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I think the most objective definition of prestigious would be purely market driven on the basis of price per s.f. and price per acre. Prestigious areas will have more demand than supply and will increase in value more rapidly.
Using this methodology, one would assume that prestige will "migrate" around the area as areas fall out of fashion and others emerge. However, some areas have longer histories of staying fashionable than other areas....these are the areas that retain a certain mystique about them. In Raleigh, these areas are typically in the NW quadrant of "inside the Beltline". Prestigious areas will also likely be on the front lines of the politically charged land use issues as owner supersize their homes, sometimes to the horror of their neighbors.
IMO, there are areas in Raleigh whose prestige is emerging: These areas include "Midtown" neighborhoods of North Hills, Brookhaven and Quail Hollow. As the city continues to grow, I think you'll see increased interest in all neighborhoods in N. Raleigh between 540 and 440. North Ridge, while it has always had a certain prestige, will probably grow stonger as an "old school" country club neighborhood as suburban neighborhoods push further out.
As downtown expands, so will the credentials of adjacent neighborhoods of Mordecai, Oakwood, Boylan Heights, etc. In particular, I have watched Boylan Heights tranform from a neighborhood, where many were scared to walk in the daytime 3 decades ago, into one where homeowners choose to pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into their grand old homes.
I think the most objective definition of prestigious would be purely market driven on the basis of price per s.f. and price per acre. Prestigious areas will have more demand than supply and will increase in value more rapidly.
Using this methodology, one would assume that prestige will "migrate" around the area as areas fall out of fashion and others emerge. However, some areas have longer histories of staying fashionable than other areas....these are the areas that retain a certain mystique about them. In Raleigh, these areas are typically in the NW quadrant of "inside the Beltline". Prestigious areas will also likely be on the front lines of the politically charged land use issues as owner supersize their homes, sometimes to the horror of their neighbors.
IMO, there are areas in Raleigh whose prestige is emerging: These areas include "Midtown" neighborhoods of North Hills, Brookhaven and Quail Hollow. As the city continues to grow, I think you'll see increased interest in all neighborhoods in N. Raleigh between 540 and 440. North Ridge, while it has always had a certain prestige, will probably grow stonger as an "old school" country club neighborhood as suburban neighborhoods push further out.
As downtown expands, so will the credentials of adjacent neighborhoods of Mordecai, Oakwood, Boylan Heights, etc. In particular, I have watched Boylan Heights tranform from a neighborhood, where many were scared to walk in the daytime 3 decades ago, into one where homeowners choose to pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into their grand old homes.
Oakwood is probably the very first downtown neighbhorhood that purposefully pursued preserving and nuturing its image and history. It's been quite successful at too.
What's unique about Oakwood is the varying sizes of the homes and obvious Victorian flavor. While many of the homes in Oakwood are small and modest, it also has some of the most "special" historic homes in the city. Given that it's on the East side of downtown, I think Oakwood will particularly benefit from the all the activity occuring in downtown proper. When downtown was a total yawner, it acted like a fence between the East and West sides of town. Now downtown bridging the thriving east and west sides and unifying the region.
For those who are not familiar with Raleigh, the west side of downtown has always had much more ecomomic and social vitality with the presence of NC State, Cameron Village, Hayes Barton, etc. While the immediate east side of it is literally just several blocks across downtown from the west side, the government nature of the north side of downtown (Capital District) had typically bisected the city with evenings that are a ghost town. The Blount St. redevelopment along with the developing Seaboard Station area will help bridge Oakwood to Glenwood South. Now, I'd like to see someone take on the few blocks between Capital Blvd and West St.
I couldn't believe people using the word "Yankee" I still find it shocking.
I do hope you're aware that most of the time, "Yankee" is NOT derogatory; it's simply a way to describe someone, shorter than "someone who moved here from the North". Don't New Englanders PROUDLY call themselves "Yankees"? Surely there was a word wherever you came from to describe Southern people?
(It CAN be derogatory, if said with a certain..."tone"...but the word itself is just a useful descriptor, like "Tar Heel" describes someone from here.)
Example of the "non-derogatory" use: "Everybody on our street are Yankees except us". Simple description.
Example of the "derogatory" use: "Why do those Yankees all have to talk so loudly on their cell phones everywhere?"
There is nothing wrong with ITB families that are four generations deep and are proud to send there kids to the same school that their grandfather went to. Some of you act as if old Raleigh folks should apologize for having deep roots in town. Like it or not, there are still six or seven fine old southern families that truly run this town. Their last names are the Popes, Williams, Yorks, Poe's, Daniels, Broughton's, Wooten's, Poole's, Eure's and the Winston's. These families have been leaders for the past 150 years or so and will continue their family traditions for the generations to come. Some people sound bitter when describing real Raleigh folks. Sure us natives tend to stick together and live in our grandaddy's Raleigh. Our Raleigh is not the same Raleigh that transplants have come to love. The culture in town is vastly different than the Cary or North Raleigh lifestyle. Every single person or family we know is either from Raleigh or from North Carolina. In a sea of change, most native folks stick to our roots. Not to be mean, but anyone that has a problem with real Raleigh people need to get over it.
I don't see any negativity towards Old Raleigh...but I have to say that I find the history in your email interesting. I would like to know about these families and more of the history of "old Raleigh". I find the history of the area facinating...so different from where I came from...I like to learn about it.
I
(It CAN be derogatory, if said with a certain..."tone"...but the word itself is just a useful descriptor, like "Tar Heel" describes someone from here.)
Actually, I usually use "Tar Heels" in a derogatory sense.
I do hope you're aware that most of the time, "Yankee" is NOT derogatory; it's simply a way to describe someone, shorter than "someone who moved here from the North". Don't New Englanders PROUDLY call themselves "Yankees"? Surely there was a word wherever you came from to describe Southern people?
(It CAN be derogatory, if said with a certain..."tone"...but the word itself is just a useful descriptor, like "Tar Heel" describes someone from here.)
Example of the "non-derogatory" use: "Everybody on our street are Yankees except us". Simple description.
Example of the "derogatory" use: "Why do those Yankees all have to talk so loudly on their cell phones everywhere?"
(Sorry, didn't mean to veer off-topic).
I always thought the derogatory term was "Damn Yankee"....A friend of mine who was a born and bread NC'er (from Granville County) once told me..
"You know what the difference between a yankee and a damn yakee is?...A yankee goes home, and a damn yankee stays here". lol
I would say the areas around Carolina Country Club inside the beltline are the most prestigious. Hope Valley back in the day was a very prestigious neighborhood, and still is to a certain extent, but I know a lot of the children from old Durham families have migrated to inside the beltline.
I think the North Ridge area is going to get better and better as the area grows - I am still mystified by the areas north of I-540.
Yes, the area North of 540 which is mostly unincorperated Wake Co. with a Raleigh address, has some HUGE homes. 3-$4 million, 10k+ square feet. A lot of the showcase homes for the Parade of homes are in that area.
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