Reply to Young couples with kids---Where did you move to from the DC area?

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[quote=Anonymous]I grew up in a midsize city not too dissimilar from Kansas City and I can see where you're coming from. But when you have a sizeable metro area there will be a niche for everyone. My parents lived in a neighborhood comparable to Sunset Hill but did that mean they talked about sports all the time? No. Sometimes they talked about the local sports teams, but we were still very engaged with national and international news and events. Among my parents' friends and the parents of my childhood friends, some were long time residents, others were people who had moved into the area. If you are (as I suspect many of us on here are) well-educated with an interest in the various topics of life, you will gravitate towards likeminded people regardless of where you live.

In terms of making friends it's always down to the effort you put in and this is no different in DC as well. Actually, if you have young children, it's probably even a lot easier to meet new families as that's an automatic ice breaker. So I wouldn't be afraid of moving to a new place.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]How different was your life in KC though? You saved a lot of money and got a great house. How about walkability? Activities? Entertainment (museums, plays, cultural parties)? I just did a google search and KC itself doesn't seem to have many condos or even 'non-suburban' homes. They all look like planned lots that you need to drive in and out along major highways. Is there a downtown historic section of homes that I could look at (generally close to everything)? [/quote]

Thanks for your questions. There are quite a few "walkable" neighborhoods in Kansas City: W. 39th Street Corridor/Historic Westport; Brookside, Waldo, Hyde Park, and Southmoreland. For those looking for a loft experience rather than SFHs, there's a ton of activity going on in the Midtown Arts District. For classic, pre-war 2 and 3 bedroom apartments centered on retail, consider Country Club Plaza.

If we go back, Brookside (centered on W. 63rd Street and Brookside Blvd.) is probably where we'll buy. A bit pricy for KC, but walkable with a great retail corridor - places like Reading Reptile and Brookside Science and Toys alone are fantastic kid-centered stores. It also has good school options - St. Peter's (Catholic) and Academie Lafayette  (French language immersion PCS).

Kansas City is currently building a streetcar line along Main Street from downtown  (City Market) to Union Station. From Union Station south to West 75th Street, Kansas City has the MAX Bus along Main Street and Brookside Boulevard. It is similar in concept to the Circulator and about a 20 minute trip from Brookside to downtown. It runs 7 days a week with service every 10-30 minutes depending on day/time.

Before we went to KC, I'd been in DC for 7 years and my spouse for 11. We probably took in more "culture" during our single year in KC than in any 3 year span in DC. We fell in love with Unicorn Theater and got to attend two opening night celebrations ("Grounded" and "Other Desert Cities"). We were welcomed with open arms and felt right at home. I became involved with KKFI, Kansas City's community radio station and found it very welcoming. I even got the chance to DJ a 3 hour show that celebrates my favorite music genre (80s New Wave, synth, and industrial) just prior to leaving - that was one of the highlights of my year. There are many cultural events, book talks, concerts, etc. UMKC is a fairly comprehensive university and that brings much to the city. Also, a fair number of KU faculty live in KC, MO and reverse commute to Lawrence for work.

For families, there is so much so close - Union Station, The Royals, Children's Science Museum, the Aquarium, Zoo, Kids Shows at Sprint Center, Crown Center, City Market, Schlitterbahn, easy access to nature/farms. There's even a small ski facility north of KC.

In short, we found a great community spirit and things just seemed so much more accessible to families on a Federal salary than in DC. KC also has a very vibrant civic activist culture which I personally loved. Again, it was just so much easier to "plug into" than DC. I really enjoyed the opportunity to join with Stand Up KC  and the Heartland Labor Forum on the Fight for 15 and other causes. I haven't had opportunities like this since before I came to Washington.

Of course, there's also the suburban option if that's what people want. The Johnson County (KS) suburbs are all quite accessible to KC with many amenities.

I hope this helps.

[/quote]

This message has been brought to you by: The Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Kansas City Realtors' Association, and the Kansas City Tourism Board.

PP, I'm glad you enjoyed your time there. Sounds too good to be true. [/quote]

Wow, I've been in DC over 10 years, but grew up in Brookside in KC and go back to visit family there a few times a year. This is all incredibly  accurate. It's a great place to raise kids and/or grow up. It makes me sad every time I visit that there isn't anything close to a place like Brookside at an affordable price in the DC area. Del Ray is the closest I have found but it's not the same (and before someone mentions the ACPS schools, the KCMO schools in Brookside have the same reputation; it's private schools for most).

If anyone else is seriously considering this move, a few points for consideration. I think this truly depends on your preferences and one isn't better than another.  In KC, your average water cooler or neighborhood conversations will most likely revolve around local sports (Royals right now, but Chiefs, and KU or MU basketball work as well). In DC, I can start a conversation with "I heard on Morning Edition..." and it's not uncommon for people to have heard the same story and want to discuss. In your average office in KC, you wouldnt have that type of conversation. Another anecdotal difference is that people in KC tend to go on vacation to the lake (Lake of the Ozarks) or Mexico/Carribean. Vacationing to Europe or larger cities in the US is a bit more outside the mainstream, and people may perceive you as somewhat snobby or different.

The biggest thing is that it can be really hard to break into social circles on a more than superficial level. People there (especially in the older, walkable and more historic neighborhoods like Brookside, Sunset Hills, the Plaza) have been there for a long time and their friend groups often are made up of people they went to high school and grade school with, and in a lot of cases, their parents also went to the same high school and grade schools. (In KC, there are tons of second and third generation families at schools like St. Peter's and Visitation and high schools like Rockhurst and St. Teresa's). People are very friendly on a surface level but often aren't looking for new people to join their groups.  I read on DCUM that people have trouble making friends in this area, but I've truly had the opposite experience, and found that many transplants are actively searching for new friends. I now have great groups of friends from grad school, my first job, DH's job, DD's preschool etc.  I was nerdy in high school and from what I've heard/seen from those still there, I think I would have a harder time finding a solid group back in KC. Second to my lack of transferable job skills, that's the biggest factor holding me back from moving back to KC.

While my experience is KC focused, from what I have heard, the same is true for many medium sized Midwestern cities (St. Louis, Minneapolis etc.). There are a lot of good qualities, but they aren't perfect either. Just depends on what you are looking for. [/quote][/quote]

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