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Old 09-27-2015, 03:13 PM
 
371 posts, read 257,967 times
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Like a lot of Northern cities are....my father grew up in one...Polish here,Italians there,Blacks there,etc etc. Is Roanoke like that? From looking at a map it seems to me the southwestern and western parts of the city are mostly black and the south east to eastern sections are more white is this correct? Where would someone that wants good schools,family friendly,safe move to? We LOVED Salem...perfect size but don't want to pin down just one area....considering a wide area of about 50 miles or so. From Blacksburg to Roanoke and around Roanoke toward the WV border.
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Old 09-27-2015, 03:37 PM
 
Location: Roanoke, VA
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There may be neighborhoods that are more one race than another, but IMO its pretty well mixed. South and southwestern parts of the area have the better schools and is more "family friendly".
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Old 09-27-2015, 06:33 PM
 
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Originally Posted by cam4vt View Post
There may be neighborhoods that are more one race than another, but IMO its pretty well mixed. South and southwestern parts of the area have the better schools and is more "family friendly".
^^what cam4vt said.
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Old 09-27-2015, 06:53 PM
 
Location: Daleville, VA
2,282 posts, read 4,060,616 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nomad14 View Post
Like a lot of Northern cities are....my father grew up in one...Polish here,Italians there,Blacks there,etc etc. Is Roanoke like that? From looking at a map it seems to me the southwestern and western parts of the city are mostly black and the south east to eastern sections are more white is this correct? Where would someone that wants good schools,family friendly,safe move to? We LOVED Salem...perfect size but don't want to pin down just one area....considering a wide area of about 50 miles or so. From Blacksburg to Roanoke and around Roanoke toward the WV border.
Coming from Houston, Roanoke does seem to be somewhat more segregated - but not necessarily more prejudiced if that makes any sense. There seem to be quite a few interracial marriages - at least among the "working class" folks. Here are my neighborhood "perceptions" after two years here:

Urban "renewal" and highway construction decimated the traditionally African-American areas just north of downtown (the old Gainsborough area) - this is where you will find the oldest African-American churches, but the population has largely dispersed. The NW area of the city seems to be where the most racial turnover took place - so that there are many largely African-American neighborhoods in the city. Williamson Road is also the "international retail" corridor for small stores targeting niche groups - as well as perhaps quite a few of the Hispanic folks, though that is hard to tell.

The area just north of downtown stretching toward Valley View Mall along both sides of Williamson Road seem to be the most integrated areas. Further east is largely Anglo. "Southeast" - is actually directly east of downtown - and is largely Anglo but also some diversity. Lots of "hard living" white folks here.

South Roanoke (south along Jefferson Street) and the neighborhoods SW of downtown are largely Anglo. The areas immediately west of downtown (West End, Hurt Park, Mountain View) are labeled SW quadrant for postal address purposes but are not usually what people speak of when they say "southwest." They have a mix of white and black and other - and that area is also beginning to experience some new construction and some slight gentrification.

Close-in neighborhoods of Old Southwest, Wasena, and Raleigh Court are the "mecca" for the more progressive white folks who like walkable neighborhoods - and these areas have a significant income mix - much more so than the 'burbs - where there will be a block of $300K+ houses, and a few blocks away maybe some duplexes, a few garage apartments, and then some small apartment complexes. A very nice diversity in those areas due to the great housing mix.

I have not seen any significant clusteing of ethnic groups like Polish, Italian, etc. - these seem to be more dispersed - although there are churches associated with some of these groups - I don't think the ethnic population of these groups is large enough to develop a "pocket!" I could be wrong!

Disclaimer: This is all from an Anglo outsider point of view - folks of color and folks with much more history here will definitely be aware of things that I do not see!

Roanoke is an interesting place!

Last edited by Watchful; 09-27-2015 at 06:55 PM.. Reason: added "disclaimer"
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Old 09-28-2015, 04:16 AM
 
Location: Daleville, VA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nomad14 View Post
Where would someone that wants good schools,family friendly,safe move to? We LOVED Salem...perfect size but don't want to pin down just one area....considering a wide area of about 50 miles or so. From Blacksburg to Roanoke and around Roanoke toward the WV border.
People who say "GOOD SCHOOLS," "FAMILY FRIENDLY," and "SAFE" - usually mean the "burbs."

Yeah Salem should be on your list....Cave Spring (SW Roanoke County suburbs) would be the #1 choice of many. (I'm a walkability/close in/progressive - so it would not be my choice lol!)
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Old 09-28-2015, 11:54 AM
 
Location: Roanoke VA
238 posts, read 338,321 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Watchful View Post
People who say "GOOD SCHOOLS," "FAMILY FRIENDLY," and "SAFE" - usually mean the "burbs."

Yeah Salem should be on your list....Cave Spring (SW Roanoke County suburbs) would be the #1 choice of many. (I'm a walkability/close in/progressive - so it would not be my choice lol!)
"Good Schools" definately is SW County. Real estate agents always suggest this area to newcomers due to the better schools
and higher home prices. This area is highly segregated by caucasians but as increasing numbers of Asians, Hispanics, African
Americans move here from higher income areas I feel the area will change dramatically. Roanoke City has dramatically
changed over the past 10 years from foreign immigration as multiple families buy up bigger homes. In the Cave Spring area
we are seeing more Asians, especially large Vietnamese families(from rural parts of Vietnam, some refugees) settling in
and the "white flight" moving out into the more rural areas near Roanoke. The City school superintendant plans to require
the spanish language as part of the Citys' curriculum next year as it is estimated spanish will become the dominant language
in the U.S. in 20 years.
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Old 09-28-2015, 01:50 PM
 
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Originally Posted by Gardner222 View Post
In the Cave Spring area we are seeing more Asians, especially large Vietnamese families(from rural parts of Vietnam, some refugees) settling in and the "white flight" moving out into the more rural areas near Roanoke.
Please share your source for "white flight" from Cave Spring. You are not only saying that white suburbanites are choosing to move to rural areas - but that they are doing so in a racially motivated attempt to get away from an influx of immigrants.

An increase in Cave Spring/Hidden Valley homes on the market has been anticipated due to Norfolk Southern closing up shop here and many white-collar employee families relocating to follow the company. But I've never heard anything about white flight - that's a pretty serious accusation.
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Old 09-29-2015, 01:37 PM
 
Location: Roanoke VA
238 posts, read 338,321 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by headnsouth View Post
Please share your source for "white flight" from Cave Spring. You are not only saying that white suburbanites are choosing to move to rural areas - but that they are doing so in a racially motivated attempt to get away from an influx of immigrants.

An increase in Cave Spring/Hidden Valley homes on the market has been anticipated due to Norfolk Southern closing up shop here and many white-collar employee families relocating to follow the company. But I've never heard anything about white flight - that's a pretty serious accusation.
I am not trying to imply anything about white suburbanites in Roanoke County. My point is Times are a changin!!
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Old 09-29-2015, 06:19 PM
 
696 posts, read 1,429,275 times
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Originally Posted by Gardner222 View Post
I am not trying to imply anything about white suburbanites in Roanoke County. My point is Times are a changin!!
Well that's the definition of white flight and it most definitely is not happening in Cave Spring.
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Old 10-01-2015, 03:09 PM
 
371 posts, read 257,967 times
Reputation: 221
Quote:
Originally Posted by Watchful View Post
People who say "GOOD SCHOOLS," "FAMILY FRIENDLY," and "SAFE" - usually mean the "burbs."

Yeah Salem should be on your list....Cave Spring (SW Roanoke County suburbs) would be the #1 choice of many. (I'm a walkability/close in/progressive - so it would not be my choice lol!)
Salem is MY #1 its wife's #2 she LOVES Blacksburg...right outside of it on the northern end. I agree its a nice little town....we were there this summer so not as crowded....Where else should we look at? Anything in Craig or Botecourt counties? Want something populated between 10-25k Salem I think is perfect but who knows what we will find once we start looking to rent a place.

Last edited by Nomad14; 10-01-2015 at 03:20 PM..
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