Roanoke v. Lynchburg (Norfolk, Richmond, Alexandria: movers, wedding, college)

[TryinToSeeTheWorld]

Roanoke is very progressive. It is beautiful and the city definitely has a more hip vibe than most cities its size. I have children in the Roanoke City schools and both score in the 99% on nationwide tests. I've been very happy with their education and have had no problems.

Liberty University, founded by Jerry Falwell, moral majority. . . you will feel their presence in Lynchburg. You'll need to decide if that appeals to you.

Regarding neighborhoods in Roanoke, you might consider Old Southwest. There is a very welcoming gay population there and it's within walking distance to downtown.

Good luck.

[TryinToSeeTheWorld]

Oops, forgot to post this link. This just came out about Roanoke.

[sregorat3]

Originally Posted by TryinToSeeTheWorld

Roanoke is very progressive. It is beautiful and the city definitely has a more hip vibe than most cities its size. I have children in the Roanoke City schools and both score in the 99% on nationwide tests. I've been very happy with their education and have had no problems.

Liberty University, founded by Jerry Falwell, moral majority. . . you will feel their presence in Lynchburg. You'll need to decide if that appeals to you.

Regarding neighborhoods in Roanoke, you might consider Old Southwest. There is a very welcoming gay population there and it's within walking distance to downtown.

Good luck.

More bias in that comment than reality. Liberty's influence on Lynchburg is much less than
Tech's is on Blacksburg or UVa's is on Charlottesville. I find it comical when someone posts something like this and they don'tdon't have any first hand knowledge... difficult to have when you don't live in Lynchburg.

[Lucky_Town]

Roanoke has a lot more diversity. It has a lot of Blue and Red voters. Don't forgot there is the City and the County.

Very little chance of being called a "Damn Yankee and such." There are bandwagon NFC north fans down here like no other. ; )
Granted the Stars and Bars flag is flown here and there all over the place.

Urban life in Rke would maybe better. The arts and crafts would out do Lynchburg fairly well.

Great point on the Interstate.
You are closer to the mountains and West Virginia.

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I really do not know Lynchburg at all.

[Mr.VAquestions]

Well Lynchburg simply is catching up to Roanoke and rising to Charlottesville potential.
Retail wise Lynchburg has a long way to go to reach Roanoke and Charlottesville. Restaraunt wise Roanoke has a Red Robin and Carrabbas. Lynchburg has a Moes,Zoes Kitchen,Jersey Mikes,Texas Roadhouse, and Bob Evans that Roanoke doesn't. Charlottesville has a Qdoba,Whole Foods,Trader Joes, and plenty of restaraunts that Roanoke nor Lynchburg has.

RESTARAUNTS:
1.Charlottesville
2.Lynchburg/Roanoke

SHOPPING:
1.Charlottesville
2.Roanoke
3.Lynchburg

GROWTH:
1.Lynchburg
2.Charlottesville
3.Roanoke

[badger74]

Personally I am sick to death of both hipsters and "progressives" so after 25 years in Seattle I look forward to living in a place where criminals get locked up, burger flippers dont demand $15/hr and fedoras are only worn by really old guys.

[Watchful]

Originally Posted by badger74

Personally I am sick to death of both hipsters and "progressives" so after 25 years in Seattle I look forward to living in a place where criminals get locked up, burger flippers dont demand $15/hr and fedoras are only worn by really old guys.

HA I can still tell the difference between Roanoke and Seattle!

[badger74]

Lynchburg makes Top 20 college towns list.

https://www.aier.org/sites/default/f.../Lynchburg.pdf

[roanoker 4]

Originally Posted by Mr.VAquestions

Well Lynchburg simply is catching up to Roanoke and rising to Charlottesville potential.
Retail wise Lynchburg has a long way to go to reach Roanoke and Charlottesville. Restaraunt wise Roanoke has a Red Robin and Carrabbas. Lynchburg has a Moes,Zoes Kitchen,Jersey Mikes,Texas Roadhouse, and Bob Evans that Roanoke doesn't. Charlottesville has a Qdoba,Whole Foods,Trader Joes, and plenty of restaraunts that Roanoke nor Lynchburg has.

RESTARAUNTS:
1.Charlottesville
2.Lynchburg/Roanoke

SHOPPING:
1.Charlottesville
2.Roanoke
3.Lynchburg

GROWTH:
1.LynchburgI
2.Charlottesville
3.Roanoke

I think the growth projected for Blacksburg may surprise us all! Lynchburg City can overtake Roanoke City in population within the next 10 years but doubtfully still be much lower than Roanoke City/County combined, which is the urban center called Roanoke.Montgomery County is now larger in population than Roanoke County and is projected to have a 40% job growth within the next 10 years. It is predicted by 2020 that Roanoke/Lynchburg will be one MSA. It seems to me with all of the growth happening now with Va Tech the New River Valley might also become part of the MSA. With one larger region we would have around a million people. At that level we would see more chains such as Whole Foods, Qdoba, etc and the airport could market for Southwest Airlines. To me Charlottesville is part of the tourist experience of Washington Dc & Richmond. Of course they should have more retail, restaurants as they are beginning to become engulfed by the rapid expansion of urbanization from exiled Washingtonians. I don't see the comparisons between Lynchburg or Roanoke to Charlottesville, etc.

[Lucky_Town]

Interesting discussion about restaraunts.

This is sort of related.
http://blogs.roanoke.com/storefront/2009/09/roanoke-ukrops-to-close/

Roanoke had a Ukrop's for a couple of years but she did not have the sales.
Not hipster enough. No alcohol.
Yet too expensive for the Wal-mart folk.
Not open enough for the Kroger fok. Closed on Sundays.
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Yeah, Blacksburg is getting bigger.
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I voted Rke, but like I typed, I do not know much about the other areas.
I knew a Marine who went to Liberty for a couple of semesters. I'll FB message him and ask what he thought about the town and the college package.

When in doubut, I head for the hills. Rke is on the outskirts of the Mountain region of the East Coast.




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Trader Joe's is farily hipster. I agree with that.