the "new" east washington? (Milwaukee, Madison: condos, houses, safe area)

[astrochick]

I'm moving to the East Side in December and have heard some conflicting comments re: the East Washington Ave. area, particularly near East High School. To me, it looks better since the construction finished, and it seems like a long-forgotten area that's now up and coming (new craft-beer bar at Milwaukee/Winnebago, improved bike paths, etc.). However, other people have suggested it's a not-so-safe area.

Any comments or experiences?

[jbear182]

Originally Posted by astrochick

I'm moving to the East Side in December and have heard some conflicting comments re: the East Washington Ave. area, particularly near East High School. To me, it looks better since the construction finished, and it seems like a long-forgotten area that's now up and coming (new craft-beer bar at Milwaukee/Winnebago, improved bike paths, etc.). However, other people have suggested it's a not-so-safe area.

Any comments or experiences?

That area is fine.

[MidwesternBookWorm]

Any time you live near a high school (or near a college campus, for that matter), you're going to have occasional issues with young people who think with their gonads instead of with their brains, but most of that doesn't rise above the level of nuisance. That area is a nice one, and if we had been in the market for a bigger house when we were house-hunting the last time, we'd have bought one we looked at there.

[JoshB]

That area does seem to be going under alot of revitalization, there was supposed to be a huge condo development at the intersection of North St. and East Washington but I believe due to bankruptcy it is now put off. They demolished a ton of houses in order to develop this area and it is now vacant. I would say stay away from the south side of town. As MBW said anywhere near a school or college you'll get some hot heads who like to stir the kettle. Overall Madison seems pretty safe.

[jbear182]

Originally Posted by JoshB

That area does seem to be going under alot of revitalization, there was supposed to be a huge condo development at the intersection of North St. and East Washington but I believe due to bankruptcy it is now put off. They demolished a ton of houses in order to develop this area and it is now vacant. I would say stay away from the south side of town. As MBW said anywhere near a school or college you'll get some hot heads who like to stir the kettle. Overall Madison seems pretty safe.

No houses were demolished for this condo project. The site was the former home to Rayovac - an old, vacant battery manufacturer and a grocery store - an old, vacant, worthless building. This area is also quite a bit further east than East H.S.

[JoshB]

Originally Posted by jbear182

No houses were demolished for this condo project. The site was the former home to Rayovac - an old, vacant battery manufacturer and a grocery store - an old, vacant, worthless building. This area is also quite a bit further east than East H.S.

This is less that half a mile away. Near the Red Letter News store? That's the only possible business I can think of in the area. I'm pretty sure there were houses there.

[jbear182]

Originally Posted by JoshB

This is less that half a mile away. Near the Red Letter News store? That's the only possible business I can think of in the area. I'm pretty sure there were houses there.

Yes, they might be only a half mile away from each other but they are a world away in terms of neighborhoods. I'm pretty sure your clueless about the houses. Rayovac and the Copps grochery store had been there 75+ years.

[why_so_much_racism]

i dont find anythign wrong with the area. i used to walk all along east wash from the capital out to milwaukee street after dark alone. i think its safe

[JoshB]

Originally Posted by jbear182

Yes, they might be only a half mile away from each other but they are a world away in terms of neighborhoods. I'm pretty sure your clueless about the houses. Rayovac and the Copps grochery store had been there 75+ years.

I swear there was a thread a while back where Drover was saying they tore down all these houses for the condo's. Your probably right though, They even tore down the Clark Gas station on the corner. I think that was for East Wash expansion?

[MidwesternBookWorm]

Originally Posted by JoshB

I swear there was a thread a while back where Drover was saying they tore down all these houses for the condo's. Your probably right though, They even tore down the Clark Gas station on the corner. I think that was for East Wash expansion?

There were a few houses that were removed for that project, along with a lot of commercial buildings, some of which (the old grocery store and the Ray-o-vac plant) were vacant. The building that used to house Bev's Diner is gone, as is the little union hall and several others that were in various states of disrepair and functions.

The last I heard about the project, the developer had decided not to go forward with the condos due to the deflating housing bubble, but was still hoping to build the retail and commercial portions. Since nothing has happened on the lot all summer, I suspect even that may have been put on hold as well.

I also heard that there was some difficulty with the billboard that is still on the property; the city of Madison has an ordinance that no new billboards can be erected in the city, and the owner of the billboard wants a quarter-million as compensation for losing that one. The developer doesn't want to pay that much, so they're both trying to convince the city to let the billboard owner put up one billboard somewhere else as compensation for losing the one on the development property. Knowing Madison's city council, that probably won't go anywhere, but it'll get talked to death for a couple of years before they finally reach a decision.