Life in Cedar Rapids area?
- Thread starter guitarchitect7
- Start date
One of my businesses is near where you could be working. There is nice housing near there and lots of apartments near there too since that is where kirkwood is located.
Jhudd made mention of fairfax which is really close to there just outside of cedar rapids it may be a area to look into also.
I would say for you if you are not looking to get into a place you want to settle down in find something on the SW side. I would say south of wilson ave. or maybe the fairfax area.
But if you want to settle down then pick the NE side/hiawatha/robins etc area.
Edit:
One thing to point out though, it seems to me a majority of cyclone fans in the city are on the NE side. IE game watches are generally over there.
Jhudd made mention of fairfax which is really close to there just outside of cedar rapids it may be a area to look into also.
I would say for you if you are not looking to get into a place you want to settle down in find something on the SW side. I would say south of wilson ave. or maybe the fairfax area.
But if you want to settle down then pick the NE side/hiawatha/robins etc area.
Edit:
One thing to point out though, it seems to me a majority of cyclone fans in the city are on the NE side. IE game watches are generally over there.
hey, grew up in Marion and moved back after ISU... I live on the SW side South of 30 off of C st exit) and am ok with it. The area where I'm at now has a couple nice housing developments and apartment complexes... My wife works in IC and it's pretty accessible for her. I really don't think you can go wrong with any of the quadraints of CR as long as you research it as you may have read; there are good parts and bad parts to all of them.... ALSO, I would avoid apartments in the Marion area, I may be corrected on here, but they don't have a large selection and from what I've heard, they tend to be hotbeds for drug dealing.
oh and looking at your name, I assume you're going to work for an Architecture firm??? May I ask which one? I work with a lot of the ones around the area.
Regarding my name and job, it would actuallybe for a Civil Firm. I didn't find any architecture firms hiring right now, unfortunately.
So it sounds as though I could get by with a SW side apartment. Although we aren't looking at settling, it would be a place I would consider living for a year or so just to see how things settle in with the area and lifestyle. So where are the good parts of the SW side. Fairfax has been brought up, other areas? How about specific apartment / townhome complexes.
I could also consider the NE side of CR being that it would lone be a 30 min drive to IC or so. Hiawatha could be an option, I think Robins would be too far north. Good areas - apartment / townhomes complexes for rent around there too?
Just curious, whats the average for renting? Consider a 2 bed, 2 bath?
Robins isn't really a whole lot further north than Hiawatha... though I don't know what there is for 2 bed 2 bath in Robins
There is a new elementary school in the NE side called Viola - don't have kids but I hear it is state of the art and really nice. Pierce is good school with a good rep, but it is getting old.
If you get into Hiawatha the farther west you can go the better.
If you get into Hiawatha the farther west you can go the better.
I'm in Marion right now - its great for safety, kids, schools, home values, and "small town feel". Unfortunately it sucks going anywhere. It is literally a 30 min drive to the west side of town no matter how you do it. I takes me between 15-20 to get downtown in the morning and longer at night because of traffic. Also if you bicycle it is a death march trying to get anywhere that isn't heavily traveled or anywhere near the big CR trail.
There is no part of CR that a grown man would feel uncomfortable in at night. It's not Chicago. There are a few more run down areas specifically around what everyone calls the "gehetto Hy-vee" (the neighborhoods around Coe) but I've seen worse in Ft Dodge.
The "smells" are overrated. I noticed them for the first 2 or 3 days and that was the last of it. Every couple weeks it smells like Cookie Crisp cereal, but that's more a perk.
The flood recovery sucks. It's going to be a long time before the downtown areas are back to normal (which wasn't that great to begin with).
Everyone claims CR is "right by IC"... but I find I go to IC maybe 5 times a year. Unless you're into the college bar scene, its kind of a pain in the *** to get to and back.
just some random thoughts.
There is no part of CR that a grown man would feel uncomfortable in at night. It's not Chicago. There are a few more run down areas specifically around what everyone calls the "gehetto Hy-vee" (the neighborhoods around Coe) but I've seen worse in Ft Dodge.
The "smells" are overrated. I noticed them for the first 2 or 3 days and that was the last of it. Every couple weeks it smells like Cookie Crisp cereal, but that's more a perk.
The flood recovery sucks. It's going to be a long time before the downtown areas are back to normal (which wasn't that great to begin with).
Everyone claims CR is "right by IC"... but I find I go to IC maybe 5 times a year. Unless you're into the college bar scene, its kind of a pain in the *** to get to and back.
just some random thoughts.
I would tend to disagree with that comment, the night life crowd in Downtown CR has made me uncomfortable. Some of the bars (not hole in the walls) can get pretty sketchy at night. I picked up my wife and her friends one night a couple months ago and i was about car jacked.
But since you have a 6 year old, I am guessing you will stay away from these parts after midnight.
Awe man, nothing like the smell of kelloggs corn flakes and raw sewage fermenting in Cedar Rapids air... (LITERALLY):no:
The best advise? Live in Marion if you work on the northside; or North Liberty if your work is on the southside of town...
I will pray for you!!
The best advise? Live in Marion if you work on the northside; or North Liberty if your work is on the southside of town...
I will pray for you!!
Did you pick her up right next to Legends on 2nd? That is about the only bar that I could even consider sketchy myself but it all depends on the definition of sketchy I guess. Cedar Rapids is a blue collar town but just like anywhere groups of people and alcohol late a night lead to some crazy things happening.
I lived on the SE side by 34th St and Bever. So I'm a little biased as well. I went to Erskine, McKinley and Wash. Erskine is a great elementary school. At McKinely and Wash you have some of the richest and poorest kids in town. Which isn't a bad thing because you have a broad spectrum of kids and diversity and as a kid you can find a niche that is right for you.
FlagGuy: I had always heard that the rich snobs went to Kennedy
I also agree there are bad parts in every section. You'll know if you're in a bad part when you drive through it. The smells are overrated and only a few lucky days will you smell the waste water treatment center.
Cedar Rapids is a great town. You'll enjoy it
FlagGuy: I had always heard that the rich snobs went to Kennedy
I also agree there are bad parts in every section. You'll know if you're in a bad part when you drive through it. The smells are overrated and only a few lucky days will you smell the waste water treatment center.
Cedar Rapids is a great town. You'll enjoy it
So lets see, the consensus is...
It seems the NE CR and Marion areas are the best, but cause long drives anywhere.
Hiawatha and Lin-Mar are good CR areas and could be the alternative to Marion and such.
Some areas of the SW could work, but it's hit and miss. Someone might be better served to go the North Liberty route so that they are only 20 or so minutes away from both CR and IC.
Schools...
Kennedy and Lin-Mar seem to be the favorites followed by Marion. Pierce seems to be a favorite for Elementry if at all possible, but all these fall into the NE side of town.
If North Liberty and Coralville work, then it's possible for IC schools.
Childcare...
I haven't heard a lot on this one yet. Being that she is six, and knowing we may not be able to get her before or after school, I'm thinking childcare may be needed. I realize the schools might provide some, but didn't know of other options if there are any?
Entertainment...
Sounds like downtown CR isn't the same as it use to. NE CR is mentioned ot have a better mall, and maybe better dining and entertainment. A trip to IC may provide this as well, but is a bit of a drive just for dinner or a movie.
So am I understanding it all - did I forget anything?
Oh, where is this "Ghetto Hy-Vee" around Coe? Since I'm not familar with the area...
It seems the NE CR and Marion areas are the best, but cause long drives anywhere.
Hiawatha and Lin-Mar are good CR areas and could be the alternative to Marion and such.
Some areas of the SW could work, but it's hit and miss. Someone might be better served to go the North Liberty route so that they are only 20 or so minutes away from both CR and IC.
Schools...
Kennedy and Lin-Mar seem to be the favorites followed by Marion. Pierce seems to be a favorite for Elementry if at all possible, but all these fall into the NE side of town.
If North Liberty and Coralville work, then it's possible for IC schools.
Childcare...
I haven't heard a lot on this one yet. Being that she is six, and knowing we may not be able to get her before or after school, I'm thinking childcare may be needed. I realize the schools might provide some, but didn't know of other options if there are any?
Entertainment...
Sounds like downtown CR isn't the same as it use to. NE CR is mentioned ot have a better mall, and maybe better dining and entertainment. A trip to IC may provide this as well, but is a bit of a drive just for dinner or a movie.
So am I understanding it all - did I forget anything?
Oh, where is this "Ghetto Hy-Vee" around Coe? Since I'm not familar with the area...
Linn-Mar is a school district ... not really a neighborhood in particular. It takes in half of Marion, parts of NE CR and various rural Linn county kids ... I think.
I actually live in Linn-Mar school district, but if I ever end up sending my kids there I'll need to talk to their AD. I attend/work a ton of athletic events in the area and Linn-Mar is by far the most "unsportsmanlike" of any fanbase and/or coaching staff. Of course they do win all the time, ... so maybe it helps:sad:.
Oh, and the "ghetto" Hy-Vee by Coe was remodeled a couple years back, so its not too bad anymore - but people still call it that. Its the one on 1st Ave right beside the liquer store, tobacco outlet, pawn shop and Mr Money.
I actually live in Linn-Mar school district, but if I ever end up sending my kids there I'll need to talk to their AD. I attend/work a ton of athletic events in the area and Linn-Mar is by far the most "unsportsmanlike" of any fanbase and/or coaching staff. Of course they do win all the time, ... so maybe it helps:sad:.
Oh, and the "ghetto" Hy-Vee by Coe was remodeled a couple years back, so its not too bad anymore - but people still call it that. Its the one on 1st Ave right beside the liquer store, tobacco outlet, pawn shop and Mr Money.
There's bars dispersed throughout CR, but downtown has the best nightlife by far (or at least the best variety of bars). I wouldn't consider it sketchy at all, although I've seen a few fights here and there. But name a good place for nightlife that never has fights...
Random throw out before responding to the quote - Viola GIbson is a pretty new Elementry school, I think it opened my Junior year of high school so it's like 5 or 6 years old
As for Kennedy / Wash, I hear all the really rich kids go to Wash, but so do the poorest so you maybe have more down to earth people to mix it up
At for Kennedy, you a range of lower middle class to upper middle class (with a few upper upper middle class) so at times there is some disparity but probably nothing compared to that of Wash. On a whole Kennedy may have a higher average income than Wash, but Wash may have the highest incomes.
Of course there is also Xavier right up the road from Kennedy...
It's my understanding that Jeff falls somewhere between Wash's poor end and Kennedy's middle class
