Originally Posted by
Eric_c
Sorry, Fury13 - I strongly disagree with your statement about the Villages community being an island "at the mercy of criminals".
The Villages are no more "island-like" than Corktown, Woodbridge or Palmer Woods/Sherwood Forest. Boston-Edison, I would agree, has pressures on all sides, but the Villages are an incredibly stable and cohesive community and no less "safe" than anywhere else in the city.
Anecdotal evidence may be sited about every community, but day in and day out, the Villages are quiet, comfortable places to live. I lived in Woodbridge for almost four years and while I look back with fond memories of the neighborhood, I'm far more happy in Islandview Village. The neighbors are long-term home-owners for the most part rather than transient students [[though we have and continue to welcome our share). It's also far less noisy than Corktown or Woodbridge because we don't border a freeway. Streets are no less walkable than the other areas advocated, and Belle Isle is right here. Good, clean, reasonably-priced markets are here and other than perhaps Woodward, there is no more intact commercial street than Jefferson Avenue.
The biggest problem with the Villages community is that people often don't have any idea we're even over here. Islandview, East and West Villages as well as the Berry Sub and Gold Coast are exceptional neighborhoods and deserve a closer look by a lot more people. There's more here than just Indian Village proper!