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Is that immediate area a nice area for homes? Families? Thanks, all! I land on Friday morning and have a rental car this trip.
There are some great middle to upper middle income streets to the north of Shaker Town Center in the Fernway neighborhood, from which I've walked to Shaker Town Center with friends who once lived there several times. It's one of my favorite neighborhoods in Greater Cleveland, extremely charming and family friendly.
Green Lake, one of the Shaker lakes, and Shaker Hts. Country Club (sledding allowed in winter) are just north of Parkland Drive.
Parkland appears to be in the very wide and narrow Onaway elementary school district, and may be considered to be in the Malvern neighborhood; I'm not able to find an easy to understand neighborhood map with streets listed. Parkland, if not in the Fernway neighborhood, is immediately to the north of it, and an easy walk from much of the Fernway neighborhood. Green Lake, viewed from Parkland, always seemed very pleasant (see last slide in second link below), and, the last time I visited, the algal blooms had been cleaned up (and the geese were gone?).
Excellent summary with good suggestions, but I have some questions.
If a resident is going to operate without a car, won't a person, especially a senior, purchase an RTA monthly pass?
With a monthly pass, wouldn't it be possible with a convenient hand cart, to live in the Van Aken District and shop at the Heinen's at Shaker Town Center?
Also, several rail rapid stations have good connecting bus routes, such as the Red Line Little Italy station connected to Coventry Village by the number 9 RTA bus route. That's why I suggested using Google Transit once someone has prospective residences in order to check out mass transit options to likely destinations. The number 9 bus also provides access the Healthline bus rapid, University Circle attractions, and several shopping centers and likely supermarkets. Of course, from the Little Italy station, it would be possible to visit the West Side Market easily, with the West 25th Red Line station across the street from the WSM.
I absolutely recommend an RTA monthly pass if you live car-free in Cleveland; preferably at a discount through either your workplace or educational institution.
Van Aken District and Shaker Towne Centre are 1.5 miles apart. I do not recommend locking yourself into a situation where you have to travel that far to haul groceries. Per my previous email: "doable" versus "desirable."
I do not recommend reliance on bus routes to get around, especially if you work/attend school full time. Commit yourself to one of the four neighborhoods I identified in my previous message where you have good access (within 1/3 mile) to both rail station and grocery store. If you're willing, 1/2 mile isn't bad. However, you cannot rely on buses to get around. They are fine occasionally, but you need rail and bike to provide yourself with a high quality car-free lifestyle in Cleveland.
With regard to questions about Shaker Towne Centre neighborhoods:
SW is the Moreland Neighborhood. Historically (and still) African-American and filled with housing styles (both owner-occupied and rental) similar to those you would find in the City of Cleveland; this neighborhood does not look like the rest of Shaker Heights. A target for infill redevelopment, the reality is that this neighborhood continues to struggle and years of demolitions have left many vacant lots the city has landscaped while waiting to fill them through its current initiative, Moreland Rising (https://sway.com/jVhbExuVczUogH84).
SE is the Lomond Neighborhood. This neighborhood has become predominantly African-American over time and consists of modest colonials (both owner-occupied and rental) that have a more "Shakery" feel to them. If you tour both Moreland and Lomond, you will see the difference between "West of Lee" and "East of Lee" in this part of Shaker Heights. Very few vacant lots and more mature trees, this neighborhood gradually transitions into more substantial and higher-priced housing (though all below average for Shaker Heights) as you proceed east toward the Sussex neighborhood.
NW is the Onaway Neighborhood (Van Aken Boulevard separates the Moreland and Onaway neighborhoods in this part of Shaker Heights, not Chagrin Boulevard). As with Lee Road, being "North of Van Aken" versus "South of Van Aken" makes a difference. The Onaway neighborhood offers more substantial homes, especially as you move north of Fernway and this is an extremely classic, family-friendly Shaker neighborhood. Both Onaway and Fernway offer homes centered around the average Shaker price (low-mid $200K) but move north of $300K between Fernway and South Woodland Roads if the home has been well-maintained and updated.
NE is the Fernway Neighborhood. The most desirable of the four quadrants (both "East of Lee" and "North of Van Aken"), homes can reach mid $300K. I actually would not suggest the Fernway neighborhood unless you are a young family with small children, plan to be a young family with small children, or really enjoy being surrounded by young families with small children. The entire neighborhood is built around the Fernway School; much more expansive (and expensive) homes line Aldersyde and Parkland Drives to the north and east of the neighborhood.
Dr J, just to clarify, you are not suggesting Moreland, Lomond, Onaway, or Fernway to the OP are you?
While you could theoretically live there without a car, it's all pretty suburban in vibe. Not like McMansion suburbia, but still far from NYC style walkable. Unless the OP really wants a single-family home, I wouldn't recommend it.
Dr J, just to clarify, you are not suggesting Moreland, Lomond, Onaway, or Fernway to the OP are you?
While you could theoretically live there without a car, it's all pretty suburban in vibe. Not like McMansion suburbia, but still far from NYC style walkable. Unless the OP really wants a single-family home, I wouldn't recommend it.
There are many condos and apartments along Van Aken (Blue Line), including new build. I'm not certain what neighborhoods they are in.
There are many condos and apartments along Van Aken (Blue Line), including new build. I'm not certain what neighborhoods they are in.
I would still recommend OP target condos closer to Shaker Square instead of Shaker Town Center. Shaker Square was built to be walked around. Shaker Town Center is a strip mall with a parking lot you have to cross on foot, and Van Aken/Lee and Chagrin/Lee aren't the most pedestrian friendly intersections.
The southern side of Chagrin, across from the strip mall, is more of a traditional business district with store fronts up against the sidewalk. However the street grid in the Lomond neighborhood isn't ideal for walking to it. To quote Dr. J, "doable" vs "desirable".
Also Shaker Square is served by both the Blue and Green lines, which means less waiting when travelling outside of the neighborhood.
I absolutely recommend an RTA monthly pass if you live car-free in Cleveland; preferably at a discount through either your workplace or educational institution.
Van Aken District and Shaker Towne Centre are 1.5 miles apart. I do not recommend locking yourself into a situation where you have to travel that far to haul groceries. Per my previous email: "doable" versus "desirable."
I do not recommend reliance on bus routes to get around, especially if you work/attend school full time. Commit yourself to one of the four neighborhoods I identified in my previous message where you have good access (within 1/3 mile) to both rail station and grocery store. If you're willing, 1/2 mile isn't bad. However, you cannot rely on buses to get around. They are fine occasionally, but you need rail and bike to provide yourself with a high quality car-free lifestyle in Cleveland.
With regard to questions about Shaker Towne Centre neighborhoods:
SW is the Moreland Neighborhood. Historically (and still) African-American and filled with housing styles (both owner-occupied and rental) similar to those you would find in the City of Cleveland; this neighborhood does not look like the rest of Shaker Heights. A target for infill redevelopment, the reality is that this neighborhood continues to struggle and years of demolitions have left many vacant lots the city has landscaped while waiting to fill them through its current initiative, Moreland Rising (https://sway.com/jVhbExuVczUogH84).
SE is the Lomond Neighborhood. This neighborhood has become predominantly African-American over time and consists of modest colonials (both owner-occupied and rental) that have a more "Shakery" feel to them. If you tour both Moreland and Lomond, you will see the difference between "West of Lee" and "East of Lee" in this part of Shaker Heights. Very few vacant lots and more mature trees, this neighborhood gradually transitions into more substantial and higher-priced housing (though all below average for Shaker Heights) as you proceed east toward the Sussex neighborhood.
NW is the Onaway Neighborhood (Van Aken Boulevard separates the Moreland and Onaway neighborhoods in this part of Shaker Heights, not Chagrin Boulevard). As with Lee Road, being "North of Van Aken" versus "South of Van Aken" makes a difference. The Onaway neighborhood offers more substantial homes, especially as you move north of Fernway and this is an extremely classic, family-friendly Shaker neighborhood. Both Onaway and Fernway offer homes centered around the average Shaker price (low-mid $200K) but move north of $300K between Fernway and South Woodland Roads if the home has been well-maintained and updated.
NE is the Fernway Neighborhood. The most desirable of the four quadrants (both "East of Lee" and "North of Van Aken"), homes can reach mid $300K. I actually would not suggest the Fernway neighborhood unless you are a young family with small children, plan to be a young family with small children, or really enjoy being surrounded by young families with small children. The entire neighborhood is built around the Fernway School; much more expansive (and expensive) homes line Aldersyde and Parkland Drives to the north and east of the neighborhood.
Hope this helps!
I lived on a bus route when I worked downtown, but I had a car which I often used, especially when traveling outside of Cleveland during the day. Candidly, RTA bus service on that line was not good, but it was one of RTA's longest lines, and I lived at the end of it. It would have been a vastly different experience traveling between Coventry and the Little Italy Red Line station. Frequency of service, however, is an issue, but this may be mitigated by RTA's new Smartphone app, which I've never used, which shows real-times estimated times of arrival.
Your observations about distance from a grocery likely are valid, especially for a senior.
Thank you for providing an insightful analysis of the neighborhoods surrounding Shaker Town Center (I looked it up; the correct spelling, at least online).
Do you have any thoughts about what will happen to these neighborhoods, including housing prices and demographic make-up, over the next decade with the completion of the Van Aken Project?
Dr J, just to clarify, you are not suggesting Moreland, Lomond, Onaway, or Fernway to the OP are you?
While you could theoretically live there without a car, it's all pretty suburban in vibe. Not like McMansion suburbia, but still far from NYC style walkable. Unless the OP really wants a single-family home, I wouldn't recommend it.
I thought I was quite clear in my last message but, if not, I shall reiterate.
There are only four neighborhoods I recommended to the OP for car-free living in Cleveland: Downtown, Ohio City, University Circle, Shaker Square. Please reference my earlier post for the reasons.
My expanded commentary on the neighborhoods adjacent to Shaker Towne Center was in response to questions raised by other contributors, not the OP.
I lived on a bus route when I worked downtown, but I had a car which I often used, especially when traveling outside of Cleveland during the day. Candidly, RTA bus service on that line was not good, but it was one of RTA's longest lines, and I lived at the end of it. It would have been a vastly different experience traveling between Coventry and the Little Italy Red Line station. Frequency of service, however, is an issue, but this may be mitigated by RTA's new Smartphone app, which I've never used, which shows real-times estimated times of arrival.
Your observations about distance from a grocery likely are valid, especially for a senior.
Thank you for providing an insightful analysis of the neighborhoods surrounding Shaker Town Center (I looked it up; the correct spelling, at least online).
Do you have any thoughts about what will happen to these neighborhoods, including housing prices and demographic make-up, over the next decade with the completion of the Van Aken Project?
WR, I do not anticipate the Van Aken District will have direct impact on the neighborhoods adjacent to Shaker Towne Centre; they are 1.5 miles apart. However, there may be indirect impacts if Van Aken District is successful and lifts the overall desirability of that section of Shaker Heights along Chagrin and Van Aken Boulevards, between Lee and Warrensville Center Roads.
There is other development coming to Shaker Towne Centre that may boost the surrounding areas, including the townhomes planned for the vacant land on the south side of Van Aken Boulevard at Winslow Court, and the economic revitalization work of the Shaker Heights Development Corporation along Lee Road.
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