My fiance and I are looking to buy a home on the 1500 block of Catharine. It seems like the area is changing, but I noticed that there is some low income housing on the corner of 16th and Catharine along with a market. Is anyone familar with the area and the people? crime?
Thanks.

Hi! I had to post because I just moved to the 1500 block of Christian St. You're right that the area is changing...rapidly. I've always lived in the suburbs and was very concerned about crime and noise when I moved to the city. I have been pleasantly surprised. We spoke to friends who have lived in this area (on our street) for quite some time prior to moving here. They have never had problems with car break ins, muggings, etc. and walk around with comfort at all hours of the night. I'm a bit more cautious than that but feel I would think about safety issues no matter what part of the city I lived in.

I didn't even notice the low income housing before we moved here. From what I can tell, it is well maintained and quiet. I hear that the corner across from the market you're speaking of gets a large crowd of loiterers at times. The police seem to be aware of this corner and the concerns of residents. I have not seen anyone there in months. I have seen one or two people there before and I've never had a problem walking past.

We bought our home because we wanted to live comfortably in the city. In other words, we care about our investment but are more concerned about our quality of life in the long-term. From what I've observed, this area can only get better. Shells on my street are being turned into luxury homes and condos and now a condo and retail project is planned for the corner of Broad and Catharine.

If you want other opinions of the area, you probably want to check out the South West Center City section of this forum. There's been a lot of discussion...

Oh, you asked about the people...everyone we've met around here is very friendly. There are many long-term residents, but we've noticed an influx of young couples recently.

Good luck and please fee free to PM me if you have any more questions. I'm curious to know which house you're considering...

That corner (16th and Catharine) is well known for drug sales...those are the people loitering out there.

What's the Marian Anderson Recreation Park like? I only know that it's near 16th and Catherine. Is it a nuisance or an asset to the community?

I live close to JillyS - on 15th, three houses from cath and I really like it. No major problems after 8 months. There are tons of houses for sale in the area, so don't be afraid to look for things outside your price range and try to get them to go lower. There are at least 5 NEW houses in the area, some with garages. The owners are asking a lot for these places, but the longer they sit, the better a lower offer will look.

I think 15th and cath is a good area and getting better all the time.

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Apparently it's one of the best kept secrets in the neighborhood. It's on 17th. I didn't even know about it until a parent on this forum proposed community playdates there in the Spring. From what I understand, the playground equipment is in good shape and the area is relatively well-maintained. I walk past the rec center frequently and it's usually very quiet. Sometimes I hear people playing basketball inside and I think there are teen dances there at times.

In case it's not clear, my previous post is in response to the question about the rec center...