Is Fountain Square truly showing signs of revitalization? (Madison, Laurel: renting, houses)

[mrstinye]

... I saw that it was part of the Southeast Neighborhood Development project that started in 1991 (Southeast Neighborhood Development).

Some parts, especially the south end towards the warehouses and on the way to Garfield Park (SE Bates Hendricks) still seem pretty desolate.

Just wondering if the area would be a good place to get on board for a home if things are/will continue looking up, or if I should consider other more established home area like Emerson Heights or something newer like Fairfax near Thatcher Park, etc.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by mrstinye

... I saw that it was part of the Southeast Neighborhood Development project that started in 1991 (Southeast Neighborhood Development).

Some parts, especially the south end towards the warehouses and on the way to Garfield Park (SE Bates Hendricks) still seem pretty desolate.

Just wondering if the area would be a good place to get on board for a home if things are/will continue looking up, or if I should consider other more established home area like Emerson Heights or something newer like Fairfax near Thatcher Park, etc.

Fountain Square really ends at Pleasent Run Parkway; so if you are talking about areas around Shelby and Raymond heading toward Garfield Park; or anything along East Street, that isn't Fountain Square.

Fountain Square has improved a lot. The residential improvments are behind the commericail development, but I have seen it improving first hand. The "North Square" neighborhood association recently put in a walking path and are doing some beautification work. The culture trail is going to come down Virginia Ave.

As far as getting on board in Fountain Square, the biggest hurdle right now is the slum-lords hanging on to dilapated houses and renting to anyone with a pulse. There are a lot of great houses down here that have been "flipped," and there are some that still look like they are falling apart.

I think of it as area you can invest in, as long as you are not expecting a monster profit within 5 years or something. The improvment has been slow down here, and I don't see any reason why it would accelerate.

[mrstinye]

Toxic, thank you for the feedback ... and for distinguishing where the Fountain Square boundaries end: that helps a lot.

I am thinking of the SW end closer to East Street. According to its map, it seems to be included in the SEND project that I had mentioned (but who knows if that project is still underway and at what rate they are working). I imagine that it may be revitalizing too, but perhaps as a slower rate than its Fountain Square counterpart ... any feedback on those parts?

The slumlord observation seems dead-on. There does seem to be some flipped properties, but then there are others that are stagnant. Perhaps if it revitalizes enough, someone will buy them out and improve the properties ... here's to hoping.

[Michelle Morris]

To me, the thing that is strange about Fountain Square is that you can have 2 houses side by side that are completely different, one remodeled and on falling apart. It can also go street by street. TT, can you give me a guideline of any kind like, which streets have been mostly updated or which have not yet?

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by mrstinye

Toxic, thank you for the feedback ... and for distinguishing where the Fountain Square boundaries end: that helps a lot.

I am thinking of the SW end closer to East Street. According to its map, it seems to be included in the SEND project that I had mentioned (but who knows if that project is still underway and at what rate they are working). I imagine that it may be revitalizing too, but perhaps as a slower rate than its Fountain Square counterpart ... any feedback on those parts?

SEND is definitly still doing their thing. They do work not just in Fountain Square, but other southeastern areas; Bates-Hendricks included. They had a booth at the Fountain Square Art Fair last September, including a list of houses they plan to work on.

Bates-Hendricks (which would include East Street) does seem behind Fountain Square, but is showing signs of life. The same could be said for Sacred Heart, just west of Madison Ave; but yet further behind. The thing I like about Bates-Hendricks, is that they seem to have a pretty involved and vocal neighborhood group. That is just my observation though; never dealt with them first hand.

Originally Posted by Michelle Morris

To me, the thing that is strange about Fountain Square is that you can have 2 houses side by side that are completely different, one remodeled and on falling apart. It can also go street by street. TT, can you give me a guideline of any kind like, which streets have been mostly updated or which have not yet?

Woodlawn and Pleasent between Shelby and Laurel are in great shape.

Olive between Prospect and Pleasent is is very good shape.

The "north square" section (which is between Shelby and the Interstate, north of Prospect and south of Fletcher) is in pretty good shape, along Leonard Street toward Viginia Ave is where they installed the walking path.

Fletcher Ave between the Interstate and Laurel is is good shape, there are no major issues with crumbling houses along there that I can recall.

East of Laurel toward State Ave and north of Prospect is where the neighborhood gets more spotty, with the crumbling houses next to freshly fixed up is more visable.

I would say, without hesitation, that Lexington Ave east of shelby is the street that is farthest behind.


EDIT: As you might guess, I don't wander south of Prospect that often. That is not an indicment on that area, I just happen to live north of Prospect and spend most of my dog walking time there.

[mrstinye]

TT: Thanks for the feedack. Much appreciated.

[Michelle Morris]

Thank you TT! I need to print that out and keep it in some sort of file or something!