Mike D

I'm originally from NYC as well. Currently I live in Boston - getting a Master's degree here - but I'm looking to move elsewhere (Boston's just too expensive and lots of folks there seem to have a real chip on their shoulders about NY). I've read some interesting things (mostly positive) about Richmond and I am thinking about checking it out. I'm interested in Norfolk as well. It looks like there is a lot going on in both of these areas. I'm very impressed by what I've seen posted here. Both cities have a lot of potential and I would love to come see them both.

I would hate to see the Pawtucket train station become a strip mall. Is there nowhere else in Pawtucket that the strip mall could go? The station should be rebuilt and restored as a stop for MBTA commuter rail, or possibly some sort of Providence-oriented commuter rail service.

Garris, thanks for your insight on why you chose to live live in Providence. It defintely seems to have a great deal of sophisticated, progressive urban living. I've visited Providence twice and definitely would like to go back. Although, I'm ready to leave Boston (once I get my Master's degree at Suffolk University) - I would certainly give a lot of thought before moving to Providence. The job market, the weather, the government, the friendliness of the people, and of course, my ability to afford living there are the things I'm considering. Public schools are important too - though since I don't have kids yet, that's not as high on my list.

I like that last shot a lot. Providence looks really nice at night. Defintely enjoy looking at all the photos of the city.

I currently live in Boston and have been thinking about moving to Providence, in fact I thought about living there even when I was an undergraduate at UConn in 1999. I'm thinking about leaving Boston simply because housing in Boston has gotten so expensive. I found out about about this website through Cotuit's postings on Railroad.net and finally decided to check it out. This is defintely a very interesting website - from all the articles posted here it looks like Providence is going to see quite a lot of development in the near future. The fact that its popualtion increased quite a bit from 1990 to 2000 is certainly a good sign. Cotuit mentioned there are a lot of ex-Bostonians in Providence. I would love to know what made them decide to go to Providence and what advantages (social, economic, political, etc.) Providence has that Boston may not. Who knows, maybe I'll be counted among those who left Boston for Providence.