Southeast Raleigh

[carynative]

the New Bern doc is one straight from the archives, that's for sure!

[zande]

6I have lived in the neighborhood for five years, and am close to starting a fix-up project a few blocks from me -- putting my money where my mouth is. There will be a previously boarded up house that will soon be on the rental (evenutally sale) market if everything goes according to plan. This is not a real estate offer/question/whatever!!! I am trying to demonstrate there are individuals that are trying to improve the area.

I'll make the same offer I've been making -- if anyone wants a walking tour, I would be happy to organize soemthing if there is enough interest. Feel free to message me.

I did somewhat generalize the exact placement of the Historic Distric so as to break out the Martin-Haywood area of the HD from the Southpark area. The National Register calls it the East Raleigh South Park District I believe.

The city has bought many of the buildings on the 700 block of Martin and seem to be moving their way up the road with real $$ rather than just study after study. I am currently renovating a house on Camden just outside the historic district so I am indeed also putting my money where my mouth is b/c I feel the area is prime now to move forward and get some coats of paint on those old houses... I will be at the meeting tonight to learn more about the East Gateway Vision and the work of your task force. I would also like to take you up on your offer of a tour but I cannot seem to message anyone as I get an error when I try??? Please feel free to message me and maybe we can pull this tour off after all!

[plus2]

This area doesn't necessarily need redevelopment, but just more development. There are a lot of empty and unused lots in there. It is a wonderful neighborhood to expand the availability of affordable housing near downtown. I would like to see more density here, but with keeping the integrity of the neighborhood. Some 3-story wood apartment buildings or condos would be good. As well as some street level business.

[Jones_]

The flow of the grid was very much dictated by the railroad and the placement of institutions. In 1907 the grid ceased with Boylan Heights. I always thought the future of downtown was with the east. Get real crime under control and the perception of crime and the area can be very nice. Hillsborough st entering from the east used to have an even more dramatic entrance to downtown with 20-some mansions resembling Domicile, Second Empire and the Democratic Party Headquarters. New Bern is a nice next best even though some of its stock is gone as well.

[willrusso]

I just thought I'd go out and take some pictures of a seldom seen part of Raleigh in these forums. Southeast Raleigh is still a work in progress battling some major issues. It'll be interesting to see this area in the future. Sitting adjacent to Downtown with easy access to I-40, it is certainly a jewel in the rough.

We'll start in the South Park neighborhood. It is not uncommon to see prostitutes sashay up and down Bragg Street.

Hayes-Barton. Somebody appears to have gotten evicted.

The end of S. Saunders St.

Some burnt out house on Hargett.

Skyline as seen from Martin Street.

Skyline as seen from Chavis Heights.

Skyline from McDonald's parking lot.

I'm Hungry....

Shaw University

Some random shotguns.

Some projects.

Corner Stores across from St. Augustine's College

SAHARA Mini Mart!!!!

Capital Blvd. although its not SE Raleigh.

Upon returning home from my little adventure, my baby was there to greet me!!

[DigitalSky]

wow very cool photo tour. Got to see parts of Raleigh I wouldn't usually get to see! Cute dog too

[peaceloveunderstanding]

The first time I visited Raleigh, I accidentally drove into an area of town like that. Probably that neighborhood. It led me to think all Raleigh was the 'hood', but subsequent visits proved that that is definitely not the case

[serapis]

It would have been funny if someone jacked your a**. Raleigh doesn't have an open door policy on crime. Raleigh is actually more crime ridden than it makes itself out to be. Poverty and lack of awareness equals crime.

[Jones_]

I think Mini-City has the most crime in Raleigh. Most of downtown, including most of east downtown is not so awful bad.....10 years ago the crime level in the worst corners downtown(currently) were like that all over downtown, so progress on that front is happening rapidly...

[nowensone]

You know, I see alot of potential for this neighborhood (based on your pics), fixing it up/revitalization efforts could do wonders, is this on the horizon there (short term)?

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

It would have been funny if someone jacked your a**.

That kind of potty mouth talk gets know one anywhere!

[carynative]

It would have been funny if someone jacked your a**.

meaningless babble that doesn't belong here.

[serapis]

I'm just joking. Relax.

[ncwebguy]

The pictures aren't of one "neighborhood" but from several parts near downtown, and not constrained to SouthEast Raleigh.

The Turkey Grille is in SouthWest downtown, at the intersection of Saunders and South, a few blocks east of Boylan Heights. It has no connection to SouthEast Raleigh other than appearing run down. The South Saunders "end" was really it's beginning, as it goes South from there, near the Amtrack station.

The Bojangles between New Bern and Edenton is the north/south border for the east side of town. St. Aug's is in East (if not NorthEast) ITB Raleigh moreso than Southeast. The shops are a few blocks from the east edge of Oakwood Cemetary. Is Oakwood "the 'hood"? Depends on who you ask. It was common for prostitutes to hang out right near the cemetary, near Sewell and Oakwood Ave.

The Saraha mini-mart was recently purchased by the City of Raleigh and is either closed or will soon be closed. The city also owns H&H mini-mart, between Carlton Place and downtown at the corner of Bloodworth and Davie Streets.

There is revitalization going on in the area. Carlton Place should get its first tenants in the next few months. The former Chavis Heights has construction going on now, with the senior residences being built. There are several houses that have been recently rennovated by the city in the Martin-Haywood area. One has already been purchased and several others are under contract. Over the last five years, several houses have been built along Hargett, Martin, and Bloodworth Streets, none of which were pictured.

The Weed and Seed program has been in South Park for over two years now. It funds additional police officers and community programs. It also partially funded the repaving in the first couple of pictures.

That being said, Southeast Raleigh has bigger problems than just poverty. South Park's biggest problem is the nearby Cargill soybean processing plant, just west of Person/Blount/Hammond. The smell overwhelms the air for blocks, and is worse if there is a prevaling soutwest wind.

Gang related activity is also a problem. Bragg was the scene of the double homicide in late October. Another murder was committed Friday

a few blocks from the Beauty Ave. drive by in June and the Camden Street murder in February.

The burned out house is on Martin Street, and looks much worse from the front. It caught fire on Easter sunday, and hasn't been touched since.

An article in Sunday's N&O, Downtown boom skips South Park, examines the proimity of the haves and have nots so close to each other.

The slaying of someone else has garnered a lot more media attention...

I don't know what is worse -- thinking it is funny that someone could have "jacked" someone else, or that making such a comment is just a "joke" and people should "relax".

[serapis]

Did it happen?

This board isn't a city council meeting. Ragardless of what you guys think. Most importantly, it's certainly not a formal gathering.

I've lived in worst conditions than those pictures projected, so i guess i'm rather desensitized to the ghetto life.

It was a joke. If you can't take it, that's your problem. The world keeps on spinning.

[RALBOI]

Great picture's, and this is coming from someone who has lived and knows SouthEast Raleigh like's the back of their hand ,or as we say "RUFF RALEIGH" !!!

[serapis]

Great picture's, and this is coming from someone who has lived and knows SouthEast Raleigh like's the back of their hand ,or as we say "RUFF RALEIGH" !!!

That's right!

[willrusso]

Here are some more photos I took on that day... Enjoy

[DwnTwnRaleighGuy]

Here are some more photos I took on that day... Enjoy

Great pictures, thank you for sharing. It is always good to see all parts of your city!

[Jones_]

I think its worth noting that the housing stock pictured does fill and could fill even more of a need downtown....they remind me of the recently publicized Katrina Cottages. You could probably buy one of these boarded up shotguns for 25-40k, representing mostly the land price, fix it up to the tune of another 30-40k to be pretty nice, and voila, you have a 900 sqft, solid starter home downtown for a young working middle class person. I am very much in favor of trying to restore many of these structures to this level and putting demands on the community to be able absorb more working middle class residents. Recognizing that affordable housing is a concern downtown, especially in areas threatened with gentrification, I think housing stock, refurbished to this level, meets a good middle ground of being affordable but bringing a neighborhood back to respectability and livability. Can you imagine a huge fabric of safe walkable, well landscaped, restored houses and yards east of downtown? I think the future of downtown lies between Raleigh Blvd and Fayetteville St.

[DurhamDivaInRaleigh]

Raleigh is actually more crime ridden than it makes itself out to be.

I am finding this to be the case.

[serapis]

Man those pictures are stunning. It goes to show you that even the most prosperous cities in this nation suffer from blight and decay. Raleigh is like the seventh highest paid (per capita income) city in the nation. To bad S.E.R. is treated as another city.

[carynative]

Jones,

that is an interesting idea. I drive through this neighborhood every day and often imagine the area as I"m sure it once was. The houses are neat, albeit rundown. I think there would be a huge market for these, not to mention that the residents who currently live there would reap benefits from running the crime out and restoring their community.

[ncwebguy]

I think its worth noting that the housing stock pictured does fill and could fill even more of a need downtown....they remind me of the recently publicized Katrina Cottages. You could probably buy one of these boarded up shotguns for 25-40k, representing mostly the land price, fix it up to the tune of another 30-40k to be pretty nice, and voila, you have a 900 sqft, solid starter home downtown for a young working middle class person. I am very much in favor of trying to restore many of these structures to this level and putting demands on the community to be able absorb more working middle class residents. Recognizing that affordable housing is a concern downtown, especially in areas threatened with gentrification, I think housing stock, refurbished to this level, meets a good middle ground of being affordable but bringing a neighborhood back to respectability and livability. Can you imagine a huge fabric of safe walkable, well landscaped, restored houses and yards east of downtown? I think the future of downtown lies between Raleigh Blvd and Fayetteville St.

This is *exactly* what I've been pushing for the last three or four years in the area. Unfortunately, there are a few problems:

1. The owners of the boarded up shotguns want more than $25-40k for their property. The city has paid more with Community Development Block Grant funds to the tune of $60k and up. Slumlords either rent their property room by room, week by week, cash only or just wait for the city to make an offer. They won't sell to anyone who wants to make a difference in the neighborhood.

2. Bringing the existing housing stock to livable conditions costs often costs more than $30-40k. Roofs and floors with years of delayed maintenance, ancient wiring, HVAC, plumbing, appliances, etc. add up in a hurry.

3. Most people in the community are convinced that *any* improvements will lead to gentrification. They don't want new middle class residents in the area, as it will make lower class residents not able to afford to live there any more. Job training to teach residents carpentry, plumbing, wiring, etc. skills could erase some of the poverty of the area, but few people take advantage because they need to go out to Wake Tech. And because they can live on government assitance alone as long as they live in run down rooming houses.

The city offers a no interest, forgivable loan for low income home owners to fix up their property. But many don't take advantage because the city won't pay for cosmetic improvements, and community fears of the city looking to "steal" residents' property. Also, many people have been burned by contractors who do a little work, demand money, and then stop showing up.

The city's fixed up shotguns have been available for months a block from my house, but no one has bought them yet. They are priced around $100k, and are offered by The St. Augs's Community Development Corporation. There are low/no interest second mortgages to make the houses even more affordable, but I don't know if people are not interested, or are not able to qualify.

For that kind of money, people are opting for the Clayton/Johnston County/Franklin County starter house option -- the same amout of house, more land, "safer" for the same/less money. Sure transportation costs more than outweigh the housing cost difference, but few people take that into consideration.

No one can force someone to fix up their house. Most of the owner-occupied houses are owned by elderly people who can't do the work themselves, can't get the kids to do it, and/or can't find a reliable contractor to do the work.

The blight is self-created, especially by people who are told crime will always be a fact of life in their neighborhood. Street urchin criminals have nothing to lose and everything to gain by maintaining the status quo. They accomplish this through intimidation and luring the neighborhood's children into a life of crime via promises of bling, money, power, and respect at the expense of everyone and everything else.

[citiboi27610]

Alot of people on this forum are treating S.E. Raleigh as a whole different place from the rest of Raleigh, even if you're not out right with it. I don't blam anyone though. The area has been negleted for a long time. While other parts of the city got better roads allowing for conncetivity and capacity to handle new devlopment, S.E. Raleigh saw none of that. There's lots of land that could be used for positive development but there aren't good roads to connect it all.

I think Wake Tech's new campus in N. Raleigh should have been put downtown. I believe that the people living to the east of downtown would've benefited from that proximity. I know downtown would've benefited from another institution downtown, especially since it would've brought people to the CBD. (I might start a thread on similar topics. Let me know what you think.)