Moving to Nashville!

[Carol McCullough]

Trying to get this out there on the relevant threads:

Bring Trader Joe's to Nashville!

Sign the petition at Bring Trader Joe’s To Nashville Petition

This petition was started on August 22, 2007 and garnered over 200 signatures in the first 12 hours.
Visit Bring Trader Joe's to Nashville for more information.
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With regard to where to live, I would recommend East Nashville. If you are looking for a walkable neighborhood with fun and quirky businesses, locating near the Five Points area of East Nashville will meet your needs (although, with gentrification, it gets less diverse daily). There are lots of Vandy folks around, but don't let that stop you (just kidding, as I am married to one). It is a fairly quick commute, too.

If you decide to look into buying, you will find that Nashville is a much more affordable urban market than most. The area I just described is getting a little pricey, but you can look a little westward (on the other side of Gallatin in the Maxwell and Greenwood Neighborhoods or even on the other side of Ellington Parkway in the McFerrin Park and Cleveland Park neighborhoods and still find some fabulous, affordable older homes. I live in Cleveland Park and it is certainly more diverse, but it also does not have the walkable commercial districts yet (give it 10 years, when it will also undoubtedly be less diverse).

Carol

[tabbva]

I used to live inside the beltway in DC and most recently in Clayton (St. Louis) and Nashville is nowhere close to the cultural diversity (in arts, cuisine, or people) of these cities. The only places I've found that somewhat remind me of the "city" are those areas Downtown and points south through the Vandy area. As far as the suburban feel, as soon as you get outside of downtown (heading south over I40), it will feel suburban to you.
Nashville does have several pluses, though. LOTS of live music, wonderfully friendly people, and a laid back lifestyle (the opposite of DC speed!)

[pawillia]

Is either Hermitage or Bellevue area considered East Nashville??

Also, Meg28, when you spoke of diversity, did you mean ethnic diversity?? I am an African-American female in my early 20s, and I plan to move into the Nashville area next Spring. It's somewhat important to me to reside in an area where there is a "racial mix". I'm not sure that that exists down there...?? I would hate to be in a place where there is predominantly one ethnity/race but few others (e.g. Area populated by blacks, area populated by whites, and/or an area populated by Latinos). A little integration is important to me. Based on where I am now, I have become acquired to that "mix". Even if the mix is only blacks and whites...I just don't want too much of a culture shock where I feel like I can't relate.

Insight anyone??

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by pawillia

Is either Hermitage or Bellevue area considered East Nashville??

Hermitage is east of downtown Nashville, but it is not the area meant by "East Nashville" (East Nashville proper is closer to downtown). Bellevue is definitely not East Nashville, it's more or less part of west Nashville.

[pawillia]

Thanks for the inisght Alleycat...

[Carol McCullough]

Different parts of Nashville and even East Nashville have different racial mixes.

East Nashville is primarily blacks and whites with a small (but quickly growing) Hispanic population. The part around the 5 points area is fairly heavily gentrified, so it is becoming more white (I would say a little distressingly so).

Cleveland Park (Cleveland Street to Douglas, and Ellington Parkway to Dickerson Road) and McFerrin Park (Spring Street to Cleveland, and Ellington Parkway to Dickerson) are predominantly black neighborhoods, but that is changing rather rapidly (particularly McFerrin Park).

Greenwood (West Eastland to Douglas and Gallatin to Ellington Parkway) and Maxwell (a triangle shape: Gallatin to McFerrin with West Eastland to the North) seem to be somewhere in between with a mix that is still predominantly black, but quite a few white faces.

The number of active rehabs I see in the neighborhoods West of Gallatin is impressive. There appears to be some quality work taking place and I would say that the area is ripe for investment (of the homeowner variety--no absentee landlords, please!).

If you really want extensive ethnic diversity, the neighborhoods in the general vicinity of Nolensville Road and Thompson Lane should be considered. Nolensville reminds me a bit of Western Avenue in Chicago with a variety of ethnic restaurants and shops. My favorite Thai restaurant (Siam) and burrito joint (it has changed names so many times, I couldn't tell you what to call it, but it is next to a motorcycle business just South of Thompson Lane) are in this area. The street also has Phonoluxe, a dandy used media (dvd, cd, etc) store. The zoo is just a bit further South.

According to somewhat dated 2000 census data, the most diverse part of town (save Vanderbilt University itself during the day) is in the vicinity of Murfreesboro Road and Thompson Lane. There are extensive rental units that most folks wouldn't even notice just off of Murfreesboro Road. This is where many immigrants and refugees live. I would be less inclined to buy in this area, personally, as I think it is unclear how wise an investment it is, but it is still an interesting place to visit.

[pawillia]

Thanks for the insider info Carol. I guess I don't mind living in an area where I am "out-numbered" so to speak. I've never had any negative racial encounters in my life (at least not any severe ones). I just want to make sure that wherever I decide to live has a mix of people and based on what you described, it appears that Nashville can offer that. I love different ethnic restaurants and shops...I just don't necessarily have to live down the street from one if you get what I mean...

[countrybabe]

This is to Crack City USA if you are still out there.
UNFORTUNATELY there is CRIME, VIOLENCE, DRUGS and PROSTITUTION EVERYWHERE. It is the society we live in.... again UNFORTUNATELY!!
I have lived in 2 different states and my husband just retired from the Military after being over in the Iraqi War twice now and has been ALL OVER. There is NO place (state, city etc) that does not have ONE or ALL of those downfalls...EXCEPT HEAVEN!!! Even in the "small" town we moved to here there is MOST of that stuff that we did not know about until after the move...and it's pretty much out in the country out here!!!