Metropolitan Parkway (Atlanta, East Point, Hapeville: real estate, lofts, condominiums)

[hapshey_usa]

How is the area around Metropolitan Parkway and 1-85. I was looking at some condos (City central) on metro parkway and was wondering if anyone has bought there or knows the area. I drove through it and it seemed like a neighborhood in transition. I saw a lot of car lots and junk yards. Can someone please give me your opinions. Thanks

[KevK]

Originally Posted by hapshey_usa

How is the area around Metropolitan Parkway and 1-85. I was looking at some condos (City central) on metro parkway and was wondering if anyone has bought there or knows the area. I drove through it and it seemed like a neighborhood in transition. I saw a lot of car lots and junk yards. Can someone please give me your opinions. Thanks

Are you sure you were looking at CONDOS and not CONDOMS which usually litter the streets over there after a night of hookers walking up and down Metropolitan Pkwy picking up johns? Often you see those, drug needles and an occassional dead body or two laying around. So in short, my opinon is stay the hell out of there!

[davesm]

Kev K always brings a ray of sunshine whenever he posts... Metropolitan has a few neighborhoods in transition. The standouts are Capitol View, Capitol View Manor, and Sylvan Hills. There are many urban pioneers (most from other intown neighborhoods) that are moving to this part of town because of the nice affordable housing stock, close proximity to downtown, and public transportation (including Beltline). It may not be for the "new jack" urban pioneer, because the "elements" that have earned this area its reputation still linger. There are some long time residents in these communities that can attest that things have gotten considerably better while many OTP neighborhoods have gotten considerably worse.

historiccvm.com = Capitol View Manor

capitolview.org = Capitol View

Don't know if Sylvan Hills has a website, but it is next to Jefferson Park (East Point) and is getting an overflow of revitalization in that area. I've recently seen a Sylvan Hills rehabbed home featured on ajc.com and there is a blog about a home being renovated in Sylvan Hills.
fieldmarshalenterprises.com

I would probably go for a home instead of a condo in the area, but if you don't want a yard there is a very nice loft complex called Couer d'Allene Lofts on Allene Ave in Capitol View.

[Red Flame]

Originally Posted by KevK

Are you sure you were looking at CONDOS and not CONDOMS which usually litter the streets over there after a night of hookers walking up and down Metropolitan Pkwy picking up johns? Often you see those, drug needles and an occassional dead body or two laying around. So in short, my opinon is stay the hell out of there!

Thats how it was when I lived in Atlanta. I never ventured on Metropolitan Pkwy at all.

[358lynnhaven]

I have lived in CVM since 1990 and have enjoyed the community ever since. I am preplexed by the response of numerous post concerning the worst elements of the community. Yes there were street walkers, however, the old residents were actively working to eradicate this element before re-gentrification. My son was reared in the community and I have alway felt comfortable with allowing him to venture the community as the neigbors are extended family. He has not been in trouble and the experience has allowed him to transition into any environment.

[Somoso]

This thread is a bit old though I thought I would chime in since ,during the mid 60s - 70s, I grew up very close to the Metropolitan Pkwy area (formerly Stewart Ave). My sense is that these condominiums (Central City) were built because ,at the time, 1) the land was dirt cheap and 2) there is obvious proximity to the highway and 3) its just down the street from Hapeville which was (and perhaps still is) experiencing a resurgence. At this point it seems that the Bishop Brothers Auto Auction (its been there forever) is the only major business in the area aside from the infamous "GoldRush Showbar" (strip bar). Sure there are a few car lots here and there but the surrounding area is mostly vacant, which is probably a good thing since the bars that once inhabited this area were horrible. The former Alamo Plaza hotel, which was across the street was where the murder took place (early 90s) that led to the name change of this street from Stewart Avenue to Metropolitan Pkwy. Nice try but it didn't quite work since its going to take a lot if improvement before old time Atlantans think of this place without remembering the prostitution and drugs.

Anyway, before the housing market tanked, there were builders seeking to develop this area since it
it was/is cheap and there wasn't much going on in the area, which is really good since at one time this street had tons of prostitutes and drug dealers. So in many ways this area is coming out of a really bad time. However, since the market isn't good, I doubt this area will take off any time soon, which means you won't have much in the way of neighbors except for the occasional vagrants that walk up and down the street.

Instead of buying one of these condos, please first check out Hapeville or, in the other direction, Capitol View both of which have much more to offer. East Point isn't very far either so there really isn't a reason to settle on these condos before checking the above areas out. Also the schools servicing this area are not good though I assume most know this. If and when the market picks back up I would expect this area to be popular with developers since it is so cheap and there is lots of potential. But this is quite some time off and living in these condos would be quite challenging from a resale point of view. At the very least please check into the quality of these condos since I read at least one extremely critical review on them. Some of the complaints were very serious so please do some investigation before buying.

[358lynnhaven]

Responses like the previous are bitter and from one I would not want in Capitol View Manor. My aforementioned post was my personal experience and from someone living and active in the community. I now have a nineteen year old son who is attending college who respects people of different race, sexual orientation, and creed. He is able to help others who are viagrants needing a helping hand and not disrepect them for thier lot in life. I love my community and will remain here. I respect your post in response to my previous post. Let us not become bitter and harsh, as your response and tone appears from a bad experience or from someone holding onto things for too long. You mentioned the muder at the Old Alamo which occured more than 15 years ago and the old stripper clubs. The residents during that time banned together and worked via city code to force closure. Remember the person murdered was from another community seeking sex for money (engaged in a criminal act). Having said that, his act did not justify anyone being killed. Are you holding the same gruded for the killing on the Silver Comet Trail, and ones in Buckhead? The name change was to highlight the wonderful institutions of higher education on Metropolitan Pkwy (Atlanta meteropolitan College and Atlanta Technical College). My household members are of Graduate level college degrees with above six figure income. We are happy and host friend from other communitys for socials. If a relationship is bad- pack your emotions and move-on with life is what I have taught my son. By living by this example one is able to be the best he/she can be in life. If the City of Atlanta abandoned Downtown Atlanta because of previous crimes and the missing and murdered childre of the 80's where would the other communities be now. President Carl Patton help revitalize downtown via spreading the Georgia State University Campus around downtown. Learn from history. Our economy has cause a ripple effect on the world. One community can not stand alone. I remember waiting table during my college years when there were smoking and non-smoking sections (the last few tables were adjacent to the smoking section). No buffer- just air space. Atlanta is The attractant for Metro Atlanta as is all of her communities.

[DeaconJ]

How would someone know what the area is like if they "never ventured on Metropolitan Parkway at all"? There are some decent areas that have already been mentioned...Capitol View, Sylvan Hills, etc.

The area around I-85 and Metropolitan is trashy with a steady supply of shady characters walking around (including hookers and hustlers). That section of Metropolitan Parkway is not attractive...I've been there a couple of times, and while I didn't feel that it was unsafe - it's not pretty and I wouldn't invest in real estate anywhere near there.

[jeffreda30238]

Basically,
That area is one of the many areas part of the gentrification process. If your willing to take into consideration that it still has quite a ways to go, then you will be fine. It is a questionable area to live, but some people are not threatened by that and can adapt. If you have the ability to adapt then you will be fine. If you are paranoid, and don't see yourself looking beyond the street walkers, and other questionable elements, you may want to consider another area.

[mmenomen]

I think in time this area will continue to improve due to its in-town location (Metropolitan / Cleveland Ave), but frankly, I still get a bit nervous sometimes when I have to drive around there, which is only about once or twice a year at most. I think it has potential, but I am not interested in living in that particular area at all. I knew only part of the details that 358lynnhaven revealed; thanks for adding the loca; anecdotal.

If I were you, and I was seriously considering living in the area, I would talk to people who actually live around there. You might get some really a more informative perspective than you would at this message board.