Master-Planned Neighborhoods (Austin, El Paso, Arlington: houses, high school, subdivisions)

[MDtoDS]

Just wondering if El Paso has new master-planned subdivisions with different neighborhoods, community parks/pools, schools in the neighborhood? These are really prevalent in Austin...

Thx!

[Gary Siete]

Subdivisions must be registered but there are few amenity requirements for playgrounds or setting aside of land for schools- that why new schools like Hut Brown or new ones at the top of High Ridge are afterthoughts & not central to proposed growth. Last year (?) developers rushed to register subdivision land (that won't be built on for years or decades) before a deadline that would require them to actually grass and put in basic equipment on small dirt lots designated as "parks".

[atrabilius]

Originally Posted by Gary Siete

Subdivisions must be registered but there are few amenity requirements for playgrounds or setting aside of land for schools- that why new schools like Hut Brown or new ones at the top of High Ridge are afterthoughts & not central to proposed growth. Last year (?) developers rushed to register subdivision land (that won't be built on for years or decades) before a deadline that would require them to actually grass and put in basic equipment on small dirt lots designated as "parks".

Planning would help. Ysleta ISD had to take over part of a city park on Escobar Drive in the Lower Valley for Del Valle Elementary (which, last I heard, is still yet to be built) after a long-drawn-out search for a site.

I grew up mainly in Milagro Hills in the Northeast, which now has not one but two parks (Milagro and Skyline), but the Terrace Hills neighborhood (between Fairbanks, Transmountain, the Patriot Freeway and Girl Scout Way) has not so much as a pocket park. I guess if people want to go to the park from there they basically have to either go up Kenworthy to Arlington Park or cross Transmountain, go down Girl Scout Way, and climb down into the drainage ditch and up the levee to get to Skyline Park. I was thinking the city ought to extend Harlan Drive (and possibly also Paris Court) west over the levee to Girl Scout so there would be more than one way to get to that park.

I heard the new high school that EPISD is planning to build north of the Patriot Freeway has been held up because the area hasn't been master-planned yet; I don't know why but with all the development over that way, Andress is only going to get more crowded, so they ought to go ahead and decide on a plan.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Gary Siete

Subdivisions must be registered but there are few amenity requirements for playgrounds or setting aside of land for schools- that why new schools like Hut Brown or new ones at the top of High Ridge are afterthoughts & not central to proposed growth. Last year (?) developers rushed to register subdivision land (that won't be built on for years or decades) before a deadline that would require them to actually grass and put in basic equipment on small dirt lots designated as "parks".

Parks can be a problem and a lot of people don't want to live by one.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by malamute

Parks can be a problem and a lot of people don't want to live by one.

Only in El Paso. I know where you are coming from, Malamute, I'm not disagreeing to what you say, but in other cities, living next to a park is a bonus. No drunks, no cruisers, no gangsters, just families, and they don't hang out all day. At least where I live, all parks have parking lots, so people do not park in front of people's houses.

[mistabinks]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

Only in El Paso. I know where you are coming from, Malamute, I'm not disagreeing to what you say, but in other cities, living next to a park is a bonus. No drunks, no cruisers, no gangsters, just families, and they don't hang out all day. At least where I live, all parks have parking lots, so people do not park in front of people's houses.

That is definitely isolated and from another time. There are very few parks that I can think of that do not have parking lots. Drunks, cruisers, and gangsters? Maybe Ascarate in 1974. In 2010, it's recreation centers, tai chi classes, and soccer games at the parks in El Paso.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by mistabinks

That is definitely isolated and from another time. There are very few parks that I can think of that do not have parking lots. Drunks, cruisers, and gangsters? Maybe Ascarate in 1974. In 2010, it's recreation centers, tai chi classes, and soccer games at the parks in El Paso.

Yes, it was like that. I recall fights and such breaking out in parks like Album, and Memorial. That was when people could drink at the parks, however. Also, I do recall some parking for those attending baseball games, or attending functions in the shelters, but I would not characterize that as parking for everyone who went to the park... but then I guess the City of El Paso considered the street in front of people's homes as parking lots. This is what the complaint was at that time. Has the city built new parking lots at the two parks I mention? I'll check out Google Earth.

[mistabinks]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

Has the city built new parking lots at the two parks I mention? I'll check out Google Earth.

There is no shortage of parking at either park. I can't say I can even remember there was any violence at a city park.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Different times as you say. I'm talking about late 70's, early 80's. I'm sure some reading this will remember. Album park was the "place" to be on the East side. I'm not kidding, the people numbered into the thousands on the weekends, and drinking was not banned.

The same with Memorial Park, it was the swankiest park, if there is such a thing. I don't recall fights ever making the news, but then again I did not watch the news; however, there were some major fights at the parks. Sometimes guns were used. As odd as it sounds, I think the allure of the unexpected is what brought people out. This is when guys got hard numbers from girls, no such thing as cell phones existed, texting, HA! Good ole land lines.

Drinking, and hooking up. That is what it was about, and crusing. And some smoking as I witnessed. I never owned a car, or drove while I lived there, so I did not drink and drive, but that was such a common occurence then. A friend of mine was busted, but all he was told to do was empty his beers, as well as the other occupants. I don't think it's tolerated anymore, and rightfully so.

I checked out Memorial on Google Maps; I don't see much parking. Album has certainly changed. This tells you how long it's been, but the last time I went there, there was no such recreation center. You had the baseball fields, and the small strip parking next to the "shelter". I see a huge facility where the shelter stucture once stood. That is what they were called back then, shelters.

This could spawn a new thread in itself, but I am curious to know how many other places have changed in the last decade. I hope others chime in on their rememberances of Album, and Memorial. As bad as it was, the experience did form some lasting memories for me; some fond, some not.

'Sorry, I realize this thread is going way off topic. I'll digress.

[malamute]

Different times but really not all that many months ago:

Gallegos Park Littered With Trash - News Story - KFOX El Paso