LITTLE ROCK: Questions about the city's ''FEEL'' (Conway, Cabot: affordable apartment, condo)

[Midwesterns45]

I was just wondering...Is the feel in little rock like a large city where there arent a lot of neighborhoods or does feel like a small walkable city where you run into people in your section of town?
Is Little rock integrated or segregated?
Give me some information about little rock central..i watched the documentry on HBO and found it very interasting and my last question is what part of the city (as shown in the show) is poor and run down?
Looking on google earth it appears to be south and west of downtown..am i right

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by Midwesterns45

I was just wondering...Is the feel in little rock like a large city where there arent a lot of neighborhoods or does feel like a small walkable city where you run into people in your section of town?
Is Little rock integrated or segregated?
Give me some information about little rock central..i watched the documentry on HBO and found it very interasting and my last question is what part of the city (as shown in the show) is poor and run down?
Looking on google earth it appears to be south and west of downtown..am i right

That HBO documentary, Bangin in Little Rock seems to be what defines this city. I wish that image could change because this city really has a lot more to offer, but stereotypes die hard.

The HBO documentary was in 1994. A lot has changed since then. The area that was shot at is in the southeast area of the city, south of I-630 and east of University, which is the area you mentioned. Avoid the southwest area of the city too, especially the area around Baseline and Geyer Springs. There are a few walkable neighborhoods, the most notable being the Hillcrest neighborhood and the Heights right above it. If you have a fat wallet, you could live downtown, where there is currently a condo boom. Most of metro Little Rock is very suburban and car-centric. There is also a lot of white flight to suburbs, some worse than others. Conway and Cabot are the two most notable white flight suburbs.

Thats whats unfortunate about most cities that had their boom years after World War II - everything was designed with the automobile in mind. There are some rumblings about some "new urbanist" developments going in, but they are at least a decade away.

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by bchris02

That HBO documentary, Bangin in Little Rock seems to be what defines this city. I wish that image could change because this city really has a lot more to offer, but stereotypes die hard.

The HBO documentary was in 1994. A lot has changed since then. The area that was shot at is in the southeast area of the city, south of I-630 and east of University, which is the area you mentioned. Avoid the southwest area of the city too, especially the area around Baseline and Geyer Springs. There are a few walkable neighborhoods, the most notable being the Hillcrest neighborhood and the Heights right above it. If you have a fat wallet, you could live downtown, where there is currently a condo boom. Most of metro Little Rock is very suburban and car-centric. There is also a lot of white flight to suburbs, some worse than others. Conway and Cabot are the two most notable white flight suburbs.

Thats whats unfortunate about most cities that had their boom years after World War II - everything was designed with the automobile in mind. There are some rumblings about some "new urbanist" developments going in, but they are at least a decade away.

I think maybe they were thinking about the HBO documentary Little Rock Central, 50 Years Later.

Last time I was there, the houses directly across the street from the school looked fairly well kept, but the neighborhood in general was run down. There were a few buildings close by being renovated into apartments.

I think the school itself is a roughly even mix of two races. The building sits in a predominately black neighborhood, while the boundaries go well into white neighborhoods, like Hillcrest.

I agree for walkability, Hillcrest and Heights are your best bet. I did have a really nice, affordable apartment downtown that was within walking distance of the River Market. It was only 500 or so a month. Some of the other apartments in that building went for 1000, I think.

Most of the integration I saw was in neighborhoods that were transitioning from one group to another, with the possible exception of downtown. A lot of the apartment complexes around the metro area are very diverse. Areas with homeowners were not nearly as integrated.

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by northbound74

I think maybe they were thinking about the HBO documentary Little Rock Central, 50 Years Later.

Ah ok. I hear people talking about Bangin' In Little Rock a LOT more than the one on Central High. Most people base their entire perception of Little Rock on that documentary. Its unfortunate because the documentary was originally made to show how gang activity was no longer just a big city problem. What it achieved was making Little Rock look like a horrible, horrible place. When people hear Little Rock, they group it with Gary, IN or East St. Louis, IL, which is just not the truth.

[TN-rox]

To me, Little Rock is a smaller city, but it has so much crime for such a small city it doesn't really make sense. I go over to visit relatives alot, and downtown is really nice and the city is in a beautiful location- geographically speaking... There is pretty tremendous white flight, as there is in most cities in the area...nothing really new. I find it a much more appealing place than Memphis, or Jackson, MS and many other cities in the region.

[Sam I Am]

To revive an older thread....National Night Out was last night. Police Chief Stuart Thomas of Little Rock quotes crime being down 29% in Little Rock. That's pretty significant. He does mention the jail problem, which is HUGE for Little Rock. Little Rock isn't the crime sinkhole of the universe. Are there problems? Of course, there are everywhere, but this large of a drop is attributable to citizens being involved, crime watches, and a responsive police department. Let's give Little Rock its due - it's a great place to live!

http://www.todaysthv.com/video/default.aspx?aid=71476 (broken link)

[johncronejr]

Little Rock has a very high crime rate even when comparing to big cities like Austin, Minneapolis, etc...

I lived in Little Rock for many years and never had a problem. I believe its a matter of keeping your eyes open and just not being stupid about your surroundings. There has been a few incidences around River Market late at night, but I believe if you will make sure yo stay in a group and don't go meandering around the less well lit areas around the River Market things should be fine.

My wife is from Minneapolis and she says that she notices a more "angry" feel when it comes to racial relations here versus up north.

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by johncronejr

Little Rock has a very high crime rate even when comparing to big cities like Austin, Minneapolis, etc...

I lived in Little Rock for many years and never had a problem. I believe its a matter of keeping your eyes open and just not being stupid about your surroundings. There has been a few incidences around River Market late at night, but I believe if you will make sure yo stay in a group and don't go meandering around the less well lit areas around the River Market things should be fine.

My wife is from Minneapolis and she says that she notices a more "angry" feel when it comes to racial relations here versus up north.

If she thinks it's bad here, go to Baltimore or DC and see how cozy race relations are there. Race relations in Little Rock are pretty darn good compared to many other areas of our country. Frankly, MN can't compare, it doesn't have too many African-Americans compared to the south.

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by johncronejr

Little Rock has a very high crime rate even when comparing to big cities like Austin, Minneapolis, etc...

Not defending LR, but Minneapolis is consistently ranked one of the safest big cities in America.
As for race relations, LR isn't drastically different than other places I've lived in. Which is to say, sadly, it's not all that great. Those problems are everywhere. Race issues do seem to have a different feel from place to place.

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by Sam I Am

Let's give Little Rock its due - it's a great place to live!

todaysthv.com | KTHV | Little Rock, AR - Video (http://www.todaysthv.com/video/default.aspx?aid=71476 - broken link)

I agree. Little Rock deserves more respect than it gets. It has the perception as being a craphole not just throughout the whole USA, but throughout the rest of Arkansas as well. I think a majority of that comes from ignorance. Little Rock is only mentioned in national media when its for something negative. I have no doubt this perception effects growth and whether or not new businesses would be willing to relocate here.