Can a Toledoan break down the city for me?

[movingtohouston]

Originally Posted by trishlee

Perrysburg swanky? You must be joking. It is definately upper middle class, way upper in many places. I lived there 17 years until last year. Perrysburg is great, except for the winters of NW Ohio

Yes Perrysburg is swanky, lived in Toledo growing up until I got married. Old money lived along River Road. New money is Ottawa Hills.

[Daytrepper]

Originally Posted by RottenChester

Please give your honest input:

Been a while since I visited this forum...The crappy economy pretty much killed my attempt to move away last year, but at it again. I have never been a fan of this area, born and raised here. Not good enough for a single 28 y/o IMO.

Originally Posted by RottenChester

Where is the most affluent area of Toledo?

Agree with the others, its Sylvania, Perrysburg, and Ottawa Hills.

Originally Posted by RottenChester

Where is the safest middle class town?

Monclova. Grew up there. Definitely a very low crime area, not much to do for the single guy, but families can have a ball here, low crime, and small town atmosphere.

Originally Posted by RottenChester

Which town has the best public schools?

Monclova again. Anthony Wayne Schools are the best in the area. Perrysburg is not bad either.

Originally Posted by RottenChester

Where is the most crime-ridden area?

Toledo...Toledo...Toledo...the north end and east side are the worst, followed by the south end. Move into the suburbs if you must live here.

Originally Posted by RottenChester

Where is the most polluted area?

Have to say the east side there, with the oil refineries and factories, literally across the street from residential areas.

[tseliot]

I get really tired of the constant negativity directed toward the East side. Yes, it's dirty, but on the WHOLE, does it constitute one of the "worst areas" of Toledo? Not even close. I work over there, am active in the community, spend most of my time there, and will probably purchase a house over there. Will I buy near the Weilers? Or in Ravine? Probably not. Will I buy in any of the streets surrounding Main St. near the river? Probably not. But the areas around Raymer school, Oakdale school, Birmingham, Collins Park, or any of those areas really are HARDLY as bad as some of the areas on the North side or the Old South End. Please remember: the East side is NOT one huge horrible neighborhood; it's a very large section of town, complete with a very diverse diaspora of poverty levels, housing stock, and crime. To categorize the entire area as one of "the worst" in Toledo is uninformed at best and misleading at worst.

[FleeTheRustBelt]

Originally Posted by tseliot

I get really tired of the constant negativity directed toward the East side. Yes, it's dirty, but on the WHOLE, does it constitute one of the "worst areas" of Toledo? Not even close. I work over there, am active in the community, spend most of my time there, and will probably purchase a house over there. Will I buy near the Weilers? Or in Ravine? Probably not. Will I buy in any of the streets surrounding Main St. near the river? Probably not. But the areas around Raymer school, Oakdale school, Birmingham, Collins Park, or any of those areas really are HARDLY as bad as some of the areas on the North side or the Old South End. Please remember: the East side is NOT one huge horrible neighborhood; it's a very large section of town, complete with a very diverse diaspora of poverty levels, housing stock, and crime. To categorize the entire area as one of "the worst" in Toledo is uninformed at best and misleading at worst.

I agree, and I laugh when people from the South end look down their noses at the east side. The East Side really varies block by block-one block can be full of abandoned houses and ghetto scum, and the next street over will be solid working class like always. Generally, but not always, the farther you are from the river, the better off you are (part of why I think the "Marina District" is such a joke).

[lasvegasfanforever]

you must be thinking you are living in los angeles or something,there is it any good parts of toledo i will break it down for ya cause toledo is a broken down city just look around here.if you want to explore the getto parts of toledo be by guest.

[lastonestanding]

Originally Posted by FleeTheRustBelt

I agree, and I laugh when people from the South end look down their noses at the east side. The East Side really varies block by block-one block can be full of abandoned houses and ghetto scum, and the next street over will be solid working class like always. Generally, but not always, the farther you are from the river, the better off you are (part of why I think the "Marina District" is such a joke).

Agreed, but you can say that about most other parts of Toledo including the Northside as well as the Central city. The neighborhood I grew up at in the central city was and still is crime-ridden and rough, however when you go to the end of the block your in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city (Westmoreland). I think when people describe how bad one part of town is it should taken with a grain of salt. Not all of the Northside or Eastside is bad, but not all the Westside and Southside is good. Toledo really doesnt have a side of town that is completely bad like other cities in this state.

Originally Posted by lasvegasfanforever

you must be thinking you are living in los angeles or something,there is it any good parts of toledo i will break it down for ya cause toledo is a broken down city just look around here.if you want to explore the getto parts of toledo be by guest.

Of course I wouldnt suggest anyone to go exploring any bad parts of town, but to say the whole entire city is bad is wrong and incorrect. Toledo is what the present mayoral candidates are calling at its tipping point, which it can either go in one direction or the other. Even with this in mind there are still parts of Toledo (the actual city limits) that havent suffered from foreclosures or seen an increase in crime like the rest of the city and in some cases you feel you live in the suburbs. If you do break the city down you will find plenty of neighborhoods that feels more suburban than urban. Case in point, Heatherdowns and Byrne or parts of the Westside between Ottawa Hills and Westfield Shoppingtown....

[alleghenyangel]

I'm from Pittsburgh where it is still desireable and safe to live in the city, and in urban neighborhoods. I find it so hard to believe that all of the city of Toledo could be ghetto? I have walked around downtown before and, while it needed some work, as a whole there was a lot of interesting architecture. I can't imagine that all the city neighborhoods are rough? Anyway, if so, and if the only options are to live in mundane suburbs because the city is a dump, I would never want to live there.

[ferrarisnowday]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

I'm from Pittsburgh where it is still desireable and safe to live in the city, and in urban neighborhoods. I find it so hard to believe that all of the city of Toledo could be ghetto? I have walked around downtown before and, while it needed some work, as a whole there was a lot of interesting architecture. I can't imagine that all the city neighborhoods are rough? Anyway, if so, and if the only options are to live in mundane suburbs because the city is a dump, I would never want to live there.

I'm originally from Toledo and living in Pittsburgh now. Most places that people are considering horrible places in Toledo are no different than places like Morningside, Garfield, Bloomfield, etc.; just with way fewer businesses. Maybe the lack of businesses to go to gives it more of "why are these guys out and about? They must be up to no good" type of feel when you see people on the street?

Certainly there are areas similar to Homewood and the like. But the idea that there are no acceptable places to live within Toledo city limits is ludicrous! Most of the areas in the Bowsher and Start high school districts range from decent to really nice and there are places outside of that that are alright, too. Overall, I think Toledoeans don't value urban character as much as Pittsburghers do. You'll have a hard time trying to find someone willing to 150,000 to live off of Broadway or Hill Ave in Toledo, but You'll find plenty of people willing to pay that or more to live in Highland Park or Lawrenceville. A bit of that is due to proximity to downtown jobs/entertainment and neighborhood business districts, two things that are not a big factor in Toledo; but, I think the root of it is just a lack of love for urban character.

Edit: I should also note there are some upscale feeling areas like near Beverly and Harvard Elementary Schools and some neighborhoods in the West End of Toledo; these streets wouldn't feel out of place in a Shadyside or Squirrel Hill

[satyn]

I live in Perrysburg and it is very nice. I work in the Cherry Street area. Not nice, but I have never had a problem there. I do not go there after dark, though.

[ttownrobin]

TO TSELIOT: (7 posts above)
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! - I COULDN'T AGREE MORE: "I get really tired of the constant negativity directed toward the East side." Anyone who talks about East Toledo negatively, has most likely never lived here, at least not in the areas you named in your post regarding the elementary schools (as well as near the Catholic elementary schools that are still open, that are in the transition of changing to "charter" parochial schools..)...as I had noted in a different thread "East Toledo is a nice homey community. Every time I move away, I always return here to this side of the river, in Toledo. I could move to any side of town, but I always come back here. I like being able to walk down the street and have everyone say hello"..AND BE RESPECTFUL & KIND TO EACH OTHER, rather than closing their doors when they see you. But most of all, I like living somewhere that I CAN AFFORD, that is NOT a bug/rodent ridden, mixed neighborhood, full of transients, gang members, punks and people who just don't care! Most of us try to keep our yards clean and mowed, and our Blockwatches on this side of town are VERY STRONG!
AS far as crime, I'd bet money that the most crime documented is from the downtown and north end area, WITH THE EXCEPTION of the low-income housing in just about any area of Toledo. If you want crime stats, try spotcrime.com. You can get weekly updates of crime activity within 5,10,20,or 50 miles of ANY ADDRESS, and have it emailed to you !