Why does Brooklyn Park have such a bad rap? (Minneapolis: lofts, crime)

[IloveOC]

Brooklyn Park does get a bad rep from the lower rent area's and they have been here for years - just keep getting worse. I know some apartments on Zane Ave that are older but for years had beautiful landscaping and very nice tenents. Over the last 15 years they have become a place where I would hope to never have to live. But there are still alot of nice area's in Brooklyn Park. Some of us are now minorities when we go to our local Cub or Walmart - and I know some who will drive to Maple Grove rather than shop at the closer stores. I was shocked when I went to the library and saw that they have security there now. I don't know if that is standard since I have not gone to any other librairies for quite awhile. There are more shootings now - but that too happens everywhere it seems.

I told Bill Schrieber many years ago that they shouldn't let Circus Circus into the Village North Mall and the kids loitering would be a problem.(ha ha) But it did become a problem - the mall became a ghost town and now is gone. And personally, I don't see that tearing down those apts has done much to clean up that area. It is just more expensive townhouses sitting there now.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by IloveOC

Brooklyn Park does get a bad rep from the lower rent area's and they have been here for years - just keep getting worse. I know some apartments on Zane Ave that are older but for years had beautiful landscaping and very nice tenents. Over the last 15 years they have become a place where I would hope to never have to live. But there are still alot of nice area's in Brooklyn Park. Some of us are now minorities when we go to our local Cub or Walmart - and I know some who will drive to Maple Grove rather than shop at the closer stores. I was shocked when I went to the library and saw that they have security there now. I don't know if that is standard since I have not gone to any other librairies for quite awhile. There are more shootings now - but that too happens everywhere it seems.

I told Bill Schrieber many years ago that they shouldn't let Circus Circus into the Village North Mall and the kids loitering would be a problem.(ha ha) But it did become a problem - the mall became a ghost town and now is gone. And personally, I don't see that tearing down those apts has done much to clean up that area. It is just more expensive townhouses sitting there now.

Security in the library? That is just weird.

[pigsinspace]

Brooklyn Park is pretty ghetto for Minnesota, but in some other states it isn't very bad at all. Some Minnesota citys like Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Richfield, New Hope, Coon Rapids, Fridely, and Columbia Heights, get a bad rap sheet because they are all with in 10 miles from Minneapolis, or St. Paul, and have more lower income citizens, not because there are more Blacks, Asians, or Hispanic people, and less White people. Race has little to do with the crime rate in these citys.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by pigsinspace

Brooklyn Park is pretty ghetto for Minnesota, but in some other states it isn't very bad at all. Some Minnesota citys like Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Richfield, New Hope, Coon Rapids, Fridely, and Columbia Heights, get a bad rap sheet because they are all with in 10 miles from Minneapolis, or St. Paul, and have more lower income citizens, not because there are more Blacks, Asians, or Hispanic people, and less White people. Race has little to do with the crime rate in these citys.

I am a bit cynical about things nowadays. I guess it has to do with experience and a few bad times, but I think about Minneapolis and St. Paul and I am aware that like any big city, they have issues. With that said, I don't think of Minneapolis or St. Paul as violent places to live. Actually, I am the type who needs to be in the city rather than the outer suburbs.

[Slig]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I am a bit cynical about things nowadays. I guess it has to do with experience and a few bad times, but I think about Minneapolis and St. Paul and I am aware that like any big city, they have issues. With that said, I don't think of Minneapolis or St. Paul as violent places to live. Actually, I am the type who needs to be in the city rather than the outer suburbs.

I thought you were moving to Minneapolis, what happened with that? You still planning on moving up here or have you decided to settle in Georgia?

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by Slig

I thought you were moving to Minneapolis, what happened with that? You still planning on moving up here or have you decided to settle in Georgia?

To be honest, I am stuck in Georgia. I am still in school. The reason I haven't left is because of many unfortunate events(Illness, depression,grades,other stuff). I still have to finish school and if I transfer credits, I will be even further behind than I already am. I should have graduated college in July 2008. I don't even think I will graduate by May 2010. I have plans to leave Georgia. Among my top list of places in the USA to move to:Minneapolis, Seattle, St. Paul,Denver, Tacoma. Right now I am just trying to wait things out. If I get my chance to move to Minneapolis, I have family up there to help me.

[Slig]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

To be honest, I am stuck in Georgia. I am still in school. The reason I haven't left is because of many unfortunate events(Illness, depression,grades,other stuff). I still have to finish school and if I transfer credits, I will be even further behind than I already am. I should have graduated college in July 2008. I don't even think I will graduate by May 2010. I have plans to leave Georgia. Among my top list of places in the USA to move to:Minneapolis, Seattle, St. Paul,Denver, Tacoma. Right now I am just trying to wait things out. If I get my chance to move to Minneapolis, I have family up there to help me.

I definitely feel you on the academic pains....I hope to graduate from grad school by 2013 if I play my cards right

Anyways, good luck with that.

[LakesNTaxes]

Good Question! I am from the Southern St. Paul suburbs and it has always been "group think" to assume the Northern Minne suburbs are crime ridden.

BP in particular, because it is seen as an extension of North Minne, and North has always had high crime, until recently, thankfully.

[Elialia]

i currently live in BP. here. in the area i am in. about 1 out of 10 homes are empty. also many were built without a buyer to make a complex.
i can hear the cops quite often as they race to another crime spot. also the complex here was at least also the site of a police assisted suicide some years back. while i'm in my home. also for a supposed quiet neighborhoods. some folks here have to for some reason. have to have their radios set up to high. loud enough to rattle the place here as they either drive thru or sit in the parking spots.
in some ways it is worse. but it is better than a set of apartments i lived in over in Robbinsdale. the ones that are behind that one clinic that gets protested by the prolife groups. that set of apartments. i was. it was a unusual night if the cops hadnt been called at least once to the place.
i had it better in Coon Rapids, Mn. where i grew up in.
i want to move out of my place. i would rather live in a small town than here. too crowded. and for a city that praises a veggie. it sure has placed a ban on hobby farms.

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by LakesNTaxes

Good Question! I am from the Southern St. Paul suburbs and it has always been "group think" to assume the Northern Minne suburbs are crime ridden.

BP in particular, because it is seen as an extension of North Minne, and North has always had high crime, until recently, thankfully.

Welcome to the forum LakesNTaxes- I was curious to ask a follow-up question to your post: (1) do people assume the same about Southern St. Paul suburbs because they border west side or E. St. Paul? I find it curious that residents of your area consider themselves knowledgable on the exact opposite/ farthest-away areas of the Metro as that in which they live.

And just a quick point of clarification- BP actually in no way borders any part of Minneapolis, not that it would matter if it did as there are areas on the border of Minneapolis (my neighborhood, some neighborhoods in Robbinsdale, etc.) that are actually a lot nicer than many neighborhoods in BP (or many other surrounding suburbs).