Reviews & Comments
Springfield, MA
re: Abismal area - 6/4/2007 -
6/15/2011I agree with you 100%, Josh. Springfield has a lot to do--cultural, historic, arts & entertainment--and you're right, it's a great city to walk around!
By the way, Dan from Southwick: it's spelled "abysmal."
Springfield, MA
A LOT to do!! Urban living without the high expens -
6/15/2011In 2011, I moved to Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts for the eclectic, urban arts scene -- I bought a condo, and in my opinion, it has been the best relocation I've ever made.
I moved to Springfield from the college town of Northampton, Massachusetts. Before that, I lived all over the place -- in Oxford, England; Cologne, Germany; Boston; Chicago; San Francisco, Cape Cod, and most recently New Haven, Connecticut. I tend to gravitate toward artistic, bohemian cities, where there's a lot of creative people.
I'm in my late 20s and own my own videography/website development company.
While living in Northampton -- just 15 miles north of Springfield -- I became familiar with Springfield , especially its Metro Center, ( downtown.) By going to coffee shops and music venues, I started to meet a lot of creative people who live in Springfield -- artists, photographers, musicians -- people who, like me, are attracted to eclectic, urban environments. As of 2011, that's what Springfield's Metro Center is.
Personally, reading the older reviews of Springfield -- in my opinion, that information doesn't pass the reality test right now.
That said, in defense of the older reviews, I've learned that a lot of creative people migrated here after gay marriage was legalized here in 2004. At the time, during the real estate boom, Springfield real estate was cheap -- and the architecture is very attractive (Springfield's nicknamed "The City of Homes" for a good reason,) even by New England urban standards. It's walkable. Of course, the bohemians came!!
With the United States' first-ever high-speed train coming to Springfield in 2015, (from Springfield to my old hometown of New Haven,) and cranes all over the city, building the $300 million "The Hospital of the Future" and the $110 million "Springfield Data Center," a $75 million renovation of Union Station for a $75 million, 2012 commuter line to Springfield's northern suburbs, (like Northampton,) among other projects... I'm confident that my condo investment was a sound one. :)
To sum up this review, I believe that Springfield has something for everyone -- especially people who like culture, and definitely now that the city is safe and there's a lot of construction and positive enthusiasm here. I'd recommend Metro Center to anyone who likes artistic, bohemian environments -- photographers, painters, musicians, LGBT, and empty-nesters -- people like me, who are seeking a cheap, cool city.
Springfield, MA
Springfield, Mass -- downtown has revitalized A LO -
3/28/2011Growing up, I lived in the Springfield suburb of Longmeadow, (I moved there when I was 7 in 1990.)
The City of Springfield was at its depths during the 1990s and early 2000s with blight and crime. (At the time it had a nationally known rave scene--largely because it had numerous abandoned warehouses.)
I left the Springfield area for ten years to go to college and travel around the world. I lived in Chicago, San Francisco, Oxford, England, Boston, Cologne, Germany, and New Haven, Connecticut, among other places.
Ten years later, I come back to Springfield and find that the city's vibe has completely changed for the better!!
According to statistics--and it's also obvious just walking around--crime in Springfield is way down from when I left the area 10 years ago, (in fact, it's lower than where I live now--New Haven, CT;) the streets are much more alive and fun; and a lot of the downtown architecture has been nicely restored.
The city's biggest problem, right now, I think, is PR from being so bad 10 for a long time... When I told my friend how much nicer it had gotten, he didn't believe me!! Until he went back himself. :)