Pros & Cons and differences of retiring to Bristol, Kingsport or Johnson City ? (Knoxville: 2009, crime rate)

[donsabi]

mbmouse,
Love your photos!
I have read several posts referring to a foul odor in Kingsport probably from the Kodak plant. I would like to hear your opinion on this situation?
Thanks,
Don

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by donsabi

mbmouse,
Love your photos!
I have read several posts referring to a foul odor in Kingsport probably from the Kodak plant. I would like to hear your opinion on this situation?
Thanks,
Don

Hi Don,
Yes the smell referred to about Kingsport is from Eastman Chemical Plant, the largest employer in the North East TN region. (It used to be Eastman Kodak, now just Eastman) I drive by it every day I go to the office. Some days I smell a whiff, sometimes I smell it for a few miles, but most days not at all. It is a chemical/sulfury/kinda sweet...heck I can't describe it other than not near as bad as a paper plant if you have ever smelt one of those! Folks around here just call it "The smell of economy".
It really doesn't bother me or anyone I know, however I have heard of some being very sensitive to it and it bothers them a lot. One man here on CD said when he came to visit he had headaches the whole time he was in Kingsport and believed it was Eastman. It is one of those things you would just have to come visit and see....or smell...for yourself to see if it would be a problem for you. On days that I can smell it, it does seem very concentrated to the Eastman area and not like a floating green smog in the sky that permeates the whole region or anything like that. My co-worker who has lived in Kingsport all of her life says she has heard people reference it but has never smelled anything! LOL!
Sorry...not sure if my ramblings have answered your question or not. I just don't really know how to describe it.

[jabogitlu]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

Yes, you are correct, the MEDIAN home prices are lower in Kingsport than in JC, however it is important to figure in a few things when looking at those numbers. There are a lot more Million dollar and up homes, and 600k McMansions in JC than Kingsport. So as they use the average home sales price, it would defiantly show higher in JC. I am not trying to push one city over the other here, I would just hate for anyone to miss out on there little slice of heaven in a place to call home by discounting a place due to "Stats", some times they can be miss leading.
I personally live in between the two cities and if I was forced to choose I believe I would take Kingsport too, but one place isn't right for everyone.

I also agree. I think (without hard proof) that the vast swathes of McMansions in Johnson City (think West Knox if you're familiar with that area) raise the median home price substantially. There are tons of neighborhoods, though, that are ultimately comparable to those in Kpt or Bristol. Besides, why would you want to pick one city based on median costs? Just look at the houses in your price range!

[Tennesseestorm]

I know someone that lived in Kingsport that actually loved the smell!

I do not smell it everytime I am there either. Is the Mead paper co. still in working order down there? I think it was Mead?

Originally Posted by mbmouse

Hi Don,
Yes the smell referred to about Kingsport is from Eastman Chemical Plant, the largest employer in the North East TN region. (It used to be Eastman Kodak, now just Eastman) I drive by it every day I go to the office. Some days I smell a whiff, sometimes I smell it for a few miles, but most days not at all. It is a chemical/sulfury/kinda sweet...heck I can't describe it other than not near as bad as a paper plant if you have ever smelt one of those! Folks around here just call it "The smell of economy".
It really doesn't bother me or anyone I know, however I have heard of some being very sensitive to it and it bothers them a lot. One man here on CD said when he came to visit he had headaches the whole time he was in Kingsport and believed it was Eastman. It is one of those things you would just have to come visit and see....or smell...for yourself to see if it would be a problem for you. On days that I can smell it, it does seem very concentrated to the Eastman area and not like a floating green smog in the sky that permeates the whole region or anything like that. My co-worker who has lived in Kingsport all of her life says she has heard people reference it but has never smelled anything! LOL!
Sorry...not sure if my ramblings have answered your question or not. I just don't really know how to describe it.

[Tennesseestorm]

MBMOUSE - nice photos as always!

Would you happen to have any photos of those large palm trees I have heard about that are somewhere in the downtown Kingsport area?

A member here "Maui4me" said that there are two large palms at the corners of Oak and Yadkin Streets- right behind the Renaissance Center near John Sevier Middle School. I have not had a chance to get by there to see. I am really not even sure where that is. I remember being on those streets before (remember the signs), but I would have to GPS or MapQuest to find them again. I would love to see photos if you are ever by there and take photos. Thanks.

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by Tennesseestorm

MBMOUSE - nice photos as always!

Would you happen to have any photos of those large palm trees I have heard about that are somewhere in the downtown Kingsport area?

A member here "Maui4me" said that there are two large palms at the corners of Oak and Yadkin Streets- right behind the Renaissance Center near John Sevier Middle School. I have not had a chance to get by there to see. I am really not even sure where that is. I remember being on those streets before (remember the signs), but I would have to GPS or MapQuest to find them again. I would love to see photos if you are ever by there and take photos. Thanks.

I never noticed them, but that doesn't mean they aren't there LOL!
I will make a point of going over that way tomorrow on my way to work and bring the camera.....might even bring the saw.....I don't agree with Palm trees being here after living in FL for so long, I never want to see one again! hahahahha
(just kidding about the saw folks. )

[Tennesseestorm]

Thanks... I would appreciate it if you do get the photos of them!

Not wanting to stray too far off topic, but its a funny statement about the saw.... I vividly remember how much you (am many other folks here from Florida) loathe them from my post on my personal palms I have here at my house.

Sorry that you hate palm trees.... Florida must be a pretty bad place to turn someone against palm trees, but think about the ones along the coast of South Carolina, or North Carolina... maybe that will make it not seem so bad. I have been to coastal southeast North Carolina where there are alot of palms and other sub-tropical type plants, so I guess I started liking them then. I have not been since 1994 though, but I was able to see more palms (out in the wild) when we went to Charlotte last summer. We had went on south of Charlotte into South Carolina (north central South Carolina).

For me though, I have never been to Florida (so I have not been turned against the tropics yet - despite us having relatives that live in Jacksonville, Gainesville and Brooksville) and I probably never will be able to go- not for awhile anyway, as I have ill family members I have to tend to and I cannot leave at the drop of a hat. I love the tropical type plants that the coastal southeast host and I have went as far as bringing them to me so to speak- what, with the palms I have, the Southern Live Oaks and the Spanish Moss, all of which have done well here at my house and has not seemed to have caused any harm to the more native and more common trees we have here at my house- such as the other Oaks, Magnolias, Beech, etc.

Thanks again MB for trying to get the photographs!

Originally Posted by mbmouse

I never noticed them, but that doesn't mean they aren't there LOL!
I will make a point of going over that way tomorrow on my way to work and bring the camera.....might even bring the saw.....I don't agree with Palm trees being here after living in FL for so long, I never want to see one again! hahahahha
(just kidding about the saw folks. )

[jjbradleynyc]

Great photos, mbmouse! It gave me a visit to my hometown area on my pc! Very cool. One of my parent's houses (we moved quite a bit) was in Church Hill on a small hill overlooking the Bays Mountain ridge. I have pictures I took when I was about 8 or so of the mountains. Guess I didn't know at the time what a beautiful area I lived in!

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

Great photos, mbmouse! It gave me a visit to my hometown area on my pc! Very cool. One of my parent's houses (we moved quite a bit) was in Church Hill on a small hill overlooking the Bays Mountain ridge. I have pictures I took when I was about 8 or so of the mountains. Guess I didn't know at the time what a beautiful area I lived in!

Well, it looks like you and I traded places in the end. I grew up near Colchester CT (Lake Hayward actually but bet you never heard of it, not many have hahahhaha). The difference is I knew how beautiful and great it was. I was not quite yet of age when the family had to move to FL, I went kicking and screaming LOL!. Glad you enjoyed the pics.
TN, I found your palm trees in Kingsport today and took pics, give me a few to finish up some work stuff, and make dinner for the family then I will upload and post them for you.

[Tennesseestorm]

Oh boy! So they are indeed still there!

I am like a kid at Christmas, waiting to open a prized gift!

Thanks for taking them! I was hoping you would remember to take them.... I really appreciate it. I will check back later. Thanks again!

Originally Posted by mbmouse

TN, I found your palm trees in Kingsport today and took pics, give me a few to finish up some work stuff, and make dinner for the family then I will upload and post them for you.