Is this in Chickasaw Gardens? Is it safe? Walkable/Bikable/Livable? (Memphis: apartment, to rent)

[carol37]

Hi! My husband and I will be moving to Memphis from FL soon and are starting to look for a place to rent. We prefer a house that has a yard for our two small dogs. I found a listing at 130 S. Holmes (South of Poplar, west of Highland St) and it says it's near Chicksaw Gardens. We're coming to town in about a week and a half to start apartment hunting and wanted to know if this would be a good place for us to look at. We'd like an area that is safe, walkable and bikable. Also, anyone know what the commute time would be to Southaven MS? We really prefer to live in Memphis proper than suburbia but my husband will be working in Southaven. Thanks!

[Ginsaw]

That address is well to the east of the Gardens. If it were Chickasaw Gardens proper, you'd know by the price tag. The Gardens are extremely nice old homes build in a grand old style architecture. You'd find little to rent if anything in the Gardens, but probably so in the S. Holmes area. I think the area you're looking at is just fine. It's centrally located, near lots of shopping, and is good for biking, walking and is generally as safe as East Memphis gets.

Commute time to Southaven depends on the route and time of day, but I think generally 45 minutes max during peak times.

[maximus10]

I don't consider that Central Gardens. It is near it though. It is safe and walkable. I see lots of folks walking their dogs in that area. You'll like it.

[Pearlbob]

IT's the Joffre neighborhood, they have their own neighborhood association. It's next door to Chickasaw Gardens. Great area, very central to everything, but still residential. That's a very cute little house! You'll be less than a block from a great mexican restaurant, Los Compadres. Along with a ton of other restaurants and shopping. Definite thumbs up! If you like the house, I'd snatch that up in a heartbeat.

As for the commute to Southaven, you'd be going the opposite of traffic (ie most people commute from Southaven into Memphis) so it would be pretty easy. 20 min? Maybe 30? Depends exactly where you're going.

[JMT]

You'll find that pretty much no matter where you are in Memphis, you're never more than a few blocks from a beautiful neighborhood, and never more than a few blocks from a crack neighborhood.

130 S Holmes isn't in Chickasaw Gardens but it really is close. It's a super convenient location.

However, if you venture just a couple of blocks on the other side of Poplar (north of Walnut Grove) you're going to start getting into some iffy neighborhoods. I have good friends who lived on Century for years and years but finally moved out because of all the petty crime on their street (cars getting broken into, things stolen off of front porches, etc).

I lived on Prescott south of Central, a couple of blocks from Holmes in that same neighborhood. In 18 months my house was broken into 4 times, my car was broken into once, and then my car was stolen. One neighbor's tool shed was wiped clean, and another one's mail was stolen several times without her knowing it, and another neighbor came home to find some random teenagers had broken into her home and were eating a pizza from her fridge. But some of my neighbors never had any problems at all. Go figure.

[carol37]

Wow! Thanks for all the quick replies. I've sent the realtor a message so we'll see what happens! Mexican food is our favorite so the proximity to a good restaurant is a plus. I hope the dogs would be somewhat of a deterrent to break-ins--they're loud even though they are small.

Also, what would you say are the pros/cons of this area vs. Central Gardens close to the Med Center? These houses were both just east of Cleveland St., one on Carr, one on Harbert.

And, one last thing (!): We don't have to move until August though I wouldn't mind renting now just to make sure we have a place that we like. I'm worried of having to settle for something that's not quite right. Is this unfounded? Or are there usually decent, affordable places to rent?

Thanks!!!

[Pearlbob]

Carol37 - I sent you a direct message.

Central Gardens is also a great area HOWEVER the area close to Cleveland is a bit iffy. You cross Cleveland it gets pretty bad. I would say without a doubt, the house on Holmes would be much safer.

Central Gardens is a great neighborhood, very historic, great neighborhood association, beautiful old homes. But again, the area closest to Cleveland is by far the most "unsafe" area of CG.

[(901)]

to much rift raft travels by foot on holmes. I beleive this is what leads to all the breakins in the Joffre Neighborhood

[PhillyIndy]

Originally Posted by Pearlbob

Carol37 - I sent you a direct message.

Central Gardens is also a great area HOWEVER the area close to Cleveland is a bit iffy. You cross Cleveland it gets pretty bad. I would say without a doubt, the house on Holmes would be much safer.

Central Gardens is a great neighborhood, very historic, great neighborhood association, beautiful old homes. But again, the area closest to Cleveland is by far the most "unsafe" area of CG.

You need to take a look. Cleveland is a line but there are some very nice homes on Carr and Harbert West of Cleveland. Even 1 block east of Cleveland makes a very large diference as there is little to no "sketck" there.

All of CG will have more walk thru traffic than the house on Holmes.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by PhillyIndy

You need to take a look. Cleveland is a line but there are some very nice homes on Carr and Harbert West of Cleveland. Even 1 block east of Cleveland makes a very large diference as there is little to no "sketck" there.

All of CG will have more walk thru traffic than the house on Holmes.

That could be, but it wasn't what I experienced. I lived in Central Gardens for 3.5 years, and the only crime I experienced was when someone stole my bike off my 2nd floor balcony (I'm still amazed at how they did it). But in the 18 months I lived in the neighborhood the OP is referring to, there was rampant crime. My friends on Century said the same thing, I think being so close to East High School was part of the problem.

But I do agree that there are some great homes to be found on Carr and Harbert, and the crime really isn't that bad. Central Gardens is a neighborhood made for walking. I was amazed at how many parents walked their kids to the various neighborhood schools, public and private. If I got to live in Memphis again I would definitely not hesitate to live in Central Gardens again.