Thinking about moving to Providence?

[Garris]

I've been using Realtor.com a lot lately just to browse, and I'm continually amazed at how affordable a lot of houses and condos are in and around Providence. North Providence has condos starting at 70k! And I found a small cottage house near PC for under 120k. Not to mention the countless number of condos in Providence under 140k. I even found one on Angell Street for 139k.

NO! Haven't you heard?? Providence is becoming a wealthy enclave... There's nothing to find except million dollars condos and sprawling mansions. The lower and middle classes are being thrown out onto the street, often by Struever representatives themselves sneaking into houses in the middle of the night and thowing people into the trunks of their Lexus SUV's...

[sarcasm mode off] Seriously, this is what I've been saying for months. All anyone needs to do is go to RILiving.com and browse, and it's obvious there's quite a bit that's quite affordable to be found. Just 2 blocks away from me they're renovating a building in the heart of Wayland Square off Angell with condos ranging from 160,000 to about 220,000.

Thanks for the further injection of sanity, Recchia.

- Garris

[Cotuit]

DONT BE A SUCKA

Don't insult the intelligence of the members of UrbanPlanet and cut the racist vitriol. We're all smart enough to know where we want to live and don't need your raving to help us decide.

[bhooley]

Seriously, there's a more intelligent way to "inform" people about the other neighborhoods of Providence.

[DevBanker]

Don't insult the intelligence of the members of UrbanPlanet and cut the racist vitriol. We're all smart enough to know where we want to live and don't need your raving to help us decide.

Sorry but NO

actually we DONT all know where we want to live

Especially people that are not already here

THATS THE SUBJECT OF THIS THREAD, remember ??!!

My point is simply to explore the City and not buy into the conventioinal wisdom

My post, wiith all of its exaggeration to get your attention, was an attempt to question the mindnumbing Group Think in this forum

To the other responders:

mentioning someones ethnicity is not being racist. Last time I checked we all had an ethnic origin...lets not pretend we all dont make decisions everyday based on it.

Exactly who do you think posters in the 35 pages of thread are talking about when they describe certain streets or areas as "scary" or "sketchy"?

Did they take a 20 second drive down a block and glimpse 3 black/latino teens or a couple mexicans leaning on a car? Get real and check yourself.

Real Estate is the great last bastion of race prejudice. Go talk to the black property owners on College Hill (yes there are some) about how they get "stopped" by cops or "reported" by new neighbors for being on their own property.

Elmhurst Person: Great, move -but keep your hopes modest. The Eastside WAS cool but is becoming less groovy by the hour as prices escalate. I never sold your neighborhood as a hangout, its not and that's good, but consider that the vast portions of the Eastside are boringly residential as well.

Consider:

Thayer Street is a high school & college food court with virtually all interesting retail gone

Wickenden Street is 3 blocks of semi-boutiques that are sorta intresting until you actually live there as I did and those few little places get old pretty quick.

South Main is East Greenwich (love Cable Car tho') and Wayland is Barrington with even more elderly.

So what are you ACTUALLY left with? A couple good restaurants on Hope Street spread over a 2 mile area (ie., L'Espoir, Blaze, Seven Star, LJs...)

Thats why the more compelling retail/cultural/social opportunIties are emerging on the Westside.

HERES MY POINT AND DONT GET IT TWISTED!

Sure live where you want. But from an ECONOMIC standpoint dont think a tiny 3rd floor walkup condo on Prospect Street for $350k or a very ordinary house off of Hope for $550k are your only good options.

Edited July 25, 2006 by DevBanker

[CtownMikey]

Sorry but NO

actually we DONT all know where we want to live

Especially people that are not already here

Boston residents are not idiots, they live in Boston for a reason and they can muster up the intelligence to find where the cheapest places are to live here in Providence bucko

[runawayjim]

i don't even know why i'm replying... but here goes nothing.

you mention me, i'm the elmhurst guy. i'm keeping my options open before i move (it won't be for another year, until then i'm stuck in semi-suburbia in elmhurst, not that i dislike where i live though).

the east side, while losing some character is still one of the more urban/walkable communities in the city. there aren't as many bars/restaurants/retail in the armory or olneyville. federal hill has the restaurants, but not much for retail.

last i checked, this forum has almost no hype about the east side other than how walkable it is, which is a good thing. the houses aren't all bland like you claim. have you looked at the houses in elmhurst or mount pleasant? open your eyes. they're just shy of being a cookie cutter suburban development. this forum is about urbanism. elmhurst and mount pleasant are the 2 least urban neighborhoods in the whole city. there's a reason people rave about the other neighborhoods here. they're very urban and walkable and have the features that those interested in urban lifestyles desire. mount pleasant does not have any of that and elmhurst only has a tiny bit of that. you must be reading too many rants n raves on craigslist if you really believe that we're all hyping up the east side to something it is not. that's hardly the case. i suggest you read through all 30+ pages of this thread before you come to that conclusion and not simply read the posts about the east side.

[DevBanker]

Boston residents are not idiots, they live in Boston for a reason and they can muster up the intelligence to find where the cheapest places are to live here in Providence bucko

They why have folks given them 35 pages of advice?

[Recchia]

Devbanker, I hear what you're saying about people describing areas as "sketchy." I know people who see where I live in Pawtucket and call it "ghetto" cause they see minorities walking down the street, or large three story tenements and factories. These people are ignorant and should be ignored. The majority of people who post on this site, however, are not like this but are instead offering advice on which neighborhoods best serve their residents.

[CtownMikey]

not advice like yours.

[runawayjim]

They why have folks given them 35 pages of advice?

because this site is not simply to address the questions of boston transplants... if you think that's all providence is, i'm not sure your opinion is really valid.

[somad]

I didn't read whatever Cotuit deleted, but I don't think DevBanker is exactly the devil like you guys seem to think he is. A lot of what he says is valid. And FYI: Most peope are what most people here would consider "idiots". The types who know more about what's in People Magazine than what's really going on in the world. These people also vote in both the ballot box and with their wallets, so you can't say the "ignorant people who say 'ghetto'" shouldn't be listened to. You'll never truely revive a city without pleasing a good number of the idiots out there.

[DevBanker]

i don't even know why i'm replying... but here goes nothing.

you mention me, i'm the elmhurst guy. i'm keeping my options open before i move (it won't be for another year, until then i'm stuck in semi-suburbia in elmhurst, not that i dislike where i live though).

the east side, while losing some character is still one of the more urban/walkable communities in the city. there aren't as many bars/restaurants/retail in the armory or olneyville. federal hill has the restaurants, but not much for retail.

last i checked, this forum has almost no hype about the east side other than how walkable it is, which is a good thing. the houses aren't all bland like you claim. have you looked at the houses in elmhurst or mount pleasant? open your eyes. they're just shy of being a cookie cutter suburban development. this forum is about urbanism. elmhurst and mount pleasant are the 2 least urban neighborhoods in the whole city. there's a reason people rave about the other neighborhoods here. they're very urban and walkable and have the features that those interested in urban lifestyles desire. mount pleasant does not have any of that and elmhurst only has a tiny bit of that. you must be reading too many rants n raves on craigslist if you really believe that we're all hyping up the east side to something it is not. that's hardly the case. i suggest you read through all 30+ pages of this thread before you come to that conclusion and not simply read the posts about the east side.

Maybe YOU should look! There are only a few cookie cutter blocks in the lamest section. Are cookle cutter singles inherently more lame than cookie cutter multis (see the Westside)?

Urban density: I see your point if you live on Admiral but I dont!

Unlike the 3 places I lived on the eastside I can now walk to about 4-5 blocks to a grocery, pharmacy (with, imagine, an actual pharmacist), 3 ethnic restaurants, great independent hardware, killer bakery with great coffee/cap/latte...

BUT hey Muffy, Buffy and Chip I agree that theres no need to obsess too much further on this topic and further piss off all you good nice earnest eager people off.

My point was to raise the issues and its done.

If West Broadway, Armory and Olneyville have an emerging vibe its because a set of "factors and actors" conspired to make that difference....even if the hype usually doesnt live up to the reality. I think Lower Elmhurst (not the PC area) and Mt Pleasant has that POTENTIAL as well.

Quality Urban Living is what its all about, I dig that and will post liberally to try and move the discourse beyond the navel-gazing. After 23 years of living in Manhattan I have a few ideas about urbanism

[runawayjim]

I didn't read whatever Cotuit deleted, but I don't think DevBanker is exactly the devil like you guys seem to think he is. A lot of what he says is valid. And FYI: Most peope are what most people here would consider "idiots". The types who know more about what's in People Magazine than what's really going on in the world. These people also vote in both the ballot box and with their wallets, so you can't say the "ignorant people who say 'ghetto'" shouldn't be listened to. You'll never truely revive a city without pleasing a good number of the idiots out there.

cotuit didn't delete anything, all devbanker's original posts are still there on page 35 of this thread.

yes, many people are ignorant about the city and urban life. however, he literally attacked a lot of what many long time members have said about providence in his first 3 posts ever on this forum. he also said some things about various neighborhoods that just aren't true (like mount pleasant and elmhurst being where it's at in this city). and he was proven wrong by recchia who pointed out that there are plenty of deals to be found all over the city when it comes to real estate.

[matt]

in effort to offer yet another perspective, I live in the PC area, and I love it. Although I'm close to the campus, 80-90% of my street is owner occupied. For small, single family homes, there really are some gems along the streets that intersect or parallel River Ave.

[MikeR]

DevBanker, will you please chill out. There are plenty of members of UP and most of them are Providence residents and all of them know the city plenty enough without you shouting over everybody here to get your point across. Calm down.

[runawayjim]

Maybe YOU should look! There are only a few cookie cutter blocks in the lamest section. Are cookle cutter singles inherently more lame than cookie cutter multis (see the Westside)?

Urban density: I see your point if you live on Admiral but I dont!

Unlike the 3 places I lived on the eastside I can now walk to about 4-5 blocks to a grocery, pharmacy (with, imagine, an actual pharmacist), 3 ethnic restaurants, great independent hardware, killer bakery with great coffee/cap/latte...

BUT hey Muffy, Buffy and Chip I agree that theres no need to obsess too much further on this topic and further piss off all you good nice earnest eager people off.

My point was to raise the issues and its done.

If West Broadway, Armory and Olneyville have an emerging vibe its because a set of "factors and actors" conspired to make that difference....even if the hype usually doesnt live up to the reality. I think Lower Elmhurst (not the PC area) and Mt Pleasant has that POTENTIAL as well.

Quality Urban Living is what its all about, I dig that and will post liberally to try and move the discourse beyond the navel-gazing. After 23 years of living in Manhattan I have a few ideas about urbanism

frankly, i don't really care where you lived before this. i lived in suburbia before i moved to providence.

very few parts of elmhurst and mount pleasant have urban potentional. the rest are very suburban-like areas where people just don't want it. admiral in elmhurst is one of the more urban areas, i think you're mistaken there, same goes for where the PC kids live east of river. on the other side of river, it's very suburban with a few places within walking distance, but not much. mount pleasant, unless you're by chalkstone, is even worse, and south of chalkstone starts to get into manton (not very urban in the sense that we're talking about) and olneyville (fairly urban).

yes, there are cookie cutter triple deckers and they make for bland architecture, but the neighborhoods they are in are more urban, as in more amenities and more walkable.

in effort to offer yet another perspective, I live in the PC area, and I love it. Although I'm close to the campus, 80-90% of my street is owner occupied. For small, single family homes, there really are some gems along the streets that intersect or parallel River Ave.

sounds like you live near me. my street is nice and has some nice homes... but it's very suburban. the area south of eaton between river and huxley is actually really nice.

[Cotuit]

DevBanker, stop talking down to people, insulting people, and raving like a lunatic or you're gone. Consider this your only warning.

[bhooley]

I've only been reading these forums for a few months now but DevBanker is the first negative person I've come across. Even though they have valid points, it's the way they are posting.

It's tough not to reply but I think it's time to ignore them.

[Recchia]

These people also vote in both the ballot box and with their wallets, so you can't say the "ignorant people who say 'ghetto'" shouldn't be listened to. You'll never truely revive a city without pleasing a good number of the idiots out there.

They shouldn't be listened to. They should be shut up, educated, and then allowed to speak. Of course this would never happen, but it'd be nice.

[DevBanker]

DevBanker, stop talking down to people, insulting people, and raving like a lunatic or you're gone. Consider this your only warning.

Thanks and will be less emotional if thats an issue

But note calling me a lunatic (for having an opinon contrary to the group-think) just might be an insult in and of itself, no?

[Cotuit]

But note calling me a lunatic (for having an opinon contrary to the group-think) just might be an insult in and of itself, no?

Being the moderator, I get to call people whatever I want.

[PCGrad02]

Having lived in Providence and Pawtucket for six years, first in Elmhurst and then in Darlington, I would say that both neighborhoods are quite urban in their own way. Yes, it is true that there is not a huge mix of business along with residential, but you can't say that they are suburban in the sense that it is used today. Elmhurst is hardly Warwick or Western Cranston. People living in Elmhurst don't have huge acre lots without any sidewalks. Cul-de-Sacs are virtually non-existent, the streets form an urban grid. Don't knock these neighborhoods, at least the people who live there are still within the cities of Providence and Pawtucket, they might have wanted a little more peace and quiet than Federal Hill, but they didn't move out to East Greenwich or North Kingston. 11500 people in 1 square mi is pretty dense compared to many other areas that call themselves city/urban. Does the area need a little more in the way of diversity and a good business mix? I'd say yes, but it's far from suburban strip mall hell. You could walk to the bus from the majority of streets in the neighborhoods. I'd add more, but I don't like staying @ work that much.

[Recchia]

Having lived in Providence and Pawtucket for six years, first in Elmhurst and then in Darlington, I would say that both neighborhoods are quite urban in their own way. Yes, it is true that there is not a huge mix of business along with residential, but you can't say that they are suburban in the sense that it is used today. Elmhurst is hardly Warwick or Western Cranston. People living in Elmhurst don't have huge acre lots without any sidewalks. Cul-de-Sacs are virtually non-existent, the streets form an urban grid. Don't knock these neighborhoods, at least the people who live there are still within the cities of Providence and Pawtucket, they might have wanted a little more peace and quiet than Federal Hill, but they didn't move out to East Greenwich or North Kingston. 11500 people in 1 square mi is pretty dense compared to many other areas that call themselves city/urban. Does the area need a little more in the way of diversity and a good business mix? I'd say yes, but it's far from suburban strip mall hell. You could walk to the bus from the majority of streets in the neighborhoods. I'd add more, but I don't like staying @ work that much.

Darlington is nice and urban with good services. I can walk to Stop and Shop, tons of food (chain crap and locally-owned stuff), laundromat, dry cleaners, tons of barber shops and salons, bakeries, a meat market, 24-hour drug store and if I had kids, they could walk to elementary and junior high school.

[runawayjim]

Having lived in Providence and Pawtucket for six years, first in Elmhurst and then in Darlington, I would say that both neighborhoods are quite urban in their own way. Yes, it is true that there is not a huge mix of business along with residential, but you can't say that they are suburban in the sense that it is used today. Elmhurst is hardly Warwick or Western Cranston. People living in Elmhurst don't have huge acre lots without any sidewalks. Cul-de-Sacs are virtually non-existent, the streets form an urban grid. Don't knock these neighborhoods, at least the people who live there are still within the cities of Providence and Pawtucket, they might have wanted a little more peace and quiet than Federal Hill, but they didn't move out to East Greenwich or North Kingston. 11500 people in 1 square mi is pretty dense compared to many other areas that call themselves city/urban. Does the area need a little more in the way of diversity and a good business mix? I'd say yes, but it's far from suburban strip mall hell. You could walk to the bus from the majority of streets in the neighborhoods. I'd add more, but I don't like staying @ work that much.

i meant suburban in the sense of the neighborhood feel. obviously there's no strip malls, but there isn't much for business mixed in within a reasonable walking distance. you have some bars, delis, convenience stores, and some cheap food places along admiral and smith, but not much else. inside the neighborhood it's a very suburban feel. i am not talking about the area surrounded by eaton, smith, huxley, and douglas (the area with all the student rentals). but the area to the west of campus is an almost suburban neighborhood. yes, the yards are tiny and there are sidewalks. but there are small yards in my hometown and sidewalks in neighborhoods there as well (this is a very suburban town). sure, it's not warwick, but it's similar to north providence. and many of the people who live there have lived in those neighborhoods for many many years (like i said, there's a large elderly population in my neighborhood). there is not a large influx of younger people or people with families (although there are a lot of houses on the market in this area).

[somad]

They shouldn't be listened to. They should be shut up, educated, and then allowed to speak. Of course this would never happen, but it'd be nice.

I'd actually like to see those "impossible" literacy tests come back and given to every voter. Heck... make it so you get 20 questions or so and can get 3 wrong if they really wanna be nice. In addition to a few basic Constitutional questions, they should ask current questions like "President Bush appointed 2 supreme court justices in his tenure, name one" or "________ , who represents the State of Nevada, is the US Senate Minority leader". Too many people would get simple questions wrong, and really shouldn't be voting.