Next Hot InTown neighborhood (Atlanta, Roswell: rentals, crime rates, hotel)

[BobKovacs]

Different strokes for different folks, I guess....

[arjay57]

Yep. I like to listen to them working late at night when I can't sleep, and sometimes I even go down and watch them.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

I just looked at the map. Maybe I'm on the wrong side of Moreland, behind Foxx Brothers, specifically.

That's Candler Park, one of the most in demand neighborhoods in the city.

[researchnerd]

No love for Kirkwood? Definitely not gentrified yet, but on the way up.

[GRS86]

Were it not for the recession, I think the West End would have been a hot in-town neighborhood.

[cqholt]

Kirkwood may not be at the level of Candler or Inman Park, but we're getting better every year. Once Kirkwood is fully gentrified then it will spill over into Edgewood.

[FlyingFox]

This is all speculation. But for what it's worth, my opinion:

1. Areas East of Downtown are a checkerboard. Inman Park benefits from some of the nice restaurants and has some nice homes along Euclid Ave. but some of the streets in the vicinity are downright scary at night. I was coming back in the evening from a top restaurant there and was counting the seconds while I was at the stoplight at Fort St. and Auburn Ave. because I was afraid I'd get carjacked by the guys hanging out on the side of the road and beneath the overpass. The perception of unsafe areas (regardless of whether or not the perception is real) will turn off a lot of buyers. I'd say presently Inman Park will get the interest of singles and "bohemian" couples, especially those used to urban areas up North, but will not really be popular with families raising kids. The same goes for Cabbagetown, Candler Park, Grant Park, Kirkwood, and Old 4th Ward. As for the future, some of these neighborhoods may be destined to become the next Virginia Highland but some of them could also turn into the next Vine City. It's a gamble.

2. Virginia Highland (and all of the "Highlands") has established itself as a trendy, hip, posh neighborhood that is popular with both singles and families alike. Safety, however, is relative... there's spillover crime (including some murders and armed robberies that got a lot of media attention), especially close to Ponce DeLeon. Basically, the further North you are from Ponce DeLeon, the better it gets... with Ansley Park being the prime example of the "premium" neighborhood in the area.

3. Castleberry Hill - Has potential with a small arts and restaurant district and the hip lofts but it's proximity to Vine City is damaging. Leaving an iPhone in your car here is begging for a smash-n-grab.

4. Vine City / English Ave. - Lock your doors. Wear body armor. Actually, just don't even go there. The cops ride two-per-car here for a reason.

5. Capital View - Some nice historical homes, but yikes, that's walking distance from McDaniel St. which seems to love being on the police blotter. You'll see some interesting things there on Google Maps, especially on the side streets: 470 Stephens Street Southwest - Google Maps

6. Hapeville - Looks nice in the day with all of the local businesses benefiting from Delta, TSA, FAA, UPS, ASA, AirTran, and other airport personnel. At night, it looks dead. I stopped there for gas one evening... that was a mistake. Someone tried to sell me a carton of "milk" from a plastic bag so he could buy whatever it was that he was mumbling insistently. Some airport folks may live here but these are likely to be temporary residents (renters) and not people who are raising a family. Do you really want to raise your kids in an area with that kind of noise and jet pollution? There's a bunch of new townhomes that have been trying to sell for about three years... all vacant. The lack of community will suppress home values. Bottom line: People work here but they don't want to live here.

7. Howell Mill/Northside Drive - This is one I can agree with. North of the reservoir, it's becoming quite pleasant. I think it's benefiting from positive spillover from Buckhead and West Paces Ferry. It's the less expensive option for those who want to live in the shadow of those posh neighborhoods and benefit from a location ideal for commuting to midtown/downtown, Buckhead, and Vinings. There are some hip restaurants along Howell Mill (one of my favorite taco joints) which benefit from Georgia Tech right next door. It's strange that Atlanta Station (often considered a flop) is close by. But like I said, North of the reservoir, things are looking up.

[K-SawDude]

Originally Posted by FlyingFox

This is all speculation. But for what it's worth, my opinion:

1. Areas East of Downtown are a checkerboard. Inman Park benefits from some of the nice restaurants and has some nice homes along Euclid Ave. but some of the streets in the vicinity are downright scary at night. I was coming back in the evening from a top restaurant there and was counting the seconds while I was at the stoplight at Fort St. and Auburn Ave. because I was afraid I'd get carjacked by the guys hanging out on the side of the road and beneath the overpass.

I totally know what you mean. Maybe it's perfectly fine, but I find that area at night to be the absolute worst/scariest driving-wise. The stoplight seemed to take forever, and people just walk randomly around the streets (sometimes right up alongside your car). It's creepy.

7. Howell Mill/Northside Drive - This is one I can agree with. North of the reservoir, it's becoming quite pleasant. I think it's benefiting from positive spillover from Buckhead and West Paces Ferry. It's the less expensive option for those who want to live in the shadow of those posh neighborhoods and benefit from a location ideal for commuting to midtown/downtown, Buckhead, and Vinings. There are some hip restaurants along Howell Mill (one of my favorite taco joints) which benefit from Georgia Tech right next door. It's strange that Atlanta Station (often considered a flop) is close by. But like I said, North of the reservoir, things are looking up.

I'm biased because I live in this area, but Howell Mill both north AND directly south of the Waterworks is in increasingly good shape these days. I'd say Howell Mill is fine all the way down to Marietta Street.

Northside, however, still needs a lot of love. The further north you go, the surrounding neighborhoods get in better and better shape.

One thing to note is that the Beltline has decided to plan the transit route through this neighborhood directly north of the Waterworks. So that area is very likely to keep developing well in the future, and it makes neighborhoods like Berkeley Park even more attractive.

[researchnerd]

Originally Posted by FlyingFox

The perception of unsafe areas (regardless of whether or not the perception is real) will turn off a lot of buyers. I'd say presently Inman Park will get the interest of singles and "bohemian" couples, especially those used to urban areas up North, but will not really be popular with families raising kids. The same goes for Cabbagetown, Candler Park, Grant Park, Kirkwood, and Old 4th Ward. As for the future, some of these neighborhoods may be destined to become the next Virginia Highland but some of them could also turn into the next Vine City. It's a gamble.

I like your whole assessment, but you especially nailed this part. When we were exploring neighborhoods before moving into the city, we made pretty much the same observations. I might add EAV to that list as well. That gamble you mentioned is part of why we're renting instead of buying. We ended up in Kirkwood, but probably wouldn't have if we had small children. Safety was something that kept me up at night before we moved, but now that we're here, it worries me less.

You also nailed the part about Auburn Ave - my fearless, 6'3" son was at one of those intersections at night, and was approached by aggressive panhandlers who argued back when he said he didn't have any cash. He was about to run a red light to get away, but the light changed so he didn't have to. I told him, if it feels sketchy, it probably is -- better to get a traffic ticket than get jacked.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by FlyingFox

I'd say presently Inman Park will get the interest of singles and "bohemian" couples, especially those used to urban areas up North, but will not really be popular with families raising kids. The same goes for Cabbagetown, Candler Park, Grant Park, Kirkwood, and Old 4th Ward. As for the future, some of these neighborhoods may be destined to become the next Virginia Highland but some of them could also turn into the next Vine City. It's a gamble.

I'd be shocked if Inman Park or Candler Park became the next Vine City! They've both been gentrified for decades. The schools and other amenities are outstanding, and they've both had positive critical mass since the 1980s at least. Lots of people have major investments in those neighborhoods and they're in it for the long haul. Those areas have no more chance of going in the tank than Roswell, Johns Creek or Lawrenceville.

Kirkwood and Grant Park have also made huge strides in the last 20 years. Again, the critical barometer is schools, and they're both looking pretty solid. They should be fine if they keep that momentum going. And APD and DeKalb need to severely lock down property crime in those areas. I have some good friends in Grant Park who've been burglarized on more than one occasion, and that simply won't do.

Cabbagetown may have a way yet to go, but I can't imagine it going completely in the ditch. Too bad the recession had to come when it did.