Southwest Heights - Albuquerque - New Mexico (NM) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Chaparral · 02-28-2008, 09:45 AM

As kensgirl pointed out Pat Hurley park is north of Central. You would generally have to be south of Central to be south of Old Town. But for the sake of this discussion, and that of the OP, the areas we are talking about are essentially six of one and a half-dozen of the other.

I've lived, worked, and traveled extensively in the areas being cited in this thread. With all due respect to posters who have posted to the contrary, there is just no way I could recommend a newcomer take up their first residence in this area.

If someone lived in ABQ long enough to know what they're getting into by moving there, I'd wish them luck and say more power to 'em. But someone new to the area is more or less blind to the day-to-day dynamics that exist in these areas. The "degree of difficulty" would be higher than I would want to face if I was moving to a new town. Not to say that any particular person wouldn't be up to the challenge, just that a person should have a high expectation that it wouldn't be easy.

Chap

seattle sunhine · 02-28-2008, 10:25 AM

Hey I live in Seattle and I fear of getting shot just spending a nice day at Pikes market. The rain is getting to me and the mold is over whelming here.. Moss grows every where on things that don't move.. And the Hispanics are making their way up here as well. When I first moved here I felt so out of place being Mexican and from CA.. Now it's time to move .. I know it's all over.. And being Hispanic doesn't really make it any better either. I just get to ease drop in the conversation .. I'm just looking for a small single family home one story decent neighborhood and a little on the quite side with no street racing at all hours of the night. Well let me ask this for any one to answer how is the Police present in the south west heights ? Is it shoot first and ask questions later ? then Answers to the police ?

Riverdog · 02-28-2008, 04:34 PM

Thanks to all for the responses to my neighborhood question. Sorry I got it wrong - you're all right (duh!) it is mostly West and not South of Old Town.

You've all given me plenty to think about. I suppose what Chap said is true of any city - I live in NYC, and can't think of a single area I wouldn't live in without hesitation if the price is right, and I've lived in four boros and worked in all 5 so I think I've got a fair idea. However, there are many areas that I certainly would advise a newcomer against. We'll have to weigh that in our decision making process.

norm · 02-28-2008, 05:37 PM

Riverdog,

Are you saying that you would live in Bed-Sty, Jamaica, Longwood or Harlem? Well I grew up in a bad ghetto but there is no way I would live in any of those hell holes.

Riverdog · 02-28-2008, 06:33 PM

I HAVE lived in Harlem, grew up adjacent to Jamaica (and shopped there regularly), my mom worked in Bed-Stuy my entire life and I hung around there often. I lived in Crown Heights when I lived in Brooklyn. Granted, I probably wouldn't buy property in some places. . .although I actually can't afford Harlem or Bed-Stuy at this point. Probably why I am wondering about these up & coming areas in Albuquerque. I totally missed out on several opportunities when I lived in Harlem, and while I am ready to leave NY, I could be making a profit of several hundred thousand dollars by selling now.

This is very telling - you think of Harlem as a hellhole, but when I lived there I thought it was fine. I wouldn't advise reeling out of the subway drunk at 3 am, but I wouldn't advise that anywhere. It was right on the subway so I could get everywhere quickly, my apartment was huge and had great light and hardwood floors, and my very white girlfriend of the time went jogging 20 blocks down to Central Park & back every morning. When we decided to buy an apartment, we were pretty disappointed that Harlem had gentrified beyond our reach.