[subpixel]

I moved from NYC to Cleveland for a couple years and was shocked at the untapped potential. Just east of downtown, for example, is a warehouse area the size of several Brooklyn neighborhoods that's at least half empty and crying out to be invaded by artists. Rent can be as low as $3.50/sf/yr.

Over time I came to think that part of the problem is that Cleveland lacks the 'being a part of something bigger' you refer to.

I'll say this for Detroit - they're actually making things happen. I hope Cleveland gets some of the same mojo. There are definitely cool people in Cleveland up to good things, but there's not a movement afoot yet.

[adamdavis]

As far as I can tell Cleveland has the exact same mojo as Detroit. There's only so much you can do, though, and there's only so fast these sort of improvements can happen, especially when you're a city that the butt end of too many jokes to count.

Source: Lived in cleveland area for 28 years of my life - every year more and more of the rundown areas of the city were being gentrified and being replaced by trendy restaurants and rented out by whatever 'hipster' / artist population the city has around.