$306,331Average Value$214Average Price per Sq Ft7Homes For Sale
Charming and walkable Lawrence neighborhood close to KU
Centennial is a Lawrence neighborhood with mid-20th century character, but it also boasts the creative quirks of that era. The neighborhood enjoys structures like the Dean House, which easily stands out with its double hyperbolic paraboloid roof. A mature canopy and many diligently maintained lots add to the neighborhood’s Atomic Age traits. “It’s a very walkable neighborhood. We have city parks, and we’re also on the edge of the commercial district with shopping, grocery stores and all of that.” says Jeanne Klein, a former co-founder of the Centennial Neighborhood Association in the early 1990s. While many University of Kansas students live here, university staff still make up a portion of the neighborhood. “What you will find is professors who like to live there because of its proximity to the university and some of the sizes of the homes,” says Beth Ham, a Realtor with Realty Executives, who’s made many sales around KU. “There are affordable homes, but they also have a lot of character.” The proximity to KU was among the reasons Klein chose to settle there. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to live close to campus. After teaching a full day of classes, I wanted to run home real quick, grab dinner and then go back and do rehearsals,” Klein, a former theater professor, says. “I just wanted to be a mile and a half away and hit the hay.”
You will find residents walk al lover the the Centennial neighborhood.
Centennial has several different types of green spaces for residents can enjoy.
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There is a variety of newer home types in the Centennial neighborhoods
Mid-20th century builds with some postmodern twists
Houses in Centennial sit behind groups of trees that form dense canopies across the neighborhood. Many homeowners keep their yards spruced up with pine oaks, hostas and native plants like sun flowers and black-eyed Susans. “It’s a gorgeous neighborhood,” Klein says. “A lot of us are growing all sorts of native plants." Once a suburban neighborhood of Lawrence, many houses here were built in the mid-20th century for returning GIs. Today, a number of houses have been bought by parents of KU students and converted into rentals. The architecture features many ranch-style houses and Craftsman bungalows, but also has several builds — like the Dean House — with mid-century contemporary and postmodern traits. Sale price points can go from just under $200,000 for a house less than 1,000 square feet to almost $400,000 for one that’s nearly 2,000 square feet.
Nearby staples on West 23rd and quick access to downtown Lawrence scene
Several local staples lie right along West 23rd Street, which forms Centennial southern bounds. Running out of a strip mall, the Thai Diner is a favorite among fans of Southeast Asian cuisine. Menu choices here include vegetable and protein rolls wrapped in boiled rice paper, chicken curry bowls with sides of plain rice and deep-fried fish. A little farther down the street is the Fresh Mediterranean, where gyro wraps and Greek-style salads are served out of a small convenience store space. On the other side of the neighborhood is Taylor’s Donuts, ran by the owner of multiple James Beard nominee 1900 Barker - Bakery and Cafe. Checkers Foods and Dillons on either side of the neighborhood provide nearby grocery stores. With Massachusetts Street cutting through the eastern end of Centennial, many in the neighborhood can easily reach and enjoy the many institutions in historic downtown Lawrence. “More people are going to venture downtown. It’s still considered pretty close to downtown,” Ham says. Among the renowned staples there is the more than three decades old Free State Brewing Company. Klein concurs with Ham. “For me personally, when I want to eat out, I go downtown. It’s our real pride and joy. It’s got lots of history and lots of restaurants, just some really fantastic places down there,” Klein says. “That’s part of why I love living in this part of the neighborhood.”
There is a good selection of local retailer and eatery in Downtown Lawrence.
Checkers has great prices points on all their groceries.
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South Park has several cozy place to relax and read.
Strolls and birdwatching at Naismith Valley Park and horseshoe games
While most of the athletic spaces within Centennial cater to Lawrence High School’s athletics, the neighborhood isn’t far from a few major city green spaces. Veterans Park along the neighborhood’s northern bounds offers a playground complete with creatively designed equipment painted in red and blue. There are also courts for pickup basketball games and tennis matches between friends. Just south of 23rd Street sits Naismith Valley Park, a nearly 1 mile-long and 25-acre park. The site consists of a mixture of open prairie and some dense woodlands that can be passed through on an approximately 2-mile-long trail. Birdwatchers enjoy the park, and birds spotted here include tree swallows and American goldfinches. East of this green space is Broken Arrow Park, where parents with children will find more playground fixtures. The park occasionally hosts events like small vintage car shows. Avid horseshoe players will also find 16 courts for the hobby, and the Lawrence Horseshoe Club regularly puts on contests here.
Close to South Park festivities and KU basketball games
Centennial previously maintained an annual series of events like community garage sales, but those gatherings have declined as the neighborhood has become less active. Despite that, residents don’t need to look far for festivities. The neighborhood sits just a few miles south of South Park, which is as much of a city meetup point as it is scenic and relaxing green space. Events there include the annual Juneteenth celebration. The proximity to KU also puts Centennial within convenient distance of the NCAA Division I matches like Jayhawks basketball games at the Allen Fieldhouse. “There’s always something to do in this town,” Klein says.
South Park is a great place or long walks along the shaded trails.
Kansas University is located in the heart of Lawrence and the residents love their Jayhawks.
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Home to Lawrence High School
Older teens don’t need to drive or take the bus to go to class as Centennial is home to Lawrence High School, which receives an A-minus from ratings site Niche. The site ranks the high school among the top 25 best high schools for STEM in Kansas. A recently approved measure also requires all of Lawrence’s high schoolers to get an extra STEM credit to graduate. Prior to attending Lawrence High, children in the neighborhood go to Cordley Elementary School and Liberty Memorial Central Middle School, which receive B-plus and B grades respectively from Niche. Opened over a century ago and renovated in the mid-2010s, Cordley serves just under 300 students. One of its special services is English as a second language to English learners.
Lawrence High has a great tack that residents can use when school is not in session.
Lawrence High School is one of the two High Schools in Lawrence.
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It is easy to get around Lawrence with all the bus stops scatted allover town.
Alternative transportation with Lawrence Transit
Centennial sits about 4 miles south Interstate 70, which provides commuter routes to Topeka and Kansas City. Kentucky Street provides a direct connection to downtown Lawrence about 2 miles north. Near downtown is Amtrak’s Lawrence station, a stop for the passenger rail service’s Southwest Chief Train. Lawrence Transit bus stops along Massachusetts and West 23rd streets provide more alternative transportation options. The Lawrence Memorial Hospital about 3 miles north addresses major medical needs. For out-of-state flights, many here travel to the Kansas City International Airport about 53 miles east.
Few additional community facts
Centennial has an overall CAP Index crime score of four out of 10, on par with the national average.
GreatSchools:
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Centennial Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Centennial, Lawrence sell after 23 days on the market compared to the national average of 55 days. The median sale price for homes in Centennial, Lawrence over the last 12 months is $282,050, up 11% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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