Alabama (especially Birmingham) Folks
- Thread starter jag4life
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Bartram
Brand HBCUbian
Places to live in Birmingham.
As with any metropolitan area, Birmingham is a hodge-podge of "good" and "bad" places. I think one person put it well; I would live within close proximity to where I work if possible. Other than that, there are general "good" areas and "bad" areas. The suburban areas usually get all the good press (Shelby Co, Hoover/Homewood/Vestavia Hills, etc) while the inner city neighborhoods and old mill towns (Bessemer, Dolemite, Brighton, Ensley, Fairfield, Birmingham proper,, etc) get more negative spin. Downtown Birmingham and many neighborhoods close in are experiencing a rebirth and many people (white who are associated with the medical/banking complex downtown in many cases) are reclaming and relocating to old historic neighborhoods, restoring old homes, etc. Hard question. Really depends on what your mom wants and is looking for in a neighborhood.
As with any metropolitan area, Birmingham is a hodge-podge of "good" and "bad" places. I think one person put it well; I would live within close proximity to where I work if possible. Other than that, there are general "good" areas and "bad" areas. The suburban areas usually get all the good press (Shelby Co, Hoover/Homewood/Vestavia Hills, etc) while the inner city neighborhoods and old mill towns (Bessemer, Dolemite, Brighton, Ensley, Fairfield, Birmingham proper,, etc) get more negative spin. Downtown Birmingham and many neighborhoods close in are experiencing a rebirth and many people (white who are associated with the medical/banking complex downtown in many cases) are reclaming and relocating to old historic neighborhoods, restoring old homes, etc. Hard question. Really depends on what your mom wants and is looking for in a neighborhood.
Killer Bees
Well-Known Member
Although I am originally from Birmingham, I have absolutely no desire to move back there. I am trying to get out of this state. I always said if I had to stay in this state, Bham would be the choice. As others mentioned, Shelby Co, Vestavia, Hoover, Homewood are are some nice areas. If you really got money, Inverness and Mountain Brook are even better. If your job is in Birmingham, stay in Birmingham otherwise stay in the suburbs.
Bartram
Brand HBCUbian
Yes Killer Bees, and that's the fundamental problem with this state.
Your comments are very common among the young people in this state. Our state leaders don't understand the magnitude of opinions like yours. We lose much talent that goes elsewhere to prosper and/or become famous. I wonders if (esp black) natives of Nashville, Atlanta, Raliegh-Durham, Charlotte, Orlando, Tampa-St Pete, Jacksonville, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, D.C.-Baltimore, Norfolk, Richmond,, etc feel the same about those cities? I would venture to guess probably not. The only two where this may be the case more so than the others would probably be Richmond and Norfolk. I would bet that the percentages of black natives of these various metro areas having the same opinion that you have of your native Birmingham are much lower. I would go into why, but that's a whole other thread.
To make a long story short, Birmingham is just now getting to where many of those cities were in the 60s, 70s, and 80s economic and population growth wise.
Your comments are very common among the young people in this state. Our state leaders don't understand the magnitude of opinions like yours. We lose much talent that goes elsewhere to prosper and/or become famous. I wonders if (esp black) natives of Nashville, Atlanta, Raliegh-Durham, Charlotte, Orlando, Tampa-St Pete, Jacksonville, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, D.C.-Baltimore, Norfolk, Richmond,, etc feel the same about those cities? I would venture to guess probably not. The only two where this may be the case more so than the others would probably be Richmond and Norfolk. I would bet that the percentages of black natives of these various metro areas having the same opinion that you have of your native Birmingham are much lower. I would go into why, but that's a whole other thread.
To make a long story short, Birmingham is just now getting to where many of those cities were in the 60s, 70s, and 80s economic and population growth wise.
Killer Bees
Well-Known Member
Well, I don't know about Norfolk because at least they have VA Beach. I met a girl from Richmond who felt the same way about Richmond as I felt about Birmingham. I am not saying to stay away from Birmingham. If I had to stay in Alabama, I would be very comfortable in Birmingham, but I have been living in Alabama all my life. I am busy right now trying to get out of Monkey Town (Montgomery).
Bartram
Brand HBCUbian
Here's the thing Killer Bees,,,
Why are you busy trying to get away from here? Well, there is the customary, "been here all your life" and want something new/different(which is understandable and fine.), but I would say that equal to that at a bare minimum would be because there is little opportunity/jobs here relative to many other regions/metro areas unless you have some kind of inside track. Me for instance, I wanted to live in Birmingham #1 and then had to "settle" for Huntsville and even that did not work out. Birmingham, in my field of electrical engineering, was LAUGHABLE. Very little opportunities. Huntsville is the best place in this state for engineers and is among the top, per capita, in number of engineers per 1K people in the country.(thank God for Huntsville from my perspective) I would contend, further, that graduates of, for example, Fort Valley or Albany State who are Georgia natives are ready to get the heck away from Macon and Albany,,, BUT, BUT,,, are glad to have the luxury of having a booming metropolis like Atlanta slopping over with jobs and opportunities that they can locate to and still be near the familiar confines of home. We don't have that full luxury here in Alabama. Most of our young minds have to leave the state for jobs and to prosper and only come back here to retire, if that.
Why are you busy trying to get away from here? Well, there is the customary, "been here all your life" and want something new/different(which is understandable and fine.), but I would say that equal to that at a bare minimum would be because there is little opportunity/jobs here relative to many other regions/metro areas unless you have some kind of inside track. Me for instance, I wanted to live in Birmingham #1 and then had to "settle" for Huntsville and even that did not work out. Birmingham, in my field of electrical engineering, was LAUGHABLE. Very little opportunities. Huntsville is the best place in this state for engineers and is among the top, per capita, in number of engineers per 1K people in the country.(thank God for Huntsville from my perspective) I would contend, further, that graduates of, for example, Fort Valley or Albany State who are Georgia natives are ready to get the heck away from Macon and Albany,,, BUT, BUT,,, are glad to have the luxury of having a booming metropolis like Atlanta slopping over with jobs and opportunities that they can locate to and still be near the familiar confines of home. We don't have that full luxury here in Alabama. Most of our young minds have to leave the state for jobs and to prosper and only come back here to retire, if that.
HORNETSWARM
Well-Known Member
Dahill was just joking about those areas he named eariler, those are some of B'hams most dangerous neighborhoods. But, like others said, the Hoover area which has the Galleria, and areas around the Summit shopping center along Hwy.280 are some of the nicest areas in the U.S.--- Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and Inverness are the best areas to live in.
Killer Bees
Well-Known Member
Bartam,
I am like you. I am a web applications developer and Huntsville is probably better for my field, but there is not that much to do there compared to Bham. Add the fact that I was born in Bham, you would understand why I want to leave the state.
I am like you. I am a web applications developer and Huntsville is probably better for my field, but there is not that much to do there compared to Bham. Add the fact that I was born in Bham, you would understand why I want to leave the state.
Bartram
Brand HBCUbian
Yep Killer Bees, I Hear ya.
Yeah dude,,, as for your Huntsville comments, Huntsville is an outstanding place strictly in terms of being in the field of engineering and software AND,,,, AND mind you,, being very married/family oriented and primarily focused on settling down and giving the kids stability.
Huntsville, however, is up and coming. I mean,,, the place was smaller than Jasper, Alex City, nothing more than a Lanette as recently as the 1950s before "exploding" to catch up with/pass the likes of Tuscaloosa/Gadsden/Anniston/Florence MS/Dothan and Montgomery. As such, it's no Raliegh-Durham, Austin or Charlotte. Until recently the place didn't even have a black FM radio station, but props for AAMU and Oakwood (which how those schools where established up there I have no idea. would love some history on this from the AAMUers.).
Amazingly Huntsville is probably about as "liberal" and "proggressive" as Birmingham by Alabama standards due to Birmingham's relative stagnation since the 60s. Generally speaking, I can see why you must leave the state, but I would contend the situation is unfortunate and we here in Alabama need to have growthing metro areas that are attracting high paying, high profile jobs to the state so that the young people of Alabama can at least have a choice to turn down here in Alabama!
I will say, however, Birmingham has made major strides on the medical/bio-medical front. Huntsville is solid on the engineering front and will, I believe, be the "Raliegh-Durham" of Alabama in the next 20-30 years basically catching Birmingham.
Yeah dude,,, as for your Huntsville comments, Huntsville is an outstanding place strictly in terms of being in the field of engineering and software AND,,,, AND mind you,, being very married/family oriented and primarily focused on settling down and giving the kids stability.
Huntsville, however, is up and coming. I mean,,, the place was smaller than Jasper, Alex City, nothing more than a Lanette as recently as the 1950s before "exploding" to catch up with/pass the likes of Tuscaloosa/Gadsden/Anniston/Florence MS/Dothan and Montgomery. As such, it's no Raliegh-Durham, Austin or Charlotte. Until recently the place didn't even have a black FM radio station, but props for AAMU and Oakwood (which how those schools where established up there I have no idea. would love some history on this from the AAMUers.).
Amazingly Huntsville is probably about as "liberal" and "proggressive" as Birmingham by Alabama standards
due to Birmingham's relative stagnation since the 60s. Generally speaking, I can see why you must leave the state, but I would contend the situation is unfortunate and we here in Alabama need to have growthing metro areas that are attracting high paying, high profile jobs to the state so that the young people of Alabama can at least have a choice to turn down here in Alabama!I will say, however, Birmingham has made major strides on the medical/bio-medical front. Huntsville is solid on the engineering front and will, I believe, be the "Raliegh-Durham" of Alabama in the next 20-30 years basically catching Birmingham.
DAHILL
Well-Known Member
I have lived in Huntsville for all of my life with the exception of the last 2 years. I dont see how ANY YOUNG person would want to live here if they didnt grow up here. The only reason Hville is cool with me is because I know a lot of people and have a lot of family here. I stayed in Huntsville this summer and HATED it. IMO, Nashville is no better than Huntsville. I have more fun in Birmingham than I do in Nashville. Nashville is just not a city for Blacks. All I ever see is cowboy hats and guitars. A city the size of Nashville only has 2 predominately black high schools.
DAHILL
Well-Known Member
AAMU Alum
Active Member
Re: Yep Killer Bees, I Hear ya.
You're 100% correct about B'ham's status as a MAJOR medical research center. As far as Huntsville becoming the next "Raliegh-Durham," it won't take 20 years for that to happen.
Originally posted by Bartram
Yeah dude,,, as for your Huntsville comments, Huntsville is an outstanding place strictly in terms of being in the field of engineering and software AND,,,, AND mind you,, being very married/family oriented and primarily focused on settling down and giving the kids stability.
Huntsville, however, is up and coming. I mean,,, the place was smaller than Jasper, Alex City, nothing more than a Lanette as recently as the 1950s before "exploding" to catch up with/pass the likes of Tuscaloosa/Gadsden/Anniston/Florence MS/Dothan and Montgomery. As such, it's no Raliegh-Durham, Austin or Charlotte. Until recently the place didn't even have a black FM radio station, but props for AAMU and Oakwood (which how those schools where established up there I have no idea. would love some history on this from the AAMUers.).
WEUP, the city's first black radio station went FM in 1987. Alabama A&M University was founded in Huntsville because Dr. William Hooper Councill, (it's founder) was sold into slavery here. He vowed that he would come back and build an institution for higher learning on the same spot to which he was sold. That's how we came to be located on "The Hill." There's an old Bell Tower on campus that is placed in the exact spot where he was put on the auction block.
Amazingly Huntsville is probably about as "liberal" and "proggressive" as Birmingham by Alabama standards
Huntsville's "liberal" appearance comes from the fact that there are many people here from all over the country. Alot of midwesterners and New England and East Coast, and as of late, many people from Colorado. There are very few Huntsville natives in Huntsville. For whatever reason, the city (compared to other larger cities in the state) has always been considered more progressive and liberal. In some ways it's true, in others it's not. There is still some of the "old regime" living in the Rocket City as well.
I will say, however, Birmingham has made major strides on the medical/bio-medical front. Huntsville is solid on the engineering front and will, I believe, be the "Raliegh-Durham" of Alabama in the next 20-30 years basically catching Birmingham.
You're 100% correct about B'ham's status as a MAJOR medical research center. As far as Huntsville becoming the next "Raliegh-Durham," it won't take 20 years for that to happen.
Bartram
Brand HBCUbian
Von Braun, Feds key to HSV "prosperity".
No need to reset Huntsville's rise to the natives and/or AAMUers. You know da story.
To AAMU Alum:
Interesting. Yes, as you are probably aware, Madison county and the Tennessee Valley ain't exactly the Black Belt of Alabama/Mississippi and as such not historically where you would find a concentration of the black population in Alabama. Thus I would not expect a black college to have been founded up there, but what you say sounds reasonable.
And yes, I'm not naive enough to think that Huntsville is not influenced by traditional Alabama politics and such. Too many Alabama and Auburn grads up there not to have strong ties to traditional Alabama.
One of the main things Birmingham needs is continued diversity in their economy, a final burrying of the race relations hatchet and a continued influx of people for good high paying jobs from other regions of the country.
To Dahill:
Yup,,, totally understandable. When you have been there for that period of time, it's good that you get away. Many times when you go away, you come to appreciate "home" more,,, but hell,, it is a WHOLE lot easier appreciating Raliegh-Durham, Charlotte or other larger premier southern metro areas that have greater appeal in many aspects than your average cities.
No need to reset Huntsville's rise to the natives and/or AAMUers. You know da story.
To AAMU Alum:
Interesting. Yes, as you are probably aware, Madison county and the Tennessee Valley ain't exactly the Black Belt of Alabama/Mississippi and as such not historically where you would find a concentration of the black population in Alabama. Thus I would not expect a black college to have been founded up there, but what you say sounds reasonable.
And yes, I'm not naive enough to think that Huntsville is not influenced by traditional Alabama politics and such. Too many Alabama and Auburn grads up there not to have strong ties to traditional Alabama.
One of the main things Birmingham needs is continued diversity in their economy, a final burrying of the race relations hatchet and a continued influx of people for good high paying jobs from other regions of the country.
To Dahill:
Yup,,, totally understandable. When you have been there for that period of time, it's good that you get away. Many times when you go away, you come to appreciate "home" more,,, but hell,, it is a WHOLE lot easier appreciating Raliegh-Durham, Charlotte or other larger premier southern metro areas that have greater appeal in many aspects than your average cities.
Bartram
Brand HBCUbian
To DaHill on Nashville,,,
Welp, I'll tell yah Dahill,,, in terms of more general metro area amenities especially in the area of pro sports and a REAL airport that can get you to most of the key cities in the nation without going through Atlanta, Nashville utterly annialates Birmingham. It's just no contest.
From the Titans, to the hockey team to probably a baseball team as well as major airline hub operations at one time to major distribution hub currently, Nashville is poised for vastly more growth than Birmingham, a better overall image across the country and perhaps around the world than Birmingham and a faster and broader crossection of population growth. Birmingham is woefull in these areas, but I would grant you it may be able to hang if not best Nashville strickly in terms of a metro area with a strong black cultural dynamic.
Welp, I'll tell yah Dahill,,, in terms of more general metro area amenities especially in the area of pro sports and a REAL airport that can get you to most of the key cities in the nation without going through Atlanta, Nashville utterly annialates Birmingham. It's just no contest.
From the Titans, to the hockey team to probably a baseball team as well as major airline hub operations at one time to major distribution hub currently, Nashville is poised for vastly more growth than Birmingham, a better overall image across the country and perhaps around the world than Birmingham and a faster and broader crossection of population growth. Birmingham is woefull in these areas, but I would grant you it may be able to hang if not best Nashville strickly in terms of a metro area with a strong black cultural dynamic.
HORNETSWARM
Well-Known Member
What I don't understand is how a majority white city could loose population according to the 2000 census with all the high tech jobs. I know that people have continued to move to the city of Madison, but H'ville still has a lot of good paying jobs. I also understand that even people from Nashville flock to H'ville in search for higher paying jobs. But Bartram, let it be known that according to the 2000 census Montgomery is the second largest city in Alabama and is expected to overtake B'ham in 10-12 years according to the mayor of Montgomery. Huntsville is moving, but keep your eyes on Montgomery for the future. Huntsville is only pouring in $10 million for the "Electric Avenue" deal, but the City of Montgomery is pouring in $100-200 million for it's riverfront developement. Were talking aquariam, IMAX theatre, baseball stadium, shops, resturants & bars, clubs, convention center and hotels, loft apartments, condos and business park, several high-rises, expanded marina and a host of other functions and activities. All of this is in Montgomery's Vision 2020 plan. In other words, all of this is to be built by the year 2020.
your eyes on Montgomery for the future. Huntsville is only pouring in $10 million for the "Electric Avenue" deal, but the City of Montgomery is pouring in $100-200 million for it's riverfront developement. Were talking aquariam, IMAX theatre, baseball stadium, shops, resturants & bars, clubs, convention center and hotels, loft apartments, condos and business park, several high-rises, expanded marina and a host of other functions and activities. All of this is in Montgomery's Vision 2020 plan. In other words, all of this is to be built by the year 2020.
DAHILL
Well-Known Member
Hornet Swarm "ELECTRIC AVE" isnt a long term project. I will be completed by next year and the city isnt spending ANYTHING on it. A rich white couple is funding it without a doller from the city. Also keep in mind Montgomery doesnt have the suburbs the size of the ones Huntsville has. Many people are moving to Madison, Athens, Decatur, and New Market because they dont want to live in the city. White people dont want to live in the city anymore. You can tell with student ratios. North Huntsville is WAY larger than South Huntsville. Almost 75-80% of North Huntsville is all black. White people basically live in Southeast Hville and the white trash lives in Southwest Huntsville. There are only 2 predominately white high schools in Huntsville and that is Huntsville High and Grissom High. Whites are leaving and Blacks are moving in. I know my high school J O Johnson went from about 75% black my freshmen year to about 98% black my senior year.