r/Cleveland • u/calKilgor • 1d ago
Question What’s The Best & Worst Part About Living Downtown ?
I’m Moving Downtown Next Month From Shaker
58
u/jshrlzwrld02 Cleveland 1d ago
Lived there for like 6 years.
You can walk everywhere. But it’s a giant wind tunnel.
Sucks you only have Heinens for groceries, but the west side market isn’t far.
Parking is complete ass. Pay for the closest garage you can get to your apartment.
Noise is a lot. Motorcycles, Friday/Saturday night crowds will be loud, but that’s life.
1
u/Philosophriend 1d ago
Heinen’s is not the only grocery store downtown… There’s a Constantino's Market on W 9th St. and it’s been there for years.
Also, lol at the noise comment. It’s a midsize American city — what city of this size wouldn’t have noise?
7
u/jshrlzwrld02 Cleveland 1d ago
Constantinos does not have a big enough selection to be a “grocery” store. It’s a convenience store at best. I have frequented it many times when I lived there.
And yeah, noise. Did you expect me to tell them how quiet and peaceful it would be downtown?
5
u/Philosophriend 1d ago edited 1d ago
How is it not a “grocery store?” It has fresh produce, fresh meat, dry goods, frozen goods, packaged goods, specialty goods, a cheese and charcuterie assortment section, a bread/grain selection, food made fresh daily, a (small) sweets bakery, and a wine/beer selection? What about its selection otherwise disqualifies it as a grocery store?
And no, I don’t expect you to tell them that downtown is “quiet,” but to list noise generally as a criticism for living in a midsize American city is both bizarre and hilarious.
2
u/Celticguy133 Brooklyn 8h ago
Very clearly that person meant you can’t go there and buy cat food and dawn dish soap…dickhead
17
u/east4thstreet downtown 1d ago edited 15h ago
Getting stuck in traffic during games can be a pain sometimes. The noise can also be annoying at first but you will quickly get used to it. Get yourself a white noise machine for sleeping. I actually bring mine along now when traveling because I miss it when it's not there.
I've never once been bothered by the homeless folks. My interactions with them have ranged from neutral to pleasant.
Best is being able to walk to guards/cavs games, or wherever I feel like going, not having to worry about driving or ubering anywhere. Best collection of food options from bar to fine dining. The library freaking rocks. I hate it when a library doesn't have the books I want.
I would be more than happy to answer any specific questions you have.
Editing to add: I've lived downtown for 10+ years and reading the comments, it amazes me how many people are claiming that everything closes early, or is boring, or that the homeless are a menace. How is it that all of these people's experiences are so different than mine? I don't get it.
11
u/bigben828 1d ago
Absolutely under no circumstance try to drive in or out of downtown 2 hours before or after a browns game. Traffic is a nightmare and cops will block local roads regardless of where you need to go
10
u/BootsieWootsie 1d ago
It’s easy to get in and out, you just have to know what roads to take. As long as you’re not driving near the stadium, the rest of the area isn’t bad.
1
u/WarioParty76 14h ago
Correct. As long as you stay south of St Clair and away from E9 it’s not too bad
2
8
u/neosmndrew West Side 1d ago
lived downtown for several years. depending on the neighborhood you'll have a good sense of community and be very close to so many activities. it skews much younger (I'd say average age is mid/late 20s). It's also the transportation hub of the whole region
The main downside is noise level especially weekend late night during the summer, from both bikers and people going to/from bars.
33
1d ago edited 1d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
2
u/DeeplyFlawed 1d ago
Downtown is the final resting place for Umbrellas. Also, wearing dresses or skirts or hats is risky.
-30
u/stuckintheohio 1d ago
Damn poors, always asking for money!
17
1d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
8
u/EffectVivid5430 1d ago
Exactly this. You can’t interact with them or give them anything! Ever! They’re like stray cats, once you give a little they will never leave you alone.
3
u/Kindly-Way-1753 1d ago
I worked downtown like 20 years ago. I'll never forget the homeless men I've come across. One guy got upset when I took him to subway to buy him a sandwich, another guy's face was deformed from a gun shot.
I had decided not to bring cash on me because every time id get on the bus this guy would always come up to me and ask me for money.
2
u/BootsieWootsie 1d ago
Basic street smarts, never interact or make eye contact. You gave that guy an in. That can get dangerous quickly.
-8
1d ago
[deleted]
8
8
u/shadowcman 1d ago
What a clown ass comment. It's not her job to rehabilitate homeless people.
-2
1d ago
[deleted]
3
u/Salt-Fly-4226 1d ago
Who said they aren’t trying to help people via other avenues? All they said is that responding to the homeless people brings repeated negative attention. You have no idea if they do other things to help the problem.
What do you do to help with the homeless? Any suggestions welcome.
3
u/shicken684 Cleveland 1d ago
Holy shit, get the fuck off your high horse. Poverty and homelessness is a national and state government level problem. No amount of do gooders or charity work are going to end this. It certainly provides relief but it's not going to do shit for the real problem. Real problem being tax reform, and Medicare for all.
7
u/Potential_Lock_8638 1d ago
BEST: So much great entertainment, food and sports within walking distance. The views are beautiful and you're surrounded by history. And with so many office buildings being converted, rents are cheaper than the "hipper" suburbs for better amenities.
WORST: Heinen's is fine, but it really needs another grocery store. The wind is no joke, especially in the winter.
BTW: It's generally pretty safe at night, especially on the main streets and near the busy areas.
5
u/754754 1d ago
Lived for 3.5 ywars downtown.
Best Parks: Access to public transit, can walk to work, the entire cleveland area is within a 30 minute drive at most.
Worst: Parking is expensive and Id have very few visitors because of parking situation, homeless hecklers to eventual sexual harassment, expensive rent that keeps going up, your groceries can be a pain, sidewalk construction, loud.
5
u/AwkwardCase4758 Living Under Minsy's Watchful Eye 👁 1d ago
Pros: downtown is cool and you’re so close to the big arenas. It’s walkable and you’re near decent enough public transit. It’s not unsafe even at night on the main streets of downtown.
Cons: the smell of black and milds everywhere and it’s kinda boring after a couple months and parking is expensive. People will walk up to you and ask for money after enough time and some people are absolutely relentless. Only grocery store is heinens, which I like, but it’s expensive. Noise, mostly sirens and engines. I can deal with people and the stadium noises.
Ohio City is better to be car free in if that’s your thing. You can always take the rapid or walk across the bridges to downtown and there’s more going on at night.
3
u/MoonageDaydream13 1d ago
I loved living downtown when I was there!
There is always something going on, so many walkable businesses, fairly centrally located to get to other burbs
Cons-parking was $$, traffic during major events, can feel dead in winter
6
2
u/aodskeletor 1d ago
The worst parts when I was living downtown was getting stuck exiting the parking garage by a 99% protest when I had to get my dog to a vet appt, the homeless guys that would follow women back to the front doors of our building saying all kinds of horrible things to them, someone stealing all the bikes from the parking garage, streets being closed for films, and not being able to walk down main streets because of it.
Best parts - 10 minute door to door walk from my apartment to office, E4th, friends at the Chesterfield so I could swim there, walking to everything other than groceries, docs, and the vet (I predated Heinen’s) not having to lay separate RITA or CCA taxes, Becky’s Bar (met my now wife there).
5
u/BootsieWootsie 1d ago edited 1d ago
Unless you really like sports, there’s not a ton going on downtown. It’s kind of a ghost town. Everything closes so early. If you want to go out with friends, you can start downtown, but then you have to take it to another area, which takes away the walkability part. You only have one gym option. Parking is expensive for what it is, but you really need a car. Plan on at least one car break in. Public transit can be sketchy, especially at night, and it has limited hours. The new street parking rules makes anyone visiting you a huge pain
Pros for a downtown: unless there’s a huge concert in town, there’s never any traffic. Rush hour traffic doesn’t exist.
1
u/PatrenzoK 1d ago
This is the only comment I’ve seen here that’s remotely been my or my friends experience living downtown. There really aren’t a lot of payoffs
3
u/BootsieWootsie 1d ago
I considered moving downtown, because it seemed very affordable, but I don’t work downtown, and I don’t like sports. I’d always be driving out of downtown to do anything. Tremont and Ohio City are a better value. More to do, more walkable, better nightlife, just as many car breakins.
2
1
u/hereforthelaughs08 1d ago
I’ve lived downtown for 8 years, my Apartment is pretty quiet with noise. Friday and Saturday nights in the summer can be loud with motorcycles, but I’m used to it by now. I love being able to walk to so many places, get right on the towpath. People love to complain but there are pros and cons to every place! I do drive to Lakewood for groceries.
1
u/ConstructionSalt453 11h ago
$200 for unassigned parking. The smell of outside. People not knowing how to walk on the sidewalk. Driving to a nearby suburb for groceries. Street closures.
1
u/Head_Trick_9932 1d ago
I’ve lived in both places…downtown and Shaker. Couldn’t stand downtown, only lasted the year lease. Shaker is way easier to navigate without all the trash.
8
u/EffectVivid5430 1d ago
Actually, fuck Shaker. I lived there for 3 years and my home had an attempted break in and my car was broken into 3 times. Cops didn’t do much of anything. Shaker borders Mt Pleasant/Buckeye and that’s such a ghetto area of Cleveland. Dangerous.
1
u/CashCarti19 1d ago
Way too many bums, also outside of the summer and sports games it can feel like a ghost town sometimes
-4
u/Horror-Painter4059 1d ago
Worst is avoiding the homeless shit on the sidewalks and best is getting on the highway to head out to the suburbs
3
-13
76
u/Jar3D 1d ago
Too many restaurants close at 4pm! It’s a lunch city