Oakwood

Do you like mature trees and sidewalks? Ecclectic housing styles? Neighbors who actually talk to you? Being close to downtown but can't afford the higher real estate prices? Come to Oakwood.

I work downtown and my commute is an easy 5 minutes. I can stop by Old City Java for a capuchino on the way in and push that commute to 15 minutes. Especially if I chit-chat with the barrista.

I've read complaints about the schools that the Oakwood area are zoned to and I have to disagree... Christenberry Elementary School (http://christenberryes.knoxschools.org/) is a great little school with around 550 students. Yes, a large number qualify for free/reduced lunch, but the test scores have improved significantly over the past few years. Under the amazing leadership of Dr Jill Hobby, Whittle Springs Middle School has been brought up from one of the worst schools in town to one of the best in the state, and Fulton High School has many excellent programs. Cultural diversity in the area helps make it a great place to live.

If you prefer something a little more challenging educationally, Beaumont Elementary Magnet Arts & Honors Academy is just the other side of I-275, Vine Middle Magnet Performing Arts & Sciences Academy and The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Academy (for grades 9-12) are less than 2 miles away, with busing available.

The development of the Happy Holler entertainment district (Time Warp Tea Room, Raven Records, Club XYZ, Central Taps & Flats, etc.) in the adjacent North Knoxville neighbohood and relocation of the Three Rivers Market to the corner of Baxter and Central Aves. make it easy to keep to our neighborhood.

And finally, the repurposing of the old Oakwood School eyesore into a seniors residential facility is doubly welcome.

I love that we were able to find a fully-restored 113 year-old Arts & Crafts style house (complete with 10' ceilings, hardwood floors, transom windows and a giant porch) for a fraction of what we would have paid in the Fourth & Gill neighborhood. Did I mention that I have great neighbors? Because I do.

The Oakwood region of North Knoxville does have several appealing aspects, but overall it's nothing special.

First of all, the area features mostly historic homes which are over 100 years old, which is extremely common throughout all of North Knoxville. However, these houses specifically are smaller, more compact, and have small front and back yards. They're extremely popular among the 20-something crowd, as are all the other areas of North Knoxville.

There is a great deal of home rental in Oakwood, like the surrounding areas, but people of all ages and backgrounds also own homes in the area. For the most part, this neighborhood has remained the same for years, with no growth and generally no adjustment whatsoever.

One of the most appealing parts of the neighborhood is that most of the houses have decent-sized front porches. In many cases, these porches as well as the small front lawns are often decorated, making it stand out a bit more than the neighboring areas.

It's clear that this neighborhood hasn't changed much in decades, considering it still has the friendly front porch vibe.

It's adjacent to Broadway Ave. which provides the necessary stops, like Kroger, restaurants, and gas stations, and it's only a 5-10 minute drive to the downtown area. It's close to the interstate, but getting there is somewhat of a chore given the poorly-laid-out roads of the area.