As gays move to new gayborhoods, many young and first-time buyers are discovering Oak Lawn
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| GIRL IN THE HOOD: Suzanne Melville feels right at home in the gayborhood. (ARNOLD WAYNE JONES/Dallas Voice) |
As a Houstonite, Suzanne Melville was used to living near the throbbing heart of a vibrant downtown-adjacent neighborhood, and Las Colinas just didn’t do it for her. When she decided to buy her first house, she considered staying in Irving, close to her job as a physician’s assistant. But ultimately, she felt the pull of the city center.
Or as close as she could get. Melville wanted a single-family house but felt priced out of Park Cities and even the M Streets. But what about Oak Lawn? Like Goldilocks and the porridge, the gayborhood turned out to be just right.
But Melville’s not the only person to have discovered the appeal of Oak Lawn. In fact, she’s is just one of a new influx of gentrifiers. As more and more same-sex families, couples and gay singles opt for the less traditional digs of the suburbs, the Cliff and even high-rise living, Oak Lawn has become attractive for single women and straight couples comfortable with having — ahem — more fashionable neighbors.
"When I decided to live in Dallas I knew I wanted to live in the Uptown area. I had a friend who lived at Oak Lawn and Cedar Springs, and it just seemed like a lot of young people were there," Melville says of her decision. "The location was huge: Good restaurants, and it’s a nice area close to Downtown. I work in Irving, so I just hop on I-35 going against the traffic," providing a breezy commute.
Many people who choose to live closer to a population center opt for loft spaces, apartments, condos, even townhouses. Indeed, Melville was one of them.
Originally, she expected that, in order to get the yard and quiet people she desired she’d have to forego the neighborhood she wanted.
"I was looking all over — Grapevine, Irving, Valley Ranch. But I’m just so sick of the suburbs — the chain restaurants are all the same, just in a different place. I didn’t want a place where everything was the same."
But the Maple Springs area, a little farther from the multi-family dwellings and pricier houses directly off the strip, offered everything she was looking for.
"The houses have so much character in the area where I’m in — older houses were built better. Having a yard is nice. It’s quiet, I’m surrounded by good people," Melville says.
Including, it turns out, her Realtor. Keith Yonick, who found the house for Melville, lives within spitting distance of his client, and is naturally a strong supporter of the neighborhood.
"You can’t be on this side of 75 and get anything anymore — that’s why they’re going over to Henderson," Yonick says.
But value is an elusive thing. Melville got a good deal on her house, but the deals may become harder to come by as the area continues to grow and attract more and varied home buyers. But she’s O.K. with that.
"I’m hoping the same thing [that happened in M Streets and other desirable neighborhoods] happens to my area when I get ready to sell," she says with a smile.
And there’s no downside to being in the gay area.
"I’ve gone to the gay bars a couple of times, although usually I go to McKinney and Henderson," which are close by. "One of my best friends is a lesbian so I’ve gone to Sue Ellen’s a few times even."
There’s another good reason for a single girl to chose these digs, Melville admits.
"Where would you feel more safe than with a bunch of muscular guys who won’t hit on you?"
This article appeared in the Defining Homes magazine presented by Dallas Voice on October 9, 2009.