Moving to Austin - what Zipcodes or areas to avoid?

[Cha Ching]

Originally Posted by passionatearts

Austin is overall a really safe city, but we've got a few bad areas. The worst of them are probably East St. Johns (area around Reagan High School), East Rundberg, East Riverside (not a high violence area but very high theft area), and Dove Springs. I would also avoid walking alone around the part of downtown bounded by E 6th St, E 10th St, Trinity St, and Red River St. That area is really dirty and full of homeless people and shady characters.

There are a few good areas east of I35. The Cherrywood/French Place neighborhood (between Manor Road, E 38th 1/2 St, Airport Blvd, and I35) is every bit as nice as Hyde Park and less expensive, too.

I grew up in Austin, between Peyton Gin, Lamar, Burnet, and Kramer for most of my life (2 different houses in Quail Creek). It makes me nauseous to see what has happened to our old neighborhood. Every time I see Rundberg (even East Rundberg) on these lists, I just get sadder.

I couldn't believe it when I took my new husband through the area a few years ago. We were on the lower deck of 183 and Georgian and I saw a hooker. It used to just be basic middle class, no frills. Not the fanciest neighborhood in town, but we did OK.

My dad was even being told back in 1971 not to get anyplace east of I-35. It's only since about 93 or so, with the huge tech boom (and not enough housing), that folks began moving east again to find lower priced dwellings, and gentrifying the place. That's about when Eastside Cafe and the area around it began improving.

How is Stassney these days? My friend's older sister had a house near there back in the early 90s, and her VCR got stolen like 5 times. Every time she replaced it, they would break back in and steal it again.

[TexasHorseLady]

The gentrification of French Place was going into effect back when we lived over in Delwood, when my son (now 37) was a toddler. What's been going on recently is the second or third wave of gentrification in that period of time.

As for "nothing there", now I'm wondering what the definition of "nothing", or, more pertinently, "something", is.

[homeinatx]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

The gentrification of French Place was going into effect back when we lived over in Delwood, when my son (now 37) was a toddler. What's been going on recently is the second or third wave of gentrification in that period of time.

As for "nothing there", now I'm wondering what the definition of "nothing", or, more pertinently, "something", is.

While most of French Place is residential and consequently quiet and boring, very few streets in the city have anything like the quality and variety of restaurants, bars and coffee-houses that the restaurant row on Manor Road can claim: Vortex Theater, Mi Madres, El Chilito, East Side Cafe, Vivo's, Red House, El Chile, Hoover's, Clementines and I might be forgetting a few - all within a very walkable 4 blocks. I would say in the city only a few streets downtown and South Congress Avenue between Riverside and Oltorff, the Drag and Barton Springs Road can equal or better Manor Road for quality and variety of dining options. What is strange to me is the lack of retail on Manor Road.

If you think there is "nothing there" on Manor Road, the vast majority of Austin must look like a total wilderness to you

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by Cha Ching

I grew up in Austin, between Peyton Gin, Lamar, Burnet, and Kramer for most of my life (2 different houses in Quail Creek). It makes me nauseous to see what has happened to our old neighborhood. Every time I see Rundberg (even East Rundberg) on these lists, I just get sadder.

I couldn't believe it when I took my new husband through the area a few years ago. We were on the lower deck of 183 and Georgian and I saw a hooker. It used to just be basic middle class, no frills. Not the fanciest neighborhood in town, but we did OK.

I've always wondered why that area became so bad. Or what caused it. You can tell it was once a very typical new middle class development, along the lines of Balcones Woods, Oak Forest, Anderson Mill, etc. And while those other areas may have had a little decline about 15 years or so after they were built (very typical), they've come back quite a bit. Quail Creek area just seems to have gotten worse and worse.

How is Stassney these days? My friend's older sister had a house near there back in the early 90s, and her VCR got stolen like 5 times. Every time she replaced it, they would break back in and steal it again.

It's much better. New building in the area is upscale, older stuff is seeing increasing property values. In the 90's I also had a friend who rented there, and did have problems with theft... however, pretty much all of South Austin has improved since 2000. Probably because of the popularity and upscale trending of 78704, along with the booming downtown (and S Austin's proximity to it).

[Danbo1957]

Originally Posted by homeinatx

If you think there is "nothing there" on Manor Road, the vast majority of Austin must look like a total wilderness to you.

Manor Road is like a Berlin Wall, the feel of that street is more in line with what's south of it than to what's north of it.

[capcat]

Originally Posted by atxcio

I've always wondered why that area became so bad. Or what caused it. You can tell it was once a very typical new middle class development, along the lines of Balcones Woods, Oak Forest, Anderson Mill, etc. And while those other areas may have had a little decline about 15 years or so after they were built (very typical), they've come back quite a bit. Quail Creek area just seems to have gotten worse and worse.

I've heard it was section 8 housing near Rutland that started it. Not sure if that's correct, but you're right, Quail Creek was once a desirable neighborhood. Sad to see it change so. I remember when it was developed and going through the model homes. I know a few who tried to hang in with their homes, but regular brushes with crime caused them to give up and get out.

[gpurcell]

Originally Posted by passionatearts

Have you been to French Place lately? There's really nothing sketchy about the neighborhood these days. Maybe 15 years ago it was like how you described it, but these days, it's pretty gentrified.

The local elementary school is still not one I'd send my child to. (That's in contrast to Hyde Park, which gets the excellent Lee Elementary.) I also wonder if Maplewood has the wink-wink-nudge-nudge access to the Kealing magnet program that Lee apparently has....