Moving to Tulsa: any great neighborhoods in BA or Jenks? (Broken Arrow: for rent, loft)

[RuRuRu]

Hi, my husband got new work assignment and we are moving from Europe to Tulsa in a couple of weeks for 1-2 years. We decided to rent a house and after Internet search consider Broken Arrow or Jenks as the second choice – we want to live in green, quite and kids-friendly place in a pleasant neighborhood with our 2-years old son.

We are looking for 3-4 bedroom house with community play-ground and pool nearby. Our budget for rent is about $1500-1700 monthly.
It would be great if someone who knows these areas pretty well could recommend nice neighborhood matching our criteria – so we can look at it upon our arrival.

[BAGuy]

I can tell you that Broken Arrow is a great community and if you choose to move here, you will love it. This would be an excellent place to raise a 2-year old.

[TulsaArtist]

Broken Arrow has a lot of different neighborhoods and price ranges to choose from. Jenks is very nice, though isnt as large. BA caught the suburban growth starting in the 70s so there are a lot of both older and newer neighborhoods, while Jenks is mostly newer and seems to be more upscale, especially along the river/money belt. BA is more sprawling, bland, and typical midwestern "Is where the Bass Pro is", while Jenks is becoming more compact, wealthier demographics, has more character, and will be getting the Billion dollar River District development soon next to the Aquarium and the old Jenks main street. And the Riverwalk in Jenks is finally expanding as well. If your from Europe, I would suggest Jenks over BA. My 2cents worth anyway.

Big video, shows phase 1 of the River District in Jenks. May take about 2 full minutes to download.
Tulsa's River District

little video of what the football field sized fountain will be like
Lumination Video - River District

Wish I could specify a neighborhood that meets your criteria. I am just not that familiar with your average neighborhoods. I paint murals in mostly the high end ones in Jenks and South Tulsa. I would contact a realtor get some names of neighborhoods, and you could even do a google "street view" to get some idea before you get here. I do know there are tons of new, family friendly, middle class neighborhoods along the river in South Tulsa just south of 101st. Have no idea what any monthly rents would be.

[RuRuRu]

Many thanks for your comments and info.

The fact that Jenks is mostly newer worries me a bit - new areas associtated to very young low trees to me. Are there mature trees in Jenks neighborhood parks? Also do ongoing constructions bother quiet and relaxed suburban life in Jenks?

[TulsaArtist]

Originally Posted by RuRuRu

Many thanks for your comments and info.

The fact that Jenks is mostly newer worries me a bit - new areas associtated to very young low trees to me. Are there mature trees in Jenks neighborhood parks? Also do ongoing constructions bother quiet and relaxed suburban life in Jenks?

Yes, there are lots of large old trees. Some of the newer neighborhoods do indeed "scrape and rape", but some do not and leave many of the large trees (Aberdeen Falls) for instance . Plus Jenks has some hilly rocky areas with cliffs and big old trees and is also by the river which helps give it more character and "sense of place". www.aberdeenlake.com
Regardless of whether your in Jenks or BA, the neighborhoods of similar age will likely have similar trees. The newer ones in both will likely have smaller trees and the same amount of construction going on. Just fwi, Neither BA or Jenks has "nice" older neighborhoods with big trees. The older neighborhoods in both are pretty much the poorer ones with small homes, no character, and often kind of slum like to put it bluntly. BA just has a LOT more of those. If you want nicer, older neighborhoods with big trees, your best bet is Tulsa. I would rather live in a newer neighborhood in Jenks with small trees than one in BA because I would rather drive through nice areas every day to and from work and getting the kiddo, than past boring, drab, sprawl every day. The character and feel of the general area you live in is important psychologically too. Course some people dont seem to care about such things. They just want the stats,,, biggest house for the money, no matter how bland, and good schools. Whether they are like a nameless ant living in a home that looks like every other home for blocks and blocks and blocks and blocks, have to drive on traffic filled highways for miles and miles, then past strip mall after strip mall to get there every day... doesnt seem to matter lol. I would personally rather kill myself than live in suburban hell lol. But if I had to live in one, it would be Jenks.

Also in Tulsa check out the "Wind River" developments, which are several neighborhoods. Just across the river from Jenks, may even be Jenks schools.

But from what I am starting to gather, you may like an area not far from there. My sister has a couple of young kids and moved from a "hip" mid-town area to a quiet area in South Tulsa. Between 71st and 81st in a neighborhood just west of Harvard. Precisely because they had kids and wanted quiet, kid friendly, neighborhoods with good schools. Its a neighborhood mostly built in the 80s I would say, big trees, kind of a hilly area so feels nice, good solid middle class homes, even has some newer neighborhoods and infill nearby that are more upper middle and upper class, so is an area that will stay nice, yet isnt too expensive. Is close to nice schools. Is still suburban in feel, yet easy to get to lots of things. I am guessing its the kind of neighborhood you may be looking for in the suburbs, but arent likely to find. Remember, in essence, that part of South Tulsa is suburb. And yes I tease my sister for living waaaay out there lol. She cant wait to move back into mid-town or by downtown and get a contemporary loft or something some day.

[RuRuRu]

Thanks. I've checked Wind River website and these neighborhoods pictures look very nice. Are these neighborhoods ready and developed or still under construction?

[TulsaArtist]

I think most of those are almost filled out by now. There are some newer ones just to the north and south though. They are pretty much eating up the last swatches of available land in that area of Tulsa. You will be able to look out across the river, if your up on one of the hillsides and see the River District and Jenks. Those are definitely some of the nicest of the new, middle-upper middle class neighborhoods around. I work in that area a lot. Pretty, little, old world style, brick and stone homes, lots of shiny suv's and kids running around lol. Some of the homes in the area can be quite expensive and large though.

[mcheatherly]

Church Hill Park in Jenks is very nice. Quiet and very far south. Across the river from Tulsa, near the turnpike for quick access with none of the crime. I lived there for years. Very quiet.

[justducky]

Hi, I just saw this posting. Did you move here yet? We moved here from California and moved to Broken Arrow about 2 years ago. We love it. We live in Forest Ridge. Forest Ridge - a fabulous master-planned community complete with homes for every budget, stunning green areas, and recreation for every taste
It is a fantastic place to raise a family. We love Forest Ridge with the walking trails, golf course, fishing ponds, and playgrounds, creeks, and tennis courts. Oh and there are lots of mature trees.

[BAGuy]

Forest Ridge is a really great community in Broken Arrow.