4TH AND ELM St. Roanoke city? (apartment, rentals, high crime)

[CCyr]

If someone could tell me about that area of Roanoke..Please? Live in Vermont and called about any apartment for my college age son in that area of Roanoke and wondering what kind of area it is? High crime or pretty safe? Hard to tell from here. Thanks...

[Diamond Dave]

Originally Posted by CCyr

If someone could tell me about that area of Roanoke..Please? Live in Vermont and called about any apartment for my college age son in that area of Roanoke and wondering what kind of area it is? High crime or pretty safe? Hard to tell from here. Thanks...

That's old Southwest...I work a few blocks from there. It's not a bad area, but housing can really vary block by block in that part of town. The Roanoke Times crime data shows three or four burglaries and robberies in the surrounding blocks in the past year. So I'd say it's a light crime area--just keep your cars and houses locked.

If you can tell me the specific house number, I'll eyeball it on the way to work and tell you what I think.

[seanpecor]

I'm from Vermont (grew up in Burlington, lived in Orwell for many years as an adult) and if I had to compare that intersection, it would be about the middle of Maple Street on the hill in Burlington. Not the bottom of Maple, where it's dodgy enough that I'd feel (a little, not alot) uncomfortable walking at night, and not the top of Maple, where you're in the middle of upper income elderly and loud (but harmless) frat boys. It's also definitely not as dodgy as most of North Street (Burlington) but it's not as bucolic as North Prospect. Maybe the intersection of North Winooski Ave and Pearl St is a better comparison. Hope this helps.

For a college age kid, that is a pretty convenient location. You're walkable to downtown Roanoke, with lots of stuff going on. Like Burlington, Roanoke has an active local music scene, with great restaurants and festivals. If you've never been, the Roanoke Valley is not quite double the Burlington metro's population size, but the Roanoke M.S.A. has 10x the Burlington M.S.A. GDP so the place feels much, much bigger than Burlington.

Sean

[matthews1965]

May I ask which college he is attending? That will help us give you feedback.

[j1n]

Originally Posted by CCyr

If someone could tell me about that area of Roanoke..Please? Live in Vermont and called about any apartment for my college age son in that area of Roanoke and wondering what kind of area it is? High crime or pretty safe? Hard to tell from here. Thanks...

As I've said before, it's very hard to pin down specific "bad" areas in Roanoke. However...4th and Elm in Roanoke City is definitely heading into a dicier area. And when I say "dicier", I mean by Roanoke standards.

[Teebyrd86]

Originally Posted by CCyr

If someone could tell me about that area of Roanoke..Please? Live in Vermont and called about any apartment for my college age son in that area of Roanoke and wondering what kind of area it is? High crime or pretty safe? Hard to tell from here. Thanks...

Hello, I am probably around your sons age and when I moved here I looked around the Old Southwest neighborhood. It is a very eclectic neighborhood and some streets are very cool and hip. I know some friends who live over there and love it. I personally like the neighborhood I live in because it isnt so close to the undesireable areas yet very convienent to all parts of town. Your son should look into the South Roanoke neighborhood.. I have a nice apartment and only pay $510. He should be able to find something here as there are several rentals they just go quick! Let me know if I can help you futher.