Why do so many people on here choose Roanoke? (Richmond: condo, crime rate)

[aschenputtel]

I have lived in Roanoke for many years and this still amazes me. I have been many other places that I would prefer to live and am currently waiting to finish grad school to get out of here! Why are there so many people wanting to come to Roanoke? I don't understand. Please help me to. Is there something I am missing?

[Teebyrd86]

Hello!... I fell in love with Roanoke because of the friendly people, lower cost of living, lower murder rate, slower pace (everyone seems to have that.. "why rush??" mentality), being surrounded by the mountains and various other reasons. I came from Richmond and I just like the small town feel that Richmond once had. I guess the fact of the matter is... Everyone has different lifestyles and needs when it come to where they want to live. It seems like since you have been here for many years it might be the time in your life to go on to a larger city and experience it. But trust me comming from Richmond I truely appreciate the Roanoke Valley. Maybe you will find a larger city is for you.. or perhaps you will be back to this great city! Best of luck, hope you find what is best for you.

Originally Posted by aschenputtel

I have lived in Roanoke for many years and this still amazes me. I have been many other places that I would prefer to live and am currently waiting to finish grad school to get out of here! Why are there so many people wanting to come to Roanoke? I don't understand. Please help me to. Is there something I am missing?

[j1n]

Originally Posted by aschenputtel

I have lived in Roanoke for many years and this still amazes me. I have been many other places that I would prefer to live and am currently waiting to finish grad school to get out of here! Why are there so many people wanting to come to Roanoke? I don't understand. Please help me to. Is there something I am missing?

actually, I'd really like to hear your opinion (as a long-time Roanoker) as to why you want out? What is it about this area that makes you want to go? Just "old hat"?

[Jerry_Williams]

Originally Posted by aschenputtel

I have lived in Roanoke for many years and this still amazes me. I have been many other places that I would prefer to live and am currently waiting to finish grad school to get out of here! Why are there so many people wanting to come to Roanoke? I don't understand. Please help me to. Is there something I am missing?

I kind of agree. I have been living in Lynchburg for 6 years and while Roanoke is 10.000 better then Lynchburg, I am still amazed that everyone here hare sooooo in LOVE with Roanoke. Being better then Lynchburg says very little on the other hand

Due to my job I visit Roanoke at least once every month, many times every week. Yes, it is nicer then Lynchburg...but I must be missing the point.

[j1n]

Originally Posted by Jerry_Williams

I kind of agree. I have been living in Lynchburg for 6 years and while Roanoke is 10.000 better then Lynchburg, I am still amazed that everyone here hare sooooo in LOVE with Roanoke. Being better then Lynchburg says very little on the other hand

Due to my job I visit Roanoke at least once every month, many times every week. Yes, it is nicer then Lynchburg...but I must be missing the point.

hey Jerry! I'd like to hear from you as well! What do you not see in Roanoke? Or maybe I should say...what would you be looking for that the Roanoke area just doesn't offer?
I'm honestly curious. See, I moved to this area @ 6 months back. I'm still getting a handle on how things work and how people are. It's not what I would consider my "dream location", but in comparison to the situation we moved away from, it's pretty great! I think that may be where a lot of the folks moving to the Roanoke area are coming from.

[Jerry_Williams]

Ok, I’ll try to explain.
I also feel the need to stress that I do think Roanoke is an OK place, I just fail to see what makes it SO AMAZING. On an scale of 1-5, it would get a solid 3. Lynchburg would get a weak 2, just out of the “strong 1.5” area……
OK, what is it that Roanoke lacks? A more modern job market (Biotech/life science research & development, information and IT/telecom jobs). More concerts both modern and classical (yes I know Keith Urban and Kid Rock are performing in a few weeks, not my kind of music….). I do think the Jefferson Center does a decent job, but I would like more of this. Maybe some traveling art exhibitions so one could see some Matisse or Whistler.

I like the newly renovated old downtown and I would like more of this. A better selection of radio channels, way to much county. Also, too much rebel flags on trucks. Few things can spoil an area as this IMHO.
An airport were things take of and arrive on time or at least within the same day!!! Many parts of Roanoke seem very worn and ragged.

Just as with Lynchburg one feels quite isolated from the world out there as well.
…plus if you want to get really picky (whiny?), the summers are ridiculously hot and hardly any snow in the winter. I love snow! (The falls are quite nice!)

As I said, I do not think it is a bad place by any mean. I just wonder what I am missing since people are talking about it as if it is the best place on earth…..however, compared with Lynchburg it probably is! ;-D

[j1n]

Hey Jerry, nicely put. I agree with you on the "3 out of 5" rating. I also agree that Roanoke should "step into the present" with regards to job market. I do think it's moving that way already. I too would like a more vibrant art and music scene downtown...more variety. (But then there will be those that equate that with Roanoke turning into a Greenwich Village.) I agree also about the music on the radio. Where are the college radio stations?! And I wholeheartedly agree with the whole Confederate flag thing.
I think what you are seeing here (on city-data) are a lot of folks (northerners?) who have moved out of their previous, overcrowded, overpriced, generally un-neighborly flatland existence and into the greater Roanoke area.
For example...someone moves from NJ (way overcrowded, crazy traffic, crazy taxes, ridiculous humidity, etc) where they've just sold their 3 bedroom/1.5 bath home on .25 acres for 750k. Then they drive through the lazy, hazy Blue Ridge Mountains to arrive at someplace like Smith Mountain Lake. Your new home costs half of what your previous one just sold for. AND you get 1-2 more bedrooms and bathrooms, more square footage, with waaaaaay less taxes...on some land to boot! You can have a little snow, but don't have to shovel your driveway anymore; and the summer humidity is cut down by the mountains.
If you telecommute or have a really good job, this place could be paradise! On the other hand, I got an email the other day from someone who asked how we ended up in a "hellhole like VA.
My idea of paradise would probably be the San Juan mountains of sw Colorado. Maybe Utah or Wyoming. But there are folks who can't deal with the sheer drop-offs, altitude, lack of greenery, etc and honestly prefer the Shenandoahs.
I think it's truly a matter of where you are coming from.

[seanpecor]

There is a pretty good art scene, it's just not obvious. There are alot of galleries downtown. Check out City Magazine for some great cultural venues.

As for classical music, Roanoke has the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra. I've sat and listened to orchestras on the west coast, the east coast, in Florida and in New England. The RSO is one of the best out there. Check out Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and you might be surprised. Yes, Keith Urban is playing in February at the Civic Center. But of course, a week before that, they're having a broadway buffet and a professional production of 'Evita' is scheduled. If you haven't seen Evita, it's worth it.

And yes, Kid Rock is coming to the civic center in March. A week after "Stomp" and a week before "Bowfire".

So there you have it. The RSO is putting on 5 unique performances between now and May. Furthermore, the Roanoke Civic Center will be hosting 5 broadway/virtuoso performances between now and May. Mill Mountain Theatre has 6 shows scheduled for multi-week runs during the same time period. If you really do like the arts then support your local arts community.

And the downtown music scene has gotten stronger with the opening of 202 Market. Just check out the events for the next 4 weeks:

MUSIC + ENTERTAINMENT AT 202

I think if there is a major problem to solve in Roanoke right now, it's communication. There is SO much stuff going on but people have to dig for it. It would be nice to have a universal calendar that contains ALL events in the entire Metro. That would be very useful. Roanoke isn't the french quarter in New Orleans, but it's got alot going for it. And it compares well as a "hometown" nationally in my opinion. After all, if you're starving for a dose of Matisse or Picasso then you can always spend a weekend in D.C. You'll get your big time arts fix and you won't have to suffer the other 51 weekends of the year living in traffic hell, driving to and from your $700,000 NoVA condo.

But I totally agree with you, Lynchburg sucks

Sean

[badger74]

I think those of you saying Lynchburg sucks are living in the past. Lynchburg has a much lower crime rate than Roanoke, a better city public school system so that people do not feel compelled to move out to the county, three colleges located within the city that are growing and providing all sorts of entertainment options, a more diverse economy that is growing and should continue to grow as it does not rely on any dying industries, and a liberalizing population as the Falwell influence subsides.
The location is better providing quicker access to the coast, DC, Richmond and C'Ville and all that they offer. I find the nice older section of town (Boonsboro) nicer than anything in Roanoke.

The strong local nuclear industry is likely to grow substantially as more use of nuclear power becomes necessary. That is about as high tech as you get.

NewsAdvance.com | NRC accepts Dominion Virginia reactor application

[Jerry_Williams]

Originally Posted by badger74

I think those of you saying Lynchburg sucks are living in the past. Lynchburg has a much lower crime rate than Roanoke, a better city public school system so that people do not feel compelled to move out to the county, three colleges located within the city that are growing and providing all sorts of entertainment options, a more diverse economy that is growing and should continue to grow as it does not rely on any dying industries, and a liberalizing population as the Falwell influence subsides.
The location is better providing quicker access to the coast, DC, Richmond and C'Ville and all that they offer. I find the nice older section of town (Boonsboro) nicer than anything in Roanoke.

The strong local nuclear industry is likely to grow substantially as more use of nuclear power becomes necessary. That is about as high tech as you get.

NewsAdvance.com | NRC accepts Dominion Virginia reactor application

As you know I think Lynchburg still has a long way to go before I passes the “OK mark”. It is moving in the right direction, I agree.

The whole “diverse economy” means that there are many family companies, and they won’t hire “outsiders”.

If it continues to grow as it has since I first visited Lynchburg in 1993, then I will agree with you. So maybe in 10 years it will be OK. More corporations like Areva and things will get better. As for today, I still think while driving to work "what wrong have I done to end up in this dump".

(Actually, I can answer that question myself. I made a close family member a promise and I am a man of my word.)

Something is wrong when one drives to work and get angry and depressed by a town.