BUCKHEAD A HIGH CRIME AREA?
 

I'm attending a wedding next weekend in ATL and was planning to stay at the JW Marriott Buckhead. I've been advised however to steer clear of this area as it has become primarily a destination for gun-toting hip-hop gangster types and subusequently not a very safe place for your average 20-30 something hipster to enjoy a weekend. 2-cents?.

Thanks,
Jason

To me, it's no different than most cities in America. Downtown Atlanta not be any better. The thing to remember, as with any city, is be aware of your surroundings, be careful going out late at night, lock your car, etc.

The hotel is at Lenox Mall and that is a good area of town. As tcapp said, it's no different from most cities.

I believe your advisor may have heard reports about some problems at 4 am when the bars shut down, and as the bar goers headed outside some problems arose. As long as you aren't shutting the bars down and hanging out on the streets afterwards I would not anticipate any problems.

Obviously, business owners were very concerned about the resulting negative PR and steps have been taken including cameras and increased police presence at closing. I think they even have moved a preceint into the bar area.

But your hotel is at Lenox Mall, not really in the area where the problems occured. You are in the shopping mecca of Atlanta with Phipps Plaza across the street as well. Use normal caution and you will be fine.

In the time that I have spent in Buckhead, i have never thought of it as a "threatening place". It is an area with lots to see and do. Good for travelling.

I'd have to agree with Starr. The only time I'd advise anyone to totally steer clear of Buckhead is after 3 a.m. when the bars start to close. That's the only time I've heard of potential problems happening. And the area where your hotel (Lenox) is at is very safe and not really near the main bar/club area anyway.

Your hotel is near the Ritz and some top-notch restaurants. It's as safe as you can get in most big cities. Yes, there was a brouhaha last night in bar section of Buckhead, but that's the exception to the rule. Personally, I stay away from that section of Buckhead - not that I'm concerned about safety, it's just that I'm not into the bar scene.

As long as Ray Lewis is not around you should be fine.

mm

What Atlantans refer to as Buckhead is a rather large geographic area and mostly upscale residential in nature (including the Governor's official residence). It is also a thriving business district and home to many of the area's best hotels, shopping centers and restaurants.

Within one of the commercial zones is the "Buckhead" you've been advised to seer clear of: the nightclub scene which is concentrated in a relatively small area and is a mile or more from the JWM. However, even this area is not "PRIMARILY" a destination for gun-toting hip-hop gangster types.

You are visiting Atlanta to attend a wedding. Are the wedding and related activities in Buckhead? If not, why do you choose to stay in a hotel in Buckhead? What do your wedding "hosts" (assuming they are not unknown to you as we are) have to say about Buckhead?

I wonder, since you live in Miami, what do you think of South Beach?

Haaa...Ray Lewis. Wedding is near the Perimeter Center, but since the financing for this trip is coming out the mythical vacation fund, we would like to stay someplace interesting. Sounds like Buckhead is no worse than South Beach. I've seen the hip-hop crowd increase their numbers in South Beach over the past few years especially on Holiday Weekends without any noteable incidents of violence. As others have noted, like any large city with an upscale nightlife district.

There are very good hotels, dining and shopping in the Perimeter Center area, but if you are looking for the nightclub nightlife you've been advised to steer clear of, Buckhead it is. Just go and have a good time! If you do close down a bar, know there is a very visible police presence for such an unholy hour - its not wise to drive under the influence at 3 or 4 a.m. in Buckhead.

Just have to comment. We visited Atlanta recently and there wasn't a house we visited where the residents didn't maintain an active alarm system and have stories ranging from break-ins in the neighborhood to a kidnapping/murder. Something is wrong in Atlanta. Yes, being out at 3 AM where bars are closing may be risky anywhere in the US, but the fear of crime in Atlanta in people's daily lives was surprising to me and disheartening. Life is not like that everywhere, thank goodness.

"Something is wrong in Atlanta."

I'd be interested to know how many people you spoke to that were suffering from these very intense fears about being robbed or assaulted, etc.

I have lived in Atlanta for most of my 36 years. Some of it was in the outer burbs, some of it inside the Perimeter. I have worked downtown and currently work near the Georgia Dome/Georgia Tech. I have never had a "daily fear" that someone was going to attack or rob me. I have never had my home broken into or been assaulted. Most people I know have not had anything of this nature happen to them. I have never had an alarm system on any home I have lived in.

Does Atlanta have crime? Yes. Do most large cities have crime? YES. Are we smart enough to be aware of it and take precautions as any reasonable person would? Yes. And so do most people in any large city. I think you got a rather lopsided take on things.

Orcas,

Since you've indicated on a recent thread that you once lived in the Atlanta area, I'm wondering if these tragedies befell your friends or former neighbors. Such things could indeed spur neighborhoods to install security systems and institute neighborhood watches.

However, you must also surely realize that such generalizations would be regarded as inflamatory by members of the Fodors community who live in Atlanta. Please do tell, how many of the +/- 1,000,000 houses in Atlanta did you visit on your recent trip? If Atlanta residents were as collectively fearful in their daily lives as you infer, there would be no traffic problems, new housing starts would not continue at break-neck pace at ever-increasing price points, and industry would be evacuating to other more desirable areas (the opposite is the case). Oh yes - and they would roll up the sidewalks at sunset in Buckhead and there would be no JW Marriott or a vibrant nightlife for Jason to ask about.

What in your post was helpful to Jason or anyone else who might later read it hoping to learn something from the locals about safety and nightlife in Buckhead?

Well said, Rookie.

Interestingly enough, there was an incident at a Buckhead restaurant last night. Justin's owned by Sean Puffy Combs. More information disclosed it was an after hours private birthday party for a family member of Bobby Brown. Two people were admitted to a hospital, but the news just said the party was concluded and the restaurant cleaned up before they called the police. Bobby Brown won't release the guest list for the private party so police aren't really sure which two suspects they are looking for.

I would imagine that most/ many of the incidents are between people that know one another. I feel safe in Buckhead - but again, would not close down the bars. There is a VERY strong police presence now at closing. As Rookie suggested, don't drink and drive.

I'm the last person you'd expect to see hiphopping at a club but that wouldn't stop me from going to Buckhead or staying there. In fact, a friend of mine came into town recently and I had her stay in that part of town because there's stuff to do, good restaurants and shopping too.

Jason, basically, if you are looking for trouble, then you can find it in Buckhead. On the flip side of that, if you want to avoid trouble you can still go there :)

Orcas, I respectfully suggest you lock your doors and stay in away from the riffraff of Atlanta. Perhaps plan a trip to some crimeless utopia. IMO your are sensationalizing things ala Fox5 TV.

In other Atlanta news, Dekalb County Police Chief Graham is reopening the Wayne Williams child murder case. Seems like Chief Graham has time on his hands and crime is low in Atlanta.

MM, What an ugly, tasteless and uniformed remark you made against Ray Lewis. True, he should have turned away from his childhood friends, but his misplaced loyality was far different than fighting with a knife! He was a rich kid in the wrong place at the wrong time- and if you recall, his was the car with bullet holes in it! I wonder if you work as hard in your chosen field as he does to be the best player in the NFL...and give as much time (and major Money) to the community? Ahhh, he seems to have matured very well. So, probably enough of the cheap jokes.

Agreed, baylady! Ray Lewis is a role model who worked hard to get to where he is and his passion for the game is unmatched. He was never found guilty of anything and the fact that some people continue to drag his name through the mud shows how little they know. He is also quite easy on the eyes, IMHO!!

Are you afraid of black people?

Just kidding. Honestly, I'd be afraid anywhere at 3AM if I was wondering about.

Criminals prey on the weak. Stand tall, shoulders back, make a lot of noise, talk loudly, and no one will bother you.

I learned that from the SC Department of Corrections for an internship my last year in college. They taught us self defense to use inside the prisons.

I am speechless.

I am not speechless, I am laughing. I was in Buckhead this April. Guess who invited me? Buckhead is beautiful! The two shopping malls, Lenox and Phipps are gourgeous. The restaurants are fantastic. The residential areas I saw are so wonderful. I stayed at two different hotels in the area and could not have felt safer. Of course I didn't go wandering around at 3:00am so cannot comment on Buckhead at that hour of the morning.

But of course I don't go wandering around in SF or Portland or Ventura or Rome at 3:00am either.

That is my 2-cents.

Ray Lewis, the model citizen, was convicted of obstructing justice-actively impeding a murder investigation involving members of his roving stretch limosine party by fleeing the scene, hiding/discarding evidence and lying to the police. He admitted the charges in exchange for the prosecutors dropping the murder charge, itself difficult to prove because the childhood friends were not interested in fingering the true culprit (I'm not suggeting Mr. Lewis was the murderer).

Steer clear of the bar scene and the streets in the wee hours and you'll be safe. The JW is attached to Lenox Square [mall] and down the street from Phipps Plaza, an upscale shopping mecca, and a mile or so from the principal drag.

We have an elaborate alarm system that, among other things, monitors for fire and break-ins (haven't had either). The credit we get against our homeowners insurance premium exceeds the cost of the monitoring.

Well we should definitely avoid all locations where those convicted of obstructing justice hang out. Give me a break. Atlanta may or may not have problems, but they have nothing to do with Ray Lewis and I think that's the point being made.

Gee Whiz, so glad I moved from midtown Atlanta where "something is wrong" and I had to step over the dead bodies to get to my apartment...to the wonderful magical central Florida where no children are abducted and left for dead and people are never shot.

Give me a break.

Avoiding the politcal commentary (which isn't that easy for me), I would mention, just in case Jason happens to be a very timid, shy, retiring, and nervous hipster, that the JW Marriott is actually ATTACHED to Lenox mall. Theoretically, you could valet your car, walk to the mall from you room, shop, see a movie, and dine at the very, very nice, hard-to-believe it's in a mall Brasserie Le Coze, and then cruise on back to your hotel at all hours without ever sticking your nose outside.

Oh, BTW, Atlanta residents...when is Freaknik, or whatever they call it now?

I've lived in Atlanta for nearly 20 years now, and have lived in the Buckhead area and now work less than a mile from the JW Marriott. There's always a chance of trouble, but no more so than in, say, Times Square/Midtown Manhattan or downtown Chicago or South Beach or any other place people hang out and party. Like anywhere else the odds are much greater the later it gets, and if you use common sense you're highly unlikely to have a problem.

Orcas' comments probably say more about his/her acquaintances than they do about Atlanta. Lots of people in Atlanta have alarm systems; lots of people don't. Everybody has stories about breakins because they do happen -- and they happen as much in the best areas as the worst, simply because that's where the stuff is. Everybody has stories about murders/kidnappings because everyone watches/listens to the same news reports, and the media plays to the fears of the public. But while the chances of having your home burglarized are reasonably high (happened to us last fall in our relatively safe and sedate suburban neighborhood), the chances of anyone being injured as a result are small, unless the burglar cuts himself on broken window glass -- they don't want to hit a house where anyone is home. Home invasions are scary, but the truly random ones where there's no prior connection between villain and victim are extremely rare.

My office buiding in Buckhead was the site of the Mark Barton office shootings several years ago (http://www.cnn.com/US/9907/30/atlanta.shooting.03/), and my home was burglarized last fall. From those incidents, I could conclude that Atlanta's a completely unsafe place to be. Or, I could recognize that there's absolutely no way to predict where some nutcase is going to shoot up a couple of businesses, and that burglaries happen everywhere. I don't spend my time worrying about it. That doesn't mean that I'm foolhardy about my personal safety -- I don't have much desire to go wandering about the area of Memphis where I'm staying this week, for instance, and there're parts of Atlanta I do give a wide berth to -- but I don't spend all my time talking about my alarm system (don't have one) or rehashing the latest sensational murder/kidnapping story on the news.

"Justin's owned by Sean Puffy Combs. More information disclosed it was an after hours private birthday party for a family member of Bobby Brown..."

well that pretty much sums it up. A cafe owned by a low life giving a party for another low life attended by a group of even lower lifes...why are you surprised there was trouble?

I'll add my 3 cents to this so that you come away with a nickel's worth of advice.

Lived there, done that. High priced retail operations generally do not attrack well heeled customers if the area is dangerous.

Use your own common sense.

BTW: house alarms. It's a real marketing ploy in the Atlanta metro area. I've relocated a number of times and I have NEVER received so many telemarketers calling to sell me home alarms as I did while we lived in Marietta. Unbelievable. And, NO, we didn't have a house alarm.

Enjoy your stay in Atlanta.

Freaknik doesn't happen in Atlanta anymore. It peaked in the early '90s and with all the prep for the Olympics, Atlanta found ways to thwart the party (traffic jams), so they moved on to Florida (Daytona maybe?) and was it Galveston or somewhere else in TX? I'm not even certain it really "happens" at all these days they way it used to.

What makes Sean Combs a low life? I suppose you know all of Bobby Brown's family members and they are all low lifes as well just because you think he is? Troll alert!!!

I don't know about Sean Combs but you have to admit Bobby Brown has been incarcerated a few times.

GT - Yes, I would indeed agree that Bobby Brown has probably earned the title "low life," but the poster indicated the party was for one of Bobby Brown's family members and then referred to that person and all the attendees as low lifes. I guess anyone who is related to someone who has done bad things is automatically bad as well? I bet that would make a lot of us low lifes (most families have at least one or two black sheeps among them).

Hello snowrooster and baylady:

Ray Lewis got away with murder, pure and simply. He is an overrated linebacker with a bad attitude.

The best thing to happen in the NFL last year was when T.O. mimic'd Lewis' ridiculous pre-game dance.

You want a model citizen look at Ted Bruschi.

mm

You are correct snowrooster and I agree with you about the generalizations.

Well, I will make a generalization about Atlanta and a specific comment about Buckhead. Buckhead is, in my experience, one of the safest areas in Atlanta. And I've been in that area several times a year, almost every year, over the last 35 years.

Now for the generalization: Atlanta is indeed a much less safe city than it was 35 years ago. The attraction of a nice Southern city, the proliferation of racial problems, and the inability of the city to keep on top of its growth have all contributed to its decline in terms of safety. There are places I wouldn't go in Atlanta even in broad daylight, but Buckhead isn't one of them.

mm - Impressive the way you have access to Ted Bruschi's closet and found it skeleton free - you must know him pretty well. Also astounding that you witnessed Ray Lewis commit murder. You might want to clue law enforcement in on what you saw. You are amazingly insightful!!

Here's an interesting website on crime statistics. According to this website, Atlanta is #1 in the US, for its size, in dangerous crime.

http://www.morganquitno.com/cit05pop.htm#METRO

I apologize if people took personally my observations that our friends and family living in Atlanta were concerned about crime. My husband is a native of Atlanta and we enjoy visiting his family there and old friends. This trip, we visited Buckhead and even, Lenox, as my son had heard about it. And no, we didn't fear for our lives, or even our wallets, when we were there.

Our kids' favorite stop, this trip, was to the Coke Museum, which somehow we had never gotten to. My favorite was the orchid house at the botanical gardens.

Atlanta is a much more sophisticated and worldly city than it was when we lived there 20 years ago. I could have commented on this positive change, I guess. It's just that this post was about crime, and I had actually noticed more of these concerns expressed during this trip than I had in the past. I'm glad many of you are living in communities in the area where you aren't concerned. I have, by the way, lived all over the US including the southside of Chicago, where I was born, and am not naive about crime.

The problem, IMHO, is the lack of pedestrian areas in the city, and one that is hopefully going to get better within the next few years. The fact that you have to drive everywhere means that there are little parts of town where you can walk from place to place, leaving many areas desolate and unfortunately, prey to crime. The city is trying to combat this by not reopening many of the foreclosed bars on the "Buckhead Strip" to new bars, but rather to shops and cafes. This will take a while. But since you still have to get in your car to travel from Buckhead to say, midtown or Centennial Park, there is very little sense of security walking around, since you often aren't surrounded by other people the way you are in NYC or San Fran. That being said, Lenox and the hotels you mention are fine. Plenty of high end shops and restaurants nearby which are walkable. Even the "Buck Ride" as I think it's called shuttles people around. HOpefully with the opening of places like Atlantic Station and other new urbanist destinations, pedestrian traffic will increase and crime stats will decrease. No matter where you are tho, exercise caution the way you would in any major city.

Orcas, I appreciate your returning to post a clarification about your post. My own response was probably more heated than it should have been.

I think what set me off is that your post implied that thankfully, most people don't have to live in a town (i.e. Atlanta) where they live in fear due to high crime. You probably didn't mean it to sound that way but when I read it, that's what my impatient eyes leapt to.

I think anybody today, no matter what size their town is, should be aware of their surroundings and be sensible about the potential for crime. Few people can call their town crime-free.

We do have our share of crime in Atlanta. I would never deny that this is true. At the same time, there are several large U.S. cities that suffer from higher crime rates in some certain categories. There is one Northeastern city where carjacking and car theft is at an all-time high (yes, higher than Atlanta). I would name these cities but I am not hear to bash another city. That's not my purpose.

I'm glad you've gotten to enjoy more of the city recently as it does have a lot to offer. It does bother me that even we natives tell tourists to avoid downtown after dark. But frankly, there's little to attract them there so it wouldn't make much sense anyway. That's the sad part. I am hopeful this will change in the next decade.

Dear snowrooster,

Thank you for the kind comments. I'm blushing!

Much appreciated.

mm