The Crest Street community, formerly known as Hickstown for landowner Hawkins Hicks, retains much of its historic character, though the construction of the Durham Freeway once threatened its existence. The small, closely-knit, predominantly African-American community is just north of the Duke Medical Center and Veterans Administration Medical Center, between Fulton Street, Douglas Street, Erwin Road, and the freeway. 

It has a strong community association, the Crest Street Community Council, and is a stable residential community of single-family homes, 98 percent of them owner-occupied. The community association owns and manages the neighborhood's one apartment building and two retirement centers.

Durham Habitat for Humanity has built homes in the neighborhood with the help of the Duke Habitat chapter. Duke University Medical Center donated three homes in 1993 that Habitat renovated as part of a long-term community revitalization strategy. 

Crest Street Community Center and Duke’s Project H.O.P.E. work as partners to operate Crest Street Tutorial, an after-school program for youngsters, with funding through the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

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