West vs. East (El Paso, Beaumont, Fort Bliss: real estate, apartment complexes, lease)

[Blerg]

All,

I am new here and have been looking at threads for several hours so forgive me if I was unable to find this information by searching. I have spent a total of about 36 hours in El Paso and am accepting a position there - planning to move in about a month.

1) Are there distinct differences between West and East? I realize splitting the city into halves is not fair as each "half" incorporates various neighborhoods, but generally, what would you say? I have researched real estate a great deal and it seems the West side has more of the long established neighborhoods and the far, far east is brand new and (seemingly) lacking amenities.

2) What sort of drive should I expect if I live on the West side and commute to Ft. Bliss (a time range, anyway)? It looks like I-10 is the preferred route, but it is, of course, not very direct.

3) I am 33, educated, single, never married if you have any tips (neighborhoods or otherwise).

4) Some important items for me: Quality grocery stores, educated people nearby, access to social activities (for singles), getting away from areas dominated by chain stores and restaurants, etc. (I've gotten jaded because it's all I have in my current city, not a snob). I'd much prefer an authentic experience and support local businesses.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

[mistabinks]

West Side

[joqua]

I don't think there is an easy answer to your questions. The west side is by far the smaller area of residential neighborhoods - but a high concentration of commercial outlets. The east side is more spread out and flatter geologically, with most of the shopping concentrated along the IH-10 and IH-54 corridors. But there are plenty of chain stores and shopping centers scattered around the area too.

I would recommend renting until you get a feel for where it is you would like to live long term (if that is going to be). There are nice upscale neighborhoods on the east slopes of the mountain but the west side slopes have a larger selection. I personally would NOT buy on the west side if I knew my employment was going to be at Ft. Bliss for any length of time. I've commuted from the west side to my job at the refinery complex on the east side, and it got old quickly.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Blerg

All,

I am new here and have been looking at threads for several hours so forgive me if I was unable to find this information by searching. I have spent a total of about 36 hours in El Paso and am accepting a position there - planning to move in about a month.

1) Are there distinct differences between West and East? I realize splitting the city into halves is not fair as each "half" incorporates various neighborhoods, but generally, what would you say? I have researched real estate a great deal and it seems the West side has more of the long established neighborhoods and the far, far east is brand new and (seemingly) lacking amenities.

2) What sort of drive should I expect if I live on the West side and commute to Ft. Bliss (a time range, anyway)? It looks like I-10 is the preferred route, but it is, of course, not very direct.

3) I am 33, educated, single, never married if you have any tips (neighborhoods or otherwise).

4) Some important items for me: Quality grocery stores, educated people nearby, access to social activities (for singles), getting away from areas dominated by chain stores and restaurants, etc. (I've gotten jaded because it's all I have in my current city, not a snob). I'd much prefer an authentic experience and support local businesses.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Yes there are distinct differences but a whole lot fewer than there used to be. More and more it's just the same kind of housing subdivisions going up everywhere. The East side just has more of them but the West side also has a lot of new housing, tons of sprawl and a lot more going up.

El Paso used to be like 5 small towns that bumped up against each other physically, each had it's own feel but that's not so apparent anymore.

The East side isn't lacking amentities, it's just all newer and more sprawling. The same grocery stores and restaurants can be found in all parts of town. You'll find the same chains everywhere. It depends on what you mean by authentic experience -- for that maybe the South side or Central or parts of the Northeast.

As for the commute from the West side to Fort Bliss -- one little fender bender on I-10 and traffic can be backed up and comes to a crawl for miles, a serious crash and it comes to a complete stop. The East side has more alternate routes.

[Blerg]

Great info so far everyone. Thank you!

@joqua The east slopes of the mountain - is this 79930? Or 79904? Both?

[joqua]

Originally Posted by Blerg

Great info so far everyone. Thank you!

@joqua The east slopes of the mountain - is this 79930? Or 79904? Both?

For single family residential it would be that portion of 79904 above (west of) Alabama.

For apartment complexes, it is both zip codes.

These zip codes began developing about the same time as the north half of the 79902 area on the west side of the mountain. Kern Place is the oldest neighborhood with Mesita being the city limit up until about 1950. Wm. Beaumont Hospital was the northern extremity of the city before 1950 with Logan Heights being the older neighborhood. The eastern limit of the city in 1950 was about where Loretto Academy is located - if we don't look at Ft. Bliss as being part of the city limits at that time. The refinery complexes on Trowbridge were outside the city limits back then.

[TexasCCW]

Seems to me that you would benefit from the Kern Place area (WS). There are tons of things to do within walking distance and the homes seem to be of more affluent people. It is also in close proximity of the college (UTEP) and all the nightlife. I would suggest you start off with a short term lease and decide where you want to be within 6 months.

[atrabilius]

Originally Posted by joqua

For single family residential it would be that portion of 79904 above (west of) Alabama.

For apartment complexes, it is both zip codes.

Alabama or Magnetic (I think Alabama Street becomes Magnetic Street at Atlas Avenue). North of Hondo Pass Avenue you have Castner Range, unused Army land filled with old unexploded ordnance, with no development except the Museum of Archaeology and Border Patrol Museums on Woodrow Bean Trans-Mountain Road for about three miles. You've got some houses sort of in the foothills in 79934 west of Martin Luther King Boulevard, but not on the slopes, just below them.

I think the Mayfield Terrace area of 79930 (on the mountain around the western end of Nashville Avenue) has some fairly upscale homes (Tom Lea, the artist, once lived in this area).

[emmapeel]

hello blerg! hope all of this info helps. personally, i'm single and widowed and had contemplated leaving el paso all togther, but truly there's no better place on earth if weather, climate and health are important to you. i've lived on the northeast (79924) as well as west side (79912) and can tell you more if you care to write (i've befriended you via citi-data). i don't want to give any side of town a bad name, but i also know that west side has changed incredibly (for the better in some ways and not so better in others) since 2007. i am definitely moving at the point my lease expires here, as my own complex has had two changes of management and a change of ownership since jan 2012 -- and it's gone to the proverbial dogs (of hell). what was once a truly spectacular complex is now nothing short of ghetto.

[Ms Kitty 98]

Originally Posted by emmapeel

hello blerg! hope all of this info helps. personally, i'm single and widowed and had contemplated leaving el paso all togther, but truly there's no better place on earth if weather, climate and health are important to you. i've lived on the northeast (79924) as well as west side (79912) and can tell you more if you care to write (i've befriended you via citi-data). i don't want to give any side of town a bad name, but i also know that west side has changed incredibly (for the better in some ways and not so better in others) since 2007. i am definitely moving at the point my lease expires here, as my own complex has had two changes of management and a change of ownership since jan 2012 -- and it's gone to the proverbial dogs (of hell). what was once a truly spectacular complex is now nothing short of ghetto.

If you are renting from Case Management or Riverstone I heard that they are bad news landlords.