Found this in the Dispatch and thought it was kinda interesting.  Yeah, for more kids around downtown :clap:

 

City kids

Families living Downtown with children still rare, but building boom suggests changes coming

Wednesday,  March 28, 2007 3:38 AM

By Dennis Fiely

 

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Meghan Gauriloff | Dispatch 

Milling around the Short North, from left: resident Molly Ricksecker, 13; Bryn Webster, 13; resident Jailyn Soto, 14; and Stephan Beavers, 13

 

www.dispatch.com

 

FRED SQUILLANTE | Dispatch 

Alison Maniace, 5, on the balcony of her home in Waterford Tower

 

 

Meghan Gauriloff | Dispatch 

Short North teenagers and their suburban friends have some fun in the Arena District.

 

 

For more information, click the above link.

It's nice to see positive articles like this, let's keep 'em coming!

Her view includes sights unseen in suburbs -- such as a window washer scaling the building like Spider-Man.

 

-also greater diversities of people by race and income.

^Such as poor black window washers.

 

But seriously: I've spoken my piece about this topic a million times. The city is the only place for kids. Our kids have a chain of COSI passes taller then them, and they've been to The Franklin Park Conservatory more times than the mall. In fact, I can't think of a single trip to the mall.

 

The only spoiler is the schools. Another fun topic...

Great article!

Great story - thanks glutmax!  Last year we lived part time in German Village/Columbus and often talked about the idea of having kids there, but we rarely saw kids other than occasionally in Schiller Park. 

 

This article hits home with me as my wife and I have lived in a downtown loft (Dayton) for the past three years and we're expecting our first kid in August.  We don't want to move and plan to stay here for at least another few years.  We do have one kid in our building (19 months old) but I don't know how long they plan to stay. 

 

The fact that there aren't any other kids is the only reason we would think about leaving.  Our kid(s) will go to Catholic school (though I'm proud to say that I went to public schools in an urban environment just outside of Chicago), and crime is certainly not an issue (contrary to popular belief).  I do hope that with 60 or so condos and townhomes planned for our downtown neighborhood in addition to the 75 we already have means that at least a couple more kids will move in.

 

And when we do move, it will be to a house in a historic district in the city.  :clap:

Great article.  Three things stand out to me from the article and the responses:

1. apartment/condo size

    Many of the newer condos are too small for kids.  But if you look around you can find units that have an "office" or loft space that can be fine for kids.  We have settled that our boy and girl will share a bedroom for many years.  If a townhouse is a possibility, this might be the best of both worlds.

2. kids nearby for play mates

  I really think this is less of an issue than most make it out to be.  We started meeting other parents at preschool who live a few blocks away, that we might not have otherwise known about.  You also start running into lots of kids at playgrounds and kid-freindly events.  I was at a party this weekend with dozens of children, and they all lived within walking distance.  When the kids get to grade school, then they really start to make lots of freinds, and many of them will end up being nearby. 

3. schools

  Cincinnati Public has a great magnet program, and we have been very happy with a magnet school that is a 5 minute drive from downtown.  However, we know many kids who go to Catholic school also.  When choosing a school, you are looking at several things including test scores, etcs.  But really, lets be honest, you are really choosing peers for your child.  We toured several schools, and the choices are wide ranging.  The private schools are not only expensive, but lack diversity.  You really have to trust that your child is strong enough to flourish in a diverse classroom.  And I can tell you without ever having met your child ... that he or she will do fine.

 

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