Junius Heights area (Dallas, Early, Ross: apartment complexes, crime, buying a home)

[bdw8986]

I lived in dallas (deep ellum - yes , i know) three years ago and am looking to move back from out of state. I have not visited since and have some questions about buying a home in junius heights.

Specifically, the area i am looking at is on worth st. - nw of columbia/adams, ne of munger. How is this area in terms of safety? Schools? How are home values (long term) - my guess is that as e. dallas continues to develop they will increase. I am looking an early 1900s bungalow.

PS I have looked at threads on this topic - most of the info that pertains to me was from over a year ago. Thanks for your help.

[pepper131]

School is Lipscomb and it's a great school...and getting better and better. Very active PTA.

Area is safe. Crime that happens can usually be prevented - like not parking your car on the street - pull into the drive and take out all valuables, etc. Lots of people out walking. Neighbors chatting. It's a mix of old people who have lived there forever, young families, white and hispanic, singles...fairly diverse.

There's a good early education Montessori on Worth near the library.

[DaveG99]

Originally Posted by pepper131

School is Lipscomb and it's a great school...and getting better and better. Very active PTA.

Area is safe. Crime that happens can usually be prevented - like not parking your car on the street - pull into the drive and take out all valuables, etc. Lots of people out walking. Neighbors chatting. It's a mix of old people who have lived there forever, young families, white and hispanic, singles...fairly diverse.

There's a good early education Montessori on Worth near the library.

People will probably get mad at this comment but its the way I see it.........

That area is borderline ghetto. If you go east of there (towards the golf course) there are some nice areas where some high dollar townhomes are being built. But if you go north, south, or west of the area it gets ghetto. I lived in Deep Ellum also and it was great as a single person. I have a friend that lives off of Junius. Its not really dangerous around there but there are lots of bums, hookers, and crack heads all along Ross, Gaston, And live oak in that area. It will be Ok if you dont have children but I wouldnt want to raise my child in that part of town. But then again its all relative to what your used to.

[pepper131]

You might have to come and take a look for yourself, bdw. The area is fine for many friends of mine who have kids in the area who go to the local elem school.

[texasamy]

We have lived here for over 10 years, with our young children for 7 years and have experienced no personal crime. We safe, have great neighbors, and love the school. Our homes are unique and historic(and made of real wood). I choose to live close to the "ghetto" bc I have no desire to commute over and hour each wayt to feel "safe" and isolate my kids.

[Lakewooder]

And the real wood is the strong old-growth actual measured not 1 1/2 x 5 1/2 (usually weak fast-grown lumber) but the true solid 2 x 6. My 1916 Craftsman Bungalow has only one crack and that's in the downstairs bathroom where some sheetrock was put up improperly about 15 years ago. It has outside sheathing cypress overlaid with cedar shingles and inside heavy sheathing with two layers of floors - oak over long-leaf pine supported by pier and beam (not weak slabs). These are actual boards, not plywood nor pressed wood.

[pepper131]

This is from an email I received:

The Old East Dallas Early Childhood PTA will be hosting the Lipscomb Elementary Meet and Greet from 9:30 am to 11:30 am on Tuesday Jan 26th, Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th.

This will be a chance for prospective parents and interested neighbors to meet Principal Yolanda Gonzalez (she will be there for the Tuesday and Wednesday tours) and tour our wonderful neighborhood PK-5 school which has been rated exemplary for the last 5 years.

I hope anyone considering a move into the area will stop in and tour the school to see the school firsthand.

[Lakewooder]

I would not call JH borderline ghetto, either. To the north is Swiss Avenue and to the west is Munger Place Historic District. To the southwest, along Columbia on the way to Ellum, there are some bad apartment complexes and half-way houses. They don't venture in to JH as far as I know - it's quite a walk. Farther south is Mount Auburn, which is almost totally single-family but is fairly uniformly low-income with a lot of immigrant families mixed in with some long-time families. Great stock of Craftsman Bungalows there, too but does not have the renovation and gentrification factor of JH. Lipscomb Elementary is a gem and has been exemplary for what, five years now? Also they have been adding back the fourth and fifth grade, which used to go to Mata - probably the only really weak elementary school in the Woodrow/Long cluster. Also in East Dallas we have a different philosophy - sending your kids to school and being friends with different folks from all racial and economic backgrounds is an education in itself.

IMO JH is a great investment.

[galore]

Some consider Junius Heights ghetto because it isn't brand new master planned. Simple as that.

[texasamy]

Lipscomb is now k-5 and a wonderful, exemplary school!