the truth about Highland Park (Knoxville, Chattanooga: rentals, tenants, school)

[Jon F Moss]

Originally Posted by MountainAire

Ok who's calling me?
I heard someone on this thread mentioned "poor and redneck"
(bangs head on desk)

let's git-r-done why dontcha?

[chattamommy]

Originally Posted by u4icmusic

T For instance, never leave ANYTHING in your locked vehicle. Mak sure your home is well lit at night and locked. Get a monitored alarm system. Get to know your neighbors. Get active in your community. Get a large dog for your yard and buy a handgun and know how and when to use it should the need arise to protect you or your family.

We have brand new cars parked outside on our street. I leave golf clubs, expensive car seats and DVD players in plain sight. I also choose not to put window treatments on my downstairs windows. We have TVs in plain sight...computers...and bicycles. We chose not to invest in an alarm...we do have a teacup yorkie...and a gun would NEVER be allowed in my home. I do know my neighbors well...but that is because our children play together, not because I feel I need their protection.

I am tired of defending my neighborhood to Chattanooga and my decision to move my family here. I feel that those who never give anything outside of their idea of "what's right" or "the norm" are not people I would want to be around anyway.

I appreciate our diligent neighbors who try to "set the record straight" for all of us who live here and try to persuade new residents to at least drive down our streets and see what Highland Park is becoming. I hope that everyone who has such a strong opinion about where I live will drive down my block one day....see my kids playing in the yard...and see a happy young family interacting with their friends.

[craven72]

I am tired of defending my neighborhood to Chattanooga and my decision to move my family here. I feel that those who never give anything outside of their idea of "what's right" or "the norm" are not people I would want to be around anyway.

It is definitely tiring. I received an email from a realtor who lives in our neighborhood last night; she said she runs into this all the time and that she is amazed by the attitudes of the general public (mostly native Chattanoogans, which she herself is) regarding HP - people are either extremely condescending or look at us like we're deeply stupid when they find out where we live (and that's on top of the general You-Aren't-From-Here-So-You-Might-As-Well-Be-From-Mars weirdness). Not only that, there are still many Realtors who either won't show HP (even when clients specifically request it) or know nothing about the area.

This realtor is from Signal Mountain. One of her friends up there was newly divorced and looking for a new home, and she asked her to show her homes in HP. The realtor was a little hesitant, but took her around. Not only did her friend buy a home in HP (and became an active and much-loved member of the community in the process), but the realtor liked it so much she bought a home there as well with no regrets.

[hbc423]

and its a big neighborhood there are ok parts but for the most part no...it is the worst neighborhood in chattanooga for carjacking...and robbery

[etta]

Originally Posted by hbc423

if you wanna get your car taken, or you need crack, or some weed go to highland park...there is nothing within walkin distance...gas station on 3rd and holtzclaw bout it... downtown or north chatt are the only places with anything of interest to walk to

There's plenty with in walking distance. I walk to Hawthorne & Main Grocery, Tienda Jalisco & the neighborhood bike co-op all the time. Hawthorne & Main Grocery carries soy milk & free range eggs from Williams Island (local organic farm). You can even pick up your CSA share there!! Occasionally they teach cooking classes as well. They also participate in Last Fridays on Main which is fun>> Last Fridays on Main Not to mention we're walking distance from the new Chattanooga Zoo!!! All summer long I walked to the huge Warner Park pool & it is awesome! They have a slide! Architectural Exchange on McCallie is always fun & interesting to visit>> Architectural Exchange - Company Profile Deli Man & Cake lady is a great place to get a veggie wrap or a slice of chocolate cake>> UNDER CONSTRUCTION - Deli Man & Cake Lady

There's a large new Rite Aid walking distance on McCallie, that is very convenient. Not to mention I live 2 blocks from the Highland Park post office!! I love not getting in my car & walking packages over to the P.O. The newly furnished park in between Holly & Hickory on Union Ave is a fantastic place to meet friends & neighbors. One of our neighbors is a professor at the Temple University, so she walks past our house on her way to work all the time.

After hours I occasionally walking to Lamar's (bar & restaurant). It is a classic soul food hole in the wall known for it's strong mix drinks. From the exterior it looks like a defunct motel(no joke)!! Yet strangely enough it seems to be popular with UTC college students & gets to be quite a party late at night with a great crowd. Did I mention they have 2 great jukeboxes with music ranging from Howlin Wolf to Portishead to Tina Turner to the Pixies! Yep, It's an odd place & they have velvet wall paper!!! If I feel like dancing I walk to Alan Gold's (It's a gay bar with a whole lot of straight people in it). It's a smokey place so I can't go often. They have cheese fries & 5 dollar draft pitchers on Wednesdays. As gross as that sounds; It's pretty good.

Also, I much prefer the Kanku gas station at McCallie & Central. The gas station on 3rd & Holtzclaw which is probably the last place I'd bother walking.

I have never been offered drugs of any kind EVER! I have unfortunately seen prostitutes on Main Street only & in the broad daylight!! Never been robbed! No one has even taken anything off my porch & I have an awesome handmade in Chattanooga porch swing & furniture. Tons of great plants & usually a few loose garden tools. I dare someone to take my hideous car though! DO IT! I'll walk the 2 blocks to the bus stop, head downtown & catch the electric shuttle from there. Or I'll just walk! I've walked downtown more than once! If your fit it's not a big deal & really quite nice. Just under 2 miles to downtown & 3 miles to the North Shore & river front.


P.S.-I agree with u4icmusic>> not a great idea to post pics of kids when it is easy to locate what area they live in.

[jkmewright]

Great post Etta and thanks for the tip about the grocer on Main and Hawthorne I am going to try it. Also, Lamar's? Is that the crusty hotel/motel on McCallie & Central next to the renovated school? Who would have known LOL!! I will have to try that one. Oh and don't write off 3rd and Holtzclaw gas station, they have AWESOME fried chicken! It would be a great treat after a long day's swim @ Warner Park.

Ok, now that we have heard the good, bad and crazy about HP I have a question... For those with children WHERE do they go to school? The public schools that they are zoned for are not so great and a newly moved family has not had the time or foresight to camp out for CSAS/CSLA so what do you do? If I were to purchase a great historic cottage down that way, I surely couldn't afford private schools myself so I just gotta know

[jkmewright]

Originally Posted by craven72

...
That's a tough one. Some home school (which gives me the creeps for a variety of reasons, but that's JMO), some do the other magnets such as Brown Academy and Battle Academy, which are easier to get in than CSAS/CSLA. There's a Montessori school really close by as well, and I think some people have somehow managed to get their kids into Normal Park...

Yeah, the home school thing... meh lol I guess Battle or Brown would be a good alternative and put your child on the dreaded "list" for another school for when they reach middle school. Thanks for the input!

[craven72]

I've heard Battle is better than Brown, but I don't know for sure. I'm a little out of that loop.

[Grey_Day]

I just wanted to jump into this conversation for a couple of reasons. One, I am interested in Highland Park. My husband and I have remodeled a number of homes - and the ONLY way I will ever live in another neighborhood is if it is an area where the neighbors know each other, have similar goals and lifestyles, and things I enjoy are within walking/bicycling distance. HP seems to fit this bill. I'm not afraid to fight a little crime, and I do have two dogs - one of which came from the wrong side of the tracks and spots people with ill intentions very quickly (but if you know her, she is the sweetest dog ever, fantastic with kids).

Two, this IS slightly off-topic... but DH was a teacher for eight years... he has made it clear he couldn't toss his kids into public education. I was homeschooled from 6th through graduation. I not only did better at my studies and got pushed a little harder, but I also had time to pursue my own interests, including foreign language, which I think was invaluable. Yes there are drawbacks, and I think more effort needs to be made for social activities - college studies for me were a breeze, but I had some adjustments to make when dealing with other people for a few years. I know home schooling is sometimes the safe haven for religious wingnuts but should we have any kids - we feel this is the only way our children could have a great education (an affordable one at that). I would definitely shuttle my kids for more extracurricular activities than I had, and with kids in regular school, not just other home-schoolers.

Nuff said. Thank you for this on-going topic on HP!

[craven72]

Two, this IS slightly off-topic... but DH was a teacher for eight years... he has made it clear he couldn't toss his kids into public education. I was homeschooled from 6th through graduation. I not only did better at my studies and got pushed a little harder, but I also had time to pursue my own interests, including foreign language, which I think was invaluable. Yes there are drawbacks, and I think more effort needs to be made for social activities - college studies for me were a breeze, but I had some adjustments to make when dealing with other people for a few years. I know home schooling is sometimes the safe haven for religious wingnuts but should we have any kids - we feel this is the only way our children could have a great education (an affordable one at that). I would definitely shuttle my kids for more extracurricular activities than I had, and with kids in regular school, not just other home-schoolers.

Thanks for your reply. Not to slide into a home-school debate, but most of what I've seen of homeschooled kids has been sub-par or parents who let their kids watch TV all day (not necessarily my neighbors, but others), or they were barely literate themselves and/or were religious wingnuts who only expose their children to other religious wingnuts, thus crippling them later. I'm glad it worked for you, and my blanket discomfort with it is probably unfair. YMMV.

Please do check out the neighborhood; it sounds like it could be what you're looking for.