Historic West End (Atlanta, Washington, White: townhome, schools, university)

[davesm]

Originally Posted by KEDON

I am looking into purchasing a home in this Historic area as well. Im flying in this weekend just to mill a round with my realtor and get an up and close look. Ive heard great things about the area however I just want to see and get a feel for it before I buy. Any more feed back would be very helpful and appreciative

The heart of West End's commercial district is around Lee St, RDA, and Joseph Lowery Blvd. Begin with a latte at The Grounds coffee shop in Sky Lofts. Later you could go to Soul Vegetarian for lunch (Personally I like Healthful Essence Caribbean Vegan on York St). Hammonds House museum on Peeples St currently has an Eric Waters exhibit featuring Pre and Post Katrina photography. Afterwards you can do some shopping at The Fashion Industry The Fashion Industry Atlanta Store - Atlanta, GA. As much as I like the Soul-French food at Chanterelles on Evans St I'd recommend a detour out of West End a short distance down Lowery Blvd past the Atlanta University Center to Westside Village. On MLK you'll find Busy Bee Cafe across from the Publix. It's the best Soul food in Atlanta, and this is where I take all of my out of town guests.

In between all of that you can check out the houses. Roughly I-20 to the North, Lee Street to the East, White St to the South, and Langhorn St to the West. These aren't exact borders, but I'll spare you the semantics. Ralph David Abernathy is a mostly retail corridor that bisects the neighborhood. The southern part of West End has more Victorian and Queen Anne style homes and the northern has more Craftsman style homes. No two homes are the same and each has a story to tell. If above the street signs it says "Historic West End" you're in West End. This itinerary should give you a general feel for the area. Of course there are intangables like the bells ringing at St. Anthony's, the smell of doughnuts being made at certain times of the day, and driving down RDA past midnight and still seeing ladies getting their hair done through the salon windows. I'm sure every neighborhood has its neat little things, but these are a few I like. Anyway, enjoy your visit to Atlanta.

Viva La Atlanta!!!

[KEDON]

Thanks for the info...Do you know anything about the new townhomes, liberty commons?

[westviewbungalow]

Originally Posted by KEDON

Thanks for the info...Do you know anything about the new townhomes, liberty commons?

Are you talking about "The Commons" (Brock Built - The Commons - Townhomes in Atlanta, GA (http://www.brockbuilt.com/community_details.php?comm_id=16 - broken link)) on Liberty Commons Drive? These townhomes are located in the Westside neighborhood, not in the West End neighborhood. They are two different neighborhoods seperated by the Atlanta University Center.

[KEDON]

Oh I see...How are they., is that close t the West End?

[davesm]

Originally Posted by KEDON

Oh I see...How are they., is that close t the West End?

How are they? Nice, spacious, and a stones throw from Downtown. In my opinion a good value since the same townhome on the otherside of of 75/85 would be twice the price. The area has seen reinvestment in recent years that has brought a Publix, townhomes, and condos amongst other improvements. There's a Marta Station + a healthy dose of the AUC students. I think Atlantasfinest lives in one of the townhomes and can give you more details.

Westside Village is about 1 mile north of West End on Lowery Blvd. If you're at Busy Bee Cafe the townhomes can be seen across the street.

[KEDON]

Thanks again....I really appreciate the input. Im due to be there on Sat just to look around and decide what direction to go.

[Atlantasfinest]

The 3 level 3 bedroom 3.5 bathroom townhomes are very nice, spacious with great amenities and finishes and nice balcony decks for entertaining and 2 car garages. Everyone who has stepped inside of my place was throughly impressed. We are walking distance to the Marta Station (Ashby) and Publix and other new developments that should take off in the Westside Village Retail District when the market rebounds (CVS and other stores) and super close to Downtown (less than 4 minutes by car ) and Midtown (Less than 8 minutes) and Buckhead (15-20 via car) without having to take the interstate.

Alot of recreation facilities are walking distance from The Westside Village which includes the Townhome and Condo Development. Some of these facilities include the Path Walking and Biking Trail and Washington Park Swimming Center (Olympic Size Pool-Lanes/Excercise Facility) and Washington Park Tennis Center (6 Lighted Tennis Courts and classes and instructors).

At the price point you really can't beat it...Go to the sales office and Darnetta Pinnick will give you a nice tour of the existing homes and give you great details and there are even some great grant programs with the City of Atlanta that you might qualify for to drop the price even more. Tell her Atlantasfinest sent you .. Good luck!

[PKCorey]

Aye, AF...it all make sense now, how you say you can hear all the drums etc etc from stadium @ school...

Still seems sketchy at night walking to Ashby at times...

[KEDON]

Is the area well diversed?

[Atlantasfinest]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

Aye, AF...it all make sense now, how you say you can hear all the drums etc etc from stadium @ school...

Still seems sketchy at night walking to Ashby at times...

I can hear Clark Atlanta University band practicing Monday-Thursday when I'm sitting on my deck in the evenings and I love it! It's also nice to take jogs a fw blocks away at the Olympic Track at CAU during the evenings with the same nice atmosphere who needs a IPOD when you have a Black College Band belting out jamming songs from 7-9 nightly during the Fall?!

Ashby is definitely a sore spot and I definitely wouldn't walk from the strecth of Ashby from Fair Street to Bankhead Highway (Sans the Westside Village Strip Portion between MLK and Lena/Carter Street - Nothing really to see or do in the other particular area anyway). But that stretch of Ashby definitely needs help. Martin Luther King is fine and is really beautiful all the way down through Morris Brown College and CAU through the Westside Village through Booker T. Washington High School through Mozley Park to Westview Cemetary.