Figuring out PROVIDENCE... (Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket: transplants, real estate, 2010)

[Tiger Beer]

First off, sorry I bumped up so many topics. Someone needed to liven things up though, right?

Providence is one of about four cities I've found myself to be very interested in.

Just for the record, I'm now married with a kid, and I'm an American who has been living outside of the U.S. for a number of years now, with the intention of going back and finding a good city to settle down in.

After reading the entire board...Providence has a lot of cool stuff - sounds like it is just small enough you can walk almost anywhere...if you are into walking, and I am. Additionally, scooter laws are very favorable, making it even better! Beaches are nearby, and the ocean is nearby making winters a bit warmer and summers a bit cooler than the general New England area.

Things I haven't quite figured out yet...

1) Housing. I see on google maps, tons of really cool housing. However it sounds like the cost of housing is supposedly expensive, but not as expensive as Boston. But on riliving.com and realtor.com there does seem to be quite a few large cool-looking houses on the market. Are the reasonably priced ones in seriously bad areas of the city? I'm not sure the catch, as they seem reasonable and a good deal.

2) Ahmm..any good microbreweries in RI? I didn't see that anywhere during my forum rampage...

3) Anyone familiar with Pittsburgh by chance? That is another city I have completely become enamored with...and it seems to be winning. But Providence sounds, especially the pedestrian-friendly and cool-looking housing is up there (much higher than other U.S. cities). So anyone familiar with Pittsburgh, please chime in as well...

4) I was also lucky enough to live in NYC for a few years of my life, and loved the city. Being familiar with their neighborhoods, could a person describe neighborhoods in Providence in NYC terms? Might be interesting for me.

Other than that, it looks like I just have to visit your city, and hope to do so early 2010. Sorry I bumped up many topics today on the forum, but there were many interesting things I read that piqued my interest by doing so.

[NY Annie]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Providence is one of about four cities I've found myself to be very interested in.

Things I haven't quite figured out yet...

1) Housing. I see on google maps, tons of really cool housing. However it sounds like the cost of housing is supposedly expensive, but not as expensive as Boston. But on riliving.com and realtor.com there does seem to be quite a few large cool-looking houses on the market. Are the reasonably priced ones in seriously bad areas of the city? I'm not sure the catch, as they seem reasonable and a good deal.

Yup, they are reasonable but not a good deal. Good parts of the city for a family: east side, west along smith street, beginning around Huxley (maybe Tyndall but nothing east) and running west past LaSalle Academy into North Providence. Between Huxley and Academy on the north side of Smith Street (Rte 44) are some really beautiful larger homes, a few 2 family even. We had one 2-family that had 6 bedrooms in the upstairs apartment (2nd and 3rd floor). The first floor was only 3 bedrooms, dining room, big kitchen, and formal living room. Spacious yard. Wonderful neighborhood, quiet, serene, yet 1/2 block from the parade route, bus, and walkable to downtown Providence. The south side of Smith Street in that area (up to 1.5 long blocks south) are less expensive homes, a mixture of single and two family but still very family oriented and walkable to downtown. (Previous described area also referred to as "Catholic Triangle") I wouldn't get too close to Chalkstone, but some people like it. The north side of Providence, near Miriam Hospital has some nice homes, especially along Blackstone Blvd but I'm not keen on the hills (especially in winter) and the neighborhoods are not as nice as in the Catholic Triangle (

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

2) Ahmm..any good microbreweries in RI? I didn't see that anywhere during my forum rampage...

Nope, don't know of any - might be though.

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

4) I was also lucky enough to live in NYC for a few years of my life, and loved the city. Being familiar with their neighborhoods, could a person describe neighborhoods in Providence in NYC terms? Might be interesting for me.

I live in NYC, borough of Staten Island. Answer to #4 is nope, not possible. If you mean NYC as in Manhattan, there's no comparison. Even the downtown of Providence doesn't feel anything at all like NYC. If you want to include boroughs of NYC, such as Queens, Brooklyn, -- you might get some comparison with the neighborhood of Queens that you see on that TV show, King of Queens, you'd get it slightly with the western part of Providence along Rte 44 (Catholic Triangle) but without the congestion.

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Other than that, it looks like I just have to visit your city, and hope to do so early 2010. Sorry I bumped up many topics today on the forum, but there were many interesting things I read that piqued my interest by doing so.

[Hollytree]

I don't think housing is particularly expensive in Providence compared to other cities that offer the convenient amenities including the arts that this city does. Taxes are higher than many places but not as high as certain other parts of the country- our taxes include fewer district taxes than many states (No city or fire district or county, etc.).

I think the housing complaints really have more to do with the fact that housing is generally older and often does not offer the HGTV amenities that people have been taught to expect. Average square footage for the middle class is not a 2500 sq. ft house- it might be a 1400 sq ft house or a flat.

For old house lovers who like established neighborhoods, it is paradise. Many parts of this city & state look like a time warp- they have not changed in any essential way for decades. That's one reason why you get so many people bailing to places like Cary NC where you can get cheaper new subdivision housing that doesn't need work. Conversely, there are people who love the character of their old houses and would not dream of leaving.

However, I would not consider Providence proper with a family on your budget- believe you mentioned in a previous post your budget was around $200k. For that, I'd look in ring cities- prices have fallen appreciably; Cranston, Warwick, East Providence, etc. all of which have been much discussed on this board and all have some areas with acceptable public schools. Unless you are a fervent believer in diversity, Providence public schools are not a good option.

The area that NYAnnie was describing is called the Elmhurst neighborhood. It does have reasonable house prices- mostly because it is ringed by some bad areas and has some problem with partying college students.

RI has a lot packed into a small state- it is possible to go from ghetto to mansion very quickly and someone who lives in the back woods of Foster, for example, lives a life style that is light years from Bellevue Ave in Newport. Similarly, there is a vast difference between Pawtucket and Narragansett. So, it comes down to exploring a lot of small microcosms of areas and neighborhoods- even within the cities- to see what appeals.

I remember a study once where they tracked people (not in RI particularly) so see how far they usually got from home on a daily basis. They found that most everyone only traverses a few square miles around their own home!! Most of us require less than we think as long as it is only a short distance to other areas with desirable attractions.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, spend a week or two and look through a number of different areas, both in the East bay and the West bay, before honing in on any one section. Because of the size of this state, this is doable.

[1979]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

First off, sorry I bumped up so many topics. Someone needed to liven things up though, right?

Providence is one of about four cities I've found myself to be very interested in.

Just for the record, I'm now married with a kid, and I'm an American who has been living outside of the U.S. for a number of years now, with the intention of going back and finding a good city to settle down in.

After reading the entire board...Providence has a lot of cool stuff - sounds like it is just small enough you can walk almost anywhere...if you are into walking, and I am. Additionally, scooter laws are very favorable, making it even better! Beaches are nearby, and the ocean is nearby making winters a bit warmer and summers a bit cooler than the general New England area.

Providence is actually a very walkable city. If you're into scooters, consider that this area is kind of densely populated, so you'd have to come for a visit to decide. The ocean keeps the summers cooler, and winters warmer. If you are an ocean person, then this would be one reason to consider Providence over Pittsburgh

Things I haven't quite figured out yet...

1) Housing. I see on google maps, tons of really cool housing. However it sounds like the cost of housing is supposedly expensive, but not as expensive as Boston. But on riliving.com and realtor.com there does seem to be quite a few large cool-looking houses on the market. Are the reasonably priced ones in seriously bad areas of the city? I'm not sure the catch, as they seem reasonable and a good deal.

Housing is no where near as expensive in Providence as it is in Boston. If you have a family, you might be more interested in the suburbs that surround Providence. Yes, there are a lot of good deals in the realestate market, you do have to be careful. The areas within Providence to stay away from: South Providence, Elmwood, Olneyville, Mt. Pleasant. Preferred areas of Providence, would be East Side, Elmhurst, with other areas being so-so. When the market shot up a few years ago, RI was one of the states that saw the sharpest increases in home prices. So, now with the crash there's a lot of inventory selling for considerably less.

2) Ahmm..any good microbreweries in RI? I didn't see that anywhere during my forum rampage...

3) Anyone familiar with Pittsburgh by chance? That is another city I have completely become enamored with...and it seems to be winning. But Providence sounds, especially the pedestrian-friendly and cool-looking housing is up there (much higher than other U.S. cities). So anyone familiar with Pittsburgh, please chime in as well...

4) I was also lucky enough to live in NYC for a few years of my life, and loved the city. Being familiar with their neighborhoods, could a person describe neighborhoods in Providence in NYC terms? Might be interesting for me.

You might see some similarity between Staten Island and Providence, although I have friends from NYC who believe Providence is nicer. But, areas of Brooklyn and Queens as well might look familiar. There is a high Italian population similar to Brooklyn. I would vist Pittsburgh and Providence. Because of Providence's proximity to Boston and NYC, real estate prices might be higher in Providence. But, that could be another good thing, to be closer to Boston for day trips, or to the mountains in northern New England.

Other than that, it looks like I just have to visit your city, and hope to do so early 2010. Sorry I bumped up many topics today on the forum, but there were many interesting things I read that piqued my interest by doing so.

Spring time might be good, unless you want to see what it's like in winter.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

2) Ahmm..any good microbreweries in RI? I didn't see that anywhere during my forum rampage...

Since you've been well taken care of in the other questions you asked, I'll deal with this one.

Yes, there are some. Trinity Brewhouse is quite good. You can even take a growler home with your favorite brew.

There's also John Harvard's which has some other locations, but isn't bad either. Formerly the Union Station Brewery.

You also have the Newport Storm and Narragansett Breweries nearby which are decent enough. Don't forget our favorite, Pawtucket Patriot Beer ! You're only an hour from Boston so you can visit Sam Adams and Harpoon Breweries. The brews of NH, ME, VT, and MA can be found in many Providence bars too.

There are no shortage of great pubs in Providence that serve an abundance of great craft beers (some local, some not). Wickendon Street has plenty but there are tons of others too. As a beer lover (Mostly a Belgian drinker), I can attest that Providence won't leave you in the cold when it comes to beer. That said, one of my favorite craft beer bars is the Rose Alley Ale House in downtown New Bedford, MA... a short drive (25 minutes or so) from Providence. If you do make it out, check out Rose Alley (Pour Farm a few blocks away is good too). The whole region is good for beer. The Portuguese and Irish influences have brought with them some great brews.

[RunawayJim]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

First off, sorry I bumped up so many topics.
1) Housing. I see on google maps, tons of really cool housing. However it sounds like the cost of housing is supposedly expensive, but not as expensive as Boston. But on riliving.com and realtor.com there does seem to be quite a few large cool-looking houses on the market. Are the reasonably priced ones in seriously bad areas of the city? I'm not sure the catch, as they seem reasonable and a good deal.

Housing is reasonable pretty much everywhere in the city with the exception being most of the East Side (parts of it are more reasonable though). riliving.com is probably your best bet.

2) Ahmm..any good microbreweries in RI? I didn't see that anywhere during my forum rampage...

Trinity Brewhouse and Union Station are brewpubs downtown. Newport has Coddington Brewery, which is a brewpub. Block Island has Mohegan Brewery, also a brewpub.

Newport also has Newport Storm, the state's only production brewery. I have also heard word that Hope Ales is trying to build a brewery, but I haven't heard much about that recently.

Besides that, there is a HUGE craft beer community in Providence.

3) Anyone familiar with Pittsburgh by chance? That is another city I have completely become enamored with...and it seems to be winning. But Providence sounds, especially the pedestrian-friendly and cool-looking housing is up there (much higher than other U.S. cities). So anyone familiar with Pittsburgh, please chime in as well...

Providence is very walkable and very quirky. There is something for pretty much everyone here, unless you need a huge city. I know Boston and NYC transplants who have moved here and fallen in love with the city.

4) I was also lucky enough to live in NYC for a few years of my life, and loved the city. Being familiar with their neighborhoods, could a person describe neighborhoods in Providence in NYC terms? Might be interesting for me.

Not sure on the NYC terms, but here goes.

Wayland Square is a smaller very walkable neighborhood at the easternmost part of the city. It is part of what is known as the East Side. A lot of Brown students, faculty, and staff live there. Lots of restaurants and some shops and boutiques.

Fox Point is the southern part of the East Side at the head of the Narragansett Bay. It has Wickenden Street, which has a lot of antique shops, some restaurants, bars, and other shops. This neighborhood is a bit of a mix with some lower income residents and some higher income residents, as well as students.

College Hill is where Brown is located. It has a lot of students and some permanent residents. Oddly enough, there is a neighborhood association that hates everything Brown. It has Thayer Street, which used to be more funky and hip, but has a bunch of stores and restaurants. It's more of a college kid hang out. I know a lot of PC kids go there to hang out as well.

Downtown and the Jewelry District have a growing number of residents, but they have the smallest residential population of any neighborhood. There's always something going on downtown.

Federal Hill used to be Little Italy. Atwells Ave still is for the most part, but has recently become just a great place for good food. There are a ton of great restaurants there, along with some galleries and shops. Broadway is more hip/funky. There are some great neighborhood restaurants and shops and lots of great old Victorian houses.

Elmhurst is in the northwest part of the city. It has Providence College and parts of it have a lot of student rentals, but the rest is mostly single family homes with a mix of young families and elderly. I live in this neighborhood. It's quieter and a little slower paced than other neighborhoods.

I don't know a whole lot about the rest of them. I'll leave that to someone else. While I currently live in Elmhurst, I used to live on Federal Hill and loved it, especially the Broadway area.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by RunawayJim

Not sure on the NYC terms, but here goes.

Wayland Square is a smaller very walkable neighborhood at the easternmost part of the city. It is part of what is known as the East Side. A lot of Brown students, faculty, and staff live there. Lots of restaurants and some shops and boutiques.

Fox Point is the southern part of the East Side at the head of the Narragansett Bay. It has Wickenden Street, which has a lot of antique shops, some restaurants, bars, and other shops. This neighborhood is a bit of a mix with some lower income residents and some higher income residents, as well as students.

College Hill is where Brown is located. It has a lot of students and some permanent residents. Oddly enough, there is a neighborhood association that hates everything Brown. It has Thayer Street, which used to be more funky and hip, but has a bunch of stores and restaurants. It's more of a college kid hang out. I know a lot of PC kids go there to hang out as well.

Downtown and the Jewelry District have a growing number of residents, but they have the smallest residential population of any neighborhood. There's always something going on downtown.

Federal Hill used to be Little Italy. Atwells Ave still is for the most part, but has recently become just a great place for good food. There are a ton of great restaurants there, along with some galleries and shops. Broadway is more hip/funky. There are some great neighborhood restaurants and shops and lots of great old Victorian houses.

Elmhurst is in the northwest part of the city. It has Providence College and parts of it have a lot of student rentals, but the rest is mostly single family homes with a mix of young families and elderly. I live in this neighborhood. It's quieter and a little slower paced than other neighborhoods.

I don't know a whole lot about the rest of them. I'll leave that to someone else. While I currently live in Elmhurst, I used to live on Federal Hill and loved it, especially the Broadway area.

I must spread our reputation before giving more to Runaway Jim.

Thank you for the thorough post, I'll be coming back to this again, I'm sure.

Just as an aside note, Fox Point has a Brazilian presense, I think I've read somewhere. That is kind of interesting.

Also interesting about Thayer Street. As I'm not a Brown student, yet college areas are pretty interesting. It is interesting there is a part of it that is anti-Brown. Not that I'd personally be anti-Brown, it just means there is something there that offers something to other people who aren't necessarily associated with Brown.

[RunawayJim]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

I must spread our reputation before giving more to Runaway Jim.

Thank you for the thorough post, I'll be coming back to this again, I'm sure.

Just as an aside note, Fox Point has a Brazilian presense, I think I've read somewhere. That is kind of interesting.

Also interesting about Thayer Street. As I'm not a Brown student, yet college areas are pretty interesting. It is interesting there is a part of it that is anti-Brown. Not that I'd personally be anti-Brown, it just means there is something there that offers something to other people who aren't necessarily associated with Brown.

Providence is an interesting city. It's extremely diverse with many different cultures present. We have a large hispanic population, but also a large Cape Verdean population.

I don't think I've ever heard of Fox Point as being Brazilian.

You may be interested in checking out the information at provplan.org. Pretty much every type of information from crime stats to demographics can be found there, along with histories of the various neighborhoods.

[supermanpansy]

Well you were asking about Pittsburgh. I have lived there, so I'll give you an honest outsiders perspective.

Nice looking downtown. Everything after 5 pm closes. Not alot of restaurants for a city of its size. Very appealing looking city from an aesthetic view. Commute times can be long. Traveling through certain parts of the city at certain times can be long. People are not very inviting or friendly with outsiders. All of the people I became friends with when I lived there were from some other state, city or country. Night club and bar scene are not overwhelming. Very low key for that sort of entertainment. Neighborhood architecture is nice but expect to be walking up and down alot of hills, because there are few flat areas of Pittsburgh. Not the nicest for walking. Too many hills. If your in a car, the hills seem nice. If your walking them, they are not as friendly. Job outlook in Pittsburgh has improved as of lately. Not a bad overally city. A little cold for me, and I don't mean the weather. If your single, stay away from Pittsburgh. Not a very single friendly city. If your married and eat at home alot, try Pittsburgh. Sports are big in the city too. If you are looking to see the Steelers play, prepare to be on a few year list. Just because the Steelers are there, don't mean anyone can up and go see them. It is very hard to get Steeler tickets. They are in very high demand. The Penguins on the other hand, you would have no problem seeing. Same thing with the Pirates. I once went to a Pirate game for five bucks. Tickets are not exactly expensive commodity to see the Pirates.

Good luck with your choice. I personally would never live in Pitt again, but to each his own. I loved Providence when I visited there. It is a really cool, artistic city. Very similar to Boston. More than any other city Providence resembles Boston. I have never lived there though so I can't really say. It seemed cool.

Good luck

[RunawayJim]

Originally Posted by supermanpansy

Well you were asking about Pittsburgh. I loved Providence when I visited there. It is a really cool, artistic city. Very similar to Boston. More than any other city Providence resembles Boston. I have never lived there though so I can't really say. It seemed cool.

I just gotta correct this. Providence does not resemble Boston if you get to know the city. It has more great restaurants per capita. It is more artistic. It has a more diverse population. And, in my experience, it is more friendly. Finally, it has nowhere near the traffic of Boston.