East Knoxville

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by creeksitter

GBH, I think as Happy Hollow* develops it might be what those people are looking for. Fountain City/Hotel avenue is pretty good too. Bearden is the best for the variety of shopping but it doesn't have that old timey atmosphere people seek.

* Anderson at Central.

She put it right there! You must be working and studying too much.

However, try East Anderson Avenue at Central Street. That should help.

[creeksitter]

Getting back on topic, Burlington ( MLK at Holston & Fern) has that old timey charm, don't know if it will ever "develop" due to people's prejudices. I remember breakfasting at Ruby's diner and patronizing Burlington Hardware.

For some reason Knoxville just doesn't have many of these neighborhood commercial zones. Sadly the city just tore down the old grocery store in "downtown" Vestal so there goes another one, unless they build something back. It's the clustering of the stores that makes these places special.

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

Originally Posted by Pam& Bill

I'm completely confused.Mrs. Mts wants an older home. Mrs.Mts also wants "Maintained and manicured" and nice sidewalks.
As a former do it yourselfer of older homes, manicured and maintained does not ever come into the equation. A older home has dings and scars from people who have lived there previously, the wiring usually needs to be updated as well as the plumbing, insulation is usually non existant and there is bumpy lumpy plaster on the walls. The floors slant, glass is wavy and many times these beauties become a money pit, a constant flow of money to turn a worn out house into a pristine example of Hollywood and HGTV.
My point being that older homes in older neighborhoods are not cookie cutter "manicured and maintained" clones like a new modern subdivision. Older homes have soul and are not perfect and sure aren't for the people who expect perfection in a home, but rather someone who can live for awhile with a wrench on the kitchen faucet because the faucet broke and you need to get a new one.
Admiring a older home in a movie is completely different then living daily in an older home.Especially if one has expectations of manicured and maintained.
Now this isn't a critisism Mrs. Mts but rather a curiousity if you really are aware of what owning an older home entails and want to live that lifestyle? Because what you've posted and what reality is are two very different things.
Pam

I think you can have both. I have seen old victorian/craftsman homes with good bones and a well manicured lawn. My grandparents had one in Fort Scott, Kansas and they have them in GA as well.

The outside of the home (neighborhood) often reflects those who live in the community, so IMO if you have a development board that does not improve an area because they don't care about it, then you are going to have tore up streets and sidewalks.....transients, homeless and lower income housing. However, if you have a board that appreciates the historic value of the homes and community and sinks some money into improving the sidewalks, public areas and streets, then the value of the homes go up, families who want a walkable community move into the area and Mayberry is born.

Hik's area is a great example of how old houses can be married with urban dwellers. Look at this house.....old victorian, restored with a nice manicured lawn. It can be done.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by MrsMtnsOnTheMind

I think you can have both. I have seen old victorian/craftsman homes with good bones and a well manicured lawn. My grandparents had one in Fort Scott, Kansas and they have them in GA as well.

The outside of the home (neighborhood) often reflects those who live in the community, so IMO if you have a development board that does not improve an area because they don't care about it, then you are going to have tore up streets and sidewalks.....transients, homeless and lower income housing. However, if you have a board that appreciates the historic value of the homes and community and sinks some money into improving the sidewalks, public areas and streets, then the value of the homes go up, families who want a walkable community move into the area and Mayberry is born.

Hik's area is a great example of how old houses can be married with urban dwellers. Look at this house.....old victorian, restored with a nice manicured lawn. It can be done.

It has been done in Fourth and Gill. I'm pretty sure that house that I showed you is in that area. It is close by, if nothing else.

Most of those homes have been beautifully restored. That's the area just north of downtown. I told you that there are a lot of homeless services in that area and the fallout is not good. Lots of homeless wandering around, prostitutes, theft and people knocking on doors with scams such as: "My wife is down the street in our car and we have run out of gas. Can we borrow 20 dollars?"

I don't know what you mean by development board. Are you thinking something like a HOA? This is not a subdivision.

If you are thinking about a neighborhood that bans together to keep those homeless services out, they have fought that stuff tooth and nail and it seems like the city just keeps allowing more homeless development in the area. There's been an issue with putting homeless transitional housing in the area, too.

If you mean that the neighbors have contacted law enforcement, they have. They are in constant contact with them and have monthly meetings, too.

Sometimes it seems like a losing battle.

I keep a keen eye on this issue because I love that area, and North Knoxville, too. I would someday love to live there.

But know that it is not for lack of the neighbors banning together and fighting. They are doing that.

We gave you all this info, but it was at such a fast pace that I think we had you so confused. I would be. And you kept asking for more and we kept giving it to you until I think you were overcome!

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

It has been done in Fourth and Gill. I'm pretty sure that house that I showed you is in that area. It is close by, if nothing else.

Most of those homes have been beautifully restored. That's the area just north of downtown. I told you that there are a lot of homeless services in that area and the fallout is not good. Lots of homeless wandering around, prostitutes, theft and people knocking on doors with scams such as: "My wife is down the street in our car and we have run out of gas. Can we borrow 20 dollars?"

I don't know what you mean by development board. Are you thinking something like a HOA? This is not a subdivision.

If you are thinking about a neighborhood that bans together to keep those homeless services out, they have fought that stuff tooth and nail and it seems like the city just keeps allowing more homeless development in the area. There's been an issue with putting homeless transitional housing in the area, too.

If you mean that the neighbors have contacted law enforcement, they have. They are in constant contact with them and have monthly meetings, too.

Sometimes it seems like a losing battle.

I keep a keen eye on this issue because I love that area, and North Knoxville, too. I would someday love to live there.

But know that it is not for lack of the neighbors banning together and fighting. They are doing that.

We gave you all this info, but it was at such a fast pace that I think we had you so confused. I would be. And you kept asking for more and we kept giving it to you until I think you were overcome!

A development board is like a board of commissioners that pretty much work for the city and decide where the money goes. They support and promote community projects and build the community.

[goodbyehollywood]

I love the homes in Fourth and Gill and Parkridge, but I don't realy love the neighborhoods. The difference is, while some of the homes have been lovingly restored, others are seedy and unkempt. That brings the entire neighborhood down. And the neighborhoods border unsafe areas, which brings in crime that keep families and renovators out. These areas have been slow to gentrify, despite the efforts of committed people and numerous historical preservation committees and boards.

Other cities have accomplished this, so I have high hopes that someday, Knoxville will, too. I have lived in wonderful historic neighborhoods in Virginia, Washington, Philadelphia and L.A.-- ones in which the homes were meticulously restored to maintain their historic integrity. I hope that Knoxville will follow suit. The potential is there, but it has not yet been fulfilled. Buying and renovating an historic home is a labor of love, because it can-- and probably will-- be a beautiful, charming money pit.