Thinking of moving to Green Bay (Milwaukee, Madison: homes, good schools, living in)

[mopaper]

I came from Illinois, Chicago not the suburbs. I've lived in Washington-- Puget Sound, Tacoma and Seattle briefly. Visited the South, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nebraska and hope to travel more. But when someone is speaking of moving somewhere, that is an expensive undertaking. They have a right to know the good, bad and ugly, not a tourist postcard. If I hated it I wouldn't live here.

Not everyone is up for those kinds of commutes for a job. If you come from a large city as opposed to a suburb or very small town it is unsettling not to have an express train and rush hour transportation or not be able to buy a pair of pantyhose when you're downtown? Be fair, not just positive.

[jjacobeclark]

Originally Posted by mopaper

I came from Illinois, Chicago not the suburbs. I've lived in Washington-- Puget Sound, Tacoma and Seattle briefly. Visited the South, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nebraska and hope to travel more. But when someone is speaking of moving somewhere, that is an expensive undertaking. They have a right to know the good, bad and ugly, not a tourist postcard. If I hated it I wouldn't live here.

Not everyone is up for those kinds of commutes for a job. If you come from a large city as opposed to a suburb or very small town it is unsettling not to have an express train and rush hour transportation or not be able to buy a pair of pantyhose when you're downtown? Be fair, not just positive.

What the hell are you talking about? Do you seriously think people expect Green Bay, Wisconsin to have commuter rail? Seattle has only had it since 2000, and that's a major metropolitan area of nearly 4 million people.

As far as "rush hour" traffic goes, no city in WI suffers from what I would consider to be really bad traffic. Madison's Beltway is usually more congested than even Milwaukee County's freeway system, and neither are bad when compared to Chicagoland or the Twin Cities.

Now I don't wear pantyhose, but after referring to a Yahoo! map of Green Bay, I can tell you that there are 5 pharmacies in or very near to downtown Green Bay that I would assume sell pantyhose. And yes, Green bay does too have a downtown, ever heard of the Broadway District?

[susancruzs]

I was in Green Bay yesterday to pick up my niece at the airport then we went to Lambeau, looked around a bit, driving home 172 was pretty packed because of the construction. One thing that I've noticed people are patient, traffic crept along, people merged every other car, no one tried to get to the head of the line.

I've found that driving in Madison or Milwaukee, too, during rush hour, yes, it is busy but it just doesn't seem to be as frenzied as Chicago or other cities. I've driven in LA, Washington DC, San Francisco, Atlanta, lots of places and Wisconsin traffic is just not a problem. I think driving a distance to work is not an issue for most people.

[raya22]

Amen. I moved from Oshkosh about 4 years ago because of the winters and such dreary weather there~the winters last forever

[Jay F]

I spent several days in Green Bay a few years ago and I thought it was very nice. I don't understand the negativity. As far as it being "ghetto". I only saw a few blocks that were run down. I certainly felt safe there (and the low crime statistics back up my impression). I liked the size of the city, the parks, water and greenery. I would even consider moving there but I couldn't handle the Wisconsin winters.

Some people on here criticized Green Bay for being too blue collar. Well there is something to be said for blue collar folks, they tend to be down to earth and non-pretentious. I'm sure Madison is nice but I get the impression it's a very politically correct place. I'll take blue collar and drinking beer over worrying about your carbon footprint anyday, but we all have different tastes.

[mopaper]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

What the hell are you talking about? Do you seriously think people expect Green Bay, Wisconsin to have commuter rail? Seattle has only had it since 2000, and that's a major metropolitan area of nearly 4 million people.

As far as "rush hour" traffic goes, no city in WI suffers from what I would consider to be really bad traffic. Madison's Beltway is usually more congested than even Milwaukee County's freeway system, and neither are bad when compared to Chicagoland or the Twin Cities.

Now I don't wear pantyhose, but after referring to a Yahoo! map of Green Bay, I can tell you that there are 5 pharmacies in or very near to downtown Green Bay that I would assume sell pantyhose. And yes, Green bay does too have a downtown, ever heard of the Broadway District?

You missed the point entirely. Point, you have to adapt to living in a smaller town if you come from a larger, more convenient area. I don't know if you're just having a bad day or what, but I did not mention Wisconsin needing a commuter rail. As far as finding simple things like pantyhose that was just an example of what you can't easily find downtown but should be able to.

I lived on North Broadway for nine years and studied the history of the area. It was the original downtown (1800's) before the focus moved to the east side of the river (money, investors, politics, professionals, etc). In fact it was the only town there was and was called Fort Howard. Green Bay had not even been developed as yet. It was pretty much a swamp.

They named the East side Green Bay after the River and Fort Howard (Broadway District) had to merge with Green Bay and lost it's position as downtown. A law was passed that states there could be no bars beyond the street called Broadway (due west) and so all the bars piled up on North and South Broadway. It was so bad the police had to do stings and get residents involved to help get rid of prostitution, drugs, and all that goes with that. I was a part of that effort.

It is now considered [The other downtown] since they shut down the rift raft bars and nightlife that had become a historical part of the Broadway District since the 1800's mind you, and began re-development around 1999-2000. It is still under re-development and trying to change the image of the area. It's improving year by year. It is actually quite nice there now. I've moved further west but would move back downtown in a heartbeat if there was a reasonable rental.

Downtown East is in trouble because there is not much down there to draw people there every day. Anyone from a larger city knows pedestrian traffic keeps downtown areas alive not people driving through on the way somewhere else and not tourists. Tourists are a good shot in the arm for a city or town but they leave and the residents are left with ??? That is Green Bay's dilemma. But their greatest hindrance to change or growth so far is that they want to be known as a metropolitan city and yet remain a small town.

The demographics are changing becoming more urban. People are moving here from Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Milwaukee, as far away as London England and Russia. Town meetings reveal residents want more from the city than Packer Mania--especially businesses and others who are use to having that pedestrian climate.

Decades before I moved here they built a mall in the middle of downtown against the resident's wishes. Residents believed it would kill downtown. It did. Until then they had vibrant shops lining the streets. Historical photographs, newspapers and drawings show the streets crowded with people walking in and out of these shops. Everyone remembers how alive it was.

The mall drove smaller businesses away. Now the mall is empty and they are trying to re-invent the area. They have built an apartment building, etc and there are other plans emerging right now, but if there are few places to go 'daily' or a lack of services a downtown area is not doing its job. It should be a destination point for residents and tourists alike.

Public transportation moved it's meeting point from downtown and built a terminal on the outskirts of the downtown area. Not a bad thing, but didn't help. Buses no longer meet downtown. That was a big draw in earlier years.

As far as commuting 30 minutes to or from Appleton, it's a matter of preference. But there is nothing---for 30 minutes. If your car breaks down in bad winter weather (which we have a lot of) you have to take that into account. It happens. I've driven that stretch many times. The point is city people are just use to certain conveniences.

If Green Bay has decided to compete as a city (And it has), it has to adjust the mindset they have had since the 1800's it's that simple. If they want to remain a one horse town with a famous football team that's fine too. But you can't have it both ways.

Didn't mean to post a Green Bay history report. But it has a lot to offer 'potentially' and anyone who lives here is going to have varying opinions according to their own likes, dislikes and preferences. I talk to people a lot about this and I have a pretty good idea of the varying preferences from small town thinkers to urban dwellers.

Green Bay has a city planning [Identity] problem. That is obvious to anyone who lives here. They will eventually overcome it and the city will be amazing somewhere down the road. But for now it is neither here nor there.

[raya22]

I agree~i lived there for 35 years and i just could never go back. To each their own though Many love it~its the cold i could not take anymore~and the gloomy days~too many to count every year.

[mopaper]

I agree many love Green Bay because there are such nice friendly people here. That's what Wisconsin has going for it. It is the first thing you notice. People still talk to each other. Strangers will help you if they can. Once when I had a flat tire a guy came out of a restaurant, asked if he could help and changed the tire for me. Try that in Chicago. You can't manufacture that. It comes naturally here.

I love the warm weather seasons. I'm a nature buff an artist by trade and love photography. There's the Wild life Sanctuary, Botanical Gardens, Amusement Park, the city trail where you can bike and walk for miles.

Green Bay has one of the best Library systems in the State. Artists can do well here. They support the arts and encourage them.

People come here from across the world for the historical sites. There are many historical landmarks and beautiful landscapes, Farmer's Markets, etc. and even though trains and ships run through the middle of town even that is interesting.

People fish along the river though you might not want to eat your catch but it's really popular. Sometimes I like just taking a seat along the river near the Museum and watch the boats and ships go by. Then there is the east side along Lake Michigan. You can still walk over there at certain times and have it all to yourself. No way could that happen in a large city.

Heck when I'm walking bus drivers sometimes wave hello because they know you. There is this interesting though sometimes aggravating mixture of small town and city that is attractive.

Low crime and still a good place to raise a family. The thing about Green Bay for me is, there is much here worth living here for but you have to find it. If I do move it will be because of the winters. Six months of it. Literally. November through April.

It's the people that make Wisconsin a nice place to live. That's what puts Wisconsin on the map and some of the most beautiful natural surroundings of any place I've ever been.

[Milwaukee City]

As far as "rush hour" traffic goes, no city in WI suffers from what I would consider to be really bad traffic. Madison's Beltway is usually more congested than even Milwaukee County's freeway system

Rope smoker???? JK! but I have never been caught in bad traffic jam in Madison, I think your way off base when you say the beltline is worse than any Milw area freeway leg!

[bobeweele]

i Think green bay is a great place to live, the people are nice there is a lot of culture, and there are things to do if you know what you are doing. The downtown area is really growing lately. Although if you come to green bay the west side is a lot better and nicer then the west site, although i think the best place to live in would be astor neighborhood just outside of downtown, it is the best and most welcoming neighborhood i ever saw.