most underrated & overrated KC urban neighborhood?

Post by **chrizow** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 10:48 pm

underrated: Valentine. the people who live there know how cool it is. the people who know people who live there know how cool it is. but i think that's it. i love the housing stock over by there - big old 2-stories and some great Spanish style ones too.

overrated: i might take heat for this, but i'm going to say the River Market. i love their selection of lofts and apts and i love City Market and Cascones and Kabal, etc....but it hasn't really become the kind of place i want to live (yet). it's so beautiful and has so much potential but i think it's too isolated. they need a hell of a lot more lighting down there too (this goes for downtown in general). plus the lame surface parking lots stick out among the tight brick density more than usual. i guess maybe not so much overrated as not living up to its awesome potential, but that's my $.02.

you??

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 11:27 pm

underrated: Union Hill or Hyde Park, (although I agree with you on Valentine).

overated: Strawberry Hill in KCK, It just never has done much for me.

rxlexi · Post by **rxlexi** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 12:19 am

underrated : I agree with Valentine, historic Northeast - i know it's got a ways to go, but the architecture and history are awesome.

overrated : Mission Hills (does this count as urban?)- some beautiful homes and landscaping, but the police and neighbors would simply drive me nuts there.

just my .02, Alexi

Post by **dangerboy** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 10:08 am

Underrated:
Old Northeast - great housing stock, so much potential
North Kansas City - walkable, near downtown, suburban schools
Dutch Hill - convenient location, lot of activity going on around it
Columbus Park - great location, affordable, walkable

Overrated:
West Plaza - over-priced, tear-downs are ruining its character

KCN · Post by **KCN** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 11:57 am

I agree about NKC being underrated. It's like a cross between a small town and walkable urban area and kept up very nicely. I also think Valentine is underrated.

To be honest I can't think of any overrated urban neighborhoods. I can list a million suburban ones.

Post by **staubio** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 2:47 pm

West Plaza - over-priced, tear-downs are ruining its character

Tear-downs? All I ever see is new construction, although not at a frenzied pace. Am I missing something?

I'd say this is a great neighborhood. With all of these nice brick apartments crammed on Roanoke Parkway, the condos on the south side of the Plaza and apartments to the north and east, this has to be the most dense neighborhood in the city -- but not for long, with downtown doing its thing.

I never here anyone rave about this neighborhood, so I'll just call it "appropriately rated"

I think I agree that none of our great urban neighborhoods are overrated. If I had to pick one, I'd say Waldo. I am a mountain biker and a LOT of people that ride live in that area, so it is a bit of a cult. While it is a great urban neighborhood that offers an alternative for people that would otherwise be in the 'burbs, I don't think it is quite as nice as the more central neighborhoods. Heck, I love it, I just had to pick one.

I guess the actual Plaza area is overrated, which leads to the density it has, which makes it worth its rating in my book. Still with me?

Underrated: the Northeast. Amazing history in that area. I sometimes imagine what it would be like to drive down Independence Ave before white flight. What a cool neighborhood. Cliff Drive, the parks, the homes -- I love riding my bike around this area. Someone said somewhere on the forum that you won't find a more ecclectic, ethnic street in the city. While I haven't been everywhere, I think I agree.

Underrated: Westport. People don't realize how much of a liveable, walkable community it is. It is still equated with being slobbery drunk in most circles. Maybe this is just from some of the people I'm used to.

Underrated: Union Hill. No kidding. Cool developments. 31st is alive again. Downtown views are amazing on the north side of the hill.

Man, the whole city is underrated. Good to see downtown getting some props. I think the tide is turning and eyes are looking back at the core. I'll save you all the pain of me listing every neighborhood in the city and blabbering about how great it is.

CGPinFL · Post by **CGPinFL** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 3:21 pm

Tear-downs? All I ever see is new construction, although not at a frenzied pace. Am I missing something?

Tear-downs typically refers to tearing down a smaller house that really doesn't have anything wrong with it, other than the size. Then a much larger house is built in it's place. It's getting popular in some STL suburbs like Clayton and University City.

Post by **staubio** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 3:38 pm

Thanks for the clarification. I don't think I've seen a lot of this happening in the West Plaza neighborhood, though, but I'm prepared to be enlightened.

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Sun Dec 21, 2003 4:13 pm

Overrated: Johnson County. Imagine living in a place where there is heavy traffic all the time, huge ugly subdivisions with identical houses, big box stores on every street corner, Rich soccer moms rampaging around in $50,000 suv's, and basically nothing to do past 10pm. Welcome to Johnson County Kansas.

The bad thing is that a lot of people want to live there, the good thing is that most of us here are smarter than that.

Post by **dangerboy** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 12:38 pm

Another under-rated or maybe just unknown area... Southeastern KCK. The Rosedale and Hanover Heights neighorbhoods have excellent historic housing stock, and a great location. You can essentially be in Midtown or West Plaza for less money and with better urban schools.

Post by **bahua** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 5:34 pm

^^^

underrated: (don't know the name) just east of Crown Center, north of the Hospital, and the area pushed up against the state line, west of SW Trfwy, between 31st and 39th

overrated: none(except the Plaza, but that's the obvious choice). Move to KCMO

paisstat · Post by **paisstat** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 10:24 pm

The Volker neighborhood is really making a turn around, lots of rehabed houses and lots of retail along 39th and 43rd by Stateline. I agree with Valentine--some of those houses are fantastic, many larger and even better architecture than along Ward Parkway. I agree, that the Plaza is way overrated. There should be much more housing right on the Plaza. Many of the offices above the stores should be turned into apartments and condos, that would put more vigor into the Plaza at night.

kcmajik · Post by **kcmajik** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 2:23 am

what's the neighborhood over on clever ii just around the vacinity of nelson-atkins? plaza east? i like that neighborhood pretty well but haven't strayed too far off clever or east of paseo. don't know what it looks beyond that. other than that i think union hill is definately underrated. can't wait to see it in 6 mos. volker is nice and i haven't really been into valentine- that's off broadway and armour right? i think north kansas city(not to be confused with KCnorth) has some nice areas like briar cliff and of course parkville is lovely.

as far as overrated goes i can't really think of anything in the urban core too overrated. plaza maybe? if you are talking metro wide i think any of the southern suburbs are pretty blah- KS AND MO.

KC0KEK · Post by **KC0KEK** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 8:30 am

DeadManWalking wrote:Overrated: Johnson County. Imagine living in a place where there is heavy traffic all the time, huge ugly subdivisions with identical houses, big box stores on every street corner, Rich soccer moms rampaging around in $50,000 suv's, and basically nothing to do past 10pm. Welcome to Johnson County Kansas.

The bad thing is that a lot of people want to live there, the good thing is that most of us here are smarter than that.

Huh? How about places such as Fairway, Roeland Park, Mission or even Prairie Village? I live in Fairway, and I can walk or ride a bike to several grocery stores, a movie theater, dozens of restaurants and dozens of other businesses (e.g., book stores, Dollar General). What's so bad about that? If I moved to the urban core of KCMO or KCK, would I be within walking distance of the same variety?

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 9:30 am

KC0KEK wrote:
DeadManWalking wrote:Overrated: Johnson County. Imagine living in a place where there is heavy traffic all the time, huge ugly subdivisions with identical houses, big box stores on every street corner, Rich soccer moms rampaging around in $50,000 suv's, and basically nothing to do past 10pm. Welcome to Johnson County Kansas.

The bad thing is that a lot of people want to live there, the good thing is that most of us here are smarter than that.
Huh? How about places such as Fairway, Roeland Park, Mission or even Prairie Village? I live in Fairway, and I can walk or ride a bike to several grocery stores, a movie theater, dozens of restaurants and dozens of other businesses (e.g., book stores, Dollar General). What's so bad about that? If I moved to the urban core of KCMO or KCK, would I be within walking distance of the same variety?

The rich predominantly white suburbs in Johnson county. They have older developments, however that doesnt mean they arent just as bland and boring as the newer developments. Dont get me wrong if I was a rich white collar corporate family man, I might like Fairway a little bit more. But Fairway is even more overrated than johnson county as a whole. It is known to be the home of the rich and so nice and clean. But its just another place where people look at me like Im going to steal when I enter a store, or the police pull me over for no good reason.

KC0KEK · Post by **KC0KEK** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 9:52 am

DeadManWalking wrote:
KC0KEK wrote:
DeadManWalking wrote:Overrated: Johnson County. Imagine living in a place where there is heavy traffic all the time, huge ugly subdivisions with identical houses, big box stores on every street corner, Rich soccer moms rampaging around in $50,000 suv's, and basically nothing to do past 10pm. Welcome to Johnson County Kansas.

The bad thing is that a lot of people want to live there, the good thing is that most of us here are smarter than that.
Huh? How about places such as Fairway, Roeland Park, Mission or even Prairie Village? I live in Fairway, and I can walk or ride a bike to several grocery stores, a movie theater, dozens of restaurants and dozens of other businesses (e.g., book stores, Dollar General). What's so bad about that? If I moved to the urban core of KCMO or KCK, would I be within walking distance of the same variety?
The rich predominantly white suburbs in Johnson county. They have older developments, however that doesnt mean they arent just as bland and boring as the newer developments. Dont get me wrong if I was a rich white collar corporate family man, I might like Fairway a little bit more. But Fairway is even more overrated than johnson county as a whole. It is known to be the home of the rich and so nice and clean. But its just another place where people look at me like Im going to steal when I enter a store, or the police pull me over for no good reason.

Again, you're lumping everything together so it's easier to make blanket statements. Have you ever been to the Mission Highlands subdivision in Fairway? Most of the houses there have been selling for $100K-$150K for the past few years. There are hundreds such homes within Mission Highlands, which probably is the largest subdivision in Fairway.

Fairway isn't "bland and boring." Ask a real estate agent who knows the area, and you'll find that young couples often seek out Mission Highlands precisely because it offers charming old homes at affordable prices.

KCK · Post by **KCK** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 7:39 pm

KC0KEK wrote: Huh? How about places such as Fairway, Roeland Park, Mission or even Prairie Village? I live in Fairway, and I can walk or ride a bike to several grocery stores, a movie theater, dozens of restaurants and dozens of other businesses (e.g., book stores, Dollar General). What's so bad about that? If I moved to the urban core of KCMO or KCK, would I be within walking distance of the same variety?

Again, you're lumping everything together so it's easier to make blanket statements. Have you ever been to the Mission Highlands subdivision in Fairway? Most of the houses there have been selling for $100K-$150K for the past few years. There are hundreds such homes within Mission Highlands, which probably is the largest subdivision in Fairway.

Fairway isn't "bland and boring." Ask a real estate agent who knows the area, and you'll find that young couples often seek out Mission Highlands precisely because it offers charming old homes at affordable prices.

Yeah, it just is bland and boring to a lower income black male from the inner city, namely me. $100,000 to $150,000......lol you say that as though it is cheap. Believe me, this is around the high end of housing costs in KCK.

Dont worry if I say Fairway is boring. I never said KCK wasnt boring. I can make blanket statements about Joco, just like how joco lumps all of KCK into the poor/ghetto category. Its just me being me. But you cant deny Fairway is very rich compared to most small towns its size. You also cant deny Fairway isnt exactly the multicultural meeting center of the metro with a 95% white population. Although the houses are older, its funny how even though KCK is so close, property values and development across the county line is drastically different.

FangKC · Post by **FangKC** » Wed Dec 24, 2003 4:11 am

Underrated:

Westwood Hills, Volker, Valentine, and Coleman Highlands. Lovely neighborhoods of hilly streets and older homes of many varying styles with lush and mature landscaping.

Westside (W. 16th to SW Blvd, Jefferson to Franklin)

This is a neighborhood that I think will eventually be hot. Old homes are being restored, and some innovative new architecture is emerging there too. I like the steep hills and great vistas of downtown, Crown Center, Liberty Memorial and the West Bottoms. If I were a rich developer, I would start buying up blighted properties and vacant lots and rebuild this neighborhood into a mini San Francisco: multi-storied houses with bay windows, porches, balconies, and roof terraces. The buildings would take from the painted lady Victorian and meditteranean styles. I'd thrown in some cottages too.

Columbus Park

There is just something about his neighborhood that I like. It has great potential. I think it would be cool to build a lot of old french-style three-or four-story townhouses or rowhouses with rooftop decks. There are a couple of two-story cool brick duplexes--and a block of rowhouses--there that I like a great deal, and have been restored. I also like the old Victorian apartment house on Charlotte that has been restored. I hate the more modern suburban tract houses that have been placed there as part of infill projects though.

I like that a lot of the corners have brick storefronts on them. It gives it a real old-time neighborhood feel. I like the old church there, and I also like the narrow streets. I like how the old ladies sit in lawn chairs on the sidewalks and porches and visit.

I think some of the individual houses are pretty unremarkable though, and would rather see them replaced with brick or stone townhouses with window shutters, window boxes, and balconies. It would be cool to replace the asphalt on the streets with paved brick or stone. Instead of yards, there would be courtyards with gurgling fountains and wooden or iron-wrought gates. In those cases where new structures would be built, I would use old brick taken from demolished buildings for the purpose of getting that aged patina. I would also use stucco exteriors painted in light pastels like in European fishing villages.

Pendleton Heights

Great old Victorian houses with views of downtown and the river bottom.

Overrated: Many neighborhoods in the Northland and in Johnson County that have cookie-cutter faux-tudor houses with pitched gable roofs, shaker shingles, 3-car garages, and are painted tan or beige.

KC0KEK · Post by **KC0KEK** » Wed Dec 24, 2003 8:56 am

DeadManWalking wrote: Yeah, it just is bland and boring to a lower income black male from the inner city, namely me. $100,000 to $150,000......lol you say that as though it is cheap. Believe me, this is around the high end of housing costs in KCK.

Dont worry if I say Fairway is boring. I never said KCK wasnt boring. I can make blanket statements about Joco, just like how joco lumps all of KCK into the poor/ghetto category. Its just me being me. But you cant deny Fairway is very rich compared to most small towns its size. You also cant deny Fairway isnt exactly the multicultural meeting center of the metro with a 95% white population. Although the houses are older, its funny how even though KCK is so close, property values and development across the county line is drastically different.

I based my perception that $100K-$150K is affordable by comparing it to the national average, which was about $243K a couple of years ago, as I recall. I don't know what the KC metro average is, but my guess is that $100K-$150K is still affordable by comparison.

I realize that affordability is relative. Do the homes just across Mission Road sell for three to four times as much as mine would? Sure. But I don't get upset about that disparity. What would that accomplish? Life is too short for envy.

JBinKC · Post by **JBinKC** » Thu Dec 25, 2003 1:05 am

Definitely Volker/Roanoke/Valentin/Coleman Highlands. This area is quickly becoming noticed though, and the real estate prices reflect. Cleaning up the houses on SW TRFY was a big step into making the whole neighborhood seem nice, at least to those who only drive by at 50 MPH on their way to work or the Plaza.

Northeast - I just hope the houses stay in good enough shape long enough for the neighborhood to experience a revival. I'd hate to see any of it demolished due to neglect.

Longfellow-Dutch Hill - Some of the oldest houses in the city are here. In fact, some of the Victorian houses here were originally at the site of Union Station and were carted up the hill to their current location when the station was built. We're talking pre diesel engine trucks. I'm not sure how they kept so many in tact.

Hyde Park - Especially central Hyde Park...by Notre Dame de Sion.

Rockhill Road - Great houses, very close to UMKC...unfortunately very close to Troost too.

Can't think of any overrated neighborhoods in KCMO Jackson County.