| Westview, Atlanta, Georgia | |
|---|---|
| — CDP — | |
| 1910/20s bungalows are the most common house style in Westview | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Fulton |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 3,823 |
| ZIP code | 30310 |
| Area code(s) | 404 |
Westview is a historic intown neighborhood located in southwest Atlanta, Georgia. It is named for the Westview Cemetery that borders the neighborhood to the northwest. The neighborhood is made up of a mixture of architectural styles from Arts & Crafts Bungalows, Four-Squares, Tudors, Minimal Traditional, and Ranch style houses.
Contents |
Westview's bordering streets are I-20 and Derry Avenue to the north, Langhorn Street and Cascade Avenue to the east, Beecher Street to the south, and South Gordon Street and Westmeath Drive to the west. Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard runs through the Westview neighborhood and houses a small historic commercial village center at the corners of East Ontario Avenue, Inman Street and Lucile Avenue.
Westview was originally planned as a suburban subdivision, which was to be called Westwood Park, in the late 1800s by The Westwood Park Company. Some of Westwood Park's original street boundaries were New Green's Ferry Avenue (now Westview Drive) to the north, Inman Street, and Green's Ferry Street (now Ralph David Abernathy Blvd.) to the east, and Sandtown Road (now Cascade Road) to the south east. Over the years Westwood Park never materialized, and in 1910 William J. Davis bought the land and hired landscape expert Solon Zachery Ruff to turn the area into a "residence park" known as West End Park. Many real estate listings still list the neighborhood under this name today.
The neighborhood grew around the street car, which came from downtown along Lucile Avenue to Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard. It was run by the West End and Atlanta Street Railroad Company as Line 2 (the Ponce de Leon – Westview line), and it terminated in front of the Westview Cemetery gate. Westview continued to flourish for many years with an active neighborhood commercial district along Gordon Street (formerly Green's Ferry Street, and now Ralph David Abernathy Blvd.). Many former and long time residents still recall fond memories of the grocery store, butcher store, sundry, and Clyatt's drug store with a soda fountain. Another popular hangout for teenagers of the 50s was the Teddy Bear Grill at the intersection of Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. and Cascade Road.
As with most intown neighborhoods, the construction of I-20 and the desire to live in newly constructed houses in the suburbs eventually led to the decline of the neighborhood. The neighborhood suffered another blow when it was hit by mortgage fraud in the early 2000s. Westview's zip code, 30310, was the number one zip code for mortgage fraud in the nation. As a result many homes foreclosed and sat vacant for years.
Today West End Park is simply known as Westview because of its proximity to the Westview Cemetery.
One of Atlanta's early streetcar suburbs, the neighborhood has benefited from the renewed interest of living intown. Senior citizens that have lived in the neighborhood for the last 30 to 40 years are now joined by young professionals who enjoy the conveniences and amenities of intown living. As a result neglected and vacant homes are being restored and the neighborhood in general is benefiting from renewed activities. In August 2005, the Westview Lofts, a mixed use development including retail storefronts opened in the village. In December 2005 Westview was chosen to be the neighborhood of the month by the Atlanta Development Authority.
The neighborhood belongs to neighborhood planning unit T (NPU-T) and has a very active neighborhood association called the Westview Community Organization. Westview is part of city council districts 10 and 4 whose current council members are C.T. Martin and Cleta Winslow respectively. Westview is in zone 4 of the Atlanta Police Department, currently headed by Major Khalfani Yabuku.
The Belt Line passes through the eastern edge of the Westview neighborhood as part of the BeltLine's "Model Mile". (See the map displaying the proposed areas.) Construction was broken into two phases. The first phase broke ground on January 22, 2008 at White Street in West End. The second phase broke ground on December 12, 2009 at Muse Street. The walking path features greenery, park space, and an arboretum. Though still some years away, a street car station is proposed for the intersection of Ralph David Abernathy Blvd., Langhorn Street, and Cascade Avenue.
There are two active neighborhood organizations within Westview:
Westview Community Organization (WCO) – The Westview Community Organization, which formed in 1974, is the largest and oldest neighborhood organization in Westview and encompasses the entire neighborhood. Key committees within the WCO are the Development Committee, which focuses on master planning and neighborhood improvement projects, and the Beautification Committee, which focuses on park maintenance and street cleanups. The WCO organizes a number of festivities throughout the year, such as a summer block party, the fall yard sale, the National Night Out, and a Christmas party at Fire Station #17. Executive committee members are voted into office for two-year terms. The WCO meets the first Monday of every month at Calvary United Methodist Church (1471 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd.) at 7:00pm.
West End Coalition Group (WEC) – The West End Coalition formed in 1992 when neighbor’s organized to prevent housing deterioration, blight and community destabilization. Despite what the name implies, the organization is located in Westview and encompasses a northeastern portion of the neighborhood. Its streets include Laurel Avenue, Wellington Street, Inman Street, Mathewson Place, Altoona Place, Enota Place, and Lucile Avenue. WEC meets the third Tuesday of every month at the Westview Lofts (1530 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd.) at 7:30pm.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
