Hello,

 

My husband and I are relocating from the Detroit suburbs, and I am researching to get some info on where would be a good place to rent an apartment. We will eventually buy a home, once we are settled - possibly a year down the road...I would think. Anyway, its so tough trying to gauge commute times using mappoint, and I was wondering if you could give me a little guidance. Here is the scoop on us...

 

– Married or Single? Married couple

– Do you have children or are you thinking about having some in the future? Future

– Do you prefer: downtown living, urban city neighborhoods, older suburbs or cul-de-sac sprawling burbs? We prefer happening and lively areas so I would say downtown or urban

– What's your age range?  late 20s

– How much would you like to spend housing? Rental - around $1500 a month, we need 2 bed, 2 bath, I would like a newer option versus old, with updated kitchen, etc. I have seen some of the renovated building in University Circle, for example, that are very appealing - but I wasn't sure of the drive time to Middlefield.

– What kind of extra curricular activities do you enjoy in your downtime/afterhours/weekends? Bars, restaurants, the Cheesecake Factory!!, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, working out (would like apt with a gym), shopping, running outside, a nearby park would be great, would like to be relatively close to the water if possible?

– What city and neighborhood are you currently living in? Royal Oak, a suburb of Detroit - lots of bars, shopping, etc.

 

I am hoping for a commute anywhere around 45 min or less.

Again, I really like University Circle or anything like it, but am not sure how far that would be of a drive. We also liked Lyndhurt. I don't see either one recommended very often though, I was surprised. I am thinking that the actual downtown area would be too far of a drive. Is downtown Cleveland "nice" - I ask because Detroit is ok....but its definitely no Chicago!

 

Any input would be great!! Thanks!!!

 

 

Hmm, I'll give you a heads up - Middlefield is about 35 miles east of downtown Cleveland and that's as the crow flies. It would be quite a schlep to commute from downtown or University Circle, but I think you could do the University Circle/Middlefield trip in around 45 minutes. I might even suggest some areas of Cleveland Heights which offer a pretty satisfactory "urban neighborhood" feel but put you a little closer to work. You'd also be close to a Whole Foods (in South Euclid), Cheesecake Factory (in Lyndhurst), Trader Joes (in Woodmere), etc.

welcome sjade565 :wave:

 

I love that you previewed the board and gave us the details in the first post! You go girl!

 

Have you looked in Euclid or Richmond Heights?  I wonder if any of the current/past Euclid residents on the board think thats a fair compromise?

 

What do you guys think about those 'burbs?

I had to look at a map to see where exactly Middlefield is again!

 

U Circle may be closer, but Downtown may be quicker because you could shoot down 77 to 480 to 422 and then jog north to get there.  You should drive the route yourself to get an idea of the commute time, but I don't think you'll beat that time going from U Circle because it would be difficult to get to 480 and you would end up on surface streets- some of Cleveland's busiest- the whole way.

 

You could also check out Tremont because you could take 176 to 480.  It's an urban, happening area just south of downtown.

 

Of course, no matter what route you take, it's going to be quite a commute from "urban" to Middlefield.

Of course, no matter what route you take, it's going to be quite a commute from "urban" to Middlefield.

 

I agree -- probably 45 minutes from eastern 'burbs like South Euclid/Lyndhurst, 50 for Shaker Heights, University Heights, Cleveland Heights, and 55 for University Circle, downtown, and Tremont.  Just roughly educated guesses...

 

^^MTS, I personally wouldn't recommend Euclid or Richmond Heights to someone coming from Royal Oak.  But maybe someone else has a different thought.

 

 

I think your best bet is to achieve the right balance for you - commute time vs. living in a neighborhood that you'll enjoy.  Good luck!

I wasn't sure.  I thought about woodmere, orange, pepper pike, but those are pretty boring burbs.

hmm, You'd pobably have a reverse commute if you live near the city and work in middlefield, meaning rush hour traffic shouldn't be an issue.

 

This is a tuffy because the good urban neighborhoods tend to not have good freeway access. (corellation)

 

If you lived in University Circle/Cleveland Heights/Shaker Heights, you could shoot down Lee Road and hop on

 

I-480 the thing is I'm not sure how bad Lee is during rush hour. The Shaker Heights portion just finished being repaved and streetscaped so the construction issues should be done with.  Does anyone know how bad Lee traffic is?

WOW!!!  :clap: So much wonderful information. Thank you! I feel a little like this now though  :wtf: (I love these little faces.) So many to choose from, how do I narrow it down.

 

Can anyone give me a short run through of the following cities?

 

University Circle/University Heights - Also, is there a difference other than that they are separated by a few miles?

Auburn

Euclid/South Euclid - is there a difference?

Lyndhurst

Cleveland Heights

 

The general feel for what I am looking for is new or revitalized buildings, new apartments, close to shopping meccas  :wink2:, parks nearby, etc.  The feel I get for Shaker Heights, from the photos and descriptions I have seen, is that its very small town, like Mayberry-ish. Correct or no?

 

Also, what is downtown Cleveland like? Are there lots of shops, restaurants, etc? And are there any beaches nearby or access to the lake? I have not seen much info on this? How far of a drive would it be to the lake from any of the cities above?

 

THANKS!! :mrgreen:

WOW!!!  :clap: So much wonderful information. Thank you! I feel a little like this now though  :wtf: (I love these little faces.) So many to choose from, how do I narrow it down.

 

Can anyone give me a short run through of the following cities?

 

University Circle/University Heights - Also, is there a difference other than that they are separated by a few miles?

Auburn

Euclid/South Euclid - is there a difference?

Lyndhurst

Cleveland Heights

 

The general feel for what I am looking for is new or revitalized buildings, new apartments, close to shopping meccas  :wink2:, parks nearby, etc.  The feel I get for Shaker Heights, from the photos and descriptions I have seen, is that its very small town, like Mayberry-ish. Correct or no?

 

Also, what is downtown Cleveland like? Are there lots of shops, restaurants, etc? And are there any beaches nearby or access to the lake? I have not seen much info on this? How far of a drive would it be to the lake from any of the cities above?

 

THANKS!! :mrgreen:

 

Here is a map of cuyahoga county.

http://www.cuyahogacounty.us/maps/communitiesmap.asp

 

University Circle is a neighborhood/business district located inside the city of Cleveland

University Heights, Lyndhurst, Cleveland Heights, Euclid and South Euclid are suburbs east of Cleveland.

 

Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights are very similar both are beautiful garden suburbs.  I grew up in Shaker Heights and its not mayberry-ish just pretty.  Cleveland Heights - where I suggest you move - has three unique entertainment districts; University Heights has cedar center, Shaker Heights has Chagrin/Lee (aka shaker town center).  In addition, Shaker Heights is adjacent to the Shaker Square neighborhood in Cleveland which is a nice collection of restaurants and stores.  All three of these 'burbs are a 15 -20 ride (based on traffic) to beachwood mall, ohio's premiere mall.

 

The Edgewater neighborhood of Cleveland has the best beach in the city proper.  There is also mentor headlands further east in Lake County.

 

Downtown is nice and OK.  There is a lot of development going on.  A great assortment of restaurants and entertainment options.  Might I suggest checking some of the other relocation threads and the various downtown Cleveland  projects to see all the things happening in the heart of the city.

 

Click on the links in the map above for more information on the 'burbs you mention above.

Also, two more questions -

 

What taxes do you pay in terms of income - state and city or just state?

What is the current cost of gas? Just wondering what the cost of living is, compared to the Detroit area.

 

Check out Clevelandgasprices.com

Here is a good Cost of Living comparison table for selected cities across the U.S.  Cleveland is less than Detroit, but more expensive than my fair Cincinnati.  :laugh:

 

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0883960.html

Welcome to the Cleveland area.  My wife and I moved here from Chicago (10 years ago? Has it really been that long?) and we love it.  We currently live downtown and are very happy with the plethora of nightclubs, restaurants, theaters, etc. 

 

When we first moved to Cleveland we still had two young children and decided to move to Cleveland Heights.  That is a great city!  It provided us with a blend of urban life style with decent schools, beautiful homes at reasonable prices, a mix of people (artistic, intellectual, mostly liberal and we tend to be more conservative, and very interesting).  I strongly reccomend looking into Cleveland Heights if the commute time is acceptable.

 

Given that you have no children at this time.  I also recommend that you look into living downtown.  My wife and I go to Detroit frequently for Indians games vs. Tigers and my wife enjoys the casinos.  Without being negative, I think downtown Cleveland offers a more complete lifestyle than what you might currently find in Downtown Detroit (although the Tigers are playing great baseball!).  Although Detroit is improving rapidly, Downtown Cleveland has affordable residences, many conveniences within walking distance (dry cleaners, grocery stores, clothing stores, downtown shopping mall, markets, libraries, different fitness places, outdoor concert areas, parks).  I will stop.  It is obvious that my wife and I love living in downtown Cleveland.  Welcome to the area.

Chagrin Falls may be an option for you.  It would be about a 25 minute commute to Middlefield.  There is a nice quaint downtown there, good resale on real estate and excellent schools.  The downtown area isn't like an urban downtown, but very pedestrian friendly.  Probably one of the most active suburban downtowns in Cuyahoga County. 

THANKS SO MUCH!!!

 

More questions  :-D -

 

1) Is traffic on the route to Middlefield, from the U Circle, S Euclid, Lynhurst area(s), bumper to bumper, or does it move, but just takes a while to get there?

 

2) Are there any newer or renovated apartment complexes in Shaker Heights or Chagrin Falls or S Euclid?

 

3) Is there public transportation to/fro the Beachwood Mall and/or Legacy Village?

 

TMH - You don't have to worry about hurting my feelings in regard to Detroit...I would be the first to admit it needs A LOT of work and truly is a dissapointment, even with the new casinos going up. There is no public transportation and no real shopping/restaurants, "main drag" area to keep people down there. Plus its a little scary at night. It could be so great...if the city officials would just get their act together. And YES! the Tigers are great. One thing my husband is sad about leaving is the Red Wings. He is a hockey nut, and he keeps saying he wishes Cleveland would get a hockey team.  :-)

 

I think our thought process is this - this would be the time to live in a city/urban environment, if we are ever going to do it. Before we have kids! We can live it up for 1-2 years, take some time to figure out where we want to settle down, and then move to the suburbs, when we are ready to start a family. So we are looking for the fun, lively, lots of shops, events, etc - so I am leaning more toward the Lynhurst/Beachwood/U Circle areas for this reason. I guess we will have to come down and do the drive ourselves, to get an exact feel for what it will be. All your input really helps a great deal though! Thanks again.

 

 

I'll be honest with you, U Circle would be over an hour commute everyday to Middlefield.  Yes, you would fight traffic on 271 south and 422 (especially where 422 goes down to two lanes by LeDue through Troy and Parkman), but also, it is just far.  Another thing to remember is, you are driving throught the heart of the snowbelt to Middlefield in the winter.  Really, the snow is bad out there on that commute.  I stick with Chagrin Falls for you.  Chagrin Falls could be a good back road commute through Geagua County. 

I'll be honest with you, U Circle would be over an hour commute everyday to Middlefield.  Yes, you would fight traffic on 271 south and 422 (especially where 422 goes down to two lanes by LeDue through Troy and Parkman), but also, it is just far.  Another thing to remember is, you are driving throught the heart of the snowbelt to Middlefield in the winter.  Really, the snow is bad out there on that commute.  I stick with Chagrin Falls for you.  Chagrin Falls could be a good back road commute through Geagua County. 

 

Hm...really? Do you know of any apartment complexes in Chagrin Falls? I can only find one - Carriage Hill.

1 - I can't answer

2 - there are a few on Chagrin.  Please check the shaker heights city web page.

3 - yes.  Cleveland bus/rail system is the Greater Cleveland RTA.  [ www.gcrta.org ]

 

Cleveland's professional hockey team is the AHL franchise the Lake Erie Monsters [ www.lakeeriemonsters.com ]

IIRC, the monsters kick off their inaugural season in Cleveland this October.

 

Lyndhurst is awful suburb from a residential stand point.  As you state, move here, rent and explore the city.

 

sjade565, gotribe makes an excellent point about snow.  The "snow belt" is beautiful in spring, summer and fall, but come mid January/February....its a beast of a different kind.  I live in the western most point of the snow belt and the amount of snow I get is kid stuff compared to what they get out there!

I'll be honest with you, U Circle would be over an hour commute everyday to Middlefield.  Yes, you would fight traffic on 271 south and 422 (especially where 422 goes down to two lanes by LeDue through Troy and Parkman), but also, it is just far.  Another thing to remember is, you are driving throught the heart of the snowbelt to Middlefield in the winter.  Really, the snow is bad out there on that commute.  I stick with Chagrin Falls for you.  Chagrin Falls could be a good back road commute through Geagua County. 

 

Hm...really? Do you know of any apartment complexes in Chagrin Falls? I can only find one - Carriage Hill.

 

I do not know of any "complexes" but I am sure there are several apartments located above retail in the downtown area. 

I'll be honest with you, U Circle would be over an hour commute everyday to Middlefield.  Yes, you would fight traffic on 271 south and 422 (especially where 422 goes down to two lanes by LeDue through Troy and Parkman), but also, it is just far.  Another thing to remember is, you are driving throught the heart of the snowbelt to Middlefield in the winter.  Really, the snow is bad out there on that commute.  I stick with Chagrin Falls for you.  Chagrin Falls could be a good back road commute through Geagua County. 

 

I just put in the address for Park Land Villas, in U Circle, and the address for my potential new employer, and it says 39 miles, 47 min...which I know is not always accurate, but the directions it says to take are different than what you have listed above. It says to take...

 

Cedar Rd to 271 N to US 322 (Mayfield Rd) to SR 608 (Old State Rd). So would I hit the same bad traffic here? I realize that the snow would be unavoidable. :-)

I'll be honest with you, U Circle would be over an hour commute everyday to Middlefield.  Yes, you would fight traffic on 271 south and 422 (especially where 422 goes down to two lanes by LeDue through Troy and Parkman), but also, it is just far.  Another thing to remember is, you are driving throught the heart of the snowbelt to Middlefield in the winter.  Really, the snow is bad out there on that commute.  I stick with Chagrin Falls for you.  Chagrin Falls could be a good back road commute through Geagua County. 

 

I just put in the address for Park Land Villas, in U Circle, and the address for my potential new employer, and it says 39 miles, 47 min...which I know is not always accurate, but the directions it says to take are different than what you have listed above. It says to take...

 

Cedar Rd to 271 N to US 322 (Mayfield Rd) to SR 608 (Old State Rd). So would I hit the same bad traffic here? I realize that the snow would be unavoidable. :-)

 

those directions might not be accurate, if I'm not mistaken, from the parkland villas you could take mayfield Rd. all the way out.

I you're looking for a urban environment, Lyndhurst/Beachwood area isn't that.  It's more of a suburban "edge city".  That means lots of offices and shopping, but it's in office parks and malls, not an urban street configuration.  That said, that area does probably have the best retail options in Cleveland.  Unfortunately, Downtown isn't the retail mecca it should be, though that may change if some planned developments happen.

What are your thoughts on Stonebridge - the condos? How far from Middlefield?

stonebridge is located downtown on the West Bank of the flats, nice.  A couple for Forumers live in the complex.  Looooooooooooong drive to Middlefield.

I was sifting through the messages in this string for the first time, and kept thinking... I'll bet she'll like Chagrin Falls!

 

For 15 years, I lived a few minutes outside Chagrin Falls in Geauga (Gee-aw-ga) County. Middlefield is in Geauga County and Chagrin Falls is right on the county line between Geauga and Cuyahoga County (it's actually in Cuyahoga, the same county in which Cleveland is seated).

 

Chagrin Falls is linked by the #5 RTA bus to the RTA rail system, which goes downtown, the airport etc. You may find rental, stand-alone century homes in Chagrin Falls, but the city keeps the rental conversions to a minimum. But the town is truly walkable, with lots of great restaurants, shops, taverns and more.

 

Now for the snow. The northern half of Geauga County gets more than 100 inches of snow per year, with the southern half receiving about 80 inches per year (Middlefield is, well, in the middle!). Compare that to the west side of Cleveland where 60 inches is the norm. But, really, there's no such thing as a normal winter. Thus, my suggestion is to move as close to Middlefield as you can get without leaving the city so far behind.

 

And, actually, Middlefield is a nice little town, with lots of Amish/Mennonites living nearby. You'll love the Amish buggies sharing the roads with cars (drive carefully!), and seeing them parked outside a Walgreens or a supermarket will throw you the first few times you see it!

I have to say Chagrin Falls isn't a bad idea, if you can find a rental there.  Nice town, and you would have good access to the shopping in Lyndhurst/Beachwood area.  Also, if you are going to look at small, but vibrant towns, you might check out Chardon, in Geauga County.  Not as upscale as Chagrin Falls (which is really a wealthy exurb), but it has a nice square and some nice housing surrounding it.  Not sure about the drive to Middlefield, though Chardon is the "buckle" of the snowbelt, so to speak, so take that into consideration.  Note: both are pronounced with a soft "sh" sound, not a "ch" sound.

Good God - Middlefield is out there - I didn't realize how far until I looked at mapquest.  It's about the same distance from University Circle to Middlefield (32 miles) as it is from Middlefield to the Pennsylvania line (Middlefield to Jamestown PA is 33 miles).  There are plenty of people who make that kind of commute in the Cleveland area (I have friends that drive from Avon to Twinsburg and Lorain to Willoughby daily), but I wouldn't want to be one of them.

 

I would agree that Chagrin Falls or Chardon would be good places to start, but rentals might be tough to find - you might want to call and get a copy of the weekly papers sent to you from both cities - The Chagrin Valley Times and the Geauga Times Courier are owned by the same company - www.chagrinvalleytimes.com. 

 

I know it's "sprawlville", but I think I would look for a short term apartment in the 271 corridor (Mayfield, Mayfield Hts, Beachwood) or 422 area (Solon) for 3 months to get a better feel for the area before committing to a longer commute.

 

KJP - the radio ads for Geauga Regional Hospital pronounce it "JAW-guh" but it's always "JEE-aw-guh" Lake, so is it just like deciding between KY-uh-HAW-guh and KY-uh-HOE-guh (I'm still not sure which is right)? 

KJP - the radio ads for Geauga Regional Hospital pronounce it "JAW-guh" but it's always "JEE-aw-guh" Lake, so is it just like deciding between KY-uh-HAW-guh and KY-uh-HOE-guh (I'm still not sure which is right)? 

 

I know this wasn't addressed to me, but in my experience, the county and the amusement park are both "jee-AW-guh."  It's also "ky-uh-HAW-guh" and not "ky-uh-HOE-guh," although I think the latter is spreading because of the influence of non-native news and radio casters...

It's "HOE-guh" - I said it, that settles it!

Former Indians pitcher David Cook once mistakenly called it Cala-HOO-ga County. So he got the nickname "The Calahooga Kid."

UPDATE: We came down on Sunday to scope out some apartments. What a great city!!!  :clap: We went to look at the Park Villas...and it just doesn't fit us, and we don't love the neighborhood, for the price. We checked out a few others, but I think we are going to rent in Stonebridge condos. They are really nice and reasonable for what you get. I will have an hour drive (we timed it)...but my husband has made a deal with me - since he will be working from home, he will do the cooking and cleaning since I have an hour drive each way. NICE! :wink2: We feel it will be worth it, for the kind of luxuries that living closer to the city provides versus the apts we looked at closer to the Middlefield area. Thanks for all your help!

Congrats and best of luck!

Peabody you have a new neighbor, down at StoneBridge!

 

Welcome, good luck and keep us updated on your move!  In addition, I hope you are more active on the board as you become more familiar with the city.

 

I wonder what that "hour" drive will be like during rush hour?

stonebridge, its no ferndale......

 

I wonder what that "hour" drive will be like during rush hour?

 

Well..it was 50 min, and that was driving through the city. I was hoping that as I get more accustomed to the area, I would be able to find ways to shave it down. :)

 

We took - Superior to 77 to 480 to 422 to 700. I am thinking that Superior to 77 wasn't the fastest. Maybe a faster route would be Detroit to 25th to 90 to 176 to 480...??

 

I have been told that rush hour in Cleveland, going opposite to the flow since I will be going out of the city in the morning (7ish) and into the city (5-6ish), still moves. Opinions?

 

the pope -- no its not Ferndale, :) but it suits us just fine. We actually don't frequent Ferndale that much, we head to downtown Royal Oak or the Troy area more often. PS Know of anyone that is interested in renting/buying in the RO area? ;)

 

 

Your biggest problem areas will be the 77-480 interchange area and then the 271-480 interchange.  I think if you leave by 7 then you might be OK on the way there.  On the way home, I think it can be kind of nasty until 6, so you might run into some delays on the way back.  But the traffic does still move. 

 

I've done a good amount of traveling to Detroit over the past few years and I think you'll find that traffic is better in Cleveland than Detroit, but someone like the pope probably has a better idea.

Congrats, and welcome!

 

Honestly, unless there is horrific snow or a 50-car pileup, Cleveland's traffic is usually always moving - there may be slow spots and maybe a little stop and go, but (knock on wood) in the years I've lived here, I've *never* encountered a backup where traffic just sat... and sat... and sat...

 

Here are a few routes to try (maybe on a weekend trial run):

Red Route: Detroit to West 28th; West 28th to Fulton; Fulton to Lorain; Lorain to West 44th; West 44th to I-90; I-90 "becomes" I-490 which links to I-77, or you can exit onto 176/Jennings Freeway. Keep in mind that I-90 is busy from West 44th to the 176/490/71 split.

Green Route: West 25th to Franklin; Franklin to Columbus; Columbus to Abbey; Abbey to West 14th; West 14th to 176.

Blue Route: Same as Green Route, but take West 14th to Starkweather; Starkweather to West 7th to I-490.

 

I was just in Troy this past weekend ... well, more accurately driving through it on a trip to see the family up in Shelby Twp. (24 Mile Road, represent!).

 

Royal Oak is great, but I think you'll enjoy Stonebridge. There's a great deal of momentum occuring throughout downtown at the moment and definitely on the West Bank of the Flats. Best of luck and let us know if we can be of any assistance!

Welcome to Cleveland, sjade565!!

 

As for you guys giving directions, you're making it way too complicated for her. The fastest, most direct AND simplest route to the interstate system is Detroit-Superior bridge to Huron Road to Ontario Street to I-77 south. End of story.

 

The only traffic backups she will likely experience is on I-480 between I-77 and I-271 (especially when driving into the low sun in both directions in winter -- not to mention snow!), and sometimes in the mornings as she approaches Harper Road in Solon on US422.