Intown Nieghborhoods

[aboutmetro]

Overlook has remained a great neighborhood for several decades. You know the type, Lakebottom obviously. Pockets of neighborhoods where homes are still mostly owner occupied and folks keep their homes up pretty well.

- What are the intown neighborhoods like this that have held their values?

- Which ones are in transition from good to bad, and bad to good? (If bad to good, what's needed to push it over the edge? If good to bad, what's needed to bring it back?)

- Which nieghborhoods have the potential (character in architecture and/or approaching historic stature, 30+ years old) to be revitalized and what would it take?

[gah]

Overlook has remained a great neighborhood for several decades. You know the type, Lakebottom obviously. Pockets of neighborhoods where homes are still mostly owner occupied and folks keep their homes up pretty well.

- What are the intown neighborhoods like this that have held their values?

- Which ones are in transition from good to bad, and bad to good? (If bad to good, what's needed to push it over the edge? If good to bad, what's needed to bring it back?)

- Which nieghborhoods have the potential (character in architecture and/or approaching historic stature, 30+ years old) to be revitalized and what would it take?

[aboutmetro]

At last -- an issue that I may actually have some knowledge about and wont have to fake!

Am currently restoring a 1920's colonial in Lakebottom. I think that it is a great neighborhood. If anything, it is TOO stable. Old folks have been there for decades and not undertaken rehab/updates. As they move off the scene, hopefully newer, younger folks will come in and spiff it up. As i mentioned before, an art deco building behind me that has been vacant for years is being redone, taken back to the 30's and will contain 6 small but vintage apartments/condos.

Overlook has some beautiful houses. However, values have suffered as adjoining areas to the south have become increasingly rundown and public housing has usual drug/crime problems. If that blight could be eliminated, then Overlook would bounce back.

My personal favorite right now is East Highlands. There are some really nice homes there and they almost all are run down and need work. But architecturally, they are diamonds in the rough. I am essentially talking about the area surrounding 13th Ave and 17th St. for 1/2 mile or so.

Rose Hill also comes to mind. If urban pioneers can start moving in before the housing stock of beautiful old homes is totally lost, then it could be a lovely little community. Ashley Station is a good start in that area. I hope that it can ignite a wave of rehabs there.

Also I have an attraction for the shotgun houses along 1st Ave. What wonderful homes overlooking the river. But what dumps they have become. Imaging some of the prime real estate in town, containing nice vintage houses that are just crumbling! Someone with vision and money could have a killing buying up those houses and restoring them, Imagine walking out your front door and strolling down to the Riverwalk, then take a left to TSYS or a right to the new bar/cafes at Bibb Mills.

And Bibb City is, as I said, a potential Buckhead. Some of those mill houses have been restored and are quaint as anything anywhere. And there are tons of em! Just waiting to be returned to their original condition.

I am in teh final stages (I hope) of my rehab. When I finish I will have an open house and invite all Forum readers to drop by, say hello and meet in person. That will give anyone who is interested in intown neighborhoods an opportunity to see in person what is going on in my little area. When I finally get settled in next year, I am thinking of dabbling in real estate, buying some of these dilapidated house, fixing em up and flipping em. Maybe by them I will have forgotten what a pain in the ass it is trying to restore an old house!

[aboutmetro]

Also, one off of the radar is Edgewood - the one over across from TJ Max & Parkhill - Japonica, Spirea, etc. I've always thought that was a neat little neighborhood. Those little mid-mod homes have a character all of their own. There was a house in there on the market for quite awhile. It looks like it finally sold (or rented) to someone who's not going to keep it up, which is really a shame. But it seems to be a quiet well kept 'hood overall.

[FreddyC]

It's great to see that we picked right when we bought two duplexes on Cherokee opposite the Country Club. This seems to be right in the middle of the East Highland area you are talking about.

[gah]

It's great to see that we picked right when we bought two duplexes on Cherokee opposite the Country Club. This seems to be right in the middle of the East Highland area you are talking about.