Murray Hill is amazing!

[peestandingup]

Edgewood desperately needs better sidewalks and shade trees. Perhaps attractive brinks.

Edgewood is a good start, but really the whole neighborhood does because in most of it, there are none at all. I've seen it mentioned numerous times of how MH is "walkable". If we're expecting people & kids to walk on the street then sure. And it is fairly compact, which is a positive. But still, the lack of even a modest pedestrian infrastructure is a huge minus for the neighborhood as a whole that makes it straddle closer towards mid century car-reliant suburbia than I'd like.

[JC]

Edgewood desperately needs better sidewalks and shade trees. Perhaps attractive brinks.

Edgewood is a good start, but really the whole neighborhood does because in most of it, there are none at all. I've seen it mentioned numerous times of how MH is "walkable". If we're expecting people & kids to walk on the street then sure. And it is fairly compact, which is a positive. But still, the lack of even a modest pedestrian infrastructure is a huge minus for the neighborhood as a whole that makes it straddle closer towards mid century car-reliant suburbia than I'd like.

I walk from my house to Edgewood, Murray Hill Park, Post and so on all while staying on the sidewalk.  Its not perfect but its far from car reliant and it is very walkable. 

[benfranklinbof]

I bike all the time in M\Hill. I think it is very walkable. I just wished all the empty storefronts were filled. I like all the parks hidden in M\Hill also

[Know Growth]

I bike all the time in M\Hill. I think it is very walkable. I just wished all the empty storefronts were filled. I like all the parks hidden in M\Hill also

That's a definite 'yepper'.
My sister and her family used to live at Sappho Ave. Park presence.Moved to San Marco. Swerved through Clay County and then to Boulder,Colo. At least a child graduating from Douglass Anderson was a "Jax" highlight.
And me,605 Talbot. Could have gone from renter to owner-never did. Should/could have,even if only to become Land-Lord/Investor, exert RAP style outlook,activism and control. Could have bought the place back then for $35,000.
The screened in front porch would still be there. Scary labels pasted to the windows not. Could have done a lot with that nice back yard.
The Call to Riverside/Avondale....and the neighbor with the nasty dangerous dog lurching out of the windows,,,and a certain training in Neighborhood Selection,predictive capability  was cause to Leave. But not too far away.
Close enough to know Murray Hill must,will thrive. Even in spite of folks like me.

Let's be clear. Murray Hill will determine our collective area fate.

Good call.

[benfranklinbof]

I definitely believe that Murray hill is a good area to invest in.

[mtraininjax]

Edgewood desperately needs better sidewalks and shade trees. Perhaps attractive brinks.

I disagree, what it really needs are more commercial shops, which it is getting, then once we get more shops, landlords have more money and people demand improvements and we get initiatives like the street lamps and sidewalk initiatives, which seem to have dried up all over town, thank you Mayor Brown.

While not perfect, at least RAP is working on plans for 5 points to make it more friendly for those who travel to it, through it and who use it. MH could use a strong local community group, MHPA is nice, but it needs more muscle behind it and more citizens of MH need to demand more from the city. Councilman Jones and Love carve out this area, so it really starts with them and their vision.

[mezofoprezo]

If any of y'all are the creative types (here's hoping), I am a non-religiously affiliated open mic host trying to draw a more subversive and potentially absurd crowd to Fringe Cafe on the 2nd and 3rd Wednesday nights of the month. I'm a poet primarily  and I have a small crowd of friends that come out and share some shit, mixed with a number of religious regulars who still don't quite know what to make of me. it makes for great live television.

for the lush among us, The "A' Tavern across the street, where all the Vietnam vets with long white hair and biker vests play poker, offers really cheap beer.

I'm not saying that if you come say hi to me I'll buy you a beer... but I will probably definitely buy you a beer

http://folioweekly.com/calendar/#event/2377128

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

Edgewood desperately needs better sidewalks and shade trees. Perhaps attractive brinks.

I disagree, what it really needs are more commercial shops, which it is getting, then once we get more shops, landlords have more money and people demand improvements and we get initiatives like the street lamps and sidewalk initiatives, which seem to have dried up all over town, thank you Mayor Brown.

While not perfect, at least RAP is working on plans for 5 points to make it more friendly for those who travel to it, through it and who use it. MH could use a strong local community group, MHPA is nice, but it needs more muscle behind it and more citizens of MH need to demand more from the city. Councilman Jones and Love carve out this area, so it really starts with them and their vision.

The MHPA monthly meeting is tomorrow night at 7pm at the Presbyterian Church. Tomorrow nights meeting will be the annual election of the MHPA Board of Directors. 

There are several new, late 20something/30somethings and early 40somethings who'll be looking to get elected to the Bod of the MHPA so come on out and show your support and vote if you are a MHPA member in good standing.

There will also be an appraiser there to appraise your antigues for a $5.00 donation to the MHPA.

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

If any of y'all are the creative types (here's hoping), I am a non-religiously affiliated open mic host trying to draw a more subversive and potentially absurd crowd to Fringe Cafe on the 2nd and 3rd Wednesday nights of the month. I'm a poet primarily  and I have a small crowd of friends that come out and share some shit, mixed with a number of religious regulars who still don't quite know what to make of me. it makes for great live television.

for the lush among us, The "A' Tavern across the street, where all the Vietnam vets with long white hair and biker vests play poker, offers really cheap beer.

I'm not saying that if you come say hi to me I'll buy you a beer... but I will probably definitely buy you a beer

http://folioweekly.com/calendar/#event/2377128

I hope to make it there sometime soon!

[Jtetlak]

Murray Hill is a great place and I'm happy to see other people noticing! I don't see any reason why Edgewood can't be as happening and active as King Street or Avondale. I've been meeting with the Murray Hill Merchants Association and individual store owners to see what the city can do to assist them, but what it mostly comes down to is what we the customers want. If you want Murray Hill to grow then you need to eat at local places like 1171 Grill, or visit the bakeries and other small shops that are up and down the strip.

I agree its unfortunate that many of the side streets don't have sidewalks to make it easier to move around, but I walk to Dreamette and to the ball park with my small children all the time and have never felt like it was unsafe. If you have suggestions on ways to improve the neighborhood let me know on my website www.tetlak.com!

[mtraininjax]

Jason - If you can get the Merchants Association back and working and functional, that would be great! It was for a while, then I heard that Sandy and her hubby at Edgewood Bakery just could not get enough participation by the owners, and it fizzled out. Gotta get the business owners together to make stuff happen on the strip!

I agree, it could really rock and as Lake has pointed out, the entire strip from I-10 to Roosevelt is zoned commercial.

[AuditoreEnterprise]

I talked about Murray hill with someone over the weekend. I think the area has potential. Unfortunately most small business owners run the businesses as well as work there too so I can totally see where the group fizzled out. Maybe a community type of structure with activists and maybe partnerships with owners outside of Murray hill that don't mind donating a bit of time would be enough to get it running again :-)  I'm always down to lend a hand if need be.

[benfranklinbof]

Oh yeah it definitely has potential. I see multiple abandoned buildings that are located on edgewood south and they're all in great condition. Just have to wait for the right person to rent it and turn it into something beautiful.

I just want more landscaping on edgewood something simple like that will make a dramatic improvement for the area.

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

Murray Hill residents need to shop locally much more that we do.

I try to go to the Edgewood Avenue restaurants as much as possible. I take my dry cleaning there. I buy wine on the Avenue.  I don't cook otherwise that Swimming Yesterday that sells fresh fish that were, well, swimming yesterday is a great business.  I need to try the Community Loafs.

If more of us did this and kept our money local, then our businesses will thrive; there will be life on Edgewood Avenue on Sunday afternoons and after dark on Tuesdays.

If we make Murray Hill a great place and make Edgewood Avenue the place to be then others will follow.

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

@Tetlak

"It's time to move past being a city with potential, and become a city living up to its potential."

I love this term.