Gateway Community

If you feel like singing a tune as you walk down the streets of Gateway Community, it would be pretty appropriate. As the childhood home of Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross, this north-end neighborhood is full of historic charm with a bright future. “It’s up and coming. It’s developing slowly but surely,” says Hillary Dandridge, a Realtor with eXp Realty. “I’ve seen many older homes get bought and renovated, and younger families are moving in. There are some newer shopping centers, coffee shops, and things of that nature.” This historic neighborhood is located about 4 miles north of downtown along Woodward Avenue.

As a well-established community, many of the homes in the neighborhood have been around for a while. You can find homes built in the early 1900s that have been renovated and kept up. The streets are lined with brick Colonial Revival homes and Victorian houses with turret windows and spacious front porches. Craftsman homes and bungalows are common also, offering room for friends and family to gather on the porch. There is a mix of brick homes and houses with wood siding. Houses are built close together, although there are a fair amount of vacant lots in the community.

Some homes in the neighborhood are fixer-uppers, but Dandridge encourages buyers to put in the work. “Even if it needs some loving, purchase it and put some loving into it because it still has its historic charm,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to look at the houses that need a little work because you might find a diamond in the rough.” A renovated and kept-up home could cost anywhere from $160,000 to $330,000. Houses that need more work might cost around $40,000 to $100,000.

Woodward Avenue is the dividing line between school zones. Students to the east of Woodward will likely attend Golightly Education Center, rated a C-minus by Niche, and Southeastern High School, rated a C overall. Southeastern High serves approximately 550 students with a student-teacher ratio of 21 to 1. The school has a strong focus on business and administration and offers an award-winning robotics club known as the Junglebots. Students west of Woodward will likely attend Thirkell Elementary-Middle School and Northwestern High School, each getting a C-minus rating. Northwestern High has a population of about 400 students and a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1. The school is committed to helping students succeed, starting with the ninth grade success academy. Students can choose an upper-class course of study focusing on health sciences, entrepreneurship or STEM. The school partners with several local colleges and organizations to offer internships, jobs and service learning.

The area has few parks, but residents can head to Bradby Park, a few blocks east of the neighborhood, for some outdoor time. This community park has a basketball court, a playground, picnic areas and an open field that can be used for soccer games. The Boston-Edison Historic District is just south of Gateway Community. This historic neighborhood is home to mature, full trees whose leafy limbs stretch over the roads. You can stroll on the sidewalks through this community and admire the magnificent architecture of the homes that dot the streets.

Head south on Woodward Avenue when you want a good meal. The Turkey Grill is a low-key eatery serving comfort food like Cajun turkey wings, gumbo and chili. Locals enjoy the sides the restaurant offers, like the grits and mac and cheese. You can get your morning joe or an afternoon pick-me-up at Black Coffee Café. Residents enjoy the coffee and sandwiches in a colorful, bright space on the corner of John R Street and Kenilworth Street. You can shop for groceries at King Cole Foods, a supermarket at the intersection of Clairmount Avenue and Woodward Avenue.

When you need to get around the city, there are several major roads nearby that make commuting a breeze. Woodward Avenue in the heart of the neighborhood, gives you a straight shot into downtown. The John C Lodge Freeway is just west of the community, while Interstate 75 is a few blocks to the east. Davison Freeway is just under a mile north of the neighborhood and connects the other two highways. Several bus stops along Woodward Avenue make it easy to use public transit, giving you a roughly 30-minute ride into downtown.

Written By

Matthew Atkins

Photography Contributed By

Gregory Hayes

Video By

Tyler Hall