E Washington Blvd. & Altadena Dr in Pasadena (San Marino: crime, home)

[Leaving Pennsylvania]

Hi,

I am completely unfamiliar with the area of E Washington Blvd. & Altadena Dr in Pasadena, and looking for general info from folks who live there now or have lived there regarding the community, restaurants, etc.

Also wondering what it's like in terms of safety/security. Is there a lot of crime in that area?

Thank you.

[True Freedom]

mostly it's a pretty good neighborhood. A little SE of there is Pasadena High. Personally, I wouldn't want to be too close to that... but I have a friend who lives just on the west side of Altadena and south of Washington, and it's a great little neighborhood.

For crime, you can check out this website: CrimeMapping.com - National Map

[CaliInChappaqua]

We used to live in that neighborhood -- on Grand Oaks, north of New York. It's a very nice part of Altadena and I'd be happy to live there again.

[nmnita]

We lived on New York drive but closer to Lake many years ago. At the time the area was great and the further east you went the nicer it got. I don't think you will have any problems living there, or shall we say, no more than living anywhere in a metro area.

[tranza]

It's ghetto really. I don't know what these people are talking about. Maybe their street was ok, but one block down its ghetto. Restaurants, old town is close by, many choices there. Pasadena is not totally safe like irvine or thousand oaks, but crime is not like south central. Biggest shock value would be high influx of minorities. Very high Latinos and Asians than PA.

[Voyageuse]

I have lived in the Pasadena area all my life. Steer clear of that area. Though your street may be quite and neighborly, you'll need to drive through the ghetto through the nice parts.

[Jonah1979]

Originally Posted by Voyageuse

I have lived in the Pasadena area all my life. Steer clear of that area. Though your street may be quite and neighborly, you'll need to drive through the ghetto through the nice parts.

Ghetto?? Huh? If we are talking about where Washington ends and meets Altadena drive then that's not bad at all. Just go straight up allen make a right and stop at Domenicoes for some pizza!

[CalHorn]

The people who refer to that area as "ghetto" have obviously never been to or lived in an actual ghetto. These people come off as completely clueless. The area near that intersection is not bad at all. I live in Pasadena about a 3 minute drive away from that intersection and I go up there routinely to get pizza from Domenico's or ice cream from Carmela's. There's also a McDonalds at that intersection that I occasionally hit. The neighborhood around there is okay -- nothing great but certainly not bad, and DEFINITELY not a ghetto. There's also a nice nature area right near there -- Eaton Canyon.

I noticed that Voyageuse apparently lives in San Marino, which is a very upscale area near Pasadena. To him/her, the area around Washington Blvd. and Altadena Dr. might seem low class, but it most assuredly is not. That area of Pasadena isn't nearly as nice as San Marino, but then again most places aren't. It certainly isn't a ghetto.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by CalHorn

The people who refer to that area as "ghetto" have obviously never been to or lived in an actual ghetto. These people come off as completely clueless. The area near that intersection is not bad at all. I live in Pasadena about a 3 minute drive away from that intersection and I go up there routinely to get pizza from Domenico's or ice cream from Carmela's. There's also a McDonalds at that intersection that I occasionally hit. The neighborhood around there is okay -- nothing great but certainly not bad, and DEFINITELY not a ghetto. There's also a nice nature area right near there -- Eaton Canyon.

I noticed that Voyageuse apparently lives in San Marino, which is a very upscale area near Pasadena. To him/her, the area around Washington Blvd. and Altadena Dr. might seem low class, but it most assuredly is not. That area of Pasadena isn't nearly as nice as San Marino, but then again most places aren't. It certainly isn't a ghetto.

I guess you can blame it on San Marino living. of course the area isn't anything near ghetto. There are parts of west Altadena I wouldn't want to consider, but the area being questioned is very nice and if I were moving back to the Pasa area, I wouldn't think twice about living there.

Nita

[mrsltd]

Perhaps the biggest issue would be burglaries if anything. When I was growing up my mom worked in Pasadena and one of her co-workers lived in Pasadena pretty close to Altadena. He had his home broken into a number of times but I don't know all the details on that. Just that east side is better than west side and north is good all around.

Used to be fifty-fifty black and white, more or less, but more Latino and Asian folks there now, as was mentioned previously. Even the "ghetto" parts, as in Pasadena generally, can be deceptive. There are trees and ivy EVERYWHERE, so it's hard to see "ghetto" at first.