Area in KC Similar to University City (STL) MO? (Kansas City: apartment, houses)

[inahandbasket]

Starting to contemplate a possible move to KCMO. Spouse may transfer to a position at the KC VA Medical Center. We currently live in the inner ring suburb of STL - University City. I've been looking on Zillow at the Brookside neighborhood. I like that it's so walkable! What other areas of KC are like U City? We like more of a city vibe and not suburban sprawl.

Our budget would be $300K-350K. Schools aren't an issue as kids are about to graduate from college.

Thanks for any information.

[MOKAN]

^I'm not very familiar with University City as a whole, but I do think Kansas City's bi-state West 39th Street/KU Med area is analogous to the Delmar Loop (taking into account Washington University's influence). From what I know of University City, which is pretty much just Delmar, I don't think Brookside is analogous, though it is a very nice neighborhood. Brookside is not diverse, but about 95% white and affluent. It's not very urban either outside of its business district. I'd think Kansas City, MO's midtown area and Kansas City, KS's Rosedale area, which are what surround the West 39th/KU Med area, would be more like University City. Those two zip codes have the diversity like University City, but even combined fall short of its population. Kansas City's Country Club Plaza area is in between Brookside and midtown, and I'd say it's analogous to Clayton with Brookside being so to whatever nice, non-diverse, single-family home dominated, village-centered neighborhood/town outside of Clayton might be.

University City: //www.city-data.com/city/Univer...-Missouri.html
Brookside: //www.city-data.com/zips/64113.html
West 39th/midtown: //www.city-data.com/zips/64111.html
Rosedale: //www.city-data.com/zips/66103.html

[kcmo]

KC kind of lacks area like this. Everybody wants older streetcar suburbs or urban core single family housing areas that are walkable and vibrant Brookside is typically KC's only answer. Brookside is awesome, I grew up there and still love it, but I hope KC can really start to bring back its midtown areas. So much potential.

I would agree that the W39th area is okay. It's not very "bistate" though. The school and a couple of apartment buildings are on the KS side, but the vast majority of the desirable housing, restaurants etc are on the MO side. I know that there is some new development on Rainbow, but I have never understood why there has not be a LOT more spin off development around KC Med, especially on the KS side. Most large urban university research hospitals like that are FAR more active and built up around them than KU Med is. Having said that, I do like the eclectic and organic neighborhood was West 39th. But I think you will have a hard time finding a house in that area because your budget is really out of the league of that area unless you go to Coleman Highlands which is a few block to the northeast and not all that walkable. Coleman Highlands is an awesome area though if you are looking for nicer, historic urban single family houses close to Downtown.

I would say look at areas close to the Plaza and Westport. South Plaza would probably be a great place although 350k will be at the bottom of the market there so the opposite of W 39th.

University City is a rather large area. Much of it is suburban and not all that walkable, although it's inner suburban. For that reason, I would also look at Waldo and areas near Ward Parkway Mall where you will find nice older homes, decent transit and be close to areas like Brookside shops, UMKC, Plaza etc.

[zach_33]

Hi IAHB - I think Brookside *maybe* the best analogue. You would be looking at a very similar house comp in parts of Brookside as you would find in University Heights - I am thinking in the $300-$350 range, 3 beds, 1.5 baths, 1600-1800 sf, decently maintained though not lavishly updated. Slightly different neighborhood amenities but a very similar vibe in my opinion. Another area I would take a very close look at if I were you would be the neighborhoods on both sides of state line around Westwood. Westwood Hills totally has a University Heights feel. Westwood KS (proper - just west of Westwood Hills) is a bit more like City View Heights (which I like, a lot) so the houses are mostly smaller and more modestly constructed. An advantage of Westwood proper is the convenience to the "Fairway Shops" which is a small, independently focused cluster of retailers - not a lively night spot but a good area to grab breakfast or a glass of wine. Then east of Westwood Hills on the MO side ("West Plaza") is a bit more urban in it's feel because it abuts the Country Club Plaza - it also feels a bit grungier, a bit more densely packed, though it is very similar to Westwood Hills the closer you get to Ward Parkway. If kids were not in the equation, these would be the general areas I would target (and that's coming from an ex-U Citier