Safe areas? Talbot Park/ near Regent Univ. (Chesapeake: apartment complex, lease)

[Magjfamily]

My daughter and her boyfriend are moving from upstate NY and getting ready to sign a lease for Brookfield Apts. off Level Green road, near Regent University and some areas I believe are called College Park. My gut tells me this is a bad area. She will be alone much of the time, starting a new job as a semi-professional not making much money right now, and I am scared to death. She also looked at Talbot Park apartments but had a little bit of a hard time meeting requirements as she doesn't officially have the job yet (lots of jobs in her area). I'm thinking Talbot Park area is probably better (apartment complex right next to high school, so I do know about bus noise). Any thoughts would be appreciated. She is about to give notice Monday (3/17/08) and spend a lot of money getting to the Brookfield Apts. Thanks for your opinions. (ps, She and her boyfriend are quite socially progressive, and I'm getting the feeling this area is not.)

[perrycountyblues]

Hi Magjfamily,

I grew up right off of Level Green Blvd and Colgate Road in College Park, and my mom still lives there. I still come home to vist at least once or twice a year. This area used to be okay, but I'm afraid that you're right-- this area has gotten VERY bad over the past several years. There has been a lot of gang activity in this area, and there have been a few shootings, even, in the past couple years right off of Level Green Blvd. I don't know the names of all the apartment complexes, but I feel confident in saying that none of them would be in good location if they're off Level Green Blvd. Have you seen this area for yourself? It's pretty run down.

My mom's house was broken into a couple Christmas's ago, and our neighbor came home to a some burglars in his house. The Bloods and the Crypts spray paint the streets marking their territory, and then the city comes and blacks it out. I hate to scare you like this, but I know this area well, and I wouldn't send my own daughter (if I had one) to live here by herself. I keep begging my mom to move, but she's been there since 1973 and refuses to leave her home.

I don't know about the place you're refering to next to Regents U. But anything would be better than Level Green, as far as know. I would head toward the Kempsville side of Indian River Road (I think that's the East side-- away from Military Hwy). There are some decent areas along Providence Road, too.

If nothing else, can Regents provide suggestions of where their students typically live? I haven't actually lived in VB myself since 1988, and, other than Level Green/College Park, I don't know the area that well.

Best of luck!

[Magjfamily]

Thank you so much, perry, for your honest reply. That is a good suggestion about contacting Regent. Regent is on the other side of the highway but was the best landmark I could think of to identify the Level Green area. My daughter isn't attending there (already has bachelor's). Now I just have to work on her not going to that area - thank you again!

[757VAlgbc]

Hello im Josh,14, I used to live in College Square Townhouses which is across the street from Level Green Blvd.I lived in the ghetto,I can say i knew people in gangs,out in Level Green they have major gang problems,my friends are now in juvenille for being in the G.B.A.M Crips.

There is also Bounty Hunter Bloods.The G.B.A.M Crips are out of the college park area and the Bounty Hunter Bloods live in a other apartment complexs very close to Level Green (The Villages right next to Level Green Park).They also mark their territorys with red/Bloods and blue/Crips spraypaint.Right after we moved out of College Park a woman(who moved into our old apartment)was mudered by 3 or 4 men. So avoid the College Park area.

I would live in Level Green though cuz the skatepark is right by there.
But she be safer in Colle Square and dont go out at night,most gangs are out my mom even heard gunshots
If you were to have your daughter live somewhere .Maybe in Chesapeake on Fisher Ave off Provendice.(I used to live on this st) The street behind it has new houses.By the Way if she was to move in a apartment complex in Chesapeake avoid Macdonald manor its much like Level Green,But there is just Crips(I lived in College Square then moved to Fisher AVe)