South End - loc ok? (Boston, Newton: crime, house, refrigerator)

[SkiMonkey]

Hi
My wife & I are moving to Boston in a couple of months. My wife will be working in the financial district and I will be working out of our home. We found a place in South End but we're not sure how safe it is. It's right next to Franklin Square (E. Newton & St. George St). We walked the area a bit and it seemed "ok". We definitely noticed that there were some subsidized housing in the area. And of course, it's next to Boston Medical Center....not sure if that's good or bad. From what I've read in these forums, it seems better to try to stay north of Washington. However, we are dog owners and this fact has limited our apt selection drastically. We really like the building where we would be staying and we like being next to the park (for the dogs). Can anybody share any opinions of this area?
Thanks!

[Bostonian08]

Originally Posted by SkiMonkey

Hi
My wife & I are moving to Boston in a couple of months. My wife will be working in the financial district and I will be working out of our home. We found a place in South End but we're not sure how safe it is. It's right next to Franklin Square (E. Newton & St. George St). We walked the area a bit and it seemed "ok". We definitely noticed that there were some subsidized housing in the area. And of course, it's next to Boston Medical Center....not sure if that's good or bad. From what I've read in these forums, it seems better to try to stay north of Washington. However, we are dog owners and this fact has limited our apt selection drastically. We really like the building where we would be staying and we like being next to the park (for the dogs). Can anybody share any opinions of this area?
Thanks!

It's very safe. We have lived in the South End for 7 years. My wife walks her dog in Peter's Park dog park regularly. That neighborhood is coming up really fast. Crime is NOT an issue here. Congestion, noise, traffic and trash are the issues of the South End. The most significant safety issue in the South End and all of Boston is drivers blowing red lights.

[JamesSutton]

I grew up on St. George Street, when it was James St. It has a great history. What was no. 11 (next to the church) was a boarding house and Phillip Booth (John Wilkes Booth's brother) stayed there when he played at the Castle Square Theater, where the expressway crosses Washington St. When it was built, the area was eight feet above sea level; now it's four, so there might still be backup sewer problems for basements in the area. Your dog might be frustrated if he tries to dig in the park; there are seashells about one inch down. The park is on a sand dune of the original Boston neck, but the area past St George St. all the way to Ft. Point Channel is filled land. The wall next to the old Joshua Bates school (behind the church) is the original retaining sea wall, still there and visible. Can't tell you what it's like now; it was a hell hole in the 1940's & '50's. I found a body in an abandoned refrigerator where the church is now; turned out to be a bookie who hadn't laid off his bets.