Teele Square safety...

[t4e-ds.livejournal.com]

Hello, I'm looking at condos in the Teele square area and am wondering if anybody on here can comment on how safe (or not) the neighborhood is.  Having lived in Davis for a while, I'm quite familiar with the Holland St stretch to Teele which seems quite safe but am wondering about Broadway in both directions - towards Tufts and towards Alewife Brook Pkwy. Thanks for any insight/experiences/thoughts.

Comments

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

>SHRUG< Pretty safe as far as I know.

[sekala.livejournal.com]

I walk home through there everyday. It's not very big and pretty safe as far as I know.

[ilai]

The area I live in (between Teele and the gas station on the corner of Victoria and Broadway) seems both pretty well lit and pretty safe. I'm not so knowledgeable about Broadway in the other direction, though I also feel pretty comfortable walking there alone at night--the major complaint would be that some of the sidewalks aren't shoveled as well.

[ron_newman]

Pedestrians have been hit by cars several times around Broadway and Wallace - be careful.

[masslibrulgirl.livejournal.com]

I lived on Garrison Ave for the summer, and the area seemed pretty safe. The 87 and 88 buses run frequently from Davis up Holland and Broadway, so they're a good option if you ever don't feel like walking alone at night.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

You can get detailed crime reports from the police department.

[entrope.livejournal.com]

You make an excellent point - I have never felt as unsafe in a crosswalk as I do crossing Broadway.

[dphilli1.livejournal.com]

I lived on endicott ave for 3 yrs. the only problems I encountered were other people using the trash can I bought for myself, and noisey people across the street. I even left my car unlocked most of the time and never had any problems.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I live in Teele and I find it feels quite safe, though the vibe certainly changes toward Rt 16. I wish something could be done with the ugly bus turnaround area.

Out of curiosity, since you're looking at condos, have you discussed these issues with your buyer's agent? They might be able to help you with these questions as well. (And if you don't have one, I am one who also lives in the neighborhood, so feel free to drop me a line. :)

[desiringsubject.livejournal.com]

The biggest forms of crime I hear about are smash and grab from cars, and thefts from houses (lock your windows). As for personal safety, I've never heard of major problems.

[cowhockey.livejournal.com]

I live on Broadway and have never felt unsafe. Nothing's happened to my car and both of my roommate walk to Davis a lot with no problem.

[sissychrissy1.livejournal.com]

A few years ago I lived on Broadway right near the Powderhouse Rotary, and I always felt safe, even walking home late at night. We never had any break ins or vandalism. The biggest incidents I ever saw were a drunk driver running over a road sign mid-Sunday-afternoon and a bus driver arguing with a group of kids from Wayside who didn't have adequate bus fare late at night, neither of which are really specific to the area, so I'd say there's really nothing to worry about.

Re: Teele Sq. Safety

[t4e-ds.livejournal.com]

All, Thanks very much for taking the time to answer. It was very helpful. Surrealestate, I have a buyer agent who I'm talking with tomorrow came very highly recommended by a friend. I will get in touch with youif that doesn't work out for any reason.

Thanks again!

[ron_newman]

what's Wayside?

[sissychrissy1.livejournal.com]

Wayside is a social services youth and family support program: http://www.waysideyouth.org/default.htm

The site in Somerville is at Clarendon Hill and is called ShortStop: http://www.shortstopinfo.com/contact.html

[ron_newman]

Thanks. I never even knew it was there.

[sissychrissy1.livejournal.com]

It's on the same side as Foodmaster, pretty much across from those condos where the restaurant used to be.

Re: Teele Sq. Safety

[mistresshellena.livejournal.com]

I lived in Teele for 6 years and loved it!

Am a single woman, prone to walking loads at all hours of the day and never had a problem. Very solid "neighborhood" feel where folks look out for each other and stop to chat while walking dogs etc. in the blocks north of broadway towards tufts around Curtis street. other parts are like this too, but I know my own 'hood best. :)

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

Very safe. My brother used to live in Teele and he left his front door unlocked everyday. Nothing ever happened. I think there is the occasional break-in, but I think neighbors are good at looking out for each other. I hear more about break-ins being foiled than not. The only trouble I hear about is usually Tufts related muggings or assaults that happen really late at night/early in the morning.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

To be honest, the only time I have seen a pedestrian in possible danger is when they're doing something dumb like jaywalking at 8:45 am on a Monday. Teele Square seems to attract inexperienced pedestrians.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

I live in Teele and I find it feels quite safe, though the vibe certainly changes toward Rt 16.

Me, I think the miasma of depressing and despair coming off those two high-rise towers add character to the neighborhood, but that's just me.

[entrope.livejournal.com]

I regularly cross the street holding my 2 year old - I go to enormous lengths to make sure I'm crossing in a crosswalk or at a light. There is generally no problem at a light, but the crosswalks are another matter entirely. A surprisingly large proportion of people don't stop to let us cross, and many of them that do stop wait until I am just barely past the edge of their car and then step on the gas and peel away.

That doesn't seem like a case of an inexperienced pedestrian to me. That seems more like a matter of unsafe and inconsiderate driving.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

There is generally no problem at a light, but the crosswalks are another matter entirely.

Well, I could go on at length about drivers who seem to think that only they are entitled to the road, who view pedestrians as annoyances to be run over, and that the crosswalk is a nice place to wait for the light. You find that wherever you go, unfortunately.

It's just I keep seeing stuff that makes me shake my head on the pedestrian side as well. Jaywalking during rush hour at a busy intersection isn't terribly bright in the first place, but on that intersection of Holland and Broadway that could damn well be fatal, especially if you pay no attention to the timing of the signals. Yet I see it two or three times a week.

The big stumbling block seems to be the timing of the signal that allows Holland and Broadway to merge: drivers and pedestrians both seem either unwilling or unable to accept that, yes, there is a green right arrow light at that intersection and yes, cars might just be allowed to take a right turn off of Broadway onto Holland.

[ron_newman]

I've been in those, and they actually look pretty nice inside. I think a lot of senior citizens live there. Sometimes they really go all-out in lighting up for Christmas.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

I think it depends on the level you're on. I helped a friend move out of one and it reminded me of a dorm.

Teeele Square

[tracy-rolling.livejournal.com]

I lived on Waterhouse for a little over a year. It's kind of cool being there in the very corner of Somerville, with Cambridge and Arlington right nearby. I liked walking to Arlington along the Alewife Brook path. The closest video store is there.

And of course I have a map for the neighborhood:
http://platial.com/map/4604

Peonies

[tracy-rolling.livejournal.com]

If you end up moving there, these peonies are my favorite thing about the neighborhood.

http://platial.com/map/4604#post91237

Re: Teeele Square

[t4e-ds.livejournal.com]

Thank you! The interactive map is very neat.

Thanks again to all who've responded and provided all the great info. It sounds like a nice neighborhood.

Re: Teeele Square

[ron_newman]

If you mean Hollywood Video on Mass Ave at Route 16 -- they are going out of business ;-(

Eh, ish

[simplecityboy.livejournal.com]

I lived in Teele for 3 years and didnt encounter anything particularly threatening. However, a friend did have her house on Broadway broken into a week after moving in. It was clear that the perpetrator had observed the house when and after they moved in - s/he knew which window to use, and when people would not be home. That being said, the perp only got away with an ancient laptop, hair clippers, and 17$ worth of unrolled (but counted) pennies.