Looking for a quiet area (grad students/professionals) that has character (vintage charm) is left leaning (liberal) has access to public

transportation near CWRU, can walk to restaurants, movies, and "things to do" but not be right in the middle of community events.  Access to a workout facility close by would also be a bonus. 

I'm trying to find a place to live in Cleveland site unseen.  Any suggestions for which neighboorhoods/areas to look at or avoid would be very helpful.  Thank you!  :wave:

funny, you just described the area around CWRU perfectly. Others will chime in soon, but I'd suggest googling for apartments in Little Italy, Cleveland Heights (Coventry, Cedar-Fairmount and Cedar-Lee neighborhoods) and Shaker Square. You'll find a lot of old apartments (1920s) in very walkable and transit friendly neighborhoods.

Welcome wolf6.   :wave:

 

3231 advise is on the money.

 

I would suggest looking in the photo gallery at neighborhoods that 3231 lists so you can get a feel of the neighborhoods mentioned.

 

check these websites

Shaker Square [ www.shakersquare.net ] & [ www.shad.org ]

University Circle [ www.universitycircle.org/content ]

Coventry [ www.coventryvillage.org ]

Cedar-Fairmount [ www.cedarfairmount.com ]

Cedar Lee [ www.cedarlee.org ]

Wolf6, Welcome!

 

To look at some pictures of the neighborhoods that we are talking about:

 

go to the main urbanohio page, click on NE Ohio,

 

then click on suburbs, then click on Cleveland Heights

 

or

 

then click on Cleveland, then click on Buckeye-Shaker or University

Thank you for the advice!  I've been leaning toward shaker square, but I've "heard" that it's not a good area.  Thanks for demystifying the myths. 

Shaker Square is a diverse area with some poor neighborhoods to the south and west. To the north and east, you'll find some of most beautiful residential areas in the country. Shaker Square itself is safe. Its unfortunate that some people equate black people solely with a lack of safety. Be careful where you get your advice

Thank you for the advice!  I've been leaning toward shaker square, but I've "heard" that it's not a good area.  Thanks for demystifying the myths.  

 

:wtf: WHO TOLD YOU THAT SHAKER SQUARE WASN'T A GOOD AREA?  SLAP THEM NUMEROUS TIMES!   :wtf:

 

I'm a long time resident of Shaker Square and there are a few others on the board that live here.  Its Cleveland best overall neighborhood by far!

 

 

You'll have to excuse MyTwoSense's provincialism. :roll:

Welcome, Wolf6.

 

Here are some quick thoughts on your criteria:

 

- Quiet area (grad students/professionals): All of the areas described are relatively quiet. Among them, I would venture to say that Little Italy and Coventry are perhaps a little louder than Cedar Fairmount, Cedar Lee or Shaker Square (though Shaker Square can get a little noisy, as it is the densest neighborhood within the city proper), but none of them are overly noisy. All are inhabited by large populations of students and young professionals.

 

- Character (Vintage Charm): All of the neighborhoods are certainly steeped in charm. Little Italy has a lot of street character and lies adjacent to the huge and beautiful Lakeside Cemetery. The building of this cemetery was responsible in part for the originally agglomeration of Italian immigrants who performed masonry work on the grounds. Coventry traditionally was once an ethnic enclave that then became a hippie haven in the 60s and 70s; today, it is a little more commercialized, but still has a lot of charm. Cedar-Lee is a traditional retail/mixed-use character with a lot of charm. Cedar-Fairmount has nice tudor features and an interesting street grid, with lots of quiet little mid-rise apartment buildings on the side streets. And Shaker Square is one of the earliest planned communities and planned shopping areas in the country, with beautiful 1920s architecture and an English town-square-inspired shopping district.

 

- Left leaning: All of the neighborhoods are left-leaning; all our located within the 13th Congressional District, which is the second most liberal congressional district in the Midwest (there are 8 registered Democrats for every 1 registered Republican). Little Italy may have a reputation for being a little more parochial than the other neighborhoods, but I think this has changed significantly following a sizable in-migration of students and young professionals. Shaker Heights (adjacent to the neighborhood of Shaker Square) and Cleveland Heights (home to Cedar-Fairmount, Cedar-Lee and Coventry) both have reputations as being among the more liberal suburbs in the region. Shaker Square's shopping area has been home to both Kerry's Ohio Headquarters in 2004 and Strickland's Cleveland Headquarters in 2006.

 

- Access to Public Transportation near CWRU: All are pretty accessible to Case Western Reserve University - Little Italy lies adjacent to campus, Cedar Fairmount is just up Cedar Hill from campus and Coventry, Shaker Square and Cedar Lee are all within a mile's distance, with Cedar Lee being the furthest away. All are serviced by bus lines, and there is also a community circulator that connects most of these neighborhoods. Little Italy lies adjacent to a train station at E. 120th, Cedar Fairmount is just up the hill from the University Circle train and Shaker Square has the best train access, with 3 train stops in a quarter-mile radius and service to downtown Cleveland every 5 mins. during rush hour (as well as bus service to CWRU via route 48).

 

- Can walk to restaurants, movies, and "things to do": Again, all are pretty walkable and all are pretty proximate to restaurants, bars, coffee shops, dry cleaners, art galleries, etc. Shaker Square and Cedar-Fairmount both have grocery stores in walking distance (as does Cedar-Lee if you live in its northern section), and Cedar-Lee and Shaker Square are both home to movie theatres. Coventry has the best selection of clothing, if that's a consideration.

 

- Not right in the middle of community events: This one might be a little harder. Coventry is home to an annual arts and crafts fair, Cedar-Lee occasionally has sidewalk sales and has a lot of programming just a little to the north at Cain Park, Shaker Square has a weekly farmer's market and an annual Holiday lighting celebration, Cedar Fairmount has an annual block party-type deal and Little Italy annually hosts the Feast of Immaculate Assumption. None of these events is overly crazy ... of any, I would say the multi-day Feast is probably the loudest and most prolonged of any of them.

 

- Access to a workout facility: I would highly recommend the gym I go to, 121 (http://onetoone.case.edu/), which is the most comprehensive gym in that area and has a lot of opportunities for exercise classes, nutrition assistance and work with personal trainers. Best of all, it sits on the edge of the CWRU campus and is just down the street from Little Italy and just down the hill from Cedar-Fairmount.

 

Based on everything you've outlined, I would recommend either Little Italy, Cedar-Fairmount or Shaker Square, with Cedar-Fairmount being my top recommendation if quiet and less "in the middle of things" is a chief concern. But all of the neighborhoods shared are great ... I lived in Shaker Square for five years and loved it and have friends who couldn't be torn away from their respective apartments/condos in Little Italy, Cedar-Fairmount and Cedar-Lee.

 

And, as an aside, Shaker Square is a lovely and perfectly safe neighborhood.

My first thought when I received the "wrong" advice about shaker square was what you're really trying to say is "why don't you check out the white neighboorhoods" -- echoing 3231's suspicion.  It's difficult hearing advice from a friend of a friend who has been living in Cleveland her whole life, but obviously whose view is very different from my own.  How's Ludlow and S. Woodland?  Is that too far from the square?

8ShadesofGray is always so eloquent and detailed without tipping the scales "pro" or "con" in his responses.

 

:clap:

Ludlow and S. Woodland are a little down from the Square (walkable but maybe not desirably walkable in the winter), but you'd be very close to a train station that would get you to the square in less than 5 minutes. Not too bad, although that immediate area of apartments (if I'm thinking of the right ones, the ones right at the bend of Van Aken) don't have quite as much charm as some of the ones along North Moreland, the northern section of South Moreland, along Shaker Blvd. or over by Drexmore. You might also check out Larchmere, which has a lot of retail and is walkable to the square but perhaps a little quieter in nature.

8shadesofgrey: Thank you so much for the comprehensive breakdown of the neighborhoods -- very much appreciated! 

No problem ... just pay it forward ... move here and remind lifelong Clevelanders that the city is far nicer than they give it credit for  :wink:

All that sounds about right....

 

As a Case alumnus & staff member, I highly suggest Little Italy, Coventry, Cedar Lee, or Cedar Fairmount.  All will be close to campus, safe, walkable, and close to a variety of of options.

 

I currently live in Little Italy and love it, although up in the Heights you can find some different kind of digs.

How's Ludlow and S. Woodland?  Is that too far from the square?

 

No thats considered apart of the 'Shaker Square" area.

 

Your like a block away from the the train at Van Aken/Southwoodland but can walk to the square in 7-10 minutes.

 

Going west of of 128/Buckeye get a lil sketchy as the parts of blocks/blocks are hit or miss, but still safe.

Ludlow and S. Woodland are a little down from the Square (walkable but maybe not desirably walkable in the winter), but you'd be very close to a train station that would get you to the square in less than 5 minutes. Not too bad, although that immediate area of apartments (if I'm thinking of the right ones, the ones right at the bend of Van Aken) don't have quite as much charm as some of the ones along North Moreland, the northern section of South Moreland, along Shaker Blvd. or over by Drexmore. You might also check out Larchmere, which has a lot of retail and is walkable to the square but perhaps a little quieter in nature.

 

Also we have larchmere [ http://www.larchmere.com ] which is one block north of shaker square but also apart of the overall shaker square neighboorhood.

 

Here are some Shaker Square photo threads:

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=13423.0 - skip to the "shaker heights" section.  It's mislabeled as its actually Shaker Square.  note how the author of the thread calls the area "fantastic".

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=4938.0

 

these sites will give you some examples of apartments in the area:

 

http://www.montlackrealty.com/

 

http://www.montlack.com/index.asp    (yes, these are different companies)

Wolfie, where are you currently located?

MyTwoSense: I am currently on the eastside of WA in Pullman (close to the Idaho border).  Originally from Southern CA.

Just out of curiosity, how's the downtown Cleveland area?  There's an apartment at Prospect Ave. that looks nice, but again I was "warned" about the area. 

Where on Prospect? Do you have an address?

 

Downtown is pretty safe, but I'd feel nervous if I were walking home alone at 3am. Sounds like your source is a bit biased.  There are portions of Prospect that are just outside of downtown. That portion is not unsafe, but it would probably kind of give you the creeps because its pretty desolate after the sun goes down.

Just out of curiosity, how's the downtown Cleveland area?  There's an apartment at Prospect Ave. that looks nice, but again I was "warned" about the area. 

 

Just who are your references?  :?  I think we need to send MayDay over to have a firm talk (ok tongue lashing since its MayDay) with these folks!  MayDay I'll pay you in Vosges Choc. when the jobs done!  :wink:

 

MyTwoSense: I am currently on the eastside of WA in Pullman (close to the Idaho border).  Originally from Southern CA.

 

Ok..A left coast transplant.  We usually get folks from the east coast.  Cool!!

 

so what building is the place in on prospect?  If you look in the I'm move to Brecksville thread, you'll see lots of links to downtown housing / activities.

 

 

3814 PROSPECT AVE -- Dixson Hall Apartments -- the pics on the website look nice -- www.dixsonhall.com

 

 

This is the "upper prospect" area not downtown.  once you cross 30 street (is ive always thought) you're no longer in downtown proper, but midtown.   The upper prospect historical area is apart of midtown and looks really cool architecturally.  This area is starting to rebound and there is planned development.

 

I don't know what it's like to live in that area, but the old school apartment in the area look great.

Although the apartments themselves are nice, the Dixson Hall building is a bit off the beaten path - and as 3231 said, it's not really safe or unsafe per se, but it does get desolate.

 

I'd lean toward 8Shade's recommendations based on what you've told us.

^ if it helps anyone i mapquested that -- the apt is on prospect in the mid 30's or bet e30th and 55th.

 

that's ok, but i'd think as a student he could get closer to case than that.

 

personally i'd go w/ what 8shades/jefferyt said and rent as near the college as i could get and have a look around town for a semester or two. i know as a grad student you will be busy and that will quickly be a priority, but still you could always move later. doubtful your first place anywhere you move in blind like this would end up being be your best and lasting choice.

 

Much appreciated :)  Looking forward to calling Cleveland home.

Welcome to Cleveland.  I moved here, too, and I think you'll like it.  Don't listen to the opinions of most people from Cleveland (this board excluded), most of whom have never left home and are generally unfamiliar with all of the positives about this area.  It really is a great place to call home.

The people who often say such-and-such area in Cleveland isn't safe are most likely people who are from a Wonderbread suburb and haven't set foot in that area in years. And all they've heard since are rumors and read anti-Cleveland BS from the local fishwrap (aka Plain Dealer). If they've been in the area more recently, I suspect they've only driven through and had a pimped-out car of young gangster wannabes pull up next to them at a light only to get their eardrums get blown out by the punks' subwoofer. But that doesn't make a neighborhood unsafe.

 

There is nothing wrong with Shaker Square. Quite the opposite. It's one of my favorite nabes in any city I've ever visited in the U.S. and Europe. But some people's tolerance level for anyone who looks or acts too different from them is cause for fear. I feel so sorry for people who feel that way. And while East 38th and Prospect isn't my ideal of a truly safe neighborhood, I would have no problem walking around there in the daytime. In fact, I can't think of more than a half-dozen neighborhoods in the entire city that I wouldn't feel safe in during the daytime. Some alleys and sidestreets? That's a different matter, as are other neighborhoods late at night. Downtown's fine at any hour. So is Ohio City, Tremont, Shaker Square, Little Italy, University Circle, North Collinwood, Edgewater, Gordon Square area, West Park, Old Brooklyn and others I'm probably forgetting.

 

I've got news for suburbanites: I don't feel safe in those new-fangled, white-bread 'burbs, because I'd probably kill myself if I had to live there.

For those who are moving to Cleveland and would like another resource, I just came across the "Moving to Cleveland Survival Guide" published by the Cleveland Clinic.

 

http://www.clevelandclinic.org/reproductiveresearchcenter/docs/SurvivalGuide2003.pdf

Thanks for the link. Not surprising that the Clinic has such a resource. Many of the people who've come to UrbanOhio for help in finding neighborhoods to live in were moving here for jobs at the Clinic. The Clinic has been hiring like crazy, with 100 new people starting their jobs at the Clinic every Monday, according to real estate developer Nathan Zaremba. The Clinic several years ago overtook Ford Motor Co. as the largest single non-governmental employer in Northeast Ohio. Last I heard, they had more than 27,000 employees. Shows the changing face of this region's economy...

 

EDIT: Just browsed through the relocation guide, and IMHO it's pretty skewed against downtown and its surrounding neighborhoods. Lots of things not listed in there, like what types of housing options are available in/near downtown (though it mentions east and west suburbs), the many great restaurants, downtown and near-downtown grocery stores (specialized and mainstream), the Tower City cinemas (did it even mention the international film festival among the notable things to do?). Another suburbanite steering more people to their lifestyle? Though I was pleased to see the urban suburban areas of Shaker and Cleveland Heights mentioned so prominently.

After all the great responses I've received from this forum (bravo!  :clap:), I've narrowed it down to either a place near Ludlow and S. Woodland or near Mt. Overlook and E127st.  Pros/cons/opinions of either location?  Thank you!   

After all the great responses I've received from this forum (bravo!  :clap:), I've narrowed it down to either a place near Ludlow and S. Woodland or near Mt. Overlook and E127st.  Pros/cons/opinions of either location?  Thank you!   

 

127 & What?

Wolf6,

 

What will you be studying at Case?

Mount Overlook and E 127 (near Larchmere)

Yes, I'll be at Case in a part-time program and looking for a job  :roll:

From the posts I've read it looks like Larchmere/Shaker Square is one of the places to be.  :wink:

3231: Nonprofit management  :clap:

On a side note, has anyone heard of/joined the East Boulevard Athletic Club near Larchmere? 

Mount Overlook and E 127 (near Larchmere)

Yes, I'll be at Case in a part-time program and looking for a job  :roll:

 

I think Clvlndr is on or close to that block and give more details about living on Larchmere proper.  There are some new developments there and it just a block away from Larchmere stroll.  A good deal of shopping, grocery stores, dry cleaners, drug stores, restaurants and other services are within a 5/10 minute walk.

 

Its pretty quiet over there at night but on weekends the area can be swarmed with antique-ers and parking can be pretty bad.

 

You'll have good access to the 48/48A which you can catch at the Kemper/N. Moreland & Larchmere intersection.

i lived on the 48 when I went to case.

 

as for non-profit mgmt, say hi to dean gilmore for me.

Thanks again everyone for your insights.  the pope: Will do.

I think the shaker square area sounds great. I am very partial to Larchemere in that area. It has a lot of funky little places (cafe, Galleries etc). Little Italy also sounds great for your criteria. I agree the prospect av local is a little desolate. I have worked with people who live in that area and there are some issues. Crime wise I think things have been pretty quiet over on the Square, while we are struggling right now on the near west which I would not concider completely safe at all hours (but in general I feel safe.work and live here and have not had a problem but keep track of neighborhood issues). I find nothing interesting about Cleveland suburbs. I just don't get them. I am sure people (other than here) will try and push you further and further east, south or west. If you can, spend some time in the neighborhoods and then trust your gut. as far as liberalism, I think this area is pretty conservative despite dems being in local offices. But then I think 98% of the country is conservative...however did anyone mention in this thread we have some pretty progressive leadership in the house and sentate? The main local press, the plain dealer is generally a nightmare, very anti cleveland-I think another thread details the issues.  IMo the eastside is more liberal than the west side for sure.

Does anyone think we could maybe do a collaborative project where we each submit photos, retail options, lodging options, and of course residential and restaurant options for all of Greater Cleveland's various neghborhoods from the "hood" to the "Heights?"

 

Next we could post these things to an interactive satelite image of the region, where prospective residents can click and read up on the neighborhoods, see pictures and get a general feel for an area site unseen.

 

Then post the map at the top of the restaurant/relocation forum. I'm just seeing who's interested or if you guys think something like that would work since we seem to be getting a slew of transplants on the forum lately.