to Park Slope was the best thing that ever happened to me. We love it. There is such a lively street life and the restaurants are as good or better than Manhattan and cheaper.
Since we are so close (4 blocks) to the Atlantic Terminal subway hub, the commute is nothing.
Seriously, before making a move to a suburban wasteland like Phoenix, find another more affordable part of the city. Most of South Brooklyn is really hip and lots of fun.
If you like the city, then you aren't going to like Phoenix. I lived in Nashville TN and also at both ends of NC, and if you like the vibe of a city, you aren't going to like these fast growing areas with their ever expanding first, second and third ring suburbs and exurbs ad-nausea.....

I couldn’t agree more. The sad thing about Phoenix is driving to the north side of Scottsdale and seeing acres of desert being bulldozed and turned into miles and miles of lifeless planned communities. Sprawl is the name of the game here, ignoring culture, history, or historic districts. Why worry about a 60 year old building when it can be bulldozed and supplanted by a new golf course? Why worry about building a decent public transportation infrastructure when you can build new highways?

Can’t wait to leave.

[steve22]

Originally Posted by irwin

I couldn’t agree more. The sad thing about Phoenix is driving to the north side of Scottsdale and seeing acres of desert being bulldozed and turned into miles and miles of lifeless planned communities. Sprawl is the name of the game here, ignoring culture, history, or historic districts. Why worry about a 60 year old building when it can be bulldozed and supplanted by a new golf course? Why worry about building a decent public transportation infrastructure when you can build new highways?

Can’t wait to leave.

You can't exactly ignore culture or history when you never really had much to begin with. It is sad to see the desert disappear, not only because of the ugly generic strip-mall-and-stucco sprawl it's being replaced with, but also because it does destroy whatever chance of character this place might have had. Pave over the desert and replace all the native vegetation with grass, and you've basically got any-suburb U.S.A. in all directions with no visual distinction whatsoever, other than palm trees. And, of course, extremely hot weather. I find the design of Tucson to be a much better-thought-out and conservative approach, and not coincidentally a place with much more character & genuine southwestern cultural appeal. There, the city is built into the desert rather than paved over it. It creates a much more organic feeling rather than the artificial, generic vibe of Phoenix.

Here's an idea: anyone interested in visiting Phoenix to check it out for themselves before moving for employment, retirement, etc.: here's an alternative idea that will surely save you money on a plane ticket and accomplish the same effect. Let your car sit in the sun for awhile on the hottest day of summer, until the temperature inside reaches 115 degrees or so. Now sit inside of it for a good 10 minutes. There-you've now experienced what Phoenix feels like every day for 5 months a year. Next, drive to the nearest mall, go inside & walk around. Then, go outside the mall to the Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Chili's, Outback, or whatever other generic chain restaurant is immediately adjacent. Have a meal there. Next, if you have any nearby recently-built planned-type residential communities- which will probably not be far away, if you're at a mall. You know the type, you can usually see from the highway in anysuburb, U.S.A. with the 3000-sq-ft McMansions that all look the same, built within the past 5 years. Drive in, and drive around. Imagine that they all have a stucco facade, rather than vinyl wood-subsitute or whatever other cheap material they happen to use wherever you are.

So, now that you've done all that- congrats!! You've just visited Phoenix without ever leaving your own city/suburb. Seem like paradise to you? Well, maybe you'd be someone who would like it here. And if that's true, then you and I definitely have nothing in common. Thank God.