So I've lived in Springfield most of my life, after my father passed i inherited my home. The house is located on Boulevard between 5Th and 6Th. Now I've always considered Springfield to be a nice neighborhood. Never had a break in or felt threatened, but that could be for a number of reason....but that's another thread ;).
SO to get to the point of this...i attended the opening of Walkers Wine bar in R'side and engaged in convo with a woman who lived in California but was renovating a bungalow in springfield. So she asked me where i lived in springfield, then she replied "Oh, you don't even need cable over there! You can just look out your window." i didn't get it at first..then she said "well my house is on Ionia".
What happen to the days of us Springfielders sticking together (even if your house was really on the east side!). I moved out of riverside for the same reason, i didn't like the Avondale vs. Riverside bull. I expect more out my neighbors, so leave the yuppie attitudes at the door when you come into Springfield.
sorry...needed to vent. lol
My guess would be that its a perception taken from the SPAR forum. On that forum, there are several posters from the area over in the 7th and Silver/Blvd area, and they have painted it as 'Hampsterdam' (taken from 'The Wire'). So anyone who has paid any attention to the SPAR forum just assumes its a shared experience if you are from that part of the neighborhood.
Westside!
A little bit of A, a little bit of B.
Springfielders do try to beat people to the punch even in conversations with their neighbors. But the neighborhood has a growing yuppie population. I should know, I'm one of them. Although I might be pushing the young thing a little bit. :)
I don't personally denigrate any part of our beautiful hood though. I want all parts to be filled to the brim with yuppies, empty nesters, hip indie types, etc. instead of tranny prossies, crackheads, bums, etc.
what about yuppie trannies ??
Lol...yea all you guys are right. I just miss the days when the "cool crowd" first starting moving into the hood. To be honest i don't mind the yuppies...you guys are bringing up the property value like the lesbians & gays did in the 90's lol. But a word to the bland and uninteresting.....don't use living in Springfield as some lame attempt at cultivating some form of self-eccentricity.
Not to worry, Omarvelous. Most of us came pre-equipped with our own eccentricity. ;D
Quote from: hooplady on June 03, 2009, 05:27:31 PM
Not to worry, Omarvelous. Most of us came pre-equipped with our own eccentricity. ;D
LOL...thanks i appreciate it. 8)
Have you been to Three Layers yet? Perhaps there you'll find the conversation more neighborly. I'm on the eastside, and know of the problems that we have in certain areas of our hood....but it's getting better. Even when it may seem like what you expected, when it comes down to it, we're neighbors and we're here for one another.
Omar
Thank you for sticking in there during the Bad old days. Its people like you that made Springfield what it is today "A great place to live"
Quote from: samiam on June 03, 2009, 06:22:39 PM
Omar
Thank you for sticking in there during the Bad old days. Its people like you that made Springfield what it is today "A great place to live"
Well thank you. I love Springfield, and i want it to retain some form of identity. Diversity is what sets us apart...people from all economic, racial, and social backgrounds call springfield home. We should be an example of tolerance to the rest of the city. :)
Hi Omarmelous09,
I am that "yuppie" CA woman you engaged in conversation with at the wine bar in Riverside (back in April of this year.) We don't know each other, so you wouldn't have understood my comment to be a joke. Downtownparks is right, you don't have that shared experience with others in Springfield. I apologize if I offended you, it wasn't the idea.
I must comment about the yuppie part however. Maybe the perception is that because I am an "investor," so to speak, and from California, that I must automatically be a yuppie? I am actually quite flattered! I grew up in RURAL Vermont and went to school with the same 30 kids my whole life. I stayed in New England for college and moved to CA after graduating, I've lived here for the past 15 years. I am (drum roll please) a high school administrator and former English teacher!!!!! Yuppie? I am your average law abiding, tax paying, public servant, and happy to be so, and honestly, giggling that someone thought of me as a yuppie! Anyone who knows me would roll over and practically die of laughter!
I have full intention of moving to Springfield after my son completes middle school. I purchased 2 years ago because the prices were right and have invested my life's savings to save a Springfield home from the demolition list (where it was.) I travel (often with my family) four times yearly and stay in the home I restored on Ionia. I love Springfield, both the good and the bad of Springfield. It is a great neighborly neighborhood that reminds me of home (Vermont.)
Have a great day,
Nicole Lopez
"IloveIonia"
Quote from: iloveionia on June 03, 2009, 07:03:39 PM
Hi Omarmelous09,
I am that "yuppie" CA woman you engaged in conversation with at the wine bar in Riverside (back in April of this year.) We don't know each other, so you wouldn't have understood my comment to be a joke. Downtownparks is right, you don't have that shared experience with others in Springfield. I apologize if I offended you, it wasn't the idea.
I must comment about the yuppie part however. Maybe the perception is that because I am an "investor," so to speak, and from California, that I must automatically be a yuppie? I am actually quite flattered! I grew up in RURAL Vermont and went to school with the same 30 kids my whole life. I stayed in New England for college and moved to CA after graduating, I've lived here for the past 15 years. I am (drum roll please) a high school administrator and former English teacher!!!!! Yuppie? I am your average law abiding, tax paying, public servant, and happy to be so, and honestly, giggling that someone thought of me as a yuppie! Anyone who knows me would roll over and practically die of laughter!
I have full intention of moving to Springfield after my son completes middle school. I purchased 2 years ago because the prices were right and have invested my life's savings to save a Springfield home from the demolition list (where it was.) I travel (often with my family) four times yearly and stay in the home I restored on Ionia. I love Springfield, both the good and the bad of Springfield. It is a great neighborly neighborhood that reminds me of home (Vermont.)
Have a great day,
Nicole Lopez
"IloveIonia"
Well Hello Nicole, nice to see you had the time to respond...seems like you're a busy person. First let me say that i wasn't upset or mad about the comment, just caught of guard. I can admit that i did prejudge you, and i do apologize.
Not belonging to "SPAR", i wasn't aware that an area of the neighborhood they so proudly represent was dubbed "unfavorable". You have to understand my position, as someone who has lived in the neighborhood through the re-gentrification twice over. So many people have come into the neighborhood with this "we're gonna clean it up" attitude w/o really taking a close look at the inhabitants. Springfield has never completely been in the toilet, and there have always been people who chose to live in the neighborhood regardless of it's reputation. Although I'm happy that people are interested in springfield, its a great place to live mainly because of the diversity. I do agree that there are areas that need work, but no part of the neighborhood is w/o flaw. The one thing that stood out the most about your statement is that you said "Ionia" with such conviction lol...at least you have pride in your street. How is that area now? Last time i was over on Ionia, it wasn't that great. Well good luck to you.
This is too funny....yes...my dear Nicole has been misunderstood. Nicole does come with her family several times a year and a lot of her time is spent defending her "I Love Ionia" street! I think that both Boulevard and Ionia get a bad rap...and are both worth defending. Unfortunately these two streets border the historic district and if you go not too far east of Ionia drugs and prostitution are ramp-id...and if you go west of Boulevard it is much the same. I sell real estate in the hood...I live on liberty...and have a business on Walnut. I know that these two streets have been the toughest streets to sell and there seems to be a neighborhood buzz about the crime surrounding them. Anyway, I would venture to say that people who live on these particular streets have more in common than differences.
I personally love the friendly rivalry that exists between East Side and West Side and I think it is healthy. It creates competition with friendly ball games in our beautiful parks , neighborhood hang outs...and honestly just another thing for us Springfielders to talk about besides the weather.
Eastside or Westside I LOVE Springfield and I'm glad to to be here. (on the east side that is ::) )
QuoteI personally love the friendly rivalry that exists between East Side and West Side and I think it is healthy. It creates competition with friendly ball games in our beautiful parks , neighborhood hang outs...and honestly just another thing for us Springfielders to talk about besides the weather.
East vs West is just fun. Everyone in Springfield is my neighbor, whether one or 12 houses over.
QuoteI can admit that i did prejudge you, and i do apologize.
QuoteYou have to understand my position, as someone who has lived in the neighborhood through the re-gentrification twice over. So many people have come into the neighborhood with this "we're gonna clean it up" attitude w/o really taking a close look at the inhabitants.
Thanks for realizing your error and apologizing for it, Omar. Unfortunately, there are many neighbors who were here during the bad-old days that have pre-judged newer neighbors, and presume some enhanced right to be in Springfield over them. This seems to me to be every bit as much a problem with realizing true diversity in the community as the perceived unacceptance of prior residents by newer residents (and I say, perceived here, b/c I've never witnessed it myself).
QuoteNot belonging to "SPAR", i wasn't aware that an area of the neighborhood they so proudly represent was dubbed "unfavorable".
Not sure what SPAR has to do with anything re: your exchange with Nicole? As shawnsoldit said, you and she are both on border, or near-border streets, which doesn't mean you are in a less favorable area. More accurately, it means you are
closer to areas that SPAR does not have the resources to pay attention to b/c they are
outside of the Historic District. I expect residents on northern border streets may experience some of the same challenges both you and Nicole face.
Omar, we are all neighbors. As a more recent resident, I have experienced a disappointment similar to yours that some of the more long-time residents have pre-judged me -- I guess just in reverse of what you experience. Sadly, Springfield is quite the little microcosm...
It's all love. Hell...in 10 years all you newbies will have the same issues. lol ;D
I'm glad this got people's attention, keeps me occupied at work.
EAST SIDE!
Well just so long as it NEVER becomes North vs South, then I'd be forced to roll in the heavy artillery!
OCKLAWAHA
Deo Vindice Y'all
Quote from: stephendare on June 03, 2009, 04:45:29 PM
but what about hip indie trannie bums?
Quote from: vicupstate on June 03, 2009, 05:11:56 PM
what about yuppie trannies ??
In my own little opinion - any form of tranny is welcome as long as they aren't selling mouth, hand or ass on our streets.
Quote from: Omarvelous09 on June 03, 2009, 05:22:54 PM
But a word to the bland and uninteresting.....don't use living in Springfield as some lame attempt at cultivating some form of self-eccentricity.
As Hoop-Lady said, most of us came pre-loaded with our own eccentricities may they be big or small. One of the Hamsterdam residents steals from Rudolph and says that Springfield is the Land of Misfit Toys. Or as local historian Chris Farley says - we're all here because we aren't all there.
We love Springfield. You know how you can say whatever you want about your own family but as soon as someone else does they have a fight coming? Same with Springfield. We can joke about the issues that are still here, but its OUR 'hood and if someone else talks down about our home they have a fight coming.
Oh forgot to say WESTSIIIIIIDE !!!!
Quote from: nvrenuf on June 04, 2009, 01:28:07 PM
Quote from: stephendare on June 03, 2009, 04:45:29 PM
but what about hip indie trannie bums?
Quote from: vicupstate on June 03, 2009, 05:11:56 PM
what about yuppie trannies ??
In my own little opinion - any form of tranny is welcome as long as they aren't selling mouth, hand or ass on our streets.
Quote from: Omarvelous09 on June 03, 2009, 05:22:54 PM
But a word to the bland and uninteresting.....don't use living in Springfield as some lame attempt at cultivating some form of self-eccentricity.
As Hoop-Lady said, most of us came pre-loaded with our own eccentricities may they be big or small. One of the Hamsterdam residents steals from Rudolph and says that Springfield is the Land of Misfit Toys. Or as local historian Chris Farley says - we're all here because we aren't all there.
We love Springfield. You know how you can say whatever you want about your own family but as soon as someone else does they have a fight coming? Same with Springfield. We can joke about the issues that are still here, but its OUR 'hood and if someone else talks down about our home they have a fight coming.
No doubt, because behind all the bs...we all still are neighbors. ;)
**WEST SIDE!! 8)
Quote from: movedsouth on June 05, 2009, 05:10:22 PM
I am probably one of the people who started popularizing the term "Hamsterdam". I think part of it is a matter of expectations. I can see how for someone who lived here for a long time, things are great. But to me, having someone sell/buy drugs/hos across from my house isn't acceptable even if they don't try to burn down my house anymore. Getting my sh*t stolen, car windows smashed, robbed at gunpoint isn't exactly what I am looking for in a neighborhood. Now you could say: Why did you move here? Well... I was dumb enough. Why am I staying? Why should I run... I am not the type.
Feel free to stop by. I am usually sitting on my porch in the evenings if I am home.
Wow...has all of that happened to you? Guess everybody i know has been lucky. I will say that some people make themselves targets. The first thing some people do is move in, get big dogs, and put up a fence...if someones that scared and paranoid about the "crime" in the neighborhood then why move? I don't like that springfields crime is so "in your face", but in a way i prefer it over the hidden, & much more violent crimes in others. It sucks that youre having (had) those kind of problems. :-\
Quote from: movedsouth on June 05, 2009, 05:57:30 PM
I got little dogs and the fence came after 3 bikes left. My neighbors have big dogs, but they had them all along. Which is one problem of the old-timers and new-timers... we don't talk, we assume. You assumed that we got the dogs as defense? Well, the dogs showed up on our porch one day and I couldn't help it but take them in. I do in some ways agree with your statement that the open crime is better then the hidden one. Some of my neighbors take the "not on my block" approach. As long as they don't see it first hand, they don't care (and they avoid looking). That's not my approach.
You're totally right, and yes not everybody puts up there defenses..but it is discourging to the rest of us who have made the neighborhood what it is today. Springfield isnt anymore more crime-filled that any other neighborhood in town, but like any other neighborhood it just depends on where you live.
There have been many changes In the last 10 years. On the east side 6th and market and 3rd and market use to be crime Central but no longer. it seems as time passes there are less and less crime hotspots.
I've seen the neighborhood change drastically. When I first moved to Springfield, it was on the west side and had my share of things stolen from the yard and driveway. When I moved to the east side, I still had things stolen, but my first concern was getting rid of the hookers that were selling themselves along the block I lived. I was fortunate, that after months of constant calls to the police and chasing off their customers, that they left.
I'm well aware of the problems the west siders have with the drugs and hos. Much of that is contributed to the pockets of trashy people....and of course, the closeness to the public housing across from the park. I feel for my friends and neighbors that have had to deal with all of those bottom dwellers, and hope that as our neighborhood continues to flourish, that these scum bags will move on.
As with any neighborhood, there's good and bad...no area is without crime...but overall, we're much better off than they are. It's an ongoing battle, and much of that is the lousy perception of those who don't live here, or haven't in years. Yeah, it used to be really bad...but that's years ago. People thought I was crazy for moving here when I did, now most of them envy where I live.
Oh.....and go Eastside! ;)
Even with the down turn in the economy there is still a massive amount of renovation going on here in Springfield. It actually amazes me. It seem the momentum is going so strong that it is unstoppable now. From what I can see is that most of the out of state investors that came down here and purchased 5 or more houses have gone into forcloser and those houses are coming back on the market and are being purchased by individuals willing to restore them.
Do not pay attention to the people who tells you they know more about your hood than you do. IMHO, only the people who lack confidence in their own hood/life love to spend time and energy talking about how bad other hoods/lives are.
I arrived at such opinion from my personal experience. All my rental properties are in the relatively low income price range scattered around different hoods. I had the following funny conversation with prospective tenants many times:
prospective: "do you have other properties available?"
me: "I have one at X-street by Y-street"
Prospective: "Oh, I am not going there. That is bad area/ ghetto / unsafe"
The truth is the entire Jacksonville is an unsafe area. We need a new Mayor......But this is for an other thread.
Quotethese scum bags will move on.
I'll pack the scum bags' scum bags.
Quote from: Omarvelous09 on June 03, 2009, 04:01:09 PM
So I've lived in Springfield most of my life, after my father passed i inherited my home. The house is located on Boulevard between 5Th and 6Th. Now I've always considered Springfield to be a nice neighborhood. Never had a break in or felt threatened, but that could be for a number of reason....but that's another thread ;).
SO to get to the point of this...i attended the opening of Walkers Wine bar in R'side and engaged in convo with a woman who lived in California but was renovating a bungalow in springfield. So she asked me where i lived in springfield, then she replied "Oh, you don't even need cable over there! You can just look out your window." i didn't get it at first..then she said "well my house is on Ionia".
What happen to the days of us Springfielders sticking together (even if your house was really on the east side!). I moved out of riverside for the same reason, i didn't like the Avondale vs. Riverside bull. I expect more out my neighbors, so leave the yuppie attitudes at the door when you come into Springfield.
sorry...needed to vent. lol
HA HA, that is funny man. I am not laughing at you, but I am laughing at the comment she made about cable ROFL!! When I stayed in Riverside I used to get the "are you gay?" question asked to me. I guess people stereotype neighborhoods...
I do have on pet peeve in your post bruh and that is...EASTSIDE is not a side of town lol. You can live IN Eastside but not ON Eastside...the Real Eastside of Jax is Jax/Atlantic/Neptune Beaches...I use to hate those kids that would call Easy E on 92.7 and say "yea we from the Eastside" and Im like "No you on the Northside!" ha ha ha all good though champion. I never remember Springfield being a real bad area. I always felt safe out there. plus I heard it is getting better because of how good Main Street is looking.
Springfield!!! I didn't know about this eastside, westside thing...its comical is this like a Main Street thing? I am not exactly sure what are the actual borders of Springfield, I know it is 12th Street to the North and State/Union to the south, but what are the west and east borders? Davis Street? Pearl? Walnut Street? Florida Ave? Can someone explain where Springfield starts to the east and west.
Also man you guys need a Springfield Skyway station, but when people mention expansion Springfield is ALWAYS mentioned behind San Marco, Riverside & Sport Complex...Whats up with that Springfield? Maybe the east & west should unite for the cause lol.
The borders for Springfield are 1sts to the RR tracks at 14th, from Boulevard to Ionia. The border for the east-west rivalry is Main street.
As for the neighborhood getting better....that's been happening for the past 10+ years...it's the people renovating the old houses, as well as the new ones. The revitalization pretty much started on the west side, and the east side has seen a dramatic change within the past 5 years.
The East-West thing is just a way to describe where you live to fellow Springfielders. It has become a jokingly, friendly rivalry and the Springfield sports teams are broken down in that way.
i'm on a boat?
I'm riding on a dolphin doing flips and shiz
Quote from: Coolyfett on June 07, 2009, 12:38:34 PM
Quote from: Omarvelous09 on June 03, 2009, 04:01:09 PM
So I've lived in Springfield most of my life, after my father passed i inherited my home. The house is located on Boulevard between 5Th and 6Th. Now I've always considered Springfield to be a nice neighborhood. Never had a break in or felt threatened, but that could be for a number of reason....but that's another thread ;).
SO to get to the point of this...i attended the opening of Walkers Wine bar in R'side and engaged in convo with a woman who lived in California but was renovating a bungalow in springfield. So she asked me where i lived in springfield, then she replied "Oh, you don't even need cable over there! You can just look out your window." i didn't get it at first..then she said "well my house is on Ionia".
What happen to the days of us Springfielders sticking together (even if your house was really on the east side!). I moved out of riverside for the same reason, i didn't like the Avondale vs. Riverside bull. I expect more out my neighbors, so leave the yuppie attitudes at the door when you come into Springfield.
sorry...needed to vent. lol
HA HA, that is funny man. I am not laughing at you, but I am laughing at the comment she made about cable ROFL!! When I stayed in Riverside I used to get the "are you gay?" question asked to me. I guess people stereotype neighborhoods...
I do have on pet peeve in your post bruh and that is...EASTSIDE is not a side of town lol. You can live IN Eastside but not ON Eastside...the Real Eastside of Jax is Jax/Atlantic/Neptune Beaches...I use to hate those kids that would call Easy E on 92.7 and say "yea we from the Eastside" and Im like "No you on the Northside!" ha ha ha all good though champion. I never remember Springfield being a real bad area. I always felt safe out there. plus I heard it is getting better because of how good Main Street is looking.
Like the other guys said.. the East/West thing is about what side of Main st. you live on. As to the comment about East side being a part of town...you re right it hasn't been an official part of town in years, rather a neighborhood. My father was born and raised on the "east side" when it was an established African American neighborhood. With springfielders (mainly west-siders) saying someone lives on the ease side not only means east of main st. as a slam to refer to someones house being outside of the boundaries or in a bad part of springfield.
Quote from: Deuce on June 08, 2009, 10:13:25 AM
I'm riding on a dolphin doing flips and shiz
The best lyric is 'F*** trees, I climb buoys mother F***ers'
got my swim trunks and my flippy floppies
This boat engine make noise motherfer
Im flippin burgers you at kinkos flippin copies
sup deuce
After spending 12 years on a "BOAT" I got a real kick out of that video
Word Sam! Every video Samberg has done is hilarious and the CD is great too.
Most of you in this forum might be too young to remember, but Springfield, back in the day was full of the homeless, winos, bums, tramps, prostitutes, you name it, Springfield had it in those genres. It's hard to shed an image once you're tagged; you young'uns remember very little from that time, but those of us who was born, grew up, or lived or hung out in Springfield back in the day remember, and let's face it, Springfield still has a long way to go before it is the "pristine" neighborhood that everyone yearns for it to be, trying to shed the image of its dark past.
And don't be fooled; people who live outside of Jax and are investing in Springfield are well aware of Springfield's dark past and it's generally repulsive reputation relative to its past, even the newbies are somewhat aware of what Springfield used to be.
It's hard to move on and move forward when you're tagged. I was in Jax three months ago and I was impressed with Springfield because I remember it in a much darker, unsuccessful and rowdy light. That being said, it appears that Springfield is moving forward for the better, and Riverside/Avondale is regressing and decaying (as is Arlington).
Heights Unknown
QuoteSpringfield still has a long way to go before it is the "pristine" neighborhood that everyone yearns for it to be, trying to shed the image of its dark past.
And don't be fooled; people who live outside of Jax and are investing in Springfield are well aware of Springfield's dark past and it's generally repulsive reputation relative to its past, even the newbies are somewhat aware of what Springfield used to be.
Heights, the more you bring it up, the more it stays around. The more it gets brought up, the more it benefits "people who live outside of Jax" who are looking for places to do their kind of investing (which is really where the repulsiveness comes from, not the neighborhood and its assets).
The more people who don't live here keep doing their kind of investing, that is what is keeping it from taking that final step toward what you call "pristine" (although I assure you most "newbies" in Springfield don't want it "pristine" either, or they would have chosen the suburbs).
There are still snakes around, foisting and enabling situations onto the community to keep it down (which is financially fortuitous for their kind of investing). And there are those who are doing everything they can to make sure they ultimately do not succeed.
There are so many examples of city's that where "Tagged" willamsburg Virgina Was a backwoods no place. 42ND street in New York was a den of "homeless, winos, bums, tramps and prostitutes" Downtown Baltimore Had the combat zone. just to name a few
Quoteeven the newbies are somewhat aware of what Springfield used to be
I'm a newbie and I know what it was, but images can be changed. Within my lifetime, Dupont Circle in D.C was not a great neighborhood to put it charitably. Now it's considered in the same caliber as Georgetown. It takes time, but it can happen. When longtime residents of Jax begin to go hmmm, progress has been made.
Downtown Baltimore Had the combat zone. just to name a few.
Not really important to the discussion at hand, but I'm a native Baltimoron and can't let it go. The redlight district in Bawlmer has traditionally been known as "The Block".