Young, artsy, geeky couple looking for the right city (Columbus: crime rate, house)

[psyferre]

Hey folks! First off, I apologize if you've seen this post in another city. I'm casting about for opinions on a lot of different cities we're currently considering.

We're very interested in Fine Arts and technology. I work in IT, and she's considering going back to school for Art History, or perhaps something IT related like animation or 3d modeling so a good university nearby would be a must.

We'd like to live somewhere we can go out for the evening and find a neat little coffee shop with live music that we've never been to before, or go out and see a play, or shoot an independent film with like-minded individuals... just something new. Living somewhere a little more liberal than rural West Virginia would be cool too. We went to San Francisco on vacation and loved it, but couldn't afford to live there.

Some things we're looking for:

* Culture! Art shows, live theatre, independent filmmaking...
* A decent crime rate. We know how to be careful, but we'd like to avoid being shot.
* Geeky things to do would be nice. We're gamers and would like to hang out with other gamers.
* A milder, drier climate. Allergies suck and we're tired of cold, wet weather.
* Progressive infrastructure. Good internet access, public transportation, etc.
* A cost of living that isn't ridiculous.

We realize this might be a little idealistic, but hey, this is the "dream place to live". We're of course expecting to make trade-offs.

Does this sound like Columbus? Is there another city you'd recommend instead? Thanks!

[JohnDBaumgardner]

Columbus has a hip / artsy vibe ... but Cleveland has soooooooooo much more of what you're seeking.
Cleveland has many trendy / eclectic districts ( too many to mention ) and has a great urban vitality.
I think you'd love: Tremont, Ohio City, Little Italy, Cedar Fairmount, University Circle, Coventry Rd in Cleveland Heights, Shaker Square or the Edgewater neighborhood.
Cleveland offers tremendous cultural offerings ... the museums are very noteworthy and are second to none. We have the renowned Cleveland Orchestra, top knotch healthcare and educational facilities.
Cleveland also boasts some of thee most spacious suburbs to be found in any American metropolis!
Columbus has the Short North & German Village ... nice areas

[JohnDBaumgardner]

Cleveland is like a much smaller version of Chicago ... in many ways, and that's not meant to be a joke! It's a great city with an affordable cost of living.
Check out this site:
www.livecleveland.org

It's cold in the winters ... but well worth the tradeoff!

[other1]

If your wife is serious about 3D modeling or animation, your in the right place. CCAD is a great place to be. - CCAD | Columbus College of Art & Design, Animation Major Overview

There are various portions of town that have your off the beaten path coffee shop, live music venue, ect. However, it does require a little bit of sleuthing to find them. Not a ton to offer in the terms of progressive theater or performing arts, but keep your eye on the Wexner - Wexner Center for the Arts. There are also several community theatres, ect spread throughout Columbus.

Ton's of other IT, "geeky", gaming types.

Public Transportation is not a strong point. However, there are many walkable communities that are adjacent to the downtown area.

3 months of winter, usually starting in Mid December, over by the 1st of March. Not constant though, it isn't uncommon to have a 50 degree January day from time to time.

Another recommendation might be Pittsburgh. Once again I'm thinking about the college opportunities first.

[mehhh]

Absolutely not. I like Columbus(former resident and I'm a liberal dork, too) for a lot of reasons-affordable, good food, decent local stand-up comedy. But the city in general is not at geared towards your personality as you describe it. Sure, there are pockets as there are in literally every major city in the United States, but the general vibe is one of conservative, corporate-friendly mentality. The art scene is incredibly small, as is the literary scene.

There are a few blocks around campus(OSU)that might work in isolation; surely there are enough like-minded folks around to form a social circle. But in mass, no, I can't say the city gels, on any level, with the personality traits you seem to have. Also, if you're not from the Midwest and just looked at Columbus on a map, you might be surprised at how cold it is.


Sorry, but it's better to hear it now.

[psyferre]

Thank you all for your responses! We'll do some research and check out Cleveland, JohnDbaumgardner.

other1, I really appreciate the links. The Wexner looks like a nice space, and my wife's checking over CCAD. Politically speaking, we'll be coming from rural WV - so we might still be moving to the left, mehhh.

We'll look into Pittsburgh some more. Mehhh, do you have any suggestions?

Please keep the comments coming, folks! Are we barking up the wrong tree?

[wGoshen]

Columbus isn't conservative; I'd consider it one of the most liberal cities east of Milwaukee.

[JohnDBaumgardner]

I believe what you're looking for ... is to be discovered in Cleveland!

[west5548]

Originally Posted by psyferre

Hey folks! First off, I apologize if you've seen this post in another city. I'm casting about for opinions on a lot of different cities we're currently considering.

We're very interested in Fine Arts and technology. I work in IT, and she's considering going back to school for Art History, or perhaps something IT related like animation or 3d modeling so a good university nearby would be a must.

We'd like to live somewhere we can go out for the evening and find a neat little coffee shop with live music that we've never been to before, or go out and see a play, or shoot an independent film with like-minded individuals... just something new. Living somewhere a little more liberal than rural West Virginia would be cool too. We went to San Francisco on vacation and loved it, but couldn't afford to live there.

Some things we're looking for:

* Culture! Art shows, live theatre, independent filmmaking...
* A decent crime rate. We know how to be careful, but we'd like to avoid being shot.
* Geeky things to do would be nice. We're gamers and would like to hang out with other gamers.
* A milder, drier climate. Allergies suck and we're tired of cold, wet weather.
* Progressive infrastructure. Good internet access, public transportation, etc.
* A cost of living that isn't ridiculous.

We realize this might be a little idealistic, but hey, this is the "dream place to live". We're of course expecting to make trade-offs.

Does this sound like Columbus? Is there another city you'd recommend instead? Thanks!

1. Columbus has a decent culture, surprisingly.
2. Has a decent crime rate on the high end
3. I wouldn't consider this place to be a gamers paradise, SF perhaps.
4. If your tired of cold wet weather then look elsewhere, summer was cold and rainy last year and it's been cold starting in October with a break in November, but back to normal in December and a total icebox since. It's this way every year. Usually snows through April and can be cold, wet, cloudy, and miserable for 6 months.
5. If you like riding a bus that's the only option you have.
6. Cost of living is cheap, but so is the pay.

[psyferre]

Thanks for the info, west5548! We appreciate it. Anyone know how turnover in the housing market is looking? If we end up in Columbus, we're thinking of perhaps buying a small house and making improvements for a few years, then trying to sell at a profit and move somewhere else if we want. Plausible? Or would we just end up sitting on a house that will never sell?