So, my parents recently separated. Dad lives in South Tulsa, Mom lives in North Tulsa. Dad got really upset at me for going on a walk with my friend in Downtown, and I was wondering, is North Tulsa really as bad as it's made out to be? Personal stories, hearsay, etc; any input is welcome. Thanks!
I would first like to point out that downtown is not North Tulsa. Not to mention that downtown has a really undeserved rap on being a crime problem.
As far as North Tulsa goes, a lot of crime does occure there, but painting it a crime zone or dangerous place with a broad brush is really not doing it justice. There are area's that would really be best to avoid, but for the most part it's no more dangerous then any other part of town (South, West, East or mid). I lived on an area that is a bit less then desirable (Apache and Harvard area) for about six months. During this time my window broke. It took me several weeks to come up with the money to replace it, yet during this time I was parked in the street every night and never had anything stolen out of it. East Tulsa, by contrast, I have left my windows down once, for two hours, in a driveway, in the middle of the day and lost my stereo. Windows down for a short time while I ran inside another time and lost a leather jacket. You need to be aware of your surroundings no matter where you are, and just be aware of those hotbeds of criminal activity that there seem to be more of North of Admiral.
The Section 8 apartments and some of the neighborhoods surrounding them are high crime areas and should be avoided, primarily the areas around N. 46th & Peoria. Otherwise North Tulsa is a mix of lower income and solid middle class neighborhoods, and is mostly black with some Hispanic neighborhoods on the south end near 244. One of the best schools in the state, Booker T Washington, is in the heart of the north side and the Brady Heights and Reservoir Hill neighborhoods north of downtown are home to a growing number of young professionals. There are areas within North Tulsa that are bad but not the entire section of the city. That would be like saying South Tulsa is bad because the 61st & Peoria area, one small part, is bad..
Thank you both for replying!
Quote from: custosnox on March 30, 2010, 08:02:39 PM
I would first like to point out that downtown is not North Tulsa. Not to mention that downtown has a really undeserved rap on being a crime problem.
Ah, sorry I didn't make that more clear. I meant both North Tulsa and downtown, because my dad was talking about both. My mom lives in North Tulsa but right near downtown, and it was in downtown that my friend and I were walking.
You should be careful in any area. Day, night, or in between.
Quote from: namingallthestars on March 30, 2010, 10:04:36 PM
Thank you both for replying!
Ah, sorry I didn't make that more clear. I meant both North Tulsa and downtown, because my dad was talking about both. My mom lives in North Tulsa but right near downtown, and it was in downtown that my friend and I were walking.
Well, as I said, downtown has an undeserved reputation. In fact, now that a certain club owner no longer has clubs downtown, I would say that it is one of the safer area's of the city. I have never had anything adverse happen to me downtown. Most that spend significant time there that I talk to say that they have no problems as well. Don't take this as a proclamation that downtown is crimefree, but it's not exactly a criminal magnent.
Tulsa neighborhoods both good/bad seem to be in pockets, a bad area could become a good area just a few blocks away. Parts of Lewis & Peoria have alot of crime but the neighborhoods nestled inside have big $200,000 homes, Peoria & 31st neighborhoods have some very nice homes when you get way from the main streets.
Compared to the "ghetto" areas of other cities, north Tulsa isn't bad at all. Take a visit to the bad areas of Kansas City, Dallas, or even Little Rock and you'll find that north Tulsa isn't nearly as bad.
I agree with that. Though I would also rate our worst with any other city's worst. Downtown is fine. Any view otherwise is kind of humorous. 31st and Peoria is stellar by any account. Just be very aware if you go as far North as 56th street.
My favorite has always been west Tulsa, I like the old time charm of the area.
Quote from: sauerkraut on April 05, 2010, 10:31:19 AM
My favorite has always been west Tulsa, I like the old time charm of the area.
West Tulsa has one of the higher crime rates in Tulsa, not to mention smells like the oil refinery everywhere except by the sewege plant.
I don't know about the crime rate in West Tulsa but you're not accurate with the smells. The prevailing winds coming down the valley that the river sits in blows most of the smell away. The sewage treatment plant off 44 though has no where to blow as Turkey mtn pretty much blocks the wind.
Quote from: waterboy on April 05, 2010, 01:05:41 PM
I don't know about the crime rate in West Tulsa but you're not accurate with the smells. The prevailing winds coming down the valley that the river sits in blows most of the smell away. The sewage treatment plant off 44 though has no where to blow as Turkey mtn pretty much blocks the wind.
I used to live at 41st and Elwood and the sewage could be smelled there on a hot summer day. It wasn't often but it happened. The smell does generally linger in the close vicinity of the plant though. I was refering to that area (which I know has very litle residential but still) when I made that comment. However, the smell of the oil refineries are pretty prevailent until you get south of about 51st. There are some nice area's back up in there, and some pretty bad ones as well. My kids lived at 23rd and Southwest for years and that area is what comes to mind first for me when I think of West Tulsa, and it is a pretty bad area because of multiple low income apartments.
Yeah, 23rd just west of the river is no picnic. I'll be glad when some enterprising company buys that plot and redevelops it.
side note: we used to take our middle school soccer team over to the park behind those apartments to practice. When the ball was kicked into the projects they had to go get it. Sometimes they didn't come back with the same ball. Made them more accurate with their shots and sharpened their socializing skills. ;)
It's area's like that and a few others that really push the crime rate up there. Though it's really the violent crimes that are higher. East and South tend to hold the line for robberies and such.
Quote from: custosnox on April 05, 2010, 12:32:04 PM
West Tulsa has one of the higher crime rates in Tulsa, not to mention smells like the oil refinery everywhere except by the sewege plant.
I rarely disagree with you, but I've been working in west Tulsa for 5 1/2 years about 1/4 of a mile south of the Sinclair Refinery on the southern edge of Garden City and I smell nothing from either refinery, nor do I smell anything from the sewage treatment plant on the south side of I-44, regardless of where the wind is blowing from.
I also exercize frequently on the water between the pedestrian bridge & 244/75 bridge and along the banks several times a week. The only place I smell a stench is riding alongside the sewage treatment plant and it's not even as bad as the odor around a rendering plant or paper mill. We've not had any crime other than petty theft or minor vandalism from the office and my truck has never been disturbed when it's been parked either at the boathouse at 23rd & Jackson nor the parking lot across the street when I go riding my bike from there, and that's adjacent to the projects.
That's my personal experience anyhow. I may not have a sensitive nose and I'm just luckier than anyone else on the west side, but stench & high crime aren't two things I experience over here.
Quote from: Conan71 on April 05, 2010, 01:38:03 PM
I rarely disagree with you, but I've been working in west Tulsa for 5 1/2 years about 1/4 of a mile south of the Sinclair Refinery on the southern edge of Garden City and I smell nothing from either refinery, nor do I smell anything from the sewage treatment plant on the south side of I-44, regardless of where the wind is blowing from.
I also exercize frequently on the water between the pedestrian bridge & 244/75 bridge and along the banks several times a week. The only place I smell a stench is riding alongside the sewage treatment plant and it's not even as bad as the odor around a rendering plant or paper mill. We've not had any crime other than petty theft or minor vandalism from the office and my truck has never been disturbed when it's been parked either at the boathouse at 23rd & Jackson nor the parking lot across the street when I go riding my bike from there, and that's adjacent to the projects.
That's my personal experience anyhow. I may not have a sensitive nose and I'm just luckier than anyone else on the west side, but stench & high crime aren't two things I experience over here.
I have found that those who live near it stop noticing it after a while. I used to live in SE New Mexico with a lot of oil fields and never noticed the smell until I left for a while and moved back. Of course the refinery doesn't have quiet the prevailent odor that the fields did. I've always found the smell of our refineries mildly unplessent more then anything else I've never been around a rendering pland or paper mill, and while I have heard they are horrid, I'll take everyone elses word for it (I think Ron White did a bit on that).
After I posted about the crime, I got to thinking about it and relized that I am doing what always ticks me off when others do it and generlized from a limited exposure. Most of the time I have spent in West Tulsa have been in these run down area's, which only accounts for a small portion of the overall area. When I reflect on it, and this is without any research, I would say that the residental area's are most likely on par with East Tulsa when it comes to crime.
You also spent time hunting down those responsible for crime too, Cust ;)
I get lazy and generalize at times as well. Notice that I did mention it was by my personal experience. I've actually experienced more crime near my home at 31st & Yale in the last few months (a couple of neighbors broken into) than we've had at our shop in years.
Quote from: Conan71 on April 05, 2010, 02:12:29 PM
You also spent time hunting down those responsible for crime too, Cust ;)
I get lazy and generalize at times as well. Notice that I did mention it was by my personal experience. I've actually experienced more crime near my home at 31st & Yale in the last few months (a couple of neighbors broken into) than we've had at our shop in years.
It seems that the residential are getting more of a rise in crime then other areas, excluding places that keep cash on hand like banks and convienance stores. However, I know of a shop in west tulsa that is constantly getting their yard broken into to steal piping, and on occasion, work trucks. Some funny stories on that as well.
And it just goes to show the level of things now. I'm in East Tulsa and I just found out my son's bike was stolen from in front of the house. The sound of his voice when I called him and told him was heartbreaking.
Thank you guys for your replies!
Quote from: Conan71 on April 05, 2010, 01:38:03 PM
I rarely disagree with you, but I've been working in west Tulsa for 5 1/2 years about 1/4 of a mile south of the Sinclair Refinery on the southern edge of Garden City and I smell nothing from either refinery, nor do I smell anything from the sewage treatment plant on the south side of I-44, regardless of where the wind is blowing from.
I can often smell the refineries on US 75 between I-44 and downtown. It's not a pleasant smell, but at least it's not a paper mill.
Meadow Gold used to have a plant on 11th street where they made cottage cheese. Food related plants definitely have the worst smells. (I have extensive experience in food, textile, chemical, sewer, refineries and even nuclear plants.) The second worst after the cottage cheese was a plant in Green Bay where they made dips. Sewer plants are pretty calm comparatively.
One word awful odor.....BAMA.
Quote from: fotd on April 18, 2010, 09:29:28 PM
One word awful odor.....BAMA.
I used to be able to smell it when they still made the pecan pies there, but I don't really notice any odor wafting from their 11th St. plant anymore.
BAMA is a breath of fresh air compared to cottage cheese plant. Still pretty rank at one time, though.