Victory Neighborhood (Minneapolis, Plymouth, Eagan: condo, house, neighborhoods)

[Chewie]

Just a quick follow up to the comments about Victory Neighborhood - Victory is a GREAT neighborhood - and it's also the most expensive in the Camden areas.

The other posts mention some of the other neighborhoods - like Webber Camden - and the thing to keep in mind is there are some "patches" that are a little more challenged, but there is also DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE money offered in these other neighborhoods and the homes are a little less expensive - areas like Folwell, McKinley, Webber Camden - they are offering $4,000 down payment assistance for owner occupants and you don't have to be a first time buyer.

And yes - they have been hit hard by foreclosures, but the Minneapolis Advantage program is helping solve that problem by offering $10,000 down payment assistance in these neighborhoods - so you can get up to $14,000 in forgiveable down payment funds for the purchase of a house in these neighborhoods (there must be a house in foreclosure on the block and you must owner occupy, but you don't have to be a first time buyer, and there are no income limits - but other restrictions may apply). Also, I think the Cleveland neighborhood, just south of Victory, is part of the $10,000 Minneapolis Advantage program and it is also a great neighborhood.

So there are great housing options throughout North Minneapolis - you just have to understand how to live in a City and that crime happens everywhere. I just put another post out about how to read crime maps and what Shot Spotter maps actually mean.

So yes - Victory is a GREAT neighborhood - no question - but overall - check out some of the other neighborhoods too. There are great options throughout Camden and there is a house in every price range. The more people we get to move in, the better

[Camden Northsider]

Review of Sauced (formerly Rix), a 'rustic' French restaurant now open in Victory - this is the second glowing review of Sauced that I've read, embarassingly I've yet to get there since their full conversion from Rix (I had a burger with a french appetizer that didn't mix too well), but I have been looking forward to re-patronizing.

A bright spot in the north - I was so surprised and excited to see positive coverage of a north minneaplis neighborhood in the strib that I couldn't refrain from posting it here, I of course especially liked the first and last paragraphs of the article below:

The Victory neighborhood in Minneapolis now has a charmer of a restaurant to call its own.
By RICK NELSON, Star Tribune
Last update: July 5, 2008 - 10:25 AM

I've always had a soft spot for Minneapolis' Victory neighborhood. My mother grew up in that far northwest corner of the city, and during Decembers when I was a kid, my folks would pile their four offspring into my dad's Vauxhall (or whatever crazy car he was driving at the time) and we would slowly motor up and down Victory Memorial Drive, oohing and aahing over the elaborate, pre-energy-crisis Christmas light displays.
To a 10-year-old growing up in a 1,000-square-foot rambler, those houses appeared to be mansions. My overheated imagination would always get swept up by the Drive's imperial grandeur as I'd try to tally the elms -- each a commemoration of one of the 528 Hennepin County servicemen killed in World War I -- until I'd lose track as they raced past the car window. Later I would daydream about living on such a grand thoroughfare.
Fast-forward several decades: I'm still awed by the Drive, and the neighborhood remains a well-tended enclave. So why is the area, with a few exceptions, a dining desert? Virtually every other section of the city is enjoying an indie restaurant boom -- I can rattle off a dozen newbies from Armatage to Audubon Park faster than the governor can dare to whisper "Vice President Pawlenty" into the mirror. An exception is the relatively quiet quadrant north of Olson Highway.

(Last Paragraph):
One night last week, after a pleasant evening on the restaurant's flower- and herb-trimmed patio, we climbed in the car and made our way home via the Drive, just like I used to all those years ago. Our guests, both Twin Cities natives, had never seen it. "I had no idea this was here," one of them said, more than slightly awed. Now you know. Hopefully a few more restaurateurs will follow suit.

[MNNative]

Originally Posted by Camden Northsider

Review of Sauced (formerly Rix), a 'rustic' French restaurant now open in Victory - this is the second glowing review of Sauced that I've read, embarassingly I've yet to get there since their full conversion from Rix (I had a burger with a french appetizer that didn't mix too well), but I have been looking forward to re-patronizing.

A bright spot in the north - I was so surprised and excited to see positive coverage of a north minneaplis neighborhood in the strib that I couldn't refrain from posting it here, I of course especially liked the first and last paragraphs of the article below:

The Victory neighborhood in Minneapolis now has a charmer of a restaurant to call its own.
By RICK NELSON, Star Tribune
Last update: July 5, 2008 - 10:25 AM

I've always had a soft spot for Minneapolis' Victory neighborhood. My mother grew up in that far northwest corner of the city, and during Decembers when I was a kid, my folks would pile their four offspring into my dad's Vauxhall (or whatever crazy car he was driving at the time) and we would slowly motor up and down Victory Memorial Drive, oohing and aahing over the elaborate, pre-energy-crisis Christmas light displays.
To a 10-year-old growing up in a 1,000-square-foot rambler, those houses appeared to be mansions. My overheated imagination would always get swept up by the Drive's imperial grandeur as I'd try to tally the elms -- each a commemoration of one of the 528 Hennepin County servicemen killed in World War I -- until I'd lose track as they raced past the car window. Later I would daydream about living on such a grand thoroughfare.
Fast-forward several decades: I'm still awed by the Drive, and the neighborhood remains a well-tended enclave. So why is the area, with a few exceptions, a dining desert? Virtually every other section of the city is enjoying an indie restaurant boom -- I can rattle off a dozen newbies from Armatage to Audubon Park faster than the governor can dare to whisper "Vice President Pawlenty" into the mirror. An exception is the relatively quiet quadrant north of Olson Highway.

(Last Paragraph):
One night last week, after a pleasant evening on the restaurant's flower- and herb-trimmed patio, we climbed in the car and made our way home via the Drive, just like I used to all those years ago. Our guests, both Twin Cities natives, had never seen it. "I had no idea this was here," one of them said, more than slightly awed. Now you know. Hopefully a few more restaurateurs will follow suit.

We can't wait to try Sauced, too. It's going to be our first "new neighborhood" food stop. (Even if we don't technically reside in Victory I anticipate spending quite a bit of time there. lol Victory Posers.)

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by MNNative

We can't wait to try Sauced, too. It's going to be our first "new neighborhood" food stop. (Even if we don't technically reside in Victory I anticipate spending quite a bit of time there. lol Victory Posers.)

Hey but you're new neighborhood had a positive write-up in MSP mag this month on their 2008 newcomer's guide- this somewhat pacified my initial disappointment that none of the camden neighborhoods had any mention in their "great neighborhoods" article-

[MNNative]

Originally Posted by Camden Northsider

Hey but you're new neighborhood had a positive write-up in MSP mag this month on their 2008 newcomer's guide- this somewhat pacified my initial disappointment that none of the camden neighborhoods had any mention in their "great neighborhoods" article-

If I remember correctly it was Lind-Bohanon that got the Newcomers write-up...we're heading to Shingle Creek.

[nick is rulz]

lemme know how it is there. A co-worker of mine bought a foreclosure on the Brooklyn Center side of the Shingle Creek area and he really likes it.

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by MNNative

If I remember correctly it was Lind-Bohanon that got the Newcomers write-up...we're heading to Shingle Creek.

That's right - my apologies, I always view shingle creek and lind-bohanon as very similar neighborhoods (I actually am not even sure what the dividing line is). Now that you've got the appliances, when are you set to move in?

[Sarah Maske]

MNNative, congrats, how exciting!! Shingle Creek is a great area to live in. I just sold a nice house there to a first time homebuyer and they are lovin' it! I'm a "Victory Poser" too. Oh, how I wish I was buying a house right now!

Went to Sauced too. It was OK - I guess I may have had my expectations a little high. My husband and I enjoyed the Tuna Melt. The Veggie Sandwich was only OK. It's a great patio if you want to sit outside. I would love to see some cool stuff happen there across the street too! Great storefront possibilities! Enjoy your new house!

[MNNative]

Camden--Our closing date is July 25. Seems like it's been forever since we put our offer on the home, so we're definitely eager for the next 2 weeks to go quickly (but there is lots to be done prior to closing, so all in due time I guess).

Sarah--From the what seems like millions of times we've been there in the past couple months we think the neighborhood will be fitting. And the house is really perfect for what we need right now. We're excited.

Bummer about Sauced. We are still eager to head over there so we'll cross our fingers. We are both pretty unfamiliar with Mpls --my husband has done some work in several parts and he's a walking atlas whereas I will be studying the map for a while...but we still don't know much about what that area has to offer. So this'll be a fairly ambitious move for us. We are super excited though!!!

QUESTION:
I think, if I remember correctly, I once came across a map of the 50th and France area with #'s for each shop and a key of what stores they represented. Are there any maps for areas similar to that style?

Last night we ate at Green Mill with some friends...off 26th and Hennepin I think. Anyhow between driving from our house in N Mpls to our friend's in the Kenny neighborhood and up to the Green Mill, we passed through quite a few shopping areas (didn't take the highways). Anyway, I couldn't help but wonder a)where we were (Thank goodness Mpls has "welcome to ___neighborhood signs) and b)what all the shops were.

Back to my question; I'd love if there was some kind of map of areas. Know of any?

[MNNative]

http://www.spokesman-recorder.com/ne...4&ItemSource=L

I guess I'm still not 100% understanding what "gentrification" is.

People I knew from Richfield had no choice but to accept offers in exchange for demolition of their homes due to the airport expansion or other developments (Super Target/Home Depot)...is this much different? Schools close due to poor enrollment or for failing scores all the time, don't they? I don't mean to be insensitive at all. Any thoughts?