The Tuscaloosa/Lakewood Neighborhood of nearly 500 homes gets its two-part name from two landmarks: Tuscaloosa Forest, a stand of pines, oaks and maples that towered over the neighborhood for more than 70 years; and the former Lakewood Park amusement complex.

The racially and economically diverse neighborhood lies between Chapel Hill Road and the Shoppes at Lakewood. In recent years, residents have worked hard to improve their neighborhood.

The clear-cutting of a section of Tuscaloosa Forest in 1998 prompted residents to petition Durham to adopt a tree-preservation ordinance. Neighborhood leaders point to the recent arrival of Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, or TROSA, on James Street and a Durham Police Department substation in the Shoppes at Lakewood as positive additions.

The Community Outreach Partnership Center and IBM’s Wired for Learning are two Neighborhood Partnership programs in Tuscaloosa/Lakewood. Partnership programs at nearby Lakewood Elementary also serve the neighborhood. Tuscaloosa/Lakewood is represented in the Southwest Central Durham Quality of Life Committee, facilitated by Mayme Webb-Bledsoe in Duke’s Office of Community Affairs. The grassroots committee’s goals include increasing affordable housing options, celebrating the history of its six neighborhoods, strengthening neighborhood nonprofits and encouraging cooperation among businesses.

For more information about Tuscaloosa/Lakewood, visit their website.

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