Hope for Fayetteville? (Raleigh, Sanford, Pinehurst: apartments, power lines, crime)

[smkalmer]

First I apologize to anyone who might be offended by the Title. I was just wanting to hear anyone's opinion on this matter. I have a really good job opportunity in Fayetteville. But I am really hesitant to take the job because I am not sure about living in Fayetteville. Unfortunately there has been very little thought into city planning here. For such beautiful surroundings, the city of Fayetteville doesn't have much to offer in the area of asthetics. It looks as if every tree was bulldozed over and a huge sprawl of ugly strip malls, power lines, and fast food chains were just thrown in. Not to mention, that the city certainly lacks in sophistication -- as far as shops, restaurants, arts and culture. This wouldn't be such an issues except for the fact that this is a fairly good size community-- with a range of folks living here, not just the military. There is some effort here in downtown revitalization, but it is still a little overshawdowed.

My question is this... does anyone see any hope for Fayetteville changing into a more vibrant community? If I had a choice of towns/cities to live that have more to offer, why choose this one?

[littlebit79]

I lived in Fayetteville for 12 years and just recently moved to the Raleigh area in March.I wouldn't move back for anything!! Crime has gotten really bad there, traffic is horrible, and there's very little to do. They are building houses, apartments, and restaurants everywhere but I don't think there are any plans to beautify the area. I wouldnt recommend it unless you commute from another area.

[Wisertime]

Pinehurst is an option. If you like golf. If not, hmmm, dunno what to tell ya.

[rpmgirl]

I too would suggest Pinehurst. It is not a bad commute and it is a beautuful town to live in. I lived in Fayetteville for two years 13 years ago and it was bad then....We moved away and when we had to come back, we moved to Pinehurst. You couldn't pay me all the money in the world to live there.

[DPK]

I lived in Fayettnam for 18 years or so and then left for college. I'm now 25 and have no intention of ever wanting to move back there.

It's just so drab and well, after living in other cities like Raleigh, I just can't go back to a place where the local government doesn't seem to give a crap about anything other than annexing more and more and more.

[gibbie99]

I wont pretend to put myself in your shoes, but for me, if it was a great career opportunity I wouldn't be hesitant as to where I end up. I lived in a pretty bad area of Houston for 10 years because it was convenient to my school/work. There was rampant crime, drabness, the whole thing. Now that we're out, we miss the city as a whole and our friends, but def. not where we lived.

You could 'suck it up' for a few years, get the experience, and move on. That is, unless you have other opportunities and this isn't much of a career advancement job. Just my two cents.

[hc130radio]

My job took me to Fayetteville. I've had friends that gave me horror stories about Fayetteville. I live on the south side of Sanford in a gated community called Carolina Trace. It's nice. I live close to everything I need, and am about the half-way point between Fayetteville and Raliegh, which is nice too. I can go to Fayetteville for work on the weekdays, and head up to Raliegh for a bigger city type feeling with all the stuff Fayetteville doesn't offer.

[smkalmer]

Thanks for the posts. Fayetteville doesn't carry a great reputation and most of it is well deserved. I am a single female in my early thirties from Chicago so the lack of restaurants, entertainment and well, beauty has been a bit of a cultural adjustment. But I have met so many lovely, cool, and interesting people here with sophisticated backgrounds I just can't believe the city hasn't done more to clean this place up. I can't stand the fact I pass by 5-6 strip clubs on my way to work or the fact there is a field of old trailors from abandoned semis in front of my neighborhood (My neighborhood is across from THEE Harris Teeter too). I realize physical beauty and entertainment aren't the most important things in life and that these strip clubs/junk yards are someone's business, but in order for this place to change, it needs to attract people who want to invest their energy into the community.

[scottb79]

I lived there for about 10 years. Now I live in Raleigh. There are few situations that would persuade me to consider moving back.

Unemployed and starving might. Not much else.

[Skyhgih1597]

I'd have to say that Fayetteville is not going to change much anytime soon. They are trying to put more aesthetics in the older buildings but not anything past that. They are ALL about annexing more people and trying to shove more and more into little areas. Fayetteville is a military town and that's all 90% of the businesses survive off of. They havent caught on to the, attract new people from outside of the military aspect yet. People here support the military and vice versa but it's not going to go anywhere any time soon. So I am going to say that NO, there is no hope for fayetteville.