Target Stores in Wichita (Derby, Seneca: apartment complexes, renters, crime)

[Trailhiker]

My wife and I are considering a move to Wichita from South Dakota to be closer to her family.

I work from home, and my wife works for Target and would transfer to a store there. We have learned that Wichita has 4 Targets. I think two are Super Targets.

Anyway, in an effort to determine which store she should aim for first, I wanted to ask how you would assess each store and the areas where they are located. She has never worked at a Super Target, and would prefer not to, but would still like to know about the stores and areas.

I think three of the stores opened at the same time a few years ago, and the other near Towne Square East is much older. Is the older store not as nice, or have they kept it up by remodeling?

We would be looking to rent an apartment first, hopefully under $600. Is that reasonable?

I have read in other threads about the areas to avoid? Overall, would you describe the crime as being isolated to those areas, or is there crime of some sort in all parts of the city?

Thanks in advance!

[athfo]

NW SuperTarget:

This target is in New Market Square at 21st and Maize. Very nice area, fairly new, lots of development. There are plenty of apartment complexes in the area.

W Target:

I've never been to this target, but I know that this store is part of a large strip of big-box stores. The area is older, and it's near Towne West. However, it has very convenient access to highways.

E Target:

This target is, as you said, older than the SuperTargets. I do believe they remodeled it, but it's much smaller than the other stores. It is right next to Towne East, which comes with its own crime problems. However, the areas immediately around Towne East are nice. This store also has good access to highways.

NE SuperTarget:

This store is comparable to the NW SuperTarget. It located at 21st and Greenwich. It is a much newer area than 21st and Maize, so it doesn't have as much development... yet. It's in a very nice and wealthy area. It's located literally right off of K-96. This seems, to me, to be the nicest Target of all the stores.

You most certainly could get a 1-bedroom (or even a 1-bedroom with a smaller den) for $600 or less. I personally suggest Ponderosa Apartments at 21st and Woodlawn in that price range. They have free trash-pickup, cable tv and water. This location would provide fairly easy access to the east and northeast Targets. But of course, there are many other apartments to choose from.

Like I've said before, the further east and west you go, these areas are newer and wealthier, and quite frankly, are safer than areas in the city center. The central northern neighborhoods, basically from Twin Lakes (21st and Amidon) over to Wichita State (21st and Hillside), could be considered poorer and not as safe. Most of south Wichita could be considered not as safe, unless you go to the extreme southeast or southwest areas. Finally, the center of the city, from basically I-235 & Kellogg (US-54) to Kellogg & Hillside could be grouped in the "not safe" category. Follow normal development of the city, which is east and west, and the safer areas you'll get. And granted, you can most certainly get crime anywhere in the city.

[crazyma]

Ditto what athfo said. I personally like the northeast side, that is where I live. Anywhere east of Woodlawn/Oliver and north of Kellogg is good...and yes College Hill is nice too
The Super Target on 21st is nice. Not a lot business wise out there...yet. The one near Towne East mall is older but okay. Coming most recently from Miami, Atlanta being home, the 'crime' here is not horrible, to me.

I think you can find an affordable apt.on the east side, no problem. It is very easy to get around this city.
Good luck to you.

[athfo]

Originally Posted by crazyma

Coming most recently from Miami, Atlanta being home, the 'crime' here is not horrible, to me.

Don't get me started on that again!

[drjones96]

Derby (just 10mi south of Wichita) has a brand new Target store. It's a regular Target not a Super.

I live in Derby and can vouch for it being a quality place to live.

This apt came highly recommended when we were looking for a temperary place to live until we found a house. And it is practically across Rock Rd from Target.
http://www.apartmentguide.com/apartm...t-Derby/45380/

[crazyma]

athfo...LOL, when we moved here, locals kept saying how bad the 'crime' was, and the traffic...I just laughed. They have no idea...bless their hearts I talk to my Dad in the Atlanta area almost everyday, and he always tells me who got shot that day.

Trailhiker- it really is a pretty decent place. Just like any where else, you use commonsense. I always look around and try to be aware of my surroundings.Keep my keys in my hand, try to park in well llit areas at night. Stuff like that. Since we are still rather new, I always take a look at a map before going some place I haven't been, just to get a bearing on things. Once you learn the main north-south roads and east-west ones, it is fairly easy to get places. One thing tho', I have noticed that a lot of roads are not well marked, at night and in the rain it is hard to see the lanes! And some of the highway signage is confusing. But I don't get on them much, as I found 21st will get me west. And Douglas will get me downtown.

[athfo]

Originally Posted by crazyma

athfo...LOL, when we moved here, locals kept saying how bad the 'crime' was, and the traffic...I just laughed. They have no idea...bless their hearts I talk to my Dad in the Atlanta area almost everyday, and he always tells me who got shot that day.

It's all relative. Like I've said before... you can't compare Atlanta and Miami to Wichita. I'm not surprised you don't find crime here to be that bad. However, someone coming from South Dakota might not be used to Wichita's crime.

It's all relative.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by athfo

It's all relative. Like I've said before... you can't compare Atlanta and Miami to Wichita. I'm not surprised you don't find crime here to be that bad. However, someone coming from South Dakota might not be used to Wichita's crime.

It's all relative.

That is true. South Dakota probably has little crime outside of the Indian reservations. Wichita is a very safe place except for a few areas which are quite dangerous. New residents should be cautioned on where those areas are and counseled to avoid them whenever possible. But 90% of Wichita is very safe. I own a 4 plex there (not far from the old Parklane shopping center) and none of my renters or relatives have even been robbed or broken into. My brother and his family live near Aley Park off Seneca and they have never been robbed or broken into but my sis in law (his wife) did have her car broken into at Dillion's because she foolishly left her XM radio out.
As for Atlanta, where we live now, it is the same story except that the "safe" parts of the city proper are about 50% instead of 90%. But you have to recognize that, unlike Wichita where the vast majority of the metro population lives within the city proper, here in Atlanta less than 10% of the metro population lives in Atlanta proper (about 500,000 in a metro of over 5 million). Most of us live in the suburbs of Atlanta like Cobb where we live and the suburbs are in fact pretty safe. I have lived in Cobb since 1998 and never had any problems- and no, it is not racial- my neighbourhood is about 50% black and 20% Hispanic- we are a minority here.

[OTstuckinKS]

I agree with the post about the Derby Target. The apartments at the golf course are great priced for what you get. Nice homes around the golf course help the area stay nice.