Why is Highland/University Park the Most Expensive Place in Town? (Dallas: city hall, big home)

[rantanamo]

From experience, you'd be best off in Preston Hollow. Willow Bend's security force will follow you. HP PD will leave you alone for the most part. Preston Hollow is simply more spectacular to look at as there are more estates.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by Grainraiser

"but seriously, stay on the main/major streets like Mockingbird/Lovers Ln/Preston/Hillcrest/Turtle Creek, etc. It makes it clear if a HP Public Safety Officer notices you, they'll think you're just 'passing' through on a major street versus some side residential road. Don't straddle off onto secondary or minor residential streets! Red flag should go up.

You do see blacks and other minorities going through the Park Cities. Its close proximity to downtown and loacation between the major freeways/interstates makes it a crossroads for most commuters, etc. So yes you will see blacks 'passing through' and driving, esp around the SMU areas. However, I wouldn't go strolling through Beverly Dr at 8pm at night if I was you."


Those are pretty much the rules if you go thru HP/PC. It's been they way as long as I have been around.

Those are pretty much the rules for anyone that does NOT live in HP/UP. I worked in Preston Center in college for awhile. On my way to work going thru the Park Cities I did not see a stop sign hidden behind a very overgrown shrub/tree. It was TOTALLY covered and obscured. I ran it (otherwise I would NOT have). Of course a "friendly" HP officer was sitting down the other street and came after me. Since my drivers license was from a "lesser" burb (Carrollton) I was given a citation and had no chance to appeal it at all.

THEN, the day I went to pay the thing on a hot summer day after work I was going down one of the major streets in HP and traffic was backed up at a 4-way stop sign. For some reason my car just conked out on me w/ absolutely no warning - we are talking a fairly NEW and nice car here so I did not look TOTALLY out of place. You would have thought I was trying to hijack the city. Finally a guy in a pickup truck pushed me off to the side street. The people that lived at the house I was beside came out to go somewhere and saw me and offered me a drink and made sure I was okay before they left. My then boyfriend and now husband came to get me but we had to have the car towed. It was quite embarrasing as I do NOT like for my car to breakdown and block traffic but what happened afterwards by most thru there was NOT nice. Every other time I've had any kind of car issue there have been flocks of people willing to help. Guess those Parkies did not recognize me as a hometown girl.

[tycobb2522]

Originally Posted by billdfw

Here are a few more reasons that have not been discussed:

1) Park cities (e.g. Highland Park and University Park) are their own respective "cities": They are not part of Dallas and have their own city government, schools, police force, ect.. Not only are all of these better, but the residents don't have to deal with the incompetance of the City of Dallas.

2) They are the "safest" urban neighborhoods: Since they have their own well funded police force, there is very little crime, and if what crime they do have is actually taken seriously (unlike DPD who only go after "big" cirmes). Unlike the park cities, even the nicest parts of Dallas are still riddled with crime, although mostly burglary and theft and not so much violent crime.

3) Prestige: People with money care about living the "best" neighborhood.

4) Location: Close to everything.

5) Beauty: Truly a beautiful area with a lot of significant architecture. Even some new homes have architectual signifiance (very rare these days).

**Note: I don't live in the park cities, but I still believe it is one of the best places in Dallas to live. It also has cons, but these are the pros.

Thank you Bill, for the "REAL" reasons, instead of some absurd treatise on collusion and conspiricy. + Rep.

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

Those are pretty much the rules for anyone that does NOT live in HP/UP. I worked in Preston Center in college for awhile. On my way to work going thru the Park Cities I did not see a stop sign hidden behind a very overgrown shrub/tree. It was TOTALLY covered and obscured. I ran it (otherwise I would NOT have). Of course a "friendly" HP officer was sitting down the other street and came after me. Since my drivers license was from a "lesser" burb (Carrollton) I was given a citation and had no chance to appeal it at all.

THEN, the day I went to pay the thing on a hot summer day after work I was going down one of the major streets in HP and traffic was backed up at a 4-way stop sign. For some reason my car just conked out on me w/ absolutely no warning - we are talking a fairly NEW and nice car here so I did not look TOTALLY out of place. You would have thought I was trying to hijack the city. Finally a guy in a pickup truck pushed me off to the side street. The people that lived at the house I was beside came out to go somewhere and saw me and offered me a drink and made sure I was okay before they left. My then boyfriend and now husband came to get me but we had to have the car towed. It was quite embarrasing as I do NOT like for my car to breakdown and block traffic but what happened afterwards by most thru there was NOT nice. Every other time I've had any kind of car issue there have been flocks of people willing to help. Guess those Parkies did not recognize me as a hometown girl.

Reminds me of when my car broke down on Lover's Lane (before cell phones). Not one person stopped and offered to help - instead they honked and honked and sped by giving me a dirty look. Good God, it was a BMW - you would think I would have gotten some sympathy!

I had to walk back over Central to Old Town to find a pay phone. Then the tow truck came, more honking and dirty looks..sometimes I almost have a panic attack when I go through there these days!

[MarkyPants2023]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

Reminds me of when my car broke down on Lover's Lane (before cell phones). Not one person stopped and offered to help - instead they honked and honked and sped by giving me a dirty look. Good God, it was a BMW - you would think I would have gotten some sympathy!

I had to walk back over Central to Old Town to find a pay phone. Then the tow truck came, more honking and dirty looks..sometimes I almost have a panic attack when I go through there these days!

Thats funny because thats the exact OPPOSITE of my experience. I don't know why you feel the need to bash HP/UP in everything on both this site and dallasmetropolis.com but its gotten old. You had a bad experience. Let it go. For everyone bad one you had, i had an overwhelmingly positive one. The one time my 2001 Mazda Protege (not a BMW since you feel the need to take a crack) broke down, I had about 4 or 5 people offer to help. One even came out of his house to help me. Get over your hatred for HP. You can enjoy Lakewood all you want but that doesn't eman you have to go out of your way to try to trash HP's good name. I don't bring up how vandals spray painted our HS from your area in every thread. Stuff happens. move on.

[Lakewooder]

Um maybe they knew you were a resident? And what is the spray paint incident - are you talking about the swastika? How do you know who did that?

[MarkyPants2023]

actually I'm talking about an incident from back when I was in high school.

[smithdj]

Living in Highland Park is a priviledge and a family tradition. If your not raised in Highland Park, you wouldn't understand the reason for it's land value. The community is like no other. From the families to the officers and fireman, you won't find a better place to live and raise your family.

[WillysB]

It's designed to be that way.

[DWong]

Originally Posted by smithdj

Living in Highland Park is a priviledge and a family tradition. If your not raised in Highland Park, you wouldn't understand the reason for it's land value. The community is like no other. From the families to the officers and fireman, you won't find a better place to live and raise your family.

Is it scenic or something to it? I mean, go a few miles in any other direction, housing becomes affordable for families.

Just curious if it's one of those exclusive areas that has been around for a while that doesn't have new people moving into.