Grant Beach Neighborhood and general moving advice needed (Springfield, Ozark: lower-class, apartment)

[TimmysMom10]

Hiya everyone! My husband and I are moving at the end of next month due to our rent going up in our already ridiculously high-priced apartment. We're open to rentals and to the possibility of home-ownership (yikes!).
One of the places we looked at today was in the Grant Beach neighborhood, right by the park. I'm ashamed to admit that I really know nothing about the midtown, northside or even the north-ish side of town after being here for two and a half years in the southwest part of town. I was wondering about the Grant Beach neighborhood and if it's considered a decent neighborhood. From what we could see, it looked pretty swell. Any thoughts?
This leads me to the second part of the thread: Are there any places in town that you would ABSOLUTELY never step foot in due to safety reasons? I know this will vary from person to person and I'm not trying to poke any hornets' nest when it comes to the loyalty of Springfieldians to their neighborhoods. :-) Are there any resources that outline the profiles of the neighborhoods? We have a toddler. Which would you consider the least expensive, but most family-friendly?
As I said, we've been here two and a half years and I really don't know much outside of our little southwest bubble. Any advice is welcomed and greatly appreciated!!

[jts1983]

I hate being the one to tell you but this was what it was like when I used to live there but Grant Beach is not a very nice area. There is an abundance of drugs,prostitution,and homeless wandering around many of them registered sex offenders. I also had to deal with people asking for handouts every time you walked anywhere , and people knocking on your door asking for money or to use the phone ect. I wouldn't recommend it for someone unfamilar with the area

[jts1983]

Police]Police arrest five men on suspicion of patronizing prostitutes | Springfield News-Leader | News-Leader.com arrest five men on suspicion of patronizing prostitutes | Springfield News-Leader | News-Leader.com

This is pretty common around the area as well

[BcuzHelives]

I have only driven through the Grant beach park area a couple of times, and it seemed like a decent area to me. I know, not much help lol.

My babysitter lives off of the Western end of Battlefield (Scenic area), and she is a single mom, and the neighborhood seems very nice and there are a lot of kids around.


Nice Home Close to Parks & Golf Course - SW Springfield (http://springfield.craigslist.org/apa/2490693924.html - broken link)
(No fridge, but seems nice otherwise)

[TimmysMom10]

Thank you for the advice! After I posted this, my husband went to crimereports.com and found out that the Grant Beach neighborhood, where we were looking, is full of sex offenders. I don't think I'd feel very comfortable going on walks with my young son in that neighborhood. It really surprised me to hear that, though, because the house we were looking at is right across the street from Weaver Elementary and I thought sex offenders couldn't live within certain feet of schools. Maybe that's just in certain states?

Anyway, we have found a place in SE Springfield. It's smaller than we originally wanted and does not have a refrigerator (lol, seems to be an on-going joke here), but the price is spectacular! Thanks again for the advice. I know where NOT to look next time.

[rwiksell]

I'm glad the OP found a place they were happy with... I certainly understand being over-cautious when you have a toddler.

But to respond to some of the hyper-negativity: My wife and I have owned a home directly across the street from Grant Beach Park for 6 years, and the new Boys & Girls Club. I'll admit that a lot of the conditions of the neighborhood are block-to-block. One block has a lot of families and new investment (like mine) and others seem more neglected. However, very little of the neighborhood is truly run down, and NONE of it is dangerous. I have had virtually no one bothering me or ringing my doorbell to use the phone or ask for money etc, etc. I know there are a few sex offenders that live a couple blocks away, but with both an elementary school and a Boys & Girls Club, it's not easy for them to clump together here.

So to anyone looking for a new place, definitely check out Grant Beach, just do your homework, get a home inspection, and make sure you know what you're getting into. But all in all, it's a great neighborhood, and improving all the time!

P.S. The City Park Board just invested $1 million in upgrading the swimming pool at Grant Beach park, and now it's the coolest public pool in the city!

[WolfJames]

Originally Posted by BigRedIdiot

In general, one outsider's OPINION:

Then there is the subjective view of ONE who has lived in lower-class scum-ridden impoverished places across the USA.

Unless one has the income, accumulated wealth, whatever to isolate one's self, family whatever from the MANY low-class, low-brow, proud-of-their-ignorance and general overall "trashiness" do not expect "much" from residing in Springfield.

So, of all those scum-ridden lower class places, which one would you recommend?

I'm quite serious, as my low fixed income limits my options.

Thanks.

[pams73]

I'm not sure where he has been living, but honestly, Springfield is not bad at all. I have lived in far worse places (and paid a lot more money to do so).

[Arrby]

1. Springfield Mo was just ranked as one of the lowest crime cities in the nation.

2. Springfield Mo. has a slightly higher level of education than the national average.

3. The low cost of living makes it possible to raise a family in Springfield on less income than almost any city its size in the US, and still enjoy a decent quality of life.

4. I've lived many places, spent considerable time in many more. Springfield population is composed entirely of human beings. Most people will end up associating with people who are like themselves.

[linicx]

If income is an issue you might want to look outside of Springfield in aeas near Ozark, Willard, Rogersville, Highland or even Republic. Most of these smaller communties have a grocery store and services to meet basic community needs. .

Originally Posted by WolfJames

I'm quite serious, as my low fixed income limits my options.

Thanks.