I'm starting law school at CSU in August. I am going to visit Cleveland and the surrounding areas from June 9th through June 12th. I'm moving with my girlfriend and we would like to find a relatively cheap 2 bedroom (600-700/month) that is close to CSU, but not downtown. I am looking for a place that has a decent bar/shopping scene, not a lot of traffic and has apartment communities (only for the ease of parking, I don't want to spend money on parking). I have been researching Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights and Lakewood. Any input?

you are off to a good start with those communities.  all have apartment communites, many with designated parking and ease to get to csu - car or public transport. of these Lakewood has the best bar scene, if measured by per capita. Cleveland heights has some nice pubs, Shaker heights not so much. I HATE commuting so I did not like living in the heights b/c you could go though 50+ often red traffic lights to get from CSU to home...no highways. Shaker Square (actually in Cleveland) has a nicer shopping bar/scene than shaker heights. There is a Rapid train to downtown, but you would need to walk about 10 blocks or bus to csu.

in my opinion the best neighborhoods for bar, cafe, restaurant life are Ohio City (just a few minutes of downtown, close to csu. I live in this area, spouse a Prof at CSU and it is very convenient) and Tremont (just south of downtown). Both are in the city of Cleveland. Shopping is limited to boutique, thrift, gallery, the amazing westside market...no department stores, targets, chains etc (I happen to be happy with this). The concentration of casual cafes to upscale dining and great pubs and bars in Ohio city and Tremont cannot be topped.  getting rent in your range is possible, but more challenging, especially since they really don't have apartment "complexes". Maybe a few small rental buildings. some areas are a bit dicey. there have been several detailed threads recently about all of these neighborhoods in response to similar questions from  other relocaters...does someone tech savvy want to link letsgorams? I hope you will concider living in the city. Most people from out of town have no idea how great the city is. I came from out of state and was made to feel from outsiders and locals alike, that you had to live in the suburbs. It may be that it works for you and your girlfriend, but do look at the city too!check this site out: http://www.clv-lofts.com/available.html that one on professor st. looks good. nice area. best of luck!

St. Clair superior/asian village is a blossoming area.  and peabody you forget about steelyard commons comming if the poster decides tolive in Ohio City, Tremont or Detroit-Shoreway.

St. Clair superior/asian village is a blossoming area.  and peabody you forget about steelyard commons comming if the poster decides tolive in Ohio City, Tremont or Detroit-Shoreway.

 

you are right. just what is going on with that anyway? I guess I don't think of it b/c you won't see me in a Walmart!

I'm starting law school at CSU in August. I am going to visit Cleveland and the surrounding areas from June 9th through June 12th. I'm moving with my girlfriend and we would like to find a relatively cheap 2 bedroom (600-700/month) that is close to CSU, but not downtown. I am looking for a place that has a decent bar/shopping scene, not a lot of traffic and has apartment communities (only for the ease of parking, I don't want to spend money on parking). I have been researching Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights and Lakewood. Any input?

 

How do you define "shopping"? Are you looking for grocery stores or other types of retail?

 

Ohio City will have some good places for your price range, has the grand West Side Market and Dave's Supermarket, has some of the best bars in town and is loaded with charm.  I also love Cleveland Heights (how can you beat University Circle, Lakeview and all the gorgeous boulevards and homes!) but you will have to pay a nominal fee for parking. 

When you come visit Cleveland, definitely add Ohio City and Tremont to your list of neighborhoods to look at. They are both very close to CSU. I bike from Ohio City to CSU when the weather is warm, and it takes me 20 minutes. Same with taking the bus. Driving would be about 10 minutes. Cleveland's Edgewater neighborhood, just east of Lakewood, would be another place to explore. As much as I love Chinatown/St. Clair-Superior, I wouldn't recommend it to a Cleveland newbie.

 

In general, I'd reiterate what peabody99 said. You might be surprised by what city neighborhoods have to offer -- and they require much less commuting than the burbs.

 

Here's a clickable map of the city, with information and photos from each neighborhood:

http://www.nhlink.net/neighborhoodtour/nt.php

Wow. I didn't expect so many informative replies and links. Thanks a lot and keep em coming! I will definitely add Ohio City and Tremont to my list of places to check out.

 

To the poster that inquired about "shopping" clarification, I mean grocery shopping. That's all the shopping I do. I want a place within walking distance/cheap cab to bars and convenience stores and also a place that is welcoming of outsiders, but not neccesarily a college area (I don't want the noise that is asscoiated with these places).

 

I didn't like hearing about the 50+ red lights from Shaker to CSU. That's exactly one of the things I want to avoid. It's little things like that that end up bothering me.

 

I wanted to live out of the city to avoid traffic, noise and parking problems. In your opinion, are Ohio City and Tremont decent places in regards to the big 3 I mentioned? Also, why wouldn't St. Clair be a good place for a newbie?

Ohio City and Tremont are in the city, but they really don't have any traffic problems at all.  They are a quick and easy uncongested bridge away from downtown.  The vast majority of the commuters come in from the highways and Chester Avenue.

 

I don't know what your measuring stick is, but comparatively Cleveland has very little traffic problems.  I've lived in cities half the size where traffic is a nightmare (those are mostly suburban-oriented cities with a lot of sprawl.)    By the way, have fun with civ pro ;)

traffic- in general Cleveland is better then most cities given unfortunate loss of population over time. Still all those lights to the heights drove me crazy (not a long drive some may say). others think nothing of it. If you live in Ohio City  or Tremont, you will be able to walk to great bars and restaurants or a very short cab away. Noise, although relative to the listener, is not bad in either hood. One exception may be on w.25th St. in Ohio city. there is a fire station and 2 hospitals fairly near, so there are a lot of sirens going by. Neither is over run with college students. Cleveland State students are dispersed all over the area, and Case students tend to live in University Circle area. Still there are young, educated, artistic people in both comunities, and actually every other description you can think of!  Very diverse, esp. Ohio City. Shopping. See westside market web site  www.westsidemarket.com -most of fresh grocery needs can be met here! Dave's supermarket can take care of the rest. Lots of ethnic food stores as well in the area.  St Clair neighborhood- I can let blinker speak for himself, but I would not recommend it to someone I do not know b/c it still has some ways to go to meet the residential niche. There are great renovated warehouse spaces, and awesome variety of Asian restaurants (a little spread out china town) , but not much else of the the things you wanted. most bar life would require driving. it can also get pretty desolate at night too. Whereas last night before it started raining  cafe patios were overflowing all over Ohio City.

see also ohiocity.com, http://www.tremontwestdevelopment.com/. If you are in town the second Friday of the month, you all can check out the tremont gallery hop-a great way to check out the neighborhood.

I wanted to live out of the city to avoid traffic, noise and parking problems. In your opinion, are Ohio City and Tremont decent places in regards to the big 3 I mentioned? Also, why wouldn't St. Clair be a good place for a newbie?

 

I think that Ohio City and Tremont will suit you just fine in regards to the big 3.  Additionally, Ohio City is great for shopping with the West Side Market and Dave's.

 

Shaker Square also has a Dave's but you'll find fewer bars.  In general, Cleveland has a great neighborhood bar scene.  Cleveland Heights, Tremont, Little Italy, Ohio City etc all have a lot of cozy bars that make those areas unique.

 

Also, although Cleveland Heights has a large student population, I wouldn't consider it loud at all (I live there currently, but am moving to Ohio City in a few weeks). 

I wanted to live out of the city to avoid traffic, noise and parking problems. In your opinion, are Ohio City and Tremont decent places in regards to the big 3 I mentioned? Also, why wouldn't St. Clair be a good place for a newbie?

 

St. Clair-Superior/Chinatown is an awesome neighborhood, but at this point I'd say it's primarily for the urban pioneer looking for cheap loft space. As of now, it lacks the cozy neighborhood feel that Ohio City and Tremont have.

 

Ohio City, by the way, has a full-service supermarket in Dave's, at W. 28th and Bridge. It also has the West Side Market, one of Cleveland's most legendary attractions -- a true old-world market built in 1912 and in operation ever since, offering fresh produce, meat, cheese, coffee and tons of character. Ohio City's restaurant scene is among the best in the city (overshadowed only by Tremont). Among the options: a vegetarian-oriented cafe, a creperie, Great Lakes Brewing Company, a Cambodian place, a Middle Eastern place (with *the best* hummus ever), a coffee shop and lots of fancier places. Not as many bars as Tremont, but there are several.

 

Tremont has no full-service supermarket within walking distance; the closest is the Dave's in Ohio City (a 5-minute drive). It is home to a slightly younger, more "hipster" crowd than Ohio City, and has lots of art galleries. Its restaurants are among the best in Northeast Ohio, and it has lots of characterful bars.

 

As wimwar said, you will find traffic and noise to be minimal in both neighborhoods. Also notable: The "Rapid," a heavy-rail commuter line, runs right in between Tremont and Ohio City near the West Side Market. You can hop on it for a 20-minute ride to the airport; downtown is one stop away.

Oh I should have added- to check out Ohio City, I would go to the Westside Market on a Saturday, check out the music and open air market on the adjacent Market square, usually around noon, and sit on the patio at Great Lakes Brewing Company, and enjoy a fresh microbrew. Free parking behind the Market.

I say move to shaker square!  LOL

 

Also, to the OP, if you do a search, in the photo section, of a few neighborhoods, you'll see lots of great pictures of the neighborhoods throught cleveland.

Great! I will be in Cleveland the 2nd Friday of June to check out Tremont's gallery and I will also be there on Saturday to check out Ohio City's Westside Market. Is that a weekly occurrence? Is there live music outside every Saturday? I can't wait to have a drink at Great Lakes, I have heard so much about it. My only concern is the availabilty of rental consultants to show me around on that weekend. I'll have to make out a list of places before I visit and try to contact them beforehand. Also, I have seen pretty much all of the Cleveland pictures on this site and they have me excited to move there. I was a lurker on this site for a couple months before I posted yesterday.

 

To wimwar: I have already heard horror stories about civ pro.

the art hop is only once a month. the open air market on market square, is every satuarday in the summer-music almost every sat, usually in middle of day. you'll love great lakes brewing company. both art hop and sat. at MArket Square ( the market, the square and great lakes are all there) will give you a feel for the hoods. have fun!

If traffic and lights are a big hassle, keep the Rapid in mind...hop a train, downtown in minutes...

Oh and, so I don't sound like an idiot, is it pronounced truh-MONT or TREE-mont?

Oh and, so I don't sound like an idiot, is it pronounced truh-MONT or TREE-mont?

 

TREE-mont

 

Check out the Free Times and Scene for a good listing of available apartments for Tremont and Ohio City.

 

Before you check the local weeklies, I'd check the rentals at pluggedincleveland.com. It's a lot like craigslist but a little more aesthetically pleasing, imho.

 

http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/rentals/

above the YMCA ... or, if you can wait, check out 1104 Propect Avenue

You trying to lease your place to me? I'm looking to rent starting August 1st.

letsgorams,

 

well you picked a good weekend, http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=7606.0 the urbanohio cleveland meet. I realize you may be tied up with rental consultants and the like, but there will be a herd of nerds going through the city completely at your disposal that saturday.

letsgorams,

 

well you picked a good weekend, http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=7606.0 the urbanohio cleveland meet. I realize you may be tied up with rental consultants and the like, but there will be a herd of nerds going through the city completely at your disposal that saturday.

I'm going 6/9 through 6/12.

^well you're previous post stated june 2-3rd. No biggie.(maybe i'm blind) However, most of us dorks will be in columbus for that meetup.

letsgorams,

 

well you picked a good weekend, http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=7606.0 the urbanohio cleveland meet. I realize you may be tied up with rental consultants and the like, but there will be a herd of nerds going through the city completely at your disposal that saturday.

I'm going 6/9 through 6/12.

 

You have to check out Parade the Circle on Saturday the 10th in University Circle.  A uniquely Cleveland event that will be a lot of fun.

You have to check out Parade the Circle on Saturday the 10th in University Circle.  A uniquely Cleveland event that will be a lot of fun.

What's that all about?

Can somebody answer this question for me? I googled it but it looks like I will have to pay to get the info. What are the zip codes for Ohio City and Tremont?

Can somebody answer this question for me? I googled it but it looks like I will have to pay to get the info. What are the zip codes for Ohio City and Tremont?

 

44113 covers  most of ohio city, downtown, tremont.

Parade the Circle in University Circle is very cool and definitely different. Generically, a parade that involves the arts community of the city (Cleveland is BIG into the arts!), but really the best way to describe it is to see some pictures at either of the two sites below. They have a few, but the gallery of photos they used to have has gone missing. Maybe someone else here has some better photos they could link to.  :-D

 

http://www.clemusart.com/educef/parade/html/index.html

 

http://www.universitycircle.org/EVENTS/GeneralInfo.html

 

If you go on mapquest and enter 44113 for the zip, you'll get both Ohio City and Tremont. For some more specific neighborhood info, look at the link below:

 

http://www.nhlink.net/neighborhoodtour/nt.php

Aargh! Beat me by three minutes!

^well you're previous post stated june 2-3rd. No biggie.(maybe i'm blind) However, most of us dorks will be in columbus for that meetup.

Nah. It says the "2nd Friday of June." But whatever. I'll be sure to be back on the site with pictures and a first time visitor's perspective. Hopefully I will have a place lined up, although it may be a bit early to get a place for August 1st.

Wow, somehow I missed this one...maybe it was finals week?

 

LGR, I'm with everyone on here.  I live in Ohio City and go to CSU.  I'm there right now, as a matter of fact!  I've walked home on occasion, but for the most part, busing and biking are a snap.  Driving's not bad either, but I only take advantage of that when someone's willing to give me a ride.  Depending on where you are in Ohio City, there are as many as 7 bus lines that will get you over the bridge to Downtown Cleveland and CSU in a matter of minutes.  The Red Line (rail) is convenient when traveling greater distances to destinations such as University Circle or the airport.  As B12 would certainly agree, this direct Ohio City to airport rail link comes in very handy when friends come to town. 

 

The neighborhood is fantastic for so many other reasons, aside from accessibility.  The bars/restaurants have already been mentioned (I take full advantage), but there's something to be said for the neighborli-ness as well.  Sure, the place oozes historic charm from an aesthetic standpoint, but how about the fact that the neighbors (renters and owners alike) match this with their generosity and amicability?  My girl and I have been invited to about a half-dozen pot lucks, were left two bags of community garden vegetables during our first month in town, have been invited to neighborhood meetings, and the list goes on.  It's great...and something that hasn't been mentioned yet...it's about a 10-minute bike ride to the lake!

 

We found our rental (2 bedroom, $700) in the heart of the neighborhood through the Free Times, but I would also recommend Scene and Plugged in Cleveland (run by an OC resident!).  The other option is to walk/drive around the neighborhood and call posted numbers as you go.  That way, you know what the place looks like and where it is before you set up an appointment.  A lot of these aren't actually advertised, so you might do well to try this on day one...

 

Good Luck!

Thanks for the input Mr. Good Day. Your post got my girlfriend a little more excited to move to Cleveland. She's having a hard time moving from S. Florida. She hates the cold and she doesn't like the prospect of living in the city. I am trying to convince her that the city is where it's at but she's a suburbian at heart. She wants to move to Strongsville, actually, and wants to check out Lakewood. We're gonna be butting heads in a few weeks. I have to come up with a plan to make the suburbs look like shit and put downtown in the best of light.

Oooh, Strongsville?  What about Strongsville appeals to her?  Lakewood, I can understand...but Strongsville?  Has she been there?  I'm pretty confident that if you pitted the two against each other, Lakewood would win out easily...be sure to highlight the access to the lake, the traditional commercial districts, historic houses and apartment buildings, and the fact that it's not Strongsville!  And don't forget about us here in Ohio City!

OK west palm. Now I know how I can do some comparisons as I am quite familiar. Before I forget, I must warn you-you are going to get some serious urban bias from this board, so keep that in mind. 

 

How will Strongsville be like West Palm?

Similar:  I would say the biggest thing would be the primarily new construction somewhat (actually completely)lacking in character and the aceres of strip malls and chain restaurants. You will have to drive everywhere...no little strolls to the cafe. Like west palm there are a lot of jacked up people in a hurry in large SUV's. The only positive, is that while w. palm has the beach, Strongsville has a nice arm of the metroparks for biking, hiking , walking.

 

How it will be different than West Palm Beach: lower crime, less traffic and lower cost of living (but that is the same all over Cle compared to FL), very little ethnic or other diversity (yawn), no cultural activity unless you come to Cleveland. As I recall W. palm has at least a little going on in that area.   No nightlife. No Pollo Tropical (anywhere!).

 

other stuff:Community cohesiveness, if any,  seems to be surrounding either the politics of high school sports or church. Whereas as the inner ring suburbs and the city community cohesiveness it is about urban renewal, civic activism, etc. Young people cry there is nothing to do, congregate at the bar of the latest chain restaurant (with kids heard screaming for dinner, chasing each other around through the restuarant) or drive into Cleveland.   To get to department store type mall from Cleveland requires perhaps a 20 minute drive. I realize this is an issue for some...but how often do we need to shop? you would be driving every day to Cleveland (30 + minutes w/no rush hour or other traffic) if you lived in Strongsville, whereas spouse and I go to burbs only once every SEVERAL weeks. that is how you use a tank of gas a month.   

 

I can understand why your girlfriend may think strongsville looks good because of the similarities listed above. It could be within a comfort zone.The thing is you could be in Any Suburb USA if you live in Strongsville. There is the Target, the Outback....close your eyes, get plopped there and you are part of some weird, sad terrarium duplicated all over the country. Maybe you can frame your argument that "we can move to suburbs after a year if you hate it...but since we are in Cleveland, why not get immersed in the local scene?". "lets think if it as an exotic adventure...an oppurtunity to experience affordable urban living" .Also you can argue you are here to go to law school, so you want to be closer to campus. Truthfully I think I would not like the area if I lived in the burbs (I wouldn't like any suburb though). In fact I was less impressed with Cleveland when I lived in Cleveland Heights. As I say it is a great city up close! the further you get out the more negative people become.  If all else fails, I would take Lakewood as a compromise...but go for the city and work your way out (it will be good practice for your future endeavors as an attorney)

I should have added- it is funny you mentioned putting city in best light for your visit. It seems by Murphy's Law that when the stakes are high for me to put on the Cleveland Show (for out of state suburban in laws etc), there is usually a series of misfortune...just typical you could/will occasionally see in any city stuff (IE crazy people in a fight, man peeing on wall), but the timing stinks! Hopefully all will look good for you both!

You won't have to work hard to make Strongsville look like ass. It is anyone's definition of suburban hell. The only thing it has to recommend it is the mall.

one more thing about the weather and other stuff. yes it is a big adjustment to come from FL! I still escape south most winter for a week! but the change of seasons is nice, and a break from the constant heat is great. But you can also get some serious cabin fever in the dead of winter. I would not want to be trapped in a suburban apartment. At least in the city, you can do great winter things right in the hood,  like sip a well poured Guinness by the fire at a neighborhood pub, or take advantage of pretty wide spread FREE wifi availability-another plus if you are a student that wants a change in scenery from your apartment. I had a friend call me the other day freaking out, she was at an appointment in a far suburb and anywhere she wanted to log on required a fee- and there are not even that many wireless places in the first place out there. I know this does not sound objective, but an internet search will confirm it. And driving from Strongville could be BRUTAL in snow and ice-something you may not have factored in. Someone may correct me, but I do not think CSU ever cancels class for weather. They expect you to be there through hell or high water. OK, I am done for now...someone else give it a shot. 

yeah coming for wpb you'll def want the transit options for the winter weather on some days. i don't think you or her want to be driving in bad weather your first winter being just off the boat from living in florida so to speak, that could be dangerous until you get the hang of it. i don't want to scare her or overstate it, but i just mean it would be great to have other options for travel like the rapid and frequent busses.

 

as for lifestyle stuff, i agree re the cuban and bbq. stock up now. bbq is hopeless in ohio, and in general the state is in love goopy kc-style and pre par-boiling the 'cue. ugh (i am a big texas bbq fan). as for cuban, i thought there were one or two cuban joints in clev, but i guess they have closed. otoh, at least you can get you new lifestyle mall fix at legacy or crocker park. unfortunately, the developers built these malls in the burbs and not right downtown like wpb did. however, one has current redevelopment plans for downtown (stark). also note: clev has no corollary to clematis, instead they have nodes or clusters of pubs/restos/entertainment areas scattered all over, which i much prefer to having one main drag anyway.  welcome and good luck on yr apt search!

 

 

 

 

Lots of good suggestions above re:Ohio City and Tremont - both are great neighborhoods.  Don't be put off by Cle Hts because of the "50+ lights" comment.  There are many lights, but there aren't 50 by any stretch.  Regardless of the exact #, commuting from the Coventry or Cedar/Fairmount areas of Cle Hts (or even Cedar/Lee for that matter) to CSU is about a 10-15 minute drive.  And, if your SO has a suburban bias, Cle Hts might be more palatable than OC or definitely Tremont (which has always felt more gritty urban to me than the W 25th area of Ohio City).  Cle Hts is often described as an "urban suburb" and as goofy as that sounds, it fits.  It's pretty dense, has walkable neighborhoods, and lots of non-chain places, but is a bit safer and more suburban feeling than those other places.  Obviously, take a look around and see what works for you.

^yeah, coventry road provides a great atmosphere for younger people. Pretty much everything on the stip is aimed at the 20-30 college and post college age group.

^Speaking of Coventry...  New patio at Panini's looks to be open or about open.  They did a nice job with it.  Looks like a Jimmy John's is going to move into the old Big Fun spot - hope Grum's can survive.  No visible progress on City Buddha and American Apparrel, although both are supposed to open this Spring (which ends in about a month...)  New Thai place (Mint Cafe) has people out the door on weekend nights.  Pacific East added Malaysian food a couple months back.  And I saw someone in the old Deli Delite space (next to Pacific East, more on the Mayfield Road side).  Maybe something's going to try that spot again. 

 

On the down side, Medic is still empty, with rumors still that Marc's will move in.  Old Utrecht still empty as is most of the block between Pacific East and Mint Cafe (incl old Grog Shop).

 

Not sure why I felt the need to give a complete run-down on Coventry, but there you go...

Thanks for all of the great information everybody. I definitely have my work cut out for me when I visit. I have a lot of places to check out, Ohio City, Tremont, Lakewood and the Heights areas. I hope I can get a place where my lease starts August 1st but, visiting from June 9th-12th may be a little early to guarantee this.

 

The public transportation issue during snowy days is a good seller. She hates driving in the snow so I have to stress that. And, yes, we visited Strongsville. I was planning on going to Akron for law school but, then the CSU scholarship came so, I changed my mind. We figured she has better job prospects in Cleveland than in Akron so, we were looking at places in the middle of Akron and Cleveland. She likes Strongsville because of the modern architecture, I think. It just looks nice. I liked Parma actually, but only because it had a more urban feel. Now that I am going to CSU, there's nothing I want more than to live in the city. Lakewood is kind of turning me off knowing that it is the densest place between NY and Chicago. I looked at it on Google Earth (anyone have that? It's amazing) and it looks too crowded for my tastes.

 

She wants to know what the crime rate is in each neighborhood. I'm having a hard time finding a website that has up to date statistics. The latest I could find is from 2000. Can anyone help me in that regard?

I can see how Lakewood would be intimidating. It was for me, at first. I used to live in Geauga County (a mostly rural county east of Cleveland, though I lived in its exurban western part closest to Cleveland). When I moved out of my parents' house that was up for sale, I looked at moving to Lakewood. But a mix of intimidation, uncertainty of what I was looking for and a limited amount of time to find a place landed me in Berea. While Berea was a neat old farming village turned college town that had been swallowed up by suburbia, it lacked the energy I wanted.

 

After three years there, I got the place I wanted -- a fifth-floor condo in the northeast corner of Lakewood. It's the densest part of Lakewood, with 20,000 people living within 1 mile of me. I don't need a car here (though I do have one), can walk to countless things within 10 minutes, and is active almost 24 hours a day. And, many who attend CSU live in my neighborhood as the frequent #55 bus service on Clifton ends at CSU.

 

Lakewood takes some getting used to for those not accustomed to density. But it's 11,000 people per square mile average is virtually identical to that of the whole of Chicago or Toronto. And it's half that of New York's density. So for those who love urban settings like I do, it's a special place.

 

And, yes, Google Earth is a wonderful resource, as you say. I use it often for developing planning imagery which I often post here. I've seen many posts by other UrbanOhioans who also use Google Earth.

 

BTW, crime rates are pretty tough to find. I remember coming across a real estate locator web site that posted crime info, but I'll be damned if I can remember what it was. Consider a Google search, or just ask about specific areas of the city. We'll be able to give general descriptions of how safe a specific area is in relation to other areas of the city. But I doubt many here will be able to offer comparisons to West Palm unless somewhere on this forum has lived there (or has family there?).

Relatively up to date crime (2004) statistics and a whole lot more are available here:

 

http://neocando.case.edu/cando/quickProfile/interface.jsp

 

In fact, this is an awesome data source for anyone interested in Cleveland's neighborhoods.  Let me know if you need any help using it.

 

^ Excellent resource! Thanks for posting that.

I would not be put off to much by the density stat in Lakewood if density to you may= traffic.  statistically, Lakewood may look more crowded that West palm Beach, but b/c of  what I think is a pretty good lay out, there is relatively little traffic in comparison. It has been a while since I have been to West Palm, but i remember it to be a lot like Tampa in that the traffic was nightmarish due to the rapid growth and all the sprawl, coupled with limited public transportation.  In fact when we were back in Tampa recently, I kept saying "where is the wreck??...is it rush hour?..." (answer was no in both cases) as I had gotten spoiled by less traffic here. oddly I have found the traffic worse in Strongsville than lakewood, due to what I believe it better planning and layout in Lakewood.

 

One area that is starting to come to mind is the northern part of lakewood and Cleveland between Lake ave and Clifton (they run parallel) . A nice neighborhood starts in Cleveland around 105th (ish) and extends well into Lakewood. It is a little more spread out there-wide open, uncongested  boulevards, lots of green grass, near the lake, and easy access  to suburban amenties in Rocky River and even westlake, yet easy access to CSU and my favorite hoods of Ohio City and Tremont. As you move south from the lake, Lakewood becomes more dense.

 

Now crime. Compared to all FL cities, Cleveland fairs better. I last got my stats before moving here from a  Rand McNally "places rated almanac" -not sure if on line. However the whole metro area is lumped together. I have always been one to concider stats before choosing a neighborhood.  I remember when I called Cleveland Heights PD from FL before moving there to ask about crime, and the officer asked where i was from, and when I told him, he laughed so hard he almost dropped the phone,and basically suggested that Clev Heights was pretty much Mayberry in comparison (and Clev Heights is by no means our lowest crime community around here) . This is by no means scientific, but when I lived in Fl, nearly everyone had either an alarm system, or lived in a gated community. what does that tell you? in Cleveland, there are few gated communities, and you'll see fewer homes with alarm services. 

 

Tremont and Ohio City are in the Cleveland 2nd District-as are a few other hoods in this district, some pretty crime ridden(stockyards, Clark Fultron). So getting stats for the whole district could be misleading. The other thing with crime stats is, I have learned to flush out crimes committed where the victim is known to the assailant, which is the case of nearly all crimes against person(rape, assult, murder), while unfortunate as these are, are unlikely to involve me. The Ohio city near west development corporation may be able to send you safety updates, you can sign up on the site. http://www.ocnw.org/  I am not sure if they have the resources you want , but you could always call and explain the info you are looking for and see what it yields.  This is purely an antidote, but a friend of a friend (don't you love these stories?), is a county prosecuter living in Tremont, and indicated the crime is actually decreasing in Tremont and Ohio city and  moving south, west and east of the city.  This is in part due to the influx of more professional people, but also the increase in home ownership rates and resulting civic pride and community commitment in the area. We are by no means gentrified, but the profile of the neighborhood is evolving . Thus 2000 crime and demographic stats would be way off.

 

I agree you should just ask specifically about a neighborhood to anyone who knows the area. When I first moved to Tampa, I  narrowed down where I wanted to live, and started asking the neighbors questions, and  even a police officer out and about about the area.. Believe or not I once got steered out of one neighborhood and into a great apartment complex, by a police officer. It was good move, as it turns out I looking at one of the most crimeridden places in Tampa. Sometimes this is best way to do it.  good luck!

It's odd picturing such a dense area without traffic problems. I guess I will have to see it to believe it. So, the overall consensus is that the public transportation is reliable in Cleveland, huh? That is certainly not the case in WPB, as mentioned above.

 

Lakewood sounds like an urban area. I'd love to live in a place where all my living needs are within walking distance. I can't wait to go visit. I just put in my 60 day notice to my apratment I have now so, I have to be out by 7/15. Now, this gives me an opportunity to see a place I want to rent. I go up from 6/9-6/12 so, I'm sure ther will be plenty of apts for rent starting 7/1 and, maybe I can bargain them into starting around 7/15. Worst case scenario, paying for half-month's rent at Cleveland prices sure beats paying WPB prices. Plus, if we are unable to find an available place for my previous date of August 1st, it saves us the $$$ in coming to visit again.

I thought you were concerned just about Lakewood's density. Now I see it's the traffic that was the concern, correct?

 

A community like Lakewood, with density and mixed uses, actually is a textbook way to limit traffic. In a typical suburb, with everything spread out in areas of segregated land uses, you have to drive everywhere, and you usually have to drive at least a few miles just to accomplish the simplest of tasks.

 

But in a community like Lakewood, even if you drive, it's usually just a few blocks to the store (I'm ashamed to admit, but sometimes I actually do that when the weather is really crappy). But most times you can walk anywhere, take the community circulator (runs every 15-20 minutes or so) or hop on your bike and ride from one end of the city to the other in 20-30 minutes.

 

I will be interested to hear your reactions to seeing our lack of traffic!

"So, the overall consensus is that the public transportation is reliable in Cleveland, huh?"

 

If you want to have public transportation as an option, you'll want to do your homework (or ask us) before deciding on an area. Some areas have wonderfully reliable public transportation - others, not so much. However, I will say that I've been living car-free in Cleveland for almost five years - I live in the Edgewater/Clifton neighborhood which is served by the 55 bus line, and it comes through every 5-10 minutes during peak hours (20-30 during off-peak). I've never had a complaint other than a handful of times where they've run a few minutes late. In Strongsville, I can't imagine that you'd even be able to consider public transportation as a practical option. Speaking of - the further east, and the further inland you live - the more snow you'll get. The way the winter winds pick up the moisture from Lake Erie, that moisture translates into snow once the winds hit about a mile inland. Where I live will get a dusting, Strongsville will get 2-4 inches, and points east will get even more than that.

 

Cleveland has also started a car-sharing program for those times when you do need a car but don't want the hassle of ownership or the outrageous charges for renting. Another thing to consider is - depending on where you live, you can consider taking a taxi if you're in a jam or have had a night on the town. I've done that a few times and only had to shell out about $8 - a cab to Strongsville would easily top $25 before tip.

 

"It's odd picturing such a dense area without traffic problems."

 

A big reason that Lakewood has nominal traffic issues is the grid street pattern. In Strongsville, you're basically limited to a handful of main arteries with no connecting streets. If one of those main arteries gets clogged (and they do - a lot, especially at rush hour), you have few alternatives other than to sit in traffic because even if you can turn onto a "side street", it won't get you anywhere.

 

However, in Lakewood (and the adjacent Edgewater/Clifton neighborhood of Cleveland), you can usually hop on a side street if need be and bypass whatever is holding up the traffic.

 

To give you an idea of the typical built environment, here are a few photos. Although the population density is high, the built environment isn't really "oppressive" or crowded:

 

 

 

 

Probably the densest area, the Gold Coast in Lakewood - the towers on the right are on the lakefront:

 

I should also mention that rentals in my neighborhood are plentiful, reasonable - if you consider my neighborhood, send me a PM and I can let you know who some of the better property management companies are.