Is Lake Worth a Ghetto?

[NathanSmith]

What a great story. I truly enjoyed reading your post.

I'm new here and live in just north of LW in the "fancy" part of WPB on the water. I have to admit though - we spend the majority of our free family time in downtown LW b/c we identify more with that neighborhood (moving from Houston).

LW is funky and different - at least the parts we know of. I drive way out of my way to send my 1.5 year old to daycare in LW. The city just seems more genuine to me.

I know this won't make a lot of sense to some people - and this is the best I can do to explain it - but take of it what you will.

Originally Posted by NancyC29

When I moved here in the mid-70s, Lake Worth was a beautiful little beach town with some extending neighborhoods and an outlying stretch "all the way" to the turnpike down Lake Worth Road. There were farms out there. There were a few larger homes from the early part of this century, lots of art deco, and many lovely cottages and cottage style homes. Downtown was thriving, full of cute and reasonably priced antiques and collectible shops as well as having the best parades around for every occassion. We had a large European population and a funny combination of retirees and new families, who complimented each other. The Bryant Park bandshell had concerts and events every week. There were family activities all the time.

The area was expanded, people and times change. Some move up and on, others move in. For a while in the 90's things were on a terrible downhill slide, just as in most of the nation. Hurricanes came through and destroyed beaches and neighborhoods. People abandoned homes. Transients from "up north" and "the islands" came here thinking this was the land of opportunity - which it is not. No work, no affordable housing, and no ability to go anywhere, so they just stopped here. Landlords would rent their empty units for almost anything just to get some money in. Ethnic groups cluster together. Kids grow up searching for identity, or whatever, gangs form and expand. Crime is up.

Yes there are some terrible areas now in Lake Worth, just as there are in every town in Florida or any other state for that matter. But there are some lovely areas as well; responsible people who want good neighborhoods are taking back the lovely cottages north of Lucerne, the cute art deco condos and apartments near the bridge, the rentals around the bandshell. Downtown is vibrant with shops and pubs, festivals and still some of the best little parades; especially for kids.

It's not as fancy as CityPlace or Atlantic Ave., the farms are gone out west, replaced with a conglomeration of helter-skelter neighborhoods, trailer parks, strip centers and fast food, thanks to lack of good planning. But there are still some nice neighborhoods if you look past your nose.

The American dream can still be had in Lake Worth, it's just not the same dream as our parents and grand parents had...but then again, our lives don't resemble theirs either, do they?

[sdwn]

? can any one tell me the violant crime % commited by illegals in wpb also the over all crime % commited by them in l.w. area this is for a reserch report that im doing let me know if someone can answer my? thanks.

[Andyouare?]

Okay folks, now I'm confused... I'm moving down to FL very soon, and was hoping Lake Worth was a good place for me because I want to live somewhere a little older, more charm, interesting, walking distance to shops, library, grocery store, etc. I want to be able to walk home at night and be home without feeling in danger. Without getting mugged and/or burglarized every year... or worse. So is it possible to live in Lake Worth, or anywhere else in the general Palm Beach Country area, and be able to walk to anything interesting safely? Or am I just going to have to resign myself to live in a gated community where I must drive to get to anything? Any advice, help, benefit of your experience will be much appreciated. Thanks.

[Reedsmit]

Another problem that Lake Worth has had in recent years is with their utilities. Some of these services were owned / operated by the city. In some cases there were problems such as electric outages. These problems may have been resolved by now.

There have been a number of news stories on outages, and what sounded like high costs.

These are definately questions that I would want to get questions to, before falling in love and leasing or buying in the Lake Worth area.

Perhaps someone who is currently living in Lake Worth could clarify the current utility situation.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by Andyouare?

Okay folks, now I'm confused... I'm moving down to FL very soon, and was hoping Lake Worth was a good place for me because I want to live somewhere a little older, more charm, interesting, walking distance to shops, library, grocery store, etc. I want to be able to walk home at night and be home without feeling in danger. Without getting mugged and/or burglarized every year... or worse. So is it possible to live in Lake Worth, or anywhere else in the general Palm Beach Country area, and be able to walk to anything interesting safely? Or am I just going to have to resign myself to live in a gated community where I must drive to get to anything? Any advice, help, benefit of your experience will be much appreciated. Thanks.

You can live in downtown WPB/Cityplace and be safe, and the area immediately around downtown Lake Worth as well (Parrot Cove, etc.). Downtown WPB's crime has gone down 50% year over year for the past two years.

If you're an overly sensitive type, however, and are not used to urban living, then neither of those places are for you.

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

Originally Posted by sagan45

We intend to to sail around the coast of Florida from the Gulf side and head up to Lake Worth as a staging area prior to crossing over to the Bahamas. Does any of the violence I read about on these forums spill over into the water?

Originally Posted by Banx

yes, south Florida has tons of pirates roaming the intercoastal, with hooks on their hands and monkey's on their sholders. I reccomend u let them come on board and cooperate or else they'll fire cannons at ur boat. They've continually made attacks on the Carnival Cruise ship's down in Miami. And The National Guard has made efforts to try and stop them, but to no avail, so dock at marina's with extreme caution. South Florida is only second to Somalia in the amount of pirate hijackings in the modern world.

Anyways. Lake Worth has some areas that are not very appealing. I found some of the stores poorly maintained but the customer service was actually good. I really felt like I had left South Florida and I was in the middle of Appalachia. Even though Homestead FL has the same demographics, Homestead FL is more organized and cleaner.

[Andyouare?]

TrMT7, thanks for your answer. Downtown WPB is a bit on the trendy side for me so it's good to hear that Lake Worth's got a small area at least that is feasible. Is it true that those are the only areas in the entire region that you can walk to a grocery store (and feel safe doing it)? I lived in an inner suburb up north, near the city and everything was in walking distance. I thought maybe all the strip malls and nowhere easy to walk to in Palm Beach Country were only in suburbs, but it's looking like it's the rule down there almost everywhere. Think that's true?

Disappointing for someone who doesn't want to drive everywhere, or to have to walk far when it's very hot. I'm sad.

[TriMT7]

What is walkable to you? Within half a mile? One mile? Two? I live a mile south of Downtown WPB/Cityplace in the single family neighborhoods south of okeechobee blvd., and we have all sorts of non-corporate options a mile in each direction, on Dixie Highway... Chinese, sushi, corner store, restaurants, ice cream, etc., the intracoastal.... even the beach, which is walkable or bikable at 2 miles away. Instead of living IN downtown or Cityplace, then, maybe that's an option for you.

You may want to try Jupiter as well. Specifically, the Abacoa area which has a smallish downtown with some shops, restaurants, cafes. There are apartments and townhomes within walking distance, and a shopping plaza with a Publix, etc. that is walkable. Again, within about 1/2 mile or so of the living areas.


There may also be other areas very walkable to a major shopping plaza, like Legacy Place condos in Palm Beach Gardens, which is right next to the Legacy Place shopping district.

[rainroosty]

Walking to the supermarket from downtown Lake Worth? It's a stroll through illegal immigrant gangland territory all the way there.

[KoZmiC NinJa]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

What is walkable to you? Within half a mile? ------------- a Publix, etc. that is walkable. Again, within about 1/2 mile or so of the living areas.
-------There may also be other areas very walkable to a major shopping plaza, like Legacy Place condos in Palm Beach Gardens, which is right next to the Legacy Place shopping district.

wut him sed

People who want "walkable" need to be more specific in their 'walkability' requirements.
Are your requirements walk to sustain, or walk to entertain ??
There is a Publix and CVS within .5 of ANYWHERE most places, WPB extremely walkable to live.....
Despite crossing US-1 being total F r ogg er, but if you are talking about
basic livability, you can walk to anything you require here from
food, to liquor to gittin' ammo fer da shootin' iron.
I ride my bike from Juno to Hobe sound regularly just to
eat at Harry and the Natives and it takes the same amount of time as
coming from Southern to 45th on a Friday afternoon in a car.
If your requirements for walkability mean the 70's used
clothing store, a natural food co-op and a coffee house all
on the same block, not going to happen
In otherwords "walkability" is very subjective


But regardless, please keep walking, biking and alt vehicle-ing.....
The more people that do this, all the aforementioned
good stuff follows