Oakland around Lake Merritt (Stockton, Richmond: leasing, loft, crime)

[CL39]

I am considering employment at Alta Bates Summit, which is located a little southeast of 580-980 intersection. What is the name of the neighborhood that Alta Bates is located? And what do you think about area very close to there (possibly w/i walking distance from the hospital) in terms of living.
What about the area streching from Alta Bates down to Lake Merritt, what do you call that area?

And what do you think of Oaklan in general?

THANK YOU.

[bellalunatic]

the area around Alta Bates Summit in Oakland is pretty much just Telegraph, Pill Hill and the Auto Row area...not really ideal living venue...kind of pass through areas...not a really a neighborhood or destination area. In other words you'd have to go pretty far from home to get groceries...
Lake Merrit is excellent and there are some blocks that are better than others...but there's lots of resturants bars grocers etc...and you can get over the the hospital pretty easily on foot bike or bus...
I have a few friends that live in the Lake Merrit area and they all love it...
There's also a bunch of new loft buildings that were set to sell before the market turned and are now mostly empty but leasing just over from Lake Merrit area around 2nd street near Jack London...that's a neighborhood that reminds me of SF's South of Market neighborhood circa 1993...kinda industrial and empty but cool...dunno know what the rents are and it would probably be easier there if you have a car.
I like Oakland personally but it is rather large and there are ALOT of neighborhoods to choose from...some are safer than others...but the hype about Oakland is just that...it's NOT as violent overall it's just that people say it...but I don't know if those people have ever actually lived there...
Besides, Richmond's Iron Triangle neighborhood truly deserves the dangerous and violent distinction.

[Don Vito]

Dude as an east bay resident id have to say you are simply ignoring facts. Oakland is on the FBI's most dangerous cities list on a yearly basis and all the pretending in the world is not going to change the fact that oakland has crime issues. So please stop pretending.

[bellalunatic]

not pretending
being realistic
you live in the East Bay? where exactly?

[bellalunatic]

BTW:
this link is for the list circa 2006:
turns out Nashville is more dangerous than Oakland....hmmm...just the facts sweetheart.
Most dangerous*and safest cities - Top 25* - Oct. 30, 2006

[Don Vito]

You can find me off university, slumin' it.

[Ultrarunner]

City Crime rate: violent incidents
per 100,000
St. Louis, MO 2,405.5
Detroit, MI 2,357.6
Flint, MI 2,260.2
Camden, NJ 2,096.7
Memphis, TN 1,860.0
Miami Gardens, FL 1,854.3
Orlando, FL 1,807.5
Compton, CA 1,786.9
Springfield, MA 1,774.2
Little Rock, AR 1,771.8
Trenton, NJ 1,770.6
Baltimore, MD 1,754.5
North Charleston, SC 1,724.5
Atlanta, GA 1,674.8
Nashville, TN 1,611.0
Miami, FL 1,579.7
St. Petersburg, FL 1,545.7
Pompano Beach, FL 1,520.7
Stockton, CA 1,491.4
Birmingham, AL 1,470.3
Philadelphia, PA 1,467.1
Kansas City, MO 1,459.2
Minneapolis, MN 1,454.2
Tampa, FL 1,430.5
Oakland, CA 1,420.8

[18Montclair]

Piedmont Avenue just a few blocks from the hospital is nice area.
The Lakeshore-Grand corridor is pretty vibrant too.
You dont need to limit yourself to the lake..
Dimond Distict just 2 freeway exits from the hospital has lots of housing oppurtunities and is relatively safe.

[fizbin]

Originally Posted by Don Vito

Dude as an east bay resident id have to say you are simply ignoring facts. Oakland is on the FBI's most dangerous cities list on a yearly basis and all the pretending in the world is not going to change the fact that oakland has crime issues. So please stop pretending.

Don Vito exaggerates, a lot. There are tons of nice safe areas in Oakland. Lots of not-nice unsafe ones too. Pick a nice safe one.

[krudmonk]

There are many nice areas, but I've heard stories of naive hipsters looking for grittiness and finding too much of it.