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We can't resist a post called "Downtown Versus Suburbs." The premise? There are "awesome benefits to living downtown," but there are also "wonderful aspects of living in the suburbs." The website walkscore.com can help you find locations that blend the downtown benefits: "proximity to food, entertainment and shopping as well as access to the amazing cultural scene," with the suburban benefits: "larger house, community pools and barbeques in the cul-de-sac." Sounds good so far, except for the cul-de-sacs (who wants to live in the bottom of a bag?).
The problem? The areas suggested as alternatives to downtown living (Far West, Round Rock and Sunset Valley) don't score so hot on walkscore.com. Any help? Is there anywhere in or near Austin that is both affordable and walkable?
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Uh. Larger house I can see for the suburbs, but "community pool and barbecues in the cul-de-sac"? Pretty much every community in Austin has their own park with pool and barbecues within walking distance.
I love where I just moved in SE Austin. It's actually one of the last cheap pocket neighborhoods. A house just down the street recently sold for 144k which I think is affordable. There are about 3 neighborhoods that make up this area. All of them have medium sized to large houses on large plots of land, many with views of downtown. I have a complete downtown view during the winter. Trees block it the rest of the time. Yeah, there are some downsides to having beautiful mature trees throughout your neighborhood.
The neighborhoods are:
Santa Monica Park - Bordered by Burleson on the East, Mable Davis Park on the West, 71 on the South, and Catalina on the North. Lots of affordable houses, everything from well maintained duplexes to suburban sized houses. I live in a 1900 square foot house on 3/4 of an acre. Built in the 60s. Most everything under 200k.
Burleson Heights - Bordered by Burleson on the West, Greenbelt on the East, Oltorf on the North, and 71 on the South. Lots of interesting custom homes. There's a geodesic. Lots of split-levels on large lots. Has a pocket community park. Most everything under 200k.
Travis Heights East - Bordered by Riverside to the North, Oltorf to the South, I-35 to the East, and Burton to the West. Some true gems in this area. Lots of split-levels. Quite a bit more expensive than the other two, but there are still some gems in the rough. This is only going up though, as much of the Riverside condo redevelopment is happening in this area.
Of course, it has the same downsides as 78704. You can choose from either the too small HEB on Oltorf or the too small HEB on Riverside. But there are tons of great restaurants in walking distance. There's a hike and bike trail currently being built through the area that will connect Mable Davis Park to the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail, which is less than 2 miles from pretty much anything in the area. Skate park and municipal pool at Mable Davis (your suburb got a skate park?). Good breakfast Tacos.
"Is there anywhere in or near Austin that is both affordable and walkable?"
Walkable? Yes. Affordable? No. Not if you're lower working class which most people are.
Round Rock is wrong in so many ways - chief among them that they chose to get out of Capital Metro and are now going to run their own bus to the northern P&R, then screwing Austin taxpayers for the rest of the ride.
You can extol the virtues of your subsidized sprawlburb all you want, but if there's no transit, your kids will be effectively babies until they're 16. My 14-year-old stepson, on the other hand, has been taking the bus for years.
Travis Heights East??? That is hilarious!
And yes, cul-de-sacs are evil.
Tim, what are the crime rates in those areas, are they not on the APD "hot spot" list for crime? Sorry, but even the thought of venturing to the HEB on Riverside makes me weary. Maybe it has someting to do with all the stabbings and shootings that happen in the Pleasant Valley/Riverside area, but some may like those kinds of things. And agree with above, Travis Heights East is hilarious.
I have always complained about where I live- Pflugerville. It's flat, kinda ugly, not very many restaurants, until recently there were no coffe shops, which is an essential in my life. I bought my house here when I was 22 and it was all I could afford at the time. With a new baby, I was looking for good schools for the future and something that was large enough for a growing family- all of this to fit into a very small budget.
I've taken a break complaining and started to see what all is available to me living in P'ville. I live within walking distance to the post office, two pharmacies, a couple of restaurants, several parks and all schools (elementary, middle and high school) are in my backyard. So, with all of that said and a 20-25 minute drive to enjoy Barton Springs, downtown and views.... I can't complain too much. But I can be happy that I've found a good compromise.
We came close many times over the past several years to buying a $300K plus house in Austin and now that my husband is laid off and the income isn't there like it was before, I am happy that I'm in my cheap house in the burbs!
Grape Ape, you're a fucking snob.
Hey, fuck you LoudMouth.
that is all.
Hey ratz, or should I call you pot or kettle? You might want to go back and look at your comments about an "ugly tax" and the "idots" who live in the burbs before you come out swinging against someone who just stated a simple fact.
Eat a dick, slappywhite.
Grape Ape, I don't see how my opinions on suburbs or growth in Austin have anything to do with your apparent prejudice towards others. If anything with your mentality you should move to the suburbs as fast as you can. Your weariness to step into a part of Austin that has more character than in your little pinky is a shame and embarassing. Please stay ignorant and confine yourself to yuppie, overpriced Whole Foods.
Riverside and Pleasant Valley has about as much character as a Taco Cabana.
I don't think Grape Ape is weary of the aesthetics of Riverside and Pleasant Valley.
I'm speaking of the people which live in the area. The ones that "stab" and "shoot" you.The people which you, LoudMouth, supposedly stick up for.
Wow-I don't know where to begin. I still don't understand where my predujice is...is Pleasant Valley & Riverside not on the APD high crime area list? All I said is some people may actually like that environment and some may even choose to live there because its intersting to them, but part of my neighborhood selection process includes implied safety and accessibility. Personally I'm not a fan of living east of 35 or west of MoPac for that matter. That is my choice is it not? Or is everyone that lives west of 35 predujice? BTW-my grocery store is HEB at Oltof and S. Congress. Please confine yourself to east Austin and continue to shop at the HEB at Riverside and Pleasant Valley you way too cool non-yuppie character of Austin connisseur you.
So ratz, are you saying that only poor people stab and shoot people? Seems to a rather harsh generalization. I only remember LM supporting those who don't make as much as some others, I don't think he ever said he supported criminals in particular.
No, Grape Ape, I never said only the poor stab and shoot people. I was simply paraphrasing what you said. Besides, who the fuck "likes those kinds of things"? Yes, everybody who lives in that area loves crime.
I could be wrong, but you are obviously white and have never experienced poverty. Otherwise, you would not have made that remark.
Who's the racist now?
Comment spam?
"I've taken a break complaining and started to see what all is available to me living in P'ville. I live within walking distance to the post office, two pharmacies, a couple of restaurants..."
In many but not most suburbs, you can find stuff within walking distance, but nobody ever walks - because "walkable" isn't just about distance.