Break down the Charleston neighborhoods for me - still good or bad or? (house, construction)

[atlantagreg30127]

I suppose I have a different view, but then I do separate "homeless" from "bum", and some don't I guess.

Here in Atlanta, we have very few "homeless" people, but we have one of the highest concentration of "bums" downtown of any city. Every so often they are given fliers that outline the many resources available to them (free) such as health treatment, shelter, food, even job training - but most of them refuse to go to the centers. Instead, there are parts of downtown literally with dozens and dozens of bums asleep on grass, etc.

Example (photo I took): This multi-million dollar fountain was put in (taxpayer money) for the Olympics in 1996. Today, tourists and downtown workers cannot sit along the rim of it because it is covered in urin and feces from people who use it as a large toilet. In this shot, a street preacher goes on to some drug addicts (who are really just in it for the free pizza he's passing out). Across the street is a park that usually has a large number of people asleep on the lawn or on the benches...



The true homeless people don't usually remain that way long here due to the resources available to them, which THEY use, so they get back on their feet. The above is a completely different problem.

The only issues I remember with this back home in Charleston was a small park near Town Center Mall with a gazebo in it (can't remember the park). There were usually always two bums there, but they were more the old time harmless hobo types who would tell you stories about their travels (for a dollar). LOL.

[harborlady]

Hey, that was a bargain. Have any idea how much NYC cafe cover charges are when a bard is on stage? Dayum!

Now, the wildlife in downtown charleston can get out of hand sometimes. I think they may have overdone the rebroadcasting of star wars on cable. I barely had enough time to break up this scuffle before it got over the top.




StrangePlaces » Blog Archive » squirrels-with-lightsabers.jpg

[atlantagreg30127]

Hey, at least the squirrels up there are just carrying light sabers - ours carry AK47s. LOL

[Silkdashocker]

Greg, i was in Atlanta for the WVU/UGA Sugar Bowl a couple years back. The Omni Hotel was surrounded by homeless at night. It was pretty creepy.

[harborlady]

Yuppers, and if black OR whites are refused service, it's on account of employees didn't show because it's hunting season. It's not personal. It's a GUY thing.

An upstart blog site for charleston region turned me on to some decent restaurants. Seems to me tied to charleston gazette, and they focus lots on happenings about town culturally. They're goofballs sometimes with that candidate beer article , but it's all in good fun.
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[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by Silkdashocker

Greg, i was in Atlanta for the WVU/UGA Sugar Bowl a couple years back. The Omni Hotel was surrounded by homeless at night. It was pretty creepy.

My niece who is from Crab Orchard (just outside of Beckley) came down here for the Bon Jovi concert downtown a couple of weeks ago too. Stayed at the holiday Inn downtown (a real dive, but she didn't ask me ahead of time - duh). She said in the few blocks from the hotel to the arena where the concert was and back, that she and her boyfriend were asked for money something like a dozen times.

Completely freaked her out, but her BF is originally from NYC so it didn't phase him. She paid the bums with cigarettes - went though a whole pack and only smoked one herself. That's ONE way to stop smoking! LOL

I'm assuming that Beckley hasn't picked up this type of problem even with the growth they've had over the years as it seemed so alien to her. But if I come back home Beckley really isn't on my list of place to go to - it would most likely be Charleston, but Huntington or Parkersburg MIGHT be on that list, too.

[ginamarie88]

I wish there was something we could do for those people, the unsung heroes of Nam. I hate that they're just out there like that with no help or regard. All our veterans deserve so much more than we could ever give.

[ArizonaBear]

Maybe someone here can answer a question for me?

I used to spend some time (in the summer) in Charleston from ca. 1963-68, I am now age 50 so needless to say, I was a child.

My grandmother's house was on Kanawha Blvd facing its namesake river. It was a 2 story duplex/townhouse built of brick directly under where the freeway crosses the river. It and the neighboring homes were torn down ca. 1970.

All that I can remember is there was a Kroger's (?) grocery store about 2-3 blocks away.

If someone could ID that enclave, I would appreciate it.

Corgis mentioned 'Greenbrier St'.'-------it rings a bell.

Side note: I am a Wash DC native who fled there for Calif and now Az.

[harborlady]

arizona I'm a fairly new resident of charleston and would be glad to check it out for you but I'm still getting lost! hahahaa

The interstates 77,79, and 64 all converge and separate and cross over the river in more than one place. you'd have to be more specific. In my mind I'm imaging the patrick street bridge cross over in western charleston nearby hunt street.

If greenbrier st, I think that might be what they are calling rte 19, which also converges for a spell with those interstates. Can you look at a google map of charleston and figure out which cross street for sure? Krogers are all north of central ave now, away from river.

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by harborlady

arizona I'm a fairly new resident of charleston and would be glad to check it out for you but I'm still getting lost! hahahaa

The interstates 77,79, and 64 all converge and separate and cross over the river in more than one place. you'd have to be more specific. In my mind I'm imaging the patrick street bridge cross over in western charleston nearby hunt street.

If greenbrier st, I think that might be what they are calling rte 19, which also converges for a spell with those interstates. Can you look at a google map of charleston and figure out which cross street for sure? Krogers are all north of central ave now, away from river.

Does 30 W Kanawha Blvd ring a bell? It was demolished for I 64 as far as I can ascertain via Google earth.

I did some 'creative searching' through ancestry.com under my (probable) grandfather's name, found his WW II draft registration card and scored the address--------he passed away in 1963 but my grandmother stayed there till 1968 when she died in her sleep. The building was demolished 2-3 years later.