Eastern Parkway, a block from U of L; nice area?

[thunderkat59]

Originally Posted by otterhere

Any further input on these areas, as well as Butchertown and Crescent Hill, welcome; still shopping!

Crescent Hill is the next realty hot spot. It is getting recognized now, and properties are not spending any time on MLS.
Some, are even FSBO. I work in the Crescent Hill area and walk the neighborhoods daily and see lots of great realty. Its a great area with a lot of variation even block-to-block. I live in the Highlands now but are looking to get into something smaller and Crescent Hill is where we are concentrating our search. I think its going to be looked at like the Highlands in a short time. Not quite as "lively" as the Highlands, but still totally walkable with lots to do. Its one of those "Cant go wrong" areas

[MissingIndiana]

Originally Posted by otterhere

Trying to figure out what Oldham County has to do with this, but thanks for all the responses!

Missingindiana, I am all about urban living and a walkable/bikable lifestyle, so I appreciate all the great information about this area. As it turns out, this particular condo seems to have a structural flaw, but it's good to know for future reference. I noticed it was just a very quick drive down Eastern until I was in the Bardstown Road area (where I've also looked). Didn't realize there was a decent park closer than Cherokee, so that's also useful.

As for Old Louisville and downtown (or what I guess they now refer to as NuLu), how are those areas coming along? OL doesn't seem to have much within easy walking distance re: groceries, etc. (it's hard to beat the heart of the Highlands for that), but I'm wild about the Victorian architecture and have long been expecting this area to fully gentrify and become safer and more desirable, as there's really nowhere else to grow except into the 'burbs which, as you point out, is unacceptable for those of us not living the "soccer mom" lifestyle.

Any further input on these areas, as well as Butchertown and Crescent Hill, welcome; still shopping!

In Old Louisville, there is 610 Magnolia which is a super nice restaurant that is walkable. Edward Lee is a James Beard award quality chef and was on Top Chef a season or two ago. There's also Buck's which is supposed to be pretty popular and more upscale, though I never ate there. Amici's is a neat little Italian place on Ormsby between 3rd and 4th. Not as upscale, but decent and local. The Rudyard Kipling is cheaper foodwise, but they have live music and poetry sometimes. It has more of a hipster kind of feel. Maybe that's not the best description, but it's the best I can do right now, haha. There's a pretty decent bakery in the neighborhood, I think the hookah lounge they put in at 4th and Hill is still there. There's a Rite Aid at 4th and Oak. Central Park is right there. All these things are walkable and it was about a 5 minute drive to the north end of Bardstown Rd (longer of course if you were going to the southern end of that strip).

If you throw a bike into the mix, you're only a few minutes from some of the stuff I mentioned on the north end of UofL, and there is a Kroger no more than a mile away near 2nd and Breckinridge. That Kroger is a little shadier though and not as well kept. We usually cut east on Oak and drove to the one two miles away over on Goss Avenue near Eastern Parkway. There is a separate designated bike lane all the way down 3rd street from downtown to UofL that cuts through the neighborhood and 2nd Street has a car lane marked as a bike route through most of Old Louisville and a separated bike lane northbound from about Oak northwards so it's very easy to get around. They're adding more lanes in this area as well.

Regarding NULU, there are a lot of really great restaurants and shops in that area. It's really gentrified a lot. I love Decca, especially the small downstairs bar area. I still hate how wide Market Street is through there though. It makes it feel less inviting/comfortable for some reason, whereas the smaller tree lined streets in Old Louisville and places like Crescent Hill make them seem more homey to me, though they still have some great places to go.

[Crazee Cat Lady]

Originally Posted by MissingIndiana

Also, you don't have to live in the exurbs to find a "quality area." For those whose entire life is about family and their kids' school, that might work. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that and home prices, for the most part, stay pretty stable in those areas.

Some people actually find the cookie cutter homes, lack of history, lack of public places to visit, and the necessity of driving long distances to get to these things to be a detriment to the quality of the area. Easy access to multiple museums, parks, the arts, and other events might actually make an area seem of a higher quality for some. There is actually a growing amount of people who are starting to believe these areas are worth much more than the suburbs. A prime example is the boom happening in downtown Indy right now with housing.

That.

I have noticed this is definitely the trend...and where people use to flow to the suburbs for the quiet,
peaceful life, many people are looking for location and walk-ability, and prefer being right in the mix of things - where decades before people were moving away from the cities, it seems now people are moving into them. Most of the young adults now see the suburbs as boring, bland and dull...and disdain McMansions and Cookie cutter homes. (I can see both sides, but it is an excellent point and interesting trend.)

It's been years since I have lived in Louisville, but I always loved this area, and all the trees...sort of like living in a Park.

[otterhere]

As for downtown, what about Breckinridge? Love the Thierman Building, but the area looks a bit rough around the edges; same for St. James Court. Also, looks like you'd have to drive for most "necessaries." I can't see why these areas aren't lighting on fire, actually, since the Highlands is overpriced and filled to bursting (they need to trade in their cars for scooters). Unless everyone's still foolishly fleeing to the suburbs, where they're foolishly building yet more new construction...

[thunderkat59]

Originally Posted by otterhere

A (they need to trade in their cars for scooters). Unless everyone's still foolishly fleeing to the suburbs, where they're foolishly building yet more new construction...

Two scooters here lolz
We travelled the country looking for a place to retire from and ended up in the Highlands. Its a formula that literally could work for anyone, even 'core suburbanoids if they choose the "right" neighborhood.
I never understood nu-construct/outlying suburb mentally . . . Worrying about your neighbors worrying about you, driving you car everywhere. Not for me But, Not everyone os "Me", so I suppose it's good to have a choice. As a country, we need to rethink suburban ideology and consider the toll it is taking on our infrastructure, property taxes and resources. It's not 1950's anymore

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by otterhere

As for downtown, what about Breckinridge? Love the Thierman Building, but the area looks a bit rough around the edges; same for St. James Court. Also, looks like you'd have to drive for most "necessaries." I can't see why these areas aren't lighting on fire, actually, since the Highlands is overpriced and filled to bursting (they need to trade in their cars for scooters). Unless everyone's still foolishly fleeing to the suburbs, where they're foolishly building yet more new construction...

These areas are exploding, but not yet lighting on "fire".

Every week an article arises:

Oak Street Wins Again: Historic Arden Building to see new life, new retail | Broken Sidewalk

Explaining some sort of infill or rehab in the Sobro/Old Louisivlle./Shelby Park corridor. It will take 10 years but look for a total transformation of that area. All the high density projects are gone from Shelby Park, and streets like Breckenridge and Kentucky are regaining their historic urban form. Bike lanes are going in everywhere. It just takes more folks like yourself buying some of the shotguns (for dirty cheap) and moving in and showing some of the longtime (misfit) residents how normal people live.

[Terrywooden]

I think there are some great amenities in that area. The JB Speed Art Museum will be opening again, there is a Swimming pool, and close to expressway.

[J. O. King]

I question the labeling of an Entire County.

[J. O. King]

There is some very disturbing and erroneous chatter on this thread.

[otterhere]

Don't look at me; I don't even know where Oldham County is!

Thanks for all the great info, folks.