NEW IRVING PARK

COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

2014 FALL SEMESTER
JENNIFER AIKEN

The group, together, participated in the windowshield tour and wrote an overview.

Overview of the Windshield Tour

Neighborhood Design:
There are very few sidewalks in the New Irving Park area but the roads are significantly wider than the
driving lanes. The sidewalks on Willoughby Blvd, the main street in the area, are well maintained and level.
The sidewalks in the other areas especially St. Regis Road are completely obstructed and un-level possibly due
to the large trees in the yard that could be uplifting the cement. Willoughby Blvd. has a wide median dividing
the lanes that go north from those that go south. This median is landscaped and well-manicured, and provides
pedestrians seeking to cross the street with a safe place to wait for oncoming traffic to pass.
The New Irving Park area has visible bike lanes on the main street. There are signs that allow drivers,
pedestrians and bike riders, aware of the lanes. Also, there are visible lanes that distinguish the lanes from the
driving lanes. One of the main roads in New Irving Park, Willoughby Blvd, has a bike lane, which cars
sometimes use for parking (as there is no other street parking on the road). Cars drive slowly (under 35 mph) in
the neighborhood, making conditions safer for cyclists. The neighborhood has 7 roads that the City of
Greensboro labeled connector roads, which have good conditions for cyclists. The neighborhood is mostly
comprised of side streets, that the City also considers safe for bicyclists. That said, there was only one actual
road that had a designated bike lane in the neighborhood.
It is noticeable that there is an older population in this area. One thing that was noticeable was that there
are not many sidewalks and the sidewalks that they have are not in what is considered safe condition. There are
numerous deep cracks. This area does not meet ADA requirements fully. While the routes are smooth, many of
the streets do not have sidewalks, much less smooth transitions from sidewalk to street with curbs interfering
with wheelchair access. From individual houses to the road, there are not significant level changes or breaks.
The area has some hills, but most of the roads are flat. There are mailboxes, electrical posts, and trees in the

neighborhood that would impede the mobility of a person in a wheelchair who was traveling on the side of the
road. There are no crosswalks in the area also, lit or unlit, which would make it difficult for visually impaired
people to cross the street. In our observation, we did not see people in wheelchairs out.
Carolina Laurel Park is the only park within New Irving Park that is in walking distance to the
community, it is located at the intersection of Willoughby and Waldron. This park is small and for the public. It
has a swing set, a play jungle, and a few toddler toys including: a miniature plastic basketball goal (there is no
ball provided), a playhouse, and a couple other toys. There are no ramps leading into the playground for
individuals with disability. If a car parked directly in front of the park entry, it would block the only spot
accessible to wheelchairs.
Buffalo Lake is located within New Irving Park on the East Cone Blvd boarder. The lake is used for
fishing, boating and swimming. Fishing is allowed for the public but one must have a personal dock at the
location to boat. Greensboro Country Park (3905 Nathanael Green Dr., Greensboro, NC 27455) is about a 10minute drive from New Irving park. The park is open to the public and has several amenities: an off-leash dog
park, hiking and walking trails, playgrounds, and paddle boat rentals. Within the park they have shelter areas for
picnics, gatherings, and parties. The playgrounds have ramps and railings for individuals with disabilities.
Schools, public and private:
Mendenhall Middle School:
205 Willoughby Blvd. Greensboro, NC 27408
There are sidewalks in the area directly in front of the school, and there are crosswalks. Because many children
who go to school here do not live in the area, it is not accessible by foot for all students. Their athletic fields are
available for rental by outside organizations such as church youth leagues.
Primrose School of New Irving Park:
4 N Pointe Ct. Greensboro, NC 27408
Primrose is a private Daycare and Preschool. There are no sidewalks in this area.

The school is not easily accessible by foot due to a lack of sidewalks and crosswalks, but the school is not on a
heavily trafficked road.
Joyner Elementary School:
3300 Normandy Rd. Greensboro, NC
Joyner is a public elementary school. The school has crosswalks and is in an area with sidewalks on most of the
streets surrounding the school.
Kids R Kids Pre-School Program:
514 Pisgah Church Rd. Greensboro NC
This is a private Preschool program. It is not very accessible by walking because students would have to cross
Pisgah Church Road on foot.
Churches, clubs, and membership organizations:

Irving Park United Methodist Church: 1510 W Cone Blvd. Greensboro, NC 27408

Buffalo Lake Homeowners Association

Greensboro Bible Institute: 3113 N Church St, Greensboro NC 27405

Greensboro Country Club: 410 Sunset Dr. Greensboro, NC 27408

Places where people like to linger or hang out:

Neighbors often stop to talk to each other in residential driveways or on their front lawns, since many
parts of the neighborhood do not have sidewalks.
Community members like to drive over to the Village at North Elm shopping center (301 Pisgah Church Rd.
Greensboro NC, 27455) to hang out and get a meal at the Villages assorted restaurants. We observed many
people patronizing the Panera Bread shop in groups of two or more socializing. Resident also spoke of informal
social activities organized by neighbors in private homes: e.g. cocktail parties and barbeques. Although the
Greensboro Country Club is located just outside New Irving Park, many residents have memberships.
Community organizations, associations, and health and social service agencies:

Residents can get connected to the Neighborhood Watch group through an email listserv in collaboration
with the Greensboro Police Department.
Health care providers:

Triad Foot Center: 2706 St. Jude St. Greensboro, NC 27405.

Podiatry Specialists.

Guilford Medical Associates, P.A.: 2703 Henry St. Greensboro, NC 27405.

This is an internal medicine facility that provides lab tests, osteoporosis care, chronic disease care,
diabetes care, and has a certified diabetes educator onsite. They also provide an anticoagulation clinic.

Morningview at Irving Park Assisted Living: 3200 N. Elm St. Greensboro NC, 27408. This is a senior
citizen assisted living community that offers rehabilitation services and Alzheimers/memory care. They
also provide short-term accommodations for seniors recovering from surgery.

Abbotswood at Irving Park: 3504 Flint St, Greensboro, NC 274505.

Abbotswood provides independent and assisted-living apartments for senior citizens. They offer planned
community activities and host a Wellness program.

Carolina Pediatrics of the Triad: 2707 Henry St, Greensboro, NC 27405

This is a pediatrics practice with 11 board certified physicians that provides care for children and
information for parents on how to best care for their children.

Block by block description of types of housing:

On the main street of New Irving Park, which is Willoughby Blvd, there are larger more upscale homes.
We observed multiple homes with basketball hoops in their driveways. These homes sit on hills with manicured
lawns in comparison to the other homes that are well-kept also but not as elaborate as those on Willoughby. The
houses in this community have large lots with almost equal spacing on all dimensions of their yards. The homes
on Holly Drive are a lot smaller than the others within New Irving Park. The homes on Willow Wick Drive
going westward are newer developed two floored homes. The ages of the areas homes vary, with homes built
from the 1950s through the early 2000s.

Food stores:
There were no corner stores or supermarkets within the community but there is a Harris Teeter store at
the Village at North Elm, 301 Pisgah Church Road, Greensboro NC 27455. The complex includes Panera
Bread, Chic-fil-a, Graffittis Bistro, Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina, Baskin Robins, Breuggers
Bagels, Cherry Pit Cafe and Pie Shop, Frozato Frozen Yoghurt, Mediterraneo and Santa Fe Mexican Grill to
cater for the nutritional needs of the residents of New Irving Park. The majority of the homes we passed had
cars, and there was not bus-service in the area. Although there are no supermarkets in the community itself, the
communitys mobility makes the grocery stores and restaurants in the area accessible. Residents of the area get
their supply of fresh fruits and vegetables from Harris Teeter located in the Village at North Elm building. Also,
there is a Food Lion grocery store further down on 1316 Lees Chapel Road where residents could pick up fresh
fruits and vegetables.
Safety:
In this community there were not many streetlights in the area. The few visible streetlights were
scattered throughout. The community park (Carolina Laurel Park) had only one light in the area. While being in
the neighborhood the motor vehicle drivers obeyed the speed limit and yielded for pedestrians. The
neighborhood did have speed limit signs and it was clear that the motor vehicles obeyed the speed limit. While
walking around the neighborhood vehicles were aware of pedestrians walking and were very careful when
making turns onto various streets. There were no visible law enforcement officers at the park.
There were visible pedestrians walking signs and bike lanes as well as bike lane signs in the area. While
walking the community, it was visible that the residents are comfortable walking and riding their bikes. During
each of the visits there were always people outside taking part in walking their dogs, running/jogging and
walking.
There were no visible vacant areas in this neighborhood. There were several homes for sale but the
homes and lawns were well kept and looked ready for immediate move in. Buffalo Lake and Philadelphia Lake
create a natural boundary in the southern part of the area.

Each group member interviewed a key stakeholder and contributed to the overall interview report.
Below is my individual ethnographic interview contribution to the report:
Ethnographic Interview Report:
Jennifer
The Changing Demographics in the Educational System, Health Concerns and Community Embrace:
Mr. Matson is currently the Principal at Mendenhall Middle School and has upheld this position for four
years. Before stepping into the position, Mr. Matson shared that he was familiar with the New Irving Park
community. He admits that since becoming Principal he has had the opportunity to learn much more about the
community. When asked to share what he knew about the community prior, Mr. Matson answered I knew that
the community was very diverse with pockets of traditions, wealth and poverty. Throughout the interview he
touched on areas directly related to race, socioeconomic status, and change. When asked about diversity within
the school Mr. Mason stated, The Mendenhall students are diverse in race and income. During this point in
the interview the Assistant Principal spoke up and said, The history of Mendenhall started as a highly wealthy
area but as time has went by the population has changed dramatically. In connecting the two quotes, they
support the theme of change. There was time spent during the interview focusing on change and the New Irving
Park community members lacking the ability to accept change or in other words, accept the new Mendenhall
Middle School. Mr. Matson states, Anytime you deal with the haves and have-nots, the have-nots may feel
alienated. The question we must ask is how do we make sure the have-nots do not feel left out? How do we
make sure that the African American population does not feel like they are destined to be left behind or
suspended? This direct quote represents Mr. Matsons concerns within the school. In addition to change and
the increase in diversity, another concern that was shared by both the Principal and Assistant Principal was the
increasing rate of diabetes and mental health among their middle school aged children. Due to these health
concerns, the school has reached out to various professionals. When asked what change he would like to see
within the community, Mr. Matson answered with this statement Some things that I would like to change about
the community would probably have to be experiencing a broader, more immediate community embrace. Mr.

Matson goes on to say that he understands the personal reasons that drive parents to send their children to
private schools but he would like to see more support towards the public school system.

RELATED THEMES FROM INTERVIEW:

Once the ethnographic interview report was developed, the group identified themes and then provided
evidence from each interview. Below you will find the themes along with evidence from my individual
interview.
Changing Demographics

When asked to share what he knew about New Irving Park prior to becoming principal of Mendenhall
Middle School, Mr. Matson answered I knew that the community was very diverse with pockets of
traditions, wealth and poverty. Mendenhall started as a highly wealthy area but over time the
population has changed dramatically.

When asked about diversity within the school Mr. Mason stated, The Mendenhall students are diverse
in race and income.

Wealth Distribution

Anytime you deal with the haves and have-nots, the have-nots may feel alienated. The question we
must ask is how do we make sure the have-nots do not feel left out? How do we make sure that the
African American population does not feel like they are destined to be left behind or suspended?
(Matson).

Isolation

Some things that I would like to change about the community would probably have to be experiencing
a broader, more immediate community embrace(Matson).

Inequities in the Educational System

Mendenhall Middle School was once the school attended by the children of wealthy and predominantly
white residents of the area. Since the rezoning of the school district, it is now also attended by children
of other races and of much lower income families.

Most of the families who live within New Irving Park send their children to Mendenhall.

The observations of Principal Matson and James Drew highlight inequality within the areas school
system that stem from complications with integration. Matson noted that the children who attend
Mendenhall Middle from less affluent areas in Greensboro lack the resources granted to children whose
families are from the neighborhood.

Mental and Physical Health

Another concern that was shared by both the Principal and Assistant Principal of Mendenhall was the
increasing rate of diabetes and mental health among their middle school aged children. Due to these
health concerns, the school has reached out to various professionals.

Mendenhall has had a few isolated cases of teen pregnancy in the past few years.

Mendenhall had several programs in place to address discipline issue such as awarding the character
trait of the month, ice cream parties, and peer pals. Peer pals pair up children of like backgrounds so
the child with better grades and better conduct would be a good influence to the other. Dolly Parton, a
member of the Mendenhall PTA describes the program as positive reinforcement.

The school also has a service project called The Food Pantry. The initiative is to provide students of
Mendenhall Middle School who are on the free lunch program with bags of food for the weekends.

Secondary was compiled from sources such as, North Carolina Department of Health and Human
Services, Fact Finder, and Census databases. Below you will see the parts I contributed for the
sociodemographic and health profile. Every group member contributed to the summary.

Sociodemographic Profile
Summary

New Irving Park is a neighborhood in North Central Greensboro. It is 91% White, with a median
population age of 41. Over 32% of the population is over 55, compared to the state of North Carolina at 24%,
making New Irving Parks population older than the area surrounding it. New Irving Park has a higher median
income than the rest of the city of Greensboro, at $69,271 compared to the city of Greensboros median income,
which is $39,637. The neighborhood is almost entirely residential, but contains three schools and is adjacent to
a shopping complex with a supermarket, a gym, and other amenities. There are health specialists, a
pediatricians office, and two assisted living facilities in the neighborhood as well. To analyze data relevant to
New Irving Park, this profile analyzes the 27408 Zip Code in which it was located and the census tract 127.03,
which is entirely contained by New Irving Parks boundaries. It was not possible to find much of the relevant
data specifically for the neighborhood. Instead this profile uses a mix of data from the zip code, which contains
the entire neighborhood, and the census tract, which does not contain the entire neighborhood, but excludes
areas that are not in New Irving Park. This data was compared to the county in which New Irving Park is
located, Guilford County, Wake County (a nearby county), and the state of North Carolina.

Age
1. The median age for the New Irving Park area (zip code 27408) is 41.0 years. The median age is higher
compared to county, peer county and state as a whole.
2. Within the 27408 area the top two age groups based on percentages is 25-34 years of age and then 45-54
years of age.

Percentage of Residents by Age Bracket

100

80

60 and Over

60

55 to 59
35 to 54
40

20-34
19 and Under

20

0
North Carolina

Wake County

Guilford County

27408

Above is a graph that illustrates the percentage of residents in each age group residing in the state of
North Carolina, Wake County, Guilford County, and New Irving Parks zip code. The median age for New
Irving Park is 41, with 42 for women and 39.9 for men. This is in comparison with the median ages for North
Carolina (37.4), the median age for Guilford County (36.4), the median age for Wake County (34.5). New
Irving Park area represents a higher median age in comparison to the county as whole as well as the state. Not
only does the area have a higher median age, a larger percentage of its population is over 65, and there are
significantly fewer children there than in the county and state as a whole.
This data relates to the observations from this groups windshield tours and interviews with community
members of New Irving Park. Based on the information that we gathered via observation and interview, it
seems that New Irving Park is an area where most of the residents are of middle age or older. With that being
said, there is a rise of younger residents within the community per report from an interviewee. Looking at Table
2, the percentages for the zip code 27408 shows that the top three age groups for this are 25-34 years of age, 4554 years of age, followed by 35-44 years of age. In an attempt to connect the data with information gathered
prior to completing a socio-demographic profile, the data could suggest that because the area is made up of an
older population there may be health issues associated with aging. This data may also indicate that age

demographic change is occurring in the community based on the rise of a younger population. This possibility
was presented in primary data collection.
Health Profile

Birth Statistics
Birth weight and prematurity is a health concern because babies who are born this way can experience
developmental delays as well as other health problems. The data for infant death rate is based on infant deaths
per 1,000 live births. Very low birth weight is defined as a baby who is born weighing <1500 grams/ < 3 pounds
and 3 ounces. Low birth weight is defined as a baby who is born weighing < 2500 grams/ < 5 pounds and 5
ounces. Guilford County shows the highest percentage in both categories (Very Low Birth Weight and Low
Birth Weight). In contrast, Wake County represents the lowest percentage for both categories in comparison to
Guilford County and the State of North Carolina. One of the major reasons why babies are born weighing at a
low birth weight is prematurity. Prematurity is defined as a child being born <37 weeks Gestation. When
looking at the data above, North Carolina shows a higher percentage of premature births. Between the two
counties, Guilford County has a higher percentage of premature births in comparison to Wake County but not
by much. Guilford County has a higher percentage of Infant Deaths. Wake County has a lower percentage in
comparison to Guilford County and the state of North Carolina.

Data for Low Birth Weight, Premature Births and Infant Deaths 2007-2011
Data for Very Low Birth Weight 2008-2012

http://www.schs.state.nc.us/SCHS/data/databook
http://www.schs.state.nc.us/schs/data/trends/pdf/Guilford.pdf
http://www.schs.state.nc.us/schs/data/trends/pdf/Wake.pdf

Fertility Rates for 27408 zip (New Irving Park Area), Wake and Guilford County

Access to Health Services

In 2012 Inflation Adjusted Dollars

Source for both charts:
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_12_5YR_S2701&prod
Type=table

For the purposes of this assignment data was collected for both Guilford County and the Census Tract
127.03. During the walking windshield tour and research of New Irving Park, various health care providers
within the area were introduced to the group. Although we were unable to find data specifically for health care
access within New Irving Parks census tract or zip code, during the walking tour and while creating the
neighborhood map several health care facilities were pointed out in the area. One that frequently appeared was
Guilford Medical Associates, an internal medicine facility that provides a variety of services such as lab test,
osteoporosis care, chronic disease care and diabetes care. In addition, the facility has a certified diabetes
educator available onsite. Interestingly enough during the interview process, diabetes was brought to our
attention as a specific health concern within the community. Also, based on the information that we know now
in regards to the age demographics, New Irving Park represents an older population and with that being said,
Guilford Medical Associates services provide this demographic with another option for a Primary Care
Physician in their neighborhood. The services that Guilford Medical Associates provide tend to cater to the
older population. There is also an assisted living and independent living facility within the community.
Although New Irving Park is primarily a neighborhood with older residents, based on the interviews, younger
people with families are moving in. Therefore, it is convenient that Carolina Pediatrics of the Triad is in close
proximity of the community.
American Fact Finder provided data on the percentage of uninsured. The breakdown of age and
household income was taken into consideration for the data represented within this paper. With an age
breakdown of 18 years or younger, 18-64 years and 65 years and older, those that fall within the age range of
18-64 years of age in Guilford County represented the highest percentage of those uninsured. In regards to the
Census Tract, the age range of 18-64 years of age continued to represent the same. When taking household
income into consideration, for both Guilford County and the Census Tract, those who have a household income
of $25,000 or less represent the highest percentage of uninsured.