relocating to huntsville (Hoover, Madison: houses, layoffs, safe neighborhoods)

[runnergirl3]

I am thinking of relocating to the huntsville area. I would be newly divorced and have a 12 y/o daughter that will be in 8th grade, then will go to high school. I am a RN, so i would work in or around the hospitals. My questions are: What area would be safest for myself and daughter, while being in a top public school district. My daughter's extracurricular activities include competitive cheerleading and tumbling gymnastics, that would also need to be considered.

[Reactionary]

HSV has two hospitals: Huntsville and Crestwood, fairly close to each other (~ three miles on the 'same' street). There are a couple of neighborhoods in between that you might consider: Medical District and Thornton Acres (just guessing - bungalow houses in established safe neighborhoods with good schools).

Any schools that feed into Grissom HS or Huntsville HS are good. Bob Jones HS in Madison is also good (HSV Hospital has plans to build in Madison). Sparkman HS (NW Madison County) has a great cheerleading squad.

Matrix cheer and gymnastics on Leeman Ferry Road (about a mile or so from Crestwood) is a good facility.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by runnergirl3

i would work in or around the hospitals.
What area would be safest for myself and daughter, while being in a top public school district.

I know these places below would be good places to start:

Madison
South and southeast Huntsville

I think there is supposed to be a new hospital built some day in the Madison area.

There is a huge Huntsville Hospital/Medical district just south of downtown.

There is a Crestwood Hospital north of Airport between Memorial Parkway and Whitesburg.

Three of the better high schools are Grissom, Bob Jones, and Huntsville

Here are the Huntsville City, Madison County and Madison City High School 2008 proficiency data sorted by subgroup for both reading and math.

Huntsville High School did quite well as did Grissom and Bob Jones.

(Click on the image expansion bar at the top of each image.)


Math

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Reading

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[mm42]

Grissom and Bob Jones are probably the two best high schools. Almost all the neighborhoods feeding those two are safe. For Grissom, avoid being west of or on Memorial Parkway and you are very likely in a safe neighborhood. I'm less familiar with Madison, where Bob Jones is located, but it is generally very safe.

Huntsville High is probably a slight step below those two, but serves the neighborhoods closest to Huntsville Hospital.

[clamoore]

Definitely avoid neighborhoods west of Memorial Parkway. Thugs like me and Deesonic live there and we are well-known ne'er-do-wells. We have been known to give pretty mean indian burns, steal engineers' lunch money and scowl like we mean business. Oh, did I mention how we wear our pants real low and hold onto our beltbuckles, at least when we are doing lawn work. We have even been seen throwing gang signs, or waving high to strangers, however you want to interpret those hand gestures.

Yo, Deesonic, tell 'em how we roll on the Westside, OG!

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by clamoore

definitely avoid neighborhoods west of memorial parkway. Thugs like me and deesonic live there and we are well-known ne'er-do-wells. We have been known to give pretty mean indian burns, steal engineers' lunch money and scowl like we mean business. Oh, did i mention how we wear our pants real low and hold onto our beltbuckles, at least when we are doing lawn work. We have even been seen throwing gang signs, or waving high to strangers, however you want to interpret those hand gestures.

Yo, deesonic, tell 'em how we roll on the westside, og!

lol....

[runnergirl3]

Thanks you all for your suggestions!

[HB2HSV]

Hi runnergirl3,

I guess it all depends on your definition of what "safe" is. Some may think a downtown urban area is safe, while others think out in the country with 100 acres surrounding you is safe.

Reality is, IMO, everywhere is "safe" and everywhere is "not safe". It all depends on what you're accustomed to. You'll get a pretty good idea after a 1/2 day driving around town on "desirable" vs "undesirable" area.

I am a new transplant to the area myself. Compare to other bigger/ major cities I've been, Huntsville is pretty safe for the most part. But I am a lock my car & door type of guy, plus I go on automatic "alert" whenever someone walk toward me in the parking lot. So I probably had unintentionally scare the heck out of some nice old ladies with walkers

[Charles]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

.... I go on automatic "alert" whenever someone walk toward me in the parking lot. So I probably had unintentionally scare the heck out of some nice old ladies with walkers

I know what he is referring to; I actually got some photos of Huntsville gangstas:



http://videodetective.com/photos/081/003423_22.jpg (broken link)



Who says engineers aren't into gangs? Check out the gang signs:

[deesonic]

Originally Posted by clamoore

Definitely avoid neighborhoods west of Memorial Parkway. Thugs like me and Deesonic live there and we are well-known ne'er-do-wells. We have been known to give pretty mean indian burns, steal engineers' lunch money and scowl like we mean business. Oh, did I mention how we wear our pants real low and hold onto our beltbuckles, at least when we are doing lawn work. We have even been seen throwing gang signs, or waving high to strangers, however you want to interpret those hand gestures.

Yo, Deesonic, tell 'em how we roll on the Westside, OG!

That's hilarious! Yeah well, y'know. Gotta protect the 'hood and all. In fact, I was just rollin' through my westside Holiday Homes hood for a jog about an hour ago. Nearly got my leg bit off by a schnauzer. Oh and don't get me started on the neighborhood skateboard kids.

In all fairness and honesty... If you're a single mom and going to be working at one of the hospitals and want to be close to work in a good neighborhood with good schools (esp. high school), the neighborhoods in and around the hospitals are nearly all super nice and safe. Yes, they are established, meaning many of the homes are older than say, Madison. But the Hospital District and Blossomwood areas are some of the best kept older neighborhoods in Huntsville and in very good school districts. There are very nice bungalow homes (which I love) in that area and some larger homes in Blossomwood.

Madison is a certainly a good area. But don't caught up in all the clear Madison bias on these boards. The City of Huntsville is full of great safe neighborhoods and there are several really good schools and you would only be minutes from work.

Also, if your daughter is into cheerleading, she may be excited to know that the HHS cheerleaders took first place at the UCA North Alabama Regionals this year. .:Huntsville High School Cheerleading:. And she would be cheering for a solid football program as the HHS Panthers football team made it to the Class 6A state playoffs this year before falling to perennial powerhouse Hoover.