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This thread is for West End Historic District. If you want to, you can create a new thread and advertise your neighborhood there.
Westview is a completely different neighborhood than West End. West End,in my opinion, is a core of development in the area. The neighborhood has already very strong community and most of the problems mentioned in the above article do not relate to West End Historic District anymore. They are only a history for West End. So don't try to use the position of West End to promote your neighborhood.
Wow, I thought this was a great thread until someone signed up for the sole purpose of bringing hate into this thread that has promoted positive for SW Atlanta as a whole. I'm sure your fellow West End neighbors will be happy to see how your hatred is reflecting on your community.
To set the record straight, I had never set foot on this forum until one of your fellow West End neighbors ASKED me to join this conversation and bring my input. I didn't come here to piggy back off of anyone - I think other forum members brought up Westview all on their own, and once they did I found it only appropriate to provide them with more useful information.
I agree that West End has a strong community, but for you to brush off Westview's "problems" as being "history" in West End is just being ignorant. West End has just as many empty homes due to mortgage fraud as Westview does. I'm sure Vonda can tell you a thing or two about your so called "history" as well, and last time I checked she lives in West End.
A few months ago Carl Nes (the VP of West End) contacted my husband and I to collaborate on a video for West End and Westview. We've been working closely with him on shooting various neighborhood interests in Westview and West End. Shortly thereafter Brent Brewer contacted my husband and I about creating a website for Our West End Newsletter that has just gone live this week. (Note it's called West End, not Westview Newsletter.) I could be jumping to conclusions here, but I think it's fair to say that I've probably helped promote West End as much as I've helped promote my own neighborhood, Westview. Please do inform us what contributions you've made to your neighborhood, because I sure feel like I've made MY contributions to YOUR neighborhood.
SW Atlanta has struggled with its reputation for years. My husband and I love this area and we believe in spreading the positive about this wonderful historic part of town. SW has been notoriously lumped together as "West End". I believe we need to work together as a collective to show Atlanta that "West End's" bad reputation is unjust and that we have a wonderful mix of people living here. While we're busy advocating the SW area I think it's quite counterproductive for you to be bashing on neighbors that are helping your neighborhoods reputation. It would have been much more appreciated to show your community spirit in other ways.
To end things on a positive note, I can't wait to attend the upcoming West End Christmas party and mingle with all the other wonderful people that I personally know from this thread.
West End and Westview are clearly sister neighborhoods. We share boundaries, experiences, housing styles and history. We are intimately involved with each other's progress and problems. Castleberry, West End Westview. Its easy to see the commonality of these Historic I-20 neighborhoods. So in no way should we be in a debate about that. In fact it is through this very synergy that we can make our parts greater than our whole. That is what our video will endeavor to describe and promote. See, we are already working together....West End / WestView...Utsikt
This thread may be getting a bit out of hand. I agree and disagree with the last 3 posts.
1. Atl WE's comments were opinionated and blunt, but in no way hateful. It is a bit overboard to refer to this West End resident's comments as hateful. Their comment actually defends the Historic District's character and individuality in the area. It is not necessary to attack a resident's value to our neighborhood and list your activities as if they are purely altruistic in nature. I applaud your work with your home renovation blog and the other things you do, but that shouldn't be the measuring stick of a resident's relevance or value to West End.
2. West End and Westview are two distinct neighborhoods. If some call them sisters that is fine, but they couldn't be called twin sisters. West End is a designated historic district that has older housing stock and is a cultural and retail destination. West End shares boarders with 5 neighborhoods and shares a LCI with neighboring Adair Park along Lee St (soon to be renamed Peachtree). I agree that improving the image of this portion of SW Atlanta is in everyone's best interest, but not at the cost of homogenizing the area in people's eyes. I think Westview is a great beautiful neighborhood, but West End is clearly what draws people to this part of SW Atlanta.
This thread may be getting a bit out of hand. I agree and disagree with the last 3 posts.
1. Atl WE's comments were opinionated and blunt, but in no way hateful. It is a bit overboard to refer to this West End resident's comments as hateful. Their comment actually defends the Historic District's character and individuality in the area. It is not necessary to attack a resident's value to our neighborhood and list your activities as if they are purely altruistic in nature. I applaud your work with your home renovation blog and the other things you do, but that shouldn't be the measuring stick of a resident's relevance or value to West End.
2. West End and Westview are two distinct neighborhoods. If some call them sisters that is fine, but they couldn't be called twin sisters. West End is a designated historic district that has older housing stock and is a cultural and retail destination. West End shares boarders with 5 neighborhoods and shares a LCI with neighboring Adair Park along Lee St (soon to be renamed Peachtree). I agree that improving the image of this portion of SW Atlanta is in everyone's best interest, but not at the cost of homogenizing the area in people's eyes. I think Westview is a great beautiful neighborhood, but West End is clearly what draws people to this part of SW Atlanta.
The neighbors in Westview and West End have been working very closely for the past several months and we have built a strong relationship between the two neighborhoods. We by no means are trying to create a “measuring stick” for a resident’s value to the neighborhood, but if someone wants to publicly make uninformed comments I am going to make sure to set the record straight. Anything positive that happens in Westview impacts West End and vice-versa.
The person’s comments were nothing more than ignorance. To claim Westview and West End don’t have the same problems shows how disconnected this person is from what is going on in the community. We are fighting the same battles, but nowhere to the extent the AP article would like readers to believe.
I also wanted to remind you that in an email you sent us back in August you said “I've always thought of Westview and West End as sister neighborhoods”, which was the first time I ever heard someone refer to them that way...
The neighbors in Westview and West End have been working very closely for the past several months and we have built a strong relationship between the two neighborhoods. We by no means are trying to create a “measuring stick” for a resident’s value to the neighborhood, but if someone wants to publicly make uninformed comments I am going to make sure to set the record straight. Anything positive that happens in Westview impacts West End and vice-versa.
The person’s comments were nothing more than ignorance. To claim Westview and West End don’t have the same problems shows how disconnected this person is from what is going on in the community. We are fighting the same battles, but nowhere to the extent the AP article would like readers to believe.
I also wanted to remind you that in an email you sent us back in August you said “I've always thought of Westview and West End as sister neighborhoods”, which was the first time I ever heard someone refer to them that way...
First of all, I do not feel that I am uninformed in anyway. I know what is going on in West End neighborhood and contribute to this place, too. How can you say that I bring hate, just because I have tried to tell you to leave some room for West End residents. In the recent weeks that this thread has been unfolding, I have not read even one positive sentence about West End - only West View is on the run. I understand that you are trying to promote your neighborhood (you are doing a great job), but you do not have to bring other neighborhoods down together with yours. The article, you mention above, is about West View and I do not completely agree with it. But it is an overstatement to write that article slanders the whole SW Atlanta. You are putting West End and West View into one pot, I do not agree with that. Of course these two places share some problems, but there are difference between West End and West View, too. You probably do not see them. I notice them very, very clearly and agree with Davem totally in this regard.
You are attacking me just because I want to distinct these two neighborhoods. I do not think this is fair.
You even judge a value of my person as a resident of West End... well I take care of my house, my yard, help my neighbors, know quite some history of West End and take pride in living here. I go to WEND meetings, so I would not call myself ignorant. I am pretty knowledgeable about this place ,and that is why, I see a distinction between West End and West View. Every person knowing history of SW Atlanta would tell you that. Every person that lives in West End would tell you that West End is a core of investment and development on this side and has already big community caring for it. So, it upsets me when you try to bring West End down just because somebody wrote a bad article about West View.
If West View is a sister than we have quite a few siblings such as, Historic Adair Park, Capitol View, Capitol View Minor..
Ok, I am not questioning you positive impact but you work on the movie for your own benefit, too.
I am just wondering if you work on that website for West End Newsletter free of charge?
I just wonder... since you mention it is as such a contribution to our community.
I also wanted to remind you that in an email you sent us back in August you said “I've always thought of Westview and West End as sister neighborhoods”, which was the first time I ever heard someone refer to them that way...
I must have been emotional that day :-) I was and am very happy I found your home renovation blog. A lot of people are seeing a beautiful neighborhood and beautiful home from the inside out. You guys are doing a great job and a service to the greater community. That should not be overlooked. Thank you for that.
I think it would be counter productive to allow neighborhood pride to become neighborhood arrogance. It would be a terrible thing for friendships to become contentious. I had a knee jerk reaction. These dumb message boards have a way of making that happen sometimes. To the best of my knowledge (please don't prove me wrong) I've tried to depict West End factually, and defend neighboring Westview when slanderous misinformation was posted. Anyway, This may be a good time to kill this thread, because it's taken on a different direction then intended. My apologies for contributing to the chaos.
Wow... I am the person that asked West View bungalow to join our forum and contribute to our thread. I asked them to that because I strongly believe in benefit of working together. West End, West View, Adair Park, Capitol View share same history and have always been closely connected, so any positive input in either one of them makes a big difference to SW Atlanta as a whole.
It is not a time for separation, it is time for creating connections that will change the face of SW Atlanta in people's minds.
West End, West View, Adair Park, Capitol View share same history.
What history are you refering to? West End is more than merely a collection of old homes, and it's history is more than just 1850 - 1920 and Wren's Nest. It's history continued in the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and 00's. Much of it exclusive to West End. For example, do you know why a certain best selling author has her novels set in the West End? Who her father is and his impact on the West End? Who is Ralph David Abernathy and his connection the West Hunter Baptist Church (in the West End)? What was Lowery Blvd's old name that many residents still use? What was there before Sky Lofts? Who is El Amin and his history with the West End? Also when Corretta Scott-King's body layed in wait @Willie Watkins Funeral home (in West End) we say the motorcade in the streets of West End not on TV. I've seen music videos filmed in the West End even. This history is part of West End's history, not Captiol View's, Westview's, or Adair Park's. They each have their own unique history. Just my thoughts on the matter.
What history are you refering to? West End is more than merely a collection of old homes, and it's history is more than just 1850 - 1920 and Wren's Nest. It's history continued in the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and 00's. Much of it exclusive to West End. For example, do you know why a certain best selling author has her novels set in the West End? Who her father is and his impact on the West End? Who is Ralph David Abernathy and his connection the West Hunter Baptist Church (in the West End)? What was Lowery Blvd's old name that many residents still use? What was there before Sky Lofts? Who is El Amin and his history with the West End? Also when Corretta Scott-King's body layed in wait @Willie Watkins Funeral home (in West End) we say the motorcade in the streets of West End not on TV. I've seen music videos filmed in the West End even. This history is part of West End's history, not Captiol View's, Westview's, or Adair Park's. They each have their own unique history. Just my thoughts on the matter.
No doubt that West End has the richest history in Sw Atlanta.
My bad, I committed faux pas with Capitol View, but Adair Park and Westview history is connected in same ways. I know answers to some of your questions, not all. I have been here for just 6 months and I am still discovering rich history of this place. If you know of any literature or links to interesting sites that will help me understand this neighborhood better, let me know.
In my opinion history of the Adair Park and Westview is the closest to West End.
For example West End was named in 1867 after London's theatre district by George Washington Adair who was the biggest land developer in Atlanta at this time. West End business district was a center for surrounding neighborhoods such as Westview and Adair Park.
Westview Cemetery, which was established in 1884, is connected in a way that people who used to live in West End and Adair Park for example, entire Adair clan, Joe Chandler Harris are buried on that cemetery.
I am from Europe and I was born in the city which was established in IX-th century so history means to me more than new part of Spiderman or cartoon on tv. We chose Historic West End mostly because of its rich history/old houses here. Unfortunately many of them are still neglected and crying for renovation. In Europe such important places are the most beautiful/important travel destinations thankfully to Federal History conservation programs. I cannot believe that Atlanta’s government has watched Historic West End deteriorating like that and has not done a thing to preserve it. All this just to say, that we as resident have to show that we care for the history of this place by rehabbing this houses, keeping streets clean, and bringing this place up to its finest again.
In Europe such important places are the most beautiful/important travel destinations thankfully to Federal History conservation programs. I cannot believe that Atlanta’s government has watched Historic West End deteriorating like that and has not done a thing to preserve it. All this just to say, that we as resident have to show that we care for the history of this place by rehabbing this houses, keeping streets clean, and bringing this place up to its finest again.
Now Europe has some old homes. I've got a friend in Wales and his home is from the 1700's. West End has been on the National Registry of Historic Places since 1991 I think, so it is protected. For example the front facades of the homes and businesses can't be changed unless approved by the Urban Design Commission to be historically appropriate. Also, new fences can only be Wrought Iron, Brick, Stone, or Wood (No Chain link) and certain heights. I'm sure you've seen the restored Victorians and Craftsmans around Gordon Place, Peeples, Lawton, Oglethorpe, & Queen. Back in the 70s the city renovated some of those homes, buried the telephone wires, and other improvements for them to be sold. I have a friend that bought their home on Peeples back then and still live there. Contrary to what was said earlier those blocks of West End are not plagued with empty homes. Those homes are not cheap or waiting to be renovated, but routinely sell for between 250k - 400k. It is a beautiful urban oasis. The sections of West End closer to the western boarder shared with Westview and the southern boarder shared with Oakland City tend to have more homes that were victims of mortgage fraud. These homes are still in the historic district and are protected, but just need someone to love them. The good thing is that homes are being restored on every street in West End.
BTW, my questions before were rhetorical, and come across as a little snooty. I was just trying to show that West End's history is an ever evolving thing and doesn't need to be forced or published. I'm afraid one day I'll see a Billboard or a page in the newspaper advertising West End like its a subdivision for sale. Or even an informational pamphlet saying please live here. From my studies in Urbanism I think communities do best when they evolve organically. Le Corbusier (Renowned Architect, Designer, & Godfather of the Housing Project) taught us that valuable lesson.
Also, Welcome to the neighborhood. May your 4 mos become 4 years and beyond. You may want to leave now that you see how crazy these forums make your neighbors. I need to stop visiting them and focus on something more productive like rewiring my chandelier.
Last edited by davesm; 12-09-2007 at 03:54 PM..
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West End WestView
Can't we all just get along???
