KC Metro vs the 'Burbs (Kansas City, St. Louis: neighborhoods, schools, living in)

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by zach_33

Brookside would be a great compromise, but I do tend to agree with KCMO that somewhere between River Market and the Plaza would seem like a better fit. I work with a lot of young professional transplants and the all really enjoy living in Volker, River Market, Hyde Park, the Plaza - these seem to be the neighborhoods of choice for people under 30 with good jobs. Brookside is a bit more idyllic, inner-ring suburban feeling with a preponderance of families and empty nesters. My experience may be unique, but I don't know any single 20-somethings that live in Brookside.

Again, I would mention again that access to I-35 could be key. Metro KC seems to be much easier to traverse vertically (from north to south and vice versa) than it is to traverse horizontally (east to west and vice versa) on surface streets. If you are dropped at the epicenter of Brookside (63rd and Wornall), it would probably be faster to get to Olathe taking I-71 to 435, which could be a major commute headache. Going west on 63rd all the way to I-35 from there could take a while. From River Market, Crossroads, Volker or parts of Hyde Park you will have a much easier time making your way over to I-35 for a less stressful commute to Olathe.

As I write this (and look casually at Google maps and think about my own commute), I am struck by the fact that the city's surface streets generally seem poorly designed to afford quick access from the Main Street corridor to I-35.

Yea, Brookside it great, but it's pretty much entirely single family homes (and rather expensive ones). Like zach says, because of highway access, parts of downtown like the River Market will the same or possibly even a shorter commute than areas south of Downtown in KCMO such as the Plaza, Hyde Park, Westport etc.

[PA650]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Yea, Brookside it great, but it's pretty much entirely single family homes (and rather expensive ones). Like zach says, because of highway access, parts of downtown like the River Market will the same or possibly even a shorter commute than areas south of Downtown in KCMO such as the Plaza, Hyde Park, Westport etc.

My current commute takes me from the Plaza down Shawnee Mission Parkway for work. My office is quite close to I35 and it's usually only a 15 minute drive. It's a reverse commute, which is nice. I can't disagree on traveling from downtown, but a Plaza commute wouldn't be terrible either.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by PA650

My current commute takes me from the Plaza down Shawnee Mission Parkway for work. My office is quite close to I35 and it's usually only a 15 minute drive. It's a reverse commute, which is nice. I can't disagree on traveling from downtown, but a Plaza commute wouldn't be terrible either.

There is really not a bad commute in KC. Unless you live in Blue Springs and commute to Olathe.

[JackieB23]

Originally Posted by kcmo

There is really not a bad commute in KC. Unless you live in Blue Springs and commute to Olathe.

^^^ THIS.

"Bad commute" is relative.

I live in Dallas-Fort Worth now. A hour in bumper-to-bumper traffic is normal here (and I'm on the "easy" Fort Worth side of town, even). I never sat in traffic like that in 15 years of living in KC, and I lived north of the River and had to commute into Downtown a few times across the Broadway (now Buck o'Neil) Bridge.

A person from SoCal will have it easy in KC.

[flaviator]

Originally Posted by zach_33

Brookside would be a great compromise, but I do tend to agree with KCMO that somewhere between River Market and the Plaza would seem like a better fit.

Well it sounds like this is definitely where I need to start looking! I would agree with having easy access to I-35; I'd much rather sit in traffic on a freeway than fight it through signals on the side streets. In my experience with the Overland Park area, the signals turn green for a very short time!

Again thanks for all of the input; all of you KC folks seem like great people, looking forward to the change. May find me back on here when I'm getting down to choosing an apartment in the city.

[sodini3566]

Can I ask the OP where he is going to be working?

[sodini3566]

If you are single, I would very highly suggest you live in KCMO. DO NOT live in Johnson County if you do not have a family, as you will be HEAVILY discriminated against if you are over the age of 30 and not married, to the point it will be very difficult to make friends. Also, there is very little going on there that would interest people who are single in JOCO. If you are working in Olathe, and they ask you about your family/relationship, if you are single, you MUST lie and tell them that you have a girlfriend, otherwise, you will be labeled as gay, and believe me, that will severely affect your opportunities at work. Please also note, that if you are not a sports fan, you will have a very, very difficult time fitting in as well. Hope this helps.

[AmyWildsKC]

I also want to throw out there to look in Midtown/Volker/Valentine area! I absolutely love the area. You can have a low key vibe on 39th St (my favorite) or be to Westport in a matter of minutes. Crossroads and downtown are only 15 minutes away and plaza is nearby as well. I live in a small two bedroom house. There are often unique type rentals in the area (such as renting the top or bottom of a large victorian house) but there are plenty of apartments and you can search Craigslist by typing in KU Med or Volker. There is also great highway access.
I'm a real estate agent so my work is all over the city but my office is at Hwy 69 and College in OP, and I also go to Olathe for a Chamber event on Thursdays and I would say if I leave my house between 7:30-8 I do hit some traffic but nothing major (unless there is a wreck, I check my phone first and if it looks bad I will take the side roads). If I leave my house after 8:15 the traffic is typically absolutely flowing. If I'm driving back right at 5pm at night it can be a bit crowded, but again nothing crazy!
If you have any specific questions, I would be happy to answer them! Welcome to KC!

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by sodini3566

If you are single, I would very highly suggest you live in KCMO. DO NOT live in Johnson County if you do not have a family, as you will be HEAVILY discriminated against if you are over the age of 30 and not married, to the point it will be very difficult to make friends. Also, there is very little going on there that would interest people who are single in JOCO. If you are working in Olathe, and they ask you about your family/relationship, if you are single, you MUST lie and tell them that you have a girlfriend, otherwise, you will be labeled as gay, and believe me, that will severely affect your opportunities at work. Please also note, that if you are not a sports fan, you will have a very, very difficult time fitting in as well. Hope this helps.

This is so ridiculous and blatantly false. Where do you come up with this crap?

[katie45]

Originally Posted by sodini3566

If you are single, I would very highly suggest you live in KCMO. DO NOT live in Johnson County if you do not have a family, as you will be HEAVILY discriminated against if you are over the age of 30 and not married, to the point it will be very difficult to make friends. Also, there is very little going on there that would interest people who are single in JOCO. If you are working in Olathe, and they ask you about your family/relationship, if you are single, you MUST lie and tell them that you have a girlfriend, otherwise, you will be labeled as gay, and believe me, that will severely affect your opportunities at work. Please also note, that if you are not a sports fan, you will have a very, very difficult time fitting in as well. Hope this helps.

Wow! The epitome of cynical! And the entire description of residents of JOCO is very untrue.