Liberal and young...need a place to live that's hopefully progressive and dare I say, cute (Oklahoma City: apartments, rent)

[#1soonerfan]

Originally Posted by ou_norman

I am glad you have taken the time to learn about OKC and your information seems very accurate! You will be happily welcomed to Oklahoma City if you can imagine the great opportunities it can provide. You are right that things will be a big change going from SF to OKC- a lot less urban and cosmopolitan. However, you will also find a really tight-knit inner city community with a growing population of talented young people who feel empowered to make a difference and are pushing our culture forward in art, music, food, retail, and urban revitalization. There's always a new surprise with all the progress going on.

You are right that the Plaza District and Paseo are the best neighborhoods for a progressive young creative. They are small commercial main streets with restaurants, bars, shops, and galleries surrounded by 2-3 story apartment buildings and single family houses. There are lots of events and activities in each neighborhood.

Jefferson Park is next to the Paseo, a mostly residential area where there are lots of apartments within an easy bike/walk to Paseo or 23rd Street (23rd is also a growing urban street with bars, restaurants, and shopping). Lots of young people live in Jefferson Park in the buildings on Robinson between 24th St and 30th.

The dense, urban city area is Deep Deuce where there are 4-5 story urban apartment complexes, some eating/drinking, and a very quality independent grocer (Native Roots) owned by a young family who lives upstairs. You get access to the Bricktown area where there are lots of bars/restaurants and big movie theater, but downtown doesn't have the hipster character that you find in Paseo/Plaza. Midtown (10th and Walker) is also nice but maybe not as put together or complete as the other neighborhoods.

Great post (as usual from ou_norman). Judging by the original post, I would look around the Plaza area. Lots of the OPs type hanging out in the bars there like Saints, the Mule, etc. I would only add most of the residential near the Plaza District thats worth looking at is in Gatewood, on the north side of 16th. DO NOT look at the the areas south of 16th. This is Classen Ten Penn and is pretty much bad news.

As far as moving from SF to OKC, all I have to say is I hope you know what you are in for. Honestly, I think OKC might me the antithesis of SF. I've been to SF; although personally I think I'm more of a SoCal person LOL. I consider myself moderate to liberal (with some libertarian lightly sprinkled in) and I found a lot of the views there to be...a bit much. With that in mind, I live deep in the heart of the inner loop (the area bounded by 44, 35, and 240) and I feel very little of the typical right-wing vibe that Oklahoma has. I would argue that there are a lot of areas outside this area that don't have it either.

My best advice: come with an open mind, find some like minded people to socialize with, and be respectful to others who may not jive with your worldview. Most people in this area don't really talk politics, religion, or current events, so as long as you don't bring it up you'll be fine 99 percent of the time. I actually know 2 people from the Bay Area living here and thriving. One lives in Gatewood actually. So its not like it can't be done.

[sfgirl101]

Thanks for the info everyone! Is commuting from the Paseo/Plaza area to Western/73rd an easy commute? What neighborhood is Western/73rd part of? Are there some nice areas right around there, or would it really be best to stick farther south, more in the downtown(is that what the Plaza is considered?) area

I really am trying to keep an open mind, and there are a few things to look forward to: lower cost of living (from rent to food prices) and very friendly people (or so I've heard). I've also done some research on local businesses and look forward to the Urban Agrarian, Elemental Coffee, etc. Sounds like there are certainly some hidden gems emerging! Keep the advice coming please!

[debzkidz]

It would be an easy commute. It's not but about 4 miles or so from the Paseo to Western & 73rd. The Plaza District is a bit further, maybe 5 or 6 miles. No freeways involved. The traffic here is nothing like you are accustomed to in SF. I'd guess it would take you about 15-20 minutes to go from the Paseo to Western & 73rd during commute times. A little longer to the Plaza since it's a bit further away. Western at 73rd is really on the outskirts of Nichols Hills and is really what I would call the beginning of the Western Ave Shopping District. Here's a link Western Avenue Association - Oklahoma City - Home Yes, it is a nice area, however, the further north you go on Western the worse it gets.

[bchris02]

Western and 73rd is borderline getting into bad territory. In fact I would say its right on the border. South of there on Western is one of the best parts of town though. It's near Whole Foods, Classen Curve, several boutique shops, and several bars that cater to professionals with money. I wouldn't worry about commute times in OKC. Infrastructure here is overbuilt so you don't have to deal with the kind of traffic that you do in most cities. You'll be fine commuting from the areas you are looking at.

[#1soonerfan]

Originally Posted by sfgirl101

Thanks for the info everyone! Is commuting from the Paseo/Plaza area to Western/73rd an easy commute? What neighborhood is Western/73rd part of? Are there some nice areas right around there, or would it really be best to stick farther south, more in the downtown(is that what the Plaza is considered?) area

I really am trying to keep an open mind, and there are a few things to look forward to: lower cost of living (from rent to food prices) and very friendly people (or so I've heard). I've also done some research on local businesses and look forward to the Urban Agrarian, Elemental Coffee, etc. Sounds like there are certainly some hidden gems emerging! Keep the advice coming please!

At 73rd and Western, you are only a mile or two away from rough hoods like Britton and North Highland. But you're are still in Nichols Hills. Assuming you are on the west side of Western, most of those homes are 200-300K (which is upper end for OKC btw). I have a friend from college who lives off of Western and 75th and she loves her area. Really doesn't start getting iffy until you go a few blocks north of Wilshire.

I think the bigger concern living over there is can you find something affordable, and will the general vibe be to your liking. Thats mostly an old money crowd over there. Most of what you want to do isn't far away, but you can always find something closer. JMO, stick to something closer to downtown if possible.

Glad to see you are coming here with an open mind and already exploring. If you are relocating soon, this is sort of the open air-festival time in OKC. There is the Festival of the Arts coming up, as well as H & 8th, Live on Plaza, all the stuff with the Playoffs, and Fair season will be here in no time.

[ou_norman]

Easy commute straight up Western Avenue from Paseo or Plaza, probably less than 15 minutes and you won't even have to get on the highway.

Also, in theory you could choose to take the bus to work (Route 5) from Gatewood or the Paseo. The 5 bus goes out of downtown, up Classen near Gatewood/Plaza, and then straight up Western from 30th (the Paseo).

As others mentioned, the area immediately south of your work is a wealthy old-money area with lots of high-end shopping and food, and the area immediately north is an old, gritty low-income neighborhood called Britton. It definitely sounds like you've explored the culture through the web enough to know that you'll fit in best in the immediate inner city neighborhoods where you can be very close to all the activities geared toward young creatives and progressives.

Elemental and Urban Agrarian are great businesses, you might also like Shop Good (Shop Good | Shop Good) and Plenty Mercantile (Plenty | Life & Style Mercantile) on Automobile Alley. Both stores offer local, sustainable, and/or socially conscious clothing and home products. Both are very successful and owned by young people in their 20s or early 30s.

[okcpulse]

Originally Posted by bchris02

I agree mostly with flintysooner above. I am a twentysomething and politically moderate and I moved here to OKC last summer from the wonderful city of Charlotte, North Carolina.

First I want to point out that OKC is not completely devoid of culture like the stereotypes would have you believe. There are festivals and events catering to creative types. There are walkable districts and there are liberals here. There are decent restaurants and there is some nightlife though it tends to be very college oriented or country. OKC had a great zoo and a couple of decent waterparks.

That said, the quality and abundance of the above things doesn't match even peer cities, let alone major cultural meccas like San Francisco. OKC boosters like to act like this city has arrived and competes well among its peers. The truth is this city is getting better year after year, but is still very behind where most cities this size are.

Charlotte is not a top cultural center nor is it one of the most progressive cities in the country, but moving to OKC from Charlotte has been a major adjustment for me. Overall, this is a great city for people with families. Housing is cheap here and you can really live well if you are in the right field. I have to say its not the best place to be young and single though. Most people here get married and have kids in their early 20s or move to DFW or Austin.

Another thing to consider is the weather/climate. OKC is in the bullseye of tornado alley and every April and May can bring very scary, destructive weather. Summers are very hot and winters very cold. Rainfall is plentiful but not consistent enough to support the majestic forests that dominate the eastern United States. All in all its not the greatest climate and there is very little scenery.

I have been very hard on OKC in this post and I apologize if I offend anybody, I just think people should know what they are getting into before moving here because boosters can sometimes be disingenuous. You have to really evaluate whether your reasons for coming here are worth the trade-offs.

I want to end by saying OKC can be a great place to live if you are willing to accept the negatives. Like one of the posters above say, be open minded and enjoy the city for what it does offer and not what it does not. That can be difficult for out of state transplants but it can be done and many do.

I would like to add that OKC is much better than it was 15 years ago. And that is really what has OKC natives like myself proud of what our city has accomplished and makes us eager to share it with the rest of world. Like bchris02 observed, OKC still has ground to cover compared to its peer cities. We want the momentum to continue so that one day soon we will be on the same level as our peer cities.

But here is what really gets under my skin... people that throw up the "DON'T COME HERE!" sign to the world just because Oklahoma City didn't meet their expectations or didn't set off all the bells and whistles because the people and politics aren't "their type". Each time this happens, it denies Oklahoma City the opportunity to grow into a truly thriving metropolitan area. This won't discourage me from spreading the word about my hometown. Oklahoma City will continue to transform itself into a city where people of all types will want to be, visit or be accepted. It doesn't happen over night, but the transformation is happening.

[okie1962]

Originally Posted by okcpulse

I would like to add that OKC is much better than it was 15 years ago. And that is really what has OKC natives like myself proud of what our city has accomplished and makes us eager to share it with the rest of world. Like bchris02 observed, OKC still has ground to cover compared to its peer cities. We want the momentum to continue so that one day soon we will be on the same level as our peer cities.

But here is what really gets under my skin... people that throw up the "DON'T COME HERE!" sign to the world just because Oklahoma City didn't meet their expectations or didn't set off all the bells and whistles because the people and politics aren't "their type". Each time this happens, it denies Oklahoma City the opportunity to grow into a truly thriving metropolitan area. This won't discourage me from spreading the word about my hometown. Oklahoma City will continue to transform itself into a city where people of all types will want to be, visit or be accepted. It doesn't happen over night, but the transformation is happening.

People from OKC are very proud, and very well should be, for all they have done in the last 15 years. And I think we have only seen the tip of the iceberg. OKC has a ton of momentum and I can only see things looking up for our Capital City. Oklahoma City is one of our Great American cities. I can't wait to see what lies ahead for them.

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by okcpulse

I would like to add that OKC is much better than it was 15 years ago. And that is really what has OKC natives like myself proud of what our city has accomplished and makes us eager to share it with the rest of world. Like bchris02 observed, OKC still has ground to cover compared to its peer cities. We want the momentum to continue so that one day soon we will be on the same level as our peer cities.

I agree with this.

OKC natives have a ton to be proud of and the city has a ton of momentum right now. My point is sometimes hype from boosters can cause newcomers to have unrealistic expectations. That results in them being disappointed, negative, and possibly eventually leaving the city. Newcomers must know the negatives as well as the positives.

When I am in downtown OKC, what I see is a city under construction, a city that is very much a work-in-progress. Newcomers need to know this. As long as there isn't a collapse in the oil market or a major change in leadership, I think OKC will outshine Tulsa and compete well with its peers within a decade.

[Howest2008]

America Has ..Hot Cities...Wow Cities and ......It Cities...However Oklahoma City Oklahoma and Tulsa are Enough Cities , so says a poster from San Francisco California from a Seattle Vs. Tulsa Thread.

This is my 2c