Crossroads Mall

[bombermwc]

Residential? Frankly, no. It's in the OKCPS district and Dove is the only thing nearby even remotely close as an alternative. Dove seems to rank extremely well, don't get me wrong. But you also have to drive to various parts of the city to get to the various levels of school (elementary, middle, high). And the HS is not there, while Santa Fe South is. But that is NOT the same thing since it regularly gets a D on the state grade website. If I'm someone with children, that's not going to be where I am going to rent. Especially considering I can drive just a couple of miles and be in the Moore district.

I don't want to sound like a complete jerk because there are plenty of areas that attend Grant that are still lovely and well kept. Hard working families that keep things up and do their best. And OKCPS has done a lot of work over the last 20 years to get graduation rates there up, including sending more kids to college or trade schools. But that's still not an apples to apples comparison to the neighboring districts. In NW OKC you see areas where people simply send their kids to private school instead (MSM/McGuiness/Heritage Hall/Cassady/etc) if they can afford it. There really aren't options like that on the south side of OKC to serve this area.

It's a bit of an oversimplification, but schools are a big factor for residential construction. If the schools aren't good (or at least regarded in a good light), then you've got a MUCH harder product to sell. Or you have to have a target audience that simply won't make use. Say, seniors or young adults that don't want kids or are looking for that early childhood home before they go to school.

[Jeepnokc]

In NW OKC you see areas where people simply send their kids to private school instead (MSM/McGuiness/Heritage Hall/Cassady/etc) if they can afford it. There really aren't options like that on the south side of OKC to serve this area.

I assume by MSM you are referring to Mt Saint Mary. MSM is a southside school (approx SW 29th and Western) and a lot of their student base comes from the south side, Mid Del, Moore and Norman. Most catholic kids coming out of the northside lower grade schools head to Bishop. I agree that options are limited on the southside. The only really big private school is Community Christian School in Norman but there are a half dozen smaller private religious schools in the south side but basically are in Moore. We do need more high quality charter schools though.