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I moved into the city from the suburbs. There's so much more to do. Did not enjoy the boring routine of suburban lifestyle whatsoever. My folks live in a low density suburb, and no one even knows their neighbors. People drive out of their garage in the morning and drive back in at night, and that's all there is to it.
I always find it funny when people from the 'burbs tell me they want big yards and more space. Drive down most suburban streets on a Saturday afternoon and nobody is using the big yard, no kids are playing on the lawn, and nobody is sitting outside in the backyard drinking lemonade. Some of these people don't even mow their own lawns, they pay someone to do it so they don't have to go out there! And, forget walking anywhere unless its in circles around a cul-de-sac. Driving from strip mall to strip mall to do my shopping was a miserable, mind-numbing task.
Last edited by ForStarters; 07-22-2010 at 01:51 PM..
Having "room to run, woods to explore...and being close to nature" (I'm quoting from my own post) is different from being able to simply explore one's neighborhood. Walking around your city neighborhood is not the same thing as exploring the woods and learning about the natural world.
Not necessarily NYC or SF it has to be, but on the lines of Portland, Seattle, Tampa, Boston for sure.
Suburbs suck. My town only got a 3 rating on the walkability scale. I currently am in exurb hell waiting to get out. I cant wait to go to the city and I definitely don't think I'm the only one who feels this way. I think many young singles my age do or maybe even married couples do now as well. I think and believe suburbs are dying. I think the immediate burbs to bigger cities will be hip though, Exurbs though.. fading out fast and real estate is dropping big in them.
Just wanted to make sure that this was not a "typo"...a "3"?? Really? You must live on the freeway...
Suburbs are ideal if they have sidewalks, and perhaps a decent grocery store and/or mass transit, within a half-mile of your home. Otherwise, go see your local car dealer..
Suburbs. With regard to "why do people live in the suburbs but continue to go into the city for work, shopping, etc.", I live in the suburbs of Atlanta, and only go into Atlanta proper for work- there's nothing else there that I need, and I have no desire to spend time there.
People talk all the time about "but the city is changing- there's plenty of people moving in, the neighborhoods are gentrifying, and the schools are 'up and coming'". Thanks, but no thanks- I've done the "live in a 900sf, 50 y/o house that needs something done to it constantly", and spent enough time dealing with pothole-ridden roads, crumbling sidewalks/curbs, and general deferred infrastructure maintenance while living in central NJ. And I'll take new, energy efficient, high-performing schools in the burbs with all the latest technology over "up-and-coming" schools intown with metal detectors at the doors any day.
Would I like to work closer to home and avoid Atlanta altogether? Absolutely, and once the economy starts to turn around, I'll be doing just that, as there will be plenty of work for me in and around my hometown. In the interim, the commute to Atlanta is just something I deal with to allow my family to have everything else we want out of life.
I don't know Bob. It seems priorites change as you get older. You seem to stereotype all cities with the same brush. The are surburbs exactly like you describe. Outside there are the burbs of Inkster and Highland Park, MI. Two of the most dangerous cities in the US. In Canada, outside Toronto where I live we have Brampton and Oshawa, two place you do not want to be walking around(in my opinion) after 7pm.
I currently live in a small city (approx 100,000) population. All things being equal, I'd prefer to live in a city with 600,000-1,000,000 people. At this point in my life, walkability for every day living is very important to me. Where I live now, I can walk to some things but would like to have more options. I also don't need or want as much living space anymore so downsizing and living in a more urban setting fits my needs better.
I don't know Bob. It seems priorites change as you get older. You seem to stereotype all cities with the same brush. The are surburbs exactly like you describe. Outside there are the burbs of Inkster and Highland Park, MI. Two of the most dangerous cities in the US. In Canada, outside Toronto where I live we have Brampton and Oshawa, two place you do not want to be walking around(in my opinion) after 7pm.
Agreed- priorities definitely change as you get older. For us, once we had kids it was all about doing what was best for them, and living "in the city" doesn't provide that. Perhaps if you make $500k/year, can afford a high-end part of town and private schools it'd work, but otherwise, it doesn't. Being able to walk to bars, restaurants, shows, etc., is a big deal for some when they're young and/or single and don't have kids, and when I was in that stage of life, I was living in Las Vegas and having a blast. Things are entirely different now, so that lifestyle doesn't work for us.
I also agree that there are some suburbs that are banged up, unsafe, etc.- it's a matter of picking the right ones.
Agreed- priorities definitely change as you get older. For us, once we had kids it was all about doing what was best for them, and living "in the city" doesn't provide that. Perhaps if you make $500k/year, can afford a high-end part of town and private schools it'd work, but otherwise, it doesn't. Being able to walk to bars, restaurants, shows, etc., is a big deal for some when they're young and/or single and don't have kids, and when I was in that stage of life, I was living in Las Vegas and having a blast. Things are entirely different now, so that lifestyle doesn't work for us.
I also agree that there are some suburbs that are banged up, unsafe, etc.- it's a matter of picking the right ones.
Makes sense. I mean love Toronto but at some point I will have to leave. Peace of mind is priceless.
I moved into the city from the suburbs. There's so much more to do. Did not enjoy the boring routine of suburban lifestyle whatsoever. My folks live in a low density suburb, and no one even knows their neighbors. People drive out of their garage in the morning and drive back in at night, and that's all there is to it.
I always find it funny when people from the 'burbs tell me they want big yards and more space. Drive down most suburban streets on a Saturday afternoon and nobody is using the big yard, no kids are playing on the lawn, and nobody is sitting outside in the backyard drinking lemonade. Some of these people don't even mow their own lawns, they pay someone to do it so they don't have to go out there! And, forget walking anywhere unless its in circles around a cul-de-sac. Driving from strip mall to strip mall to do my shopping was a miserable, mind-numbing task.
Same thing where I live. I am stuck in a suburb for the time being, but plan to move to Tampa area when I can.
I am in a far suburb and I see the same thing you describe. Nobody out on their lawns, some overgrown grass, and on Saturdays most of the time, its dead much like a weekday is. Even at 8pm earlier tonight, it looked like it did at 12pm many days. To know bars in the city are opening and having fun, I am stuck in this hellhole of blandness, sameness and boringness far from it all. Give me the city anyday. Not good for a goal oriented 29 yr old either like myself, but sometimes you gotta live where your parents happened to choose, or else its the streets in FL heat. No ty.
And when you say they pay people to mow their lawn because then they dont have to go out there. Do you think they want to not go out there to begin with because they hate seeing their neighbors or they dont wanna be looked at by the people on their street? Elaborate.
Just wanted to make sure that this was not a "typo"...a "3"?? Really? You must live on the freeway...
Suburbs are ideal if they have sidewalks, and perhaps a decent grocery store and/or mass transit, within a half-mile of your home. Otherwise, go see your local car dealer..
Not the freeway, but so set back in a FL subdivision not too close to things and the nearest big city is 38 miles. A slightly smaller city, 25 miles.
Sure I mean its considered central to things IF you like to be far from things. I dont consider it central for what I need. To me perfectly central means 10 minutes from everything. I mean central can also mean being in Western MA, an hr from Worcester, 1 to Providence, 2 hrs to Boston, 3 to NYC, but is that central? **** NO. Its still far from the main places you need to be!
A nearest city being a half hr to an hr is still not close no matter how you slice the dice.
Since it says MA on your sn, to me the perfect suburbs (for aging people still) would be Medford, Arlington, Watertown, Winthrop. Old classic Northeast suburbs, but hell no to all these sunbelt suburbs. Although it is really boring 30 minutes from Boston or more.. Extremely depending on the town, but I think overall better than sunbelt suburbs. Sunbelt suburbs imo are the biggest hells.
My grandma who lives in W Medfah says it best " I wouldn't live out there if you paid me".
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