West Springfield - a safer option in western Mass? (Boston: crime rate, home)

[ncdwar]

Hi guys,

I am moving from Boston to western Mass and was thinking of West Springfield to be a better choice - i felt it gave me a sub urban feel, it was closer to work and most importantly, i kind of felt it was safer than Springfield, Chicopee and Holyoke.
Any thoughts?
I am looking at staying south of Holyoke and/or near the CT border.
Thanks guys!!

Dave

[western mass and love it]

I live in West Springfield and feel it is safe,it has an urban to suburban feel. All shopping is within town or right on the border with holyoke at the holyoke mall. Springfield is right over the river and Hartford is about 30 mins to the south for easy commuting. You have access to both the pike and 91 right in town also rt 5 and rt20 run right through town. The area of town closest to the river is generally the more urban area and as you go west it turns more suburban but not to the point of it feeling to far removed. As far as schools go the k-5 schools are generally quite good with the Tatham school being the best rated, the middle school is ranked towards the middle of pack and the High school is also.

I would reccomend West Side as town to live in and have done so in the past.

[JViello]

Definitely check out east longmeadow as well. Right on the ct border very nice town.

[JuJu83]

The following Springfield neighborhoods are as safe as any suburb in Western Mass:

* Sixteen Acres
* Indian Orchard
* Forest Park Heights
* East Forest Park
* Pine Point

In my opinion, many of the people on here who write negative things about Springfield do it because 10 years ago it was pretty much "left for dead." Since then, like Frankenstein: "it's alive...!"

Since 2006, when the State Board and National Urban Land Institute came into Springfield, there's been a large monetary investment ($billions) in infrastructure and economic development here. Baystate $251 million "Hospital of the Future" is bringing in 550 new doctors; Springfield's getting two new train lines, (one high-speed its grand train station is being renovated for $70 million; a high-tech data center is being built in the old Tech high school downtown ($76 million.) Jobs are moving downtown, like WFCR... Recently, almost all of the major economic news out of Springfield has been positive -- although you'd never know it listening to the Debbie Downers on here.

What you NEVER hear on here about Springfield is that its crime rate decreased almost 50% from 2003 unti now; or that it's attracted a bunch of new festivals, (e.g. The Springfield Vintage Grand Prix; The Hoops City Jazz Festival or that a new kind of people are moving downtown -- bohemians, artists, and people who recognize the city's potential (and currently low prices.)

...Or that Springfield's SABIS International high school is the highest rated in Western Mass.

If you like urban living, I highly recommend Metro Center -- personally, I LOVE living here. Culture, parks, symphony, theater, the Club Quarter where there's always great rock and blues. Also, in my opinion, Springfield has the most walkable, large urban downtown in New England, (excepting Boston's.) It's a great city, whereas 10 years ago: not so much.

[western mass and love it]

Originally Posted by JuJu83

The following Springfield neighborhoods are as safe as any suburb in Western Mass:

* Sixteen Acres
* Indian Orchard
* Forest Park Heights
* East Forest Park
* Pine Point

In my opinion, many of the people on here who write negative things about Springfield do it because 10 years ago it was pretty much "left for dead." Since then, like Frankenstein: "it's alive...!"

Since 2006, when the State Board and National Urban Land Institute came into Springfield, there's been a large monetary investment ($billions) in infrastructure and economic development here. Baystate $251 million "Hospital of the Future" is bringing in 550 new doctors; Springfield's getting two new train lines, (one high-speed its grand train station is being renovated for $70 million; a high-tech data center is being built in the old Tech high school downtown ($76 million.) Jobs are moving downtown, like WFCR... Recently, almost all of the major economic news out of Springfield has been positive -- although you'd never know it listening to the Debbie Downers on here.

What you NEVER hear on here about Springfield is that its crime rate decreased almost 50% from 2003 unti now; or that it's attracted a bunch of new festivals, (e.g. The Springfield Vintage Grand Prix; The Hoops City Jazz Festival or that a new kind of people are moving downtown -- bohemians, artists, and people who recognize the city's potential (and currently low prices.)

...Or that Springfield's SABIS International high school is the highest rated in Western Mass.

If you like urban living, I highly recommend Metro Center -- personally, I LOVE living here. Culture, parks, symphony, theater, the Club Quarter where there's always great rock and blues. Also, in my opinion, Springfield has the most walkable, large urban downtown in New England, (excepting Boston's.) It's a great city, whereas 10 years ago: not so much.

that kool aid must be really refreshing because you are drinking a ton of it.....lol

[western mass and love it]

And please do not send your kids to Spfld public schools. While i do not think Spfld is as bad as people like to claim it does have it's issues. The murders are out of control as well as all the violent crimes in the city.

The neighborhoods that were touted as being great neighborhoods is greatly embelished as well, with 16 acres and east forest park being the best and forest park a tier below. As far as Pine Point and Indian Orchard do not waste your time they are both undesirable.

If you have school aged children please look into the burbs mentioned earlier in the thread and stay out of the Springfield public school system. Sabis is a charter school and admittance is based on a lottery,and with that being said it is not a given to win and it also is still New England and that whole clannish parochial attitude does come into play(meaning it up's your chances greatly if you know lots of people in the proper channels). but just please concentrate on the burbs.

[ctcoldplay11]

West Springfield is nice (though, as previously stated, the area nearest the CT river is a little dumpy, but not really "unsafe".) All in all, WSpfld is a nice little city, and has many very, very nice neighborhoods, but I'm not entirely sure its schools are anything to write home about. I'd also check out East Longmeadow; it's a beautiful town.

[Justin Sparks]

Originally Posted by western mass and love it

that kool aid must be really refreshing because you are drinking a ton of it.....lol

Or selling it, lol.

[Nerdette]

I grew up in West Springfield, moved to Boston for school, then moved back to Western Mass about 10 years ago. I have lived in Hatfield (out of the question for you), West Springfield, and now Feeding Hills. I would say that out of the three, West Springfield is and will always be where I feel safest. There are areas by the Big E that aren't the nicest (if it abuts Springfield, it may not be the best area of town) but even those areas aren't horrible; they're like Brighton without all the character. Feeding Hills is okay, but there's really nothing there entertainment-wise; you'd have to go to West Springfield/Holyoke/Springfield for that kind of thing anyways. Oh, and if you end up in Feeding Hills (better schools than West Side, but it's a trade-off) watch out for the roving gangs of privileged, car-stealing teenagers to whom we have already fallen victim to in the six months we have lived here.

[DrCox]

I have lived in West Springfield for 9 years now and feel completely safe. There is a lot less crime here than in Springfield. I can leave car doors unlocked without fear of theft. My kids walk to the parks and school and we all cycle around town. All in all its a safer community than Springfield. Holyoke is less safe but does have its nice parts of town. I would avoid Springfield if at all possible.