Vine City

Vine City is only about 7 minutes from downtown Atlanta. It is one of those neighborhoods that has a lot of potential, but still needs a lot of work completed to improve it. The neighborhood expands within close proximity to the Atlanta University Center, as well as parts of Georgia Tech. Nearby, you will find the Georgia Dome, which hosts plenty of Falcons games, as well as the Honda Battle of the Bands competition. This brings sporadic bursts of traffic from tourists and students looking to have a good time. Public transportation is in walking distance, just look for the Vine City MARTA (train) station.

This neighborhood has had its ups and downs. It is made up of a combination of rehabilitated homes, mixed with vacant structures. Most of the homes are older, very large, and have a lot of potential. This place seems like it would be nice if you were looking to get a good deal on property. The only downside is that the neighborhood has been in transition for quite some years now. Although it is improving, the rate is really slow. It seems as if it might take a while (and a lot of money) to get the neighborhood back on its feet.

Vine City has been in bad shape for a while. Part of Atlanta’s historic downtown, Vine City went the way of so many other downtown neighborhoods once gentrification started spreading its great white blanket over the more “desirable” regions, forcing poorer folk and the crime and urban decay that often accompany them into pocket ‘hoods largely ignored and avoided by those better-off.

There’s quite a bit of hope out there for the area, though. It’s not so bad off as nearby English Avenue (which, for its part, has a least a handful of dedicated patrons who organize clean-ups and search out angel investors for renewal projects), but it’s not too good, yet, either. You’ll find plenty of rundown houses, burnt-out, broken-up former businesses and garbage and sketchy loiterers strewn about the streets.

You’ll also find a few bright spots. There are some revamped historic homes to be snapped up along Northside Drive. And it seems the whole “urban renewal” thing has caught on here much faster than in English Ave or Washington Park.

Given the fact that the Georgia Dome and Clark Atlanta University are at its doorstep, there should be some pretty strong interest in continuing to rebuild the neighborhood once the recession loosens its grip.

I’d say give it a few more years, then take a closer look.

Cheers!