Crime stats seem kinda high?

[peestandingup]

peestandingup.......I have been to "U" street area and reminds me of a combat zone! Not a good place for one to raise a family........Springfield I think is better in that respect but there are plenty of area's here in Jacksonville that may appeal to you! You just might have to roam around and look for yourself!

Ha, yeah its def rough in a lot of areas around that street. We lived very close to Ben's Chili Bowl (if you know where that is, its pretty famous. Obama ate there recently), but its def came a long way in a short time. Its kinda the hip-but-still-edgy area of DC now. Also keep in mind we didnt have the little one then either, so we were more open to areas like this.

And dogs tend to keep the bad guys away.

If you decide to move here, Springfield Animal Care and Rescue (SACARC) will be happy to help you with a dog.  

We already have 2 doggies (one that'll bark if the wind blows a certain way ), so that's def a plus for keeping out the baddies.

[NotNow]

Just out of curiosity, where do Springfielders send their children to school? 

[thelakelander]

peestandingup.......I have been to "U" street area and reminds me of a combat zone! Not a good place for one to raise a family........Springfield I think is better in that respect but there are plenty of area's here in Jacksonville that may appeal to you! You just might have to roam around and look for yourself!

Ha, yeah its def rough in a lot of areas around that street. We lived very close to Ben's Chili Bowl (if you know where that is, its pretty famous. Obama ate there recently), but its def came a long way in a short time. Its kinda the hip-but-still-edgy area of DC now. Also keep in mind we didnt have the little one then either, so we were more open to areas like this.

I used to hang out with a girl who lived right off of U Street on 12th St NW (around the block from the Green Line), when I used to frequent the area in the mid 1990s.  Springfield has nothing on what the scene was around there back in those days.  Went back around 2003 or so, and the entire place had changed.  I'm hoping the same will happen to Springfield when the economy improves.

[Springfield Girl]

Just out of curiosity, where do Springfielders send their children to school? 

Mine went to Susie Tolbert, LaVilla School of the Arts, Stanton College Prep, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and Paxon School for Advanced Studies.

[peestandingup]

peestandingup.......I have been to "U" street area and reminds me of a combat zone! Not a good place for one to raise a family........Springfield I think is better in that respect but there are plenty of area's here in Jacksonville that may appeal to you! You just might have to roam around and look for yourself!

Ha, yeah its def rough in a lot of areas around that street. We lived very close to Ben's Chili Bowl (if you know where that is, its pretty famous. Obama ate there recently), but its def came a long way in a short time. Its kinda the hip-but-still-edgy area of DC now. Also keep in mind we didnt have the little one then either, so we were more open to areas like this.

I used to hang out with a girl who lived right off of U Street on 12th St NW (around the block from the Green Line), when I used to frequent the area in the mid 1990s.  Springfield has nothing on what the scene was around there back in those days.  Went back around 2003 or so, and the entire place had changed.  I'm hoping the same will happen to Springfield when the economy improves.

Yeah, U has came a long way in a short time. U Street itself is pretty safe, but the corridor surrounding it (above U & on Florida Ave, around Howard) are still way sketchy. U still has a lot of crime though. I remember when we were there, some dude got pushed out of a car & shot right in front of our building.  

But thats how it is up there. The district itself is so small that pretty much everywhere is getting gentrified since there's not a lot of land mass to work with. So if you bought back in the 80s or even the 90s, that shit is worth some big bucks now.

Yeah, I think Springfield will def get there. It being the oldest & only consistently historic district in town/downtown, it kinda has no choice but to make it. With the trends in cities starting to reallize that this whole sprawl thing prob isnt the way to go, its kind of inevitable. Just wish it was happening faster there. Let's put it on the fast track.  

[Dan B]

Just out of curiosity, where do Springfielders send their children to school?  

Tolbert and Pine Forest right now. James Weldon Johnson next year.

[samiam]

I know we have shadco here in springfield and most of the neighborhood is proactive to report crime but is there a formal neighborhood watch program? Are the dog walkers still active?

[Stenodave]

I know we have shadco here in springfield and most of the neighborhood is proactive to report crime but is there a formal neighborhood watch program? Are the dog walkers still active?

I thought I heard something about Block Captains once, is that something like a neighborhood watch?  I didn't really understand what they did.

[samiam]

When I lived in Mobile Alabama the city opened police substations in several downtown areas. those areas went from no-mans land to booming retail and entertainment areas. I don't understand why Jacksonville cant do this. Hell I'll bring them donuts and coffee from time to time. The physiological effect of a police station close by is a very powerful deterrent to crime

[Stenodave]

When I lived in Mobile Alabama the city opened police substations in several downtown areas. those areas went from no-mans land to booming retail and entertainment areas. I don't understand why Jacksonville cant do this. Hell I'll bring them donuts and coffee from time to time. The physiological effect of a police station close by is a very powerful deterrent to crime

I would agree with you if it wasn't for my experience in the Regency Mall.  That place is still a little out of control.  There is one in the mall itself and still people getting robbed in the parking lot.  People sure are brave when they are desperate.

[CS Foltz]

We have a "neighborhood watch" in my world and it is active! Like the signs say" If I don't call JSO my neighbor will" plus I just climbed up and down a 10' ladder, changed all of the light globes out.....only 16 times!

[fsu813]

The Block Captains are not a neighborhood watch program per say, though they can contriubute to such an effort.

Really, most of the neighborhood is hyper-vigilant about crime.....so  a specific program isn't in place. Almost like everybody is in sworn-in as they move-in.

[CS Foltz]

Well you may want to consider a program such as that...........cost's nothing but JSO is aware your organized to help. 911 phone calls maynot be the best way to contact JSO nor the quickest...........thats up to your world and what works best for Springfield!

[cindi]

The Block Captains are not a neighborhood watch program per say, though they can contriubute to such an effort.

Really, most of the neighborhood is hyper-vigilant about crime.....so  a specific program isn't in place. Almost like everybody is in sworn-in as they move-in.

there actually was a very active neighborhood watch program in springfield until recently.  someone mentioned the dog walkers in an earlier post.  they (the dogwalkers) even had The Guardian Angels do a visit with them.  there was a news article, the whole nine yards.  the problem was, denial.  people wanted so badly to believe that there was no crime and admitting that there was would result in horrible press and who would want to move here if they thought there was any crime.  they (those that opposed it) felt it very unnecessary and overreactive, the dog walkers were considered nothing more than "drunk vigilantes".  they (the dogwalkers) were told that springfield didn't need the free help that the guardian angles were going to provide but instead people just needed to give to the security fund.  the security fund was great - for those that were in an area that benefited from it, other areas of springfield were left to their own devices. 

[peestandingup]

I agree. It would be a good idea to have a real law enforcement presence in Springfield. Criminals arent stupid, they know that they have plenty of time to get some loot before someone calls the cops & they actually get there. They dont really care about the "after effects" of their crimes & getting caught (which they know there's a good chance they wont be). But if they know there's pistol-packin cops walking the streets that can be there in no time to blow a hole in em, that's a different story.

Id honestly try to get something like this going. I think it would really go a long way in fighting crime & also easing some peoples fears about moving to the area. That kind of stuff is priceless. And word would travel fast to the neighborhood would-be criminals too to stay the F out of the historic district or you're gonna get dealt with.

Be cool if every house could opt-in to have a "neighborhood alarm" system that could be set off by a burglar or by the home owner manually that would alert the "enforcement walker" on duty that could see which house it is via GPS & get right over there lickity split. Maybe they could be given a bike or better yet, a Segway to get around faster.

Hell, if I move there, Id help pay for it if others would be willing too. I think I will bring this up at the next neighborhood meeting...if I move there that is. Which BTW, is looking much better now.