The Difference Between Sarasota and Bradenton (Orlando: crime, houses, costs)

[Ladywithafan]

Originally Posted by Alatex

If Bradenton has declined this much in the last decade or so, then how will Sarasota escape the same fate in the next decade ?

I mean, what's keeping the "bad elements of Bradenton" from expanding their operations a few miles south ?

Good question.

Here's my take on it.

Sarasota has been quietly sending their bad elements to Bradenton for the past few years therefore, the increase in crime in B'town.

There's also a bit more $ in SRQ than Bradenton...that helps...parking your shopping cart in SRQ with your belongings isn't cheap here...you gotta feed the meter.

Any one else?

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Ladywithafan

Good question.

Here's my take on it.

Sarasota has been quietly sending their bad elements to Bradenton for the past few years therefore, the increase in crime in B'town.

There's also a bit more $ in SRQ than Bradenton...that helps...parking your shopping cart in SRQ with your belongings isn't cheap here...you gotta feed the meter.

Any one else?

Totally agree with you Lady - I admit that when I lived in Sarasota the first time (1981 - 1997) I wasn't happy with the town, didn't have great leadership, hodge-podge building and planning, but worst of all, many run down neighborhoods near downtown, filled with crime. When we lived in what is now Laurel Park we had two robberies, one arson, peeping toms, death threats and just an overall bad quality of life there, hated it. Island Park had a bum sleeping on every bench. Well, fast-forward to today, and it is a whole 'nother place. I cannot BELIEVE the changes in Sarasota (for the better). Today, downtown is all cleaned up, vibrant and upscale, and all the riff-raff has been forced to move on. Sarasota is now also the cutting edge city in green and sustainable living - becoming a "model" for the state.

Yes, I totally have thought that the riff-raff is migrating northward to Bradenton, where that town is still run by "good-ole-boys" who don't seem to care. The difference is evident as soon as you pass the Whitfield Estates neighborhood going north from SRQ to B'ton.

Sarasota how actually now become the city I have always dreamed of living in, and cannot express how happy and grateful I am that my hubby and I found a place we love in this beautiful town. I hope that someday Bradenton can clean itself up, because it has so much charm and potential.

[meltinjohn]

Originally Posted by Ladywithafan

Best place to see a comedian is at McCurdy's....in SRQ....still found on the planet Earth.

Yea I can agree. John Valby I saw there 3 yrs back and hes great.

[Ladywithafan]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Totally agree with you Lady - I admit that when I lived in Sarasota the first time (1981 - 1997) I wasn't happy with the town, didn't have great leadership, hodge-podge building and planning, but worst of all, many run down neighborhoods near downtown, filled with crime. When we lived in what is now Laurel Park we had two robberies, one arson, peeping toms, death threats and just an overall bad quality of life there, hated it. Island Park had a bum sleeping on every bench. Well, fast-forward to today, and it is a whole 'nother place. I cannot BELIEVE the changes in Sarasota (for the better). Today, downtown is all cleaned up, vibrant and upscale, and all the riff-raff has been forced to move on. Sarasota is now also the cutting edge city in green and sustainable living - becoming a "model" for the state.

Yes, I totally have thought that the riff-raff is migrating northward to Bradenton, where that town is still run by "good-ole-boys" who don't seem to care. The difference is evident as soon as you pass the Whitfield Estates neighborhood going north from SRQ to B'ton.

Sarasota how actually now become the city I have always dreamed of living in, and cannot express how happy and grateful I am that my hubby and I found a place we love in this beautiful town. I hope that someday Bradenton can clean itself up, because it has so much charm and potential.

Back in the 2001, I used to rent over in Whitfield, off Gaines & Westmoreland...because I had the "bad element" friends/acquaintences through my partner, you can only imagine the things I saw come off 41 by the Suburban Lodge....it's really too bad about what's happened north of the airport.

I totally get that "EEEW" feeling once I cross the county line on 41 North. Maybe only those of us who really "KNOW" Bradenton from past experience have that little "hair shiver" thing...I don't know...I've always gotten the same type of feeling, but with "GOOD" vibes, crossing over either the Cortez or Manatee bridge onto AMI....that island, being a vortex is pretty self explanatory in that respect....I think Bradenton has been engulfed with bad karma, as that's the sense I get from my experience "in town."

[Mackeyser]

Honest to goodness, you'd think there was a crack house on every block!

The hyperbole is so thick here, it's stifling. Moreover, it's wrong.

Bradenton has issues and I will agree that the lax nature regarding business properties on Manatee and Cortez gives the town a shabby feel. But I've been to the Wal-Mart (last minute school supplies) after 11pm and other than it feeling like a discount store late at night, it was fine.

There IS crime on Manatee AND Cortez avenues. Of course there is. But I've felt MORE worried walking in Hollywood, CA than I've EVER felt here and that's when I owned my own business and was walking to the post office in the middle of the day less than 1 block from Sunset Blvd!

If you think Bradenton crime is bad, then you just don't know. Anyone lived in NYC before they refurbished Times Square? Anyone ever lived in East LA or South-Central LA? Wash. DC? Detroit around 8-mile?

I've been to most of those places, lived in some and Bradenton is NOTHING like them.

I dunno if I'd say Bradenton is beautiful. It has beautiful parts, for sure. And the folks I've met on the whole are friendly, engaging and people I'm happy to interact with.

What I don't understand what anyone expects to happen with all this negativity. By discouraging the interested folks looking to relocate from coming, the real estate is further devalued, leading to further decay. Seems ENCOURAGING folks to come to Bradenton would be in order.

I have family that believes as many on this forum do. And I will ask any who can answer, where EXACTLY can one go to have the Americana they seek that fits that impossible bill? Surely, even Suncoastguy must know that Sarasota County has just as much crime as Manatee County (within a very small margin). So where exactly does one go that is hip, cool, trendy, isn't EEEW and has no crime?

Just name one place. Just one.

And when anyone even contemplating such a fantasyland make the return trip back to reality, perhaps they will notice that Bradenton may not be their cup of tea, but it's not a cup of sewage, either.

Be well all,
Mack

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Mackeyser

Honest to goodness, you'd think there was a crack house on every block!

The hyperbole is so thick here, it's stifling. Moreover, it's wrong.

Bradenton has issues and I will agree that the lax nature regarding business properties on Manatee and Cortez gives the town a shabby feel. But I've been to the Wal-Mart (last minute school supplies) after 11pm and other than it feeling like a discount store late at night, it was fine.

There IS crime on Manatee AND Cortez avenues. Of course there is. But I've felt MORE worried walking in Hollywood, CA than I've EVER felt here and that's when I owned my own business and was walking to the post office in the middle of the day less than 1 block from Sunset Blvd!

If you think Bradenton crime is bad, then you just don't know. Anyone lived in NYC before they refurbished Times Square? Anyone ever lived in East LA or South-Central LA? Wash. DC? Detroit around 8-mile?

I've been to most of those places, lived in some and Bradenton is NOTHING like them.

I dunno if I'd say Bradenton is beautiful. It has beautiful parts, for sure. And the folks I've met on the whole are friendly, engaging and people I'm happy to interact with.

What I don't understand what anyone expects to happen with all this negativity. By discouraging the interested folks looking to relocate from coming, the real estate is further devalued, leading to further decay. Seems ENCOURAGING folks to come to Bradenton would be in order.

I have family that believes as many on this forum do. And I will ask any who can answer, where EXACTLY can one go to have the Americana they seek that fits that impossible bill? Surely, even Suncoastguy must know that Sarasota County has just as much crime as Manatee County (within a very small margin). So where exactly does one go that is hip, cool, trendy, isn't EEEW and has no crime?

Just name one place. Just one.

And when anyone even contemplating such a fantasyland make the return trip back to reality, perhaps they will notice that Bradenton may not be their cup of tea, but it's not a cup of sewage, either.

Be well all,
Mack

Dude - this thread is about the difference between BRadenton and Sarasota - NOT any of those other places you mentioned. And those of us who live or have lived here know the difference is HUUUUUGE.

Peace.
~gypsy~

[compelled to reply]

I still don't understand how Bradenton has a lower crime rate than Sarasota if it is run by a criminal underworld of armed thugs?

Crime in Sarasota by Year
Type 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Murders 3 5 2 1 5 4 5 4
per 100,000 5.8 9.3 3.7 1.8 9.2 7.3 9.2 7.3
Rapes 27 44 36 40 31 26 37 23
per 100,000 52.2 82.0 66.6 72.6 57.1 47.8 67.8 42.1
Robberies 178 189 201 219 199 150 154 196
per 100,000 344.3 352.0 371.7 397.3 366.5 275.5 282.3 358.9
Assaults 381 369 428 372 331 328 326 342
per 100,000 736.9 687.3 791.4 674.8 609.6 602.5 597.6 626.2
Burglaries 685 819 1,037 955 903 869 769 847
per 100,000 1324.9 1525.5 1917.5 1732.4 1663.1 1596.2 1409.6 1550.8
Thefts 2,150 2,563 2,732 2,819 2,826 2,731 2,535 2,484
per 100,000 4158.4 4773.8 5051.7 5113.8 5204.7 5016.3 4646.9 4548.0
Auto thefts 287 289 235 293 258 266 258 252
per 100,000 555.1 538.3 434.5 531.5 475.2 488.6 472.9 461.4
Arson 6 2 19 13 7 6 15 9
per 100,000 11.6 3.7 35.1 23.6 12.9 11.0 27.5 16.5
City-data.com crime index (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 287.3) 607.5 668.1 701.5 684.2 658.6 607.5 599.2 608.6


Crime in Bradenton by Year
Type 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Murders 2 4 5 8 7 4 3 4
per 100,000 4.2 8.0 9.8 15.5 13.4 7.5 5.5 7.3
Rapes 21 15 20 32 29 18 18 10
per 100,000 44.1 30.1 39.4 61.8 55.4 33.5 33.1 18.2
Robberies 108 159 98 151 162 126 111 137
per 100,000 226.6 318.9 193.0 291.7 309.7 234.8 204.3 249.9
Assaults 216 283 221 267 257 237 186 259
per 100,000 453.2 567.6 435.2 515.8 491.4 441.6 342.3 472.4
Burglaries 758 691 725 769 894 674 597 580
per 100,000 1590.3 1385.9 1427.5 1485.5 1709.2 1256.0 1098.7 1057.9
Thefts 1,987 1,930 1,936 2,180 2,073 2,100 1,944 1,799
per 100,000 4168.7 3871.0 3812.0 4211.1 3963.4 3913.2 3577.8 3281.3
Auto thefts 295 316 388 351 353 338 291 261
per 100,000 618.9 633.8 764.0 678.0 674.9 629.8 535.6 476.1
Arson 10 2 3 0 0 0 0 1
per 100,000 21.0 4.0 5.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.8
City-data.com crime index (higher means more crime, U.S. average = 287.3) 529.8 551.9 509.6 597.7 594.5 495.3 430.2 442.0

Bradenton's crime is on the high side of moderate and has actually come down over the years. Sarasota's crime exceeds LARGE cities like Tampa and Ft. Lauderdale !

[Ladywithafan]

Originally Posted by Mackeyser

Honest to goodness, you'd think there was a crack house on every block!

You'd be surpised at the amount of crack smoking going on behind closed doors even in the nice looking homes of Bradenton

ng on inside.The hyperbole is so thick here, it's stifling. Moreover, it's wrong.

Bradenton has issues and I will agree that the lax nature regarding business properties on Manatee and Cortez gives the town a shabby feel. But I've been to the Wal-Mart (last minute school supplies) after 11pm and other than it feeling like a discount store late at night, it was fine.

There IS crime on Manatee AND Cortez avenues. Of course there is. But I've felt MORE worried walking in Hollywood, CA than I've EVER felt here and that's when I owned my own business and was walking to the post office in the middle of the day less than 1 block from Sunset Blvd!

If you think Bradenton crime is bad, then you just don't know. Anyone lived in NYC before they refurbished Times Square? Anyone ever lived in East LA or South-Central LA? Wash. DC? Detroit around 8-mile?
I've lived in NYC, Brooklyn & Queens, have relatives in the DC area and born & raised in Motown...

I've been to most of those places, lived in some and Bradenton is NOTHING like them.

I dunno if I'd say Bradenton is beautiful. It has beautiful parts, for sure. And the folks I've met on the whole are friendly, engaging and people I'm happy to interact with.

What I don't understand what anyone expects to happen with all this negativity. By discouraging the interested folks looking to relocate from coming, the real estate is further devalued, leading to further decay. Seems ENCOURAGING folks to come to Bradenton would be in order.
I wouldn't encourage people to seek residence in Bradenton without factual knowledge of what's REALLY going on around town.

I have family that believes as many on this forum do. And I will ask any who can answer, where EXACTLY can one go to have the Americana they seek that fits that impossible bill? Surely, even Suncoastguy must know that Sarasota County has just as much crime as Manatee County (within a very small margin). So where exactly does one go that is hip, cool, trendy, isn't EEEW and has no crime?
Hip, cool, trendy, no crime is what you make it...paradise lies in our own minds, sometimes that's not even a safe place

Just name one place. Just one.

And when anyone even contemplating such a fantasyland make the return trip back to reality, perhaps they will notice that Bradenton may not be their cup of tea, but it's not a cup of sewage, either.
The sewage of Bradenton could never even fit in a cup...lol!

Be well all,
Mack

The difference between Bradenton and Sarasota is the vibes you get from each town; in that respect, there's a much livilier vibe from Sarasota...to keep with the topic of this thread...

[Suncoast Guy]

Originally Posted by meltinjohn

Sarasota, friendly??
What planet are you from?
Some are friendly like anywhere else but to claim SRQ as a real friendly city overall? Your a comedian right.

No, I'm not a comedian, and I'm from planet Earth. SRQ is a friendly place.

Originally Posted by Ladywithafan

Good question.

Here's my take on it.

Sarasota has been quietly sending their bad elements to Bradenton for the past few years therefore, the increase in crime in B'town.

There's also a bit more $ in SRQ than Bradenton...that helps...parking your shopping cart in SRQ with your belongings isn't cheap here...you gotta feed the meter.

Any one else?

I agree with you ladywithafan!!

[meltinjohn]

Originally Posted by Mackeyser

Honest to goodness, you'd think there was a crack house on every block!

The hyperbole is so thick here, it's stifling. Moreover, it's wrong.

Bradenton has issues and I will agree that the lax nature regarding business properties on Manatee and Cortez gives the town a shabby feel. But I've been to the Wal-Mart (last minute school supplies) after 11pm and other than it feeling like a discount store late at night, it was fine.

There IS crime on Manatee AND Cortez avenues. Of course there is. But I've felt MORE worried walking in Hollywood, CA than I've EVER felt here and that's when I owned my own business and was walking to the post office in the middle of the day less than 1 block from Sunset Blvd!

If you think Bradenton crime is bad, then you just don't know. Anyone lived in NYC before they refurbished Times Square? Anyone ever lived in East LA or South-Central LA? Wash. DC? Detroit around 8-mile?

I've been to most of those places, lived in some and Bradenton is NOTHING like them.

I dunno if I'd say Bradenton is beautiful. It has beautiful parts, for sure. And the folks I've met on the whole are friendly, engaging and people I'm happy to interact with.

What I don't understand what anyone expects to happen with all this negativity. By discouraging the interested folks looking to relocate from coming, the real estate is further devalued, leading to further decay. Seems ENCOURAGING folks to come to Bradenton would be in order.

I have family that believes as many on this forum do. And I will ask any who can answer, where EXACTLY can one go to have the Americana they seek that fits that impossible bill? Surely, even Suncoastguy must know that Sarasota County has just as much crime as Manatee County (within a very small margin). So where exactly does one go that is hip, cool, trendy, isn't EEEW and has no crime?

Just name one place. Just one.

And when anyone even contemplating such a fantasyland make the return trip back to reality, perhaps they will notice that Bradenton may not be their cup of tea, but it's not a cup of sewage, either.

Be well all,
Mack

Parrish is the place that comes to my mind that is boring, almost no crime, suburbanite. Its so boring to the point where I wanna be back in Bradenton no lie.