Garden Neighborhood Council

With a name like Garden Neighborhood Council, it’s more accurate to call this northeastern Oklahoma City community a secret garden than a hidden gem. But both descriptors would be fitting. Denyvetta Davis, President of the Northeast OKC Neighborhood Coalition, says, “Neighborhoods in this part of the city have been a little run down and half-forgotten for a long time, but that’s slowly changing.” As developers and investors flock to these communities for the competitive home and land prices, Davis says, “Northeast OKC is on the up-and-up, for sure.” She adds that the new commercial and residential developments are just a start: “We want safe, healthy and flourishing neighborhoods, and we’re excited about the future.”

Here in Garden Neighborhood Council, you’ll find mostly midcentury Minimal Traditional cottages. Many feature original aluminum carports and chain link fencing, small front stoops and horizontal vinyl siding. Davis notes that investors and “house-flipping hobbyists” have been drawn to the neighborhood recently for the “relatively affordable prices.” For a two-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage built in 1952, featuring slim-plank hardwood flooring and original metal kitchen cabinetry, you can expect to pay around $57,000. For a two-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage built in 1954 and freshly remodeled with design details that nod to its midcentury roots, like vintage-looking pastel appliances in the kitchen and sleek black and white penny tile in the bathroom, you’ll likely pay closer to $150,000. “Prices here are below prices in the rest of the city,” acknowledges Davis, noting that it’s part of the reason this area has seen an influx of investors recently.

Garden Neighborhood Council students attend schools in the Oklahoma City Public Schools district. Many go to Thelma R. Parks Elementary, F.D. Moon Middle and Douglass High, all within 3 miles of most homes. Douglass High, established in 1891 as the first school in OKC serving African-American students, is one of the city’s oldest public schools. Known affectionately today as the “Pride of the East Side,” the storied high school counts famous Jazz musicians Charlie Christian and Jimmy Rushing among its alumni. Off Coltrane Road on the neighborhood’s east side, the Garden-Diggs Head Start Center public preschool has been serving the community’s littlest students since the late 1980s.

Also off Coltrane Road, next to the Head Start Center just half a mile from most homes, is Diggs Park. Named for Daniel and Alzena Diggs, two of the most important figures in OKC civil rights history, the expansive park is a great place for residents of all ages to burn off some energy. The classic, forest green and brown playground has no less than four slides and overlooks a fully fenced basketball court. The entire sunny, 14.5-acre park is circled by a paved multi-purpose trail, dotted with picnic pavilions and newly installed benches.

Less than 6 miles east of downtown, and just 4 miles south of the Adventure District, Neighborhood Garden Council is well-positioned between two of OKC’s most popular dining and entertainment districts. But even closer to home, you’ll find plenty of adventure at Lost Lakes Adventure Park. Visit the unique waterpark for all kinds of lakefront fun, from wakeboarding to floating bouncy houses. And when it’s time to dry off and get back to everyday adventures like shopping for groceries, many residents head 2 miles down 23rd Street to The Market at Eastpoint. The Market began as a community garden and urban farm designed to put an end to the area’s “food desert” status and has been working to move from simply providing food access to ensuring food justice and food security since 2021.

With its competitively priced homes and atmosphere of rapid revitalization, it’s clear that this is one northeast OKC neighborhood that’s about to bloom. The real question is how long this garden will remain a secret.

Written By

Megan Quintin

Photography Contributed By

Lindsey Torres

Video By

Andrew Sutton