Peninsula vs. Southside? (Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton: to rent, neighborhood, buying)

[cafepithecus]

I've lived here 9 years and am really not feeling it. I don't think I ever really have, but it's worse the past six months or so. It's never been "home" for me, and I don't completely hate the area - there are things I dislike, sure, but that's everywhere. What I really want is a more urban "city" feel than I get here. This whole area to me feels like one big sprawling suburb without a true city next to it.

I've always lived in Hampton/NN/York Co - but is the Southside really all that different? I like Ghent, but I wonder sometimes if I lived over there, if it would really feel all that "city" or if I would just feel like I was living in a small city-esque area inside a big old suburb.

[damian]

The Peninsula really has more of an overall suburban fell to it. The southside, or Norfolk in particular is much more urban. Norfolk has Ghent, Larchmont, Freemason, Downtown that give more of an urban, city feel to the area. VB has the Town Center, but that is more artificially created and has not matured yet. Chesapeake and Suffolk are almost all suburban.

[xGrendelx]

If you're looking for urban in Hampton Roads, the Southside is really all you got. Norfolk and Portsmouth are the only cities I'd classify as "urban."

[damian]

Oh yeah, i forgot about Portsmouth...check out olde town, port norfolk and downtown portsmouth..there is ferry service connecting Portsmouth and norfolk

[Valkyria]

If you want an urban feel, downtown Norfolk may be the way to go. I loved living in Ghent, walking to restaurants and the Naro, but it still had a neighborhood feel to me. In downtown Norfolk, you'd have a mall within walking distance, bars, restaurants, theaters (Scope, Chrysler Hall, Wells, Regal Cinema to name a few). There's even a grocery store down there now - you could practically be pedestrian if you wanted.

[xGrendelx]

Originally Posted by damian

Oh yeah, i forgot about Portsmouth...

It happens.

[cafepithecus]

Originally Posted by Valkyria

If you want an urban feel, downtown Norfolk may be the way to go. I loved living in Ghent, walking to restaurants and the Naro, but it still had a neighborhood feel to me. In downtown Norfolk, you'd have a mall within walking distance, bars, restaurants, theaters (Scope, Chrysler Hall, Wells, Regal Cinema to name a few). There's even a grocery store down there now - you could practically be pedestrian if you wanted.

True - it's so expensive though, I could be living in a bigger city for the amount I'd pay to rent down there. And I'd never be able to even think about buying on my salary. :-/

[xGrendelx]

Originally Posted by cafepithecus

True - it's so expensive though, I could be living in a bigger city for the amount I'd pay to rent down there. And I'd never be able to even think about buying on my salary. :-/

Downtown Norfolk/Ghent are expensive, but it's not entirely impossible to find affordable places. I was looking into moving to Ghent about a year ago, and I found a 2 bedroom for $850. I also saw some studios/1 bedrooms for less than $750. Not exactly dirt cheap, but still...