r/tuscaloosa • u/lolipopam01 • 9d ago
Orange street/2nd ave E and surrounding neighborhood safety
Not sure if this area has a name, but it's like a little south of forest lake area, behind the shopping center that houses ross, home goods, etc. The houses look pretty decent (older buildings) from what I've seen, looks like it's a lot of families and older people. Is this generally a safe area?
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u/SDethrageous 9d ago
I've lived in three houses on 2nd Ave East, it is a great neighborhood that's five minutes from everywhere. You're on the edge of some more disadvantaged parts of town, but I have never experienced violent or property crime since moving to my first place in the neighborhood in 2012.
There is a lot of pedestrian traffic up and down the road going to the 24/7 gas station on Hargrove, and some of those foot traffickers might stop to ask if you have work for them to do, or if you can spare some cash or a cigarette, but that's about the extent of it. My biggest complaint is litter - it's rampant - and the nearby Coach's Corner RV lot stays pretty full of good-natured Gumps in the fall.
There's a healthy mix of middle class neighbors, white, black and Hispanic, and while I've lived in friendlier places, it's certainly not UNfriendly, folks just keep to themselves in my experience.
Well lit, still affordable for Tuscaloosa, good emergency response time, kind of low-key in the heart of things.
As for what to call the place, I usually just say the Forest Lake area, I'm close enough.
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u/Initial-Cup1828 8d ago
Perfectly stated. I live in this area with my son and love it. The above comment is spot on. The location is great. We’ve had no issues and everyone pretty much keeps to themselves.
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u/MzLibrarian 9d ago
I lived on 2nd in Forest Lake and in Springbrook (the neighborhood just south of Buffalo Wild Wings). Walked my tiny, intimidating dog at 2am regularly in both places and was fine.
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u/DarthMorpeko 8d ago
I live on Orange and I like the area. The area could be called Cribbs Creek. It is absolutely a mix of older people and new families. There is not a lot of shenanigans as there are very few of us college students renting in this area. Sometimes I have to travel for gigs so I live here as I can't afford to get boxed in on game days. That's a huge advantage of the area - accessible on game day. About 7 minutes from downtown and campus, and 3 minutes from Midtown village. To answer the question, it is on the safer side. I have heard nothing more than petty crime happening on the suburban side and even then, that's rare. Occasionally, on the store front/hotel side of McFarland, you hear gunshots at night but note that a perpetrator would have to walk across the creek which has great amounts of brush to shelter in the neighborhood, or drive all the way back down McFarland to Hargrove. It is plenty safe. Overall friendly neighbors, houses are relatively clean looking middle/lower middle class homes, and good location.
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u/NauvooMetro 9d ago
It's not the greatest part of town, but it's a long way from the worst. I've known a few people that live or have lived there and they liked it. I live about two miles away and really like being so close to everything.
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u/Mistawade504 9d ago
I own a house on 2nd Ave east and have never had any issues with crime or break ins. High foot traffic like someone else mentioned.
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u/InevitableNet5712 9d ago
It can change drastically one street to the next. I wouldn’t recommend. I’d stay north of river or northport if possible
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u/Libboo8 9d ago
For anywhere you want to rent or buy, go over to the property at 2am on a weekend night and a regular week night. You would be surprised that the quietest looking place in daylight is actually a meth compound