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Glad you asked! Go ahead and get that cup of coffee or take that bathroom break, because this is going to be a long entry.
If you are working a normal 9-5 in Nashville, then I would definitely recommend that you live in the city. I VERY occasionally have to commute to the suburbs for my work during evening rush hour and find traffic is getting increasingly worse here. It’s not to Chicago proportions, by any stretch, but it is still a pain. My commute to my Germantown office from my East Nashville home is 3-5 minutes. LOVE IT.
Here are some areas that are in the earlier stages of gentrification—they have higher, but steadily decreasing crime rates and boast wonderful historic homes:
East Nashville (I think this article sums it up well: http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/Special_Issues/Best_of_Nashville/2005/10/27/Best_of_Nashville_The_Near_Eas/index.shtml (broken link))
Also see http://www.rediscovereast.org/ and http://groups.google.com/group/East-Nashville
East Nashville covers a broad area and varies widely with some streets that are fully gentrified and others that are still quite dicey. As I said, I live here and I love it. It isn’t for everyone, though. Your post mentioned crime. If crime stresses you out, you should probably look elsewhere. Since I’m a neighborhood organizer, it’s my job to help neighborhoods reduce crime, so I’m working on it. Check back in 5-7 years.
Some other neighborhoods in East Nashville (such as South Inglewood, Cleveland Park http://www.cpnanashville.org/, McFerrin Park, Greenwood, Renraw Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed, East Hill and Shelby Hills) are less expensive but have more problems with street level drug dealing (and sometimes the violence that tends to accompany it). This activity, varies block by block, however, so that you can find a fabulous home on a quiet street for a pretty good price if you do your research (meaning talk to the locals—a lot). I live in Cleveland Park. There are threads here about it: //www.city-data.com/forum/nashv...d-park-tn.html and //www.city-data.com/forum/nashv...-gallatin.html
That should keep you busy for a while. Please remember that this is not an exhaustive list, just groups that I am familiar with and areas that I find appealing for one reason or another. Take a look and feel free to ask more questions.
The one thing all of these neighborhoods have in common: an active neighborhood association. That is one of the best indicators for future increases in property values for urban neighborhoods.
Cheers!
Carol
P.S. I have very little confidence in the Davidson County Public School System. That said, the school system is going to be just like neighborhoods--there are gems out there just waiting to be found. I just don't have the energy.
When my son is of school age, he will likely be going to East Academy http://www.eastacademy.org/. Their tuition is significantly cheaper than our current cost for daycare, so we can probably swing it. Nashville has MANY private Montessori Schools. The Nashville Parent http://www.nashvilleparent.com/ often has information about them. Good luck!
My goodness Carol, you are a tremendous asset to all of us looking to come to this area. What would you tell a father (Me) whose daughter wants to move to Nashville after graduating college this spring to begin her (effort) to become a recording artist/entertainer?
Obviously she would be working at night, driving the later hours. What area should she stay away from? And gravitate toward?
I guess I need more information before I would make a suggestion. Is she single? Is she adventurous or shy? What is her experience with urban living previously? Does she mostly prefer to drive where she wants to go or prefer being able to pop around the corner from home to hit the bars/restaurants/retail stores/etc.? What kind of budget are we talking here?
Feel free to direct message me or give me more details here, whichever you prefer.
I'm sure I can answer some of your questions, since many people from outside of Nashville can't admit they have crap nightlife, schools, dining, & architecture compared to Davidson County.
I say Davidson County instead of Nashville because they are one and the same. Davidson County became the Nashville city limits in 1963, & it's important to know what exactly is "in Nashville," since the Nashville area is very spread out. Nashville's "areas of town":
Downtown(obv), Hillwood/West Meade, Sylvan Park, Belmont, Green Hills, East Nashville, Germantown, Belle Meade, Forrest Hills, Oak Hill, & the Vanderbilt area. The places above are the best places to live in my opinion as a long-time resident of Nashtown. East Nashville is probably the lowest on the list, sadly, b/c of crime, but it's still better than North Nashville. The areas I mentioned are the best because they have the best mix of nightlife, dining, parks, shops, & people, & are only a 5 to 15 min. commute to work since you're in Davidson County. The architechture is also the best and oldest. I didn't count Brentwood & Bellevue as being in Nashville (although many people that live there say they live in Nashville when they are away, & that is NOT COOL. You hear me Brentwood&Bellevue? NOT COOL.) because they are on the outskirts of town & Nashvillians, generally, have no need to go there, only going when necessary. Traffic moves to & fro from these places in generally one direction, that of rush-hour traffic. No one from Nashville goes to Brentwood or Bellevue to "do stuff" b/c there is nothing to do. Bellevue has an old mall & apartments. That's it. Truth. If you're on a budget, however,...still don't live there. Live in Franklin. It's the quaint small town with a town square, nice people, etc.
You are closest to our best park, Centennial Park (where the Parthenon is), if you live in the Vandy Area. The park is great, during the DAY (Growing up we always joked about gay people that met up there in shady areas at night, then we heard it was true & it became a lot funnier) With that said, in daytime it's a great place for kids. They have a huge old steam train that every boy likes & a good museum/ gallery in the Parthenon. I think the train is still there. The park also has a good-sized lake with an island for ducks. Kids flip their sh__ when they see ducks.
The public buildings & parks in Nashville are another huge reason why you should live in the city, not the surrounding 'burbs. It's why we don't mind paying a few more $$ in taxes than our neighbors. Our downtown library is new and is world-class, with a HUGE reading room that everyone should at least check out (sorry for the really bad unintended pun). They have murals everywhere, a courtyard in the middle, & maybe a cafe. They have DVDs available for check-out too, but they probably all suck compared to the books. It's all downtown on Church St.
Green Hills & Belle Meade are the areas I know best. They are within 5mins of each other. Green Hills has a new library. good for kids I guess... Belle Meade has no library because all of the houses have them. They do have their own police force though (with the smallest jurisdiction ever). These guys basically just stop speeders and run security at parties. I've thought about if they want to actually solve crimes as police officers, or just want easy jobs. Live in Belle Meade if you have the means. It's beautiful, with a huge park at the end of it's main road (Belle Meade Blvd.) & a great public golf course, as well as "old-school" Belle Meade Country Club, where some long for the "old days," when Nashville wasn't as good. There are good public & private schools in the area, including Harpeth Hall (Reese Witherspoon's alma mater), an all-girls school that used to have the hottest girls (& biggest *******. Big surprise,
right?). Yep. It's true. It's also true that there are insanely conservative, Brooks Brothers only, old-money idiots (& smart people) in Belle Meade, but there are also plenty of open-minded liberals, as well as some Jewish people. I grew up here and I know I found more diversity than I would have in any of Nashville's surrounding areas. "City" out-of-towners take note: the closer to downtown you live, the less cultue-shock you'll have. Nashville is a diverse town, to an extent, but it has deep roots. This clash of differences is one thing i like, & hate, about Nashville. Many people have moved here in recent years and few realize that to have friends outside of town, one must have an appreciation for the country life that many Tennesseans have always loved (even if you think it's really boring & you'd never hang out at a Sonic on Friday night).
For those who care, the best mall in Nashville is "The Mall at Green Hills." No, it's not called the Green Hills Mall like a normal mall. It's better than that. It's the only Nashville mall that has Prada, Tiffany's, Louie V., etc., so if you have a gold-digging wife, sucks to be you. It does have a really good cookie place I gotta mention. & their Santa Claus is probably the most grandiose of them all, if you care about not what Christmas is about. ..& Don't even say Opry Mills. It's for tourists, & I miss Opryland. It was 100 times better than a mall. Think about it. It's true. Opry Mills stores aren't even that good. Some idiots tore down our great amusement park to build a big, mediocre mall. Sad, but true.
I know something about the bar scene, especially compared to some older people who clearly don't get out much, or are ridiculously biased (Leiper's Fork is only cool if your idea of cool is sitting in the woods, getting bored, & then realizing you should drive to Nashville to find something to do). I won't describe it now though because i've already typed an ass-load...I also know the best local schools, public & private, including some info. that will make some parents angry (Brentwood Academy has problems, dont ever send your kid there, & it's a private school no less). You find out a lot when you talk to graduates...If you want my recommendations on either of these topics, simply reply & ask....
This is random, but I have this theory that could help some people out in terms of deciding where to live:
Some people that move to the 'burbs say they do so to leave the "hustle & bustle" of Nashville. Maybe they say it just to justify it to themselves, but this is hilarious to anyone from a big city, who realizes there is no great hustle & bustle in Nashville, only a little more traffic & people compared to the outlying areas. The funny part is that people leave Davidson County saying they want to leave "the hustle & bustle," then end up hustling more driving to work every day for an hour (or 2), in heavy traffic, on interstates that Nashvillians never even need to use for the daily commute.
-Hope this helps some people. I'll be glad to write more if people reply...Nashville rocks....Go Titans...Free Pacman...& Hope we beat the Colts on Sunday.
PS:
It's always funny to see someone like hml1976 post a message that trashes West Nashville. I went to what s/he calls an "all white upper class private school." This is way too big of a generalization b/c there are a lot of private schools. I'm literally still friends with a black guy and an Indian guy that graduated with me around 5 years ago. Some private schools make an effort to be somewhat diverse. Others do not. Just look at recent yearbooks for proof. I'm calling out Ensworth as the least diverse, simply to inform people looking for info. hml1976, plenty of people from out-of-town live in Belle Meade & Green Hills & like it like everyone else. You clearly don't know what you're talking about...You even hate on Nashville scenery! You never knew Love Circle I guess, & your statements like these are probably why no one in Nashville liked you.
Off to Brentwood you go. Enjoy all it has to offer. If you find anything. Let me know. & have fun at the skate center.
denawilliams is correct about the safety issues. I grew up here and have never been victimized, not once. Nashville has so many perfectly safe areas, but it does have bad ones too. Just be glad we don't have Memphis crime. I must say I was surprised to see that Nashville is the 8th most dangerours city with a population over 500,000, but Memphis is ranked #4 on the list, & NY or LA aren't even on it so who knows.
Whatup now, Carol... Yea, soak in the young one's knowledge.
Having also moved from Milwaukee (lived there my entire life), I'd be happy to give a comparision based on my experience. I can't say that my definations of "safe" or "good" would be the same as yours, but I can help you identify areas around Nashville that share similar characteristics to Milwaukee neighborhoods (are you looking for a Whitefish Bay colonial, Brewer's Hill renovation or a Bay View bungalow, etc....?). Feel free to send me an email if you'd prefer...
I do have to say that we have no regrets about our move...we absolutely love it here! Good luck with your search.
As far as Nashville areas, I would recommend Green Hills, Belle Meade, West Meade and West End. These parts of Nashville are more established and have character along with being close to everything. Don't be fooled by the appeal of Brentwood. I grew up there and it is not the same today as it was then. Brentwood is now very nouveau riche with McMansions showing up on every corner. Most people in Brentwood seem to be stuck in a bubble and never venture outside of it to experience all that Nashville offers. Nashville has some great private schools but the public schools are very questionable. Some of the public schools in West Nashville are decent but can't say much for the others. If you want to be around more culture and diversity, live in Nashville, not Brentwood.
As far as Nashville areas, I would recommend Green Hills, Belle Meade, West Meade and West End. These parts of Nashville are more established and have character along with being close to everything. Don't be fooled by the appeal of Brentwood. I grew up there and it is not the same today as it was then. Brentwood is now very nouveau riche with McMansions showing up on every corner. Most people in Brentwood seem to be stuck in a bubble and never venture outside of it to experience all that Nashville offers. Nashville has some great private schools but the public schools are very questionable. Some of the public schools in West Nashville are decent but can't say much for the others. If you want to be around more culture and diversity, live in Nashville, not Brentwood.
what culture? what diversity? Nashville excels in neither when compared to other metros like Boston or Wash DC.
Here are some areas (in no particular order—and I’m sure that I left several out) that I believe are about as safe as one would expect urban neighborhoods to be (and the house prices tend to reflect that): ....
Historic Germantown http://www.historicgermantown.org/site/ ....
Here are some areas that are in the earlier stages of gentrification—they have higher, but steadily decreasing crime rates and boast wonderful historic homes:
East Nashville
Carol, you believe Germantown is safer and more gentrified than East Nashville? That was not my impression, either from talking to people or from driving around the two areas. But maybe I'm mistaken.
One problem with comparing the two is the size of the area we are talking about (East Nashville being much larger than Historic Germantown).
I am certainly more familiar with East Nashville than Germantown (my office has been located in the latter for about one year), but my understanding is that crime in Germantown is not as high. The boundaries for Historic Germantown are fairly small, though, and the gentrification is concentrated in that small area. I call it more gentrified because the price per sq ft and the cost of vacant land are both higher there (at least it was the last time I looked).
There are adjacent neighborhoods that may have higher crime rates and are certainly less gentrified than Germantown itself. If you cross Rosa Parks (formerly 8th Ave), there is much less gentrification. I will qualify this by saying I don't drive around these neighborhoods regularly but pass through on major thoroughfares like Garfield, so there may be some developments that I don't know about.
So, it is contextual based on the size of the geographic area you are looking at. If you compare North Nashville in general (where Germantown is located) versus East Nashville, I would say crime is higher in North Nashville (based on the data I see from the police). If you compare individual neighborhoods, like say Lockeland Springs to Germantown, I would predict that Germantown would have less crime. I don't have data in front of me to confirm that. It's just based on what I hear from residents.
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