Live in Chelsea, Al? (Birmingham, Hoover: high crime, how much, houses)

[apadurean]

Does anyone live in Chelsea that could tell me about it? We are moving from Ohio. I'm looking for a family-friendly community that offers shopping, fitness centers (that offer childcare), parks, playgrounds, rec sports for the kids, etc... My big concern is that I would have to drive 20-30 minutes into Hoover for everything. Is that true? I've liked houses in Chelsea Park and Courtyard Manor. What are those neighborhoods like? Can you recommend other neighborhoods-- esp ones with community pools? I will be staying home with two toddler boys and I'd like to have lots of other kids around and activities for us locally. Thanks for the advice in advance!

[steveklein]

Originally Posted by apadurean

Does anyone live in Chelsea that could tell me about it? We are moving from Ohio. I'm looking for a family-friendly community that offers shopping, fitness centers (that offer childcare), parks, playgrounds, rec sports for the kids, etc... My big concern is that I would have to drive 20-30 minutes into Hoover for everything. Is that true? I've liked houses in Chelsea Park and Courtyard Manor. What are those neighborhoods like? Can you recommend other neighborhoods-- esp ones with community pools? I will be staying home with two toddler boys and I'd like to have lots of other kids around and activities for us locally. Thanks for the advice in advance!

I don't live in Chelsea but have house shopped there and have spent a reasonable amount of time there, so take this advice with that min mind.

Depends on what kind of shopping you are talking about. Virtually everything you'd probably want is out on Highway 280. There is a decent amount in Chelsea itself, but a bunch more along the 280 corridor between Chelsea and Interstate 459. You certainly wouldn't need to go to Hoover particularly often.

Chelsea Park is a huge subdivision that is very family friendly. Homes from like 1000 square feet to 4000+. It is a master planned community so it has parks, sidewalks, small lakes, etc. throughout. I'm not sure about a community pool but I imagine there probably is. Chelsea definitely has rec sports for kids. There is a Gold's Gym at the intersection of 459 and 280 and a Lifetime Fitness near the intersection of Cahaba River Road and Acton Road. Both of these are probably about 15 minutes away from Chelsea. Those are just the two huge gyms that I know of; There are probably smaller fitness places closer than that.

Also, Chelsea is growing so it becomes more and more self-sufficient every year.

[apadurean]

Thanks Steve! That's very helpful.

[cpg35223]

Steve has given you good advice, but I think your happiness will have a great deal to do with the following:

1) How far you'll commute to work every day.
2) How much you like amenities such as non-chain restaurants, the performing arts, etc.
3) How much you like traffic.

Mind you, I'm NOT knocking Chelsea. But it's important to know that, due to Birmingham's mountainous terrain, there's only one artery from Chelsea to downtown, namely down 280. So if you go anywhere, you'll be spending a lot of time on that road. Further, it's pretty much the exurbs. So while there are plenty of places to shop and eat, it's mostly chains without a lot of local character.

I would offer that you likely need to try the commute on for size before you buy. A colleague of mine bought a house out in Chelsea and found his commute was averaging 60-80 minutes a day to Homewood. And God help him if there was a big traffic accident. He and his wife threw in the towel and moved to Cahaba Heights and are much happier now. On the other hand, I know people who live out in Chelsea and love it.

[DigitalNomad143]

There is no pool in Chelsea Park which really surprised us with the size of the neighborhood. We have looked there several times and as of right now there isn't one. To us, it is the only thing missing from the family friendly neighborhood.

I know a lot of people talk about the commute out of Chelsea, but if you work from home I think it is a lovely community with a bright future.

[apadurean]

Thanks for the feedback. We ended up buying in Hoover instead.

[WJSim]

Congratulations! I for one would be interested to hear your thoughts on Hoover versus Ohio in time. Good luck.

[Blazin65]

Family friendly was mentioned so many times in this thread I just wonder what a non-family friendly neighborhood is? Can anybody name even one? That term is way overused.

[Tourian]

High crime, bad schools, no/few sidewalks, few amenities like clean parks, libraries, pools etc. Less easy access to shopping and grocery stores.

All those are qualities I would consider as non-family friendly. And it doesn't take much imagination to figure out where those places are.

[TN2HSV]

To me, family-friendly means there are lots of people in the area with kids 18 yrs & younger, as opposed to mostly-retires, or mostly young single people, or mostly adults with no kids or grown kids.

If you are in a "family friendly" area by my loose interpretation, you can roll up to a local restaurant in your minivan w/all your kids and walk in, no one will give it a 2nd thought. But if you're in an area of, say, young singles or retirees and you do the same thing, you'll hear the needle scratch over the record as everyone turns to stare at you as though you have two heads.