hyde park: believe the hype?

[towncow]

I agree that the crime map is a great tool, but also check the property ownership on both sides of your block and on the properties surrounding--how many homes are owner-occupied, and how many are rental? We've lived in midtown for almost 30 years in different neighborhoods--most in Valentine, and now in Hyde Park.

Btw, the poster who said Armour is half-and-half market rate apartments and assisted rentals is correct. By the time the Bellerive is done, I think that there will be more newly-renovated market rate apts than assisted.

[chrizow]

we've lived in midtown for almost 30 years in different neighborhoods--most in Valentine, and now in Hyde Park.

perhaps you can give your $.02 about the area?  (even vis a vis Valentine)

[FangKC]

I think it is about half and half - roughly half the buildings will stay Sec8 (though allegedly with fewer units) and the other half are supposedly market rate.  Different developers involved. 

The tax credits that allow for Section 8 housing last 15 years, after which those apartments can go market rate or condo.

[alpha_glamourina]

The tax credits that allow for Section 8 housing last 15 years, after which those apartments can go market rate or condo.

I didn't know that- thanks! 

[chrizow]

Gillham Park is in the middle of a lot of renovations that are going to make it much more appealing. 

what renovations are taking place in gillham park?  i guess i've seen activity there, but didn't really think about what is going on. 

[PumpkinStalker]

I biked around there two weeks ago and crews were repairing the stone retaining wall around the north end of the park.  That was all I saw unless something is going on now.

[voltopt]

The Hyde Park NA has been cleaning up the overgrowth and underbrush along gillham road in gillham park.  Their next project is the overgrowth south of 42nd, going up the hill towards the Nelson.

[rxlexi]

I'll chime in with a few comments regarding S. Hyde Park as I spend a lot of time in the neighborhood -

- Regarding Gillham Park, yeah the clearing of brush is one of the factors in its renovation; a fair amount of activity (drinking mainly, probably drug use, homeless sleeping, etc.) went on behind the brush at night during the summer and the clearing of the park has seemingly helped a ton with this.  Also, the new playground was recently installed, I believe the slab pool is being replaced by a new splash park, and I thought GP was getting the "Loose Park" type treatment with better maintenance and maybe even lights, financed by the Ward Family Trust (along with Theis Park, saw this in the paper, don't remember the details).  Gillham Park, though it still has a little ways to go, is an awesome and often well-used neighborhood amenity.  Stop by some pretty afternoon and check out the ball fields in use, the popular playground...tons of people get out there on occasion and it's really nice to have a long, linear park so close to so many homes.

-  S. Hyde Park, around 45th:  this is almost exactly where a good friend of my has lived for the last 5 years.  She's a med school student and has had NO problems thus far, with the fairly major exception of some dude being chased by cops into her backyard, and the odd prostitute/panhandler/whatever walking around after dark.  No breakins, of the house or car, yet, no muggings, no terribly threatening instances.  Her house faces Gillham Park and the view, along with her large stone porch, is amazing...great, safe porch sitting with drinks and friends at all hours.  Her backyard, however, backs up to Troost and, in particular, a shady car-dealer type place, so I would imagine the resale value would take a pretty good hit...she did buy in cheap though, and hasn't had any problems with the house yet.  Easy walking distance straight west into beautiful, huge homes in Rockhill, the Nelson (5-10 min walk), and a bit further down the road, the Plaza (20 min walk). 
In general, a great location in the middle of everything, Gillham Park (and the Nelson, museum and grounds) is awesome and very close.  The sketchiness level of the surrounding area is really block by block, with the nicest homes coming in little clumps, it seems.  I'd say it's quite safe, considering, and I walk the area at night frequently, but there is certainly prositution nearby (almost every night down Troost) and, at least in S. Hyde Park, it is still at the late stages of the 'urban pioneer' type area, due to the few problem properties and the proximity of Troost, which some freaking day will again be a desirable neighborhood retail corridor...

-  The houses are great, as you probably know.  My friends house is full of beautiful woodwork, has a large thirdfloor, shiny hardwoods and a huge, oft-used front porch.  Things do go wrong, however, and whoever mentioned the challenges of a large old home is right-on, though I haven't seen any insurmountable problems with this house yet.  You can generally find a driveway and possibly even a garage as well, which is a nice bonus in such a dense urban 'hood.

-  Overall I love S. Hyde Park and would be the first to recommend it to you if you're prepared to deal with an area that is still quite a ways from total gentrification.  I agree that the future of Hyde Park is tied to the future of the Troost and Armour corridors, but I don't believe it is entirely dependent on them...the central location, amenities to the west, and housing stock are already enough to make this a desirable area.  It does need help in spots though, and it can show, and it can be very frustrating.  In the end, I'll leave you with the image of my friends and I downing BLVD Wheats and smoking the hot summer night away years back on that big front porch, facing Gillham Park all green and full of trees, making fun of the big, wealthy homes on the hill (Rockhill) with BOTH next door neighbors and going on impromptu homes tours to check out each homeowners latest renovations...THAT is why I love Hyde Park, and that area in particular.

[midtown guy]

Just a quick note on the Gillham Park renovations (as the most recent poster covered a lot of it).

The park has roughly three sections.  The Northern section has the ballfields and will remain mostly unchanged (although the Tennis Courts on the far North end, west of Gillham, have recently gotten a makeover).  They just put in a new playground on the middle segment that is about 1/2 complete.  There is more equipment coming targeting a slightly younger kids I believe.  The pool is going to be replaced with a splash park in phase 3.

The Southern most section has already seen the brush cleared out and is going to see major improvements to the stairs going up and improvements to most of the walking/running paths.  When I first moved to the neighborhood three years ago there was a dead body found on the upper trail of the park.  I walked my dogs there pretty regularly and would usually walk the dogs and leave and never see another person.  Now, it's rare if I don't see at least a half dozen people or more every time I'm in the park, walking their dogs, jogging, biking, playing fetch, etc.  It's been really fun to watch in progress.  I have heard about possible lights as well, but am not sure if its definite or not.

One other note, South Hyde Park just joined the other two neighborhoods and just gained its standing on the National Historic register.  This will also help the neighborhood.

[chrizow]

i put an offer on a house in hyde park last night. 

my dad called me early this morning to tell me that my (fingers crossed) new 'hood was on the news because it was the endpoint of an extended police chase which ended in a car crash and one of the suspects being hauled out from underneath a hyde park resident's porch by a K-9 unit.  ("the suspect is being treated at an area hospital for dog bites.")

home sweet home! 

[moderne]

Reminds me of the days I owned a house on Harrison Blvd.  Once I poured hot water on a prostitute and her john that were doing it between the houses.  Another time a police chase on Troost ended in a crash and the felon ran through my yard.  I literally stumbled over the smoking gun. 

[ignatius]

Congrats. 

[mean]

i put an offer on a house in hyde park last night. 

my dad called me early this morning to tell me that my (fingers crossed) new 'hood was on the news because it was the endpoint of an extended police chase which ended in a car crash and one of the suspects being hauled out from underneath a hyde park resident's porch by a K-9 unit.  ("the suspect is being treated at an area hospital for dog bites.")

home sweet home! 

You're better off in Raytown.

[chrizow]

according the kc star crime map, west plaza/plaza is worse for crime than south hyde park.  i'm not scurred.  (also, according to the crime map, main street in midtown = drrrrty)

police chases are pretty awesome anyway.  i like sitting on my porch in west plaza or my gf's backyard in midtown when the police chopper is circling.

[omenapt]

according the kc star crime map, west plaza/plaza is worse for crime than south hyde park.  i'm not scurred.  (also, according to the crime map, main street in midtown = drrrrty)

police chases are pretty awesome anyway.  i like sitting on my porch in west plaza or my gf's backyard in midtown when the police chopper is circling.

Glorifying crime of any kind for entertainment or any other reason is so wrong on so many levels!  You can keep it ! I do EVERYTHING i possibly can to keep it our of my Volker neighborhood!

[chrizow]

i'm not glorifying crime.  it's just that helicopters are awesome.

[voltopt]

Helicopters are awesome!

[mean]

Glorifying crime of any kind for entertainment or any other reason is so wrong on so many levels!

Tell the people behind Cops, 500 varieties of Law & Order or CSI, Kansas City SWAT, etc....please!

[DaveKCMO]

i'm not glorifying crime.  it's just that helicopters are awesome.

excellent! you're moving to ghetto bird central! 

[rxlexi]

congrats Chrizow!  I think you'll love the neighborhood, let us all know what happens.  What size house did you end up looking at anyway?  I assume you'll be enjoying a spacious front porch?  Hyde Park S. is awesome, police chases and all.