Stratford Estates

Flanked to the west by the intersection of Interstates 49 and 470, Stratford Estates epitomizes convenience in south Kansas City. But a central location is far from its only upside: One of the city’s best-loved parks stretches across its northern border, while two locally lauded restaurants await along its eastern side, and quiet residential streets rest on its southern end.

The homes sit far east of the highway system, too, to curb noise concerns. Most properties here, supported by a homeowner’s association, were built with board and batten siding between the 1950s and ’70s, mainly in the traditional and ranch styles and coming equipped with quarter-acre lots, off-street parking – whether a garage or a long driveway – and spacious, fenced-in backyards. Asking prices run from $115,000 to upward of $300,000. "Homes sometimes fly off the market," says Emanuel Blando, Realtor for eXp Realty. "This has been a landlord-saturated neighborhood, but in recent years, many landlords have sold to occupant buyers."

Most residents pass Ewing Park on their way to and from home since it lies along 107th Street, the northern-most road in the neighborhood that serves as a gateway to the rest of the residences. This quarter-acre of land is entirely green space, typically used for playing catch or tossing a frisbee, but it’s free to occupy at your leisure. A much bigger play area, though, awaits just across Interstate 470. Spanning 24 acres, Jerry Darter Park accommodates a handful of outdoor activities: a mustard-yellow playset for smaller children, a walking bridge overlooking a creek and a half-mile trail for hikers, and a reservable shelter with a grill for picnickers. It’s also adjacent to Hillcrest Community Center, ideal for rainy Kansas City days with its full-court gymnasium that’s popular for pickup basketball games, as well as three meeting rooms and year-round programming like badminton clinics.

All three options are popular after-school hangouts. The closest school is Burke Academy, serving first through fifth grade with an alternative education focused on behavioral and academic growth, so students otherwise attend Ingels Elementary just a mile south. There, students focus on frequent collaboration and developing critical thinking skills before feeding into Smith-Hale Middle, offering a robust fine arts program, and Ruskin High, where the Missouri Career Clusters are used to offer 16 pathways tailored to students’ career interests while still fulfilling graduation requirements.

For an after-school snack or full-fledged dinner, head to the northeastern sector for a couple unparalleled dining experiences. Known by many locals as the best pizza around, Southside Mafia Pizzeria hand-tosses every order and offers a bevy of specialties, including Al’s Alfredo Chicken, using alfredo sauce as its base and topped with chicken, Roma tomato, spinach, yellow and orange pepper, and portobello mushrooms. You can also build your own pizza, or opt for a calzone or wing platter, with sauces ranging from lemon pepper to hot honey. And just down the street sits an unassuming brick shack holding beloved burgers inside. Open since the ’60s, Paul’s Drive In is most well-known for its Big Boy Burger – a quarter-pound patty topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and Big Boy Sauce that’s known to pair well with a side of fried mushrooms – but also keeps customers coming back for its Italian steak sandwiches, milkshakes and banana splits. If you’d rather cook at home, pick up ingredients across the street from Paul’s at Aldi.

Stratford Estates is only a few miles from a popular summer destination, too. Longview Lake offers an acre of beach area for swimming and your water sport of choice – from fishing and power boating to jet skiing – with a full-service marina available for boat rentals.

Surrounded by some of the city’s biggest attractions yet still quiet – that’s life in Stratford Estates.

Written By

Bre Offenberger

Photography Contributed By

Brooke Wasson

Video By

Daric Clarke