justine

Hi, I have stayed at Motel 6 in Middleburg Heights. I drove but had to go to a work meeting and husband took the bus which came practically to the door and took him downtown. It was way cheap. Also, I have stayed at the Comfort Inn on Euclid many times with no problems! They even provide a nice continental breakfast but the cheapest I could get there was about $68 dollars plus tax. Also the Cleveland Clinic Guest house. I stayed there once and bargained right at the desk for a cheaper room. I just said can't you do better. I want the weekend special and it was aroung $70 a night. Transit right at the door.

Hi Smitten, Well, as someone with a cat who has just been through what you will be doing, I can tell you what I found. I looked at apartments in Edgewater. My price range was 650 to 750. Some landlords wanted a 400 dollar nonrefundable deposit for one cat! Some wanted a 100 to 200 deposit. Some wanted a 25 extra non refundable every month! The Edgewater area is really nice, beautiful homes and apartment buildings, lots of nice coffee houses and places to walk to including Edgewater park. There are so many apartment buildings with for rent signs. I would recommend the area around Lake Street and you can go as far east as 98th or the street just one block inland from Lake or the area around Detroit and 114th. There are many buildings with about eight stories. The apartments seem a little small but they do have balconies. I really wanted to be on the first floor but could only find vacancies on the higher floors. I got the impression that a.c. bill would be really high in those upper floors in the summer since many buildings only had windows on one side. We ended up getting an apartment in Shaker Heights, one block from the square with a 100 refundable cat deposit. Good luck with your search.

For an update on my saga. I looked at some real dives with some unbelievable landlords who thought they could charge high rent for their places. I ended up renting a great place on N. Moreland through Matlack Realty, a two bedroom under $750 month. It is on second floor in a three story so we will get hot but the windows face east and north and we have fans. It also has a nice yard. We like the density of the area since it makes for very pedestrian friendly environment. We can literally get everything we need for daily necessities within one block.

Hello Everyone, these are the apartments I'm looking at Thursday and Friday: Thursday West Side Clifton Park House, 11406 Clifton Blvd. Michaels Towers, 12050 Lake (and one other by the same company, on Belair Ave of Detoit Friday East Side Shaker Hall, 12700 Shaker Blvd. Montlack Properties (several properties in Shaker Sq and one in Cleveland Heights) A House at 2471 Derbyshire, Cleveland Heights (short term lease) I am still trying to find something to look at around Ohio City and Detroit Shoreway too but have not found anything there yet. Are any of the above properties that I should avoid or are they all ok? thanks

thank you "my two sense" for the information about getting out of a lease due to purchase of a home. That is a big relief to know that. As far as buildings we like, low rise (two or three story) like the ones on Overlook Rd. in Cleveland Heights, the four flats (walk ups) around Coventry with big front porches for each unit. Also, if you are familiar with Hamtramck in Detroit, the two flats in that area. Also row houses are fine as long as there is a roomy front porch close to the street. (By the way, if you want to merge this thread with the earlier one, I don't mind.)

Yes, I realize you have all answered some of these questions before but now I am looking at particular parts of these neighborhoods and we have changed our criteria somewhat. We no longer are looking a neighborhood similar to Lafayette Park in Detroit. We also are looking at specific buildings and streets now. A lot will depend on the price too. We plan to buy soon and don't want to spend too much on rent.Also we were hoping to get a summer or month by month rental so we would be free to move if we find a place to buy.

Hi Everyone, I am coming this weekend (Thursday through Saturday). thanks for all your help. You and the good people at RTA have helped us narrow down neighborhoods to look at apartments. We have narrowed down neighborhoods to shaker square and beyond in Shaker Hgts, West side near 117th Stop on red line Ohio city near good bus lines and close to west side market Detroit Shoreway near good bus lines Cleveland Heigts with access to good bus lines (Cedar-Fairmont) We need: transit grocery and drug store farmers market porch and or deck rent $750 or under, 750 sq feet or less with two bedrooms friendly neighborhood coffee house, gym and places to run, walk in neighborhood We are middle aged, like independent film, parks, we are activists, worked on Kucinich campaign, environmentalists, don't mind a little bit of an edge in a neighborhood, like diversity. My husband has never had a driver's license so will need to walk and use transit. I also don't feel really comfortable in a high rise, we want to be able to let our cat out. Please give me specific streets in these areas. We made an appt. with Matlack Realty to see some apts.

Hi AMN, if Radicallaw is not interested in the duplex, we might be. My husband and I are planning to move to Cleveland and we don't really want a 12 month lease since we'd like to buy a home. We also have a kitty and like a porch for ourselves and her. I have found lots of apartment buildings with rentals but the duplexes (upper flats) seem to all want a 12 month lease.

Wow, I'm surprised there are so many neighborhoods to consider. I was expecting just three or four. We are familiar with Shaker Square and Shaker Heights but will also look into Cedar Lee and Cedar Fairmont. I have never been to Detroit Shoreway or the far west side only to Ohio City. I can see where Cedar Lee is doable in terms of transit, especially since we are willing to walk quite a bit. As far as Lafayette Park goes, I am more interested in a similar neighborhood in terms of demographics, urban and green space. Lafayette Park is middle class but has different races and age groups living there. I don't necessarily need the modern architecture, although I do like the green space surrounding it.

Please help us narrow our search for neighborhoods. We haven't had much luck finding work long distance and now are looking to move first and then look for work. We are looking for neighborhood where we can walk to: (up to 1/2 mile, but preferably closer) -a basic grocery store -a CVS or basic drug store -a good bus line or rapid line -a diner for cheap breakfast on the weekend - a community feel (not too transient) If you are familiar with Detroit -we live in midtown Detroit now -we would like a neighborhood like Lafayette Park (only safer) -we don't really like Woodbridge neighborhood that much (no retail within walking distance) Our wish list for extras within walking distance: -a branch library -a coffeehouse - a movie theater (preferably one that show independent films) -a neighborhood pub or bar Within a few miles -farmers market or place to get fresh vegetables -a park or green space to walk in -a decent library (large branch or main library) Our special situation. -my husband does not drive (he is fine with walking up to two miles and taking bus, rapid. -I prefer to take transit and leave my car at home when I can -husband is artist and currently exhibits at galleries and coffeehouses Our wish list for apartment building or condo is: -a court yard or back yard or patio or porch with some green space for our cat to go out -a building that allows cats -a two bedroom apartment, preferably with a dining room -a building or street where there is parking for our friends to visit -car port available would be nice Our interests and lifestyle -we have eclectic interests, art, freecycle, organic food, lectures, independent movies, music (folk and blues) -like to have friends over to play cards,watch movies, eat (so need parking for friends to visit) -we are more diner type people frather than upscale restaurant types thanks for your help

Thank you KJB for the link. I had recently discovered the website for Green City Blue Lake and really like it. I am looking for research, writing, project management type job for a neighborhood development group, or other organization involved in planning and policy. I have experience as an analyst for city government, and working in retirement housing developments. Also I have a masters in social policy. Last week, I called the Cleveland Foundation and they suggested contacting Downtown Cleveland Alliance, Greater Cleveland Organization for Growth, Greater Cleveland Partnership. Are there any other suggestions from this board?

Hi, we are considering moving to Cleveland (also considering Chicago), coming from Detroit. I am looking for work doing research and planning for a neighborhood development group. My husband is an artist (paints pictures and does indoor murals for cafes). He also works as a parking cashier and hopes to get a job at a hospital or university as a parking cashier. If we get jobs in Cleveland we will let you know. I have not had much luck applying long distance to Chicago so will try Cleveland. Then if we don't like something up ahead of time, we may just move without jobs (scary) but we really want to leave Detroit (for reasons that are probably obvious to everyone). This is a great forum of urban boosters and knowledgeable people.

The reason I describe the transit in Cleveland is clean is because I am used to riding the dirty broken down buses in Detroit. Also, I found the transit reliable (that is, on schedule) but again I was only there for short visits and I am used to Detoit's dysfunctional system. By the way, we were in Ohio last weekend. This time we drove and stayed at the Motel 6 in Middleburg Heights because I had a work meeting on Monday morning near there. My husband took the bus directly from the motel to the Greyhound station in the morning and went back to Detroit. We only were there Sunday afternoon and we went swimming at the only city beach on the lake in Cleveland. It was packed but a lot of fun and everyone was friendly.

I have visited Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and noticed a lot more pedestrian activity and use of the transit. I wondered what was going on in Cleveland. I was there on several occassions for long weekends in nice weather. I'm from the midtown area in Detroit which used to be known as the Cass Corridor. Detroit has a driving culture and most people who don't have to use transit, drive. I noticed in Cleveland, there seems to be a real committment to transit as they are building a new line on Euclid. Also the transit is one of the nicest I've ridden on in terms of being quiet, clean, and pleasant to ride.

We are a couple living in Detroit, have visited Cleveland often since I work for a Cleveland based company. We both badly want to leave Detroit due to lack of public transit and just general bad economy and violent crime. On our last visit, we took a self guided tour of Ecovillage in Ohio City. We also came by Greyhound bus and took the rail and bus the whole time. We love the rapid, the buses, the park system, the culture, the character filled architecture, the flats, Coventry Village, Little Italy, etc. My concerns are, that when we rode the transit on the weekends and even rush hour on Monday, it was practically empty, the streets were deserted of foot traffic in Ohio City on Saturday even though it was a nice day. We went to Shaker Square and sat in the coffee house and met some very friendly people but when we walked around the neighborhood of Shaker Square, the streets again were practically empty on a Saturday afternoon. We wen to Little Italy and then Coventry later that day and those blocks were packed with people. The next night we went to a restaurant at the flats, and again the area was practically a ghost town. Just wondering about the lack of street traffic and why not more people riding the rapid and buses. The rapid especially is wonderful, clean and efficient. What gives?