Being obsessed with all things neighborhood here at NabeWise, we’ve recently come across a project after our own hearts. Street Art View, in their own words, is “a collaborative collection of sites from Google street view showcasing street art all over the globe.” The website invites everyone to tag their favorite street art, share with friends, all while helping build the world’s largest art collection.

Zooming into any one of the tagged locations will give you a google street view of street art someone found in neighborhoods from Seoul, South Korea to Nashville, TN, and anywhere in between. Hopping around the different locations, it quickly becomes clear that the predominant category tagged for now is, well, tags, otherwise known as Graffiti. As the project grows, we hope to see everything from well-funded art installations to DIY projects added to the world map.

The potential for exploring neighborhoods through local art is enormous. We’re excited that collaborative projects like these exist as a bridge across neighborhoods around the world.

The good people at TimeOut New York put together some data on what you can expect to pay in the various neighborhoods of Manhattan. Having a place to yourself is a luxury that will cost you a pretty penny in the more popular neighborhoods like Chelsea, West Village, and TriBeCa. However, should you want to share your life with a random (but, surely normal!) person off of Craigslist, your cost in these same neighborhoods goes down by about a thousand.

What’s surprising about this infographic is the light it sheds on the endless East Side vs. West Side debate. The Upper East Side is still more posh than Upper West Side, but when you get down to Midtown, the growing trendiness of Midtown West wins over Midtown East every time.

Price information is useful, but it’s only one piece of the NYC rent puzzle. Finding a neighborhood that fits your lifestyle while being on budget is the key to enjoying New York as locals do. That’s why we developed the NabeFinder Tool, which helps match you to your perfect neighborhood based on your lifestyle, stage of life, as well as budget.

Good Luck!

Whether you’re writing a post about a neighborhood or just want your blog visitors to get a quick summary of the neighborhood as locals see it, the NabeWise WordPress plugin is an easy way to embed NabeWise neighborhood widgets into your posts or anywhere on your WordPress blog.

Available immediately as a free download, the plugin is an easy install in five quick steps:

1. Upload `nabewise.php` to the `/wp-content/plugins/` directory
2. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
3. Get an API key from http://nabewise.com/widgets
4. In your wordpress admin, click on NabeWise settings and put in your API key and your display options in the form
5. Place `<?php do_action(‘nabewise_widget’); ?>` in your template where you want the widget to display.

Plugin away!

East Lake is upping the ante on unique additions to a neighborhood. This community is known in Atlanta as being an up-and-coming neighborhood for young couples and families—a perfect location for those wanting to be in-town without the high price tag. In recent years, this neighborhood has added a few items to its list to make it a one-of-a-kind neighborhood including a community garden and a farmers market—East Lake Community Learning Garden (ELC Learning Garden) and East Lake Farmers Market (ELF Market). Well now that list is going to include an urban farm!

For a while I thought terms like farm-to-table and locally grown were just hippie fads—that is until I got involved with ELF Market. That’s when I learned that there is something more to food than, well food. The mission of ELF Market is “Community through Food”, and we are living up to that name by building this farm with Southeastern Horticulture Society (SHS).

We are teaming up with SHS on a project to fight obesity in DeKalb County (eastern county of Atlanta). It’s all thanks to an $82k grant we received from a Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) program grant from the DeKalb County Board of Health (DCBOH) and funded by the CDC.

The project calls for building an urban farm on the current ELF Market lot (2^nd Avenue and Hosea Williams Drive in East Lake) and enhancing SHS’ ELC Learning Garden (56 2^nd Avenue).

We broke ground in February, with plans to start planting in March. The farm calls for a hoophouse (a type of greenhouse with plastic roof wrapping that stretches across flexible piping) and 75 raised beds all set on woodchips that will cover the concrete lot, which is just a hair shy of an acre. The raised beds and hoophouse will grow a variety of seasonal produce including herbs, greens, lettuces, berries, melons, tomatoes and mushrooms—to name a few.

The farm will serve as the production side of the project. Our plan is to sell some of the bounty at a lower cost, to individuals in the community who need food assistance. We are also talking about creating a work co-op program where any hours worked on the farm equate to a discount on farm produce.

Our goal as a 501(c)(3) is to make healthy food more affordable to low-income individuals. Lou Linzie, the ELF Market manager, says, “[the market] had the opportunity to do that through the Wholesome Wave program last year [2011], but we saw areas where we were limited. I think the very best thing is to grow our own food to subsidize food directly”.

The Wholesome Wave program enables us to double the value of every SNAP dollar; $1=$2 at ELF Market, but the qualifying income level is too low for some individuals who still need assistance. A family of 4 would need to make about $22,356 annually or less to qualify for SNAP (USDA Food and Nutrition Service). Plus the farm to farmer’s market ratio in the area is 1:1, so there is a real struggle to get enough farmers out at market.

So there’s the supply end of the issue, but then there’s the cultural and educational factors that’s in many ways more difficult to overcome. “I think it’s a tenuous place to make assumptions about certain areas. There’s a Publix here, so you can’t say that access is the issue, but I do think we can say that awareness is,” says Lou. And that’s where SHS comes in.

SHS, in partnership with the East Lake Foundation (ELF), founded the ELC Learning Garden, in April 2011. The ELC Learning Garden has been building awareness about gardening and nutrition practices over the past year in East Lake. In addition to the beds at the learning garden, they’ve installed learning garden beds at the Charles R. Drew Charter School, and they even piloted a classroom aquaponics program in which students grow plants in a soil-less system. This system uses fishtanks to pump nutrient-rich wastewater into plant boxes; meanwhile the plants in the plant box act as a filter for the fish.

The garden will continue to serve its purpose as a center for gardening and nutrition education in the community. The CPPW project dollars will go towards expanding the garden by adding a greenhouse, rainwater-harvesting materials like cisterns and rain barrels, and supplies to build additional beds. The garden serves as an area where community members can learn about gardening practices and nutrition via workshops taught by experts and the garden’s manager Khari Diop.

They’ve just begun to make a connection with community members through installing educational components at the local charter school and creating a space where people can learn. The grant will help them improve upon those areas, so now it’s just getting people out there and participating.

One of the barriers is overcoming the negative association of gardening with work. “I think it’s a major barrier, especially in the African-American community being that we come from an agricultural background, but for the most part it was by force and not choice…so just overcoming the cultural bias is a challenge,” says Khari.

He plans to add other activities that will get people in the space and excited about gardening by showing them that it’s not just growing food, but it’s about fun and being with your neighbors.  Some ideas on the table are to host movie nights and yoga classes in the garden.

The garden provides people a space to learn and socialize in a positive way, and the farm offers not only food but it has a visual impact as well. “Walking down Hosea [Hosea Williams Drive] instead of seeing an empty concrete lot, you should see an oasis. Lots of green veggies coming out of the ground…the actual visual project will create an awareness, and on a more visceral level it’s hard to deny veggies growing right outside your door,” says Lou.

We know that getting people to change their eating habits doesn’t happen overnight, and we don’t expect it to. What we do hope for is that by putting fresh food and educational opportunities right outside residents’ doors, people will become more aware and eventually get involved, not only with food, but also with their neighbors.

What to expect in the next 2-3 months:

• 25 raised beds on the ELF Market lot and 16 new beds (doubling bed count) at the garden
• Hoophouse at the market and garden
• Weekly info sessions and workshops at the ELF Market and Urban Farm
• Gardening workshops
• Volunteer days to help with construction and planting
• Expanded ELF Market season, now April-November, plus a midweek farm-stand to go in the Villages of East Lake

To learn more about getting involved with the farm, visit www.elfmarket.org, and for information on getting involved with the garden, visit www.sehort.org.

To learn more about the grant visit: http://www.cdc.gov/communitiesputtingpreventiontowork.

NabeWise members will now have easy access to EveryBlock’s community happenings on each NabeWise city overview page for a great way to follow & discuss the latest neighborhood news in in your city.

EveryBlock’s members will likewise see a feed of all new neighborhood reviews so they can monitor how people are talking about their neighborhood and ensure that the places they love are being represented in the best light.

We encourage everyone to rate & review the neighborhoods they know best on NabeWise, and then get even more detailed info such as the latest neighbor messages, neighborhood events, block-level news stories, crime reports, and more on EveryBlock.

If you’d like to learn more about this partnership or if you would like to discuss new partnership opportunities, please contact me at diana@nabewise.com.

Lindridge-Martin Manor is technically its own neighborhood, but it can often feel like it’s a part of adjacent Decatur nabes Woodland Hills (different from the Woodland Hills in Atlanta proper) and La Vista Park. While these nabes are technically located in different cities, they share some of the same joys—popular restaurant districts and close proximity to major Atlanta neighborhoods like Buckhead and Midtown.  But they also share one major headache too: traffic.  This bustling area includes popular Atlanta landmarks like Emory University, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), shopping districts of Lindbergh and Cheshire Bridge Road, and some of the busiest roads in northeast Atlanta.  It’s this issue that has brought them together, acting as one neighborhood.

Brad Grulke lives in Woodland Hills and is a member of the La Vista Corridor Coalition (LLCC)—a non-profit corporation made-up of the three aforementioned neighborhoods: Lindridge-Martin Manor, La Vista Park, and Woodland Hills.

The LLCC’s focus is on maintaining neighborhood integrity while new developments are happening and addressing issues with walkability, traffic, and improving inefficient roadways. 

In the following interview, Brad tells us about the project as well as what it’s like to live in a neighborhood that’s on the brink of becoming one of Atlanta’s next hot spots for in-town living.

How long have you lived in this area?

We’ve lived here for 7 years. 

How would you describe this area for people who have never been here before?

Transforming.  The Cheshire Bridge area is continuing to be redeveloped and improved.  There are a lot of new businesses and new opportunities that are happening about every month in our area.

I think from a demographic standpoint, you’re seeing a lot of families appear into the area, and from a business standpoint, what you’re seeing are businesses looking for areas to redevelop, and for commercial properties to either tear down and remodel or rezone.  You are seeing a lot of that specifically at the corner of Cheshire Bridge Road and La Vista Road where the Publix is [grocery store].  There’s mixed-use development called La Vista Walk, and then you are seeing redevelopment on the corner of that street, so it’s pretty constant.

That’s really nice because the Cheshire Bridge area that I know is one that’s pretty eclectic.

Ya, five-star restaurants to shanty porn shops.

Yes, and just around the corner there are single family homes, so it seems like the families are co-existing with the rest of the neighborhood.  It sounds like they want to see the area change.  Is that accurate?

Yes, and Cheshire Bridge has a business association now that is working to guide that redevelopment and remodel the sidewalks to try and make it more pedestrian friendly.  There is a Taste of Cheshire Bridge tour that in the past has been co-sponsored by LLCC, but I think in the future of it is going to be taken over by Cheshire Bridge Business Association, where every summer they are doing a tasting and testing of the best restaurants in that area.  From Nino’s to Woodfire Grill and Nakato and everyone else involved.

How would you describe the types of people that live here?

Well the neighborhoods are all about, essentially 60 years old, so you have people who have lived there for 20 years, 40 years, or lived there their whole life.  You’ve got a very large contingent of people that have lived there in the 5-15 year range that are really to looking to make in-town living in this area what they do for the rest of their lives.  You’ve got great highway access; the benefit of Virginia-Highland that is right across the railroad tracks; you’ve got Midtown down by Piedmont Road, and of course Buckhead up by Lenox Road.

Is this your ideal neighborhood? Why or why not? 

Well, it certainly is for us.  We actually just remodeled our entire house with the plan that this is where our family is going to live.  What I think we love about it is, we have a great neighborhood foundation.  We’ve got great businesses within a 3-5 mile radius that you can basically not leave if you don’t ever want to.  You’ve got a suburban feeling with the amenities of everything in-town.

Are there any myths or stereotypes about your nabe you’d like to dispel?

I think the Cheshire Bridge Road area.  When you look at it and have this perception of what it is, it’s mostly negative.  And it’s really not true.  There are many high-quality restaurants and good businesses in that area that have been overshadowed.

[Cheshire Bridge Road is often considered a quirky road because of the hodge-podge of businesses there.  You can find fine-dining establishments next to a strip-club next to an antique dealer.]

Were you surprised by anything when you moved here? 

The affordability factor.  We are still in this triangle of Midtown, Virginia-Highland, and Buckhead without the price.  The houses are extremely affordable.  Us living in DeKalb County by about 6 houses helps from a tax standpoint.  It’s an affordable living area that is still up and coming, and we will only see those prices appreciate as the redevelopment continues.

For the areas we are talking about (Woodland Hills, Lindridge-Martin Manor, La Vista Park) you currently sit on a board there.  Tell me a little about it.

The Lindbergh La Vista Corridor Coalition [LLCC] is a combination of three neighborhoods: Woodland Hills [in Decatur], La Vista Park, and Lindridge-Martin Manor.  Through the LLCC, these neighborhoods are working together to map out the future and redevelopment of this area to make sure that it happens with the vision we have, and we’ve paid the Georgia Conservancy to help us create a blueprint plan.  Sort of a guide to help mold the future of this area.

What is currently going on with the Clifton Corridor Project?

Well we just really have gone through a 6-month process of finalizing and working alongside with MARTA, Perkins + Will, and all surrounding neighborhoods to hopefully shape the redevelopment of the Clifton Corridor from a MARTA standpoint and what that will look like.  We are very happy with the proposed outcome at this point, and hopefully that is what will end up happening.  We are constantly facing some kind of redevelopment, and we are pro-redevelopment.  We just want to see it done in keeping with the density of in-town living but with the neighborhood feel that we have, trying to maintain that. 

In trying to maintain that, what have you done to make sure that the residents are in agreement?  That it’s going along with what they need?

Well the blueprint plan is first and foremost the guide to that development.  We had this developed by the Georgia Conservancy in partnership with their friends at Georgia Tech to see how this area could be developed.  We used that as a guideline, as in any redevelopment project, and working with the contractors and business owners to say this is what we envision, and we want you to work within these plans to help shape this area.  We send out invites to residents to get input at community meetings, and whenever we do have a redevelopment possibility, we do invite the neighbors to get involved and to understand the projects.  Dependence is very heavy to ensure that what those business owners will be doing is in the best interest of us as residents.

Is the funding coming from that sales tax or are there multiple sources?

No, it’s not dependent on the sales tax.  They are looking at that as a source, but there are a lot of sources they are looking at.

Will there be business developments along the Clifton-Corridor development? 

I think we are too early in the stages, but I think that’s the goal.  With the MARTA stop off Cheshire Bridge Road and the one on Sage Hill [a shopping center between Briarcliff Road and Clifton Road], you’ll see that area developed more densely and probably improving or new businesses will be interested in getting into that area.  But we are probably still 10 years away from that.

Do you know if the BeltLine is near this area?

Yes.  The BeltLine will connect to Lindbergh MARTA station, but our project [Clifton Corridor Transit Initiative] with MARTA will connect Lindbergh Station to Emory and beyond.  That’s going right through our backyard on the CSX tracks [freight rail line] that separate our neighborhood from Morningside, and there will be a stop.  As of right now it’s going to be an underground light rail system with a stop at Cheshire Bridge Road and Sage Hill where the Kroger is [grocery store].  It will be great from an in-town livability standpoint because we will be able to walk and use the mass transit in the future.

From what I’ve been reading about the BeltLine and then smaller, neighborhood transportation projects, it sounds like there isn’t going to be one massive public transportation system.  It will be smaller pockets that all connect to one-another.

Well, I think our hope at the LLCC is that it will be a light transit rail, and that will add connectivity to the BeltLine and take it to Piedmont Park or the Old Fourth Ward Park.

Is there anything else about the project that you want to mention?

I think they are also going to do some streetscape with it and some foot-trails to make it easier for residents to get to the stations.  It’s not by any means finalized.  Right now though, both sides are very happy with it.  

Going back to the area in general, is there anything about this neighborhood that you’d like to change? 

I think probably similar to every neighborhood in Atlanta.  We need more sidewalks because it is a very congested area just like anywhere else in Atlanta, and pedestrian safety is a concern because of the lack of sidewalks and especially in the main corridors near La Vista Road.

I’ve been hearing that a lot about in-town neighborhoods; that it’s the best of suburban and urban living. 

Yes, and I think that is unique to Atlanta.  We have a general two-story house that if there weren’t 100-year-old trees we would see every building in Atlanta.  But the trees give it that feeling of enclosure that I’ve never seen in another big city.

Are there any bad areas in your neighborhood? If not, which street/block would you not want to live on?

I don’t think so.  I mean there are all types, all ethnicities, all income levels living in the La Vista corridor.  I think we all have the same appreciation of family living and being neighbors.  It’s really a great area.  It’s a low-crime area.  It’s a hidden gem I think.  I really do.  

What’s the real estate like here?

You are going to see predominantly single-family homes with anywhere from a quarter to half-an-acre lot.  You are going to see homes that are 60 years old that are being redeveloped because of the great real estate that they have but also because of the age of the neighborhood.  You are seeing that people are putting money into their home instead of selling, and some of that is being driven from the housing market.  I also think it’s a conscience decision that it’s going to continue develop until it’s a true in-town style living.  Also, as people have families they want to stay with other families instead of moving away, so they may add onto their house.

You don’t see a lot of homes for sale.  The rental properties are certainly there, and they are probably more prevalent than they would have been 4 or 5 years ago.  For the most part, you see homes that are occupied.

Are you seeing a lot of redevelopments, teardowns or both?

You are seeing some teardowns but it’s probably 70% renovations and 30% teardowns.

How is this neighborhood different from other neighborhoods that are similar to it? 

Peachtree Hills is similar.  I think the biggest difference is just that affordability at this point.  Peachtree Hills is a much more developed neighborhood, and we are just still on our way to getting there.  I think what you will see here going forward is a combination of single-family homes, mixed-use residential, and business redevelopment that shapes it into a nice business and residential neighborhood.  I guess you could say it will look a lot like the west-side Collier Hills area, but I don’t think it will have as much of a major business, box store type of feel.  It will be much more independently owned stores.  At least that’s what I think will happen.

Do you have any advice for folks thinking about moving to your neighborhood?

No, I think you can’t go wrong with picking a place in this area.  I think it’s an up-and-coming area with a very bright future and a lot of families and people that are making this their long-term residence.

Kirkwood is a fast growing in-town neighborhood in eastern Atlanta, but it’s not just known for the gentrification that’s taking place.  As Joann of the Kirkwood Seed and Feed and the doggie day-care Kirkwood Bark and Lounge will tell you, it’s the kind of place where everyone knows each other, smiles, and says hi. 

How long have you lived or had your business here?

I use to live in Kirkwood, and now I live south of the city…. I lived here from 2001-2006, so 5 years.  The Feed and Seed opened in 2004, and then I expanded into this [Kirkwood Bark and Lounge] boarding unit for dogs in 2008.  In total, [I’ve been here for] a decade.

Wow, so being here a decade, I bet you’ve seen lots of change.

Yes, lot’s of change.  When I first came here there was just a coffee shop in the business district; the name was Sweet Java Brown, and then [my business]. That was it. The property where Kirkwood Station is now [a mixed-use town home property on Hosea Williams Drive in the downtown area of Kirkwood] used to be the old Hosea Williams property, and it was dilapidated and falling down.  It was a mess.  There were no other businesses.

When did the business district start getting built-up?

Well, the streetscape project where they re-did the sidewalks and all that was 2006, and then Kirkwood Station property sold, so everything starting building up in late 2006, early 2007.

Can you describe this neighborhood for folks that have never been here before?

It’s very diverse.  For an urban in-town neighborhood, it’s very close-knit; people watch out for one another.  Walker friendly, child friendly, pet friendly.  It’s just a very diverse neighborhood.  You’ll find people from old, young, gay, straight, families—people just moving into the area because people have heard so much about Kirkwood.

Why do you think that is?  Why do you think there is so much diversity?

I think it’s because the people that live here really promote the area and watch out for one another.  I think it’s a close-knit community, and people are looking for that in the in-town areas.

How would you describe the types of people that live here?

There are a lot of families.  Over the summer I think we had 8 people who had babies, so a lot of young couples having families.  So 60% families, probably 30% of them gay.  There are single folks who live here, but I would say primarily families.

Is this your ideal neighborhood?

For in-town living, I feel it’s ideal.  You’re going to have your problems in any neighborhood.  Highlands [Virginia-Highland] had their issues over the summer; Inman Park has had some issues.  So any in-town neighborhood you’re gonna have issues.  Ideal wise, it could grow more business wise.  There could be some nice anchor restaurants here.  I think that would really help out the neighborhood.  There have been issues with a couple restaurants turning, so if we had a nice stable, anchor restaurant, I think that would really help the area as a destination spot.  For living, again you have parks [Coan Park and Bessie Brenham Park], several parks in a walking radius.  It’s very pet friendly, so we have a pet business here, so we are a one-stop shop for everything.  We have a meat market that just opened up [Spotted Trotter], so people are coming for fabulous meat products.  There’s a lot to choose from.

Are there any myths or stereotypes about your nabe you’d like to dispel?

People in the past have said that it has high crime.  Again I think that in any urban area, you are going to have spikes in crime.  It happens here, and it happens in the suburbs, so I think it’s a myth that it only happens here.  I think Kirkwood had a bad rep for having a lot of crime, and I think really it’s a seasonal thing.  It’s also helped out that APD has rezoned some of the areas where Zone 6 [Kirkwood’s zone] isn’t as big, and they’ve added some patrols, so that has helped 

What did Zone 6 use to be?

Zone 6 went all the way up to Cheshire Bridge Road.  It was huge.  [Cheshire Bridge is about 20-30 minutes from Kirkwood, so that is a large area.]

Were you surprised by anything when you moved here?

I knew what I was getting into coming to Kirkwood, so I don’t think I was surprised.  I guess the friendliness of the area was kind of surprising to me because it was in-town and with the crime that they said was around, I didn’t expect everyone to be as friendly.  Walking friendly, people pushing strollers and saying hi. I knew it was re-gentrifying, so I knew there were issues.  But people are moving here, seeing the charm of Kirkwood.

What’s the best thing about your neighborhood?

The people.  I feel my customers are some of the best customers around.  They are friendly; they come in and speak with you.  It’s not just here, take care of this; they look out for you and other people.

Are there any bad areas in your neighborhood?

There are.  I’d say down towards Edgewood , there is some housing [public housing] that you wish wasn’t there. I don’t think it’s probably patrolled enough.  I think some crime starts there, and then comes into other parts.  There’s still some section 8 housing that you wish was cleaned up.  The one housing project, I can’t remember the name of it, but off Whitefoord Avenue.  I wouldn’t go to it.  I turned down the wrong street once, and you are trapped in there and it’s a little scary.

Also, Bixby Apartments used to be near here [off Bixby Street], and that has been cleaned up.  New owners came in and kicked everyone out.  It’s still low-income apartment living, but they do credit and background checks.

What’s the real estate like here?

You have bungalows, old Victorians, and craftsman homes.  The newer homes that are being built, they are tearing down the old bungalows and building craftsman homes.

It’s primarily single-family homes.  You have a couple apartments and lofts.  There’s the Kirkwood Lofts, which was an old elementary school that they converted into lofts.  You have a couple duplex areas but mainly single-family homes. 

The vacant properties are primarily for sale.  I would say Kirkwood has had its share of foreclosures, but people are buying.  I’ve had a few people in real estate tell me that it’s picking up slowly.

It’s not difficult to get a property, depending on how much square footage you want.  I think someone bought a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, and it was listed for 189K, and the lot was small.  So it may go from 189k all the way up to 232k.  Before 2008, homes like that were selling for much more.  Some homes were selling for 500-600k.

I don’t think you need any tricks to come to Kirkwood.  Just know what you want and what to expect when you come here.  If you have your goal set on something that isn’t a part of Kirkwood, you won’t be happy.  If you have pets and kids it’s a great area.  If you are expecting no crime, you need to look somewhere else.  Renting again, you’ll find rentals.  Just inspect the place and know what you are getting into.

Are there any disputes or new developments happening in your neighborhood? 

There aren’t any new developments business wise.  There is Liv Fitness off Memorial Drive, and that shopping center has some vacant space.  I think Kirkwood Family Medical is there.  [There is also an issue with Kirkwood Bar and Grille and their liquor license that Joann did not mention that has been a recent issue.  For further information, see the story in East Atlanta Patch.] 

If you were forced to leave this neighborhood, what neighborhood would you move to and why?

Business wise I may go up to Brookhaven for my boarding business or Brookwood.  Personally, downtown Decatur [a small town on the eastside of Atlanta] area because it’s very friendly, and I know so many people down there.  There’s a lot to do, and it’s all walkable.  Also it’s a very bike-friendly area.

Are there neighborhoods in this city that you would never live in? What are they?

I don’t think I would live in the Highlands because that area is too over-priced.  Fulton County in general with their taxes and water issues.  I wish they would get that under control.  I think the housing market peaked out so high that you have people sitting there with houses they can’t sell or in foreclosure.

As for a general area of Fulton County, northwest I would probably avoid.

Do you have any advice for folks thinking about moving to your neighborhood?

Due diligence. Know what you want before you come here and know what’s here.  And ask around.  People are always willing to offer up their answers and opinions.  We have a community board that people ask.  Residents will always tell you what they think, so ask questions.  Ask your realtor, and if you don’t feel comfortable with that person, go to a different person.   Stop into the businesses and see what’s here.

The village section of Kirkwood has a good variety of businesses, but is there a certain type of business that isn’t here that you would like to see develop?

Again some anchor restaurants.  There’s a lot of variety; you have a gift shop [Gitche Ya Ya], vegan bakery [Dulce Vegan], jewelry person, PB&J art gallery.  Maybe a little wine shop, something that you wouldn’t find in other areas like East Atlanta.  It would have to be a very unique shop, so that people come here for it.  Something that really stands out to people.

How do you see Kirkwood developing in the next 5-10 years?

With the economy, I just see it growing.  I see people getting in here and renovating the bungalows and just selling.  I don’t see the housing market going up in price like it was 5 or 6 years ago.

Could you see it becoming like Virgina-Highland or Candler Park one day?

I would say more like Candler Park.  The businesses are smaller in Candler Park, but people go there for The Flying Biscuit and other stuff.  I can see it being a Candler Park, not necessarily Highlands.  I don’t think people living here want it to be like Virginia-Highland.

Crocker Highlands is tucked away in the hilly folds of Oakland–artists, musicians and parents alike live here. Patrick, a journalist/artist and recent Crocker Highlands transplant came from living in the hustle-and-bustle of city life in San Francisco. He is originally from Philadelphia and talks to us (along with his sparkly-eyed dog Chloe) about his appreciation for this friendly nabe that gives him some home away from home vibes and hosts some lively night spots and kid friendly appeal.

Can you describe this nabe for folks who have never been here before?

Friendly, hospitable, a bit bourgie, but also there’s a bunch of artists here, musicians. A really nice place to raise kids. It’s kid friendly and it’s still diverse.

Would you consider Crocker Highlands your ideal nabe?

Yea, because you can have the lifestyle of an adult: You can have your 9-5, water your yard/garden lifestyle and then you’re a skipping stone away from some of these great restaurants and bars. Everything is really convenient—There’s a Safeway down here, a Trader Joe’s over there… a Whole Foods. Parking is free, there’s barely any street cleaning up here, and everyone is incredibly nice—super nice. I know all my neighbors and that is the one thing different than SF. I’ve had more meaningful conversations with my neighbors here than practically all years I’ve lived in SF. And I’ve only been here a month.

Were you surprised by anything when you first moved here?

The fact that it’s sunnier, the fact that it’s warmer and the fact that there’s all these little hidden gems around.

Are there any myths or stereotypes in this nabe you’d like to dispel?

No, but the stereotype of Oakland is that it’s rough. Hard—rough around the edges. You always associate crime with Oakland, but knock on wood it hasn’t been my case at all. Everyone seems so down to earth.  I’m from Philadelphia. It’s more of like an East Coast vibe for some reason. The cost of living is so much cheaper! I have a dog, I live with my girlfriend, we have a house now, and to have the same type of place here (I’m paying 2,000/month now)–to have that kind of house in the city (even if I was in the Sunset) would be 4 (thousand). So people are less stressed [here], I think.

Is there anything about this nabe you’d want to change?

The parking on that street (below). There’s all this parking space out on the strip so people are always reversing onto traffic. but that’s about it.

Are there any other nabes in the area you’d like to live in?

Berkeley seems really accommodating, similar vibe, little more laid back. Anywhere near the lake is nice. I’ve seen so many parts of Oakland and this is just like a gem in comparison. I’m not afraid to walk my dog at 11 at night.

Pam Ledbetter is the owner of Wahoo! Grill—a local bistro that’s been in the neighborhood for 7 years.  Pam shares with us what it’s like to be a business owner here as well as what makes Oakhurst the suburban-urban dream neighborhood. 

Can you describe this neighborhood for folks that have never been here before?

Well the thing that I like about Oakhurst is the community support.  There is a lot of diversity here. There are young hip people, seniors and everything in between—families, it’s a real nice cross mix.  Because of the diversity, it is very forward thinking, so in that way it has all the benefits of being in a city, but it also has a homey, safe feel.  The police ratio per capita is very high.  There are a lot of community activities that bring people together, so everyone tends to know one another.  It has great characteristics of a small town and a large city.  Since it’s tucked away it’s been sheltered from growing too quickly; the local government does a good job of that.

How would you describe the types of people that live here?

There are a lot of creative people here.  People who work from home, and a lot of families.  There are also people who like to go out a lot.  But overall everyone is community minded and environmentally conscientious.  We support local produce and farms—that seems important to people.

Is this your ideal neighborhood?

Yes, it definitely is.  I love Oakhurst; I think it’s magnificent.  And again, for all the reasons I’ve mentioned, you know I think it’s forward thinking and accepting and really just a good mix.  I like that they allow growth and expansion but keep the integrity of historical architecture. 

Were you surprised by anything when you moved here?

The community support.  I was completely blown away by how strongly people feel about the businesses, and that’s why I think businesses are so successful…. I started adding comment cards, and it has been the best tool for me to figure out what the people in Oakhurst want—by listening. They really respond well to that.

What was the area like when you opened 7 years ago on College Avenue?  What was it like coming here as a business?

Well, there was/is a MARTA station [East Lake station] on one side and a probation office on the other side (which is no longer there).  There was not a lot of traffic on this street, and people looked at me, popped their head in and said, “You’re going to open a restaurant here?” and I said, “Yes, I am.  It will be magnificent.  All you naysayers move along.”I had been studying Oakhurst and all the traffic, and what types of people were moving into Oakhurst.  After seeing what types of restaurants were already here, I discovered that there weren’t really any nice, sit-down restaurants.

I looked at other areas—Morningside near Smith’s Olde Bar, Virginia-Highland because that was the area I lived in before coming here.  But I really wanted the opportunity to be on the cutting edge of a neighborhood and be a part of turning it around.  Being on College Avenue, I think I have been a part of doing that.

You mention Virginia-Highland, do you think Oakhurst is becoming the next Virginia-Highland? 

I think so.  Oakhurst Village would need some expansion, especially on College Avenue.  Getting some retail around here would really help because there is still a lot of room for growth.  I moved to Virginia-Highland in 1988, and there were these gorgeous old homes, and you could get them for a song.  People moved out to the suburbs, and I think that is some of what happened here [Oakhurst].

There were these big mansions in Virginia-Highland, but then people were still selling crack on the street corners.  That’s why I loved it; I was watching it transform, and that’s why I love Oakhurst.  I love watching the gentrification happen, and it’s mainly happening on the business end.  The residential side of Oakhurst is very established.

What’s your favorite part about this neighborhood?

I love the location and these great little pockets of nearby neighborhoods—Kirkwood and Reynoldstown.  I love the architecture too… the craftsman style is really pretty.  They’ve done a good job of not mowing down and over-landscaping it.

Is there anything about this neighborhood that you’d like to change? 

I’d like more retail.  I’d like to give people more reasons to come here.  They’ve definitely done that with reasons to move here.  I’d like to draw these other neighborhoods into Oakhurst where people come to shop, go to dinner, and then go to a show.  I think that’s starting to happen further down College Avenue near where PushPush Theatre is.  There’s some retail stuff, restaurants, and bars.

In order to do this they need to make the sidewalks wider; I think that will make it easier to walk around.

Also, I’d like easier access to public transit.  I know a cable car has been talked about, and I would love to see that because I think that is what every area of this entire city is missing.

What’s the real estate like here? 

There are more homes than apartments.  I don’t really know much about what is going on in the real estate scene.  There are usually more homes to buy than rent, but with the economy I think there are a few more rentals, but mainly it’s stuff for sale.  The price range is on the higher side, but I think there are still some good deals.  Also, the homes here retain their value really well, and there are great schools, so it’s sought after.  

Are there any disputes or new developments happening in your  neighborhood? 

There’s not really any disputes.  I think there is debate on how to develop areas in Oakhurst.  There is some undeveloped retail space, and there is discussion on what it should be, whether it’s a grocery store or something else.

If you were forced to leave this neighborhood, what neighborhood would you move to and why?

I love Decatur [a small city on the eastern side of Atlanta], so maybe the Decatur square area.  I would pick it because the way the government runs the city and community support and loyalty there.  The government and the community are very loyal; it’s like an urban Mayberry.

Are there neighborhoods in this city that you would never live in? What are they?

I wouldn’t live in the suburbs.  You couldn’t pay me to live there.  I love the city feeling.  So anywhere north of Midtown… like Buckhead and north of that.  It’s too crowded, too slick, too developed.

Are there any hidden secrets about Oakhurst?

It itself is a hidden gem.  It may be unclear to some people how easily accessible it is, transportation wise.  Getting Downtown is pretty much a straight shot; there’s just one turn.

Oakhurst has many festivals.  What is one of your favorites and why?

I love the Jazz festival that they have every Spring and Fall [April-May and September-October].  I love the music and supporting local talent.  It’s at the Solarium, and it’s free.  Everyone comes out to it, and it’s like a church picnic.  I love all the festivals; they do so many cool things.

A little about Wahoo! Grill—Wahoo!  is a casual European-influenced neighborhood bistro with elegant and warm dining.  Check them out over the holidays as there are some cool happenings including Brunch with Santa on December 10^th from 10AM-Noon. Reservations are strongly recommended.  Please call 404.373.3331 to make one today!

 

“I wouldn’t hang out around there” is a common phrase you may hear from someone who knew East Lake 10-15 years ago.  Many Atlanta residents remember East Lake as a neighborhood filled with crime and poverty.  Nowadays, you wouldn’t recognize it.

During the mid-nineties, the East Lake Foundation was established by the Cousins family to help revitalize the neighborhood.  The East Lake Meadows, a housing project built in the 1970s, was demolished and the Villages of East Lake was erected in its place.  Today you’ll find a majestic (and I actually mean that) golf course with views of Downtown, surrounded by a mixture of a planned communities and historic homes. 

I’m a resident too, but I can’t interview myself; that would get a little weird.  

In my search for someone who could give me an in-depth look at East Lake, I needed someone with strong ties to the development, someone who practices what they preach and actually lives here.  

Brittany Molinaro hasn’t just been an East Lake resident for 8 years; she’s also an employee of the East Lake Foundation—an organization that was developed to give this community a shining future.  Through public and private partnerships, the Foundation offers several programs, from affordable housing to education opportunities. That coupled with a return to city-living (several suburbanites have made a return to the city, making in-town living more popular than it has been in almost a century), makes East Lake an up-and-coming neighborhood you’ll want to know more about.

Can you describe East Lake for folks that have never been here before? 

I would describe East Lake as a neighborhood that has everything you are looking for when you are looking for in-town living.  It’s located about 4 miles from Downtown; we are conveniently located to the highway [I-20], so it is extremely easy to get someplace that you want.  We are about 5 minutes, if that, from Decatur [a small city on the eastern side of Atlanta].

East Lake has one of the top performing schools in the Atlanta school system [Charles R. Drew Charter School], and the residents have first priority to attend.  It’s a K-8 facility.  We have a state-of-the-art YMCA.  We have one of the top 10 short golf courses in the U.S. [Charlie Yates Golf Course], and we are host to the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola —the super bowl of golf.

How about the vibe?  What sense do you get living here?

When I think of East Lake, I think of a very neighborly vibe.  I grew up in Sandy Springs, which is a suburb of Atlanta, which was fabulous.  But I did not live in a neighborhood where I could walk on sidewalks; I didn’t know my neighbors.  You needed a car to get everywhere.

Here in East Lake, we are conveniently located near the Kirkwood and Oakhurst business districts.  We have a very engaged community association [East Lake Neighbors Community Association].  There’s a farmers market [East Lake Farmers Market].  I would say it’s very close-knit neighborhood, which I think is very unique for an urban environment.

How would you describe the types of people that live here?

I think it’s a mix of long-term residents, meaning people who have lived here for 40 plus years, as well as young professionals between 25 and 35.  I wouldn’t describe it as a predominantly family neighborhood, although I think that’s a natural progression of the demographics that live here.  I also find it very racially and economically diverse.

With so much diversity, do you think everyone gets a long pretty well, or does there seem to be a division?

Definitely, I think everyone gets along pretty well.  East Lake is a part of a larger effort that has happened here in Atlanta.  It was spearheaded by the East Lake Foundation.  About 16 years ago, East Lake was home to a public housing project [East Lake Meadows] that was considered one of the worst concentrations of violence and poverty in the U.S.  The Foundation was formed in 1995 to revitalize the community.  I mention that because you hear a lot about gentrification in in-town neighborhoods, and what makes this neighborhood so unique is the Foundation was really formed to provide resources to the residents to help them out of poverty.

I think these are the building blocks of any thriving mixed-income neighborhood.  That includes safe and affordable housing; cradle to college education opportunities; community wellness, and that is what makes East Lake so cohesive and collaborative.  It’s not a real estate development where people were pushed out of the area; it was a redevelopment, so they have first priority.  It was these resources that actually attracted people with choice.

Is this your ideal neighborhood? Why or why not?

Yes!  I’m a native Atlantan, and like I said I came from Sandy Springs (a suburb of Atlanta).  We decided to move here mainly because we knew others who lived here, and we wanted to live in-town.  As I started to work at the Foundation, I realized what a fantastic community this was and what it had to offer.  Not just because of the impact of the programs going on here, but as a resident.  Everything I need is within a 2-mile radius.

We came here and bought a starter-home, and we thought we’d be there a couple of years and then move on to something else.  As we started to weigh those options and look at other neighborhoods, I couldn’t find an in-town neighborhood that offered everything East Lake does, especially the social interactions.  I know all my neighbors, and over time they have become some of my best friends.  We decided to build a home here and be here long term.

Are there any myths or stereotypes about your nabe you’d like to dispel?

Yes, when people think of East Lake, they think of East Lake Meadows.  They think of the community that existed over 15 years ago.  Because the housing project was so notorious for its crime rate and drug trafficking, people still think of this as an unsafe neighborhood.  Crime statistics now show that we have very little violent crime, and our rate is below more affluent neighborhoods.  Across the board, it’s a very safe place to live, especially near Downtown.  Crimes tend to be petty crimes, but if you are smart about what you do, you will be ok.

Were you surprised by anything when you moved here?

One of the things I was surprised about was how connected I got with my neighbors.  In fact, fast-forward 8 years, all of my best friends are East Lake residents.  When I moved here that’s not what I was looking for.  I just wanted a cute affordable house that was near the things I like, and what I found—which is why I ended up building a house here—was that there is such a strong neighborly feel.

What’s your favorite part about East Lake?

Drew Charter School, for a couple of different reasons.  As an employee of the East Lake Foundation, I think the school is a perfect example of what can happen when public and private partners pool their resources.  Drew went from one of the lowest performing schools to one of the top schools in APS (Atlanta Public Schools).  It competes with top performing schools, and that is still with 78% of the student population qualifying for free or reduced lunch.  Another thing is that Drew is a school that people with choice are choosing to send their kids to, and for me that speaks volumes.  It shows that neighbors are interacting when it comes to their kids, and it’s also a true neighborhood school—most people who send their kids there live within a 2-mile radius of it.

Is there anything about East Lake that you’d like to change? 

I would like to see more volunteer participation from residents that don’t have kids that are taking advantage of all the programs—First-Tee [a World Golf Foundation initiative dedicated to helping children develop integrity and character through golf], the school, things like that.  I think there are new avenues that allow them to do that—the East Lake Community Learning Garden, the East Lake Farmers Market.  There’s a lot of ways for people in the neighborhood to become involved.  I would like to see that continue to grow.  It’s not so much that those people are disinterested; it’s that they are new to the community and don’t know about them, so I would like to see participation in these programs.

Are there any bad areas in East Lake? If not, which street/block would you not want to live on?

I think there are one or two streets that you would want to be more on-guard after dark, and this exists with any neighborhood.  It would really be in areas where there is access to major highways, so South Candler Road and Glenwood Avenue.  There is a lot of in-and-out activity, but it’s not a major concern.  5 years ago, I would say without a doubt that it was a concern, and now it doesn’t jump out to me as a concern.

What’s the real estate like here?

It’s primarily single-family homes, and mainly for-sale.  Although there are some rentals because of the economy, I’ve seen a lot of for-sale signs.  We are in a unique position because the homes here are still fairly affordable for the location.  When you start to get into the more renovated homes, the offerings get a little bit higher and leaner on what your choices are.

There are apartments too.  The Villages of East Lake [apartment community] has units that range in market rate.  I will tell you that they have a high-occupancy rate, again because East Lake residents have first priority to community partners and programs such as Drew Charter School, the First Tee of East Lake, and CREW Teens .

What about any tricks or advice for looking for a home?

Well, there are a lot of offerings, so I would look around.  If you can find an opportunity to get into East Lake, I would say do it.  Because I think with the way that the school is going, the businesses, farmers market, and the development potential at the corners of 2^nd Avenue and Hosea Williams Drive, it’s a good investment.  With the Foundation driving a lot of the programs and offerings that are available to all residents, this will continue to be a good investment.

Also, make sure when you are looking at East Lake; you are looking at East Lake.  We are right on the border of city of Atlanta, Decatur and unincorporated DeKalb, so a lot of homes are marketed as Atlanta 30317.  For example, the south side of Glenwood Avenue is not East Lake.  You aren’t in the priority zones (East Lake residents have first priority to Drew Charter School).  The boundary lines can be confusing. 

Are there any disputes or new developments happening in East Lake?

There isn’t an East Lake dispute that I know of, but there is a general issue going on for all Atlanta, or in-town Atlanta residents, and that’s the redistricting of APS schools.  Good news is that doesn’t affect Drew Charter School.

If you were forced to leave East Lake, what neighborhood would you move to and why?

What are the neighborhoods that are closest to where East Lake is?  I’m not just saying that; I love this neighborhood so much that I would want to be somewhere that’s very similar like Kirkwood or Oakhurst. 

Are there neighborhoods in this city that you would never live in? What are they?

We chose in-town living, so we wouldn’t move to any place that’s outside of that; like the northern suburbs of Atlanta.  Everything that we like to do—music, restaurants, our friends, access to the city, is all here.  I wouldn’t want to get away from that.

How is this neighborhood different from a similar neighborhood, like Kirkwood? 

I would say Kirkwood is a neighborhood that is similar in demographics to East Lake.  They have a designated business district, which right now is the differing factor.  I think that is coming for East Lake, but it doesn’t exist now.  

Do you have any advice for folks thinking about moving to East Lake? 

When you come to East Lake, check out the East Lake Foundation, and take a tour of the school, YMCA, First Tee, and Early Learning Academy, so you are fully aware of all the programs East Lake has to offer.   It will also help them get involved in what’s going on here.

Right now I know East Lake doesn’t have a square or central gathering place for businesses.  If you had a say in developing a commercial district, what would you do?  Where would it go? 

I’m very happy to tell you that what would be East Lake’s business/retail district, 2^nd Avenue and Hosea Williams, is owned by a company that is committed to developing those four corners in a manner that is consistent with what we want in the neighborhood.

I would like to see mixed independent properties—an upscale restaurant, gift shop.  I would like to see the farmers market idea mixed into a store, selling those products during the week.  It would be nice to have a dry-cleaners there, things that make living more convenient.  Ideally it would be great for them to be independently owned stores and restaurants

What do you think East Lake will look like in the next 5-10 years?

I think it’s going to be the most popular neighborhood in Atlanta.  When you look at what makes people move to a neighborhood, it’s either a great school or great housing.  East Lake has both.  We also have every other thing that people would want when they come to a neighborhood—geographically desirable, grocery store, recreation, banks, things like that.