Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Panther Reek

JP wants to move up after “winning” a spam lottery and dreams of Panther Creek. And while he’s just funnin’ us, it does bring something to mind. Panther Creek seems to be the iconic subdivision of wealth in Springfield.

It is true that homes there cost a lot, way more than I can afford, but as a place to live it really isn’t any big deal. In fact, even if I could (maybe even especially if I could) afford to buy a house there, I wouldn’t. It’s in a terrible location right off of Route 4 and it’s rather dull to look at. It has no trees of any size. For that money, go to Leland Grove or build your own house somewhere nice away from the city. Hell, I’d rather have one of the big old homes in Hawthorne Place (south Holmes, Lowell, Whittier between South Grand and Laurel) over a PC house.

Sorry, Panther Creek just ain’t all that. Time to get a new residential upper class icon for the city.

And just for fun, if you were as rich as JP wishes he were, where in or near Springfield would you live?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Enos Park Baby!

Anonymous said...

Panther Creek better known by me as Alligator Creek offers something the others don't though. You have a better overall change of being away from the crime and BS that takes place in many of the neighorhoods you have mentioned. Yes there have been some problems in Panther Creek. But nowhere near as much as the other neighborhoods. Maybe if the police officers would do their job and deal with crime. Many of us would stay closer to the old neghborhoods. Then again some people just like modern and don't want to deal with an older home. Either way I can promise you in many cases crime is why people head to the far reaches if they can afford it.

Anonymous said...

Easy. I'd live right on Washington Park. The historic homes there have more character than the McMansions at Panther Creek. It doesn't take as long to get downtown or anywhere else in town. You could walk out the front door to a great place to jog.

The Springfield crime rate is still very low. Its not enough to make me flee to some suburb where scared people don't talk to their neighbors.

Anonymous said...

My husband and I were just talking about this last night. Leland Grove--100%. There's something about old trees, crown molding and butler's pantries that is so appealing. Panther Creek is way too flat and vanilla. We know a lot of people who live there and they're all very nice, but there's a bland snootiness about the neighborhood. For now though, we're comfortable in our modest little overcrowded northend home.

John said...

I'd probably choose to live in a houseboat on Lake Springfield.

Just kidding. Washington Park/Leland Grove hands down. It's a great area to live and play. There's a lot of green space, a lot of nice trees, and a lot of nice people.

Anonymous said...

Don't laugh. My dream location is 15th near Oberlin. I'd buy three houses, tear them down, and build a nice little house with two big side yards overlooking Bunn Park. Very quiet. My next dream location would be the entire 90th floor of the John Hancock Building in Chicago.

Anonymous said...

Dave,

You sideling you.

You have now seen the light.

Size isn't always better.

The "superbarn" designs of homes in Panther-Creek are just plain ugly. Everything there seems dominated by an overarching and crass pursuit of square footage.

Who will wince, or protest when one of those homes is torn down - no one.

The older homes in Leland Grove are much better suited to civilized life.

Geno