Moving to Richmond, what are the high crime areas to avoid (Chester: apartment complex, house)

[Charlesaf3]

I think even the biggest city boosters on here think that the schools are an issue, and that moving to the suburbs for schools makes complete sense.

Convenience I'm not so sure. Given the city has almost no traffic, and 64 is so convenient, I can get to short pump or Midlothian in 12 minutes. My friends who lived in Wyndham or Wellesley or something like that (they just moved into the city after 8 years), took a good 10 minutes to get to short pump on weekends too thanks to some horrible lights and congestion at certain intersections.

[Charlesaf3]

Minor correction after looking at a map, friends lived in twin hickory or Wyndham, not sure what the difference is. They had some horrible traffic light ccongestion on pounces tract.

As an aside, they paid 3x as much to move into the city, but feel its well worth it...

[VA Yankee]

Back to the OP's original question. First do you want in the city proper or a suburban complex? Where you work and how you feel about commuting is also a factor. Generally east/south sides of the city have higher rates of criminal activities than west/north of downtown. For Henrico and Chesterfield the east sides (those closest to the cities east/south side) seems to have more incidents.

As others have stated nothing is absolute and for any location you consider visit at night and on the weekend when people are home and you decide what feels comfortable to you.

[sls76]

Originally Posted by Charlesaf3

I think even the biggest city boosters on here think that the schools are an issue, and that moving to the suburbs for schools makes complete sense.

Convenience I'm not so sure. Given the city has almost no traffic, and 64 is so convenient, I can get to short pump or Midlothian in 12 minutes. My friends who lived in Wyndham or Wellesley or something like that (they just moved into the city after 8 years), took a good 10 minutes to get to short pump on weekends too thanks to some horrible lights and congestion at certain intersections.

I live in Wyndham and most of us know short cuts to get in and around Short Pump. North Gayton Expansion gets me to the mall very easily. And 295 gets me home from work without much traffic. If it's taking > 10 minutes from Wyndham or Wellesley, it's because West Broad is a mess and that's going to impact incoming traffic just as much (my sister lives in Shockoe Bottom and avoids Short Pump on the weekends for this very reason). Practically everything I need (grocery stores/mall/big box/sports activities for the children) is < 5 miles from my house. Now if only my job weren't in the city : (

I just wish people on both sides of this argument (city is dangerous/suburbs are utopia vs. suburbs are filled with McMansions and the middle class /city is the only place anyone enlightened would live) would understand that one lifestyle doesn't fit all.

[sls76]

Originally Posted by Charlesaf3

Minor correction after looking at a map, friends lived in twin hickory or Wyndham, not sure what the difference is. They had some horrible traffic light ccongestion on pounces tract.

As an aside, they paid 3x as much to move into the city, but feel its well worth it...

I travel Pouncey Tract 10-20 times/week and there really isn't traffic light congestion. Heading north at night the first light after Broad can back up slightly but in most cases I get through it in one light.

$400-$500/sq. ft. in the city seems kind of steep. Wyndham/Twin Hickory homes sell for $130-$$170/sq. ft. because of the school assignments/convenience/amenities.

[novanwbie]

Wonder what happened to the OP?

[ric75]

Originally Posted by novanwbie

Wonder what happened to the OP?

They probably decided Richmonders were just too contentious a lot to put up with

[Octa]

Originally Posted by sls76

I just wish people on both sides of this argument (city is dangerous/suburbs are utopia vs. suburbs are filled with McMansions and the middle class /city is the only place anyone enlightened would live) would understand that one lifestyle doesn't fit all.

I don't think that's what this was turning into. From my POV, there were one or two posters who made it very obvious they don't go into the city much or live in it by how they characterize it as this battlezone. What I found more troubling though is how they were othering city residents as criminals and painting them with this brush. That's dangerous.

[Charlesaf3]

Originally Posted by sls76

I travel Pouncey Tract 10-20 times/week and there really isn't traffic light congestion. Heading north at night the first light after Broad can back up slightly but in most cases I get through it in one light.

$400-$500/sq. ft. in the city seems kind of steep. Wyndham/Twin Hickory homes sell for $130-$$170/sq. ft. because of the school assignments/convenience/amenities.

They got in the price range you are talking when they sold - say 160. City is more like $300 PDF, but bigger house. Normal Fan pricing is more like $240 for a nice, but not spectacular place. $300 is moving towards spectacular.

Net net, to live in the city they were will to pay 3x the amount, which does not give with the "city is awful" bit that was posted by someone above. I don't think Wyndham/twin hickory is considered a bad neighborhood, such that one would try to escape it...

I've been killed on pouncy tract so many times I avoid it like the plague. I also avoid short pump at all but random off hours. Except for Peter Chang, which is worth it.

[sls76]

Originally Posted by Octa

I don't think that's what this was turning into. From my POV, there were one or two posters who made it very obvious they don't go into the city much or live in it by how they characterize it as this battlezone. What I found more troubling though is how they were othering city residents as criminals and painting them with this brush. That's dangerous.

Dangerous? That seems a bit dramatic.

My point is there are vocal posters on both sides of this debate who are intolerant of the choices of others and cannot grasp that what makes them happy does not necessarily make everyone happy.