Are we crazy to move here from Portland, Maine? (Providence: low crime, home)

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by Rnrboy

Forgive my ignorance, but what is a "bedroom community"?

Bedroom communities are the towns some distance from the major city in a region. Basically a suburb or in many cases a further distance and referred to as a exburb. They are communities where many residents just live there but are employed in the big city or its general area. Communities such as Lincoln, RI or North Attleboro, MA, where many of the towns residents are employed in either the Providence or Boston area and make a daily commute.

[Rnrboy]

Cheers.

[ProvGuy]

295 is a beltway, and all you'll find along any beltway in the country is strip malls and suburban houses. Providence itself has a number of small "main street" neighborhoods you could check out, including Wayland Square, Federal Hill, Hope Village, etc. Also East Greenwich, Wickford, Pawtuxet (Warwick/Cranston), Bristol, Warren, Barrington, Wakefield and Westerly are small town centers with amenities to walk to. Wickford, East Greenwich, Pawtuxet and Bristol have the most quaint New England feel to them.

[jackpona]

Yes , I would have to say you are crazy.

This state has been taken over by the WalMarts, Home Depots, Walgreens etc.

I cant prove it, but I would guess we have more WalMarts per capita than any state Ive been too.

Ive lived here all my 47 years and seen so many changes. For me, it all began with the closing of Bruces/RX and fountain in mid 70`s.

And speaking up for Greenwood, as a 15 year resident. I love my neighborhood. But, all the businesses are gone. To replace them we got Lowes, Stop and Shop, and a strip mall , yet to be filled. I am sure there will be a Dunkin Donuts and a McDonalds in there soon.

Try going to Warwick Building Dept and tell them you want to open a small shop. I wont elaborate on that , as Id like to get a report from someone who tries.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by jackpona

I cant prove it, but I would guess we have more WalMarts per capita than any state Ive been too.

Have you been to Maine recently? There's a ton up there for such a sparsely populated state.

[Rnrboy]

Anyone who thinks Rhody has more WalMarts per capita than any other State hasn't been down South apparently.

This is nothing, BELIEVE me. Pinellas County, FL has the same square footage as Rhode Island, and it must have at least four times as many Wal Marts.

[GermanSpy]

Well, let's not get hung up on the actual number of Walmart's in Rhode Island. I think it's a valid point though that we've got a lot of strip malls and big box stores while local businesses are basically non-existent. And yes, I'm quite aware that this is a development happening in the entire country. But anyways, I do believe too that the OP is crazy.

[Rnrboy]

My point is that we actually have far more Mom and Pops than where I come from. (Florida.) I've also lived in Georgia.

In fact, it was how much more character and less homogenous areas were here that first struck me when I moved. Is there an argument to be made that we're heading in a more Big Box direction? Clearly. (Particularly with the current recession.) But there is still a stark difference from where I come from, and since where I come from is headed in the same direction, I more than expect that difference to persist.

[lrfox]

^Agreed. There are few places that have fewer Box Stores than Maine, so OP will have a hard time living anywhere outside that state if "fewer strip malls" is a requirement.

I also think RI has a LOT of character, but many of the suburban strip malls are in or around the most visible areas (intentionally so- traffic volumes). Wickford, Bristol, Newport, Warren, Pawtucket, Providence, etc ALL offer some interesting, unique places that you couldn't find anywhere else in the U.S.

[Hollytree]

To get back to the original OP.

Three big positive differences between RI and Portland Me will be:

1. milder winters.... in the last big ice storm we had mostly rain while Portland had it much worse.

2. many more swimming beaches & warmer water.

3. bigger range of both shopping and cultural events.