Whats up with the east side of WS? (rental, crime)

[new2theNC]

I've only lived in WS for a little over a year now, and to me it's pretty crazy how basically everything to the west of Peters Creek Parkway in the southern side (and West of Univ. Pkwy in the nothern side), is very nice and everything to east of it seems very downtrodden and sorta depressing. I may be totally off base with these assessments, but the Waughtown area seems pretty bad, the area near WSSU is the same way outside of the actual campus area. And I've never been to the northeast side of town, but I hear it's the worst part of WS. Compared to the west side of town with all the medical centers and Hanes Mall and just all kinds of businesses and neighborhoods seem to be popping up everyday, I just can't understand why things were seemingly left alone on the other side of town. I realize that the answer is probably very complicated, but with WS being a "developing" city, why does it seem like the eastern side of town has been basically forgotten in the growth of the city as a whole? Like I said I haven't lived here that long, so maybe someone who's lived here for a long time can make sense of the situation.

[NCSouthernLady]

Originally Posted by new2theNC

I've only lived in WS for a little over a year now, and to me it's pretty crazy how basically everything to the west of Peters Creek Parkway in the southern side (and West of Univ. Pkwy in the nothern side), is very nice and everything to east of it seems very downtrodden and sorta depressing. I may be totally off base with these assessments, but the Waughtown area seems pretty bad, the area near WSSU is the same way outside of the actual campus area. And I've never been to the northeast side of town, but I hear it's the worst part of WS. Compared to the west side of town with all the medical centers and Hanes Mall and just all kinds of businesses and neighborhoods seem to be popping up everyday, I just can't understand why things were seemingly left alone on the other side of town. I realize that the answer is probably very complicated, but with WS being a "developing" city, why does it seem like the eastern side of town has been basically forgotten in the growth of the city as a whole? Like I said I haven't lived here that long, so maybe someone who's lived here for a long time can make sense of the situation.

Don't go to Waughtown at night. Or the WSSU area. Scary. Some parts very scary in the day... I work in my church's community outreach in these areas, and they are pretty awful. Don't know why... but they are.

[flipster]

Well.

To be blunt.

That is where the 'projects' were built in the 60's/70's. Also that area was more industrial from the start of the city, as it was the Winston part. I would say 99% of the residents there are minorities. It is not a safe place in the daytime as drug deals go on and there are adult males loitering on the street corners. That is what I have seen just on the 'outskirts' of that area. I used to work in a medical clinic on the outskirts of east Winston and was told by the director that there has never been a problem for the employees there because the community has accepted that clinic as a 'good' thing.

I remember visiting Waughtown street in the 60's/70's and it was a very peaceful and quiet area. The crime has infiltrated that area since the 80's with most housing becoming rental and the residents transient.

Why? I don't know. You can't make all people care about where they live or make them take responsibility for their well-being. Also, I believe the breakdown of the non-traditional family contributes to the problems.

That is my take on the situation.