Walkable Neighborhoods?

[brattpowered]

Austin is a pretty young city for the most part, so the vast majority of it is undesirable suburban plastic sprawl. Most cities that are older have many more walkable neighborhoods, but since Austin mostly developed in the last half of the 20th century, this is not the case.

This is the root of the cost problem with dense neighborhoods-- everyone wants the quality of life that walkable neighborhoods bring, so it raises the price. If there were more walkable neighborhoods like this, it would not be a problem. For that price you can get a small condo in a desirable neighborhood, or a particle board box in Kyle.

[2lizards]

I know what you mean. The core of Knoxville is older (originally settled in 1794, but most of the older part was developed after the civil war), but the sprawl is really bad. Our population density is less than 2,000 per sq. mi. (I think it's around 1800). Other than downtown, the Old City and Fort Sanders (where the University of Tennessee is located), the city is not very "urban" at all. I live in a post -WWII neighborhood, which I actually like, but the commercial area is almost a 30 min. walk, and it's not much to brag about - chain restaurants, a bowling alley, etc. The traffic is pretty horrendous for a town of less than 200,000 (600,000 metro). I like the direction that downtown is heading, but it's already too expensive to live there. The prices per sq. foot rival Intown Atlanta. I lived in one of the old streetcar neighborhoods (4th and Gill) for a year, and I liked it because it was within walking distance of the Old City and Downtown, but the interstate noise drove me completely crazy.

[fil]

I just came from Atlanta and know Five Points.

The closest I've seen is Hyde Park, but you won't get a lot for your money, it's a mixed bag neighborhood (like Five Points), but it's a great investment area.

In general, Austin's neighborhoods have great street walks and close to ammenities, although driving is needed here to get to shops.

I'm in NW Hills and there are a ton of walk trails, greenbelt walk paths, and roads with an 8 ft-wide parking lane, a bike lane, and then the road, so walking with several dogs and a baby in jog stroller is easy and safe and, if you can withstand the heat (it's hotter here than Hotlanta), you can walk to the library and a strip mall.