Cambridge/JP to Quincy? (Boston, Worcester: real estate, 2014, city hall)

[okelle]

My partner and I are in our early 40s, no children. We are shopping for a home and are considering Quincy, since it's got lots of lovely, affordable one-families with nice back yards on quiet side streets, and is close to the water. In 2011 I moved ALL the way across the river from the Cambridge/Somerville side to the JP area and found it a difficult shift. Quincy has many attractions -- including its multicultural feel, its marshes, it beaches, and the Red Line -- but I'm not very familiar with the area and have only one friend who lives there.

I enjoy many aspects of city life but want to be able to step out my back door into a garden and let my cats run free. I'm a white woman of Irish descent but grew up in the NYC metro area. The whole native-Boston-Irish thing is kind of alienating for me, and I miss a lot of the cultural happenings I was used to in the Camberville area. In particular, I'm a writer and poet.

Is there anyone living in Quincy who can identify? What's your experience living there now? Would you recommend it? What local hangouts, restaurants, or organizations would you recommend?

Thanks so much,

Okelle

[CaseyB]

I have nothing to add about Quincy, but I'd caution you about letting your cats outside anywhere in the Commonwealth.

[flowbe202]

If you're having a hard time in JP after a Camberville move, you may die from the shock of emigrating to Quincy.

The house would have to be sooo spectacular and beyond your dreams to atone for the relative isolation of Quincy.

I say this because my friend's partner lives in Quincy and she lives and works in Camberville. It's not Oz, Toto, it's Kansas.

[johngolf]

Is Cambridge to JP to Quincy social climbing or the reverse? Been a few years since I lived in the area so I am confused.

[tribechamy]

Originally Posted by flowbe202

If you're having a hard time in JP after a Camberville move, you may die from the shock of emigrating to Quincy.

That was my reaction, too. Depending, that is...what was it that you found hard adjusting to? I know after living in Camberville (or as I call it, TriBeChaMy) life outside of the Triangle Between Charles and Mystic can be scary, but JP is usually thought to have a similar feel, especially if you are creative, so I'm really curious what specifically felt difficult - that might help us advise you.

Also not sure what you mean about the whole Boston-native-Irish thing. Do you mean what we might call "townie", like, you feel like you're living in a Casey Affleck movie? (I'm a Boston Irish woman myself but if this is what you mean I get where you're coming from). If so I'm sorry to say you WILL find that in Quincy, or almost anywhere along south of Boston. If you really don't want this you should stick to Bos-Cam-Som or MetroWest.

That's not to say that it's some sort of dropped R cultural wasteland here (I'm next door in Braintree), I have friends in Quincy who are writers, artists, activists, etc. It's just that it may be not always be as easy for a poet to find kindred spirits than it would if you were in Cambridge. That said I think a lot of folks love the Merrymount neighborhood, Wollaston also seems kind of cool. Also check out the Quincy Art Association, the First Parish Unitarian church, the YMCA, peruse some of the Quincy entries on Meetup, you may be able to chat with someone who can help you find an area comfortable for you. Sorry, I wish I could give more specifics, I know the area in general but not as well as someone who lives there.

[flowbe202]

Originally Posted by johngolf

Is Cambridge to JP to Quincy social climbing or the reverse?

FOR PEOPLE ASKING...
It's like being kicked out of heaven (Cambridge -> JP) and having the gates locked on your sorry butt as you plummet to hades (JP ->Quincy).

Obviously all the diehard Quincy/Braintree people will be all over my post telling us how superlative Quincy is to all other towns.

If you like Quincy, you won't understand how it feels for someone who is approaching it as a runner's up prize. The OP didn't buy in Camberville when still affordable, had to move with partner across the river (and bring their passport and get their shots), and is now being told they're moving out of all things crunchy and co-op-y to a place that has more SAV-A-LOTs types than Harvest Coops.

Quincy has 3 T stops. It has a beach. It has cute, Tudor like buildings. It oozes righteous First Ladies and their President husbands. It has real-time multi-culturalism. It should be the best thing since gluten-free, carb-free, vegan carob cookies.

Yes, Quincy should be successful, but it can't get it's act together. And that is sad!

The future of the $1.6B downtown Quincy redevelopment is in flux now - Boston Business Journal

Dissecting what went wrong with the Quincy downtown project - News - Wicked Local Quincy - Quincy, MA

[pennyone]

"Obviously all the diehard Quincy/Braintree people will be all over my post telling us how superlative Quincy is to all other towns."...

You are entitled to your opinion, but I have never read anything on CD that place Quincy in a superlative position to "all other towns". Each place has its strengths and weaknesses, and we are not talking about some high school rivalry here. Quincy is also a city, and so it's not useful to compare it to small and more homogeneous towns like Milton, Hingham etc. It is more useful to compare it to other cities around the state.

I am still bullish for Quincy. We live on Wollaston Hill and we love it here. For around 400K, we got a very nice colonial with a nice sized yard and plenty of trees and great neighbors. Quincy has a diversity of features, like the ocean, the hill and the flatland that can cater to almost every taste. It has lots of architectural interests too in its housing stock. It has a strong middle class tax base, and at 92,000 people, it is the eighth largest in size but its equalized valuation (the value of its total real estate) is slightly bigger than Worcester, a city far bigger than Quincy in absolute size. This means that Quincy as a place of residence is relatively valuable. It is also relatively low in crime for a big city (it is three times bigget than its small neighbor Milton), with hardly any violent ones.

The Quincy Center project may have stalled for now, but I am not sure if it is really the fault of the city. Regardless, the Town Brook that runs under the center has been diverted (planned for so long and finally done), the Parkway is built (that cuts through the center for quicker commute through the city) and the Adams Green is starting (yes, traffic diversion galore). City Hall renovation will finish soon and it will be beautiful, and so will the historic Coddington Hall renovation project. The absolutely awesome new YMCA will finish its final clearing of the old building to add new parking for members, and that whole stretch will be amazing once everything is done. The new Quincy High School, the New Central Middle are both finished, and now another new Sterling Middle School in South Quincy has just received permission from the state for the planned go-ahead. The other high school in the city, North Quincy High, won the High School Quiz Show on WGBH two years ago, and it's due for a brand new $12 million playing field. We don't have kids ourselves, like the op, but good schools are very important to any town or city's future and so we absolutely support these school renovations.

So, you can fixate on the center all you want, but I prefer to look at the overall picture. The value of my home has risen above what we bought it at in 2004, and most homes on the market go under agreement within weeks. The city government, from my experience, has been very responsive to everything from tree trimming to pothole filling and other concerns. North Quincy Center and Wollaston Center are both loaded with very cute and diverse restaurants. We are very happy with the city so far. PM me with any questions if you wish!

By the way, Quincy does have an ordinance to keep pet cats indoors for the sake of their safety and the safety of other animals like songbirds.

[tribechamy]

Great points. I forgot to say: please DON'T let your cats run free. Destructive to wildlife and unhealthy/fatal for the cats.

[flowbe202]

OP isn't comparing Quincy to Milton, Hingham or Worcester... It's a comparison to Cambridge and JP.

Cambridge/JP are HIGHLY sought for SFHs and are impossible to achieve without some serious money.

Moving from Brockton, Worcester or New Bedford, YES, Quincy would be a step up for all the reasons you outlined. But, it isn't a fair comparison as none of those cities are as close to Boston nor do rhey have direct subway service to downtown Boston.

All properties in the metro Boston area have increased since 2004 unless bought for so far above the market rate -- I'd be shocked if yours hadn't increased in value. Mine has increased $50k since 2012 and I've only changed the lightbulbs. Prices are insane which is why Boston/Cambridge people like the OP have to look to places like Quincy which they wouldn't have considered 5-10 years ago.

Moving from Cambridge to Quincy is a step down in the OP's mind -- it already happened once with JP which is much more similar to Camberville than Quincy -- and the OP is trying to adjust by finding things to make the move worthwhile. To say there are no qualitative differences between the two is doing both towns a disservice. Price can be a very motivating factor and, in this case, may be all there is until the OP has adjusted to the move.

Cities need a strong downtown to offset the municipal spending projects you outlined as well as drive future developments. Wollaston Beach is under state control not municipal and the state has poured money into all its waterfronts. Dead downtowns force people to treat the area like a bedroom community-- sleep in Quincy but spend time and money elsewhere.

//www.city-data.com/city/Cambri...achusetts.html

//www.city-data.com/city/Quincy-Massachusetts.html

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by tribechamy

Great points. I forgot to say: please DON'T let your cats run free. Destructive to wildlife and unhealthy/fatal for the cats.

Agreed on all counts