Owasso Neighborhoods...thoughts, tips suggestions?

[OUGrad05]

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow

quote:Originally posted by OUGrad05

quote:Originally posted by MsProudSooner

I heard on the radio this AM that the next Tulsa Transit express bus might be between Owasso and downtown.

Yea and they're also talking about light rail.  Which would be sweet, but I'd prefer it only if its profitable or break even.

The way I read your comment is that you would be willing to subsidize an unprofitable bus but a rail system must be self supporting. Is this correct?

If it is correct please consider:

Rail systems typically attract more riders than bus or BRT systems.  This would make it more likely to be self supporting at some time in the future than a bus.

A rail system can be less expensive than rubber tired options when the life and the operating and maintenance costs of the system are considered.

New development is more likely to happen near the rail than some remote acreage that would require an automobile to live there.

I'd much rather have a rail system than a bus system if it weren't profitible but to answer your question I dont like our bus systems...I never even mentioned buses so I dont know how you drew that conclusion.  

If we're going to do public transit then we need to do moderate speed light rail (under 70mph) for the tulsa metro.  Run trains during peak times every 20 minutes and off times every 2 hours or 4 hours.

[Red Arrow]

quote:Originally posted by OUGrad05

quote:Originally posted by Red Arrow

quote:Originally posted by OUGrad05

quote:Originally posted by MsProudSooner

I heard on the radio this AM that the next Tulsa Transit express bus might be between Owasso and downtown.

Yea and they're also talking about light rail.  Which would be sweet, but I'd prefer it only if its profitable or break even.

The way I read your comment is that you would be willing to subsidize an unprofitable bus but a rail system must be self supporting. Is this correct?

If it is correct please consider:

Rail systems typically attract more riders than bus or BRT systems.  This would make it more likely to be self supporting at some time in the future than a bus.

A rail system can be less expensive than rubber tired options when the life and the operating and maintenance costs of the system are considered.

New development is more likely to happen near the rail than some remote acreage that would require an automobile to live there.

I'd much rather have a rail system than a bus system if it weren't profitible but to answer your question I dont like our bus systems...I never even mentioned buses so I dont know how you drew that conclusion.  

If we're going to do public transit then we need to do moderate speed light rail (under 70mph) for the tulsa metro.  Run trains during peak times every 20 minutes and off times every 2 hours or 4 hours.

If this works, see text in purple from earlier post quote.  You were responding to the possibility of a bus to Owasso.  You said you would prefer..... I believed the choice for preference was between bus and rail.

I agree with moderate speed light rail for the area. It would possibly be similar to the SEPTA route 101 near Philadelphia, PA. That's where I lived before Tulsa/Bixby.  Real electric powered trolleys on steel rails.

[OUGrad05]

Guys we may have something cooking, we've narrowed it down to just a few homes in Owasso and will probably make an offer next week on one of them.  Thank you all for your help on this!  I'll let you know what happens.

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by PonderInc

Owasso's "City of Character" mottos give me the creeps.  I couldn't find a list of some of the weirdest ones from a few years ago, but this gives you an idea...

http://www.cityofowasso.com/character_trait/character_qualities.html

I'm surprised there isn't something like: "Righteous Sense of Superiority: Knowing that Being White and Christian Makes Us Right."

oh yes, because you know....ONLY white christian people live in Owasso.

Quit being such a ****ing fruit.

[RecycleMichael]

The city of caracter program has critics...

http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=2258

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/2450/

http://www.rickross.com/reference/gothard/gothard16.html

[cannon_fodder]

quote:Originally posted by inteller


Quit being such a ****ing fruit.

Ahh, more constructive contributions from Inteller.  

How does mocking the city motto of Owasso make one "a fruit" anyway?

[PonderInc]

I recently learned that the difference between a fruit and a vegetable is that fruit continues to ripen after you pick it, while vegetables don't.  This finally helped me accept the concept that tomatoes are, indeed, a fruit.

Here's a fun and informative listing of churches in Owasso.  I especially like the scary quote at the top of the page! ("Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Yikes!  That sounds welcoming!) http://www.owasso.com/hometown/churches.html  Since I didn't see any Jewish synagogues or Muslim mosques listed (and the Unitarians meet in a living room in Turley...I think my previous statement stands.

[GG]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

quote:Originally posted by inteller


Quit being such a ****ing fruit.

Ahh, more constructive contributions from Inteller.  

How does mocking the city motto of Owasso make one "a fruit" anyway?

Actually the motto for the City of Owasso is "The City Without Limits"

[PonderInc]

I don't know if Inteller lives in Owasso or not.  If so, the town motto could be:

"Owasso: Where adults think the word 'fruit' is a pejorative."

[OUGrad05]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

OUGrad,

I believe you are buying into the sub-exurban story line about living in "the city."  Sorry if I sound like I'm trying to "sell" midtown, but my wife and I are just so happy we received good advice when moving here and landed in midtown.

I am from Iowa.  My wife was a teacher in Iowa.  Between us we have 13 years of college, a few undergrad and a graduate degree.  Education is important to us... and my son goes to TPS.  I can say with confidence that your statement "Tulsa schools are atrocious" is an ignorant statement (no offense, I mean ignorant int he definitional sense, as in you are merely not informed).

I could not be more pleased with the facilities, administration, or his teacher.  Of course he has teachers he/I don't like as much, but in generally  they do an amazing job.  We have budgeted for private schools for our son (I went to private schools), but saw/see no real incentive to switch schools.  

If you are not inclined to throw your lot in with the "general population" then get your to-be child in to a magnet school.  I've never heard a complaint about the magnet program at Tulsa.  Generally they are recognized as among the best schools in the State.  If TPS magnets are not your lot, there are a ton of private schools in the area to chose from.

A school is worth what the community puts in to it.  MOST private schools have high levels of involvement, unfortunately that is not always the case at public schools - but it is sometimes.  But don't write off TPS, feel free to PM me if you want to know what school he goes to, I don't want my stalkers/detractors to go after the boy-child. []
- - -

For crime, I have been a victim of one crime in 5 years since living in Tulsa.  Granted, that one crime was a drive-by shooting (!) - but it was a random event by all accounts.  Some punk kids driving down the BA exited, fired, and got back on.  No correlation to where one lives and when caught - the kids were from Sapulpa (they shot up a car on 169 and hit an empty car seat... so the cops tracked them down).  

Now, using common sense I did not let my son play alone in the front yard until he was older.  I don't leave his bike out over night.  I lock my doors and close my garage.  I've never had a problem with theft, but by virtue of being in a more densely populated area there are simply more eyes to be tempted.  

Now, there have been things stolen from my neighborhood.  A car was broken in to last year and a house on the market had some kids break in and party.  But I doubt those are unique to Tulsa and are not of grave concern to me (no rapes, murders, robbery, assaults... these things concern me).
- - -

I understand your "family feel" concern.  There is a lot more diversity in mid-town Tulsa than Owasso.  As far as income disparity, race, and living conditions.  In Owasso you will be surrounded by mostly white, middle class, families (race/income differences raise natural concerns, valid or not - just being honest.  Also older people, young singles, and the odd ducks), and that has benefits to it for sure.  The ability to kick your kid off to the park to play with the Joneses.

But in my midtown neighborhood there are kids for my son to play with.  There is a park just down the street.   We are 5 minutes from Woodward, 10 minutes from the River Parks, 15 minutes from the zoo, 20 minutes from the aquarium. [for parents: 5 blocks to a liqueur store, 4 blocks from a bar and an all night restaurant...]

We also have a candy store, a Tae Kwon Do studio, a library, a bookstore, our dentist, MD, blockbuster, and about 200 other shops, grocery stores, and restaurants within walking distance.  Expo square nearly always has animals we can bike over and look at.  I consider it family friendly to be able to bike to many destinations with my boy on weekends.  When he is a little older, he can bike to these places himself (oh the day!).
- - -

Again, sorry if I am "selling" where I live as the best.  But in my opinion, we are dang lucky to have landed where we did.  Our main problem is going to be "upgrading" our house to something larger when my boy is a teenager and I have a need to get away from him.

Feel free to ask questions here or PM me.  I just don't want you to assume the suburbs are the only place to raise a family.

Not sure why I'm just seeing this but thank you for the thought out reply it is appreciated.  If something falls through for some reason in Owasso then we'll be back on the market and I will discuss this with my wife.

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by PonderInc

I don't know if Inteller lives in Owasso or not.  If so, the town motto could be:

"Owasso: Where adults think the word 'fruit' is a pejorative."

No, Inteller lives behind the new Super Target at 101st and Memorial. Remember he thinks that Target is going to ruin that garden spot that is Memorial between 91st and 101st. You know, because Target's going to look shabby next to all those car lots and the permanent fireworks stand.