Neighborhoods Near NW44th and Portland

[cindycat]

We're house hunting in the OKC area and we've covered almost all the 800 square miles from north to south and east to west. We don't want a regular neighborhood house with the open plan that has become so popular. Yesterday we found two houses for sale in the area of NW44th and Portland. It looks to be an old (mid-1920's) upscale area and seems to have been well-maintained.

We lived in the Tinker AFB area for almost 40 years before moving to NW Washington state for eight years. We know the SE OKC and Edmond areas pretty well, but know nothing about the area where these houses are. Do you have any suggestions/ideas/warnings about that part of town?

Thanks.

[adaniel]

I am assuming you are on the west side of Portland...sounds like you are referring to Bush Hills. IMO that area is one of OKC's really hidden gems. Its not particularly cheap--the wealthiest person I personally know actually lives here. The only thing I could think of negative is some of the commercial corridors and apartment complexes in that area have seen better days. At the same time, there does seem to be some reinvestment going on, and most of the nearby owner occupied neighborhoods are aging well.

If you are looking for an upscale area with a big yards and non-cookie cutter homes while still being in the city, Bush Hills is a good place to start. And if that is an area that interests you, I would expand my search to include Meridian Hills (SW/c of 36th and Ann Arbor), Mayfair Heights, and Twin Lakes in Warr Acres. If you have a moment, you should take a Google Street View tour of these areas.

[Bellaboo]

I know a lady who has a home on 42nd just East of Portland (and West of I-44) and just loves the area. She moved there from Norman and just loves the centralized location.

[Spartan]

There are cute neighborhoods but generally WNW Oklahoma City is full of charming, "traditional ranch" neighborhoods and is still going downhill fast. NW 10 Portland to Council has become the city's top crime zone. It's bad. And PCO and PCW have become dangerous schools. And yes Putnam City used to be a nice, but the problem is we replaced it (by building Deer Creek) before it's time was due.

You can find otherwise cheap neighborhoods in NE Houston, NW St Louis, N Kansas City, E Dallas, NE Cleveland, Central Jersey/Staten Island.

[Pete]

PCO and PCW have become dangerous schools.

I have a niece who is a senior at PC and we've had someone in my family there for pretty much the last 40 years.

It's changed to be sure, but it's very far from "dangerous".

[Rover]

"Dangerous" is just hyperbole to support a point.

[bradh]

There are cute neighborhoods but generally WNW Oklahoma City is full of charming, "traditional ranch" neighborhoods and is still going downhill fast. NW 10 Portland to Council has become the city's top crime zone. It's bad. And PCO and PCW have become dangerous schools. And yes Putnam City used to be a nice, but the problem is we replaced it (by building Deer Creek) before it's time was due.

You can find otherwise cheap neighborhoods in NE Houston, NW St Louis, N Kansas City, E Dallas, NE Cleveland, Central Jersey/Staten Island.

Ha ha, comparing Putnam City area to NE Houston? Not even close.

[mkjeeves]

Just about anywhere closer to the urban core is more dangerous than 10th Portland to Council and NW especially as you move farther out.

Cite: Oklahoma City crime rates and statistics - NeighborhoodScout

[OKCTalker]

I know a lady who has a home on 42nd just East of Portland (and West of I-44) and just loves the area. She moved there from Norman and just loves the centralized location.

I have family that bought just two blocks north of there. It's a nice & tidy little neighborhood, they love it, and have already won "landscape of the month" award. I feared that the highway noise would be a problem, but it isn't. A nice little neighborhood pocket that I think you'd enjoy.

[stratosphere]

Bush Hills is a wonderful area. Im waiting for the right house there to open up at the right time....

[foodiefan]

can also recommend Windsor Hills (south of NW 36th between Meridian and Ann Arbor). We can even walk to Crest as well as several restaurants!!

[zookeeper]

Just about anywhere closer to the urban core is more dangerous than 10th Portland to Council and NW especially as you move farther out.

Cite: Oklahoma City crime rates and statistics - NeighborhoodScout

Not in violent crimes. Rape, robbery and murder is far higher on that very strip he mentioned.

[MustangGT]

I have a niece who is a senior at PC and we've had someone in my family there for pretty much the last 40 years.

It's changed to be sure, but it's very far from "dangerous".

Precisely. Pete as a non-resident you have a fairly good pulse on OKC. Unlike the others who do not live here and think they know something about OKC. The poster you quoted is one of the worst of the non-residents who think they know OKC but really have NO CLUE.

[Pete]

The high crime areas of W and NW OKC are centered around a few high concentrations of apartments.

Unless you are planning on moving into one of those complexes, those neighborhoods are not only plenty safe, they are pretty nice and very reasonable.

Frankly, if I moved back I would live in that area. Some great housing deals.

[progressiveboy]

can also recommend Windsor Hills (south of NW 36th between Meridian and Ann Arbor). We can even walk to Crest as well as several restaurants!!

Their are some nice, well maintained older homes in Windsor Hills, however, the area is surrounded by increasing blight and run down businesses. Long term, I question if the home values would remain consistent or would they decrease over time?

[mkjeeves]

Not in violent crimes. Rape, robbery and murder is far higher on that very strip he mentioned.

He pooped on all of WNW Oklahoma City because he has an urbanista agenda, not because there's any facts to back it up or that he has any idea what he's talking about. There isn't. He doesn't.

I have an agenda too, I live, own property and have a business WNW. He doesn't. Get off my lawn.

[bradh]

He pooped on all of WNW Oklahoma City because he has an urbanista agenda, not because there's any facts to back it up or that he has any idea what he's talking about. There isn't. He doesn't.

I have an agenda too, I live, own property and have a business WNW. He doesn't. Get off my lawn.

While I agree that NW 10th from Portland and Council is less than desirable, for him to (from afar) compare the entire area to some of the areas he did is fallacy. It's that kind of attitude and speech that does nothing but help strengthen that erroneous viewpoint and hold down those that do live there that do their part to make it still a desirable place to live.

[trousers]

There is a pretty big difference between 10th/Portland and 44th/Portland. Not really even comparable.

[adaniel]

There is a pretty big difference between 10th/Portland and 44th/Portland. Not really even comparable.

Thats what I'm thinking as well.

Unfortunately, a lot of intellectually lazy people automatically assume the entire westside is bad. "OMG did you here about 10th and Portland on the news? That whole side of town must be GHETTO then. Lets all move to Yukon!" This is how otherwise nice areas start to decline. It happens way too much in this city.

[Pete]

Unfortunately, a lot of intellectually lazy people automatically assume the entire westside is bad. "OMG did you here about 10th and Portland on the news? That whole side of town must be GHETTO then. Lets all move to Yukon!" This is how otherwise nice areas start to decline. It happens way too much in this city.

About five years ago, I caught up with an old friend on Facebook and I asked if his parents still lived in Lansbrook (MacArthur just south of Britton). He has been living in Edmond for quite a while and said, "Oh God no. Things there got REALLY bad and I encouraged them to move out here."

Mind you, Lansbrook is still a pretty little neighborhood with a private lake, pool and tennis courts; I have family that lives very nearby.

I didn't even bother to ask more.

[bradh]

And I know someone pretty prominent who just moved to silver lake from rose creek

[gjl]

I'm about 1 1/4 miles west of 44th and Portland and if it was even medium crime let alone high crime I wouldn't be there.

[gjl]

About five years ago, I caught up with an old friend on Facebook and I asked if his parents still lived in Lansbrook (MacArthur just south of Britton). He has been living in Edmond for quite a while and said, "Oh God no. Things there got REALLY bad and I encouraged them to move out here."

Mind you, Lansbrook is still a pretty little neighborhood with a private lake, pool and tennis courts; I have family that lives very nearby.

I didn't even bother to ask more.

I had a girlfriend that lived in Lansbrook (well her parents did) in the really early 70s. It was a pretty upscale neighborhood then. I've heard people say similar things about Quail Creek too. That it is nothing like it was in the 70s and 80s.

[Spartan]

My family nearly bought a house in Ski Island (up near Lansbrook) back around 2000 - was a good deal but would've required more renovation than you'd recoup through appreciation especially if the area continued downhill which it did. This was back when I first joined OKC Talk as a kid who loved OKC and extolled the virtues of suburbanization. The homes in Lansbrook and Ski Island are at least pretty cool 60s/70s California Contemporary.

The high crime areas of W and NW OKC are centered around a few high concentrations of apartments.

Unless you are planning on moving into one of those complexes, those neighborhoods are not only plenty safe, they are pretty nice and very reasonable.

Frankly, if I moved back I would live in that area. Some great housing deals.

Unfortunately I don't know that this is realistic. It makes sense that things aren't as bad as it seems and that crime would be confined to bad complexes, but actually there has been a lot of interesting research lately on where criminals come from and where they go to commit crimes. Almost always they move from better areas into worse areas to do the deed bc the environment of lawlessness makes it easier and criminals are essentially just lazy. This migratory pattern results in diffusion and spread of crime from just the hotspot.

To relate this back to OKC the crime zone that OCPD have narrowed down goes from Melrose Lane up to NW 27th. This zone contains most of the crime but the zone will surely require redefinition as trends grow or otherwise change. It seems NW 10th is at that urban abyss point of using grant money to just tear down structures to erase bad memories.

[mkjeeves]

I'd support Maps to Revitalize the 10th street corridor.