Possibly Moving Back... (Tulsa, Jenks, Carnegie: house, magnet schools, living in) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

thepastorsson · 05-05-2012, 08:35 AM

I've lived in BA twice for a total of 4 years. I do remember a very cool old fashioned soda fountain place, but other than that...meh. It's just strip malls and subdivisions. And Rhema. Um...no thanks.

Here's a question. If midtown, for whatever reason, isn't a viable option to live in, are any of the burbs going to compare? I mean in terms of aesthetics, culture, uniqueness and all around vibe?

swake · 05-05-2012, 09:00 AM

Jenks will be the closest. The little old downtown area is actually a walkable area and has a lot of new development. Most of the new suburban parts of Jenks are two miles or so south or a mile or so west of the old town but Jenks still has it own pretty cohesive feeling, it's still it's own town. There's a flood levee around the old town and then there's a break in development all around the old town before you get to the new parts. It's due to the surrounding flood plain that Jenks will not allow development in.

Jenks is also pretty close to Midtown. If Peoria is the "main street" of Midtown, and many would argue that it is, Peoria is also the main north-south street in Jenks, though in Jenks it's called "Elm". If the center of Midtown is 36th and Peoria. Main and Elm in Jenks is actually 96th and Peoria on the Tulsa street grid system just six miles due south.

Jenks is also nice in that there are no big box developments in the city at all and no room for them either. It keeps from having that complete bland suburban feeling. But Jenks is not isolated either. If you want Wal-Mart/Target and all of that it's all very close with The Shoppes at South County (big Wal-Mart development) just south of Jenks on US-75 in Glenpool or Tulsa Hills (Target/Lowes/Belk/Best Buy) just north of Jenks in Tulsa on US-75 or the big commercial area at 96th and Riverside in Tulsa right across the river. The Woodland Hills/71st/Memorial drive area which is the largest commercial area in the state is just 10 minutes from Jenks on the Creek Turnpike.

thepastorsson · 05-05-2012, 11:38 AM

Very cool. I have a very close friend who lives in Jenks, and she really likes it. All of the development you've mentioned didn't exist when I last lived there, except for 71st street. Jenks is a close suburb but I simply never spent time there, so I'm largely unfamiliar with it. Sounds doable though. Thanks!

Bass&Catfish2008 · 05-05-2012, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by countrymousecommuter

I'll be keeping an eye on this post. Like you, we are considering a move back to Tulsa in the near future with young children. Like you, I am interested in living in an interesting neighborhood, but unsure about the schools. I'll be reading up on all the interesting options Tulsa Public Schools offer.

I know BA has a terrible rep as just another suburb, but there are some unique houses, and their downtown area isn't all cookie cutter. Just a thought. My sister lives in BA and while she wishes she had wood floors, she's pretty happy.

>>>>>
My sister lives in BA and while she wishes she had wood floors, she's pretty happy
<<<<<

Well, I'd say that's a heck of a life if her biggest worry is not having wood floors.

Bill236c · 05-05-2012, 02:36 PM

I heard that BA city government is considering a repeal of the wood-floor ban. I think the law dates back to the old days before they had many trees, and people lived in sod homes like in Kansas.

thepastorsson · 05-05-2012, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill236c

I heard that BA city government is considering a repeal of the wood-floor ban. I think the law dates back to the old days before they had many trees, and people lived in sod homes like in Kansas.

Is this a joke? They can't seriously have a ban on wood floors.