Putnam Heights

If you, like “Legally Blonde” protagonist Elle Woods, “feel comfortable using legal jargon in everyday life,” you’ll feel at home in Putnam Heights. The community has deep roots in the law profession; it's even named for attorney-turned-developer Israel Putnam. Long-term Oklahoma City resident Jim Miller notes Classen Boulevard, at the east end of the neighborhood, was “known historically as 'lawyer’s row.'” Miller, a top Realtor with Keller Williams Elite, adds that while “there’s a bunch of different kinds of businesses all up and down Classen today, there’s still an awful lot of law offices,” so the branding has persisted. “There’s everything from multiple people in a partnership together to offices with just one lawyer fresh out of law school,” he says. “Historically, a lot of the homes on the east side of Putnam Heights were where some of the lawyers from lawyer’s row lived.” Today, the community is in the midst of a “remodeling boom,” Miller adds. “There was a stretch of time in the 1970s and ‘80s where the homes were falling into disrepair, and there were less lawyers in the neighborhood. But as the remodeling boom in this part of town has happened, the homes are being restored, and it’s returning to its roots.”

Similar to the rest of the OKC urban core, Putnam Heights was developed from east to west. “There are houses here as old as the early 1900s, but as you go further to the west, you’re looking at 1950s-era homes,” says Miller, observing that this “continuum” is one of the most unique aspects of the area. He notes that both size and price increase in conjunction with the homes’ ages. “On the east side, you’ll find bigger houses on bigger lots. Some of these are as big as three or 4,000 square feet, and a lot of them also have additional dwelling units like a back house or a garage apartment,” he says, adding “As you move farther west, the houses are newer and smaller, on smaller lots.” Homes here range in price from $125,000 to $800,000. “A lot of houses on the west side that are smaller and need a lot of work sell for around $125,000, but the more updated ones start closer to $200,000,” says Miller, explaining that the east side is where you’ll find homes on the upper end of the price spectrum. “Some of those go for $700,000 or $800,000, all depending on whether they’re remodeled or not,” he notes.

Most residents prefer to remodel rather than raze and rebuild the Craftsman-style bungalows, Neoclassical and Traditional-style homes here. “There are other neighborhoods in the city where folks are knocking down houses to build new ones, but that’s not happening here the way it is in other places,” Miller emphasizes. A midcentury ranch-style home on the west side featuring Craftsman-inspired exposed beams over the front stoop, new luxury vinyl tile flooring throughout and a recently renovated kitchen is typically listed for around $265,000. For a stately Neoclassical home on the east side, built in 1918 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, featuring a wraparound porch and a garage apartment, you can expect to pay closer to $570,000.

Aside from its unique range of homes, Putnam Heights’ location on the cusp of the OKC urban core is what draws most homebuyers here. “It’s a great, central location, like most of the neighborhoods in this part of town. But what makes this one unique is that the Asian District is only about a mile south,” says Miller. The district sprang up in the 1970s, created by an influx of Vietnamese immigrants, and is known today as a hub for some of the city’s best Asian and Asian fusion cuisine. Visit Lee’s Sandwiches just half a mile down Classen for a classic bahn mi, or Vietnamese sandwich. A staple in the community since it opened in 1983, Miller says its menu is “a great combination of French and Vietnamese foods at a reasonable price.” Beyond the Asian District, the Uptown 23rd District is also a popular spot among OKC foodies. Miller says: “Probably the best restaurant there is Cheever’s, which actually used to be one of the premier flower shops in the city.” While the florist moved locations in the 1990s, the signage remained as the Art Deco-style building transformed into a café. “It’s really good, and it’s so crowded every weekend night that it’s hard to get a table,” gushes Miller, adding that the food is delicious in part because “they don’t just have cooks, they have rotating chefs.”

Students in Putnam Heights attend schools in the Oklahoma City Public Schools system. Many go to Field Elementary, Moon Middle and Douglass High School. Miller notes that the city is also home to a robust collection of charter schools, which attract students from across the city. “The thing about Oklahoma City proper, especially in these core neighborhoods, is that a lot of families put their kids into these charter schools,” he says. “A lot of kids will start at Cleveland Elementary, go to Belle Isle, which is one of the best schools in the state, and then finish up at Classen School of Advanced Studies for high school,” Miller explains, adding that all five of his children attended Belle Isle Middle. The charter school features two campuses, one for fifth and sixth grade students and another for seventh and eighth grade students, and boasts a B+ grade from Niche. “It’s an excellent place for charter schools that are highly rated,” Miller affirms.

Between its unique range of homes, vibrant location and access to stellar schools, deciding to move here seems easier than Elle Woods getting into Harvard Law. “What, like it’s hard?”

Written By

Megan Quintin

Photography Contributed By

Lindsey Torres

Video By

Stewart Taveras