Dallas Neighborhood: Is Park Row/South Blvd Neighborhood a decent place to live? (Spring: real estate market)

[AJEAN]

Hello, I am in need of some well thought out answers!
A little back story...
I am moving from Los Angeles to Dallas with my fiancé. We're aware that the upscale neighborhoods more central to Dallas are University Park and Highland Park, but unfortunately the homes there are out of our budget. We've explored surrounding suburbs, but we live in a very central location now so I'm used to city living. I also really loathe driving longer than 20 minutes

I need to know if it is TRULY the case that anything south of the city center is unsafe. I get the impression that some of these opinions have to do with race, and possibly the fact that some may have a different mentality of what makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable. The way some speak about this place reminds me of how people here in LA talk about Compton, which really is known by ALL as a scary place that I would never under any circumstances visit. Is this area of Dallas really as bad as they make it sound?

I currently live in the Miracle Mile/Hancock Park area of LA. There's a combination of apartments, multi-million dollar homes, and shopping. Here, if you go a few blocks east or south and it can get less desirable. Even still, in this sought after neighborhood, I see just as many homeless people sleeping on bus stop benches or collecting recyclables in their carts. One of the residents in the apartment complex we currently live in is suspected of dealing drugs. Plenty of other undesirable things happen here that come with living in a central part of town. This doesn't make me feel unsafe...it is just a part of city life.

We have our eyes locked on a lovely historical house, in the South Blvd/Park Row neighborhood just East of the 45 and South of the 30 Freeway. I believe It's near the Forest Theater. Every home in this neighborhood is stunning with the historical architecture we love, and look well kept with nicely manicured lawns and landscaping. It shows the neighborhood crime rate as low on Trulia, but with a higher crime rate in the surrounding areas. Is this area considered up and coming?

We will most likely be doing our shopping in Highland/University Park because that's where the Trader Joe's is and is of course, the nicer part of town. But I wouldn't mind living in a cheaper area that is up and coming, if that is the case. Also, does anyone know about the resale value of these homes?

Any and all information will help. Please give answers based on facts and not race please! I've read some unfriendly posts regarding race in certain areas and that's just not how I base my opinions of safe/unsafe neighborhoods.

Thanks, everyone!

[TurtleCreek80]

While the small 4-6 block historic neighborhood is pretty, that general area is BAD. Gangs, drugs, crime, poverty. Not up & coming, not close to gentrifying (see recent city data thread speculating on when the Fair Park area will turn....people are talking in terms of decades....) I would not want to live in a neighborhood where I couldn't walk more than a block north/south without seriously fearing for my safety, much less live in a neighborhood where there are almost no grocery stores at all and been the McDonald's has bars on the windows. No thanks.

That said, NO, not all of southern Dallas is bad. Not even close! I'd recommend looking west of I-35 in the North Oak Cliff area (zip codes 75208, 75224). The neighborhoods called Elmwood, Winnetka Heights, Kessler Square, etc are gorgeous, historic, safe, and affordable. Homes probably average between $200-350k but you can find homes under $200k and some estates run into the $1M's. A cute little 1920's Tudor cottage is under contract in Elmwood with a $179k list price. The real estate market is quite strong and homes have already doubled in value over last decade with prices still rising.

Plus, North Oak Cliff one of the most fun neighborhoods in Dallas right now. The Cox Farms Market at Sylvan Thirty is organic and locally owned, the Dallas Farmer's Market is a <10 minute drive, and many other smaller markets in the neighborhood. No need to grocery shop in Highland Park unless you work there & want to stop on the way home. The Bishop Arts District has some of the best restaurants in Dallas (most are casual & laid back), the Belmont Hotel functions as the area's "living room" with outdoor concert series, Sunday Fundays at the pool open to the public, and a great bar with a drop-dead skyline view from the patio. Trinity Groves is a short 5 minute drive as is downtown. Several DART rail stations are on the eastern edge of NOC. Big cycling neighborhood, too, due to the nature preserve and winding hilly streets.

Some links:
http://bishopartsdistrict.weebly.com
http://belmontdallas.com
http://thekessler.org
http://www.elmwoodna.org
http://winnetkaheights.org
http://kesslerpark.org/about/history/
http://sylvanthirty.com/about-us/
http://www.trinitygroves.com

[TurtleCreek80]

Re: crime rates, as of 2012, the zip code Park Row is in was named the 12th most dangerous neighborhood IN THE US (per website Neighborhood Scout). Adjacent 75210 (closer to Fair Park) was the 9th most dangerous. You had a 1 in 8 chance of being a violent crime victim in this area that year.

[ChristieP]

Psst... Stop saying "the" before freeway numbers. That's a sure sign you ain't from around here.

I had to look up the area you were referring to on a map, and I agree with TC80: that area is BAD. As she said, even the local McDonalds has bars on the windows, and they aren't ornamental...

[TrueDat]

I'm from LA and lived/grew up just west of where you are in Miracle Mile/Hancock Park. The Fair Park area has a long way to go before it's the equivalent of Miracle Mile/Fairfax/Pico Robertson/La Brea and all those parts of central and west LA that are still mixed economically but altogether very desirable.

If you want unique, early and mid-20th century architecture and yet feel safe and have access to some retail then you should look at some of the North Oak Cliff neighborhoods already mentioned like Kings Highway, Kessler Park, Kidd Springs, Winnetka Heights, Ravinia Heights, Kessler Plaza, and Elmwood. There are some great examples of mid-century modern architecture around here, especially in Kessler Park East (and some of them have great views because Oak Cliff also has the advantage of some hills, unlike much of Dallas).

Prices have really started to shoot up but if you're from LA, and you own there, they may not seem that bad.

I would also recommend looking at Lakewood and nearby areas like Hollywood-Santa Monica (yes, this is a neighborhood in Dallas).

I would recommend South Oak Cliff neighborhoods like Kiestwood over areas south of Fair Park.

[Lakewooder]

You might also check out Junius Heights in East Dallas/Lakewood. Trader Joe's is just up the street on Greenville Avenue.
Junius Heights: The Walkable Neighborhood - D Magazine The annual neighborhood home tour is on Sunday, November 8 from 11 am to 5 pm.

[Ansonyuhas]

I had been meaning to at least drive around this South Blvd area for a long time. Today, I had the opportunity after going to the Swiss Ave. Home Tour. The homes on South Blvd are beautiful, especially the more south you go before you hit the expressway. Nothing about this area looks like it is turning around though. We drove through down there with my wife and 2 year old and I felt uncomfortable. It's too bad, you would think the area would have lots of potential but I don't see any signs of progression.

[RonnieinDallas]

Originally Posted by Ansonyuhas

I had been meaning to at least drive around this South Blvd area for a long time. Today, I had the opportunity after going to the Swiss Ave. Home Tour. The homes on South Blvd are beautiful, especially the more south you go before you hit the expressway. Nothing about this area looks like it is turning around though. We drove through down there with my wife and 2 year old and I felt uncomfortable. It's too bad, you would think the area would have lots of potential but I don't see any signs of progression.

Saw this on someone's Facebook page yesterday

Millennials eying historic South Dallas neighborhood

[Ansonyuhas]

Originally Posted by RonnieinDallas

Saw this on someone's Facebook page yesterday

Millennials eying historic South Dallas neighborhood

Cool. Thanks for posting that. Still doesn't look like my family and I would blend in very well down there. Really beautiful homes. Are these homes listed under the historical district in the city of Dallas.