San Antonio Questions (Dallas, Austin, Mission: hardwood floors, houses, neighborhoods)

[basinstblues]

I have a few questions about San Antonio. Thanks in advance.

1) Where does the city stand politically? Obviously it's not as liberal as Austin, but I'm assuming not as conservative as Dallas.

2) So much of the USA is homogenized. Is San Antonio unique feeling and are there many local businesses rather than chains?

3) Is the downtown of San Antonio (and in general) good for walking or more of a car city?

4) Dunno if this is a good or bad example, but having been in the Mission part of San Francisco and in the Zocalo area of Mexico City, are parts of San Antonio similar? Is a good amount of San Antonio solidly Latino-feeling culturally?

5) Are there still areas close (within a couple miles) to downtown that are safe and which one can buy a house for around 100K?

6) Are the arts (specifically foreign films, symphony, etc) well represented?

7) Does the university add much culturally to the city?

8) How welcoming is the city to newcomers?

Thanks again.

[firstclassflyer]

I would recommend viewing the sticky that new2sa so graciously posted. It's located at the top of the SA page. It should answer a lot of your questions. Good luck.

[Chaka]

I have a few questions about San Antonio. Thanks in advance.

1) Where does the city stand politically? Obviously it's not as liberal as Austin, but I'm assuming not as conservative as Dallas.

50/50. SOme corners more one way than the other. Overall it's pretty well split.

2) So much of the USA is homogenized. Is San Antonio unique feeling and are there many local businesses rather than chains?

Some areas are unique - downtown/southtown. However San Antonio has the most fast food restaurants in the country I think I heard somewhere. It certainly is overpopulated with chains. You can find unique/independent restaurants in certain areas though.

3) Is the downtown of San Antonio (and in general) good for walking or more of a car city?

Downtown, yes for walking. Outside downtown, no. You need a car to get by. SOme live without, but it's a pain. I often walk to lunch - work in the medical center - and people think I'm crazy. I live downtown and walk all the time.

4) Dunno if this is a good or bad example, but having been in the Mission part of San Francisco and in the Zocalo area of Mexico City, are parts of San Antonio similar? Is a good amount of San Antonio solidly Latino-feeling culturally?

A lot of San Antonio is solidly latino-feeling. However the more predominant hispanic areas are also lower income. There is hispanic culture all over the city...I'd guess the Guadalupe section (near west) with some recent gentrification would be closest to the Mission District in SF, but that's a stretch.

5) Are there still areas close (within a couple miles) to downtown that are safe and which one can buy a house for around 100K?

Yes - Highland Hills/Highland Park, just south of I-10. Prices are rising rapidly as people discover it though. It's about 4 miles from downtown. Lavaca is revitalizing (wihtin 1 mile of downtown), but it's getting harder to find homes that cheap. You can go further south away from downtown, still in Lavaca, and find that price, but it's an area that hasn't quite revitalized yet.


6) Are the arts (specifically foreign films, symphony, etc) well represented?

Yes and no. We have a decent arts district, independent films are well represented. We do have a symphony but it's not well managed and has been problematic over the years. Foreign films can be found at some of the independent art houses, but apart from Bijou, are not often shown on the bigger screens.

7) Does the university add much culturally to the city?

Yes and no. There are a number of universities within the city and some of them offer a lot - lectures, art, etc. However, compared to some university towns, it's minimal. You have to seek it out.

8) How welcoming is the city to newcomers?

Very welcoming. Everyone wants to move to SA these days. I think as long as you're not constantly comparing it to 'home', people will be glad to have you around.

SA has a lot to offer, but what you get out of it depends on what you put into it. From the sounds of your post, I'd suggest not moving outside the loops, but staying close to downtown in one of the historic, revitalized neighborhoods. This is where a lot of the things you are asking about can be found. It's not San Francisco or Chicago, but it is an enjoyable place to be.

[CelesteDF]

Originally Posted by basinstblues

I have a few questions about San Antonio. Thanks in advance.
1) Where does the city stand politically? Obviously it's not as liberal as Austin, but I'm assuming not as conservative as Dallas.
2) So much of the USA is homogenized. Is San Antonio unique feeling and are there many local businesses rather than chains?
3) Is the downtown of San Antonio (and in general) good for walking or more of a car city?
4) Dunno if this is a good or bad example, but having been in the Mission part of San Francisco and in the Zocalo area of Mexico City, are parts of San Antonio similar? Is a good amount of San Antonio solidly Latino-feeling culturally?
5) Are there still areas close (within a couple miles) to downtown that are safe and which one can buy a house for around 100K
6) Are the arts (specifically foreign films, symphony, etc) well represented?
7) Does the university add much culturally to the city?
8) How welcoming is the city to newcomers?
Thanks again.

First off, please read the sticky posted at the top of the San Antonio forum. There is a wealth of information posted there for people considering relocating to San Antonio. //www.city-data.com/forum/san-a...formation.html

To answer some of your specific questions that may not be directly addressed by links/posts in the sticky:

1. My opinion is that San Antonio is a politically moderate town. There are areas of the city where you'll find concentrations of people who tend to be more or less conservative/liberal, but in general SA is fairly middle of the road by Texas standards. Please keep in mind that Texas standards do tend to be a bit more conservative than the rest of the country.
2. There are parts of San Antonio that are entirely unique and parts that look like every other suburban area of the US. The Mission Trail, Brackenridge Park and Government Canyon are certainly treasures here in SA, though you'll find similar areas in CA and other states. You do tend to find more local/independent businesses inside Loop 410 and more chains outside Loop 410. Older parts of the city and some smaller towns in far outlying areas have retained much of their character, while newer development is similar to what you'd find elsewhere around the country.
3. San Antonio is a typically "Western" city and growth after the 1940s was built with the car in mind. Downtown and close-in neighborhoods are typically walkable/bike-able, but most of SA is not easily walkable. Public transportation is not great, so you will likely need a car/scooter/bike unless you want to stay in the bubble.
4. There are parts of SA where Hispanics traditionally lived and still maintain a very "Latino" feeling, while other parts of town are decidedly not. I don't know if I'd compare it to the Mission district or the Zocalo, we're just different. Also Latin culture and traditions pop up in San Antonio mainstream culture in many ways - it's just part of our heritage as a city.
5. I would say the only place you'll find a house for $100K near downtown would be south of downtown in the South Presa neighborhood or possibly southeast in the Highlands area. Areas of South Presa & Highlands are considered "good" or "safe", others less so... you have to get to know the area. You might be able to find a fixer upper in Government Hill, Tobin Hill or River North areas for around $100K, but it will need a lot of work and not be on what's considered a "good street" for several years to come.
6. Most arts organizations/activity are centered downtown, although the movie theaters that tend to show foreign films are scattered across the city. You'll find symphony, opera, dance, visual arts and plenty of venues/galleries downtown. Check out The Majestic Theatre and The Empire Theatre -- San Antonio Blue Star Contemporary Art Center and Blue Star Arts Complex - Directory - San Antonio, TX (http://www.bluestarcomplex.com/directory/index.htm - broken link) just to get you started. There's tons more if you search.
7. When you refer to "the" university, which one are you referring to? There are at least 5 four-year universities (UTSA, OLLU, Incarnate Word, Trinity, & the new TX A&M-SA), plus the ACCD colleges and I'm sure I'm missing some. The 4-year colleges all contribute greatly to SA, bringing a host of cultural, academic, policy, scientific and business/entrepreneurial resources to town. Chances are if a big speaker or performer is in town, one of the universities brought them.
8. Newcomers are typically VERY welcome in SA, with the caveat that you come with an open mind and a positive attitude about wanting to be here. On the other hand, you will not be received very favorably if you constantly compare SA to every other place you lived, or always talk about how things were "so much better" wherever you just came from. San Antonio is FAR from perfect and there are many things that need improvement, but overall it's a wonderful city full of friendly people who are generally happy to be here. Welcome!

[fierce_flawless]

There are more housing options near downtown (older homes) if you either don't have kids, or have options for private school or charter schools.

Tobin Hill IMO is perfectly safe. Lived there for years and would have bought there could I have afforded to. Almost bought in Highland Park but couldn't find anything the right price and size, and then found our house here. Highland Park (a year ago) was only about 10k out of our range so I bet you could find something there. Everyone I know that lives there LOVES it. It's a nice little artsy/liberal pocket of older homes being renovated.

I live on the near West side in Prospect Hill which hardly anyone knows about but it has a lot of history and was part of the original downtown SA. It was home to many notable San Antonians and has it's own character. It does not live up to the "unsafe" rep it has. Our home (3 bedroom 1 bath 2 living areas) was under 80k and is quite charming... and was totally in tip top condition (plumbing, foundation, electrical, all updated, new roof, etc).. it only needed (well, needs) cosmetic updates due to some ugly 60's remodeling choices made by the previous owners. I've got a big front porch with columns, 10 ft ceilings, established pecan and crepemyrtle trees, a window seat box, tongue & groove bead board, hardwood floors, crown molding.. all for less monthly than I was paying in rent. Quiet neighborhood (except for problems with speeders on our street) full of seniors and young families, all within 2 miles of downtown. I would LOVE to see more people here who are interested in preservation/restoration and maybe not so interested in putting the inflatable pool in the front yard. lol. This neighborhood could be a real charmer. The house styles are a bit more modest but still lots of cute ones around. We're close to OLLU and lots of little eateries and mom & pop places.


So the house thing can be done. Just depends on how picky you are and how "scared' you let yourself be by poverty.

Public transpo sucks but if you can live/work near downtown it's much faster/better.