College Park vs East Point (Atlanta, Jefferson: violent crime, home, neighborhood)

[demonta4]

Originally Posted by matilda79

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the feedback! We took a tour of both historic College Park and the Jefferson Park area of East Point. I think you are right, while Jefferson Park is great, there is concern that the surrounding area crime could bleed over into that neighborhood if the government doesn't stay on top of it. I saw a lot of run down looking rentals in both areas, but at the same time, a good amount of renovation going on. I don't know what to make of all this just yet, as right now it doesn't seem like there is that much buying going on, at least, not at the frenzied pace that was occurring last year. Overall, folks were equally friendly and welcoming to us in both places.

I do worry about all the new development coming to a screeching halt and being surrounded by renters that don't give a hoot about upkeep. I guess that's a risk anywhere in metro ATL.

One thing I couldn't get over in College Park was the airplane noise. It was deafening at times while walking outside. Do you get used to it ever?

Don't worry about airplane noise, you'll get used to it.

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by matilda79

Good to know Tiki! Maybe what I was seeing, and granted, it was just a single home on an entire street, or every 10th home, was just financially distressed owners having trouble maintaining. Hard to say what the story is on that. I have to remember that there are some older residents here, too, and it does get harder to maintain things as you age.

Maybe I should stay at a hotel there a couple of nights and see how that noise issue affects me. If you are tempted to buy right now there are a few good deals out there!

Just curious, what side of the tracks were you looking on? I think the side opposite of the main campus is much nicer.

[matilda79]

There are a couple of newly renovated homes off of Temple, one non-renovated on Lee St. Mercer Ave. has a couple. Hawthorne had one under auction but its gonna need a ton of work.

Lee is closest but the others would be a little bit of a walk I think. What made nervous on a few of these was the blocks of semi sketchy brick apartments located at the ends of some of the streets. I'm sure they are ok for the most part, but having seen that situation in East Atlanta...it usually isn't good.

[travel-a-lot]

I don't get how College Park is so crime ridden when every time I click it on streetview I get stuff like this:

http://goo.gl/maps/ax63i

http://goo.gl/maps/8VT3Y

http://goo.gl/maps/MHNlz

Looks like a above average income country man's dream to me...definetly not a ghetto or anything close to it

this is the worst i've found: http://goo.gl/maps/kafw7

[oldschoolChevy]

Some (not a lot) people from East Point do claim SWATS though. And even though the APD zones stop when the city limits ends of course, some folks outside of those areas still claim the APD zones as well. Like I knew people from the Cleveland Ave part of East Point that claimed Zone 3, and I also knew people from the part of East Point that is near Greenbriar Mall that claimed Zone 4 and the SWATS. But then you have folks from the Washington Rd part of East Point or College Park and they just claim Southside, no Zone 4 or SWATS. But then back in the day I knew some dudes from the old Boat Rock Projects that used to claim Westside. There really is not a rule of thumb to it. Its pretty confusing actually, and really only something that someone would understand growing up in Atlanta and dealing with people from these areas or living in them.

Mostly people from East Point of College Park just claim either East Point or College Park, they pretty much stand on their own 2 feet.

To me the SWATS are simply from south of MLK to Camp Creek.

Claiming Zones and sides in NW and SW Atlanta is actually a dying thing, these young kids now just claim 3 and 4 letter sets and gangs. When I was growing up it was all about zones, wards and sides. Like Boulevard was the 4th Ward, Simpson Rd was the 6th Ward, Techwood Homes and Herndon Homes area was considered the 5th Ward and then of course Zone 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Now these kids just claim stuff like YYC, YM, GMPL, R20, R60, ABG, SMM etc.....

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by travel-a-lot

I don't get how College Park is so crime ridden when every time I click it on streetview I get stuff like this:

http://goo.gl/maps/ax63i

http://goo.gl/maps/8VT3Y

http://goo.gl/maps/MHNlz

Looks like a above average income country man's dream to me...definetly not a ghetto or anything close to it

To be fair, it is really easy to get into the "ghetto" areas. Where I live, I'm surrounded by mostly 400k+ houses, next block over 500k+ houses. But go one block the opposite way, senior projects, the next block, regular projects. They are well maintained and people seem to be really friendly and well behaved. There's not a lot of younger folks living there, which helps out ALOT. Bored teens = trouble.

I've never had problems and compared to most areas of Atlanta, even the hottest of hot spots, our crime is much lower in Historic College Park. Oh, and do realize that College Park extend pretty far south of Rugby Ave, Godby Rd probably lends more to the city's ghetto rep than anything.

[Tryska]

I wish I'd seen this thread earlier.

Pros for College Park - Woodward and Airport money.
Cons -
--Despite EPs ranking as "most dangerous suburb in the world", CP actually has twice the property crime rate and a higher violent crime rate than EP. That being said - I'm guessing it totally depends on the neighborhood.

--CP is adjacent to Airport - so really depending on where you leave - greater impact from the Airport

Pros for EP - City Government is definitely on a more progressive and functional path now. Duke Realty (Amazon, FedEx, Dick's) , Camp Creek, and Walmart money

Cons - can't think of one that wouldn't also apply to CP (but then again I chose EP over CP when I was looking and I too am an old house freak)


My suggestion would be to split the difference and take a look at the Egan Park neighborhood in EP. It just a couple of blocks up from Woodward. Crime is relatively low because there isn't much public foot traffic - a lot of great homes - both infill and old renos - cute little craftsman neighborhood.

As far as schools - in Egan Park at least some folks send to Woodward (quite a few work there). Both in EP and CP - they aim for Main Street Academy or St. Johns Episcopal. There are a few other Charters as well. Romar and Kipp and there will be a new Latin School charter starting up at Oak Knoll Elementary this year I believe. Can't speak to the public schools as much for either of them - most folks of means go the charter/private route. Woodward is the price of a nice car in tuition annually, btw - so bear that in mind.

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by Tryska

Cons -
--Despite EPs ranking as "most dangerous suburb in the world", CP actually has twice the property crime rate and a higher violent crime rate than EP. That being said - I'm guessing it totally depends on the neighborhood.

That is very surprising, but then again, there is a huge distance b/t "Historic College Park" and the Godby Rd area. Whenever I have been to the neighborhood meetings, they show the crime stats for Zone 1 or Historic College Park. There are rarely, and normally no, violent crimes. Everything is property crime BS. Even that isn't nearly as high as I initially would have expected.

Egan Park, if I am thinking of the right area, seems much more apart of College Park than the rest of East Point. Egan Park seems fairly detached from anything else that is East Point other than the industrial area.

[Tryska]

Originally Posted by tikigod311

That is very surprising, but then again, there is a huge distance b/t "Historic College Park" and the Godby Rd area. Whenever I have been to the neighborhood meetings, they show the crime stats for Zone 1 or Historic College Park. There are rarely, and normally no, violent crimes. Everything is property crime BS. Even that isn't nearly as high as I initially would have expected.

Egan Park, if I am thinking of the right area, seems much more apart of College Park than the rest of East Point. Egan Park seems fairly detached from anything else that is East Point other than the industrial area.

I agree - HCP is definitely not Godby - and it also takes into account Airport/hotel crime - which would be different from residential to my mind. (I honestly was surprised too that CPs was so much higher but I ran FBI stats according to several different methodologies - and not matter how you parsed it the results were the same)

Egan Park is a weird little tail-end of East Point - go a couple of blocks one way you are in Hapeville - go a couple of blocks the other way you are in College Park. But it is quiet and nestled in.

I think like with areas like Jeff Park - while they are nice - the crime on their borders has everything to do with outside foot traffic and easy access from commercial corridors. Egan Park doesn't really have that issue.

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by Tryska

I think like with areas like Jeff Park - while they are nice - the crime on their borders has everything to do with outside foot traffic and easy access from commercial corridors. Egan Park doesn't really have that issue.

Absolutely. Jefferson Park has a whole lot going for it, but its neighbors aren't the best. I almost moved there but I just found too many variables from outside the actual neighborhood. That trailer park in close proximity does not help.

When I first starting looking in the Tri-Cities area, I had a real big interest in Colonial Hills. It kinda has the same thing going on, geographically, as Egan Park does. It is isolated from other areas and seems like it wouldn't have any transient foot traffic. But I kept checking it out and I always got negative vibes from the place. People didn't seem particularly welcoming. The lot sizes were extremely small in places too.