Louisville perception (Valley Station, Shelbyville, Fairdale: fit in, job market, neighborhood)

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by Nmissi

You've just hit upon why noplace else feels like, "Home" to me. I grew up here in the south end of Louisville. I was brought up by a doting family and nosey neighbors. When we have lived elsewhere, it's always felt so lonely! But here in Louisville, the neighbors come out of their houses, they talk to you over fences, on porches, standing in driveways. A few years back my mother built a large covered front porch on her house, and put up a swing... in the rain, in the snow, in every season, you can find neighbors stopping in to sit a spell on the porch and talk to her.

Southerners are just friendlier, and KY is the northernmost southern state.

Amen sistah (or brotha whatever the case may be)

[Windwalker]

Nmissi--I didn't find that to be the case when I lived in TN, though.

Is Louisville a city with distinct neighborhoods?

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by Windwalker

Nmissi--I didn't find that to be the case when I lived in TN, though.

Is Louisville a city with distinct neighborhoods?

Yes. There are many different "sides" of Louisville and for natives (at least as far as I can tell) most are proud of which "side" they come from.

[tomocox]

Prior to the mid 70's disassembly of the neighborhood pride caused by the ordered desegregation of schools. People clustered around their high schools. While there was some parochial impact, the two public systems were primary and the social question of "where did you go to high school" found its basis. This made it quite easy to form neighborhoods and led to the high school legacies which will never be known again.

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by tomocox

Prior to the mid 70's disassembly of the neighborhood pride caused by the ordered desegregation of schools. People clustered around their high schools. While there was some parochial impact, the two public systems were primary and the social question of "where did you go to high school" found its basis. This made it quite easy to form neighborhoods and led to the high school legacies which will never be known again.

That's a good point too.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by Windwalker

Nmissi--I didn't find that to be the case when I lived in TN, though.

Is Louisville a city with distinct neighborhoods?

VERY distinct neighborhoods with lots of flavor. All over. Dozens of them. It reminds me of a mini version of Chicago in that sense (where I have lived). It is very neighborhood oriented, especially in the historic areas.

[Windwalker]

So what are people's perceptions of the different neighborhoods? Not stereotypes, but real perceptions/observations?

Like what's up with Portland? It looks very interesting historically. Will it be renovated/restored soon? Does it flood?

[tomocox]

Originally Posted by Windwalker

So what are people's perceptions of the different neighborhoods? Not stereotypes, but real perceptions/observations?

Like what's up with Portland? It looks very interesting historically. Will it be renovated/restored soon? Does it flood?

First of all Portland, there is a floodwall that protects Portland, but if it ever fails, New Orleans won't be alone any more. The floodwall nearly was within a few feet of being too low for the March 1997 flood. The river narrows with construction of floodwalls as was discovered in the mid-90's in Missouri & Illinois.

Communities and neighborhoods... Until merger in 2000-01, there were 14x incorporated towns in Jefferson County. In lay terms... 140 plus neighborhoods plus those in incorporated Louisville.

[censusdata]

Louisville is divided into 3 basic sides of town

East End- most affluent, educated. Ethnically it is mostly Whites of German heritage, although several historically Black areas exist there.

West End- considered the "ghetto", although several affluent and highly educated areas next to Shawnee Park. Other than Portland, which is 85% White, every other neighborhood is >95% Black.

South End- Mostly Whites of English/Scottish/Irish heritage. Low education level (no area w/ >12% college degree) but middle to high income in most areas. Areas inside I-264 are quite poor and home to a diverse immigrant population, esp Vietnamese and Muslims (2 mosque opened in past year)

[Nmissi]

Originally Posted by censusdata

South End- Mostly Whites of English/Scottish/Irish heritage. Low education level (no area w/ >12% college degree) but middle to high income in most areas. Areas inside I-264 are quite poor and home to a diverse immigrant population, esp Vietnamese and Muslims (2 mosque opened in past year)

As one born and raised in the South End, let me add to this that there are definite "neighborhood" flavors here as well; I live in Valley Station, it ranges from "Well to Do" nearby (Prairie Village, Valley Station Road area) to supposedly "Bad" (Valley Village, Kosmosdale) but I've never really felt unsafe anywhere in Valley Station. My mom lives on the outskirts of Fairdale, as a kid I traipsed all over the Old 3rd/Outer Loop/New Cut road area without fear or incident. And I would put Kenwood Hills or Windsor Forest up against any east end neighborhood for review; lovely homes in wonderful neighborhoods. The Southern Parkway/Iroquois Park area is exquisitely pretty and pleasant for the most part.

The West End boasts some of the loveliest architecture imaginable, in various states of repair, renewal, or decay; I would love to see it come back to prominence. Portions of the East End are still rural, but other areas are growing congested with superstores and suburban sprawl. (I try to stay as far away from Shelbyville Road/Hurstbourne Lane/Westport Road as possible.) Old areas like Cherokee Triangle are gorgeous, but terribly expensive. My cousin lives in the Highlands; it's tremendously artsy and attractive, but not very child-friendly in my opinion.

Pretty much, any end of town you choose, you can find a likely place to live. There's plenty for everyone.