We Love Dallas, Here's why: Our feedback after living here for 11 months. (Frisco: transplants, how much)

[Pagusas]

Originally Posted by WorldKlas

Thanks for taking the time to reflect on, and share, your assessments of the burbs. Maybe Castle Hills would have been a better pick for your house as far as commute and the things you like.

Not for the price. the only 300k priced house there was one with the backyard the size of a postage stamp and looked out to 121 (did not meat the lawn need, the size need or the visual appeal for us). For the things we wanted the price would have hit 375-400. We actually had picked Castle Hills as the area best for our commutes and likes, the price just wasn't justifiable, 300k really was our cap as I did not want to go over 26% income post-tax income towards mortgage/escrow/hoa.

We like the area we picked, and feel we got far more house, and more importantly yard. Everything is a compromise at this point in life, and we made the ones we felt most comfortable with.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Pagusas

Not sure whats strange about the statement. Its just ugly, we walked from Reunion Tower, to the Aquarium and around the area, and it was dirty (Litter everywhere) and felt extremely empty for a city area. Its no where near as bad as Downtown Philly, but still we were surprised. Of all the areas we've been so far I'd say that area of Dallas is our least favorite.

It's strange to someone who was born and raised here and remembers what downtown looked like in the 1980s.

Saw that thread and stayed clear of it. Its basically what I'm talking about in a nutshell. It isn't just an economic divide (its a grand canyon) Its the fact that the better off seem to have completely turned those less fortunate into evil lazy monsters who will destroy communities (but more importantly their home values). I get it, no one wants to see their home turned into a "ghetto" but people seem to lose touch with the fact their are still human beings out there, and not all of them are in bad fiscal situations because they are lazy, ex-cons or fathering 40 children. The ability of money to make people blind to the suffering of others makes me very sad.

On this we agree.

[LeagleEagleDFW]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

It's strange to someone who was born and raised here and remembers what downtown looked like in the 1980s.

No kidding. Some of my younger friends from law school live in really nice apartments now where I used to see people peeing in the streets growing up.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by LeagleEagleDFW

No kidding. Some of my younger friends from law school live in really nice apartments now where I used to see people peeing in the streets growing up.

Remember multiple shootings at the McDonald's across the street from that building wrapped in green neon (can't remember what the hell they call it nowadays)?

I remember when downtown Dallas had Detroit-level blight and the only reason to ever set foot in downtown was to go to the farmer's market. No such thing as "Uptown" back then. No AT&T center. The Mavericks played in that ghetto-ass leaky Reunion Arena. No Sixth Floor Museum either. No West End Marketplace.

OP's making it sound like a ghetto when in actuality (to me anyway) it looks like Main Street at Disneyworld compared to 30 years ago.

[Pagusas]

Originally Posted by LeagleEagleDFW

No kidding. Some of my younger friends from law school live in really nice apartments now where I used to see people peeing in the streets growing up.

I can fully understand that, I had similar fillings about Vegas (spent part of my life there in the early 90s, seeing parts of it change from basically shack downs to multi-million dollar properties makes me take double takes at times).

I guess I was just comparing that part of downtown to the art district, which I find much prettier and well kept.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Pagusas

I can fully understand that, I had similar fillings about Vegas (spent part of my life there in the early 90s, seeing parts of it change from basically shack downs to multi-million dollar properties makes me take double takes at times).

I guess I was just comparing that part of downtown to the art district, which I find much prettier and well kept.

Which begs the question...what did you expect the downtown area of one of the largest cities in America to look like? Not trying to be funny here, but downtown Dallas doesn't have an HOA.

[Pagusas]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

Which begs the question...what did you expect the downtown area of one of the largest cities in America to look like? Not trying to be funny here, but downtown Dallas doesn't have an HOA.

Every inch of it to be like Michigan Avenue in Chicago :P

Seriously though, I guess I expected the historical areas, (or at least the area around reunion tower) to be much more green, park like, and cleaner. I got the look I'm thinking of from the area around Kyle Warren Park. That area is very nice.

[alastrian2]

Would anyone consider Reunion area to be historic (not meant to be a snarky question)? I mean, if you were writing of the West End I could perhaps follow, but the area around Reunion lacks business density to revive itself or be a pedestrian destination. One might consider it to be on the crusty perimeter of downtown?

[J800]

As a young professional, I love Dallas....but the lack of dense, walkable urban areas is what's bothering me the most.

Uptown is about as a good as it gets here as far as walkability goes, but even then I don't see the same "hustle and bustle" type atmosphere like in comparable neighborhoods of Austin, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, etc..

Downtown is always dead after 5 PM. I walk to work a lot, but sometimes when I leave late (7 PM or so) I only see a few people on the streets. I pass Klyde Warren every evening, and it's only crowded on weekends or so it seems.

I love the Bishop Arts District but most people hop in their cars to visit that area. I wish they would build more apartments directly surrounding the area. A new property opened on Bishop not too long ago and it's a 5-7 min walk from the center of Bishop, which is great.

[elan]

Originally Posted by Pagusas

Not sure whats strange about the statement. Its just ugly, we walked from Reunion Tower, to the Aquarium and around the area, and it was dirty (Litter everywhere) and felt extremely empty for a city area. Its no where near as bad as Downtown Philly, but still we were surprised. Of all the areas we've been so far I'd say that area of Dallas is our least favorite.

I was going to argue with you about that, but then I remembered the area around Reunion Tower does get littered. If you skirted that edge of town to get to the Aquarium, it probably wasn't that impressive. I rarely go on that side. I do love the heart of downtown and the north/northeastern part though. Anywho, to each his own. I agree with you about Southlake, I like it too. Funny, after moving to Frisco, the only complaint two of my friends have is the mall.