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I would just like to emphasize the difference in surrounding areas between the 2 - both are lovely (personally I prefer Nakoma), but to get to Maple Bluff, you have to drive through several blocks of industrial and aged and decrepit unattractive commercial areas. I guess some people might like it to remind them of the changing city.
I live in Maple Bluff, and I'd definitely choose Nakoma. Like others have said, Maple Bluff is basically an island surrounded by industrial areas that are kind of dingy. Nakoma is close to Dudgeon-Monroe and the surrounding areas are generally more scenic and vibrant. The public schools in the Nakoma district are better than in Maple Bluff as well. I wouldn't call the people stuck up though. My husband and I started renting a house there in Nov - our next door neighbor kept our driveway and sidewalks cleared of snow for over a week while we were visiting relatives for the holidays, and he didn't know us from Adam. You want to talk about the best Christmas gift anybody ever got!
[FONT=Verdana]I'm SHOCKED - This person's request was to compare two neighborhoods and not to start some kind of negative campaign against another neighborhood that you don't even live in. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]You've probably made your decision on neighborhoods by now, but I wanted to set the record straight because it's obvious that some people reporting on Maple Bluff don't have first hand experiences living here and by simply disparaging Maple Bluff over Nakoma doesn't provide a basis for fair judgment. Besides, how would anyone know completely unless you've lived in both?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]I moved here 5 years ago and my "Madison friends" truly thought I had made a BIG mistake. In fact it has turned out to be one of the BEST decisions that I have ever made. The people here are extremely friendly and accepting of others. We have diverse economics, some people of color, multi-nationals, and gay residents. I can easily claim to know and be on friendly terms with at least one household on every street and still enjoy complete privacy while at home. The Village has adult and family friendly festivities throughout the year to bring neighbors together - From Winterfest - Card Games - Races - Parades - Bocce Ball Tourneys to Family Movies played on a sheet on the side of the beach house on Friday nights in the summer (How cool would that be for a childhood memory??). [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]If the industrial corridor is a "reminder of a changing city", please let me remind this person that, first, those buildings are in the City of Madison which includes Nakoma and that the main industrial building belongs to Web Crafters, owned by Jerry Frautchi who, with his wife Pleasant Roland, donated $250 million to the City of Madison to build the incredible Overture Center downtown. If the sight of a blue collar workplace is an issue for you, take Old Sherman Avenue past Tenny Park, a beautiful drive along the lake, and you'll never see those buildings. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]I'll agree that the surrounding North side is perhaps not as exciting with great chic restaurants and cool shops, but none of that is more than 15-20 mins away. We have some great family owned places here and are accessed without dealing with crazy traffic. We're 3 miles to the heart of downtown and have the option of either driving through the city or going around the north side of the lake to get to the far west side. We are really conveniently close to accessing the expressway and just a short cab ride to the airport (off the plane and home in 10 minutes), we can walk to see the Mallards Baseball games and to Rhythm and Booms AND we're on the lake![/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]Maple Bluff is not a gated community, we are a village. Many years ago, the City of Madison refused to annex us. Since then, the city of Madison has grown around the village and we have become a self sufficient community. We have sidewalks, just not on every street and the roads are very safe for walking. Our taxes may be higher (and they are not INSANE), but In Maple Bluff we have a Village President who is accessible and known personally to everyone. We know our Fire and Police force personally (The police will hold an extra set of keys for your house). We also have superior public spaces with beautiful gardens, our own beach, a marina, and more parks per resident than anywhere else in Dane Co. and with awesome play equipment. In addition, superior public works, excellent roads and services such as lawn waste and fall leaf collection weekly. Our taxes support Madison's schools where we receive no special benefits, and our children excel in education and are certainly as educated as the children of Nakoma.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]Nakoma is also a very nice neighborhood. I don't know if it has the same incredible sense of living in a caring and friendly community that I have in Maple Bluff - It very well may. However, from the Nakoma Resident's comments I've read today it seems to me that these respondents embody the exact aspersions they cast - Snooty and I might add Bitchy too. I hope they are not representative of Nakoma's general population. I can tell you in Maple Bluff I have never found that type of behavior to be prevalent. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]And as far as the comment about the Governor's Mansion - Are you kidding? First, I don't know of any resident that uses that for bragging rights and if mentioned; have you never told anyone that you live in Madison and explained how beautiful our city and Capitol are? If not, then shame on you![/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana][URL="http://www.villageofmaplebluff.com/"]Village of Maple Bluff, Madison, Wisconsin[/URL] [/FONT]
Last edited by BstYet2Be; 08-24-2008 at 02:27 PM..
Reason: removed font chars
Say you want to walk to a restaurant, or a cafe, or a few shops, from your front door. Where do you go?
Really, answer that? If you are fine with living in your little village and having to get in the car and drive to anywhere you want to go, then sure Maple Bluff works. But if you want to live in a vibrant urban community that is MORE than JUST residential, then Nakoma is it, hands down.
Tell me, do you feel safe once you leave your little village and walk onto Sherman Ave, down past Sherman Terrace, and the towers at night? And what would be the point, since there is nowhere to even go within walking distance? Oh sure there's that little dumpy "creole" restaurant, but I think that closed anyway. I lived right there, and it is NOT safe at all, very high crime, I witness drug deals and robberies. New Orleans takeout is the only good food around there, but they are just take-out and you just might get stabbed for your wallet on the way there. You may not know about all that ***** that goes on though because you never leave your Rockwellian village except by car. I moved out of the area when THREE of my neighbors got robbed on separate occasions, the gas station got robbed half a dozen times, and so did NOTO.
Nakoma is a very nice neighborhood that is actually a neighborhood, not just a little suburb, they have tons of shops, cafes, restaurants, etc, and a vibrant feel.
To each his own, but contrasting the differences between these two areas is exactly what the OP wanted, not some diatribe about why Maple Bluff doesn't suck.
Where are the tons of shops, cafes, restaurants in Nakoma? Are you talking Monroe Street? That could be a pretty big walk from Nakoma depending on where in Nakoma you live. Maybe I'm missing something. Please explain. Both are great areas with avg. to poor public schools. I would not live in either. Vilas is a better than both.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ostrichrider
Say you want to walk to a restaurant, or a cafe, or a few shops, from your front door. Where do you go?
Really, answer that? If you are fine with living in your little village and having to get in the car and drive to anywhere you want to go, then sure Maple Bluff works. But if you want to live in a vibrant urban community that is MORE than JUST residential, then Nakoma is it, hands down.
Tell me, do you feel safe once you leave your little village and walk onto Sherman Ave, down past Sherman Terrace, and the towers at night? And what would be the point, since there is nowhere to even go within walking distance? Oh sure there's that little dumpy "creole" restaurant, but I think that closed anyway. I lived right there, and it is NOT safe at all, very high crime, I witness drug deals and robberies. New Orleans takeout is the only good food around there, but they are just take-out and you just might get stabbed for your wallet on the way there. You may not know about all that ***** that goes on though because you never leave your Rockwellian village except by car. I moved out of the area when THREE of my neighbors got robbed on separate occasions, the gas station got robbed half a dozen times, and so did NOTO.
Nakoma is a very nice neighborhood that is actually a neighborhood, not just a little suburb, they have tons of shops, cafes, restaurants, etc, and a vibrant feel.
To each his own, but contrasting the differences between these two areas is exactly what the OP wanted, not some diatribe about why Maple Bluff doesn't suck.
Clearly It seems to me that ostrichrider's issues are with the City of Madison, of which they are a citizen of (Nakoma is not a city, town or villiage - it's the west side of Madison) and not with Maple Bluff.
I live in the area on the North side and I am offended that you paint our community as a crime ridden. In 20 years, I've not known anyone personally who has been mugged or robbed. I am not afraid on the streets here.
And yes, where are those wonderful restaurant's? They are really not in Nakoma, or do you mean the Country Club? There are several restaurants on the North side that are good to go to, perhaps they are not haute cuisine, but the people on this side of town are not haughty either.
I also do not see Stevo's post as diatribe - they have offfered more useful information about what it's like to live in Maple Bluff than your gratuitous neighborhood bashing. I think Ostricrifer paints a condecending ("little village"), skewed and unfair picture. You don't sound like you would be a very nice person to live next door to.
Right on my friend. I'm still waiting to hear where all the shops and restaurants are located in Nakoma. Sounds like Ostricrifer is including Dudgeon/Monroe shops and restaurants in Nakoma. Check out the following neighborhoods for vibrancy AND great schools:
Vilas
Dudgeon/Monroe
Bay Creek
Regent
To me Nakoma is just an area I have to drive through to get to the fun.
Clearly It seems to me that ostrichrider's issues are with the City of Madison, of which they are a citizen of (Nakoma is not a city, town or villiage - it's the west side of Madison) and not with Maple Bluff.
I live in the area on the North side and I am offended that you paint our community as a crime ridden. In 20 years, I've not known anyone personally who has been mugged or robbed. I am not afraid on the streets here.
And yes, where are those wonderful restaurant's? They are really not in Nakoma, or do you mean the Country Club? There are several restaurants on the North side that are good to go to, perhaps they are not haute cuisine, but the people on this side of town are not haughty either.
I also do not see Stevo's post as diatribe - they have offfered more useful information about what it's like to live in Maple Bluff than your gratuitous neighborhood bashing. I think Ostricrifer paints a condecending ("little village"), skewed and unfair picture. You don't sound like you would be a very nice person to live next door to.
You clearly suffer from a case of the common Madison bubble syndrome. I lived in Madison for 10 years in numerous neighborhoods including downtown, near east, and north sides, and have experienced everything I said in my prior posts.
If you think this crime does not exist, go hang out in Sherman Terrace for a night and report back.
You clearly suffer from a case of the common Madison bubble syndrome. I lived in Madison for 10 years in numerous neighborhoods including downtown, near east, and north sides, and have experienced everything I said in my prior posts.
If you think this crime does not exist, go hang out in Sherman Terrace for a night and report back.
Ignorance is bliss!!!
What about Verona road - adjacent to Nakoma. No crime there huh.
You clearly suffer from a case of the common Madison bubble syndrome. I lived in Madison for 10 years in numerous neighborhoods including downtown, near east, and north sides, and have experienced everything I said in my prior posts.
If you think this crime does not exist, go hang out in Sherman Terrace for a night and report back.
Ignorance is bliss!!!
What gets defined as "high crime" in Madison is truly laughable. Sherman Terrace? That still had graduate students living in it in the 1990s, and probably still does.
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