Walkable Communities (Cleveland, Lakewood, Euclid: real estate, apartments, foreclosed)

[The Cactus Leaguer]

Hello,

We may be moving to the Cleveland area within the next few years. We know quite a bit about the area (my wife grew up there, and we still visit a few times a year), but I wanted to ask your collective opinion about some things.

Currently we live in area called Orenco Station. It's a "new urbanist" community within Hillsboro, about 15 miles from downtown Portland, Oregon. We love having the combination of a newer community, great schools, great transit access, and a very walkable/bikable community.

What would you say are the best areas around Cleveland that fit that description? I should add that we just subscribed to Cleveland magazine and we're getting the "rating the suburbs" edition which talks about walkable communities, but I thought I'd ask in here as well. Thanks.

[Clevelandgal]

Compared to other cities, Cleveland has been slow to embrace urban living, let alone "new urbanist" family living. We have places that meet part of the description: walk able, bikable, great transit.

Then others that meet the other-newer community-newer housing, well regarded public schools.

In my opinion we do not have both. People in Cleveland that like to walk and bike a lot and use public transportation usually live in the city or inner ring burbs (such as Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights or Lakewood). While there are some enclaves of newer housing in these areas, it tends to be older housing. There are not really any urban subdivisions at this point (although Battery Park in Cleveland is trying).

The newer housing suburbs may only have sidewalks in the homogeneous, col ‘d sac, subdivision. If you are lucky you may be near a metro park. Otherwise, you will have to come to love gassing up the SUV, getting on the cell phone, and driving to the Wal-Mart or TGIF Fridays (watch out pedestrians and bikers, the road is theirs!)

The closest places I can think of the meet "great" public school criteria (assuming you mean standardized tests), are walkable, bikable and reasonably transit friendly-but have less new housing- are Rocky River-Westside, and Shaker Heights, east side. As you spread outward the mighty car is more and more beloved, sidewalks disappear, giving way to endless strip mall parking lots.
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[orion1778]

A few months ago the Brookings Institute ranked the 30 biggest metro areas by walkability. Cleveland ranked second to last - beating out only Tampa Bay. Kind of sad when you look at some of the cities ranked higher...

D.C. region named most 'walkable' - Life - MSNBC.com

I can't remember where I saw the link to the actual report, but if I remember correctly, they identified only University Circle as a truly "walkable community" in Cleveland, for its density and proximity to retail, restaurants, buses and rapid transit.

[BelieveInCleve]

For walkable communities definitely look into: Lakewood, Shaker Heights, and maybe Euclid, Brooklyn, and Rocky River for the suburbs. Within the city most of the neighborhoods in Cleveland are pretty walkable. For in the city definitely look into Ohio City, Tremont, Edgewater, West Park, University Circle, Little Italy, and Downtown area.

A lot of those areas (for the most part) are close to rapid stops and are close to downtown. They are denser and are easier to walk around or ride a bike around. You will still need a car though, but the public transportation in those areas is pretty good too.

[The Cactus Leaguer]

Thanks for the replies. I am familiar with the Brookings report you mentioned.

As a general rule, there is a direct correlation between the level of pre-WWII housing stock in an area and walkability. The exception being the "new urbanist" concept.

If any of you are curious, there is a Google Mashup available that ranks your address on a walkability scale. It's not perfect (for instance, if you are close to a light rail stop, it doesn't count all of the stuff you can get to easily via light rail), but it's interesting nonetheless:

Walk Score - Helping homebuyers, renters, and real estate agents find houses and apartments in great neighborhoods.

[Clevelandgal]

you are 100% correct. If you are able to sacrfice newer developments, you can get a great urban neighborhood. A lot of communities also have nice, newer, rec centers ie Cleveland Heights, that compliment the older housing stock.

[The Cactus Leaguer]

Originally Posted by Clevelandgal

you are 100% correct. If you are able to sacrfice newer developments, you can get a great urban neighborhood. A lot of communities also have nice, newer, rec centers ie Cleveland Heights, that compliment the older housing stock.

Yeah, I don't know if my wife would be too keen on Cleveland Heights or Shaker Heights (I might though, especially if I end up working at or near Cleveland Clinic). She grew up in Strongsville, and most of her family lives around Hinckley/Granger/Hudson... she also has one cousin in Lakewood which I thought was a pretty cool area (sort of reminded me of a cross between Irvington and Hawthorne, for those of you who are familiar with Portland).

[costello_musicman]

Not quite related to what you're probably looking for, but a cool link from the new Avenue District with some interesting articles:

The Avenue District: Costs of Commuting Part One: Tracking National Trends

[dickgobbler]

walking anywhere in cleveland is becoming increasingly dangerous. Lakewood is still kind of safe, but depending on where your are, there may not be anyplace to walk to -- empty storefront? filthy park? foreclosed home?

[saba2r]

Originally Posted by dickgobbler

walking anywhere in cleveland is becoming increasingly dangerous. Lakewood is still kind of safe, but depending on where your are, there may not be anyplace to walk to -- empty storefront? filthy park? foreclosed home?

The Coventry area of Cleveland Heights is walkable and interesting.