Paseo Arts District — Attraction in Oklahoma City

I lived in the heart of the neighborhood for a number of years, during two different time periods. I loved it here so much, even when the area surrounding the Paseo proper was not very good. There was a strong sense of community and family, with most people owning or working in businesses here also living in the neighborhood. People watched out for each other, supported each other, and welcomed new people in who were clearly looking for that kind of community. most of the rentals in the area during those times were almost entirely internally referred as people occasionally moved out, and most home owners had been long time residents. it had been a haven for am eclectic mix of oddball cultures that didn't quite fit in elsewhere in the metro. That being said, it's no longer the same. whatever can be said in terms of economic development and reductions in petty crime rates, the gentrification and development that has spread from downtown has in my opinion been a detriment. as new owners have bought rental properties, rents have shot up 50-150% in many cases with no improvements and in some cases with a reduction in maintanence and services, or cosmetic improvements at best. this has driven out many of the long time residents who can no longer afford to live here, including many of those who work in the neighborhood. some of those have even had to find jobs elsewhere as they cannot afford to work outside of a walkable area. non-rental property has been bought at low to mid prices and put back in the market at 1.5-3x the price after only 1-3 months if predominantly cosmetic improvements, again pushing out those once drawn to this community. while there seems to be enough relatively high income individuals to support these practices, these will no longer be the sort of people who want to be long term residents and contribute to and build on that strong sense of community. a lot of the diversity is already being lost to the homogenized upper middle class culture that can afford these new prices. it isn't even benefiting the traditional business owners of the area, as a number of them are now gone as well, with new owners, developers, and investors moving in. it's a real shame, as this used to be a truly unique place, and soon will be indistinguishable from midtown, downtown, or any number of other similarly gentrified areas I have seen in numerous other big cities (Austin, Dallas,...

Wonderful area to take the family. So many diverse artists. This is a great area to shop for art, eat at local restaurants, and experience one of Oklahoma's hidden gems. Although I would recommend going here any chance you get, you HAVE to experience the First Friday Art Walks. All the galleries stay open late and showcase new works often offering light snacks. Street musicians serenede you. Restaurants often have live entertainers. If you look hard enough, you will even find activities for children. Whether you are an art aficionado or have never stepped foot in a gallery before, you will feel welcome walking through Paseo the first Friday evening...

Last night was my first time Dinning at the Paseo. I’ve driven past it hundreds of times and have always wanted to stop in. The staff was incredibly welcoming and attentive. Especially our amazing server. The food was DELICIOUS. I ordered the Honey Walnut Cauliflower dish, an elevated vegan twist on Orange Chicken. My fiancé ordered the Plank Salmon and said it was one of the best he’s ever had. Lastly, we ended the dinner with vegan Beignets. Safe to say… We will be...