History of Fondren and Belhaven (Jackson, West: low income, apartments, crime)

[Jardine8]

Just wanted to get some insight from older board members that are familiar with these areas of Jackson. I live in the metro area (I moved here in 2006) and am familiar with these two neighborhoods and IMO they are the two most attractive neighborhoods in Jackson, at least to me.

My question was basically on the history of these areas. I have heard that both of these areas in years past (1970s? 1980s?) were somewhat rougher areas with crime problems but that the Fondren and Belhaven that we see today have been rehabbed and rebuilt from what they were in years past. Is that an accurate picture of what they used to be or have they basically always just been nicer neighborhoods that happened to border some rougher areas (ie the areas to the west of West Street & State Street)?

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

The neighborhoods closest to Belhaven and Millsaps Colleges are among Jackson's oldest and most elite.
I read in an essay of the Journal of Mississippi History that at the turn of the Twentieth Century, a predecessor of Jackson State University was adjacent to Millsaps College. This meant that at one time, blacks lived in that neighborhood before the school moved to where it is now and the neighborhood became all-white for most of that century.
At first, I thought Fondren developed after World War Two, but it actually began earlier than that.

http://www.finditinfondren.com/local...ry-of-fondren/

[zblanton1]

Originally Posted by Mouldy Old Schmo

The neighborhoods closest to Belhaven and Millsaps Colleges are among Jackson's oldest and most elite.
I read in an essay of the Journal of Mississippi History that at the turn of the Twentieth Century, a predecessor of Jackson State University was adjacent to Millsaps College. This meant that at one time, blacks lived in that neighborhood before the school moved to where it is now and the neighborhood became all-white for most of that century.
At first, I thought Fondren developed after World War Two, but it actually began earlier than that.

History of Fondren | Find It In Fondren

Okay great I was hoping someone would refer that link because it tells you everything you need to know about Fondren! Belhaven has never been rough, it's always been nice & very swanky. Fondren HAS come a long way with Duling School being rehabbed into a mixed-use development, and the I honestly think the filming of the 2009 film The Help helped the area as well. The former Wildlife & Fisheries building was rehabbed into mixed-use as well which helped resurrect the area too.

[Jardine8]

Originally Posted by zblanton1

Okay great I was hoping someone would refer that link because it tells you everything you need to know about Fondren! Belhaven has never been rough, it's always been nice & very swanky. Fondren HAS come a long way with Duling School being rehabbed into a mixed-use development, and the I honestly think the filming of the 2009 film The Help helped the area as well. The former Wildlife & Fisheries building was rehabbed into mixed-use as well which helped resurrect the area too.

Yes, I have read that link before. I knew that Fondren and Belhaven were historical areas with older homes. I had just heard that the area had been rougher in years past (I would assume in the 70s and 80s and due to crime), which obviously is different than the Fondren and Belhaven that I see today, as both are attractive places to live.

[brickpatio]

I think Belhaven and Fondren have always been nice, although they continue to get nicer every year. You may be thinking of Belhaven Heights (south of Fortification), which has in previous years struggled with higher rates of car break-ins etc. Fondren also includes Woodland Hills and adjacent neighborhoods down to St James Episcopal Church, which are some of Jackson's wealthiest neighborhoods.

[cosmowgirl]

Both Fondren and Belhaven tend to unknowingly participate in a sort of 30-year demise/rehab process. Children grow up and move, the older residents don't keep up their houses like they used to, then the property values drop low enough for them to become low income neighborhoods. Then the children start their own families, buy cheap properties that have been in demise for decades, rehab the properties and fight the crime for a decade or so, then live there for another 20 or so years before the decline process starts back over. Right now, everyone is leaving Belhaven and moving to Fondren.

[golden eagles fan]

About when did Fondren begin to take off?

[zblanton1]

Originally Posted by cosmowgirl

Both Fondren and Belhaven tend to unknowingly participate in a sort of 30-year demise/rehab process. Children grow up and move, the older residents don't keep up their houses like they used to, then the property values drop low enough for them to become low income neighborhoods. Then the children start their own families, buy cheap properties that have been in demise for decades, rehab the properties and fight the crime for a decade or so, then live there for another 20 or so years before the decline process starts back over. Right now, everyone is leaving Belhaven and moving to Fondren.

As far as I know, Belhaven has never been in any type of decline in it's history. Belhaven has been a more overall successful neighborhood than Fondren for many, many years until Fondren began to be rehabbed and people began moving there.

[zblanton1]

Originally Posted by golden eagles fan

About when did Fondren begin to take off?

Rehab wise? I know that I read somewhere that in the early to mid 2000s realtors were starting to not even show homes on what they considered to be the west side of Interstate 55, and yes I'm talking about the Fondren/Woodland Hills area, they considered all of those homes to be cheap & dilapidated.

Then Fondren became the cool place, people moved in and rehabbed a lot of the homes, & now homes that you could've probably bought for $40,000 or less, now cost $130,000+!

[golden eagles fan]

I've told people for a while now that as more development and redevelopment happens in Fondren, property values will rise. So will property taxes. This means some people who live there now may not be able to afford it and will have to move out in a few years. I'm thinking of the areas as you get closer to West Street. The new apartments under construction just west of Sal & Mookie's will raise the values (if it hasn't already). The new hotel will surely do so.