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Old 07-27-2015, 10:16 AM
 
4,873 posts, read 3,575,925 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aliasfinn View Post
I have lived in 7 places in St.Louis county over the last 45 years and only the place I am living currently has a sidewalk in front of my house. I remember when I was little some kid told me that white line 3 feet from the curb represented the sidewalk but cars were always parked there.
Well, I've certainly seen neighborhoods without sidewalks, but I've never lived in one, and they don't seem commonplace to me. I wonder if it's more common in certain areas, or if there's a statistic on what portion of neighborhoods have sidewalks.

/sidewalkchat
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Old 07-27-2015, 10:20 AM
 
Location: StlNoco Mo, where the woodbine twineth
10,000 posts, read 8,517,255 times
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I'm glad I don't ride in a wheelchair or push a baby buggy on some of these streets. I was thinking that the other day when I was driving down Fee Fee.
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Old 07-27-2015, 10:24 AM
 
4,873 posts, read 3,575,925 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aliasfinn View Post
I'm glad I don't ride in a wheelchair or push a baby buggy on some of these streets. I was thinking that the other day when I was driving down Fee Fee.
Well, even when there are sidewalks they often have a curb ramp that points out to the center of the intersection instead of the other side of the street, so you have to wheel into traffic and circle around to the crosswalk. But that's not uniquely a StL thing.
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Old 07-27-2015, 10:50 AM
 
Location: Saint Louis, MO
184 posts, read 243,313 times
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I think St. Louis is a great city for some people. I grew up in the St. Charles County suburbs, and I spent the past five years living in South City. I've also spent some time living in Chicago. Like a yo-yo, I've moved back and forth between the two cities. I like both, each having their own pros and cons.

Both seem pretty segregated overall, but I surprisingly find Chicago to be more racially segregated. The neighborhood where I am currently living in Chicago is much more "white" than the neighborhood where I lived in South City, which was very mixed, in terms of race.

St. Louis seems to have a more unified sense of pride in the city, which is likely due to it being a smaller city with a smaller percentage of transplants and a greater percentage of people who have lived their entire lives there. This is most definitely true when it comes to sports teams, but it extends to much more than that.

The cost of living is really quite excellent in St. Louis, not only when compared to Chicago but when compared to many metro areas in the US. I'm moving from a very nice one-bedroom apartment that was recently renovated with all new stainless steel appliances, off-street parking, in-unit laundry, etc. in STL to a tiny studio apartment that was also recently renovated with new stainless steel appliances but no parking or in-unit laundry in CHI. I'm also paying $300 more per month for it. Salaries are generally higher, but they don't entirely make up for the cost of living difference.

I love STL because it's "home", my family is there, it has many places I love to go, the trees are pretty, and the grocery stores are clean and well-stocked. However, it is really lacking in having urban, walkable areas. My preference would be to live a car-free lifestyle, but you really can't do that very easily in St. Louis. Public transportation does not cover enough of the metro area to make that feasible and the lack of sidewalks (in some areas) has already been covered. Plus, being car-free is just a different mindset that many in STL don't have.

St. Louis is also a place where it can be difficult to meet people as an outsider. If you don't join a church or have kids in a playgroup, it can be difficult to meet anyone outside of work. This is especially true if you are single and have no one to get out and do things with. It's most certainly not the only city like this in the US, but larger cities, with higher percentages of transplants, often seem to be more open to new people.

I really don't think STL is "backwards, dull, racist, and segregated". Some people are, but you'll find those people in any city. It's a great place for many to live, but it's not for people who want a fast-paced, urban lifestyle. It's really great for families with children. I could put up an argument for why you should move away just as easily as I could put up an argument for why you should stay.
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Old 07-27-2015, 12:23 PM
 
7,107 posts, read 8,889,434 times
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I'm not understanding the sidewalk thing. I see plenty of sidewalks in St. Louis. St. Louis County is different as with suburban Cook county or any other suburban type area. The more suburban the less likely there are to be sidewalks.

If it wasn't for the transplants in my neighborhood, I wouldn't have a social life. (I am finding most from the south and Chicago) I never hung out with natives in Chicago either. (they are too caught up on their neighborhood they grew up in and proving how tough they are) I find the locals who I work with in St. Louis very negative about their lives in general very much so with the city moreso than Chicago. I don't remember meeting any natives in Charlotte and Durham.

The further into the suburbs you go, the more stagnant the attitudes run. Natives think all there is to downtown is Cardinals, Blues and Pappys Smokehouse (yes they consider pappys as downtown). Get real people. But there again in Chicago most cub fans are northsiders or suburbanites. You don't find the fan base of cubs baseball as far reaching as the Cardinals.

I also have learned to love the clean grocery stores and the number and quality of the farmers markets as well as the rolling hills and greenery. In Charlotte I loved the pro business nature of the people and the genuine friendliness. In Durham I loved the intellectualism of the people. I also can appreciate the culture of Chicago with beautiful lake Michigan with stunning architecture. Not to mention the jump start your heart energy of that city. Every place has its trade offs. If I was younger I think I would still be in Chicago or another large city. But there again, my life in St. Louis is still just as enjoyable as it was in Chicago.

btw, Memphis was not a good city for me that is why im leaving it out of the comparison.
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Old 07-27-2015, 03:48 PM
 
1,100 posts, read 1,413,797 times
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I'm pretty young, so I can really only compare STL to where I went to college (Bloomington, IL) and where I studied abroad for 5 months (Paris). Naturally, those three places are completely different.

Really, my only big complaint with STL is public transportation (which makes Chicago much more attractive). Though, it is hard to meet people here outside of your high school circle. I feel like being a transplant would be impossible in STL.
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Old 07-27-2015, 08:22 PM
 
Location: Saint Louis, MO
184 posts, read 243,313 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TitanRam View Post
Really, my only big complaint with STL is public transportation (which makes Chicago much more attractive). Though, it is hard to meet people here outside of your high school circle. I feel like being a transplant would be impossible in STL.


Even being someone who grew up in STL but moved away and then moved back can be impossible, as far as meeting new people and having a social life is concerned. It's the biggest reason I left again. Too far removed from the people you once knew, and it's pretty tough to meet other people looking to expand their social circle.
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Old 07-27-2015, 08:39 PM
 
Location: Lemon Heights, Orange County, CA
805 posts, read 1,553,326 times
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I moved to STL one year ago after living my entire life (with the exception of a year in Japan, 1 year in Spain and a few years scattered, all for work) in Orange County, California.
In my opinion it's hard to "compare" the two, they are vastly different and both have the good, bad and ugly.
I think it's best to try places out, focus on the positive things the city has to offer, and then decide how you feel.
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Old 07-29-2015, 01:30 AM
 
6,115 posts, read 3,052,952 times
Reputation: 2405
Lived 15 years in New York City and 10 years in St. Louis. Also travelled to about 34 countries.

Nothing against St. Louis but frankly speaking it's a sin to put NYC and STL in one sentence.

My biggest attraction in STL is family. Otherwise NYC is the best place (for me) in the whole world. There is just no match.
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Old 07-29-2015, 10:38 AM
 
Location: South St. Louis City
116 posts, read 210,270 times
Reputation: 66
I'm baffled, first off, at all of the people making sweeping generalizations about a STL, a large metro area. Almost every metro has the same issues, on different scales and different issues. No city is perfect. Regarding comparisons, it is stupid to compare cities. Each has it's own identity. Now, regarding meeting people, I've never understood people saying it is impossible to meet friends in St. Louis. If you don't seek out people, they are not going to come banging on your door. Just like any city, you have to join organizations, clubs, dating sites, whatever, to meet new people in a new city. I can assure you, outgoing, good people, will have NO issue meeting new people in STL. Chicago, St. Louis, wherever, new friends do not come knocking on the door, typically. I know lots of non-native STL'ers that are very happy here and have made great friends. To label a city as unfriendly to newcomers, is just stupid. A city is what you make it. It does not happen automatically, with no effort. I'll admit, some STL natives do ask what high school you went to, but that does not mean you are written off, when you say I went John Doe HS in Wyoming. People label STL'ers as parochial because you hear that question so often here. I have friends from Iowa, Chicago, LA and several other 'transplant' friends. I can guarantee anyone, if they have an interest, hobby or desire, seeking out people that share those interests is the way to go. Also, internet dating is so common now, there's no excuse for a single person that wants to meet people, to be sitting home alone every night. I don't buy it!!! Sorry for the rant, but I get sick of STL being labeled as the only place on earth that is hard to meet new people. Clearly, if you have that issue, your not trying hard enough.
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