Eastgate: Urban suburban: Diversity, space, mix of housing motivate residents to put down roots

Nice story about Eastgate from the Columbus Dispatch

The entire story is here: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/02/22/Eastgate-WWL.ART_ART_02-22-09_B1_63D0BQ0.html

clipped from www.dispatch.com As racial barriers started to crack in the 1950s and housing options opened up for African-Americans in Columbus, there was only one area where Carlotta Ridgeway considered living -- Eastgate. "Before, you had to live wherever you could find a decent neighborhood," said Ridgeway, 87, an African-American who has lived in Eastgate since 1962. "I had no desire to go anyplace else." With its large lots, majestic trees, curved roads and a mix of housing styles, Eastgate offers residents a haven that some describe as similar to suburban living but with the benefits of a big city. Black families flocked there to take advantage of the spaciousness and nearby parks. Now, the white flight that Eastgate saw decades ago is reversing as whites return and the area becomes more diverse, said Kraig Thornhill, 37, president of the Eastgate Garden Civic Association. Thornhill, who is black, has lived in the neighborhood for seven years.