South End, Boston
The South End is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is bordered by Back Bay, Chinatown, and Roxbury. It is distinguished from other neighborhoods by its Victorian style houses and the many parks in and around the area. The South End is the largest intact Victorian row house district in the country, which is made up of over 300 acres. Eleven residential parks are scattered around the South End. In 1973, the South End was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The construction of the South End began in 1849 when the neighborhood was built on tidal marshes.
North End, Springfield, Massachusetts
As of 2011, the North End is dominated by Massachusetts' third largest employer, Baystate Health. Approximately ten years ago, the North End was considered one of Springfield's most dangerous neighborhoods; however, that perception has changed as Baystate Health has continued to expand - currently, with a $300 million addition called "The Hospital of the Future, which will add 550 new doctors - and from 1990-2006, Springfield's Latino community's buying power has increased over 295%. Additionally, unlike in other Northeastern cities, Springfield has been fortunate in that rather than leaving the area once adequate buying power is achieved, (as has happened in many areas of California, for example,) Springfield's Latino residents have chosen to stay - and even to further increase. These trends bode extremely well for the economic and cultural future of Springfield.