The Observation Deck

One of our sister publications, The Heights Observer put together an new way to rank Livability in communities, at the end of the process. Ohio City won, Lakewood was sixth out
of 18 communities. What do you think!

Here’s the article in the Heights Observer:
http://www.heightsobserver.org/read/2011/10/03/prototype-study-ranks-most-livable-neighborhoods-heights-area-comes-out

Here’s Cool Cleveland’s coverage:
http://www.coolcleveland.com/blog/2011/10/a-new-neighborhood-ranking-system

Way to go Lakewood, and three cheers for the Heights Observer!

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If Maple Heights is beating out Westlake, Rocky River and Orange, there might be a flaw in the rating system...speaking as a former Mustang.

And I love Ohio City, but what in the world would make it 'more livable' than Lakewood?

edit: OK, just downloaded the study and wow. Significantly flawed.

F'rinstance, under cultural access (e.g. museums, galleries, music venues and movie theaters within 5 miles)? Ohio City comes out way ahead on this score primarily due to proximity to downtown, but includes venues like the Bop Stop which don't even exist anymore.

Lakewood comes in over 50 points behind but the only music venue listed is the Phantasy and it ignores every single gallery we have.

We almost made the points back on safety, though.

All

Let's hear the flaws I just got a note from Greg Donley with the Heights Observer and he is
open to any and all suggestions. One thing the publisher of the Heights Observer mentioned
to me yesterday in a call was, that we should appoint a couple people from each Observer
city to a panel to discuss the selection, grading, and point tally process. This was nothing
more than a beta test. I assured her, that we would be willing to take part, and beat this to
death. My thought was to take, all emotion out of it. But with the very nature of the city
take geographic, travel time, weather, etc. into the discussion. East side weather and
traffic, no thanks. That alone would keep me west of the hills.

So if you have any ideas, or changes, let's hear them.