Stadium High and living in Tacoma North End info, pls! (Seattle: house, neighborhood)

[azrayne]

We are moving back to WA from AZ after 3 years (don't ask lol). We've always lived in the Federal Way area but now decided upon North End Tacoma. I wondered if Stadium High is a good school, and what anyone thinks of living in this area. I like 6th Ave allot! Is it worth the high cost of living?
We leave on the 30th!

Thanks!

[Sandy Nelson]

Azrayne,

I used to live in Tacoma in the late 80's to early 90's, and back then the area around 6th St. was pretty run down. Much has improved since then and the neighborhood now reminds me of a young version of Seattle's Belltown. Yes, prices have gone up considerably, but I think housing is still affordable, with homes starting in the mid $200K's. It's a great location for urban living, with numerous restaurants, shopping, vintage charm and walking distance to the University of Puget Sound. The influx of new businesses, the rejuvenation and increase in home prices reflects that the neighborhood has appeal and is in demand.

Sandy

[Wanderlust07]

Originally Posted by Sandy Nelson

Azrayne,

I used to live in Tacoma in the late 80's to early 90's, and back then the area around 6th St. was pretty run down. Much has improved since then and the neighborhood now reminds me of a young version of Seattle's Belltown. Yes, prices have gone up considerably, but I think housing is still affordable, with homes starting in the mid $200K's. It's a great location for urban living, with numerous restaurants, shopping, vintage charm and walking distance to the University of Puget Sound. The influx of new businesses, the rejuvenation and increase in home prices reflects that the neighborhood has appeal and is in demand.

Sandy

I think 6th Ave has a lot to offer, too, as Sandy mentioned. The number of indie coffee places is surprising, since Starbucks is located right in the heart of the action. I really like the vintage homes out there, and the area has good access to the freeway and other transportation options. You can also get to the UW Tacoma branch, downtown, in just a few minutes.

One restaurant worth checking out if you get out that way is Engine House No. 9: Engine House No. 9 - About Us (http://www.ehouse9.com/about.php - broken link). It's in an old firehouse, and they have good beer and even better burgers. Parking can be tough during peak hours, but there's usually plenty of seating inside even if the lot looks full. Try the chili burger!

Another restaurant on that street is Asado, an Argentine-style steakhouse. I haven't eaten there, myself, but it has been recommended to me by friends who are foodies: Asado's of Tacoma on 6th Ave. Reservations (253) 272-7770.

One of my favorite places that's a bit further down 6th is JT's Original Louisiana Bar-B-Q: JT's Original Louisiana Bar-B-Que - Welcome. IMO, the best in the area, with fantastic ribs and hot links, in particular. The owners, JT and Elsie, will often visit with patrons to check on how the food is being enjoyed, and are simply lovely people. A non-pretentious, comfortable place to get awesome BBQ.

Here's a link to a directory of the 6th Avenue Business District: 6th Avenue - Home (http://www.tacomabusinessdistricts.com/districthome.asp?district=8 - broken link)

[azrayne]

I love the feel of the area! Everything sounds like I imagined it would be...do you know if Stadium High is a particularily good school?

Thanks for all your replies!

[Wanderlust07]

azrayne, I don't know enough about the school to comment, but I did find some websites with information, including personal reviews, which may or may not be helpful to you. To my knowledge, the most highly coveted public schools are in the Northshore (cities: Bothell, Kenmore, Woodinville) and Lake Washington (cities: Kirkland, Redmond, and Sammamish) School Districts, which are in the north/east side of King County.

I hope some folks who actually have/had kids who attended SHS will post about their own experiences, too.

greatschools.net: Parent Reviews of Stadium - Tacoma, Washington - WA

publicschoolreview.com: Stadium High School - Tacoma, Washington/WA - Public School Profile