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Old 09-06-2007, 02:44 PM
 
Location: Historic Norwood
28 posts, read 141,394 times
Reputation: 16

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I can appreciate you going as far as you went.

If we could get more folk to go as far as you went then I see it as the neighborhood's responsibility to woo you on the future in the neighborhood. Over the next few years the improvements Norwood is doing will become more visible: a new park with an amphitheater, new landscaping along the major intersections, those quaint touches people do to their individual houses in Crestwood and other places.
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Old 09-06-2007, 04:24 PM
 
Location: Alabama!
6,048 posts, read 18,350,104 times
Reputation: 4835
Is Norwood the neighborhood up the hill from Legion Field, right next to Birmingham-Southern College? I love that area. We used to park on the streets and walk down to Alabama games, enjoying the beautiful old homes...sad to see some of them decayed or cut up into apartments, glad that some survived intact.
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Old 09-06-2007, 06:03 PM
 
539 posts, read 1,918,538 times
Reputation: 436
^ No that's College Hills.


@ urbups:


I'm sure there's still some hope for Norwood. Bronzeville is a neighborhood up here in Chicago experiencing a very dramatic revitalization. Bronzeville was one of the worst neighborhoods in the United States up until about five or ten years ago. Then the city tore down the notorious Robert Taylor Homes among other housing projects, and the neighborhood's been quickly gentrifying ever since. Now granted Bronzeville has always had a black middle income population that lived closer to the lake on the other side of King Drive from the projects, but no one with money outside of the community ever wanted to take a chance with the neighborhood, and so the entire community was redlined, so to speak. Only when the city of Chicago made a dramatic change by tearing down each and every last one of the neighborhood's public housing units did the community begin to change for the better. Now maybe if the city of Birmingham were to do to "the bottoms" what they did with the old Metropolitan Gardens projects that used to be downtown about 10 years ago, which is tear the whole thing and down and turn into a brand new mixed income community using federal HOPE VI funding, then maybe Norwood can begin the gentrification process. But I'm going to be real with you brother - change comes slow in Birmingham, take this from a native who lived there for over 20 years. And when change does come, it has to be triggered by something dramatic, otherwise it won't happen. As long as those projects exist, Norwood is stigmatized, perhaps unfairly to an extent, but stigmatized nonetheless. And in real estate, perception is reality.


Maybe if Norwood came up with some kind of new trendy name for itself like real estate developers in other cities do - like instead of Norwood, start calling it NoDo (north of Downtown) or something like that, then that'll attract interest. But it has to be coupled with actual progress and gentrification or else it won't happen. Take this from someone who has a degree in urban planning and is about to earn another one.
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Old 10-27-2007, 10:27 AM
 
Location: Historic Norwood
28 posts, read 141,394 times
Reputation: 16
Change is slow in Birmingham and no one appreciates "book learnin" more than me, but there's no way you are able to tell me from Chicago what I experience day to day here in the neighborhood. There are a small cadre of new, professional people choosing to move into Norwood. Some facts about Norwood living you will have to dig deep to find out about:
-Quaterly garden parties that are well attended by the "professional class", from which there is a small cadre moving in over here.
-Relatively low crime rate in neigborhood; even more so if the apartments in "the bottoms' is taken out of the stats.
-Active neighborhood assn that is implementing the beautiful neighborhood plan that has been developed by the Auburn University Urban Studio. We're actually lining up some real world interest and money to implement some of the ideas in this plan.

Last edited by urbups; 10-27-2007 at 10:40 AM..
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Old 10-27-2007, 10:37 AM
 
Location: Historic Norwood
28 posts, read 141,394 times
Reputation: 16
Also the elementary school in the neigborhood, Norwood Elementary, is performing above the state averages on the state ARMT tests over the past couple of years. Nobody reading city-data would consider the apostasy of putting their children in a Birmingham school city school, of course , but those taking the time to read this should get at least some good news about what's happening in intown schools!
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Old 10-27-2007, 01:38 PM
 
Location: Alabama!
6,048 posts, read 18,350,104 times
Reputation: 4835
Thanks, urbups, for alerting us to Norwood. I will certainly be alert now to any news from your neighborhood. Best wishes for a bright future!
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Old 11-29-2007, 02:34 PM
 
6 posts, read 15,735 times
Reputation: 10
what other b'ham neighborhoods should people be keeping an eye out for?
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Old 11-30-2007, 12:28 PM
 
2 posts, read 4,925 times
Reputation: 12
Well guys, this is my first post here in this forum although I have read it quite a few times. I just wanted to write and chime in to what Urbups has said so far. I recently moved into a beautiful brick foursquare on 33rd St N in Norwood. I am not going to be rude or condescending but Norwood is definitely not a "bad" neighborhood. I'm a 23 year old, white, gay male that has had no problems whatsoever. I speak to everyone I see on the streets and have even had neighbors ask me to help repair things in their houses.

I have walked almost every street, including "Dodge City" and have not had any problems except maybe the occasional stare wondering why I was there. I'll give you that there are bums, schizophrenics, and other assorted people that aren't considered "desired" in nice neighborhoods but that can all be dealt with. I personally have tried to get as much interest in the neighborhood myself as possible. I have brought more than 6 people to look at houses for sale in the past month and will continue to do so. I fell in love with Norwood and will work my butt off to make it a great place to live. Anyway, just letting you know, this great neighborhood will once again be one of the better places to live in the city of Birmingham....cause I will help make it that way. ;-)

P.S. If anyone wants a tour or just a personal security guard when you come through, PM me and I'll be happy to show you around. Best wishes to all of ya!

Last edited by Devin; 11-30-2007 at 12:55 PM..
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Old 11-30-2007, 01:25 PM
 
763 posts, read 3,825,360 times
Reputation: 291
Thanks Devin and all of you who live in Norwood for bringing it back!! There are certainly some grand homes there that need some TLC to bring them back to their heydays....
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Old 11-30-2007, 01:35 PM
 
2 posts, read 4,925 times
Reputation: 12
While I am here, this is a photo of my house before I closed on it. It was quite a mess when I got it but I saw potential in it and have gotten a good bit done with the interior at least. I will be glad to slowly update on here and even show more of Norwood. Maybe Urbups would like to join me in cheerleading as he's already done.

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