Posted 28 October 2009 - 04:36 PM
Interesting discussion, even if I haven't lived there for 14 years now, the feel of the homes still seems pretty close to what I remember. Overall I liked OV because it was laid back and safe, but also close enough to businesses to not feel secluded (it was just like 3 miles every direction). I wasn't quite old enough to take the bus or go that many places by myself until the last year or so, so I can't totally comment there.
I lived in three different places in town as a kid - #1 was a midsized ranch house off Main Ave just down the street from the horseback riding stables (where it automatically blends into Sunset). Even though the bedrooms were kinda cramped, it was a comfortable place with a spaced out front area and in a safe neighborhood.
The other two were townhouses and I feel totally opposite about both. One was also on Main, further up between Madsion and Greenback. That was neat because it was in walking distance to fast food and stores. The unit itself was also small but comfortable, and at least in 1994 it was a friendly complex where the people were cool. The other one was near the border of Fair Oaks (on Beech Ave near Greenback). That did seem to be a slightly more "ghetto" neighborhood. The only thing I liked was being in walking distance to the middle school I went to, and being so close to the Cable Park center.
I'm less familar with anything north of Greenback (I don't think we had much reason to go up that way, at least not as often... probably because it's more rural), but I would agree anyone who wanted to space out a bit and buy some land, that would be an ideal area.