Why is Irvington so cheap?

[staylor336]

From what I understand, Irvington used to be a real dive. Started out as a classy neighborhood. Butler University was originally located here, though it was Ground Zero for the Ku Klux Klan back in the 1920s (when the Klan was largely made up of affluent white middle-class Protestants....)

Indianapolis in general took a nose-dive after World War II and was in really bad shape until the mid-1970s. You can still see this in the areas right around Irvington. (The Near East Side, between Irvington and downtown, is pretty abysmal, I think. East of Arlington Ave. and west of Emerson starts to get sketch.) I think that definitely keeps Irvington prices down. There's no way to drive out of it except through the proverbial white ghetto. (And for the record, it's the white people who get on my nerves the most. Some people seem to be afraid of African Americans.... I've NEVER had any trouble with African Americans anywhere in Indianapolis. You'd have to go over to Haughville on the West Side to be that close to gang violence or racial tension.)

Having taken a dig at the ghetto, though, I've got to say: I've lived here for 8 months and have had no trouble with crime, drugs, or really anything except the fact that the surrounding area looks like hell in the winter.

Irvington is a good 20-30 minutes drive from the popular Broad Ripple drinking holes, and it's too far from IUPUI or Butler for students to consider it. That definitely deflates prices.

I think the prices are also low because Irvington (like Indy in general) is still pretty much undiscovered. Indianapolis, Indiana, and the Midwest in general are the butt of negative media perception and just outright prejudice. Don't get me wrong, there are parts of this town that look like a bomb went off there, but it is getting better -- at a glacial pace, it seems like, but compared to 40 years ago, Indy is on the upswing.

As much as I hate gentrification, part of me thinks the area around Irvington could really use some. But I've been surprisingly happy here.

Downtown Indianapolis is also amazingly cheap, compared to other cities.

[jammwill]

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

It is a combination of Indianapolis being cheap in general, and the perception that everything on the east side is ghetto.

This. I grew up on the east side. Lived in Irvington until I was 4, then moved further east (Warren Township). My parents have been living in that house for over 30 years. I just bought a house in Irvington and will be moving in hopefully before the end of the month.

Everybody thinks the east side is horrible, but it really just depends on the neighborhood and the people you associate with, like anywhere. I have a friend who has been living on Downey near 16th and Emerson for 8 years and hasn't had any problems at all. Don't let the fear mongers dissuade you from a great value on a home in a cool area. Property values will only go up as well.

[restorationconsultant]

Irvington is a great historic neighborhood that unfortunate sits surrounded by less than stellar neighborhoods. The last good neighborhood west of Irvington is Holy Cross which is almost downtown and prices are higher at 200-550K. The area North of Irvington is smaller cottages, mostly older people and those are headed more and more to rentals, The area south of Irvington is non descript 40-50's homes. The area east of Irvington, Warren Township, once a really nice inner ring suburban neighborhood is in decline, with more serious crime moving in and gang problems and more rentals. As the families that used to live there have moved on to better areas. I don't see Washington square there in 5-10 years , its already in serious decline and Washington Street east of Shadeland is adding check cashing stores, thrift store and such at an increasing pace.

Irvington is an Island of great architecture in sea of less than stellar areas. Credit where credit is due a lot has been done to improve Washington street in that area. But you still have the plasma center there and the Walgreens left and has been replaced with a family dollar ( a step backwards).

If you are buying for the love of architecture its a great area but you will not realize the property value improvements you would see in Holy Cross , Woodruff Place or other downtown and near downtown neighborhoods. In short, if you think you might be moving in 5-7 years you will gain some value but with commissions and such probably break even. If this is along haul place for you, go for it , get involved in the neighborhood association and community and you will probably love it.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by restorationconsultant

Irvington is a great historic neighborhood that unfortunate sits surrounded by less than stellar neighborhoods. The last good neighborhood west of Irvington is Holy Cross which is almost downtown and prices are higher at 200-550K.

If you are buying for the love of architecture its a great area but you will not realize the property value improvements you would see in Holy Cross , Woodruff Place or other downtown and near downtown neighborhoods. In short, if you think you might be moving in 5-7 years you will gain some value but with commissions and such probably break even. If this is along haul place for you, go for it , get involved in the neighborhood association and community and you will probably love it.

Emerson Heights, Little Flower, St Clair Place, Woodruff Place, Springdale, and most of Windsor Park are all east of Holy Cross and west of Irvington. So too is Englewood, the neighborhood I live in. The near east side is no doubt a hodgepodge of urban decay and renewal, but to blanket all of the near east side as "less than stellar" is off base.

I also disagree with your assertion that the Irv is not an area that will see increased value in the future. You would have to be blind to not have seen the positive changes within even the last couple of years. A place called Your Local Deli is set to open. Wyliepalooza recently opened. DuFour's and The Legend are still there. James Dant just opened. The Coal Factory is going to be under development soon. Property values have been on a climb. Irv is going places.

[sweetana3]

I agree that Irvington will be a little gem going forward. People care about their neighborhood and it still has a strong organization. Washington Street properties are being fixed and the area looks and feels better. Property costs being low will continue to draw those who are interested and if you really take the time to look, much money is being spent in Irvington.

It just wont ever appeal to the part of the "suburban" crowd that wants no diversity.

[indy_317]

The issue with Irvington is one that affects other areas of the city: Lower income diversity. For people who believe in traditional middle class morals and values, there are some people very close to Irvington that don't share those same values and morals. People with money, rightly or wrongly, view those without it, or very little of it, as likely having a different set of life values/morals. Irvington itself is a nice neighborhood. I know someone who recently moved there and they have a family with children. I also know a family who choose to move to Fishers from the near/mid east side area.

I believe schools are a related issue, because not everyone can afford nicer private schools. Some folks can deal with their kids attending a school where the bulk of their classmates may come from homes that may preach and/or practice a very different set of morals and values. There are plenty of parents who believe that sending their kid to a school where a lot of the students born to parents who were never married, parent(s) who were teens during birth, etc. may have a negative impact on their child.

Some have commented on shopping, and others have pointed out there are options on the east side (usually far east side). However, the shopping is better on other sides of town. It all depends on what you want though. How many times do you plan on buying an HDTV? Clothing? Household furnishings like couches, bookcases, etc.? The east side has provided my wife and I with all we really need. We have found a decent China cabinet, bed frame, table/chairs, and couches all on the east side. If one wants extremely costly or fancy branded items, for whatever the reason, there will be more options on certain sides of town. However, if one just needs basic stuff, the east side is fine. Sometimes I have to travel to another Lowes, Home Depot, etc. because the ones here may not carry as wide of selection. A lot of stuff I also buy on Amazon.com, leaving the entire shopping point a non-issue for those items.

Crime is also an issue, because as has been pointed out, urban areas are walkable areas. Criminals get to use sidewalks as much as anyone else, and the density of urban areas makes it attractive for criminals, especially those on foot. If one wants to be out walking at all hours of the day, live in a suburban area with sidewalks and a close commercial area if walk-ability is important. I wouldn't recommend being out walking during certain times in some parts of Indy though. There are too many criminals who will definitely take the opportunity if it presents itself. Not much one can really do about this though, and while such crimes are rarer in the suburban communities, they can always happen there as well.