Moving soon to Cleveland.  Would like to know what people feel about Bay Village, Avon Lake, Westlake, and Solon, Parma and South Eclid.  Thanks alot! :wave:

Boy is that a diverse selection.  If I had to pick from that list I would choose Bay Village as close to the lake and Rocky River as possible.

What do you want in a neighborhood?  What do you like about your current neighborhood in FL?

South Euclid is on the east side, what some would consider the "inner-ring".  Solon is on the far east side, i.e. exurbia, but is a nice community IMO. 

 

Personally, I'm not a big fan of Parma.  JMO.  Very bland from my perspective. 

 

Bay Village is great if you have kids... not so much for a young single girl who wants to be around people her own age.

 

Westlake is kind of like Solon, but closer to the City.  It has a very suburban feel IMO.

 

Bottom line, unless you have reason, I would not limit your search to these communities.  Since you came here to "urban"ohio to ask, may we point you in the direction of some more walkable neighborhoods with more activity?

If you are into suburbia, I think you'll find the flavor of the east side burbs to be very different than the west side burbs. Solon and Westlake may look very similar, but I'd say that Solon is much more "east coast/liberal" and Westlake is much more midwest/conservative. By the stats, Bay Village is the whitest and most conservative of all the suburbs in the region. Bay has more walkable than Westlake. I could go on, but I'd rather here what you are looking for before I do.

 

Also, be careful of the advice that people give you. There are many people who live in the region that don't really understand all the parts of the region. I've heard from many people who moved to the region that they were told that there are no nice parts in the City of Cleveland itself. That is very untrue.

Solon and South Euclid are east side, while Parma is often considered south side. 

 

Solon is almost a city unto itself, but without a downtown or anything else you might consider urban.  It has neighborhoods for the upper and middle classes and it has a large modern industrial sector.

 

Parma is the most urban of the burbs you listed, home to about 80k people of most every walk of life.  The northern 1/3 of Parma is indiscernable from Cleveland proper, though notably less diverse.  As you go uphill it gets increasingly suburban.

 

South Euclid is a standard middle-class suburb.   

 

The other places you mention are on the west side.  Bay Village is older and somewhat insular (some call it snooty), but it's very well-kept and features an impressive lakeside park. 

 

Westlake is south of there and more spread out.  Similar to Solon, with modern industry and a wide mix of suburban housing types.  Westlake features the recently built "lifestyle center" of Crocker Park, which is the new "it" retail destination for the west side burbs.

 

Avon is further west, in Lorain County, and is the least developed of those you listed.  However it is being developed very rapidly as we speak.  It used to be semi-rural but now has a lot of modern cul-de-sac housing.

 

All of these areas are considered desirable, particularly Solon, Bay Village and Avon.  But as others here have indicated, they all trend older and are very family-oriented.  We don't get a lot of requests on this board for that kind of thing, but Greater Cleveland offers a great deal of it if that's what you're looking for.     

where in Florida are you from? I lived in w.coast FL for 14 years before Cleve. I was really happy to have so many great choices for more urban living here, although before I left FL I lived in a historic urban (rare!) FL community.

 

I hope I don't start some problems here- but since I think Parma is trying to rectify some of the historic race issues which I find unacceptably repellent, I have warmed up to the community. It is a little too suburban and old style for me personally, but it has a lot of Cleveland character with new and old immigrants. There are a lot of independent stores-the best variety in the area IMO. Plus I love the  inexpensive midcentry homes....I have gotten lost and found myself in interesting frank lloyd wright insired streets. I am at their court house often and one of my favorite sights are the Eastern European weddings that take place-- the whole wedding party and participants are in full costume. I no longer dread going there for work, but I still think it would be odd to live there.

 

S. Euclid, nothing wrong with it, kind of bland. I would not fit in Bay Village, Westlake or Avon so I cannot even comment....

 

Bay Village is great if you have kids...

 

 

It depends on the personality. My sister-in-law moved in from out of state. She has a 10-month old and feels that the community in lacking in Bay. She comes in to Ohio City to hang out with the young moms here. Bay is not the young-family mecca that some make it out to be. It is for some, but it is a nightmare for others. ..just depends on your own personal style.

Avon Lake & Bay are pretty similar, close to beach parks, good schools, very little petty crime, old & new construction (more new in Avon Lake).  Westlake & Solon are similar, even though one is east side, and one is west; again very good schools (Solon schools a little better), new and old construction.  Parma has a lot more diverstiy (large amount of eastern europeans), and would be more blue-collar than the other burbs listed, older architecture.  Don't know much about South Euclid.

 

Also, keep in mind that the east side can get twice as much (in some cases, three times as much) snow as the west side.  The weather difference between Solon and Avon Lake is more significant than you would think, because of the lake.  Tax rates also vary quite a bit, Avon Lake is in Lorain county (lower taxes), the others are in Cuyhoga county and vary burb to burb (Bay probably the highest, with Solon & Westlake next highest).

 

All depends on what you're looking for; close to work, good schools, traffic, weather, taxes, housing $$'s, etc..

Yeah, I always have thought that Parma is one of the most diverse cities in Cuyahoga County, if not Ohio (in the sense that it is populated by a lot of the world's different peoples).

I was an on-call employee at Parma Hospital for many years and I really grew to appreciate the area of Parma/Parma Hts. I grew up in greater Cleveland so I understand how it's been acceptable to poke fun at it --- people even mocked it in the late 70s and early 80s and later ---anyone remember Big Chuck and Little John?

 

That is due, first, to its blue-collar status and, secondly, to the high number of Eastern Europeans (the jokes invariably centered around the Polish community).

 

My friend from high school, her Latvian grandparents lived on a street where there were other Latvians and Lithuanians.

On my way home from the Hospital I could stop at an array of places and get different carry-out food...from Polish to Phillipino to Indian to Middle Eastern (my favorite). And the best Italian grocery store used to be in Parma Hts (now closed, I believe). There are still a lot of "International" grocery stores, that carry items from South American produce to Romanian soaps (yes, a friend of mine from Romania was very happy to have this store nearby).

There is still a large Eastern European commmunity, although it's an aging one. Exception might be the  Ukrainian community... I met some younger, just-arrived Ukrainian immmigrants at the Hospital.

Many South Asians call Parma home, mostly Indian and Phillipino, but there is an outward push though to places like southern,hilly Parma and to North Royalton.

Also many Arab-Americans too. Isn't Ohio's largest Mosque in Parma?

There are also growing Hispanic/Latino and African-American communities.

 

Parma has just always been the ultimate "un-cool" place in greater Cleveland.

 

 

 

 

 

Parma?  :wtf:

it is so unhip, it is almost cool. but not quite. I do agree this is a bizarre assortment of communities

If we had the economy of some other cities, Parma would quickly become a cool place. Old enough housing stock that has charm. Walkable neighborhoods close to storefront retail with low rents. Parma is like the 70s-style shirt in the closet--you realize one day that it actually is quite cool despite previous notions.

 

Still, I agree that it is not quite cool.

Bar crawls in Parma are lotsa fun.  Culturally, Parma is known for Camaros and Van Halen. 

 

I see that you asked about Avon Lake, rather than Avon (I was describing Avon above)... Avon Lake is similar to Avon but a little older and denser and more blue collar.  And of course it's on the lake.

Avon Lake has some older gridded neighborhoods with 50-70's housing stock and some newer subdivision style areas.  The gridded areas used to be more blue collar, but I think now it's more middle class while the subdivisions are more upper middle class.

I agree with everything 327 has said.

As to what is "cool" is really a matter of what one defines as cool.

 

If you think a 50's through 70's Jetson's look is cool, you may find this in Parma. OR, if you think Rob and Laura's house was cool on The Dick VanDyke show, then you will find it in Parma.... If you remember when your grandparents remolded their basement with paneling and a bar....with 70's bar lights and entertained guests down there with those little tray tables....or if you remember Super Host and the voice of Jack Reynolds, or the channel 5 "You've Got To Catch 5" jingle.. You may think Parma is cool ...If you find old signage cool from the 60's, you may find Parma cool.

 

If you remember the ABC Friday Night Movie, The Bad News Bears, banana seat bikes with handlebar streamers, Super 8 film, Barnaby, Bowling,  Uncle Bills, Fisher-Fazio's, Silverman's, family restaurants, bringing pop bottles back for a deposit in the summer in your bike side baskets... or K-Mart AS your savings place...and The Cleveland Memory Grenade fun....then you may think Parma is cool. It represents a lot of "70's Cleveland" I think. If you find tackiness to actually be charming in its own way (like pink flamingos) you may like Parma!

 

Parma has been poked at since the days of Ghoulardi for reasons listed in above posts, and the mediocrity that it exudes....but as time has passed, I actually do find many redeeming qualities in it. Basically, if you find some of the era retro things charming, you may like Parma/P.Hts. Overall, it is a clean and safe..there are with some nice parks, good shopping for all your daily needs... and great proximity to so much. There are actually some streets with some really nice older brick homes and tree lined streets. The view of downtown from the hill is fantastic.

 

Don't worry... its not my favorite place, but we cannot possibly take it serious. Its like the kid in school everyone picks on, but you want to stick up for the kid....because underneath it all...he's not really that bad. Its nothing fancy, but it gets the job done if you're looking for affordable, clean and safe living with good proximity.

its a crazy world when we are waxing nostalgic of over P-town. In the short 8 years I have been in Cleve I looked upon it in in horror, and as time passed..slightly less horror. Go figure.

 

new Parma slogin: Not are horrible as you thought!

it is so unhip, it is almost cool. but not quite. I do agree this is a bizarre assortment of communities

 

If we had the economy of some other cities, Parma would quickly become a cool place. Old enough housing stock that has charm. Walkable neighborhoods close to storefront retail with low rents. Parma is like the 70s-style shirt in the closet--you realize one day that it actually is quite cool despite previous notions.

 

Still, I agree that it is not quite cool.

 

I'm not very familiar with Parma but on the few occasions I've gone there nothing seem cool today or in a "throw back" way.

 

Bar crawls in Parma are lotsa fun.  Culturally, Parma is known for Camaros and Van Halen. 

 

I see that you asked about Avon Lake, rather than Avon (I was describing Avon above)... Avon Lake is similar to Avon but a little older and denser and more blue collar.  And of course it's on the lake.

We once were lost in Parma and I'll I remember seeing were Fords.  I guess since Chevy is an American Brand I could see Camaro's.

 

Those little aluminum sided bungalows or dated ranch homes don't say "charming"

like I said there are some contemporary mid century one story houses that are beautiful. You probably are not going to run into them by chance-although I did. I would be hard pressed to find them again!

peabody99 I think I found that same street you did, while lost in Parma one day.  It isn't all bad... but those aluminum-sided bungalow streets are dominant there.  And not just there.  Am I correct in remembering that these were how Forest City Enterprises made its fortune?  At the same time, I can see where EC is coming from.  Parma is like a time capsule of the 70s-80s, and for people of a certain age (mine) this is comforting.

Comforting is a good way to put it as 327 describes. Sure the aluminum siding bungalows are nothing great, but with a little TLC some washing and a fresh coat of aluminum siding paint (maybe a nice earth tone and not the blaring white!)...a nice landscape..and you can make these places look cozy. The wood floors in many of these are nice and they're actually solidly built. Add some shade trees and you change the look.

 

In other words, make lemonade from lemons and use the imagination. Make the place yours. You have a clean, comfortable place..safe neighborhoods with easy access to all parts of Greater Cleveland. I know we really want people to move back into the original core of the city...but at the same time I do not want the inner rings to become looking like crap because essentially, they are the gateway into "original Cleveland" and become what might be a first impression. Oh, and let's not forget "Forest City Auto Parts" and the sign with the guy with the long neck..the nerd.

 

In some ways, Parma/Hts. is a sort of testament to what early sprawl was like when it was not all homogenized with nothing but national chains like Home Depot, Sprawl-Mart, etc...  It is when you actually had a lot of larger but independently run and locally owned establishments, like Value City, Uncle Bills, Jerry's Marine, Builders Square, Silverman's, Rini-Rego's, and those kinds of places in addition to the many family style restaurants like George's Kitchen (Puritas-west side). Yes, to me, it is comforting. So, if you are say roughly...33 to 45...  you may find a reason to smile about Parma. Say I'm crazy, but I can actually find appeal in the place.

Say I'm crazy, but I can actually find appeal in the place.

 

I don't think you're crazy at all.  With zero sarcasm, I can say this thread has me pumped to put on some white socks and explore Parma.  To me, sounds like an infinitely more interesting landscape than the Crocker Parks/Legacy Villages of the world.

Say I'm crazy, but I can actually find appeal in the place.

 

I don't think you're crazy at all.  With zero sarcasm, I can say this threat has me pumped to put on some white socks and explore Parma.

 

Please don't!  The thought of people in white socks and those old school grampa sandals is causing me to heave.

 

To  me, sounds like an infinitely more interesting landscape than the  Crocker Parks/Legacy Villages of the world.

 

I'm inclined to agree.

Parma is full of little gems.  Try the Little Polish Diner when you're out that way.  There are a ton of small, independently owned businesses in parma and parma hts, I try to give them my business when I can.  Chuppa's market is another good one.

 

I didn't know you guys had Uncle Bill's up here, nobody has ever heard of it when I mention it, we had it growing up in Mansfield.

^ Yes, this is why I actually find Parma/Hts...and in some parts, M.Burg Hts. similar in the independent or smaller business scene comforting. These areas in some ways still cling on to what beacons to a difinitive era for many of us.

 

Not that I prefer sprawl type development in any way......But, I would take the 70's store selections anyday over the typical smorgasbord of today that has grown to totally obnoxious proportions...ie: the typical Wal-Mart as the center meal, flanked by Lowe's and an Applebee's as the side dishes. At least in these areas there was some diversity and identity in that respect, and not all the exact same thing you'd see in any other place like a lot of what is seen today.

 

Expanding on Strap's and R&R's comments... I see the same, and I will lay a small bet that someday, Parma will actually become cool in the ways we've been discussing. It may appeal to those who remember the kinds of things that are featured in The Cleveland Memory Grenade. So, my vote would make it not a bad choice in many respects...Not my first, but not bad either for a place to locate and be close to all that the whole Cleveland area has to offer.

 

Let's not forget about the nice metro-park running through it and its easy proximity to the airport. This is important to me because I feel more connected with the world.

There was also an Uncle Bill's at Golden Gate Plaza when I lived in Highland Heights in the 70s.

 

As for Parma, its housing may be basic 1950s bungalow, but its churches are something to behold. See the examples at this link (plus churches in neighboring communities)....

 

http://sites.google.com/site/cwruocf/parishes

 

And this doesn't show all of the grand churches in Parma either.

Let's not go too far down memory lane, folks. Remember, the OP wants recommendations on where to live, not what retail used to exist here.

Thanks for all the responses.  We are late 40's with a twelve year old.  Looking for quiet community with things to do...unique rather, no 70's throw backs (although well written Etheostoma Caeruleum.)  Richard Simmons...OMG.  Is there a hospital in Bay Village?  How far from Highland Heights?  Traffic?  Long term rental housing?  Living in Gulf Breeze, FL now...rather retirement like...a bit senior for our tastes. Walmart/Lowes/Rubys...blah blah...boring, but safe, easy commutes and good schools.  Suggestions? 

Nearest hospital to Bay is in Westlake, a few miles south of the border along Crocker.  Highland Hts is on the other side of Cleveland.  You'll have at least a 40 minute commute in good weather and traffic.

 

You might try Shaker Heights.  It's unique- an early 20th century "'garden suburb", quiet, close to things to do, a good commuting distance to Highland Hts, safe, has good schools.

Any of the places you listed initially would be a decent fit for you.  Shaker Heights might be ideal, if you like older homes and don't mind higher taxes.  If Highland Heights is involved you may want to focus on the east side.  Crosstown commutes here aren't awful but they're no picnic.