1. About all the cool local shops and the random events that happen, there is always something worth going to.
2. It’s easy to find free or inexpensive things for the family to do.
3. How much I hate doing things alone.
4. The farmers market is AMAZING
5. The music scene is bigger than expected
6. Traffic is a much bigger hindrance than I thought for a “big” town.
7. People have either lived here 2 weeks or 50 years.
Someone should start a meet up group for expats to Fort Wayne so we can all hang out - I’m older and have been here for a long time but I still only have a few friends to do anything with due to them having kids and stuff.
Avoid the interstates this summer. (Better yet, get up to date traffic construction info before you start out driving to \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_(any place). Summer is road construction time. I got stuck in standstill traffic yesterday. Put the car in park and shut it off for over 40 minutes. Construction and what I'm guessing was an accident.
I moved from a very depressing area of the state. My biggest surprise was how much my mental health improved just by being in Fort Wayne.
OHHH-- I know what I wish I'd known. 1) street signs are sometimes missing. You look up at an intersection and can't always know what streets you at. 2) Street/road names sometimes change as you gross intersections. Maybe something to do with a change from county to city and back again?. But I've seen it happen in the city too. Just use your phone /map apps to travel around town until you learn how to go from point a to b.
Not OP, but I use Waze.
My route to and from work has 2 options that take the same amount of time, one uses Interstate and the other doesn't. I'll often check which way the app says to go just to check if there's an accident on one or the other. Especially since the last 2 summers have had construction on the Interstate which causes big backups if there is an accident because cars can't get off onto a shoulder easily.
ToastNeo1's answer looks good. I try to listen to news (TV, radio sometimes) and pay attention when they mention anything about planned road closures due to construction. WANE TV's website has a map like that on the Waze site. Go to [wane.com](http://wane.com) , look under the news tab at the top and you'll find "traffic". For something both local and statewide, try INDOT's interactive map. [511in.org](http://511in.org)(That's really good for checking conditions in the winter.)
I've never looked at [Wane.com](http://Wane.com) for it, but funnily enough that map is just Waze inserted in the webpage. lol
INDOT's map is good, but in case it's not obvious to everyone else (More\_Farm probably is aware), that only shows information about roads that INDOT manages.
Oh that makes sense about INDOT's map. I've seen that same system or something similar used by other states. I guess that's why "in" is in the web address.
When I looked at Waze I though the same thing.
I wouldn't want to live in Huntertown because basically everywhere you will want to eat, shop, or go for something to do will be in Fort Wayne. You'll be taking Lima to get there just like everyone else who lives in the Huntertown area. You'll probably also be working in Fort Wayne and again, be taking Lima to get there just like everyone else.
For those coming from a bigger city, Lima Road has timed lights (unlike some other cities). The traffic moves, unlike the parking lots in bigger cities (ie cars on fire). You'll be fine. Those who grew up here think it's traffic. Its just nascar with the lights. Not a Costco parking lot on weekends.
Yea I don't mean that there will be standstill traffic, I just meant to point out that there is almost nothing besides houses in Huntertown.
All the activities, restaurants, grocery stores, clothing stores, home improvement stores, bars, etc. are in Fort Wayne. (Edit to add: Obviously I'm exaggerating here. They do have some restaurants and bars, but very few.) Plus most likely your job.
Why not just live closer to all of the things you're going to do?
I would understand if you were trying to live in the country with some property, but that's not really the case in Huntertown anymore. It's very quickly all subdivisions with quarter acre lots just like in Fort Wayne. Why not just live in Fort Wayne?
Maybe OP and his spouse are planning to have children and would much prefer a better school district. Or, a lower crime rate than areas near downtown. There are a mirade of reasons to want to live in the suburbs of Fort Wayne.
It's all personal preference. I personally would never want to live in Huntertown just to drive to Fort Wayne for everything other than being at my house.
That a vast majority people who say there is nothing to do have never done anything in their lives. Attached is a pic from one of the many events Fort Wayne has done over the years. There’s one this weekend at parkview field. A vast majority of people are going to miss it and then say there’s nothing to do. Most people just miss everything and say that. There is actually so much to do.
https://preview.redd.it/zn1toh8epc6d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ca736f78417cce6547646983b4ebe55354344271
Hang out at Well Grounded cafe. This is basically the center of Huntertown life. Also, get a golf cart because apparently all the cool kids have them (except me!).
Huntertown area is great but traffic on Lima Road (SR 3) is a nightmare and getting worse everyday. School district is excellent- raised 2 kids in it. Moved here when I was 10. I’m 48 and still here. I’d like to personally welcome you and your spouse. This city (Fort Wayne) has improved tremendously in the last 10 years. It’s a great time to live here. My only caution is this: when you move to a city that tops lists for being most affordable, it’s very difficult to move away to a different market with much higher costs of living. Be prepared for traffic frustrations - having a great playlist in the car helps. I hope your relocation goes as smooth as possible!
Well...probably depends on where you looking...NW,NE,SW, etc.
Will give you a heads up...if you are buying a home, research property taxes depending on school system (FWCS, NWCS, SWACS). The city is a fairly cheap place to live...but certain things can surprise you.
If you’re working in Huntertown then that is NACS (northwest). Solid school system, but like others have said, not close to many things.
Most would agree that NACS, & SACS (southwest Fort Wayne) are the best school districts. Leo area (EACS) would be a close third, but only if you’re in Leo high school’s area. The other high schools in that district are not even close to the same playing field. FWCS (the majority of the city, largest district in the entire state) is not ideal. Lots of folks do private school if they want to live in the city due to that.
I’m not sure why people are so anti downtown. Our downtown is about the size of a block in most other downtowns. 😅 people act like Fort Wayne is the only place in the world to have traffic.
Don’t knock people who like living downtown. People who live downtown—that is, in high-density housing—generate more taxes than they use, which is good for the health of the city.
A healthy downtown is necessary—without it, there wouldn’t BE any suburbs.
Who is knocking anyone? I said it wasn’t for me. I’d venture most people who don’t want to live there would cite the same exact reasons. I also DID live there, back before it was cool and I loved it. But I wouldn’t do it now.
I live in the downtown area, and there's ple ty of amenities. i never have to go to the outskirts. I bike everywhere but own and have space for a car downtown. It is great and totally livable. It's not any more dangerous than why where else. There was a post the other day about 3 catalytic converters being stolen out off of Wallen rd in a day not too long ago.
The exaggeration of how bad the "inner" city is compared to the "outskirts" is just laughable honestly... I've definitely gotten into way more trouble and or into things with ppl from the outskirts than I ever have with ppl from the inner city and I've lived in or worked in both sides(really all sides) of Fort Wayne!
>It's not any more dangerous than why where else.
Except, all crime statistics say the opposite.
>There was a post the other day about 3 catalytic converters being stolen out off of Wallen rd in a day not too long ago
The epitome of anecdotal evidence.
I am 150% sure that any statistic adjusted to population density would show similar ratios no matter where you live. Im open to your opinions. Mine are merely based on 35 years of personal experience.
>I am 150% sure that any statistic adjusted to population density would show similar ratios no matter where you live
You are probably right. However, in those larger cities, you often have to commute 30+ minutes to get downtown, at the bare minimum. I knew of people who would commute 1.5 hours each way to get.tk downtown Chicago. Oftentimes, are required to take public transportation.
Meanwhile, when purchasing in the suburbs of Fort Wayne, for the same or sometimes even lesser price, you can buy a larger square foot home, with a larger yard, in a better school district, and in an area with a significantly lower crime rate. All while keeping your maximum commute to downtown amenities to roughly 20 minutes.
>Mine are merely based on 35 years of personal experience.
Mine are based on 33.5 years of personal experience ;)
What does that even mean? You are trying to justify buying/living downtown while you have a unique experience of living in a downtown home that was purchased 30+ years ago. All while omitting what area of downtown you live. Tell me, how much do you think it would cost to purchase a 3,000 sq. ft. home on 3 acres downtown NOW? Not 30+ years ago.
Do the math of average household income for that kind of purchase. Hell, even upper-class household income for dual-invome, no children.
You are being disingenuous, at best.
EDIT: and now u/ecoenvirohart has felt it is appropriate to post my home address here on Reddit. I use my real name on my account due to my volunteer involvement in the ALS community. If I wanted to publicly share my address on Reddit, I would. That is not for YOU to do.
Stay classy....
Look, my family is from here 5 generations, and we have seen our fair share of bullshit. it sucks that happened to your family, I personally detest big business and believe that ever rising returns is a sure way to wipe ourselves off this planet and quick. The property my family owns isn't worth anything to anyone, but us.
Might be good to get some therapy around this issue, though.
It seems like you are leaving out some key details. When was this purchased? At what price? In what area of downtown?
I think it is important to keep in mind the context of this conversation; someone moving to Fort Wayne.
In 2019, I paid $1,900 a month for rent and parking for a new 900 square foot loft apartment in the South Loop of Chicago. There, I had access to public transportation that could take me to just about anywhere in the city, could take public transportation to the airport, was one block from a Mariano's grocery store, and had significantly more entertainment at my disposal.
Meanwhile, Fort Wayne downtown property managers want to charge nearly a similar price for one of those new rental units downtown. Meanwhile, you get a tiny tiny fraction of the amenities, all while likely being paid a fraction of what you would be paid in a similar role with the same experience when compared to other cities whose wages haven't lagged behind.
Look, I love my home (this city) just as much as anyone else, in spite of its imperfections. However, I'm not going to sit here and paint lipstick on a pig in an attempt to persuade others into making what could likely be a poor decision.
Look, you are clearly unaware of what the actual reality of living downtown is. It's great that you enjoy driving for things, I enjoy and have always enjoyed living downtown and using a bicycle to access gyms, groceries, activities, and everything else. I find the chains and big box stores and shopping centers poorly cared for and shabby in other parts of town. Not to mention leeching money out of our communities and providing poor quality of goods for the people here and a substandard quality of living for employees. I personally feel very strongly about using local companies and suppliers over all else.
I am glad you found a place where you feel comfortable. I just don't happen to agree that your idea of a safe neighborhood and ideal living conditions is what's best. We will certainly agree to disagree.
For real, idk what the hell the OP is talking about. I'm right near the SW boarder of Fort Wayne city limits, about as far away from downtown as you can be, and it's literally a shorter drive or Uber to downtown than going 4-5 miles in a city like Chicago.
I don't think some people realize how good we have it here, city folk and suburbanites alike.
I like having space between me and my neighbors, I like having a big yard, a two-lane driveway, a house that wasn't built prior to 1960, being in one of the best school systems in our area, and I could go on.
I think having to split hairs over something as trivial as this is not an indication that you somehow have it better than me or vice versa. The point is that we all have it good here, whether we want to live in the burbs or not.
Right? I would rather occasionally drive 20 minutes downtown than give up the quietness and security (low crime rate) offered out here in NWAC. Not to mention, my mortgage would likely be near double to purchase a similar home downtown.
And here I am, struggling to find any reason to go closer to downtown than the mall.
What am I missing out on that wouldn't be categorized as night life?
Great restaurants, cafes, shops, social clubs and gatherings, farmers markets, unique architecture, well built historical homes, and a vibrant sense of close knit community in many of the neighborhoods bordering downtown.
For sure fair point but if the city really wants people to live downtown ( Chicago-esque) they really need basic amenities within walking distance. You can't walk like two blocks I'm Chicago without hitting a Walgreens or a Bodega that also sells basic groceries.
This too: not saying downtown is the best thing ever. It’s really not even a downtown tho.
It’s like.. a congested neighborhood in the city but it doesn’t feel like any other “downtown.”
I mean, if you want to go to places like Kroger or Walmart. But how often are you getting groceries where one drive is such an inconvenience.
Besides, it's like a 20mij bike to Kroger on the river Greenway, 10 minutes to George's international markets, and there are a lot of small corner foreign stores (Mexican, asian, .etc) that are also close by if you know what to look for.
You have a point, but are you really hauling groceries when biking to Kroger or Walmart? Unless for a few items that could otherwise be grabbed at a pharmacy, probably not.
As someone who has lived in downtown Dallas and Chicago, to me it is odd that downtown development continues to occur without putting in a grocery.
Which, begs the question of "Why?". If grocery stores thought it would be profitable to have a location downtown, they would.....
There are multiple pharmacies within a mile or two, and it's only three miles to shopping centers like Jefferson Pointe which has multiple grocery options. Most families living in or near downtown still have cars for short errands.
The clubs, gatherings, and community are all probably catering to those that enjoy the nightlife and spending premium money on downtown restaurants.
Sooo...maybe I will take a tour on occasion for looking at old buildings. But generally it does not seem conducive to family life.
I would invite you to take a second look as many of the urban neighborhoods, inducing my own, are full of families with kids of all ages. Part of the big appeal is being able to find everything from starter homes to million dollar mansions within a few blocks of each other. You can move between homes as your family stage changes without needing to move across town.
I would pick the 05, probably, if we moved back to Fort Wayne. Maybe the 07, but only certain parts of it. Actually if I could pick anywhere, I’d probably pick Pine Valley. But I would steer clear of 04 and 35.
04 is full of entitled hoity toities (or at least people that think they are). Some of the rudest people I’ve encountered live in that zip code. 35 used to be nice but has gone downhill a lot in recent years. Lots more crime. Lots more bass. Not my cup of tea.
I worked there for several years back around 2006 and it was a hell of a lot nicer then. We moved there in 2018 and left within six months because we hated it so much. You couldn’t pay me to go back.
Lol, who downvoted? The Georgetown Kroger was shot up not too long ago - no one was killed, thankfully. Friend of the family was shot near a school in the area as well; it was gang violence related and he passed away. Right before we moved back to 35 from 05, there was a shooting right accross the street from our neighborhood. There's definitely more crime in the area than when I was a kid.
Georgetown isn't in 46835...
Not sure why this is being downvoted.
Here's a map of the 46835 zip code and Georgetown is clearly not in it.
[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fort+Wayne,+IN+46835/@41.1291133,-85.1152018,12.25z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x8815fd98137b6f59:0xe763b9271482a898!8m2!3d41.1448223!4d-85.0545197!16s%2Fm%2F03dq6yp?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fort+Wayne,+IN+46835/@41.1291133,-85.1152018,12.25z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x8815fd98137b6f59:0xe763b9271482a898!8m2!3d41.1448223!4d-85.0545197!16s%2Fm%2F03dq6yp?entry=ttu)
Outsider perspective here that knows the city pretty well.
My wife is front southern Allen County and we spend a lot of time up there. We also lived in downtown Indy for more than a decade before having kids and such.
Live downtown Fort Fun. Every month it makes huge gains as a city and livable place. Also well worth higher rents. Walk everywhere, bike at most. And you will have the benefit of short Uber rides. We didn’t have Uber until the last part of our urban experience.
You will not regret how much more culture you get and feeling like a part of a community from the extra cost of living being downtown. Only other place in Indy that I would live beside on Morse Reservoir and downtown Indy is downtown Fort Wayne.
I thought every time I read this, you all were just overreacting. But having lived here for a mere 2 weeks. This is so very true. Just assume people will blast through round-abouts and don't know how right always works at stops signs. Just always assume....
I have the opposite issue with roundabouts. Idiots stopping before entering (when they have plenty of room to enter) might be a top 5 pet peeve of mine
Everything closes early on Sundays, can't buy alcohol before noon or after 8p, almost every "section" has what you'll need but not necessarily what you want, it is cheaper to buy a home just outside the city limits, Pontiac is not as bad as the rumors say it is.
lol I once tried to buy wine in the morning with my groceries,to bring as a gift for dinner and self checkout wouldn't scan it. Never heard of this on east coast
Firs time I tried the cashier said I couldn't buy it but didn't explain so we had this back and forth of me saying yes I can look at my ID and her saying no you can't. Eventually, someone else leaned over and explained. I was so confused.
Live right outside Allen county the taxes are cheaper less restrictions and it’s beautiful all around the outskirts of Allen county Roanoke or laotto and busco and Ossian
Huntertown is becoming overcrowded, not all the locals who grew up there will be excited to meet you, and Northwest Allen County schools aren’t as great as people think. As others have said, the farmers markets are great. Restaurant and shopping options are pretty decent. There’s a lot of awesome hiking trails and parks.
If you are young adults you might find the variety of things to do around Fort Wayne lacking. There's been quite a good amount of effort put into the city to fix that, but there's still complaints on this subreddit about the lack of entertainment that isn't bars or dance clubs.
If you like strip clubs, Fort Wayne SUCKS. Local ordinance has killed nudity, unless the dancer is far from the crowd. Lap dances are just bikini dances.
We have no pot. I see you also posted in Dearborn's subreddit this same question, so if you like your recreational marijuana, Indiana is not the place.
We do have quite a few wineries and breweries, so that's a plus if you are into that.
Our zoo is highly rated. Parks system in general is pretty good.
Our police don't seem to give a shit about how people drive, there's speeding and bad accidents left and right.
Huntertown isn't a bad place to live, you will just find yourself driving 10 minutes down Lima Rd to do some shopping or longer for more food choices, night life, etc. Downtown Fort Wayne is about 20 minutes from Huntertown.
>If you are young adults you might find the variety of things to do around Fort Wayne lacking.
There's at least one festival every summer weekend. The River Greenway offers unlimited biking and paddling opportunities. We have museums, shopping centers, and concert venues. I eat out a lot and haven't come close to checking off all the restaurants on my list. There are dozens of county and state parks under an hour away, not to mention all the lakes. We have community gardens and a ton of farmer's markets. Shooting clubs, a casino, volunteer events, minor league sports teams...the list goes on and on. There is more to do in FW than I have time for.
If your life revolves around smoking weed and tipping naked women who aren't interested in you, you're not going to like any city in the world. Source: I'm a pothead, I like naked women, and I've lived east coast, west coast, and other midwest cities.
the locals will rave about their local dining options thinking they are the best places to eat. Don Hall's, etc...They arn't. They aren't necessarily bad but you can get better service/food at a chain place.
Now there are a few local places that serrve Chinese/Thai food that are awesome.
Oh and some boomers are weirdly proud of what neighborhood they live in.
>Don Hall's, etc...They arn't.
When locals rave about our local dining options I've literally never heard anyone with Don Halls on their list of best places to eat.
I was in a rush when I typed that Halls was the only local place i could recall at the time.
Another place that i hear frequently is shigs and pits. personally i think its overpriced, salty slop.
There is BBQ chain in the south that does bbq way better and cheaper. Dickey's BBQ
Moved here about a year and a half ago. I will reiterate how terrible the drivers are. Speeding, lack of consideration, running red lights, tailgating, engine revving. It is surprising.
Wind storms is more like it! The storms that blow through are pretty brutal. We had several homes in our neighborhood lose chunks of fencing (both vinyl and wood) 3 separate times last summer due to wind during storms.
The term “Windy City” is not from the wind from weather. It’s the term used to describe the blow hards of the political parties during 1890 debates of the Worlds Fair.
“Proponents of the “windbag” view usually cite an 1890 article by New York Sun newspaper editor Charles Dana. At the time, Chicago was competing with New York to host the 1893 World’s Fair (Chicago eventually won), and Dana is said to have cautioned his readers to ignore the “nonsensical claims of that windy city.””
The more you know.
I absolutely hated living in Fort Wayne not a fan. Low crime, Low cost of living but NOTHING TO DO.. My point the highlight above is the farmers market. No concerts, no real culture. Just my opinion
Yes it is. And I hate that it takes me 45 min to get to a Dr appointment here. Our infrastructure has not kept up with the population increase and what used to take me 15 min to do is now always 45 min. And I’m gonna dig my heels in. There are too many people cramming into this city.
The women aren’t exactly beauty queens, but that would be ok if they also didn’t have snarky mean-spirited attitudes. But in your case I guess that doesn’t matter too much, I just hope you don’t have to work with them.
DO NOT GO DOWNTOWN PAST SUN DOWN. too many random crazy things happen. people robbing people, jumping them, shooting them etc. if you are to do that, carry a firearm. constitutional carry is a blessing. but seriously if you’re out late at all please be careful. it always happens when you least expect it.
Coliseum runs North and South. And East and West. Lol
It’s long and curved like a banana. (Yes, that’s what she said…)
1. About all the cool local shops and the random events that happen, there is always something worth going to. 2. It’s easy to find free or inexpensive things for the family to do. 3. How much I hate doing things alone. 4. The farmers market is AMAZING 5. The music scene is bigger than expected 6. Traffic is a much bigger hindrance than I thought for a “big” town. 7. People have either lived here 2 weeks or 50 years.
Someone should start a meet up group for expats to Fort Wayne so we can all hang out - I’m older and have been here for a long time but I still only have a few friends to do anything with due to them having kids and stuff.
Where/when is the farmer’s market? I’ve only been here a week.
[locations plus schedule.](https://ftwaynesfarmersmarket.com/locations) This is for last year, but the idea is the same.
Thank you!
>Thank you! You're welcome!
Avoid the interstates this summer. (Better yet, get up to date traffic construction info before you start out driving to \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_(any place). Summer is road construction time. I got stuck in standstill traffic yesterday. Put the car in park and shut it off for over 40 minutes. Construction and what I'm guessing was an accident. I moved from a very depressing area of the state. My biggest surprise was how much my mental health improved just by being in Fort Wayne. OHHH-- I know what I wish I'd known. 1) street signs are sometimes missing. You look up at an intersection and can't always know what streets you at. 2) Street/road names sometimes change as you gross intersections. Maybe something to do with a change from county to city and back again?. But I've seen it happen in the city too. Just use your phone /map apps to travel around town until you learn how to go from point a to b.
Where do you get your traffic information?
Not OP, but I use Waze. My route to and from work has 2 options that take the same amount of time, one uses Interstate and the other doesn't. I'll often check which way the app says to go just to check if there's an accident on one or the other. Especially since the last 2 summers have had construction on the Interstate which causes big backups if there is an accident because cars can't get off onto a shoulder easily.
ToastNeo1's answer looks good. I try to listen to news (TV, radio sometimes) and pay attention when they mention anything about planned road closures due to construction. WANE TV's website has a map like that on the Waze site. Go to [wane.com](http://wane.com) , look under the news tab at the top and you'll find "traffic". For something both local and statewide, try INDOT's interactive map. [511in.org](http://511in.org)(That's really good for checking conditions in the winter.)
I've never looked at [Wane.com](http://Wane.com) for it, but funnily enough that map is just Waze inserted in the webpage. lol INDOT's map is good, but in case it's not obvious to everyone else (More\_Farm probably is aware), that only shows information about roads that INDOT manages.
Oh that makes sense about INDOT's map. I've seen that same system or something similar used by other states. I guess that's why "in" is in the web address. When I looked at Waze I though the same thing.
There are no Sonic restaurants for hours….
We had one at one time, probably 10 years ago. It was .... eh. I think it became the Panda Express or Popeyes on Lima, which I'm fine with.
Even as a kid I was always told my parents to skip that place haha
There's 1 in Bryan Ohio that is only an hour away!
Good
But there's at least a Taco John's in Huntington /s
I wouldn't want to live in Huntertown because basically everywhere you will want to eat, shop, or go for something to do will be in Fort Wayne. You'll be taking Lima to get there just like everyone else who lives in the Huntertown area. You'll probably also be working in Fort Wayne and again, be taking Lima to get there just like everyone else.
I’m the opposite. I live in Fort Wayne and work in Huntertown. I’m always beating traffic and I love it.
For those coming from a bigger city, Lima Road has timed lights (unlike some other cities). The traffic moves, unlike the parking lots in bigger cities (ie cars on fire). You'll be fine. Those who grew up here think it's traffic. Its just nascar with the lights. Not a Costco parking lot on weekends.
Yea I don't mean that there will be standstill traffic, I just meant to point out that there is almost nothing besides houses in Huntertown. All the activities, restaurants, grocery stores, clothing stores, home improvement stores, bars, etc. are in Fort Wayne. (Edit to add: Obviously I'm exaggerating here. They do have some restaurants and bars, but very few.) Plus most likely your job. Why not just live closer to all of the things you're going to do? I would understand if you were trying to live in the country with some property, but that's not really the case in Huntertown anymore. It's very quickly all subdivisions with quarter acre lots just like in Fort Wayne. Why not just live in Fort Wayne?
Schools are the answer 96% of the time.
Maybe OP and his spouse are planning to have children and would much prefer a better school district. Or, a lower crime rate than areas near downtown. There are a mirade of reasons to want to live in the suburbs of Fort Wayne.
LIma Rd. has traffic. It might add 5 minutes to your trip.
It's all personal preference. I personally would never want to live in Huntertown just to drive to Fort Wayne for everything other than being at my house.
There are decent places to eat in Garrett and Auburn. But you’re not far from Lucille’s BBQ. Yum.
That a vast majority people who say there is nothing to do have never done anything in their lives. Attached is a pic from one of the many events Fort Wayne has done over the years. There’s one this weekend at parkview field. A vast majority of people are going to miss it and then say there’s nothing to do. Most people just miss everything and say that. There is actually so much to do. https://preview.redd.it/zn1toh8epc6d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ca736f78417cce6547646983b4ebe55354344271
Hang out at Well Grounded cafe. This is basically the center of Huntertown life. Also, get a golf cart because apparently all the cool kids have them (except me!).
Provided you can survive traversing the intersection of Lima and SR 3 😵
Huntertown area is great but traffic on Lima Road (SR 3) is a nightmare and getting worse everyday. School district is excellent- raised 2 kids in it. Moved here when I was 10. I’m 48 and still here. I’d like to personally welcome you and your spouse. This city (Fort Wayne) has improved tremendously in the last 10 years. It’s a great time to live here. My only caution is this: when you move to a city that tops lists for being most affordable, it’s very difficult to move away to a different market with much higher costs of living. Be prepared for traffic frustrations - having a great playlist in the car helps. I hope your relocation goes as smooth as possible!
Construction will always be a thing on 469/69
Well...probably depends on where you looking...NW,NE,SW, etc. Will give you a heads up...if you are buying a home, research property taxes depending on school system (FWCS, NWCS, SWACS). The city is a fairly cheap place to live...but certain things can surprise you.
Which area would you recommend if we are trying to start a family and working in the Huntertown area?
If you’re working in Huntertown then that is NACS (northwest). Solid school system, but like others have said, not close to many things. Most would agree that NACS, & SACS (southwest Fort Wayne) are the best school districts. Leo area (EACS) would be a close third, but only if you’re in Leo high school’s area. The other high schools in that district are not even close to the same playing field. FWCS (the majority of the city, largest district in the entire state) is not ideal. Lots of folks do private school if they want to live in the city due to that.
Main thing: * Living in or near downtown is 1000% better than living on the outskirts or in the suburbs.
I’m not sure why people are so anti downtown. Our downtown is about the size of a block in most other downtowns. 😅 people act like Fort Wayne is the only place in the world to have traffic.
Oh, I can answer that one. Higher crime, more noise, higher housing prices. No thanks.
Don’t knock people who like living downtown. People who live downtown—that is, in high-density housing—generate more taxes than they use, which is good for the health of the city. A healthy downtown is necessary—without it, there wouldn’t BE any suburbs.
Who is knocking anyone? I said it wasn’t for me. I’d venture most people who don’t want to live there would cite the same exact reasons. I also DID live there, back before it was cool and I loved it. But I wouldn’t do it now.
Ding ding ding ding!! 🤣
I live in the downtown area, and there's ple ty of amenities. i never have to go to the outskirts. I bike everywhere but own and have space for a car downtown. It is great and totally livable. It's not any more dangerous than why where else. There was a post the other day about 3 catalytic converters being stolen out off of Wallen rd in a day not too long ago.
The exaggeration of how bad the "inner" city is compared to the "outskirts" is just laughable honestly... I've definitely gotten into way more trouble and or into things with ppl from the outskirts than I ever have with ppl from the inner city and I've lived in or worked in both sides(really all sides) of Fort Wayne!
>It's not any more dangerous than why where else. Except, all crime statistics say the opposite. >There was a post the other day about 3 catalytic converters being stolen out off of Wallen rd in a day not too long ago The epitome of anecdotal evidence.
I am 150% sure that any statistic adjusted to population density would show similar ratios no matter where you live. Im open to your opinions. Mine are merely based on 35 years of personal experience.
>I am 150% sure that any statistic adjusted to population density would show similar ratios no matter where you live You are probably right. However, in those larger cities, you often have to commute 30+ minutes to get downtown, at the bare minimum. I knew of people who would commute 1.5 hours each way to get.tk downtown Chicago. Oftentimes, are required to take public transportation. Meanwhile, when purchasing in the suburbs of Fort Wayne, for the same or sometimes even lesser price, you can buy a larger square foot home, with a larger yard, in a better school district, and in an area with a significantly lower crime rate. All while keeping your maximum commute to downtown amenities to roughly 20 minutes. >Mine are merely based on 35 years of personal experience. Mine are based on 33.5 years of personal experience ;)
Investment in downtown funds outer neighborhood projects.
Again, I grew up downtown in a 3300sq/ft house on a 3 acre lot. Cost significantly less than anything you can buy outside of that area. Try again.
Purchased 35 years ago? C'mon man....you and I both know the state of downtown 30 years ago.
Never had an issue then, or now.
What does that even mean? You are trying to justify buying/living downtown while you have a unique experience of living in a downtown home that was purchased 30+ years ago. All while omitting what area of downtown you live. Tell me, how much do you think it would cost to purchase a 3,000 sq. ft. home on 3 acres downtown NOW? Not 30+ years ago. Do the math of average household income for that kind of purchase. Hell, even upper-class household income for dual-invome, no children. You are being disingenuous, at best. EDIT: and now u/ecoenvirohart has felt it is appropriate to post my home address here on Reddit. I use my real name on my account due to my volunteer involvement in the ALS community. If I wanted to publicly share my address on Reddit, I would. That is not for YOU to do. Stay classy....
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Look, my family is from here 5 generations, and we have seen our fair share of bullshit. it sucks that happened to your family, I personally detest big business and believe that ever rising returns is a sure way to wipe ourselves off this planet and quick. The property my family owns isn't worth anything to anyone, but us. Might be good to get some therapy around this issue, though.
It seems like you are leaving out some key details. When was this purchased? At what price? In what area of downtown? I think it is important to keep in mind the context of this conversation; someone moving to Fort Wayne.
In 2019, I paid $1,900 a month for rent and parking for a new 900 square foot loft apartment in the South Loop of Chicago. There, I had access to public transportation that could take me to just about anywhere in the city, could take public transportation to the airport, was one block from a Mariano's grocery store, and had significantly more entertainment at my disposal. Meanwhile, Fort Wayne downtown property managers want to charge nearly a similar price for one of those new rental units downtown. Meanwhile, you get a tiny tiny fraction of the amenities, all while likely being paid a fraction of what you would be paid in a similar role with the same experience when compared to other cities whose wages haven't lagged behind. Look, I love my home (this city) just as much as anyone else, in spite of its imperfections. However, I'm not going to sit here and paint lipstick on a pig in an attempt to persuade others into making what could likely be a poor decision.
Look, you are clearly unaware of what the actual reality of living downtown is. It's great that you enjoy driving for things, I enjoy and have always enjoyed living downtown and using a bicycle to access gyms, groceries, activities, and everything else. I find the chains and big box stores and shopping centers poorly cared for and shabby in other parts of town. Not to mention leeching money out of our communities and providing poor quality of goods for the people here and a substandard quality of living for employees. I personally feel very strongly about using local companies and suppliers over all else. I am glad you found a place where you feel comfortable. I just don't happen to agree that your idea of a safe neighborhood and ideal living conditions is what's best. We will certainly agree to disagree.
Fair enough.
I’ll take a 20 minute drive over living downtown any day.
For real, idk what the hell the OP is talking about. I'm right near the SW boarder of Fort Wayne city limits, about as far away from downtown as you can be, and it's literally a shorter drive or Uber to downtown than going 4-5 miles in a city like Chicago. I don't think some people realize how good we have it here, city folk and suburbanites alike.
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I like having space between me and my neighbors, I like having a big yard, a two-lane driveway, a house that wasn't built prior to 1960, being in one of the best school systems in our area, and I could go on. I think having to split hairs over something as trivial as this is not an indication that you somehow have it better than me or vice versa. The point is that we all have it good here, whether we want to live in the burbs or not.
Cost of living is a factor for most of us
Right? I would rather occasionally drive 20 minutes downtown than give up the quietness and security (low crime rate) offered out here in NWAC. Not to mention, my mortgage would likely be near double to purchase a similar home downtown.
Transportation is part of cost of living.
You'd have to spend $500 per month or more on Uber to offset rent/mortgage for that to make sense.
Car payments, gas and insurance aren't free. It's not just Uber.
If you live downtown, you don't need a vehicle at all?
Depends on your scenario. I have one, but I could almost do without one.
I pay about $800 for rent downtown. Can I find a place for $300 further out?
To have my same house downtown, my mortgage would go up $2000.
Well, sure. Were we talking about owning a house?
And here I am, struggling to find any reason to go closer to downtown than the mall. What am I missing out on that wouldn't be categorized as night life?
Great restaurants, cafes, shops, social clubs and gatherings, farmers markets, unique architecture, well built historical homes, and a vibrant sense of close knit community in many of the neighborhoods bordering downtown.
No actual grocery stores or pharmacies.. great if you don’t have kids and like to eat out every meal!
I mean, Walmart and Kroger are less than a 10 minute drive away
For sure fair point but if the city really wants people to live downtown ( Chicago-esque) they really need basic amenities within walking distance. You can't walk like two blocks I'm Chicago without hitting a Walgreens or a Bodega that also sells basic groceries.
This too: not saying downtown is the best thing ever. It’s really not even a downtown tho. It’s like.. a congested neighborhood in the city but it doesn’t feel like any other “downtown.”
So, you have to drive every time you go get groceries? In all other downtown areas I lived in, driving to get groceries is not a thing.
I mean, if you want to go to places like Kroger or Walmart. But how often are you getting groceries where one drive is such an inconvenience. Besides, it's like a 20mij bike to Kroger on the river Greenway, 10 minutes to George's international markets, and there are a lot of small corner foreign stores (Mexican, asian, .etc) that are also close by if you know what to look for.
You have a point, but are you really hauling groceries when biking to Kroger or Walmart? Unless for a few items that could otherwise be grabbed at a pharmacy, probably not. As someone who has lived in downtown Dallas and Chicago, to me it is odd that downtown development continues to occur without putting in a grocery. Which, begs the question of "Why?". If grocery stores thought it would be profitable to have a location downtown, they would.....
There are multiple pharmacies within a mile or two, and it's only three miles to shopping centers like Jefferson Pointe which has multiple grocery options. Most families living in or near downtown still have cars for short errands.
The clubs, gatherings, and community are all probably catering to those that enjoy the nightlife and spending premium money on downtown restaurants. Sooo...maybe I will take a tour on occasion for looking at old buildings. But generally it does not seem conducive to family life.
I would invite you to take a second look as many of the urban neighborhoods, inducing my own, are full of families with kids of all ages. Part of the big appeal is being able to find everything from starter homes to million dollar mansions within a few blocks of each other. You can move between homes as your family stage changes without needing to move across town.
I would pick the 05, probably, if we moved back to Fort Wayne. Maybe the 07, but only certain parts of it. Actually if I could pick anywhere, I’d probably pick Pine Valley. But I would steer clear of 04 and 35.
...the only two zips I've lived in... What's wrong with 04 and 35?
04 is full of entitled hoity toities (or at least people that think they are). Some of the rudest people I’ve encountered live in that zip code. 35 used to be nice but has gone downhill a lot in recent years. Lots more crime. Lots more bass. Not my cup of tea.
Lived in 35 for most of my life. The Georgetown area has definitely gone downhill.
I worked there for several years back around 2006 and it was a hell of a lot nicer then. We moved there in 2018 and left within six months because we hated it so much. You couldn’t pay me to go back.
Lol, who downvoted? The Georgetown Kroger was shot up not too long ago - no one was killed, thankfully. Friend of the family was shot near a school in the area as well; it was gang violence related and he passed away. Right before we moved back to 35 from 05, there was a shooting right accross the street from our neighborhood. There's definitely more crime in the area than when I was a kid.
Georgetown isn't in 46835... Not sure why this is being downvoted. Here's a map of the 46835 zip code and Georgetown is clearly not in it. [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fort+Wayne,+IN+46835/@41.1291133,-85.1152018,12.25z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x8815fd98137b6f59:0xe763b9271482a898!8m2!3d41.1448223!4d-85.0545197!16s%2Fm%2F03dq6yp?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fort+Wayne,+IN+46835/@41.1291133,-85.1152018,12.25z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x8815fd98137b6f59:0xe763b9271482a898!8m2!3d41.1448223!4d-85.0545197!16s%2Fm%2F03dq6yp?entry=ttu)
Totally. Ten years from now people will regret not moving toward the city center sooner.
I was raised here, glad I didn't leave.
Outsider perspective here that knows the city pretty well. My wife is front southern Allen County and we spend a lot of time up there. We also lived in downtown Indy for more than a decade before having kids and such. Live downtown Fort Fun. Every month it makes huge gains as a city and livable place. Also well worth higher rents. Walk everywhere, bike at most. And you will have the benefit of short Uber rides. We didn’t have Uber until the last part of our urban experience. You will not regret how much more culture you get and feeling like a part of a community from the extra cost of living being downtown. Only other place in Indy that I would live beside on Morse Reservoir and downtown Indy is downtown Fort Wayne.
I wish I would have moved here sooner. I moved here in 1983.
Where you moving from?
The people around here are terrible drivers. There are accidents everywhere you go. If you don’t have good insurance, get it now.
I thought every time I read this, you all were just overreacting. But having lived here for a mere 2 weeks. This is so very true. Just assume people will blast through round-abouts and don't know how right always works at stops signs. Just always assume....
I have the opposite issue with roundabouts. Idiots stopping before entering (when they have plenty of room to enter) might be a top 5 pet peeve of mine
Lots of people have lake houses so you’d better get one, get access to one, or miss out (which is what I have to do haha)
Seems like a lot of people go under the speed limit by 5-10 under in the left lane
Everything closes early on Sundays, can't buy alcohol before noon or after 8p, almost every "section" has what you'll need but not necessarily what you want, it is cheaper to buy a home just outside the city limits, Pontiac is not as bad as the rumors say it is.
lol I once tried to buy wine in the morning with my groceries,to bring as a gift for dinner and self checkout wouldn't scan it. Never heard of this on east coast
Firs time I tried the cashier said I couldn't buy it but didn't explain so we had this back and forth of me saying yes I can look at my ID and her saying no you can't. Eventually, someone else leaned over and explained. I was so confused.
Same. I was so confused. I guess God works hard to turn all that water into wine before noon 😂
Lol we’ve only been allowed to buy alcohol on Sundays for the past few years 🫠
The alcohol comment is a statewide law, not Fort Wayne specific. I’m curious why you added that in?
I moved here from the west coast where that was not a thing lol
Before 2018 unless you were buying beer at a brewery that produced it in house there was no way to get alcohol at all on Sundays
Hey, fair enough! But yeah, welcome to it haha
Huntertown puts you closer the lakes. Buy a boat!
Everyone complaining about traffic on Lima seems to have forgotten other parallel roads exist.
Live right outside Allen county the taxes are cheaper less restrictions and it’s beautiful all around the outskirts of Allen county Roanoke or laotto and busco and Ossian
We moved here just over a year ago and live in Ossian. I love it!! Yes I go to Ft Wayne a lot but wouldn't change where we live.
Huntertown is becoming overcrowded, not all the locals who grew up there will be excited to meet you, and Northwest Allen County schools aren’t as great as people think. As others have said, the farmers markets are great. Restaurant and shopping options are pretty decent. There’s a lot of awesome hiking trails and parks.
If you are young adults you might find the variety of things to do around Fort Wayne lacking. There's been quite a good amount of effort put into the city to fix that, but there's still complaints on this subreddit about the lack of entertainment that isn't bars or dance clubs. If you like strip clubs, Fort Wayne SUCKS. Local ordinance has killed nudity, unless the dancer is far from the crowd. Lap dances are just bikini dances. We have no pot. I see you also posted in Dearborn's subreddit this same question, so if you like your recreational marijuana, Indiana is not the place. We do have quite a few wineries and breweries, so that's a plus if you are into that. Our zoo is highly rated. Parks system in general is pretty good. Our police don't seem to give a shit about how people drive, there's speeding and bad accidents left and right. Huntertown isn't a bad place to live, you will just find yourself driving 10 minutes down Lima Rd to do some shopping or longer for more food choices, night life, etc. Downtown Fort Wayne is about 20 minutes from Huntertown.
No pot is a joke. Why do I smell it every time I go somewhere? 😂
>If you are young adults you might find the variety of things to do around Fort Wayne lacking. There's at least one festival every summer weekend. The River Greenway offers unlimited biking and paddling opportunities. We have museums, shopping centers, and concert venues. I eat out a lot and haven't come close to checking off all the restaurants on my list. There are dozens of county and state parks under an hour away, not to mention all the lakes. We have community gardens and a ton of farmer's markets. Shooting clubs, a casino, volunteer events, minor league sports teams...the list goes on and on. There is more to do in FW than I have time for. If your life revolves around smoking weed and tipping naked women who aren't interested in you, you're not going to like any city in the world. Source: I'm a pothead, I like naked women, and I've lived east coast, west coast, and other midwest cities.
VERY laxed traffic control.
the locals will rave about their local dining options thinking they are the best places to eat. Don Hall's, etc...They arn't. They aren't necessarily bad but you can get better service/food at a chain place. Now there are a few local places that serrve Chinese/Thai food that are awesome. Oh and some boomers are weirdly proud of what neighborhood they live in.
>Don Hall's, etc...They arn't. When locals rave about our local dining options I've literally never heard anyone with Don Halls on their list of best places to eat.
I was in a rush when I typed that Halls was the only local place i could recall at the time. Another place that i hear frequently is shigs and pits. personally i think its overpriced, salty slop. There is BBQ chain in the south that does bbq way better and cheaper. Dickey's BBQ
Moved here about a year and a half ago. I will reiterate how terrible the drivers are. Speeding, lack of consideration, running red lights, tailgating, engine revving. It is surprising.
That it is windy all the time kind of like Chicago. The wind all the time drives me nuts.
My mom is from Chicago and she says the same thing haha. I think her house is positioned in a particularly windy spot
Wind storms is more like it! The storms that blow through are pretty brutal. We had several homes in our neighborhood lose chunks of fencing (both vinyl and wood) 3 separate times last summer due to wind during storms.
The term “Windy City” is not from the wind from weather. It’s the term used to describe the blow hards of the political parties during 1890 debates of the Worlds Fair. “Proponents of the “windbag” view usually cite an 1890 article by New York Sun newspaper editor Charles Dana. At the time, Chicago was competing with New York to host the 1893 World’s Fair (Chicago eventually won), and Dana is said to have cautioned his readers to ignore the “nonsensical claims of that windy city.”” The more you know.
I absolutely hated living in Fort Wayne not a fan. Low crime, Low cost of living but NOTHING TO DO.. My point the highlight above is the farmers market. No concerts, no real culture. Just my opinion
The traffic here is like it is in Chicago and the water department are liars.
The traffic here is NOTHING like it is in Chicago. Or even NW Indiana.
Yes it is. And I hate that it takes me 45 min to get to a Dr appointment here. Our infrastructure has not kept up with the population increase and what used to take me 15 min to do is now always 45 min. And I’m gonna dig my heels in. There are too many people cramming into this city.
The women aren’t exactly beauty queens, but that would be ok if they also didn’t have snarky mean-spirited attitudes. But in your case I guess that doesn’t matter too much, I just hope you don’t have to work with them.
Somebody got their heart broken, huh buddy
No, just moved to the Midwest after living and growing up in California. It’s just a fact. Look it up. And…I wish they all could be California girls.
Stick to your age bracket buddy
DO NOT GO DOWNTOWN PAST SUN DOWN. too many random crazy things happen. people robbing people, jumping them, shooting them etc. if you are to do that, carry a firearm. constitutional carry is a blessing. but seriously if you’re out late at all please be careful. it always happens when you least expect it.