I saw that a fellow Yelper checked into Southie, my old neighborhood and I just had to write a review.
I lived here a long time ago, from 1997-2002, when it was still a neighborhood in transition courtesy of the Big Dig and fluctuations in the real estate market from the tech bubble. I ended up here by accident because I couldn't get a place in Brookline. It ended up being a blessing.
At the time, Southie was still considered a primarily Irish neighborhood that had railroad apartments, some large apartment buildings that were subsidized housing, and some private houses. It was within walking distance to downtown and I often did just that when weather permitted. I worked in the financial district near Filene's (when it used to be there), and it would take me about 20 minutes depending on the construction. My route would often change due to the Big Dig. It was fascinating to watch the various ravines that would be uncovered. When the weather was bad, I had the option of the red line and it was two stops away from South Station.
My South Boston was the one that you saw in the movie, "Good Will Hunting"; a low income Irish neighborhood where I was often awakened by residents screaming for their spouses to let them in after a night of imbibing too much. I also had my car defaced by my next door neighbor's child who treated the hood like an easel with a rock. Some cab drivers also didn't want to go there because they were afraid of how they would be treated. Yes, there were downsides to living there but there were some other upsides.
For one, I felt as though I had a true "Boston" experience. There was a small sense of community there, and many in the area knew each other. When renting my apartment, they didn't even do a credit check because my last name had an apostrophe and my landlord presumed I was from the area (I wasn't.) You would often see people gathering on stoops to talk to each other. It was also very convenient to the airport and 93, less than 5 minutes by car. There were several good restaurants in the area.
Everyone has since discovered these advantages and it is amazing that no one didn't do so sooner, especially with Boston's booming housing market. I am glad that I lived there when I did before it was converted into a generic nabe like so many other parts of the city. I see that the place where I lived has since been converted from rentals into condos. I presume my old landlord has settled into retirement nicely and hope that she has. (I have been fortunate in my life to have wonderful landlords. She is a wonderful person and glad to see that she did well.) When I last visited a year ago, I did see that a couple of the local taverns are still there and hope that they hold out against gastropubs. read more
