Your Favorite Things About West End (foreclosure, crime, houses)

[cwlawrence]

We are getting closer to finding a home and I wanted to hear from the C-D community on what you like most about West End?

Also, where can/do you walk to while there and what is there to do?

Thanks in advance for your opinions

[VirtualM]

I am a current resident of West End, so I thought I'd reply. I've lived in my home for 2 1/2 years and my favorite thing about West End is....my house! We live in a 'Folk Victorian' and it's gorgeous. We bought it a few years ago as a foreclosure and renovated it ourselves and it's been great for our small family (2 kids + 1 dog.)
As far as walkability, the only places we really walk are the parks, the library, and the West End Performing Arts Center, which has awesome free classes (should I tell our best-kept secret about free dance classes for kids, free guitar classes, etc.?) There are a few restaurants, but we do lag a bit behind in great eateries. I actually spend a lot of time running and have logged dozens of miles on the new betline trail, which is a stone's throw from my house (although I do tend to run elsewhere when I have to do in the double digits.) The Wren's Nest and Hammond's House are two museums in the neighborhood and the MARTA station is nearby if you need to take the train.
We have a good community of friends in the neighborhood and there's a big push from residents to keep the place clean and to report crime. Honestly, I've never once had any trouble with even a smash-and-grab or any petty theft at all. There are a lot of little kids for my children to play with when we go to the playground and the schools we're zoned to are actually very good. (M.A. Jones Elementary and Brown Middle are excellent schools.) A new charter school also serves the area, The Kindezi School, which is pioneering a 6 kids/1 teacher model and it's having great success.
Is the neighborhood perfect? No. There are still boarded-up houses and honestly, I get tired of the trash that people just throw on the side of the road. Since I spend a lot of time outside in the neighborhood at different times of day, I feel as though I have a good sense of the area. The location is unbeatable and the prices are great for what you get in terms of historic homes (I've been spoiled and I don't think I'll ever be able to live in a newer home.) The neighborhood is progressive and active. I personally feel safe. If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them!

[VirtualM]

Thanks, gtcorndog, for that blanket assumption of the neighborhood that is, in fact, NOT TRUE. It's the same attitude that people hold who think that if they venture south of I-20, they will get shot. It's simply not true; get with the facts. Crime is going DOWN here, we have a neighborhood police patrol, and we have a 'porch culture' - I dare you to walk down my street and not have a resident wave at you and look you in the eye (this can even happen at 4 AM as we have an insomniac across the street.)