Madison is 2nd place for highest black juvenile arrests (Dane: crime rate, employment)

[madison999]

was home to visit last year. State street is now a ghetto! Heard all the young people that used to fill the east side Johnson street area have all moved to the Atwood area out past the main part of willy st? Is that right?

mid 2000,s was parties everywhere in that first few blocks of Johnson st area off the square...now it seemed like a retirement community?

[madison999]

was home to visit last year. State street is now a ghetto! Heard all the young people that used to fill the east side Johnson/gorham street area have all moved to the Atwood area out past the main part of willy st? Is hat right?

mid 2000,s was parties everywhere in that first few blocks of Johnson st area off the square...now it seemed like a retirement community?

[cheese plate]

^ White flight hysteria right here

[flowers2240]

We're strongly considering moving to the Portage area from Virginia. One of the reasons that we chose Portage is that it's a lovely community and highly regarded by a trusted friend who grew up there. We don't know much else about it. Another thing we considered was the proximity to Madison, which was described to us as highly progressive and accepting of everyone. While we prefer country living over urban living, we like to have progressive amenities close at hand, which is something we do not have here in Virginia today.

I understand that there are always two sides to every story, and the media paints things different ways than they actually happen, but I have to admit that, as a black womyn considering relocation to that area, this story got my attention. I might feel slightly uncomfortable in a city where black people were policed in a more heavy handed way than white people. Is this common in Wisconsin? What are some individual impressions of whether the story is true, or perhaps blown slightly out of proportion? Growing up in Baltimore, I saw my share of racist policing, but it was a long time ago and in our area we don't feel out of place at all. I would hate to leave our current home to find out that Madison was really not the progressive city we were told it is.

[43north87west]

I agree that the media slants all sorts of things. I assume that somewhere in the middle, the answer lies. The "girl picnicking in the park" thing was a bit much. They might as well have said she was carrying a wicker basket and was dressed like little bo peep

The thing about Madison is that some people talk it up like it's more liberal than Berkeley, but it's really not. I'm not saying it's not progressive or accepting, but as you said, there are two sides to every story, and often Madison is billed as some sort of social utopia.

[AminWi]

Originally Posted by madison999

was home to visit last year. State street is now a ghetto! Heard all the young people that used to fill the east side Johnson/gorham street area have all moved to the Atwood area out past the main part of willy st? Is hat right?

mid 2000,s was parties everywhere in that first few blocks of Johnson st area off the square...now it seemed like a retirement community?

I don't think this is accurate at all. State Street has changed a lot in the past 10 years, but to call it "ghetto" is... I'm not even sure what to say other than that it is inaccurate. The mix of people who live downtown and near campus has definitely changed. There has been a ton of condo development downtown, which has brought tons of (relatively wealthy) baby boomers to the area. I think that may be where your retirement community comment came from? There has also been a lot of luxury private dorm/student apartment development along the streets that bisect State Street. The students are still there, but I'm guessing that when you're paying the types of rents they are paying for apartments with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, you aren't as inclined to throw a kegger at your place. There were problems some time back with homeless folks and drug users hanging out in Lisa Link park. The city redeveloped the park, and it is nice now. The problem has moved on to Philosopher's Grove, and that area is under redevelopment now.

The young folks you're referring to over in the Atwood and Willy Street area (and really, it is more Willy Street and East Wash) are, as I understand it, mostly young Epic employees who prefer to live in the city rather than out in Verona. I don't doubt that students have to look further from campus for affordable housing now than they used to, because much of the cheap housing downtown and near campus has been razed and it isn't unusual to hear of people paying over $1000 for a studio, but I haven't noticed a huge influx of students in the Atwood area at all.

[zoomkay]

Originally Posted by flowers2240

We're strongly considering moving to the Portage area from Virginia. One of the reasons that we chose Portage is that it's a lovely community and highly regarded by a trusted friend who grew up there. We don't know much else about it. Another thing we considered was the proximity to Madison, which was described to us as highly progressive and accepting of everyone. While we prefer country living over urban living, we like to have progressive amenities close at hand, which is something we do not have here in Virginia today.

I understand that there are always two sides to every story, and the media paints things different ways than they actually happen, but I have to admit that, as a black womyn considering relocation to that area, this story got my attention. I might feel slightly uncomfortable in a city where black people were policed in a more heavy handed way than white people. Is this common in Wisconsin? What are some individual impressions of whether the story is true, or perhaps blown slightly out of proportion? Growing up in Baltimore, I saw my share of racist policing, but it was a long time ago and in our area we don't feel out of place at all. I would hate to leave our current home to find out that Madison was really not the progressive city we were told it is.

Flowers...just make you research Wisconsin and visit a couple of times before you commit. Wisconsin is not a bad state. It's going through a lot of changes and experiencing a lot of growing pains. It's not the same as it was when I was child, teen or young adult.

[madison999]

Originally Posted by AminWi

I don't think this is accurate at all. State Street has changed a lot in the past 10 years, but to call it "ghetto" is... I'm not even sure what to say other than that it is inaccurate. The mix of people who live downtown and near campus has definitely changed. There has been a ton of condo development downtown, which has brought tons of (relatively wealthy) baby boomers to the area. I think that may be where your retirement community comment came from? There has also been a lot of luxury private dorm/student apartment development along the streets that bisect State Street. The students are still there, but I'm guessing that when you're paying the types of rents they are paying for apartments with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, you aren't as inclined to throw a kegger at your place. There were problems some time back with homeless folks and drug users hanging out in Lisa Link park. The city redeveloped the park, and it is nice now. The problem has moved on to Philosopher's Grove, and that area is under redevelopment now.

The young folks you're referring to over in the Atwood and Willy Street area (and really, it is more Willy Street and East Wash) are, as I understand it, mostly young Epic employees who prefer to live in the city rather than out in Verona. I don't doubt that students have to look further from campus for affordable housing now than they used to, because much of the cheap housing downtown and near campus has been razed and it isn't unusual to hear of people paying over $1000 for a studio, but I haven't noticed a huge influx of students in the Atwood area at all.

I'm talking just from my experience, which is the last 20 years. If you could have seen it then...20 years ago...15 years ago...10 years ago...it is now a ghetto compared to those times. just my opinion, but everyone I know in my age group (30's to early 40's) agrees...it's now a ghetto compared to it's former self. Not trying to be argumentative, wonder what others say about the last 20 years of S/S area?

[Sneakerfreak]

Wait.....there's black people in Wisconsin that live outside of Milwaukee? Shocking

[AminWi]

Originally Posted by madison999

I'm talking just from my experience, which is the last 20 years. If you could have seen it then...20 years ago...15 years ago...10 years ago...it is now a ghetto compared to those times. just my opinion, but everyone I know in my age group (30's to early 40's) agrees...it's now a ghetto compared to it's former self. Not trying to be argumentative, wonder what others say about the last 20 years of S/S area?

I've lived here for 18 years. You can do the math on how old about that makes me. Is that close enough to 20 years for you?