living at S Highland St, Central Ave, Poplar Ave (Memphis: apartment, for rent)

[MemphisVisitor]

I am planning to take apartment near to S Highland St, Central Ave and Poplar Ave area (University of Memphis).

Please suggest me about that area and crime. I am a student.

[Pearlbob]

Tons of students live there. Going west on Central is Chickasaw Gardens, once the most upscale areas of Memphis. I assume you mean an apt in a house, which is mostly what that area is. UM is right there, basically at the corner of Central and Highland. There's nothing wrong with the area...other than it has a ton of students living in it

But you go south, cross the railroad tracks...and watch out. Rough.

Oh, I guess that is one thing...about 4 blocks south of Central/Highland is a BUSY railroad track that crosses Highland and holds up traffic probably once an hour, all day. So traffic can be a headache right there, and they legally have to blow their horns nonstop approaching and crossing...and those horns are loud loud loud. But, tons of people live there, so maybe you get used to it. I can hear them from my house (the track crosses through all of Memphis) and I live much further away from them.

[SMitch]

I love that area, i dont live there but i'm always down there. It's a good place for students, it's close to everything. It's a really loud place on the weekends though. Lots of parties and drunk ppl in the neighborhood between Highland and U of M. But it's not bad really. Everything quiets down at 1 am because the cops come around. It's generally a safe area but remember that there's some shady areas nearby.

[gotigersgo10]

As everyone will tell you...East of Highland, North of Getwell and you will be fine. Too close to either one could get bad. Look for a house right in the middle. I live right in the middle and there are a good amount for rent right now.

[kcnative]

I lived there quite a bit throughout my 20's (I'm 34 now) and it's a great area for a student...LOTS of students live around there. One thing about Memphis though...if you live in the city, you will live near a bad neighborhood. period.

I lived off of Spottswood just S. of campus and my house got shot up by some dealers chasing some homeless dude through my yard. Scary stuff. I bought my first gun right after that.

Then there was the time my Cherokee got stolen while parked just off campus. That was fun.

Just watch yourself and you should be fine though. Stay on or East of Highland and North of Park (unless you're going down Poplar). Orange Mound isn't a place you really wanna go. Unless you're going to a UofM football game...heh

Oh, and there's a killer chinese food/sub shop (weird combo, I know) on Highland just next to "Whatever" (head shop). GREAT subs, and good chinese buffet. The owner is kind of like the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld though. He'll get mad if you don't understand him or what he's asking you.

Newby's is the place/bar to be. Become a regular. Fun times to be had by all. R.P Tracks is another good one. It's just behind the Tiger Bookstore, on the other side of the tracks.

[kcnative]

Originally Posted by SMitch

It's a really loud place on the weekends though. Lots of parties and drunk ppl in the neighborhood between Highland and U of M.

There are a bunch of fraternity houses around that area. Just south of campus there are a pretty good lot of houses and it isn't loud at all.

[Pearlbob]

South of campus is where it gets scary though.

There is a train track that cuts through campus. To the south of the train track it gets bad. I would avoid that area. I have known many people to live there, and they all say they wouldn't do it again and they were not comfortable walking after dark. However, on the north side, closer to Poplar, there are very nice homes, esp going down Central towards the Chickasaw area.

There's a lot of crime near the campus for a variety of reasons. Not solely because it's near a bad neighborhood; criminals know there will be dumb kids with cars full of books and CD's and junk who park their cars on campus for night classes, thus the break-ins. Plus, college kids are generally less knowledgable, making it easier to rob them and their apts. They own electronics, computers, etc. Family homes tend to have alarms, dogs, people home every night, etc.

Just saying, the area isn't horrible, but the fact that it's a college area makes it a target for crime. Theoretically speaking, I would live around there.

[kcnative]

South of the tracks, yet north of Park is fine...at least it was 5-7 years ago.

[strumpeace]

The Messick-Buntyn neighborhood (north of Park, west of Highland) is in serious decline. That neighborhood is in real trouble for a whole slew of reasons, and if it is not contained in the next couple of years, it will spread into East Buntyn and Normal Station.

Joffre is still is very good shape, though. As is most of Normal for now.

[kcnative]

That's too bad. I lived in Normal Station my last 2 years in Memphis and really liked the neighborhood...though I thought the houses were overpriced.

I hope those areas stay/get clean. Memphis needs quality lower-priced neighborhoods that don't have crack addicts running running the streets.