Cheney Stadium in Tacoma (Seattle, University Place: top neighborhood, crime, home)

[T-Rob123]

I accidentally posted this in the wrong forum, I meant to do it here.

We're moving to Tacoma in a month a half and currently looking at a place near Cheney Stadium.

Both my wife and I are from Washington State and lived there for most of our lives, but neither of us have spent much time in Tacoma (we're moving to that city so that we can be close to both of our families)

What's the general vibe of that area?

[Hemlock140]

I never lived there but have gone to many Rainiers games and spent time in that area. Tacoma is more of a blue collar city than Seattle, but I would consider the stadium district to be one of the better parts. I have seen the area improving over the last 10 years, not quite gentrifying but more "redeveloped."

[Garethe]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I never lived there but have gone to many Rainiers games and spent time in that area. Tacoma is more of a blue collar city than Seattle, but I would consider the stadium district to be one of the better parts. I have seen the area improving over the last 10 years, not quite gentrifying but more "redeveloped."

I'll second this, Tacoma's crime issues in particular are nothing like it was back in the 80s/90s when something happened almost every night. I point that out because unfortunately T-Town has a bad repuation because of it, even though it was mainly confined to the hilltop neighborhood.

They've really been working at redeveloping the downtown core. I like Tacoma and could easily see myself living down there if life ever took me in that direction.

The aroma is long gone too, another thing that took years to live down.

[T-Rob123]

Hemlock & Garethe, those comments are great to read.
After spending months searching, we've realized that Tacoma (possibly University Place) are going to be the best options to live for us that hit on all of our requirements. Close enough with a respectable distance from family (close enough to visit - while too far away for drop by's ) cost of living, job market for our professions, an area with activities.
But, as a paranoid man who has to leave home from time to time for sometimes a day or two, I want to be in as safe a place as possible for my wife and eventually when we have kids. Tacoma has always had that crime stink on it, and I'm glad to see that that seems to be going away.

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by T-Rob123

Hemlock & Garethe, those comments are great to read.
After spending months searching, we've realized that Tacoma (possibly University Place) are going to be the best options to live for us that hit on all of our requirements. Close enough with a respectable distance from family (close enough to visit - while too far away for drop by's ) cost of living, job market for our professions, an area with activities.
But, as a paranoid man who has to leave home from time to time for sometimes a day or two, I want to be in as safe a place as possible for my wife and eventually when we have kids. Tacoma has always had that crime stink on it, and I'm glad to see that that seems to be going away.

The various neighborhoods in North Tacoma are typically the most sought after, and thought of as the nicest and safest. Near Cheney Stadium is okay, but the Proctor District and Old Town are particularly nice.

[secret_squirrel]

University Place has a great school system. If you are planning to have kids, try to get in their boundaries. The worst part of living there is the drive on 16. If you are commuting west in the morning, it's often slow (so I hear from my coworkers who live out that way).

Also, Stadium District in Tacoma usually refers to the area around Stadium High School, not Cheney Stadium.

After years of looking down on it, I've spent more time in Tacoma and have grown to love it. Seattle is not crime-free, either. If their school system was better, we'd probably be move there.

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by secret_squirrel

University Place has a great school system. If you are planning to have kids, try to get in their boundaries. The worst part of living there is the drive on 16. If you are commuting west in the morning, it's often slow (so I hear from my coworkers who live out that way).

Also, Stadium District in Tacoma usually refers to the area around Stadium High School, not Cheney Stadium.

After years of looking down on it, I've spent more time in Tacoma and have grown to love it. Seattle is not crime-free, either. If their school system was better, we'd probably be move there.

The people who look down on Tacoma are the people who haven't spent much time there. Tacoma's great. Nice parks, beaches, cool old buildings, a revitalized downtown, good museums, fun eating and drinking establishments, spectacular views. Farmer's markets. Sure, there are crummy areas in Tacoma and the schools are mediocre at best, but Tacoma is really underrated.

[T-Rob123]

Originally Posted by Ira500

The people who look down on Tacoma are the people who haven't spent much time there. Tacoma's great. Nice parks, beaches, cool old buildings, a revitalized downtown, good museums, fun eating and drinking establishments, spectacular views. Farmer's markets. Sure, there are crummy areas in Tacoma and the schools are mediocre at best, but Tacoma is really underrated.

I've come to the realization, as I think most do, that any CITY is going to have their nice areas and there crummy areas.
Growing up in Washington I've always heard about the reputation that Tacoma had. I only visited the city to go to the Tacoma Dome for different events, and the farthest that I went away from the building was a Jack In The Box not too far away. One time I sat there mowing down my burger as I watched an obvious drug deal take place in the parking lot.

Thing is, again, any city you go to that type of stuff is going to go down. And thanks to posters on this thread (along with other research I have done) I'm starting to realize that with Tacoma the good outweighs the bad.
Just in that Cheney Stadium area that I'm looking at, not only do you have that ballpark, but there is the Snake Lake Park nature reserve nearby, University Place isn't too far, neither is the beach, The Tacoma bridge going to Gig Harbor, I-5 is close by of course, and then there are lots of shopping & restaurants close by as well.