Might move from Plaza to Overland Park. (Center, Denver: house, neighborhood)

[DallastoChicagotoKC]

For what it's worth, I commute from south OP to the Plaza every day. I really don't mind it. The only time it bothers me is if I have to go in on the weekends. Then, I do feel like I'm wasting time with the drive. Otherwise, it's a nice time to listen to the radio, listen to a book or listen to a TedTalk or something. I can decompress after work. Point being, you can use that time for something productive or otherwise life-enhancing. I've learned a lot during my commute.

That said, I view the 30-40 minute commute through the lens of someone who used to have a minimum 1.5 hour commute each way each day. So maybe my perspective is different.

[TabulaRasa]

Yeah, "commute" in KC means something VERY different than anywhere else I've lived.

[TabulaRasa]

Ditto "traffic" and "parking is a hassle."

[luzianne]

No one in Overland Park is going to force their religion on you or even talk to you about it. That's not even an issue. Yes, there are megachurches. There are also a lot of synagogues. But people in Johnson County don't go around talking about it or trying to convert people from what I have seen.


Driving from Overland Park to the Plaza is never a problem, even on weekends.

[kcbluesprings]

Originally Posted by bentodd1

Thanks for the replies. Maybe my view of Overland Park religion was skewed when I was near Prarie Fire and saw the megachurch. I just don't want to feel out of place because I don't go to church is all really. We are pretty social and like making friends when where ever we go.

The main issue with the plaza is that it takes forever to actually get to the interstates. The more I think about it the more likely I am to move. My boss talked to me this morning about working earlier, which is even more incentive to move. The apartments are so much cheaper and bigger in Overland Park. With gas, car maintenance, and rent reduction we would easily save 500 or 600 dollars a month. We are thinking about having a kid and buying a house fairly soon, so it might be good to save money towards a house.

It is just sad, my fiance cried the other day because she loves the plaza. Part of me just doesn't want to move to the suburbs where it is much less interesting. Maybe to me it is a sign that I am leaving my 20's behind. Maybe it is just time for another chapter.

Please don't think that I'm attempting to turn this into a religious discussion, but the mega-church you're referring to is the Church of the Resurrection. You'd be pleasantly surprised that despite its stature, it's a fairly progressive church, especially regarding social issues. While I'm not formally a member yet, I attend one of the satellite locations in Blue Springs...(and this is coming from a person who is moderately agnostic and swore off ever going back to church..haha).

Anyway, on the topic of moving out to OP...Sometimes it's much easier to live closer to where you work. Unless you have direct highway access, the stress from commuting, the gas you burn, the time it takes, all of that factors in. As someone noted earlier, they're building more and more apartments around 79th and Metcalf in the old downtown area, so maybe they're more reasonable than the Plaza area, but it gives you more of a city feel, rather than a cookie cutter suburban feel. Good luck, and give us an update!!

[zach_33]

Agree. I was somewhat disheartened by living close to a megachurch when I first moved here also. Turns out they are a nice, welcoming bunch. Not at all evangelical or fundamentalist. Most people who I know that go there seem to be more or less just trying to be part of a good mannered social club.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by kcbluesprings

Please don't think that I'm attempting to turn this into a religious discussion, but the mega-church you're referring to is the Church of the Resurrection. You'd be pleasantly surprised that despite its stature, it's a fairly progressive church, especially regarding social issues. While I'm not formally a member yet, I attend one of the satellite locations in Blue Springs...(and this is coming from a person who is moderately agnostic and swore off ever going back to church..haha).

It is impressive in that it actually does run counter to its fellow United Methodist congregations in the area of acceptance of homosexuality among its members. I'm not a member, but belong to a denomination that does not condemn homosexuality or disallow the ordination of gay clergy, so I can appreciate that. But, as you say, not a religious thread, so moving on.

Back to the OP's main topic, though, other posters are right that, presence of megachurch or not, it's really not the kind of area you're likely to be proselytized to, unless it's a random weirdo one-off, and it's not an especially "churchy" community, overall.

[bentodd1]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Life is what you make of it. If you move to Overland Park, just make sure to make the extra effort to visit the plaza and other urban areas every chance you get and you won't skip a beat. Best of both worlds. Suburbs can be fine places to sleep and commute from while still living a very active and interesting more urban lifestyle by taking advantage of areas outside where you live during your free or recreational/social time. Overland Park is a big city white collar suburb. I don't find it all that religious at all. Olathe is a considerably more conservative than OP and most of Kansas outside of JoCo is extremely religious/conservative. Overland Park could be in almost any major metro in American though.

Having said that, this is why KCMO desperately needs more high end urban core jobs. The fact that so many people are nearly forced out of the city do to long commutes to suburban jobs is crazy and has really done a lot of harm to KCMO's ability to grow. Again, if KCMO does not see a huge influx of jobs downtown, the current housing boom will grind to a halt within 2-3 years. Current apartment construction in urban KCMO is not sustainable. The amount of people willing to commute to suburban jobs will quickly max out.

The reinvestment in downtown I feel like is a good starting point. Building the trolley was huge. When Denver put their baseball stadium downtown it completely changed its' downtown. Tons of restaurants and bars opened. Then tons of businesses moved in. KCMO should invest in their downtown.

[EastwardBound]

"By moving we will get a larger apartment and save approximately 350 bucks a month."

All we need to know.

[rwiksell]

Originally Posted by EastwardBound

"By moving we will get a larger apartment and save approximately 350 bucks a month."

All we need to know.

Right. It doesn't matter at all if your cheaper, larger apartment is in a war zone, or across the street from a superfund site.

"Just tell me the square footage and the rent! That's all I need to know!"