Kevin Bate
Why did you choose to live in Highland Park?
I’ve been in Highland Park since I moved here in ‘05. I was looking at houses to buy, and I knew I was looking for a specific type of architecture, specific type of neighborhood. You know, one that was really walkable, that had old houses, a lot of old architecture, because I’m interested in that. In fact, I rebuilt the first house that I lived in here in the neighborhood just because I love the old architecture. I kind of wanted to see it come back.
Why would you recommend it to others looking to move?
For the same reasons. … With everything that’s been going on lately, we were not doing as much … visiting as we used to, but used to be, we’d go out for walks and you’d stop and you’d talk to your neighbors; they’d sit on their porch. We’re still doing bonfires. We had some new neighbors move in a couple of months ago, and the day they moved in we had a bonfire at the yard. … So our brand-new neighbors came out and sat down, we got to meet them and talk with them, and I was like, “This is what I miss about Highland Park, is the interaction with our neighbors.” And there’s several people in Highland Park who refer to it as a … porch community.
Any particular type of person you’d really suggest it to?
I would say anybody. I think one of the things that is important and good about this neighborhood is we’ve got a mix here. It’s not just young, upwardly mobile professionals. It’s also a lot of the older folks who’ve lived in the neighborhood for a long time, which tend to be people of color.
I like the fact that, like when I moved in … my neighbor had lived — you know, the house had been his parents’ house, and he knew all about the neighborhood. He told me stories about walking to downtown and having to avoid certain streets because they weren’t supposed to walk on it because they were not for people of color to be walking. … It’s great to get the background and all that, and to find out about [things like], “Oh, you know that house down the street that’s got that weird window pane design? Well that used to be a brothel!”
What is your favorite thing about Highland Park?
… [My wife] managed to find a house in the neighborhood that sits on a double lot. … I think it’s so great that Highland Park is a neighborhood where you can be just a few minutes from downtown, but also we’ve got a huge yard. And the neighbor across the street has the same thing; he’s got an empty lot next to his house. … I know you’re not gonna find that in North Chatt and I know you’re not gonna find that on the Southside.
I think what I would love to see is … more affordable housing and just see it kept for people who actually need affordable housing. I don’t think we need a lot more people from out of town picking these things up for vacation-rentalsby-owner. I want to see a mix of Chattanooga in this neighborhood.