Nice semi-walkable housing with yards/parks (Kansas City, Independence: for sale, real estate, condos)

[ryanswindle]

Can folks maybe list and discuss the pros/cons of the places you can find housing (not apts) that is close to various theatres/restaurants (is there housing in Zona Rosa? All I could find were apts).

Places downtown are fine too, just needs to be nice/safe, and have either a yard or a communal park at your doorstep.

Doesn't have to be completely walkable, but having lots of options for places to eat and things to do without having to go more than a mile or two is something I have really enjoyed at places previously (which weren't even close to downtowns).

From what I've read on here I get the idea there are lots of places like this, but I would like to see a listing of the actual developments with any info and opinions from folks who may know of them.

To give a little background, I am moving out there for work next week and want to buy my first home within a year or so and stick there unless I get there and find out that you people are all nuts. You're not all nuts are you?

These are two lists I've been looking at housing in and appears to be nice, but not a single one of them lists any actual restaurants/theaters/shops near by, so I have no idea if these are all just housing developments sans the amenities or what..

http://www.tndtownpaper.com/neighborhoods.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Examples_of_New_Urbanism

Oh yeah, and the further west the better from where my new job will be located. I'm even considering Lawrence because of this, is there much of this nature there?

[skrizzle]

Zona Rosa if you want housing, you need to find a house for sale in the surrounding neighborhoods, and i'm not sure what the names of them are. One of them though does have sidewalks built that walk down into the Zona Rosa.

North Kansas City has some nice new houses with the new urbanism style but they built them where it would be about 6-8 blocks to walk to the downtown area of NKC. If you want to just keep it a couple blocks i'd look at the older bungalows there. It's walking distance to shopping, food, bowling, drugstore, and a 1 screen movie theater thats pretty neat called Screenland Armor.

Screenland Amenities

Downtown is walkable whether it's P&L District, Quality Hill, or River Market. However the only options are condos or townhomes that I know of, no actual housing. These are pretty nice:

Quality Hill Condominums | Downtown Kansas City's Historical Neighborhood | 816.472.HOME

Westport, Midtown, Plaza... Union Hill. All walkable all with housing. Plaza be the most expensive of those by far, Westport can range from low to over 300k for some places. Hyde Park is very nice and great prices, not exactly walkable to anything other then the park tho some areas are only around 5-6 blocks from the Plaza I think.

In regards to your list specifically. The Power and Light district has a grocery store, is walkable to other small markets downtown, has a very nice movie theater, tons of bars and resteraunts, etc... I'd prefer crossroads district personally (tho P&L is nice)... more unique local stuff, and it's still just a few blocks walk to P&L from there.

The Northgate village is the new urbanism I was talking about in North Kansas City... and yes there are things nearby.... is just a bit more walking take a look at the area map:

Northgate Village

The downtown area (not to be confused with Downtown KC) is all on Armour Rd. So it looks like 8-10 blocks depending on what part of Northgate Village you are in. They show the community block in blue, but the neighborhood actually stretches up to Macken Park.

[kcmo]

^ good ideas.

One word. Brookside. It's a truly walkable area.

Also look into Union Hill. It's a great area to walk around, near penn valley park etc. You need a car no matter where you live in KC. Unless you live across from the grocery store, you are not going to walk there for most of your grocery needs.

Downtown Liberty, Downtown Lee's Summit,

I also second Downtown NKC.

Also look into the West 39th Street area. It's fantastic area, especially if you don't have kids. It's basically the area on both sides of 39th between state line and southwest trafficway.

West Plaza is also very walkable and very nice. Just drive down Roanoke west of the Plaza and drive around the area.

On the KS side, you might look into Mission. The Johnson Drive corridor is very walkable and has lots of interesting shops etc.

You will find a nice, smaller, sometimes expensive single family homes with a yard in all of these areas.

But Brookside it really exactly what you described.

[ryanswindle]

Originally Posted by kcmo

^ good ideas.

One word. Brookside. It's a truly walkable area.

Also look into Union Hill. It's a great area to walk around, near penn valley park etc. You need a car no matter where you live in KC. Unless you live across from the grocery store, you are not going to walk there for most of your grocery needs.

Downtown Liberty, Downtown Lee's Summit,

I also second Downtown NKC.

Also look into the West 39th Street area. It's fantastic area, especially if you don't have kids. It's basically the area on both sides of 39th between state line and southwest trafficway.

West Plaza is also very walkable and very nice. Just drive down Roanoke west of the Plaza and drive around the area.

On the KS side, you might look into Mission. The Johnson Drive corridor is very walkable and has lots of interesting shops etc.

You will find a nice, smaller, sometimes expensive single family homes with a yard in all of these areas.

But Brookside it really exactly what you described.

The kid is on the way, thus the need for green space, private or communal, I actually like the idea of communal more.. My wife grew up across the street from a little playground/park in Chicago, and told me the other day when she was a little kid if she didn't like somebody there she'd tell them her daddy owned the park and they had to leave or she'd call him. I would love to hear my kid say that, just for the belly laugh.

Can you name any specific neighborhoods/developments in Brookside that you've known people to have lived in or been in before?

[OneKC]

Brookside is the place to be. Its pricey (although you'll be surprised the values you can find), but well worth it IMO.

Waldo is fairly walkable and a bit cheaper. Its just south of Brookside.

Columbus Park and Westside are more blue collar, but I think those are two really up and coming neighborhoods.

In JoCo, its tough to find, but I'd say downtown Overland Park (80th and Santa Fe), Mission/Roeland Park, Prairie Village (right around 75th and Roe), and old Shawnee are all somewhat walkable.

I think I've heard Independence Commons is fairly walkable.

[kcmo]

This is sort of an interesting link, it shows that Brookside is by far the most desirable place to live if you don't want the burbs, but don’t want the city either.

Where does a Garmin-bound recent college grad live?

Brookside is just a great area. If you can afford it. I think it's the best place to live in KC and if I could do it again, I would have much rather lived there and paid for private schools than live where I live now in the burbs. The burbs are ok, but they just don't fit our lifestyle. There is more to life than great public schools. We moved away from the area for better schools and because of housing prices and to be closer to her aging parents that live east of the city. (driving all the way into the city was too much for them). But god I miss living in the Brooside area.

Brookside has an old time commercial district that includes an urban price chopper with some great restaurants and shops. The Trolley Track Trail (old street car right of way) runs through the area and connects Brookside to the Plaza. You’r family can hop on your bikes from the Brookside area and ride to the Plaza and ride along Brush Creek, we did all the time. You can also easily ride to Downtown Waldo and I believe the trail connects up with the KCMO trails in Watts Mill which connects to the Indian Creek Trails in JoCo.

Brookside Waldo also has MAX service and is very popular with residents. It’s so easy to hop on one of the nice MAX buses and be in the city. No need to worry about parking for the Plaza Art Fair, or Sprint Center or any of the major festivals in the Downtown to Plaza corridor. Just walk over to Brookside Blvd and you are ten minutes from most of the central city.

When I lived in Brookside Waldo, I commuted to work via bus and bike often. I loved getting up in the mornings and riding the trolley track trail to my office on the plaza.

Loose Park is between the Plaza and Brookside and is an amazing urban park.

Now there are also some fantastic areas just southeast of Brookside along Holmes and Rockhill. You might even find things more affordable in those areas. The homes are extremely charming and the streets are lined with mature trees. Holmes Park and Tower Park are nearby.

You really should look into the entire South Plaza/Brookside/Rockhill/North Waldo area. Sounds like that area is exactly what you are looking for and you will find that there are tons of young families in the area that have interest just like you.

Also look at West Plaza as I mentioned earlier. This is the area bounded by Westport Road to the north, State Line to the west Roanoke to the east and Ward Parkway to the south. Westwood Park is a great community type park that you were describing. Nice areas, walkable to the Plaza etc.

[ryanswindle]

Kansas City real estate wise, how does this look? Is this high for Kansas City considering the area or low or? Is the address of this place a good location?

4614 Holly St, Kansas City, MO 64112 - Zillow

[kcmo]

Great area. West Plaza is a nice area. That's a condo though. I thought you wanted a SFH.

[ryanswindle]

I think this is brookside? Is this place in a decent location? Overpriced?

Photos for 5707 Locust St, Kansas City, MO 64110 - Zillow

[skrizzle]

I can't believe when I made my list I forgot Brookside and Waldo.... durrrr