Springfield Wars.

[Omarvelous09]

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

[downtownparks]

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.

[fsu813]

Westside!

[Deuce]

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.

[vicupstate]

what about yuppie trannies ??

[Omarvelous09]

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.

[hooplady]

Not to worry, Omarvelous.  Most of us came pre-equipped with our own eccentricity.

[Omarvelous09]

Not to worry, Omarvelous.  Most of us came pre-equipped with our own eccentricity.

LOL...thanks i appreciate it. 

[Springfielder]

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.

[samiam]

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"

[Omarvelous09]

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. 

[iloveionia]

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"

[Omarvelous09]

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.

[shawnsoldit]

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     )

[zoo]

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.

East vs West is just fun. Everyone in Springfield is my neighbor, whether one or 12 houses over.

I can admit that i did prejudge you, and i do apologize.

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.

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).

Not 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...