Nations Area of Nashville (Cleveland, Brentwood: section 8, real estate, apartment)

[yank283]

Nothing personal, but general statements like this do nothing to help anyone choose a location to live that would fit their preferences. All areas have both more and less desirable areas and the demographics are constantly changing. Ten years ago 85% of the people on this forum would have told you to avoid East Nashville/Inglewood like the plague. To those who didn't listen and moved there anyways, many are sitting on a small fortune now. Same with Sylvan Park (which is in West Nashville BTW) 20 years ago.

Originally Posted by altereco

One of the locals in Nashville told me she grew up in West Nashville and she told me in no uncertain terms to stay far away from West Nashville. She said that there is a lot of crime there and that it's just about the worst section of Nashville.

I haven't been there myself but she was very very firm in her view. I've heard mixed reviews of East Nashville but most people that I've asked seem to agree that West Nashville is not the greatest place to live in terms of safety.

[altereco]

Originally Posted by yank283

Nothing personal, but general statements like this do nothing to help anyone choose a location to live that would fit their preferences. All areas have both more and less desirable areas and the demographics are constantly changing. Ten years ago 85% of the people on this forum would have told you to avoid East Nashville/Inglewood like the plague. To those who didn't listen and moved there anyways, many are sitting on a small fortune now. Same with Sylvan Park (which is in West Nashville BTW) 20 years ago.

Well, yes, if you ONLY think of buying a house as a financial investment (you know--flipping one step ahead of the real estate market spinning into free fall) well then, YES, I guess West Nashville is okay...but if you think of buying a house as looking for a nice safe place to live in in a community that will make your family happy and which has great schools, etc., at the present time....

[yank283]

Well, the houses have gone up in value because they ARE safer neighborhoods now (as compared to 10 + years ago) and some have many positives that you won't find in the newer far flung suburbs (closer to amenities, walkable neighborhoods, way easier commutes, young families, most of the older neighborhoods weren't built on flood plains, etc). You also might want to be more specific, also considered "West Nashville" is Belle Meade, West Meade, Sylvan Park/Heights, Hillsboro Village, Charlotte Park...

Originally Posted by altereco

Well, yes, if you ONLY think of buying a house as a financial investment (you know--flipping one step ahead of the real estate market spinning into free fall) well then, YES, I guess West Nashville is okay...but if you think of buying a house as looking for a nice safe place to live in in a community that will make your family happy and which has great schools, etc., at the present time....

[ariesjow]

Originally Posted by yank283

You also might want to be more specific, also considered "West Nashville" is Belle Meade, West Meade, Sylvan Park/Heights, Hillsboro Village, Charlotte Park...

Don't forget Cherokee Park, Hillwood, White Bridge and even Bellevue and West End. All are clearly not the greatest places to live in terms of safety according to altereco and friends. Keep your children away folks!

In all fairness, alteraco is possibly referring to the areas north of Charlotte such as Clifton and/or the Nations but doesn't know enough about individual neighborhoods in West Nashville to be able to distinguish them from each other. It's readily apparent that some people often lack a good understanding of Nashville geography in their quest to spout blanket generalizations on boards like this. At this point, we should all recognize the various dichotomies that exist on the board (urban vs. suburban, safe vs. unsafe, good schools vs. bad schools, etc.) and use our own good judgment to determine best neighborhood fits.

I would certainly consider Clifton to be on the rough side and could only see recommending it for someone who needs dirt cheap urban housing. The Nations abuts it to the west but is more transitional. It's not at all uncommon to find a freshly gentrified house next to one that has seen better days. The Nations is decidedly still working class for the most part. So perhaps it's best avoided for those folks who are afraid of mingling with day laborers or recent immigrants. Otherwise, I can see it being a good fit for others who don't mind a transitional, urban neighborhood but can't afford the price points in the trendier areas.

One area to check out if one is considering the Nations would be Sylvan Heights which I also consider transitional. However, it's arguably quite a bit further along than neighborhoods north of Charlotte in West Nashville. Great pockets like Nevada Heights and Normandy Circle and the proximity to Sylvan Park really help.

[yank283]

Very true ariesjow, great points. I would up your reputation but I need to spread it around first...

[altereco]

"In all fairness, alteraco is possibly referring to the areas north of Charlotte such as Clifton and/or the Nations but doesn't know enough about individual neighborhoods in West Nashville to be able to distinguish them from each other."

Yep, you are right about that. I was indeed discussing Cliftonand the Nations area and not West End or Bellevue which happen to be safe areas.
Like any other city, Nashville has its rough parts and I think it is only fair to warn people away from them or at least be honest and tell them what to expect. There's nothing wrong with the working class--I'm talking about the criminal element-drug dealers and other folk who make a neighborhood unsafe.
If you want to live there I'd advise you to get a good alarm system.

[ariesjow]

Originally Posted by altereco

Like any other city, Nashville has its rough parts and I think it is only fair to warn people away from them or at least be honest and tell them what to expect.

I think that's fair as people come here to read the opinions of others. Still, I would suggest staying away from the blanket generalizations and hyperbole as they are not very informative. For instance, I didn't think it was very helpful to say "stay far away from West Nashville." What does that mean? It's not at all specific as there are numerous, distinct neighborhoods in West Nashville. Are you telling folks they shouldn't go shopping at Nashville West or that they shouldn't buy in Sylvan Park? I think most of us who have been here a while could probably reasonably decipher what you mean but a future resident with very little knowledge of the city probably couldn't.

You may also want to consider if you have enough experience in a neighborhood to give people a well-informed opinion. Personally, I try to refrain from commenting on areas I know little about. Hearsay isn't very helpful for people asking about neighborhood specifics.

[altereco]

I guess they can always go and look up police reports to see what the true story is.

[ben52284]

Originally Posted by ariesjow

In all fairness, alteraco is possibly referring to the areas north of Charlotte such as Clifton and/or the Nations but doesn't know enough about individual neighborhoods in West Nashville to be able to distinguish them from each other.

I would certainly consider Clifton to be on the rough side and could only see recommending it for someone who needs dirt cheap urban housing.

When discussions of these neighborhoods come up, it's worth pointing out that the Clifton, Hadley and Washington areas are zoned for Head magnet middle and MLK magnet high school. As much as they are disparaged for being lower income areas, it's a solid way of getting into the best schools in middle TN without spending 20-30k a year.

[Eighteen65]

Originally Posted by altereco

One of the locals in Nashville told me she grew up in West Nashville and she told me in no uncertain terms to stay far away from West Nashville. She said that there is a lot of crime there and that it's just about the worst section of Nashville.

I haven't been there myself but she was very very firm in her view. I've heard mixed reviews of East Nashville but most people that I've asked seem to agree that West Nashville is not the greatest place to live in terms of safety.

Its strange to me when I read these forums and see people talk up a neighborhood like Cleveland or McFerrin park and then say that The Nations is unsafe! The Nations is a much safer neighborhood than many of the neighborhoods talked up on this forum. Although I like the Sylvan Heights neighborhood, The Nations is area is safer.

I'm not just cheerleading either, because I'm a supporter of all inner city Nashville neighborhoods. I just want people to better understand these neighborhoods and not make a decision based on a vague description of an area.

The Nations is basically separated into 3 different areas:

1. You have the area east of 51st avenue. This area is rapidly transforming and tends to be a safe area. This part of The Nations has seen the majority of the renovation and new construction over the last 10 years or so. On Indiana there were a row of 200k town homes built which didn't stay on the market too long. A new 28 unit town home development is currently being constructed just a few streets over on Michigan Avenue in the same price range. These units are well done and are being built on formerly vacant light industrial lots. Also numerous single family quality infill homes have been built along with numerous renovations. In the last year a hand full of homes have sold for over 200k. I will also note that this area has the closes proximity to Sylvan Park. Its not all peaches and cherries and it still has a way to go, but if you're looking for a good place to live where the majority of the neighbors are friendly (including the working class people that have lived here for a hundred years) then this may be your place.

2. You have area west of 51st thats bordered by Richland Creek to the west, 51st to the East, and the light industrial area to the North West. This area forms the larger part of the neighborhood and like the first area I mentioned has seen its fair share of new construction and renovations. The price point in this part of the neighborhoods tends to be slightly lower than the first area but there is still a nice stock of older houses that were either renovated or kept up by their previous owner. This area seems to have the best sense of community out of the 3 areas, with young professionals often mixing with and enjoying the working class that has has formed the backbone of this community. Crime in this area is about the same as the first area, its real spotty and rapidly declining. **Disclaimer: I lived in this area for years and was never robbed, mugged, shot, stabbed, or looked at too funny. The Delray area that was ravaged by the flood is located in this area along Richland Creek.

3. The last area is the area bordered by West Park, 63rd avenue, Centennial Blvd, and the light industrial area to the south east. Its commonly known by older residents as The Bottom. This area is lagging the other two areas in a few categories including renovations, quality housing stock, crime, and new construction. Although it has seen some action its seen less than the other parts. It has a higher Hispanic population and a large number of rental properties. It will take sometime for this part of the neighborhood to catch up with the other two areas but it will eventually happen. It does however have a great asset in West Park.

I hope this helps a little more than "I was advised to stay away from West Nashville". Keep in mind most of the crime committed in the neighborhood is by people who know each other. The only real thing I would say you have to worry about is petty theft, but thats every inner city neighborhood.

Also keep in mind that some of the families living in this neighborhood, including mine, have lived there for over 100 years. Most of the responsible working class families are staying in the neighborhood and mixing quite well with the new comers. The area is not perfect, but if your looking for a nice place to live with a sense of community at an affordable price, don't overlook The Nations.