North Linden (Columbus, Cleveland, Westerville: middle-class, for sale, 2013)

[bluechris]

I'm hearing that this is a very mixed area for safety and stuff, but we can afford to be there and it sounds better than hilltop/whitehall/south linden.
So is it all bad, all alright, are there bits to avoid. It didn't look particularly great driving through south of morse (drove cleveland/morse to oakland park, to karl, back to morse) but looked better north, though i want to focus on the area south of Morse here.

What's this area really like to live in? Are ther sections in here which are better kept, than others. Is it a case of the farther north you go, the better or is it more complex than that? Are they going to do anything with the old mall site, and how bad has that closing affected the area?

[dustcircle]

we just moved in off I-71 and N Broadway. not too bad, but gets a little loud with the car stereos. some drama, but not bad. I wouldn't personally live near cleveland, but some pockets around there seem decent. further towards I-71 you are, the better off it seems. Hudson gets a lot of drama too - i can see a heli circling that area frequently from my back yard. Good luck.

[dblockindabuildin]

The further towards I-71 and Morse the better, usually. An exception to this is Shanley Drive off of Karl, stay away from those apartments. Cleveland avenue isn't really that bad until you get past Weber... then it starts to get a lot shadier. By the time you get to Hudson its pretty questionable, although I personally don't think its "unsafe" (Then again, there's not a single street in Columbus I'm scared to walk down besides a few on the westside). Anyways, I'd say look in the Maize Road area, its quiet, fairly cheap and safe.

[eekie]

I moved into this area (Maize Road, south of Cooke) about a year ago and quite like it. I moved from near Hudson and High and this area is nicer, quieter, safer, and less expensive. It's really nice not to have the helicopter circling all the time! You really can find decent, affordable living in this area.

[Sassigayle]

My husband and I live east of McGuffy and just south of Weber. I've never had any serious problems in 20 years. Our neighbors are friendly and we have front porches so I think that keeps us connected. I wish there were more people interested in Linden because it's a great location-close to I-71 and minutes from almost everything. I don't know if we are "urban pioneers" or not,but we've renovated our home and it would rival any in Clintonville at a fraction of the cost.

[Sassigayle]

I just came across this old thread regarding North Linden. I had commented that it was a pretty decent place to live. As a long term resident, I've puzzled that other 'bad' neighborhoods, despite their reputation, have seen a revitalization in business and attracted many new homeowners. Perhaps no one has taken the time to promote Linden properly. So I thought I'd update this post and give some reasons why Linden should be on the radar due to its affordable housing, proximity to entertainment, shopping and local establishments.
1.It has 3 main corridors that feed into I-71 with few traffic lights: Hudson Avenue, Weber Road and East North Broadway.
2. Columbus Alternative High School (CAHS). Enrollment is by lottery, but it is a neighborhood gem. Ranked in the top 4 percent of Ohio's schools.
3. The Crew Stadium is nearby.
4 Close to campus.
5. There are a few neighborhood parks and the Linden Park has a Rec Center.
6. Great mixed use potential: Hudson, Weber and Oakland Park have many commercially zoned properties with thriving businesses. These are concentrated on the three main corridors and are accessible by a short walk from the residential areas, thus reducing the need for parking. See my list below for personal recommendations.
7. Minutes from Easton Town Center - upscale shopping and dining.
8. Local Churches - many denominations represented.
9. Bus lines - lots of them.
10. North and South Linden Commissions. These have been around for quite a while, led by those who live and work in the area. They work with the city on policies and programs that affect us.
11. Should have put this further up the list, but affordable housing. Some homes for sale are in pretty good shape, others are 'fixer uppers'. South of Weber, many streets are one way and low traffic.

Here's my list of some area businesses I can personally recommend from experience. most are within walking distance in the neighborhood. There are many more I haven't patronized, but may be noteworthy. If you want to add to this list, feel free.
Restaurants Eat in: Daybreak Diner & JW's Bar and Grill on Weber, Yin Yue's has been there over 30 years on Hudson, Donatos on Oakland Park.
Take out: Suzie's Sub Shop (awesome pizza), Peppers on Hudson for the best fried fish. China Chef at Westerville & Weber - great wings(they have tables, but the atmosphere is definitely take out), Portofino's Pizza on Oakland Park - three foot pizzas (the kids love the novelty of it).
Dairy Queen on Oakland near Maize.

I would love to have a local coffee shop within walking distance to enjoy my java and a couple more dine in places where I can enjoy some food and drink and hang out with neighbors and friends instead of driving to Clintonville.
Grocery: Cooks IGA on Oakland Park, in the heart of North Linden. Their prices are usually a bit higher than the larger chain stores, but have been a life saver when I find I am missing an ingredient during preparation of a meal. Their deli is small but has a nice offering of salads and meats. Aldi on Silver Drive & Hudson isn't so easy to reach by foot, but close. Kroger at Northern Lights.
Banking: PNC at Cleveland and Weber. The staff there is among the nicest I have ever met.
Automotive: Weber Auto (family run, honest and reasonably priced). Advanced Auto Parts on Cleveland Avenue and CARQUEST on Silver Drive ( I have found the staff at both of these places to be very helpful and friendly)
Miscellaneous: Oakland Nursery - known for their huge selection of plants and garden supplies.
Lowes on Silver Drive & Hudson - Building, garden supplies and home projects.

[Mplsite]

I'm confused myself why the city isn't giving any attention to this part of Linden, since it has already seen private investment make improvements and is the only place from which the area can ever improve. If they ever want that to happen. It was a mistake to make a huge investment solely in American Addition in all of the NE side where there's nothing to walk to: it's on a small urban grid, but with no urban amenities. Good luck relying on a bus or bike out there. They could have rebuilt some homes out there and set aside the rest to give a bit of Cleveland Ave a face lift and rehab from Weber north. Last year the (sub)neighborhood (of Kenmore Park) got a write up by the Dispatch and well before that in 2010 the neighborhood got a shout out in the NY Times. Cleveland Ave itself north from Myrtle has seen some popular restaurants move in: yet another indicator for the city to help move things along. Ena's has been there a long time as has New Harvest Cafe and a newer arrival, Boujhetto's, is a place I'd like to try out and has been getting great reviews. The fact that even faced with all of the problems in the area, real and perceived, that there are success stories making it like these businesses and residents' efforts for stabilizing their corner of Linden such as Kenmore Park, is really quite remarkable and just as disappointing that the city still leaves this place off of its radar.

Once you get down to Hudson, it is sketchy as it's the border between North and South Linden: cross the south side and you're in one of the city's murder capitals, not to mention high rates of all other sorts of crimes: break ins, muggings, etc. I think it's best to keep a buffer and stay around Weber or north of there with the exception of Kenmore Park which really is an adorable little area. That Sunrise bar has seen shootings, the BP or Shell had a mass stabbing with a bunch of guys fighting with knives in the middle of the night, and I know of a girl who lived around there and had to walk around over half an hour to lose a group of guys who had been following her. Again, I'd err on maintaining a healthy distance from Hudson.

[Natural510]

Surprised you guys haven't mentioned Ena's on Cleveland & Myrtle, which has been a mainstay in the area and helped bring in people (like me) who'd have no reason to roll through North Linden otherwise. Driving through the neighborhood north of Myrtle, I agree looks pretty nice and middle-class, and would be a good place to settle before it gets expensive (the schools may be a different story, still).

[jbcmh81]

While quite a few inner core neighborhoods are seeing public/private investment and revitalization, Linden hasn't been seeing that for a few reasons.

First, it's not a core area. It's not adjacent to Downtown, and those neighborhoods are the ones that are hot right now and seeing the investment. It does seem to be spreading further out, but it's going to take some time to do so.

Second, Linden doesn't really have a central focus. There is no Downtown Linden, so there's no center point to focus investment on and work out from. Perhaps Cleveland Avenue could be, and perhaps with the planned BRT route, that might change a bit. And the area was built much later than areas further in, so the housing stock is generally of a lower quality and feels a lot more suburban in nature. These aspects work against targeted revitalization. There are some areas seeing gradual improvements, but most of that is taking place in southern sections, which incidentally are closest to Downtown.

Third, crime is still relatively high in the area. It's hard to attract more investment when this is the case. In general, crime rates are dropping, but it's still a negative right now.

This is not to say that Linden does not have positives or nothing to offer, but these are 3 major points that Linden just doesn't share with areas near Downtown.

[Bodycount]

The only time I actively lock my doors is when I'm driving through the Linden area.

No other place really scares me.. even the Hilltop area.