Urban versus Suburban

[Whomp]

I gotta say I simply don’t like the suburbs. I have to go there on appointments and don't understand how, what or why people live there?

I’m ok with urban suburban towns and even rural areas seems ok if you need peace and quiet.

For me, living in an urban area, like Chicago, is the only way to live. I don’t need a car to get everywhere, cool neighborhoods, boutiques, tons of cultural venues, a walk to the lakefront, great parks, a real bakery and butcher shop within walking distance, 2 major airports by mass transit, museums, great restaurants, used book stores, sports events, no lawn mowers and diversity.

As Ernest Hemingway said of the hometown we both grew up in (today’s suburbs IMO)

“Oak Park is a neighborhood of wide lawns and narrow minds”

• What are the pros and cons from your perspectives of living where you do?
• Would you change it if you could?
• Is this similar outside the U.S.?

I would like to tap the aggregate wisdom of this board for some input. Enlighten me because I don’t get the suburban lifestyle. Thanks!!

 

[Azadre]

I live in an Urbana aka Columbus. I am in a highrise right now and I love it.

 

[warpus]

I hate suburbia - I live right downtown.

 

[Whomp]

Azadre I went to a football game in Columbus. Fun city!
warpus what city and why do you love it so much? My suburban friends think I'm an elitist. I call them "bubble boys" and tell them they should get out of their suburban bubbles every once in awhile.

 

[jamiethearcher]

You couldn't pay me enough to live in an urban area. They are dirty, crowded, and feel unsafe.

My personal preferance would be to live in a rural area, but right now I am in the suburbs while attending school. Its not perfect, but its a HECK of alot better than living in the city!

 

[dgfred]

Small town suburbs for me --- One thing I really hate is traffic, but then
again I could walk in a city . Takes me about 20 minutes at most
now to get anywhere in town (county) from my house. Then again I've always had a 'narrow mind' to have such a big gourd head. I'm a small fish
in a small pond guy instead of a small fish in a huge pond one.

 

[ybbor]

I live in a suburb (Woodridge -it's between Naperville and Downers Grove if that means anything to you Whomp), and I think it's great. You're safe, the schools are good, large living spaces, and while there may not be the constant hustle and bustle of the constant events of the city, there's always something to do and somewhere to go if you want to.

 

[warpus]

warpus what city and why do you love it so much?

London, Ontario

I didn't say I love living downtown, but I do like it, for the reasons below:

- stores, bars, parks, restaurants, etc. are all within walking distance
- if i ever want anything i just step out of my apartment.. and it's right there
- being in a central location makes my apartment very accessible for friends/relatives/etc.
- i love tall buildings
- there's always something going on outside my apt.

 

[Masquerouge]

I lived in Paris, and I now live in the suburbs of the Bay Area.
I like both.
I think that when you have kids, however, it's a lot better to live in the suburbs.

 

[Veritass]

Don't forget to call suburban areas by their new name: urban sprawl. I live in a "sprawling" area full of gated communities with houses that have yards and neighborhoods on cul-de-sacs. This sprawl is a blight on our landscape; responsible social engineering requires people to live in "high-density" housing and walk to the store.

 

[Whomp]

I live in a suburb (Woodridge -it's between Naperville and Downers Grove if that means anything to you Whomp), and I think it's great. You're safe, the schools are good, large living spaces, and while there may not be the constant hustle and bustle of the constant events of the city, there's always something to do and somewhere to go if you want to.

I do know all of them well ybbor.
I was in Schaumburg Monday and Oak Brook yesterday and it's why I wrote this.

Naperville is where my assistant lives. The riverwalk is nice, the downtown area has some nice areas and the town is rated #2 place to live in the U.S. to live but I couldn't fathom living there. Route 59 is a nightmare trafficwise worse than anything I've ever seen and though Potter's Mexican is ok it still doesn't compare to Frontera Grill. Latin, Lincoln Park, magnets etc are all awesome schools and I've never felt unsafe. I just don't walk around Cabrini.

When you say there's always something to do, like what? It can't be as extensive as the city.

 

[sysyphus]

London, Ontario

Of course you don't live in the suburbs, London has no suburbs!

I know what you mean though, I lived there for four years (I'm a Western grad) and living just off of Victoria Park was much more pleasant than lving out near Masonville Place.

I grew up in the suburbs of Toronto and I hated it. I now live in the city core and wouldn't go back to the burbs for the life of me. The stigma of the city being more unsafe is rubbish, I live in a neighbourhood every bit as safe as out in Mississauga.

If I ever do leave the city, it'll be to cottage country. Suburbs aren't places to live, they're just human filing systems.

 

[bhsup]

I could -never- live in an urban area. The fringe of the suburbs is even too much for me (they encroached upon me) and I'm seriously considering hoofing it even further south of Kansas City and getting some acreage out in the boonies.

 

[Whomp]

The stigma of the city being more unsafe is rubbish, I live in a neighbourhood every bit as safe as out in Mississauga.
If I ever do leave the city, it'll be to cottage country. Suburbs aren't places to live, they're just human filing systems.

Man, I feel exactly the same way and have never felt unsafe.

I think that when you have kids, however, it's a lot better to live in the suburbs.

I would disagree. I think the city kids I've met are much more sophisticated than the suburban kids because they've experienced more life and are less spoiled.
My fiancee' has taught in S.F., Chicago and suburbs like Atherton and has said the same thing.

 

[Kozmos]

Do dem desperate 'ousewives live in suburban? If so I aint got nothing against them.

 

[Masquerouge]

Man, I feel exactly the same way and have never felt unsafe.
I would disagree. I think the city kids I've met are much more sophisticated than the suburban kids because they've experienced more life and are less spoiled.
My fiancee' has taught in S.F., Chicago and suburbs like Atherton and has said the same thing.

Weird. My impression is that life is easier for kids in the suburbs, mainly because you can go outside and play, something not that easy in a metropolis.

 

[Red Door]

I live between Suburbia and an Urban Area. You could say we are a Suburb, but we've got a lot more traits of a city.

 

[Truronian]

Country-side is best. Suburbia doesn't really translate well in Britain, there is nothing all that similar. I live in a small city (20,000) with a disproportionately large number of shops, as it services a large rural area. This is great, because I get the variety of city life and the beauty of rural life all within a ten minute walk.

 

[Bigfoot]

You wouldn't want to live in or near the downtown areas in So. Cal., at least from what I have seen. 'Downtown' is a relative term here, most of So. Cal. is one giant megalopolis. I am fortunate enough to live in a low crime area with good schools, friendly neighbors, etc. (and yes, we live on one of those ubiquitous cul-de-sac streets). Yet I have to admit Whomp has a point, things can get damn boring here.

I can totally understand the appeal of living in Chicago or New York, provided your income is high enough. I always have a blast when I go to those cities.

 

[luiz]

I live in ultra-urban Rio de Janeiro. The suburbs in Brazil are dirty and poor. I like living in an urban area, but as Masquerouge pointed out living in an american-style suburb also has it's advantages, and I agree it's better for kids. Above all the suburbs have more living space. For most of my life I had to live in really tiny apartments, because apartments are extremely expensive in Rio's South Zone. Only after my family became wealthier we could afford to move to a big apartment. And we're not nearly rich enough to live in a big house in our neighbourhood, what would be ideal.