Diverse. Unique. Urban. Walkable. Community. Convenience. When asked to describe Southside those are the words that come to mind. There are many different styles of housing which provide opportunities for everyone. I have an easy walk downtown for my haircut, massage, coffee, dinner, and entertainment. My back yard overlooks the Downtown Greenway and the Magnolia House. I’ve lived in a lot of places in my life but have never felt more at home. When people ask me where I live I proudly say, “Downtown in Southside.” Daisy, my dog, and I can take a walk along the greenway, by churches, a fire station, restaurants, shops and yes plenty of other dogs. I sit on my front porch and speak to neighbors as they walk by.
My wife Melissa grew up in a rural area on a farm. To her having neighbors close by meant a several hundred feet down the road. She never imagined she would love living in downtown Greensboro. We live in a two-story house with a yard and trees, a porch and a deck and yes neighbors are close. But the neighborhood and houses are designed to give one a sense of community while maintaining privacy.
Explore Like a Local
Need a haircut? Rock’s Hair Shop has a great vibe. Located on North Elm it’s nice seven minute walk from my house. Scheduling is all online and you can have a beer while getting trimmed. Right down the street is Sondor Mind and Body. Massage, sauna, floatation, chiropractic care, nutrition. It’s not just a spa. They provide holistic body wellness. Then there is the added bonus of having Thrive Coffee co-located in their space. After all, coffee isn’t part of one’s wellness?
Switching to food, did you know there is a French Cafe in Greensboro? Chez Genese has Supper Clubs, Curbside Dinners, Oeufs, Crepes, Dutch Baby’s and my wife’s favorite Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes. The food is excellent, no tipping and they provide employment opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Finally, entertainment includes Box Car + Arcade, Bourbon Bowl, and Community Theater of Greensboro. Oh, yes, shopping Just Bee, Hudson Hill, and Lee | Wrangler Hometown Store.
Insider Tips
In 1873 Shieldstown, now Southside, emerged as one of the most popular addresses in Greensboro with new houses erected along new streets.
In 1936 Greensboro neighborhoods were Redlined, outlined in red on real estate and mortgage lending maps, and were universally populated by African American citizens. These included Warnersville to the west and the Bennett Street neighborhood to the east of South Elm and Southside. The residential areas that comprise Southside today were graded as “Definitely Declining” in value. The neighborhood, in 1936, was composed of predominantly white residents, with only 5% of citizens indicated as Black.
By the 1990s, the Southside neighborhood suffered from years of public and private neglect. Many houses were lost to arson, and others suffered as income property owners made few repairs or investments. In 1996, the Greensboro City Council approved a bond package that allowed for funding needed to acquire vacant properties. The city then developed a Southside Plan through a private developer to rebuild 30 detached houses, 10 duplexes, 50 townhouses, 20 live-work units, 10 restored historic houses, and studio apartments on the 10-acre site. The plan was spearheaded by Sue Schwartz, the city’s planning director. The plan was developed by Tom Low, then with Duany Plater-Zyberk, a world renowned urban design firm. As a community and transportation planner this is a particular nerdy reason I love living in Southside!
