More info on 4th and Gill please? (Knoxville: apartments, renters) - Tennessee (TN) - City-Data Forum

Southbound2012 · 03-10-2012, 01:34 PM

Hi again. You have all been so helpful, please indulge a few more questions from a Mom.

The 4th and Gill neighborhood some of you suggested, seems to be what my 23 year old daughter is looking for as far as location, price, "vibe" etc. Looking back on some of the threads that reference that area, I see some concern regarding highway noise, crime, and proximity to homeless shelters. The discussions go back a few years, and I am wondering if this area has improved in recent years? Crime against individuals, and the problems that come from having homeless people in the area concern me. What can you tell me?

creeksitter · 03-10-2012, 01:48 PM

Are there any apartments for rent in the area in your daughters' time frame? I don't see any one bedrooms on craiglsist. It may be a non issue.

P.S. thanks for reminding me why I, as a landlord, don't respond to parents who enquire about housing for their children. If she has lived a sheltered life and cannot make her own decisions then it may not be appropriate for her.

Southbound2012 · 03-10-2012, 07:57 PM

Sorry Creeksitter. She is very capable of, and does make her own decisions. I have just been helping her do some research and stumbled across this site. Obviously her safety is a concern for me as a parent, and until now, everyone has been very helpful, so I wanted to ask a follow up question regarding the area that interested her. I certainly won't be making her decisions for her. She currently lives 800 miles away, has a full time job and attends school. As a landlord it would seem like you would want people to do some research and narrow down choices before wasting your time and theirs looking in areas that don't suit them.

Pam& Bill · 03-11-2012, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Southbound2012

Sorry Creeksitter. She is very capable of, and does make her own decisions. I have just been helping her do some research and stumbled across this site. Obviously her safety is a concern for me as a parent, and until now, everyone has been very helpful, so I wanted to ask a follow up question regarding the area that interested her. I certainly won't be making her decisions for her. She currently lives 800 miles away, has a full time job and attends school. As a landlord it would seem like you would want people to do some research and narrow down choices before wasting your time and theirs looking in areas that don't suit them.

Actually before you think Creeksitter is being unhelpful, she is being realistic. 4th and Gill while a area in transition and well on it's way to being completely gentrified, still has a gritty edge to it.

So she was being helpful as we all are here. She just asked a question or two that cut to the heart of the matter and I'm in agreement with her in thinking this area may not be the place for someone who isn't as independent as they could be. Doesn't matter that there is 800 miles, a job, schooling all standing in the way. Online research can never give one the feel of a neighborhood that a visit will tell.

But continue on with your research and if you only want to be told what you want to hear....... what a waste of our time that would be.

hiknapster · 03-11-2012, 06:22 AM

I've said it before. What you are looking for is impossible. You originally told us you wanted a downtown industrial-looking apartment for $600. It's not going to happen. You may have to change the parameters a bit but you are still looking for the impossible. Fourth and Gill is not perfect. It's highly desired, though, and rents aren't cheap as we showed you last time. In fact, it's too bad that you started another thread. The new reader really won't understand the situation. I think one of the issues is that where she now lives probably has the cheapest rent prices in the country. I'm not sure how safe the area is and how it compares to here. They very well may be the same. But we are writing to YOU and not HER. You might want to have your daughter continue with the inquiries so that nothing is lost in the translation.

Barking Spider · 03-11-2012, 06:33 AM

I have inspected many homes in the 4th & Gill neighborhood. I make it a point to lock the back of my truck when I am in there (normally don't lock it when I'm working). This is not because I think the people that live there will break in, I'm more worried about the people that stroll thru the neighborhoods.

However, I may be over reacting. We know a young couple that rent a place there and really love it. I get the idea that there is a real sense of community in 4th & Gill, but they have had few problems. A bicycle was stolen off a porch one day. One of the neighbor's cars was broken into recently.

I'm not sure how I would feel about my daughter living there. Like I said, I may be over reacting to the people I see in the general area of 4th & Gill that I am a little leery of.

Southbound2012 · 03-11-2012, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barking Spider

I have inspected many homes in the 4th & Gill neighborhood. I make it a point to lock the back of my truck when I am in there (normally don't lock it when I'm working). This is not because I think the people that live there will break in, I'm more worried about the people that stroll thru the neighborhoods.

However, I may be over reacting. We know a young couple that rent a place there and really love it. I get the idea that there is a real sense of community in 4th & Gill, but they have had few problems. A bicycle was stolen off a porch one day. One of the neighbor's cars was broken into recently.

I'm not sure how I would feel about my daughter living there. Like I said, I may be over reacting to the people I see in the general area of 4th & Gill that I am a little leery of.

Thank you for answering the question that was asked.

creeksitter · 03-11-2012, 02:05 PM

Sorry to sound so harsh but people on this board know the issue of helicopter parents is a sore spot with me. Heck when I was 22 my dad co-signed a loan so I could buy a house in the neighborhood. Does that make him a bad person?

There are things to take into consideration like be sure to have full insurance on the car and perhaps get renters insurance. The sound is a lot better since a sound barrier was installed but I can't understand why that would concern you.

I have to wonder if maybe the daughter has different expectations than yours. I am trying to guess a location where a subsidized loft rental would be in a perfectly safe locale. Upper midwest perhaps?

hiknapster · 03-12-2012, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barking Spider

I have inspected many homes in the 4th & Gill neighborhood. I make it a point to lock the back of my truck when I am in there (normally don't lock it when I'm working). This is not because I think the people that live there will break in, I'm more worried about the people that stroll thru the neighborhoods.

However, I may be over reacting. We know a young couple that rent a place there and really love it. I get the idea that there is a real sense of community in 4th & Gill, but they have had few problems. A bicycle was stolen off a porch one day. One of the neighbor's cars was broken into recently.

I'm not sure how I would feel about my daughter living there. Like I said, I may be over reacting to the people I see in the general area of 4th & Gill that I am a little leery of.

This. A perfect summary of the area.

It has an incredible community atmosphere. I have friends that live in the neighborhood, took my daughter trick-or-treating down there, worship in the area. However, most people tend to chain down their patio furniture. Even potted plants have disappeared. There is a problem with homeless in the area, to the point where there are ongoing discussions/arguments regarding the community's hard gentrification efforts and the continuing placement of charity and homeless housing there. Our new mayor is very friendly with people in this community and maybe something will improve but I doubt it. All of those well-established charities are not going to just up and leave.

Quote:

Originally Posted by creeksitter

Sorry to sound so harsh but people on this board know the issue of helicopter parents is a sore spot with me. Heck when I was 22 my dad co-signed a loan so I could buy a house in the neighborhood. Does that make him a bad person?

There are things to take into consideration like be sure to have full insurance on the car and perhaps get renters insurance. The sound is a lot better since a sound barrier was installed but I can't understand why that would concern you.

I have to wonder if maybe the daughter has different expectations than yours. I am trying to guess a location where a subsidized loft rental would be in a perfectly safe locale. Upper midwest perhaps?

I admit to also feeling uneasy giving advice to someone that isn't actually moving here. For all we know, the daughter has no idea about these inquiries, will never receive the information and/or has completely different ideas about where she will move and her preferences. But the way I always look at my posts is they can always help someone else.

Has the area improved? Well, the area is probably more gentrified than it was a few years ago but the homeless haven't moved on.

But I don't find Midwest cities any safer. In fact, where this young lady lives may be much worse. As usual, comfort levels vary and what we say, our opinions, matter little compared to a personal visit. There is a very good chance that the daughter may find Fourth and Gill and Knoxville to be very safe, much safer than where she lives now.

MrsMopar · 03-13-2012, 06:20 AM

Ironically enough, I just saw a story on the news the night before last regarding this area and how prostitution has been a big concern. The individual they interviewed owns a home/business and has had to call the police on several occasions due to these low-lifes doing their "business" right on his front step.

Oddly enough, what I found disheartening about the story, more so than the problems this area has, was the comment the newscaster made regarding the police departments reasoning in why prostitution was on the rise. It was "that there are several missions in the area". Wow, really?

To the OP who was inquiring about that area for her daughter I would like to say this. I commend you for trying to find out about an area before sending your daughter there to look at places to live. My daughter is 21 and married, and they are actually getting ready to move here as well. However they are looking in Sevier County, as that is where she is transferring to in her job. I have looked at several places they are interested in, that they found on Craigslist. When they move here next month they will not have much time to find somewhere to live; they are not afforded that opportunity to take time off to "search" for a place to live. They live 400 miles away and are just starting out, so we have tried to take a bit of the burden off of them. Of the places we checked out, just did drive-by's not actual walk through's, we found 2 we felt comfortable in suggesting to them that we liked. Ultimately the decision is theirs to make, but personally I'm glad my daughter and son-in-law have asked us to offer our opinion. We want them to be safe, no matter what age they are.

I wish your daughter the best in her move; Knoxville has so many wonderful places to offer. It really is a great area. My husband and I both work in Knoxville and really enjoy all it has to offer. While we don't reside in Knox County we still feel it's a wonderful place to live and work. When we chose a place to live however; we went with Sevier County. Our passions are more along the lines of country living as we lived in a city that is similar to Knoxville for over 40 years. In the thick of the city mind you, where houses were only a few feet apart. Hopefully you will be able to visit the area soon and see all it has to offer. Best wishes!