Hey, all,
My s.o. has a new job in Atlanta, and we’ll be buying a place to live, somewhere probably south of midtown, as her office is near the airport and she HATES commuting, not that any commute in Atlanta is likley to be relaxing.
The concern is the safety of some areas for a female running alone, as she will likely be during the week, altho’ I’ll be there weekends so she’ll have me to defend her 
Anyway, we looked at some lofts in Cabbagetown and near Five Points, both areas a possibility. They are, in a sense, neighborhoods in transition, and as such, urban redevelopment is taking place and probably displacing residents and housing of lower socio-economic scale, but not all. Plus lofts in industrial areas are pretty popular. We looked at Casselberry Hill(?) and that is just too decrepit industrial yet to think you could find decent places to run, so that’s out already.
My question for you locals is: where should we look that you’d consider to have reasonably safe populated open running routes? Where should we stay away from?
Any advice would be gratefully received.
Thanks
Cheers
Barry
I have numerous female friends who live/run in the areas mentioned and I sort of take offense in your comments about L5P and Grant Park. As always, there are certain guidelines and rules you should take to heart as a female in ANY urban setting.
The areas from L5P to the EAST and NE as well as around EMORY University (Druid Hills) and towards Decatur in E Atlanta where I lived are quite “high” on my “socio-economic scale” (I’d call those wealthy neighborhoods).
If you don’t think so I am not sure if the City of Atlanta is the place for you. I that case you better move to the southern burbs. Better for cycling anyway.
Well, sorry, mate, no offense meant or intended. I am only asking for advice, not a lesson in whether I’m being politically correct or not, or a snob, come to that. I’m just trying to figure out Atlanta and how it will work for us, OK? Bloody hell.
OK, next…
Thanks
Cheers
Barry
If You check Running Magazine, you’ll see that Atlanta consistantly ranks in the top 10 cities for running. We host the world’s largest 10k. There are always people running in the neighborhoods you mention. Of course, there are precautions a single woman must take in even the friendliest running community.
I live on the border between Midtown and Buckhead. Never had a problem. I do a nice run down to Turner field through downtown and the GSU campus. No problems. Grant Park is Great, Little Five Points is hip and retro, but not really crime ridden. As with any Urban setting there is crime.
The most distressing incident with an athlete in the metro was back in July when a woman cyclist was raped and murdered on the Silver Comet Trail…A rails to trail project that is as suburban as it gets. Just goesa to show it can happen anywhere. Lots of running groups so you don’t have to go it alon.
Little 5 points is close to Freedom Parkway that has running/biking paths. Map Google North Highland near Carter Center you should see paths. VA-Highlands which is north of little 5 points has runners meeting every wednesday evening around 6:30 (George’s Deli) and they run the neighborhood. Also Piedmont Park has good running options (around lake, meadow or new 1/2 mile crushed granite running oval courtesy of ATL Track Club).
If you live in midtown or south, commute to airport area is generally against traffic except those going to airport; vast majority of folks head into ATL for work.
I am not too familar with south of Little 5 points; I would only run with someone in those neighborhoods at nite.
Decatur Oakhurst area might be another possibility…taint nothing cheap anymore though.
My son just started selling real estate in ATL and has friend who lives in loft in Cabbagetown if you need some help.
Welcome to the ATL!
Thanks for the advice. We know Atlanta is a great running city, it’s just we don’t quite know where to look to live in relation to where she has to go to work. As you say, traffic going south, once you get to the highway, is relatively efficient, it looks like a case of how far south we can live to make getting to the highway less of a pain. Someone did mention Decatur to me when I was there on Friday, but we didn’t get a chance to wander down that far.
We realise, too, the basic safety aspect of running alone in cities (or even outside them) for women. I just want her to feel comfortable putting on her shoes and going out the door, you know? There were some areas we drove through that made that a dodgy proposition, despite the very cool lofts we found. Just the difference between being the pioneers of an area and the ones coming after.
Cheers
Barry
I lived there for 8 years from 1993 to 2001. I have been back intermittantly since then. First, recognize that Atlanta IS a dangerous city, particularly for women. I do not have the stats, but to my recollection they are bad in comparison to many places (maybe not as bad as DC). Stay away from East Atlanta unless you know how to handle yourself (carry a gun and/or a big dog). Close by L5P, especially to the north and east are better, and the further north and further east of there the better off you are. Emory area is great, but not many good sidewalks for running on (a big problem all over the metro area outside of the main strips. Just by L5p you do have the carter center/freedom parkway path which is popular for running on. You also have Piedmont park close by but again, best to steer clear after dark for women alone.
There is also the GA Tech side of the highway which you might check out, or go to the north of the city (Duluth), but then you have the heinous commute to the airport. I lived in the city for 5 years and in Duluth for 3. Both have pluses and minuses. You might also consider going to the south of the Airport, Peachtree City has a lot of runnig and biking trails from what I understand (I think they actually have golfcart trails all over the city! McDonough may also be an easy commute to the Airport relative to coming south from the city.
I live in Decatur, it does take about 20 minutes to get to xpressway and then likely 15 to airport area. That’s a relatively easy commute for Atlanta these days. Southside is a bit dodgy. My son went to high school on southside, Woodward Academy ('99), not sure if I would pioneer there. But it may come back if Delta doesn’t fold; Ford plant just did.
Thought your name familiar and we both did St. Anthony’s in 2004 (AG 55-59).
If you wanted to live in burbs, Peachtree City, 25 miles south of ATL is close to airport area. It has great running (cart paths everywhere) and a good TRI club. It also has safer biking area (did good bit of IM training down there in 2004). Lots of pilots and Delta folks down there, but still a bit slow in terms of cosmopolitan feel.
Look at Atlantic Station (next to GA Tech), though downtown, is right on xpressway. It is new development that seems to have good reviews. Neighborhoods I would prefer would again be VA-Highlands, Morningside, Ansley Park, Druid Hills, Decatur…but they all are slightly NE of downtown and then about 15 minutes to airport.
There are many other great places to live, but tend to be north of Atlanta and the commute is murder.
Good Luck!
We live Outside the perimeter. We would love to live in Atlanta but we have concerns about the same safety issues. A few questions…what are your professional plans? Are you set on the city of Atlanta? PM me and I may have some alternatives.
I live on 6th street near Piedmont in Midtown. I find that running downtown and around GA Tech to be relatively safe. If you want to do some speedwork I would recommend a trip down Boulevard. You will pick up your pace without even thinking about it… Also, Grady has a good track. However, the bleachers there are not good for stair running.
By the way, we use to live outside the perimeter and moving in town was the best decision we have made.
If you want to do some speedwork I would recommend a trip down Boulevard. You will pick up your pace without even thinking about it…
LOL, that is funny. I had a friend mugged at a stop light on Boulevard he was on a motorcycle at the time!!! He got jumped by crackheads. Fortunately justice was served later that evening. I do not miss that city!
If you want a near zero commute, look at the college park area. It is very seedy in some areas, but it is also VERY nice in others. I grew up in Buckhead (a great running area) but went to school in CP. We ran around there all the time. It is getting allot better year in, year out. The only real “problem” is airport noise. Double pane windows eliminate that. Even without, I had some friends who lived in old victorians down there with original single pane windows and it wasnt too bad.
If you want to be closer to the north side, then the end of freedom parkway is definitely the way to go. L5P, druid hills, and emory are nice and freedom will get you to the airport while avoiding the connector.
Take offense to what? Calling L5P, Cabbagetown and Grant Park in transition. So you take offense to tearing down the crack houses and abandonned warehouses and replacing 'em w/lofts, condos and nice little restraunts? Dude the whole f’ing city inside the Perimeter is in transition. People are moving back inside the fence 'cause they’re sick of the commute. Drive down P’tree lately? Even Buckhead and Midtown are in transition. The exception here is it ain’t crack houses being torn down. It’s retail space and apartments being replaced by condos starting at 500,000 Gs.
If you want to do some speedwork I would recommend a trip down Boulevard. You will pick up your pace without even thinking about it…
Sorry, that comment just got me thinking about some of the side streets that I end up hitting when I run downtown…usually from the northside to underground and back. Definitely some inadvertent speedwork on the way.
When I was at Tech, someone tried to carjack me on the North Ave bridge at 4AM. That is what what you get for being out at 4, I guess. And don’t get me started on the gay prostitutes (no offense to anyone)! Man, I miss the big city!
If you do want to live near the Atlantic Station area, you can take 41 straight to the airport on days when the traffic on the connector is bad. I just thought of that. I used to do that when coming up from College Park every once in a while.
The northside has the Cartersville ride from the Bud plant…Dynamo for swimming… Cobb county has a bunch of nice pools…Columns drive is boring but worthwile…then there is the Kennesaw Mt park ride and run…
If you check out the Atlanta track club website there are organized runs every day of the week and you will be able to find a suitable running partner or partners to hang out with if that would make you feel safe.
As for the whole ATL midtown is safe arguement, yea, whatever.
I live north of town in Marietta and commute to the airport to work, it takes me 22 min to get there at 5AM and 45 min to get home at 6PM. I have lived on the southside in the past and there are lots of great places to live and train there, Peachtree city is a great place, there’s some great biking just south of there, hundreds of miles of farms and blacktop.
I work downtown. Best places I have found so far to run in town are Georgia Tech (IE '98 - brings back memories), Freedom Parkway path/Emory/Druid Hills/L5P area, and Piedmot Park. Freedom Parkway path/Druid Hills seems pretty safe - I see women running alone there all the time. I wouldn’t go on any of these after dark though.
Atlanta does have some good running outside the city as others have mentioned - Kennesaw Mountain (ran there this morning), Chattahoochee River trails, Blankets Creek. The mountains aren’t too far away either.
Just want to thank everyone for the advice. We’ll no doubt be taking a certain amount of time to settle on where we’ll end up, but will definitely take your comments and run with them.
Again, thanks.
Cheers
Barry