Columbia County - Evans

[Jerzeegirl103]

Thank you for all your help!!!

[augga706]

RICHMOND COUNTY ONLY HAS TWO INNER CITY SCHOOLS ( JOSEY & LANEY) CROSSCREEK, ARC, GLENN HILLS, HEPHZIBAH, BUTLER, WESTSIDE ARE NOT INNER CITY SCHOOLS, EXCENTLENT COMPARED TO OTHER METRO SIZE AREAS. RICHMOND COUNTY HAS TWO OF THE TOP HIGH SCHOOL IN ALL OF GA (DAVIDSON AND A.R. JOHNSON) plus alot of christian, catholic, and private schools. There are plans to build a magnet high school in either south or central augusta, and already plans for other schools to follow suite. Beware of evans not enough streets for all the new development and commercial space. Martinez, North Augusta, and Grovetown are just as nice without all the current and especially future traffic. With the white flight in the late 80's and early 90's to evans causing traffic problems alot of whites are moving back to richmond county mostly purchasing land with upper or middle class blacks in south augusta past tobbacco rd and up to hephzibah houses selling for 100 to 300k even before the concrete is being poured.

[newyorker62]

Hi,

Thanks for the info on the Evans/Augusta area. I am looking at realtor.com and also listings in the Augusta chronicle. I will be retiring and cannot afford a very expensive home. I see that the homes in Evans are expensive compared to homes in Augusta. It would be very helpful if some Augusta residents could clue me in on what zipcodes are good and which ones to avoid. I have never been to Augusta, but will be coming down in July to look at some homes. Thank you so much for your help.

[Jerzeegirl103]

Thanks KsKutie76 for the info.! The family is making another trip down in a few weeks .

[augga706]

AUGUSTA IS A GREAT CITY WITH OVER HALF A MILLION PEOPLE AND THE ONLY CITY OUTSIDE ATLANTA WITH A SPAGHETTI JUNCTION AND STORES LIKE COACH. The only city in GA where u dont have to drive to atlanta to do major activites or shopping. Sorry ATL but u still have macon, savannah, and columbus

[galove]

Originally Posted by augga706

AUGUSTA IS A GREAT CITY WITH OVER HALF A MILLION PEOPLE AND THE ONLY CITY OUTSIDE ATLANTA WITH A SPAGHETTI JUNCTION AND STORES LIKE COACH. The only city in GA where u dont have to drive to atlanta to do major activites or shopping. Sorry ATL but u still have macon, savannah, and columbus

I have to disagree with this. Spagetti Junction...Where in Augusta is anything close to that?? And there's definitely no shopping here. Major activities??

I suggest since you haven't visited yet that you look for yourself. I have to second all the posts about Columbia County and their schools. I have learned to also read the newspaper before determining if we make a move or not. The Augusta Chronicle is our paper.

[WhiteSmile]

Well I can tell you about the school system in Columbia County. There are more drugs in those schools than I believe in Richmond County. I know people who have worked for the Board of Education before. The only difference is that Richmond County schools are more publicized when an illicit activity takes place. I know several school safety officers that have been basically told to stay in their offices, because they made to many drug arrests at schools like Greenbriar, Lakeside and so on. When an arrest is made in a school system it has to be reported to the state. And the admin in Columbia County schools takes pride in not being put on the "high risk schools" list which is released every year in GA. I think the Board of Education there should allow those safety officers there to go ahead and rid the school of drugs and then Columbia County School System's reputation would be valid and not inflated.

[MantaRay]

Originally Posted by kskutie76

Evans is a great area. Everything is growing towards Evans & Martinez (bedroom communities of Augusta) because of the awesome school system.

Actually, not really "everything." Lots of "things" have been growing towards North Augusta. In fact, this year, NA is completing its Palmetto Parkway, connecting I20 to I520. Evans has TERRIBLE interstate access, and does not have multiple routes to destinations. That's why rush hour traffic there is the worst of anywhere in the metro area.

North Augusta has good schools, as well as west Augusta. North Augusta also has a growing riverfront development called Hammonds Ferry, and a 7 mile and growing paved greenway which runs along the riverfront as well as along the River Golf Course and connects the downtown area to the various suburban subdivisions throughout the city. North Augusta has a small town feel with extensive focus on the pedestrian, and has the ONLY pedestrian-focused big box commercial development area of anywhere in the entire metro area (the Knox Ave. Super Wal-Mart/Lowes/K Mart etc. location).

And while property taxes ARE growing, significantly, in Evans, property taxes are much lower in North Augusta. Not to mention home prices. Not to mention auto insurance. Not to mention gas prices.

So "everything" is not growing towards Evans. SOME things are, including thicker traffic and higher costs and overcrowded schools.

People should really know the whole story. I looked in Evans at one point and am now saving BUNDLES of money in North Augusta and still getting the same good schooling for mine that I would have gotten spending all that extra money in home price, mortgage interest, property taxes, auto insurance, gas prices including sitting in more traffic, to move to Evans.

[MantaRay]

Originally Posted by newyorker62

Hi,

Thanks for the info on the Evans/Augusta area. I am looking at realtor.com and also listings in the Augusta chronicle. I will be retiring and cannot afford a very expensive home. I see that the homes in Evans are expensive compared to homes in Augusta. It would be very helpful if some Augusta residents could clue me in on what zipcodes are good and which ones to avoid. I have never been to Augusta, but will be coming down in July to look at some homes. Thank you so much for your help.

Look in North Augusta. It has a small town atmosphere, an excellent greenway, an excellent riverfront, close proximity to downtown Augusta, lower housing prices and property taxes and gas prices. While you visit, be sure to take a few moments to visit the riverfront greenway portion which you can find if you take Crystal Lake Drive all the way south to the river and parallel park at the new public riverfront park. North Augusta has plenty of affordable housing options, single family and townhomes. Retirees have been moving to NA for the "Norman Rockwell" vibe and low costs. Check it out when you get a chance.