Oklahoma City - the "where and why.."

scongdon

Well-Known Member
So, I took my AT-SAT in OKC, and I have a few questions for the current academy-goers. Not to put the cart before the horse, but one can never be too prepared...

One thing I noticed... downtown was beautiful (I went to see WALL-E the night before my test :D), as are other areas of town, but there are definitely some "rougher" looking areas. If, by chance, I start looking for a place early, what "areas" of town would you recommend avoiding? Where is the academy located anyway, and what would be the best place to reside to avoid 44?

The day I took my test, I barely missed a 3-truck pileup (mind you, the "BOOM BOOM BOOM" occurred right outside my rolled-down passenger window), and being able to cut through town would be nice. Any advice?
 
You need to stay at one of the FAA focused apartment complexes like Walnut Gardens. These places have furniture, a TV, dishes, everything. And NO leases. They know how much per diem you are getting so the will charge you a daily rate which already includes your utilities....kinda like a hotel, but these are actually apartments. Some even offer really cheap car rentals. Many units have washers and dryers right inside them. Most of the complexs are fenced and have bus service to/from the Acadmy. All you really need to bring with you is your clothes, cell phone, and computer.

The academy is located on the OKC (Will Rogers) Airport (which is located at the extreme SW corner of the city). It is laid out along the western side of the field and looks very much like a college campus. I always stay at Walnut Gardens and have been very happy with them over the past 20 years, but there are 2 more apartment facilities that do the same thing.

I have incorporated a link for you to look at whats available. If you click on FAA housing, then click on the "sign" pictures for each complex it takes you to more specific data (rates, pictures, etc) on each facility. Also for initial training you are considered Long Term for their rental rates:
http://www.faahousing.com/FAA_walnut_gardens.html
 
I've taken the liberty to highlight in red the "shady" parts of town. Fair warning... ;)

avoid-1.jpg
 
hehe there are some rough areas around here, but the OKC rough areas are nothing really bad...I have yet to find a place throughout OKC I feel unsafe driving around.

Check down in Miami and you'll understand why I have no fear of OKC :)
 
I've taken the liberty to highlight in red the "shady" parts of town. Fair warning... ;)
There are some wonderful places inside the shaded areas, and some bad places not shaded. The shaded areas seem to be neighborhoods with a high percentage of Hispanic and Asian families. I don't see that as automatically being "shady".

I'd stay about a mile away from I40, and about a mile away from I35. The worst neighborhoods seem be be close to the freeways. IMHO.
 
I'm at Walnut Gardens now. Not bad at all. Sure, surrounding neighborhood isn't the best, but in all honesty who cares? It's cheap here (as far as the FAA "approved" places). I am paying $26.50/night for a small efficiency. Everyone here are Academy students and it's fairly quiet. Walnut Gardens, like most FAA approved apartments, is located right on the Academy bus route.

Best advice is reserve your place EARLY. With all the hiring going on the places are filling up fast.
 
There are some wonderful places inside the shaded areas, and some bad places not shaded. The shaded areas seem to be neighborhoods with a high percentage of Hispanic and Asian families. I don't see that as automatically being "shady".

I'd stay about a mile away from I40, and about a mile away from I35. The worst neighborhoods seem be be close to the freeways. IMHO.

Doh, I forgot the area just to the south of Quail Spring's Mall between May & Penn. It was nice up there when I first moved there (12 years ago) and after a couple years it got shady.
 
Thanks for all the info - especially the academy based housing. I've always been a small-town guy (we think nothing of leaving our windows down / doors unlocked up here!), and there were definitely some areas in OKC I wouldn't feel safe leaving my vehicle parked.

Again, I'm on step 3 of about 200, but I don't like things to bottleneck :)
 
I'm at Walnut Gardens now. Not bad at all. Sure, surrounding neighborhood isn't the best, but in all honesty who cares? It's cheap here (as far as the FAA "approved" places). I am paying $26.50/night for a small efficiency. Everyone here are Academy students and it's fairly quiet. Walnut Gardens, like most FAA approved apartments, is located right on the Academy bus route.

Best advice is reserve your place EARLY. With all the hiring going on the places are filling up fast.

I'm bringing my wife down. Would the small efficiency be big enough for us? Does it have a kitchen?
 
Just wondering... are there any FAA Approved places that will allow me to bring my dog with me? She's a little 35 pound black lab/beagle and I'm worried that I'm going to get stuck dumping her on my parents, and I don't want to do that to them...
 
Yes, some places allow dogs but you have to pay a non-refundable deposit. Go on the FAA approved housing website and each place tells you if they allow pets and how much the deposit is.
 
So I've noticed in many threads that people keep talking about bringing their spouse/significant other with them to OKC or not happy to be gone from them very long.

Am I the ONLY one that is sooo looking forward to 4 months of pseudo bachelorhood?! :nana2:
 
So I've noticed in many threads that people keep talking about bringing their spouse/significant other with them to OKC or not happy to be gone from them very long.

Am I the ONLY one that is sooo looking forward to 4 months of pseudo bachelorhood?! :nana2:

I am! *HIGH FIVE*
 
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