[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by Charles Wallace

Olecapt, if you want to put out your welcome mat near D Street and Owens, then by all means...be my guest. Would it make you happier if I called that area "Old North Las Vegas"? You've been here since about 2005, right? Maybe you don't know that most of the people who've been here for a while think of "North Las Vegas" as being epitomized by the area spanning Decatur to Pecos and Cheyenne to Owens (and a little further south), even though there's been a lot of development to the north. It's the same reason why that area is still called the Westside, even though there's a heck of a lot more "west" now than there was then. Okay, to clarify for the OP, I'd avoid Old North Las Vegas, a.k.a. the Westside, if I were you. That area is still pretty dicey.

Just to clarify, the Westside is not in "Old" North Las Vegas. They are two separate but adjoining areas. They both have always been predominately black however (although I notice many Hispanics in those areas now), and both are old and rundown areas. That makes homes and apartments there affordable to low (or no, eg. welfare) income people. Whether low income spawns criminals, or criminals spawn low income, there is serious crime in those two areas and always has been. Shootings are a nightly thing. A friend of mine grew up near 'D' and Bonanza many years ago and he said he went to sleep every night to the sound of gunfire, even way back in the '60s. As the population has increased those areas have gotten much worse and decent people in those neighborhoods are afraid to go out at night. During the day time you are relatively (although not completely) safe there, but at night those areas become a war zone.

The reality is that the stigma of crime and run down trailer parks in what you are calling "Old" North Las Vegas has stuck to the whole city even though most of NLV is new and looks no different than the rest of the newer Valley neighborhoods. But it wasn't too long ago that new residents were being warned to stay away from any NLV zip codes if they ever hoped for resale.

Another reality is that North Las Vegas appears to white people to still be predominately made up of blacks and Hispanics, making whites feel uncomfortable there. Whether that's right or wrong doesn't alter the fact. But go to one of the parks in or near Aliente and at least half or more of those using the parks are "people of color". Like I said, right or wrong, that makes white people uncomfortable; which is a shame if we are ever going to learn that people are just people.

BTW: I've maintained residence here since 1964 when we had a population of less than 200,000. I cringed when I saw the story in the LA Times in 1989 about how stupid we were for selling out so cheap to Californians who were moving in by the droves and buying homes for cash that we locals could no longer afford to finance. It was back when Californians were suddenly getting $300,000 for a fixer upper that they had bought for $30,000. Then they came here and paid $150,000 cash for an $80,000 home and laughed at us for selling so cheap. They still had $150,000 in the bank and thought they could retire on it. But now they are the victims of their own stupidity. That $300,000 will barely buy a home large enough for two people, and $150,000 in the bank is chump change; mostly, it seems, thanks to real estate investors.

I have also lived here long enough to have gotten physically ill the first time I drove by Tule Springs Park in a while and saw that beautiful, wild desert area coverd by ugly California style homes. Do I hate black people? NO. Do I hate Californians for what they have done to my town? With a passion.

[olecapt]

Spoken like a true son of Las Vegas...who, however, lives in a psuedo-southwestern style home that would look appropriate on an acre in albuquerque.

[Charles Wallace]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

Just to clarify, the Westside is not in "Old" North Las Vegas. They are two separate but adjoining areas.

Thanks for the clarification, Buzz -- I see where there would be confusion if they're adjoining; I always thought they were synonymous. What was/is the traditional dividing line between them??

The reality is that the stigma of crime and run down trailer parks in what you are calling "Old" North Las Vegas has stuck to the whole city even though most of NLV is new and looks no different than the rest of the newer Valley neighborhoods. But it wasn't too long ago that new residents were being warned to stay away from any NLV zip codes if they ever hoped for resale.

This is very true. Before I moved out here, an apartment rental person told me right up front to avoid anything east of the 95 and south of Cheyenne, which I think is rather extreme now that I know Vegas better, but you're right -- the stigma sticks.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by olecapt

Spoken like a true son of Las Vegas...who, however, lives in a psuedo-southwestern style home that would look appropriate on an acre in albuquerque.

You really have a problem with Pueblo Revival style homes don't you? Psuedo-southwestern? If you wake up and realize where you are some day maybe you'll realize too that this is the southwest and southwest style homes are what those idiots from California should have been building all along. Imagine the personality it would have given Las Vegas to have had a style more appropriate to it's location. Instead our city has always been extremely bland like those ugly cracker boxes that they build in California. Someone likes the New Mexico style and you Californians go crazy. Do you also have a problem with Albuquerque? How about Santa Fe? Sedona? Phoenix? San Diego? If you don't like the southwest what the he** are you doing here? Oh, yeah. Ripping off the fools who move here in droves to pay you a fortune for a house that wouldn't last ten years in the weather back east.

[jfkIII]

Boy, boy, crazy boy,
Get cool, boy!
Got a rocket in your pocket,
Keep coolly cool, boy!
Don't get hot,
'Cause man, you got
Some high times ahead.
Take it slow and Daddy-O,
You can live it up and die in bed!

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

You really have a problem with Pueblo Revival style homes don't you? Psuedo-southwestern? If you wake up and realize where you are some day maybe you'll realize too that this is the southwest and southwest style homes are what those idiots from California should have been building all along. Imagine the personality it would have given Las Vegas to have had a style more appropriate to it's location. Instead our city has always been extremely bland like those ugly cracker boxes that they build in California. Someone likes the New Mexico style and you Californians go crazy. Do you also have a problem with Albuquerque? How about Santa Fe? Sedona? Phoenix? San Diego? If you don't like the southwest what the he** are you doing here? Oh, yeah. Ripping off the fools who move here in droves to pay you a fortune for a house that wouldn't last ten years in the weather back east.

A little sensitive huh? Actually I think those houses are lovely. And pretty nicely built.

They would have after be much nicer on large lots. For some reason or the other my view on the style requires they stand singly rather than in a group.

I feel much the same about classical ranch style places as well. Not made to be packed tight...need large areas between them.

Some of the california styles are much better suited to tightly packed housing then either of those styles.

And no I do not think southwestern styles are "the thing" for Las Vegas. Any single style over done becomes boring. And there is nothing Vegas or Nevadan about the SW style. It is one suited to a particular localized area. I don't know that it would travel well in volume. But a few one offs are nice. The sweeten the mix. My wife has a strong dislike for the tudor across the way. I think it fine. A little ostenstatious but they can afford it. And again it adds a little spice.

My recent pet hate is the mcmansion syndrome. The places going up on Craig being an example. Yes you can put five thousand square feet on a half acre...but you should not.

[Charles Wallace]

Speaking of style, can anyone tell me why it is, given Vegas' unique climate, that builders orient houses and apartments with enormous windows facing due WEST? Seriously, what are they thinking???

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by Charles Wallace

Speaking of style, can anyone tell me why it is, given Vegas' unique climate, that builders orient houses and apartments with enormous windows facing due WEST? Seriously, what are they thinking???

Uhhh, because there are two sides to every street?

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

Uhhh, because there are two sides to every street?

And many golf course have north/south fairways where half the houses have west windows facing the golf course. It can be dealt with...deep overhangs, covered patios, The big mechanical awnings or even a couple of well placed trees. My home is virtually fully protected to the south and west by large Mesqutes. Can't do big trees on a golf course though...blocks the 200,000 view of the neighbors.

[Charles Wallace]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

Uhhh, because there are two sides to every street?

But the thing is, when you have enormous windows facing due west, it raises the heat considerably (and the costs of cooling). It seems wiser to have windows that don't do that, basically.