Question about Mahnke Park (San Antonio, Alamo: section 8, apartments, rentals)

[ashbeeigh]

I've been a long time lurker here and a first time poster. You all are a wealth of knowledge!

I'm thinking about renting a 1 bedroom and 1 bath apartment in the Mahnke Park area. I'm a a young single woman and just trying ti figure out how safe the area is right now. I know the area is well on it's way to revitalization, but currently, how safe is it? Is moving to this area in my "current condition" a good idea? Do y'all have any other ideas of areas where I could consider moving? I'd like to be somewhat close to downtown since I do work on the westside (W. Commerce and Zarzamora area) and am now commuting from the De Zavala area daily.

[sapphire]

I think I know ashbeigh! Welcome over to this forum!

I know nothing about living in Mahnke Park, but getting closer to work is an excellent idea. I know you'll get lots of advice from people that actually live there!

Welcome again!

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by sapphire

I think I know ashbeigh! Welcome over to this forum!

I know nothing about living in Mahnke Park, but getting closer to work is an excellent idea. I know you'll get lots of advice from people that actually live there!

Welcome again!

hihihi! Well thanks for not knowing anything. lol. I thought that was you!

[TheGimp]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

I've been a long time lurker here and a first time poster. You all are a wealth of knowledge!

I'm thinking about renting a 1 bedroom and 1 bath apartment in the Mahnke Park area. I'm a a young single woman and just trying ti figure out how safe the area is right now. I know the area is well on it's way to revitalization, but currently, how safe is it? Is moving to this area in my "current condition" a good idea? Do y'all have any other ideas of areas where I could consider moving? I'd like to be somewhat close to downtown since I do work on the westside (W. Commerce and Zarzamora area) and am now commuting from the De Zavala area daily.

It is a great place to live. Everything San Antonio has to offer is nearby. Crime is everywhere but it's not to bad in Mahnke Park. It can be a little rough driving towards downtown near the pigstand area but other than that your good!!!!!

[ShaneSA]

I not only live there, I have several rental units in the hood. It is safe. One of the things I tell tenants who are just moving in is that the other people on the street know who belongs there and who does not. They keep an eye on things. Not snooping so much as being aware. Lots of neighbors are friends too, not just neighbors. There are some spots that are not good YET. They will be. If your a single woman, it is a good place to be. Nice younger professionals(late 20 to 30s), at least my tenants. Close to town and the bus. Lots of foot traffic both on the streets and the park itself, even late at night. It's a real neighborhood with a community feeling.
I live in Mahncke and have seen a huge transformation. I call it Bohemian Alamo Heights, the same zip code without the attitude or the SUVs.

[ashbeeigh]

Thanks TheGimp & ShaneSA for the advice and now I know the proper spelling. It's a hard one!

[guerosincero]

We live in the south part of the park near Good Time Charlie's. Since this area has a lot more multi-family and some section 8 housing in the apartments off Mulberry, it at least seems sketchier than north of us, but we have fantastic neighbors who look out for us and vice-versa. I have been at work a couple of times and received calls from neighbors who noticed something that seemed out of place. As it happened, there was nothing wrong, but the fact that they called me to let me know shows how much folks look out for one another.

If you are interested in crime stats for a particular street, look it up on the crimebase interface at mysa.com. Put in the name of the street and 78209 as the zip code. The results will show up to 25 per page. I think the farther north you look in the park, you will find that the 25 incidents reported may span more than two years of time, meaning an average of less than one incident per month for an entire street.

While I would have no reservations renting a place south of the park, if you can find something north of the park, I don't think you can go wrong. And it is everything they say it is with respect to proximity, regardless of where you are in Mahncke Park. This is true not only with respect to recreation, shopping and the like, but also with respect to the major arteries for transportation: 10, 35 and 281 are all less than 7 minutes away.

[fierce_flawless]

Originally Posted by guerosincero

We live in the south part of the park near Good Time Charlie's. Since this area has a lot more multi-family and some section 8 housing in the apartments off Mulberry, it at least seems sketchier than north of us, but we have fantastic neighbors who look out for us and vice-versa. I have been at work a couple of times and received calls from neighbors who noticed something that seemed out of place. As it happened, there was nothing wrong, but the fact that they called me to let me know shows how much folks look out for one another.

If you are interested in crime stats for a particular street, look it up on the crimebase interface at mysa.com. Put in the name of the street and 78209 as the zip code. The results will show up to 25 per page. I think the farther north you look in the park, you will find that the 25 incidents reported may span more than two years of time, meaning an average of less than one incident per month for an entire street.

While I would have no reservations renting a place south of the park, if you can find something north of the park, I don't think you can go wrong. And it is everything they say it is with respect to proximity, regardless of where you are in Mahncke Park. This is true not only with respect to recreation, shopping and the like, but also with respect to the major arteries for transportation: 10, 35 and 281 are all less than 7 minutes away.

This post says it all.

I worked north of the park and lived south of it and never had a problem. I would have LOVED to buy a house there but they were just a wee bit out of my price range (the southern areas) when I bought, so I'm now where you (the OP) work... on the West side, Commerce and Zarzamora, which isn't as awful as everyone says.

I love Mahncke park and have quite a few friends there. It's charming and I wouldn't hesitate to live there. There are some adorable apartments there that are not in complexes but in 4plexes and such that have been restored and are now rentals. We looked at one a few years ago that was just GORGEOUS. Too small for us but great for a single person.. my partner's mom was thinking of renting it.

[ashbeeigh]

Thanks again for all the help, y'all. i found out earlier today that one of my co-workers used to lived up the street from the apartment I was/am looking at, so that's always a plus too.

[Big Guy]

My wife and I were some of the first to renovate in Mancke Park on Pershing in the early 80's. We found it to be a nice neighborhood with easy access to the park.

We no longer live there, but it was safe at the time and I would not hesitate to move back now that my kids are grown.

Cheever Books is a treasure trove of things to read and you can take it to the park and watch the egrets in the tree on the river directly behind the Witte. About 500 now in one spot. Don't sit under the tree!

I do admit (hangdog look) that we moved uptown to AH, but we own no SUV's or guns. However, we do play golf and are anxiously awaiting the reopening of Old Brackenridge Golf Course. Buy some stick and start learning.