Chicago-area native - thing I've noticed about downtown Phoenix (Glendale: renting, homes)

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by BOBNCHI

To the op's point, I agree regarding it being a big deal. Part of the reason going downtown was a big deal is the easy access we have via the bus, "L" and Metra. Growing up, we rode all three getting around with our parents and, unbeknownst to us, we were learning how each of the systems worked. At around age 10 we were allowed to go short distances alone and by age 12-13 it was the lakefront, downtown, Wrigley Field or Comiskey Park by ourselves. Yes, it was a right of passage and to this day going downtown is still something kinda special.

However, every town whether large, medium or small has it's own distinct personality and to try to compare one with the other, the midwest with the west or any metric, doesnt really work. Enjoy and embrace the unique differences each area provides.

I grew up here and I was basically house ridden because I could not go anywhere because all my friends lived too far away (think of as a kid biking around, even a few blocks can be far if you factor in culdesacs and how so many neighborhoods are poorly connected only via major arterials like Union Hills or Germann) with only major roads that are extremely dangerous for young kids and frankly even adults biking on. I remember in middle school, which was right across the street from a police station, people constantly hit kids crossing the street on bikes because they could not stop for the crosswalk in time. Since it was a major street with traffic lights there was no crossing guard. It happened to my brother even.

Urban areas (as opposed to suburban areas) I think help young kids who are not allowed to drive and only bike and walk stop from being so isolated and helps them in the future with their charisma, social abilities and better more stable relationships/friendships. Not to toot my own horn too much but I like to believe I'm on the smart side of things, my future partner I would like to believe so also, and if we have kids they will also be smart. My kids will be smart regardless of what public school they go to. But I want my future kids to not be house ridden depending on us to drive them around, once they are old enough, and if that means less land than so be it. I think it helps kids grow some independence. Saves money on landscaping and property tax too, on top of car savings, less utility usage, and other kinds of maintenance.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

I grew up here and I was basically house ridden because I could not go anywhere because all my friends lived too far away (think of as a kid biking around, even a few blocks can be far if you factor in culdesacs and how so many neighborhoods are poorly connected only via major arterials like Union Hills or Germann) with only major roads that are extremely dangerous for young kids and frankly even adults biking on. I remember in middle school, which was right across the street from a police station, people constantly hit kids crossing the street on bikes because they could not stop for the crosswalk in time. Since it was a major street with traffic lights there was no crossing guard. It happened to my brother even.

Urban areas (as opposed to suburban areas) I think help young kids who are not allowed to drive and only bike and walk stop from being so isolated and helps them in the future with their charisma, social abilities and better more stable relationships/friendships. Not to toot my own horn too much but I like to believe I'm on the smart side of things, my future partner I would like to believe so also, and if we have kids they will also be smart. My kids will be smart regardless of what public school they go to. But I want my future kids to not be house ridden depending on us to drive them around, once they are old enough, and if that means less land than so be it. I think it helps kids grow some independence. Saves money on landscaping and property tax too, on top of car savings, less utility usage, and other kinds of maintenance.

I think you're stretching a bit much on this one, urban areas present their own challenges, I lived in one for many years and can tell you kids are not safe just roaming around an urban jungle like Chicago, New York, SF or any other big urban city in the country. You'll here the exact opposite story from kids who grew up in say Queens or Manhattan, "I wish I grew up in a place where I could just ride my bike around."


Also, not sure why you were so isolated growing up, I grew up in a suburban area as well, we pedaled around with our crew of neighborhood kids, road around by the canals, headed to the schools to ride the stairs and what not. I never had an issue needing to go more than 1-2 miles from home. This is very much the classic American way of growing up. It's the reason suburbs exist.

[CAHLUV]

Originally Posted by asufan

Downtown Phoenix pretty much always sucked and was never a destination until a handful of years ago, but even now it's nothing great. I lived in Manhattan for a Summer and I "get" the appreciation for urban living, which in my opinion doesn't exist in AZ. I prefer suburban life anyway for the yards, quiet, swimming pools and 4 car garages.

Couldn't have said it better!

[CAHLUV]

Originally Posted by Maroon197

There’s a lot of defensiveness in these responses, but the OP is 100% correct. This state doesn’t offer any urban living option. For all of its progress the past 10+ years, downtown Phoenix is still a joke. There’s no vibrancy or density or genuine street life. It’s borderline depressing down there even after all of the development of recent years. Tempe is the only city developing a true urban core, but it’s still overrun by college kids which limits its appeal for other age groups. Tucson has better bones in its downtown core than Phx, but it’s also a college-centric city that is very economically depressed. People who want an urban lifestyle have one option: leave the state. Pretty sad.

Reality is best-served upfront and blunt! The options to live in other cities is a beautiful thing though.

[veritased]

Chicago is not similar to Phoenix? This is news, a surprise?

LOL.

[Ponderosa]

I get sick of hearing Chicago-this, Chicago-that from transplants that came from there. People who like Chicago or can't seem to go elsewhere without preaching to the locals with their comparisons and their homesickness for all things Chicago should stay there. I doubt we would miss them.

[Burning Madolf]

Originally Posted by veritased

Chicago is not similar to Phoenix? This is news, a surprise?

LOL.

Shocking! What I find hilarious with these comparisons (I'll throw NYC and Boston in too just for @$%ts and giggles) is that there's no mention of time and history. 2, 3, 400 years from now people will be squawking about how City X (a space city with a 100% tax rate) is not as cool as retro Phoenix. I've owned houses in the NE that are older than the state of AZ.

[gliu953]

@wase47411
I looked at apartments around South Tempe and Mesa and Chandler, none of them suited my needs and a few of them were dirty and ratty-looking.
I came from a smaller city and I moved to Phoenix to be near better jobs, quality food, and major league sports.
Where I live now is in a place where I can walk down the street and shop or get a bite to eat, or hop on a bus to Central and take the rail to Chase Field if I want to catch a Diamondbacks game.
I can't do those things in South Tempe without a lot of driving.

[Maroon197]

Originally Posted by Burning Madolf

Shocking! What I find hilarious with these comparisons (I'll throw NYC and Boston in too just for @$%ts and giggles) is that there's no mention of time and history. 2, 3, 400 years from now people will be squawking about how City X (a space city with a 100% tax rate) is not as cool as retro Phoenix. I've owned houses in the NE that are older than the state of AZ.

That’s all well and good, except that even cities like Austin and Boise, Idaho offer better urban lifestyle options than Phoenix. It’s ridiculous. Given the population and resources of metro Phoenix, there’s no reason the city shouldn’t be able to offer both urban and suburban living options.

[pbenjamin]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

I get sick of hearing Chicago-this, Chicago-that from transplants that came from there. People who like Chicago or can't seem to go elsewhere without preaching to the locals with their comparisons and their homesickness for all things Chicago should stay there. I doubt we would miss them.

Thank you. It would be slightly less annoying if they were bragging on some place more interesting and desirable than their beloved "Chicagoland".