Moving To BR from Utah (Baton Rouge, Zachary: for sale, crime, lawyers)

[amom123]

Hi,My husband has work at LSU .
So we are thinking of moving to the BR area. Little apprehensive to move because of the crime.Utah is peaceful so haven't lived in a crime zone.
we have a4 yr old daughter. Are there any good private schools in the area.
And ofcourse any safe areas around the city.
Please help us to prepare for the move.....

[Caa]

Please do not let the media or stats make you afraid! Baton Rouge is a wonderful place for families-just like any other larger city, you have bad areas that you stay away from-be smart. Miami and the town I used to live in in Florida are also "crime ridden", but I never once had a problem-and the same for Baton Rouge. The areas to stay away from are north Baton Rouge and the Gardere area. South Baton Rouge is a great palce to live except I have heard that the Sherwood Forest area and Broodmoor are becoming undesirable places to live and the "nice" people are moving out. I would not go public school for your daughter! My daughter is 6 and goes to private school and that is the only choice for us. The public schools here really stink and the kids that attend are usually poorer and come from lowerincome families. Now, there are also many good and nice kids in those schools, but fewer than the other-so rumor has it. There are many, many family friendly places to go to here, tons of restaurants and festivals galore. If you are Christian, the choice of a church is unreal. There are also many fun places for kids such as Jump n Jive, Bouncing Tigers and 2 Chuck E cheese among many others. Do not think Baton Rouge is all crime-IT IS NOT! The latest stats are due to gang members in bad areas of town trying to get to each other-drugs, turf etc. I love it here and so do many people and one of the most fun things LSU tailgating in the fall-nothing like it! And it is family friendly no matter what others say-our daughter loves going to the university for tailgating!

[MetroBTR]

Good public schools are in Ascension Parish, Livingston Parish, Zachary, and West Feliciana. Pretty much all of the private schools in the metropolitan area are great.

I feel like you guys may be in for a culture shock coming from Utah to South Louisiana, but I think you will learn to love it. Good food, good fun, and good people (for the most part). There is no reason to go to the bad side of town, and if you don't go to the bad side of town, crime should not be an issue here in BR.

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by amom123

Hi,My husband has work at LSU .
So we are thinking of moving to the BR area. Little apprehensive to move because of the crime.Utah is peaceful so haven't lived in a crime zone.
we have a4 yr old daughter. Are there any good private schools in the area.
And ofcourse any safe areas around the city.
Please help us to prepare for the move.....

Lots of good pricate schools, between the numerous Catholic schools, Christian Life, Episcopal, Dunham, and Parkview Baptist.

As to where to live, since you mentioned the LSU job, I'd look at the following area (I'm trying to keep you from the bad commutes): south of I-10, southeast of Acadian, and NW of Siegen. Within that area, nearly all the neighborhoods are safe, but there are some sketchy areas at Perkins at Essen. And there is a nasty area at Gardere/GSRI road. Don't be deterred by some who spew negative talk about how BR is this warzone. It's not.

So take a look at the subdivisions in that area and let us know specific subdivisions, and we'd be glad to help. Oh, and you want to watch for areas that may flood. We can help you witht that as well.

[mhounit]

Are Catholic schools an option ?

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by mhounit

Are Catholic schools an option ?

Yes, if you can get in - there's a waiting list.

[mhounit]

I was asking the OP .

[amom123]

which r the areas that flood.
we r looking for a spacious and safe apartent or townhome at south btr.
any suggestions
we r also looking for a good montessori school for my daughter

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by amom123

which r the areas that flood.
we r looking for a spacious and safe apartent or townhome at south btr.
any suggestions
we r also looking for a good montessori school for my daughter

I'd be careful about living too closely to the Amite, Comite, Jones Creek, and Bayou Manchac (if you lived in Ascension Parish). Also, the triangular shaped area between Bayou Fountain and the Miss River is a natural floodplain - you're at higher risk for flooding if you live between that bayou and the Miss River.

Other than that, I'd be cautious about homes in a lower lying area in a neighborhood, and if you're lucky enough, it wouldn't hurt to explore neighborhoods you're interested in after a flood.

[LABeekeeper]

If you are planning to purchase a home, Melrose Place Subdivision located on the northeast side of the Florida Blvd / Foster Dr intersection if a very nice and safe subdivision. It was established in 1945. Large lot sizes with overstory live oaks, pecans, water oaks, etc. Middle class neighborhood. Made up of doctors, lawyers, environmental consultants, ministers, realtors, retired folks (some of which who have lived here since they built their home here), small business owners, etc. I have lived here for 6 years without a problem. We have a civic association and paid law enforcement patrols. Security dues are $200.00 per year and association dues are $20.00 per year paid every 6 months.

Families walk down the streets with their kids and leashed pets, I know many of my neighbors and have been to their homes and vise versa. People look out for each other.

Here is the location with my house plotted for reference so you can find it: golden delight honey - Google Maps

There are currently about 6 homes for sale, most of which have been remodled with central heat/ac and updated from when they were built in the 1940s.