I just found this site and was impressed by the detailed advice you guys give on Cleveland.  So I was hoping to get some input on a few things as a search for a place to live.

 

I'm moving to town soon and my new job is in the suburbs at Routes 77 and 480.  I want to minimize my commute but definitely want to be in an urban / semi-urban environment.  Based on a few drives around this week, it looks like most of the East Side neighborhoods I was interested in (Shaker Square, Little Italy, etc.) will be too far for a commute (time-wise), so I’ve narrowed my search to downtown and Ohio City at this point.

 

Here are my main questions:

 

1. Are there any downtown / Ohio City traffic issues for a reverse commute?  I tested out the drive during the day and it was fine, but I haven’t been able to do a rush hour one.  And I’m guessing summer vs. winter is very different - is this right?  Also, it seems like going on 90 to 176 to 480 is not much longer than going down 77, but is there any difference between the two?

 

2. Is car theft a problem in Ohio City?  I ask because my last car was vandalized, then stolen (in another state) and I don’t want to go through all that again!  And Ohio City seems to have nearly no places with garage parking and very few with off street parking.  I also read about Tremont and the car theft issue there so was wondering if it might be a similar story in Ohio City.  By contrast, many of the downtown places seem to have underground parking so I'm guessing it's less of an issue there.

 

Just as a side note, while I could be very happy in a downtown loft I think I’d slightly prefer Ohio City since it seems more walkable and neighborhood-ish.  It’s mainly the potential car safety issue that’s making me hesitant about settling one way or the other.  And I'm looking to rent, not buy, if that's important in any way.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give!

.

 

Here are my main questions:

 

1. Are there any downtown / Ohio City traffic issues for a reverse commute?  I would say no. Some conjestion right around interchanges downtown and at 480,otherwise it is sill easy. My office is in OC and I sometimes have early meeting in the suburbs. it is smooth sailing on 90 west, 176, 71 and 77 south.

 

 

2. Is car theft a problem in Ohio City?  I ask because my last car was vandalized, then stolen (in another state) and I don’t want to go through all that again!   auto theft is an issue city wide.  If you want the crime reports for OC register for safety updates ocnw.org. Never the less many people still live happily w/o incident.

 

Just as a side note, while I could be very happy in a downtown loft I think I’d slightly prefer Ohio City since it seems more walkable and neighborhood-ish.  It’s mainly the potential car safety issue that’s making me hesitant about settling one way or the other.  And I'm looking to rent, not buy, if that's important in any way. I  agree OC is more neighborhoodish. you may be able to find a double with a garage so your car will be more secure. some places have secure parking (ie Stonebridge which is in the flats-kind of straddles OC and downtown). If you could find a rental in the Fries Schuele condo building you would be in great shape. It is in the of heart of OC and has parking.  Downtown has more loft- like places with parking, but you do have more sacrifices with regard to neighborhoody feeling. They are only a few minutes apart, so either way, if you choose one you can spend plenty of time in the other.

1. There may be some traffic issues right around 77/480 as at that point it's not a reverse commute anymore, you're in the thick of it with everyone else.  We're talking minor compared to most any other big city though.

 

2. Don't know, but you're right about Downtown usually providing indoor parking.

 

3. OC is definitely more neighborhoodish, for obvious reasons.  But I'd say it's a tossup in terms of walkability, or maybe even in favor of Downtown.  OC's big walkability advantage are Dave's, which has a better grocery selection than either of Downtown's 2 grocers, plus the Westside Market.  It also has more quiet, narrow streets.  Downtown has more restaurants and shopping overall, plus more entertainment venues, plus better public transit access.

 

Either way, these are two great neighborhoods and I don't think you can go wrong with either.

I commute to the suburbs for work...The cross commute is pretty easy...Like another poster pointed out the 480/77 interchange and Rockside Road exit gets a little hairy around rush hour, but it isn't to bad...Though 480 East is where a lot of the westsiders come in from so technically that stretch I wouldn't call a cross commute...

 

I know it's not as walkable as the other neighborhoods, but Old Brooklyn has a 480 exit / 176 exit, very convenient and centrally located to everything, very safe and a lot of nice affordable houses...

 

Tremont has a 490 interchange that can get you on 77 and 480 pretty quick as well...

Parking safety in Ohio City can vary. If you have a garage, then you'll have no worries. If you park on certain streets and don't leave a GPS device or a cell phone in the plain view, then you should be ok. Still, auto theft can be an issue. In the OC, it can be a street by street issue. Some parts of the neighborhood have a lot of problems and other parts have no problems at all. By the way, I live in Ohio City.

 

Reverse commuting is pretty easy. You should have no issues at all. 

 

By the way, there are a number of places in Ohio City that have parking. What kind of housing unit are you looking for?

1.  I agree - generally not an issue.  1 thing to add - if you're working somewhere off Rockside in Independence, you may be able to get off 77 at Brecksville Rd and avoid any 77/Rockside backup.  Honestly though, if I worked in Independence and lived downtown, I would look into taking the bus - the 77F goes from downtown into Independence/Brecksville.

 

2.  As people said, be careful and don't make your car a target by leaving things out.

 

3.  Probably a matter of personal taste, but you can get between the two areas very easily - just a 1 stop train ride - so I don't think you can go wrong either.

Hi all - thanks for the great advice so far.  My work is actually right on Rockside near Brecksville, so that exit sounds like a good alternative to the 480/77 exchange.  And I was thinking about the bus from downtown too - maybe that'll end up being the best alternative.

 

Thanks for the parking info too - the street by street safety issue sounds familiar.  Unfortunately, my old car was stolen off a "safe" street so I think I need to do garage or underground, or off street at minimum.  I'm looking just at 1-2 bedroom apartments, not condos, even though it seems like the condos give you more options for underground or garage parking in Ohio City. 

 

So...maybe downtown will be a better bet in general since I'd also like to take public transit whenever possible.

 

Thanks again for all the great advice, and any other insights would be appreciated too!

Hi all - thanks for the great advice so far. My work is actually right on Rockside near Brecksville, so that exit sounds like a good alternative to the 480/77 exchange. And I was thinking about the bus from downtown too - maybe that'll end up being the best alternative.

 

Thanks for the parking info too - the street by street safety issue sounds familiar. Unfortunately, my old car was stolen off a "safe" street so I think I need to do garage or underground, or off street at minimum. I'm looking just at 1-2 bedroom apartments, not condos, even though it seems like the condos give you more options for underground or garage parking in Ohio City.

 

So...maybe downtown will be a better bet in general since I'd also like to take public transit whenever possible.

 

Thanks again for all the great advice, and any other insights would be appreciated too!

 

Here are some places in Ohio City that offer garage or secured parking:

 

West Viriginia Building  http://www.ocnw.org/index.cgi?id=130&p=4402

Federal Knitting Mills  http://www.clv-lofts.com/

Metzner Building        http://www.clv-lofts.com/

Merrell Building          http://www.clv-lofts.com/

Painter's Union        ???

Detroit Avenue Lofts  ???

If you choose to live downtown, your work is near the intersection of Rockside and Brecksville, AND you want to take transit as much as possible -- then I would definitely take the 77F. The route takes I-77 out of downtown and then goes down Brecksville Road (Route 21). It's a fast run, especially for the reverse-rush hour trips. Just in case you haven't already seen it, see:

 

http://www.riderta.com/pdf/77.pdf

 

While you may not have to pay for a parking space in Ohio City, you will pay for parking downtown. But like someone else said, there is a lot of transit on several routes between Ohio City and downtown, where the 77F departs from. And by all means get a monthly pass. They're $63 a month for unlimited rides -- probably one of the best deals going. The price will probably jump this fall (perhaps to $80, but still a good deal). I use mine A LOT.

Thank you guys for the additional advice - really helpful!!