Lost Lakes

Despite its name, the Lost Lakes neighborhood is anything but lost. It's located just 4 miles northeast of downtown Oklahoma City, and its Lost Lakes Entertainment Complex draws crowds from across the city for its watersports and open-air concerts. But as Lime Realty’s David Aita will tell you, that wasn’t always the case. The Realtor explains, “These neighborhoods used to be forgotten and not very well-known. But the east side of the city is experiencing a really exciting moment right now, where the whole area is up-and-coming together.” He notes that Lost Lakes was one of the first neighborhoods to catch the revitalization wave rolling through this side of town. “With the waterpark at Lost Lakes so close, and all the downtown amenities close by, too, this area attracted investors and interested parties sooner. And with the rest of the area on the upswing, it’s definitely becoming more and more popular,” he says.

The midcentury Minimal Traditional-style homes you’ll find here are compact, often with two or three bedrooms and combined living and dining spaces. Many feature aluminum awnings over their front stoops and carports shading their driveways. Most are also single-story, but some have second stories camouflaged by side-gabled, steeply pitched roofs. “The homes that are not updated are going to sit at a lower price point, but the ones that are more updated can go for as much as $150,000,” says Aita. Prices here range from $60,000 to $150,000, floating well below the median for the rest of the city. “It all depends on what’s been done, of course,” he explains, noting that as the neighborhood attracts more investors and renovation-hungry homebuyers, he expects prices will start to climb. For a three-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage built in 1954 and extensively remodeled inside and out with new windows and flooring, modern fixtures and appliances and fresh paint throughout, you can expect to pay around $145,000.

Lost Lakes students are served by schools in the Oklahoma City Public Schools system. Many go to Thelma Parks Elementary between preschool and fifth grades, F.D. Moon Middle between sixth and eighth grades and Frederick Douglass High for ninth through 12th grades. Douglass is one of the oldest schools in the metro, established in 1891 as the first school in the city serving African-American students. Less than 2 miles west down Northeast 10th Street, across Interstate 35, Douglass High is known affectionately by locals today as “the Pride of the East Side.”

With I-35 less than a mile west, Lost Lakes offers easy access to the surrounding metro. “Being this close to the highway is a huge draw since you can get from point A to point B quickly just by hopping on. You’re never more than 15 or 20 minutes from wherever you need to go,” says Aita. But to soak in the sun and enjoy some fresh air, you don’t need to spend even that long in the car. Edwards Park, less than a mile west of most homes on just the other side of Bryant Avenue, is a popular gathering place for residents of all ages. The sprawling park features an 11-table picnic pavilion, a paved walking path and a playground, all surrounding Edwards Park Lake, where “casual fishing” is welcomed. For more fun on the water, the Lost Lakes Entertainment Complex and Adventure Park are also less than a mile away, but this time east down 10th Street. From watersports like wakeboarding, waterskiing and kneeboarding to its waterslides and sandy beaches, the Adventure Park draws residents from around the metro for fun in the sun. And on days when the park hosts concerts in the amphitheater, Lost Lakes residents can enjoy the live music echoing across Redbud Drive over their backyards.

When it’s time to return to everyday adventures like shopping for groceries, many residents head just over 2 miles northeast to The Market at Eastpoint. On 23rd Street near the Ralph Ellison branch of the Metropolitan Library System, The Market began as a community garden and urban farm designed to change the area’s “food desert” status. Since 2021, it’s been working to move from providing access to food to ensuring both food justice and food security to the surrounding neighborhoods in east side OKC.

Written By

Megan Quintin

Photography Contributed By

Lindsey Torres

Video By

Paris Lape