Downtown Durham Tour - Durham NC - Best Areas to Live in Near Raleigh NC | That's Raleigh

[@daddygrace253]

When I was born in 1955 at Duke Hospital in the colored section and growing up in Durham, Durham was a racist and segregated city. Desegregation was forced in the Bull City in 1970 and I was forced to attend the mostly white Durham High School, graduating in 1973. Many blacks like myself left Durham for other cities up North or elsewhere for better opportunities and education. Durham has changed over the years and its been gentrified. When I visit home, I no longer recognize Durham and I get lost on some city streets. At 66 years old and recently retired, I considered moving back to the Bull City. Since my grandmother, mother, aunts, and uncles deaths in Durham, I no longer have a reason to move back home. My family members are buried in Beechwood Cemetery in Durham. I have decided to stay here in NYC (Manhattan) and I will be buried here. Thank you for making this lovely video of my native Durham, North Carolina. I want to send a shout out to the 1973 Durham High and Hillside High classes. I attended Whitted Junior High School with many of the people in those high school classes.

[@ThatsRaleigh]

I can totally appreciate your perspective and thanks so much for sharing! I grew up in Raleigh and can't believe all the changes that have occurred in the Raleigh / Durham area. i'm sure you remember taking HWY 70 to travel between Durham and Raleigh. I always knew I was about 20-mins away when I passed downtown Durham, but never use HWY 70 to get there anymore. I plan to do more videos on Durham and Chapel Hill so I hope you will see them. Living in NYC I know you are accustomed to everything being open / like restaurants for lunch and dinner, but Downtown Durham has a ways to go before that will be a reality, but its only a matter of time at the rate things are moving.

[@daddygrace253]

@@ThatsRaleigh When I grew up in Durham, I didn't live too far from Miami Blvd and Hwy 70. We always took Hwy 70 to get to Raleigh's Crab Tree Valley Mall. Up until my mother's death in 2013, we always took Hwy 70 to get to the Super Walmart at Brier Creek. I loved shopping at that store and other stores out there. A high school friend informed me that Brier Creek is in North Raleigh where she lives. Several of my childhood friends and high school classmates from Durham lives in Raleigh. Yes, I look forward in seeing more of your videos of my hometown, Durham. New York City has 8 million residents and it is a very crowded city. Most people would not want to live here. I was a scared little country boy at 18 when I moved here in 1973. Over the years, I've become a New Yorker knowing how to get around and learn this city. 😀

[@ThatsRaleigh]

@@daddygrace253 i can appreciate..I lived in the city for a couple years and enjoyed it. Life in Raleigh or Durham moves at a slower place. Brier creek is now the furthest tip of Northwest Raleigh and Wakefield which is really Wake Forest is the northern most tip of Raleigh.

[@Bababui69]

Moving to North East Durham in a month from Maryland. I was in 3 bidding wars to get a house. I visited the triangle in the Summer downtown Raleigh and it was nice. I hope it does not turn into Austin.

[@ThatsRaleigh]

3 bidding wars is not bad at all! I hope you ended up w/ the home you wanted!

[@Bababui69]

@@ThatsRaleigh I did get a place slightly more than what I wanted but happy wife happy life.

[@mohamedelsaid6183]

Good video . How about rent prices in this city? Thsnks.

[@ThatsRaleigh]

Hey Mohamed, I just put a video up a few minutes ago that talks about the costs of living for Raleigh. I talk a lot about rental prices and discuss lots of resources to evaluate rent. The average rent for a 1-bed or studio in Raleigh right now is $1500. Downtown Durham similar to Raleigh is building LOTS of high end apartments and believe the prices are similar w/ lots of stuff to do all around you.

[@mohamedelsaid6183]

@@ThatsRaleigh thank you , so much .

[@davidevans3175]

What's the homeless situation in Durham?

[@ThatsRaleigh]

It’s similar to Raleigh and will increase as development continues, but nothing in comparison to what you’re seeing in Los Angeles. In general real estate in Durham is cheaper than Raleigh, but I noted projects (apartments, condos, residential mixed use areas and a couple townhomes planned) I’n every downtown Durham district. Durham was once the tobacco mecca and since all the major tobacco companies had a presence there… the old nostalgic buildings are being renovated and the downtown area “while different” is on par with Raleigh from an entertainment perspective. I live in the center of Raleigh in North Hills and it takes me 25min to get to downtown Durham.

[@davidevans3175]

@@ThatsRaleigh Thanks Will.