In Oak Park Southwest, part of the greater Oak Park area in eastside Kansas City, people care deeply about each other and the future of their neighborhood. Though the community faces challenges, including elevated crime rates, locals here help one another and advocate for their interests. “I would say that people are very involved in the community,” says Donald Givens, pastor of Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church within Oak Park Southwest. The church is one of several nearby houses of worship that are highly engaged in the neighborhood, hosting a soup kitchen and clothing giveaways, offering financial assistance and more. Other organizations, such as Oak Park Neighborhood Association, connect and support residents through diverse programming and regular meetings. “You have neighbors interacting with one another, and you’ll see that all throughout this community.”
Givens also notes that a lot of change is happening in the neighborhood. The city has been at work replacing pipes and otherwise enhancing local infrastructure. “Everywhere you turn now there’s construction in the area,” Givens says. “While it’s inconvenient, it’s a positive thing.” Residents here are close to Highway 71 and multiple bus routes, making for quick commutes downtown just 5 miles away.
The Oak Park Southwest Neighborhood is just 10 minutes from everything going on downtown.
The whole family can enjoy the MLK park next to Bush Creek.
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RideKC has an extensive amount of buses providing a hub of transportation in Oak Park.
Public transit is a priority in Oak Park Southwest
“Public transportation access, that is a shared value,” Givens says. Ride KC buses, including the MAX express bus, stop along Prospect Avenue. “There are people who live in the neighborhood who don’t have transportation and they have very easy access to public transportation. The MAX runs every 15 minutes.” Drivers can hop on Highway 71 just a few blocks west of the neighborhood.
Historic homes primed for renovation
The neighborhood hosts homes from the early 1900s that have seen varying degrees of upkeep. Two-bedroom fixer-uppers start around $50,000, while remodeled homes start at $125,000. Fully renovated four-bedroom properties cap off around $240,000. Buyers will find bungalows reflecting the Arts and Crafts movement, as well as Foursquare builds and Kansas City Shirtwaist homes.
This shirtwaist home is a gem located in Oak Park Southwest.
Classic home styles line the streets Oak Park Southwest.
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Johnny's Donuts combines hamburgers on donuts at Oak Park.
New and longtime businesses on Prospect
Johnny’s Donuts on Prospect Avenue is a local institution, serving equally celebrated doughnuts and burgers. Adventurous diners can order their burger sandwiched between two glazed doughnuts. The cash-only joint is take-out only, and it’s not uncommon to see neighbors savoring their sandwiches in the parking lot. Dinners at home are elevated with Murdock’s Fresh Fish and Seafood in the neighborhood. The longtime grocer stocks seafood, chicken wings and other necessities for a dinner party or fish fry. General grocery staples are available up the street at Aldi’s or at the Sun Fresh south of Brush Creek.
Updated parks within walking distance
The 6-acre Oak Park is within walking distance of many neighborhood homes. Kids and adults enjoy a baseball diamond, playground and full and half basketball courts. Homes are also close to Ivanhoe Park and its recently renovated playground. The park’s sheltered picnic tables are ideal for birthdays and other gatherings, though they are first come, first served. Locals also take advantage of Mary Williams-Neal Community Center, which has an outdoor pool and spaces for meetings and parties. “We have three churches that have rented out this community center for five-plus years,” says Ramone Thompson, the center’s senior recreation director.
Play a game with friends at the basketball court at Oak Park.
The kids will enjoy this playground at Oak Park while locals walk the trails or soak up the sun.
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Shooting hoops at sundown
Oak Park is well known for Hoops at Night, a summer basketball league engaging young people in the neighborhood. Youth of all ages gather at the Pat Clarke Courts at Oak Park to learn athletic and social skills and fill their evenings with friendship and fun.
Ivanhoe Park has a basketball court the whole family can enjoy.
There are basketball courts next to the many baseball diamonds at Cleveland Park.
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Central High School is a public High School popular among families and teachers.
Earning college credits at Central High
Martin Luther King Elementary is about a mile and a half from the neighborhood and has a C-minus from Niche. Students continue on to D-plus-rated Central Middle, which offers extracurriculars in sewing, chess, debate and more. Central High is a C-minus-rated school where students can get ahead on college credits through the Early College Academy.
Hop on Highway 71 to head towards downtown or or dive under it to the Plaza or MLK Park.
Crime reduction a shared passion
Oak Park Southwest has an overall crime score of 7 out of 10 on the CAP Index, with a 10 out of 10 score for homicides. Community members are particularly concerned about youth involvement in violent crimes. “This is an area that has a lot of crime because of its urban connection,” Givens says. However, “there are pockets of really friendly neighborhood where people are neighborly, know each other’s names.” The Oak Park Neighborhood Association hosts committee meetings and public forums with Kansas City Police to address community safety. In 2023, Kansas City Police launched the Violent Crime Reduction Initiative, which encourages a collaborative approach to community safety.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Oak Park Southwest, Kansas City sell after 44 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Oak Park Southwest, Kansas City over the last 12 months is $117,975, up 9% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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