Moving to Norfolk - looking to see if safe area to live (for rent, house)

[Lockdev]

Originally Posted by Poquoson7

but to concentrate on them and continue to beat the dead horse and not allow pragmatism to not enter your realm is indeed unfortunate. To infer that one is lying is NOT ok, I would suggest that you refrain from calling others liars because you might say it to the wrong person someday.
When one disses continually it is indeed trolling and not realizing that it is trolling fits nicely with you and Coconut's sophomoric "sticking your head in the sand".
.

You can't beat a dead horse when answering questions for someone who knows nothing about an area.

You should probably bug out of this thread anyway. You're an out-of-towner that lives in isolated lily-white Poquoson where the worst thing that happens is the McDonald's drive-thru line is 6 cars long. You've probably only come to Norfolk for events or shopping.

I have presented facts in this thread that are backed up by actual experience living in Norfolk.

Positive attitude is one thing. Giving someone bad advice about an area that you have never lived just so you can be part of the conversation is moronic.

[Poquoson7]

YOU beat the dead horse on these forums with your bad crime/schools/economy litany , not when answering questions for someone who knows nothing about the area, wake up.

More than half the population of Hampton Roads are out of towners, probably including yourself.

What bad advice have I given anyone, quote me on that. How has any advice you've given translated into anything special for anyone ever.

You are a buzz kill dude, pure and simple. You can insult me until the overweight lady sings but you validate yourself not one iota in doing so.

I'm going to unhook you from my thoughts and will respond again when I think you need another calling out.....

[Lockdev]

Originally Posted by Poquoson7

What bad advice have I given anyone, quote me on that. .

Originally Posted by Poquoson7

One of the biggest problems facing Norfolk and all of Hampton Roads is the continued dissing of the area by people who post in this forum.

2016, where anyone who doesn't agree with me is a troll.

Norfolk, Newport News listed among top 30 ‘murder capitals’ in the U.S. | WTKR.com

B...b..b..but the #1 problem is internet trolls dissin muh city!

I believe it is only in ivory towers where perceived "internet trolls" are a greater problem than having a grossly disturbing violent crime rate.

[Isabella Tiger Moth]

Originally Posted by newtoarea16

Hi, I have accepted a job in Downtown Norfolk and would like to move somewhere within 10 minutes of my office but I am a single female. I want something safe, where I can walk my dog at night and not worry about my safety. I looked at the apartments in the Freemason area (Belmont at Freemason). Is this a safe area?

I appreciate any help anyone give me.

I know Norfolk mostly through newspaper articles, hearsay and an occasional trip to the zoo. Most people, when forced to make a recommendation, recommend Ghent and the general area surrounding the Chrysler Museum as a "safe-ish" area. Overall, though, I'd want to take some time for myself to look around before committing to an area (and certainly before signing a lease).

[goofy328]

It depends on which cities you're talking about. Back in Ohio, a lot of the larger cities are like Norfolk. And a lot of the smaller cities, closer to Norfolk's size, are far worse than Norfolk. And this is personal experience, not crime maps. Really, truly, depends on what cities you're talking about.

Even though Chicago has a reputation for it's South side, doesn't mean that there aren't other dangerous parts of the city. Those parts of the city just aren't as bad as the South side. Not that I can't appreciate the optimism but that doesn't always vibe with reality.

The reason Norfolk is the way that it is has as much to do with the economy of the city as it has to do with the crime. The crime fills in the gap where the economy is not providing. Were the economy better, as it is in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, for example, cities like Norfolk, Portsmouth and Newport News wouldn't have the issues that they do.

To be completely honest the average person in this region is doing okay. Not rich, and not poor. We have more than enough poor people in this region, along with disenfranchised, working poor, working people with no assets or savings as well as middle class. This is not a rich part of the state. Probably never will be. There are rich people but that is the exception, not the rule, here.

Part of the disillusionment in this area is that you always see new construction going on. People continue to move here, but it isn't necessarily for great, high paying jobs. A lot of these people are coming from places that don't even have as much going on as this place has. Can't tell you how many people I've run into from places in NC or rural areas in Virginia few people have heard of. Plus you still have people coming here from the Rust Belt, as well as other areas where they couldn't even obtain the low paying jobs they have here.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by Isabella Tiger Moth

I know Norfolk mostly through newspaper articles, hearsay and an occasional trip to the zoo. Most people, when forced to make a recommendation, recommend Ghent and the general area surrounding the Chrysler Museum as a "safe-ish" area. Overall, though, I'd want to take some time for myself to look around before committing to an area (and certainly before signing a lease).

Those are alright areas.

The thing about in and around Downtown Norfolk is that is where the city has built it's housing projects. So the atmosphere there is a smaller microcosm of how things are in say Manhattan, where those types of neighborhoods are still around within a stones throw of expensive areas and up and coming areas.

I'll walk through Ghent and the area surrounding the Chrysler Museum during the day. At night, it can be sketchy. Ghent itself is across the street from many working poor neighborhoods (Park Place, etc.), so things can get sketchy there. And they remain sketchy until you cross the Lafayette river, and that's plenty of area to work with, several blocks. As much, if not more, than Ghent itself. No one likes to talk about that when discussing Ghent, but again I'm very close to the area; it is what it is.

We're talking all the way from 26th to 49th. A very large area, by any standards.

And then, magically, you go onto the other side of the river and it's entirely different.

[Serenity2019]

Originally Posted by newtoarea16

Hi, I have accepted a job in Downtown Norfolk and would like to move somewhere within 10 minutes of my office but I am a single female. I want something safe, where I can walk my dog at night and not worry about my safety. I looked at the apartments in the Freemason area (Belmont at Freemason). Is this a safe area?

I appreciate any help anyone give me.

I grew up there in Tidewater, and last time I visited I went into Larchmont and Edgewater neighborhoods off Hampton Blvd. they were very, very nice, and on the Elizabeth River. It sure seemed like you could walk at night there with no problems...

[BrokeDC]

@newtoarea16, Where are you moving FROM? That would give us an idea of what your perceptions of crime and safety will be. If you're already coming from an urban area and you're used to that type of living, I don't think you're going to find Norfolk intimidating. And you will certainly find some areas where you'll feel safe walking your dog at night.

I think in ANY city, for a woman who's going to be walking alone at night, you want to be sure the specific apartment you choose is right along or very close to a commercial area with plenty of activity and lighting. You want some businesses to be open at night, and for other people to be walking around too. You DON'T want areas where you'll be the only person out and about at night.

I'm not an expert on Norfolk but I've spent enough time there, and in your shoes I would be looking for places near Colley Ave, which is the main thoroughfare in Ghent, or in some areas of downtown by the waterfront with restaurants and activity nearby.

[Spazkat9696]

I live in VAB, not Norfolk, but I seem to recall some nice looking apartments across from Nauticus? With Waterside being revamped I would think the area would be fun and it's walkable.

[Poquoson7]

Originally Posted by BrokeDC

@newtoarea16, Where are you moving FROM? That would give us an idea of what your perceptions of crime and safety will be. If you're already coming from an urban area and you're used to that type of living, I don't think you're going to find Norfolk intimidating. And you will certainly find some areas where you'll feel safe walking your dog at night.

I think in ANY city, for a woman who's going to be walking alone at night, you want to be sure the specific apartment you choose is right along or very close to a commercial area with plenty of activity and lighting. You want some businesses to be open at night, and for other people to be walking around too. You DON'T want areas where you'll be the only person out and about at night.

I'm not an expert on Norfolk but I've spent enough time there, and in your shoes I would be looking for places near Colley Ave, which is the main thoroughfare in Ghent, or in some areas of downtown by the waterfront with restaurants and activity nearby.

Excellent post, thanks BrokeDC