Allen, Tx: East vs. West (Dallas, Plano: new house, construction, school)

[theloneranger]

Originally Posted by compSciGuy

Where are kids being coached for the PSAT? I knew lots of kids that practiced for the SAT, but not for the PSAT. Actually, when I was younger and at a school with a high number of National Merit Semifinalists, ... all those people that I knew that were National Merit were those that may have done some self preparation, but had no external coaching.

Generally this. However, some kids have started Karen Dillard's by the fall of junior year and so are going to be prepared for the PSAT.

I know most school districts just give the kids the practice packet from the College Board and turn them loose.

My high school took all of the kids who scored above 180 or so and gave them a special 3-week course for PSAT prep to try to get them up to National Merit level. However, for the most part the kids who were the most naturally intelligent and had scored the highest on the PSAT as sophomores tended to get National Merit Finalist status as juniors. I don't know if other schools do similar things or not. I don't think taking the class made any difference on my becoming a National Merit Scholar--I had NMF-level scores the first time I took the PSAT in 8th grade.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by theloneranger

Generally this. However, some kids have started Karen Dillard's by the fall of junior year and so are going to be prepared for the PSAT.

So if my 9th grader takes the SAT am I guilty as well? I do mean the SAT and NOT the PSAT. She will be taking the SAT this fall which is her freshman year. I've been instructed for her to do so by the school Which I think it would be good for her anyway so no harm done at all.

[bricor]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

I grew up in DFW and I have seen previously nice areas turn in a matter of a few years.

East Allen is not immune from this fate, in fact it is at a higher risk of turning because it is so far away and property values are not all that high. Sorry but it's the truth. And you may not have a lot of high density housing now but that can change in a heartbeat.

Allen will be a decaying outer ring suburb in 20 years.

20 years ago, people were probably saying the same thing about Plano, Frisco and Southlake.

[tyanger]

Originally Posted by bricor

20 years ago, people were probably saying the same thing about Plano, Frisco and Southlake.

I was thinking along these same lines - so now I'm wondering what are some current specific examples of 'decaying outer ring suburbs'?

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by tyanger

I was thinking along these same lines - so now I'm wondering what are some current specific examples of 'decaying outer ring suburbs'?

Farmers Branch & Carrollton come to mind. I grew up there. Actually, the house my parents had in Farmers Branch is HIGHER in value now than the house they bought and we moved to in Carrollton that is newer and larger. The neighborhood is better as well in FB. I'll drive down the old streets ever once and awhile just for grins and it is amazing. My parents called the city all of the time in Carrollton about neighbors crap and trash piled up and they wouldn't do anything. Driving down the alley was awful. It is NOT what it used to be at all. And this IS north of Trinity Mills and Frankford as well.

[tyanger]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

Farmers Branch & Carrollton come to mind. I grew up there. Actually, the house my parents had in Farmers Branch is HIGHER in value now than the house they bought and we moved to in Carrollton that is newer and larger. The neighborhood is better as well in FB. I'll drive down the old streets ever once and awhile just for grins and it is amazing. My parents called the city all of the time in Carrollton about neighbors crap and trash piled up and they wouldn't do anything. Driving down the alley was awful. It is NOT what it used to be at all. And this IS north of Trinity Mills and Frankford as well.

I guess I'd have to agree with those examples today, although I wasn't around (and don't know anyone who was around) personally during the 'heyday' for each of those cities. Were they ever comparable to what Plano/Frisco/(Allen/etc) are like today? I'm not saying they weren't, I just don't know.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

I grew up in DFW and I have seen previously nice areas turn in a matter of a few years.

East Allen is not immune from this fate, in fact it is at a higher risk of turning because it is so far away and property values are not all that high. Sorry but it's the truth. And you may not have a lot of high density housing now but that can change in a heartbeat.

Allen will be a decaying outer ring suburb in 20 years.

East Allen is not immune because east Plano will expand. The last trip I took to Bob Woodruff park looked like a giant pinata filled with children exploded. There are nice areas immediately around the park, but east Plano has turned worse over the last decade and there is a good amount of land between it and East Allen that's just asking to be filled up with crappy apts up and down Allen Heights Parkway from east Plano.

- and yes, 30 miles from downtown has never been "prestigious" unless you own a 100+ acre ranch.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by tyanger

I guess I'd have to agree with those examples today, although I wasn't around (and don't know anyone who was around) personally during the 'heyday' for each of those cities. Were they ever comparable to what Plano/Frisco/(Allen/etc) are like today? I'm not saying they weren't, I just don't know.

I've watched them all grow over the years/decades. When we moved from FB to North Carrollton that was the "big time" and one was "moving up" on the prestige scale. The city was slow to allow restaurants and other developments to come in. They haggled w/ the developer for "the mall" for so long that they finally gave up and went up the road to Lewisville. They got the mall and Carrollton got a Mervyn's which no longer exists and a SuperWalmart in its place. The Target was a BIG DEAL when it finally opened but most of the grocery stores have closed up. Was around to see Brookshires close up, Albertson's open up and now close. I remember when Kroger opened the store on Rosemeade at Marsh and that was back then a $$$$ area. Then the Kroger on Denton. Same goes for the Minyards at Belt Line and Josey. I used to work in that immediate area and it was HOPING back then (Belt Line & Josey). Even at night there were a ton of quick dining options right there w/ Mama's Pizza, Mr. Gatti's, Arby's, Schlotzky's, Wendy's, Del Taco (yes, we had them here in Texas) and of course Next Door Restaurant and Monterey House (omygosh, totally forgot about that one). Then Chili's FINALLY opened up in North Carrollton. The city leaders are to blame as they have fought every single developer. One former city "leader" was the builder of many of the homes that are not a F&J tract back in the early 80's and he was not even building to code THEN! Then it started attracting those that didn't want to live in The Colony, I guess and started a downhill decline. There are many proponents of the area on here but having seen it go from a nice middle income area to practically a barrio in many areas...... not so great. All of the cheap apartments did not help either. Now you have people putting cheap storage buildings in their backyard or garage or BOTH and plopping a window a/c unit in it and letting an entire familly live there with their washers & dryers sitting in the drive. The city code won't do anything about it. My parents gave up calling as it was futile to get them to do anything about it. From solid middle class to 5 families per house for SFH and the lower rent apartments and no major shopping in the area any more........... not great at all.

As for comparing it to Plano, Allen or Frisco.
Back then Allen and Frisco were PODUNK small country towns that were WAY OUT THERE! I can see some parts of them turning into it if they don't watch what they allow. If they allow too many densly populated lower priced point tract areas it can. These three areas have been a little more proactive when it comes to letting retail development come into their city. The city leaders of Carrollton only wanted to toot their own horn by just being on the council and haggle developers that had their eye on land there to the point they gave up. However, some areas in these CAN go down if the city leaders allow those lower areas to become a disliked and unfavorable stepchild and ignore them and just sweep any issues under the rug thinking, "well it IS over in _______".

[tyanger]

That really puts things in context and perspective. Thanks mom! (of2dfw I mean)

[rolltide87]

Originally Posted by jobert

East Allen is not immune because east Plano will expand. The last trip I took to Bob Woodruff park looked like a giant pinata filled with children exploded. There are nice areas immediately around the park, but east Plano has turned worse over the last decade and there is a good amount of land between it and East Allen that's just asking to be filled up with crappy apts up and down Allen Heights Parkway from east Plano.

- and yes, 30 miles from downtown has never been "prestigious" unless you own a 100+ acre ranch.

30 miles from downtown has never been prestigious, really? In that case, forget Allen; I just hope the citizens of Frisco & Southlake don't see this.