Is Denton in Decline?

[Side Show Joe]

My family has recently moved away from Denton. I've always wanted to get some land in the country. We have been returning on the weekend and getting our house ready to sell. I still keep track of things happening around Denton, as I still read the DRC. To me it seems like crime is getting worse. It seems like every road is under construction, and too many drivers are angry. Do any of y'all around Denton, or any that return to visit, sense this too?

Edited February 15, 2016 by Side Show Joe

[UNTFan23]

6 minutes ago, Side Show Joe said:

My family has recently moved away from Denton. I've always wanted to get some land in the country. We have been returning on the weekend and getting our house ready to sell. I still keep track of things happening around Denton, as I still read the DRC. To me it seems like crime is getting worse. It seems like every road is under construction, and too many drivers are angry. Do any of y'all around Denton, or any that return to visit, sense this too?

Denton suffers from poor city management and people "wanting to keep Denton small." 

[Censored by Laurie]

14 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

Denton suffers from poor city management and people "wanting to keep Denton small." 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population

since 2010, Denton is the 12th fastest growing city in the US...out-pacing such places as Ft. Worth, San Antonio and Plano. 

[UNTFan23]

Just now, Censored by Laurie said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population

since 2010, Denton is the 12th fastest growing city in the US...out-pacing such places as Ft. Worth, San Antonio and Plano. 

That's fine but there is a mentality among some of the citizens that they want to keep Denton small. Look at how the city has handled certain things and it fits that mentality.  The city is also tens of millions of dollars behind on its road infrastructure.  One day they'll expand Bonnie Brae but it's not listed on any long term plans right now.  The roads around UNT are awful and are in desperate need of being repaved.

[Censored by Laurie]

9 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

That's fine but there is a mentality among some of the citizens that they want to keep Denton small. Look at how the city has handled certain things and it fits that mentality.  The city is also tens of millions of dollars behind on its road infrastructure.  One day they'll expand Bonnie Brae but it's not listed on any long term plans right now.  The roads around UNT are awful and are in desperate need of being repaved.

this is such a tired discussion. Denton's leadership and citizenry and mentality has always (at least since the mid 00s) been towards selective growth...large corporate money toward the fringes of town while encouraging and fostering local-owned, unique business towards the center. 

there are plenty of places more than willing to take any new revenue stream while giving no regard to aesthetic or civic pride. Frisco, Plano, Richardson...though the word "city" is perhaps less fitting than something like "suburban sprawl center"

as for the roads...last I was there (October) the thought never even occurred to me...but then I do live in a small northeast city and am probably far more acclimated to suspect roads. that said, if you opt to live in Frisco because Preston Ave is in better shape than Bonnie Brae, you're probably prioritizing poorly. 

[Green P1]

No

[Side Show Joe]

I get that the growth has outpaced the infrastructure, but did they have to start construction on every road at the same time. It is a nightmare getting around Denton right now. Drivers seems ruder and angrier. Also, there seems to be more crime in Denton. I don't remember there being this much violent crime in the city.

[adman]

3 hours ago, Side Show Joe said:

I get that the growth has outpaced the infrastructure, but did they have to start construction on every road at the same time. It is a nightmare getting around Denton right now. Drivers seems ruder and angrier. Also, there seems to be more crime in Denton. I don't remember there being this much violent crime in the city.

@Side Show Joe Where'd ya move to?

 

Edited February 16, 2016 by adman

[Got5onIt]

 It's a pain in the ass but sorely needed now that 635 is complete. There will be much needed relief once the stretch of 35 from Swisher to Post Oak to 288 are completed. I always wondered why they decided to do a low traffic intersection (compared to Post Oak) like Corinth Parkway first? The last rumor I heard was the Post Oak, Swisher, & 288 intersections should be done by September....

Edited February 16, 2016 by Got5onIt

[djohnnie]

Everywhere people are angrier, not just Denton. That is what happens when people look inward toward self. The notion of helping your neighbor whether

he be next door or on the road goes out the window. People are more interested in technology than cultivating relationships.  That will be a tough thing to change

in people, but can be if the heart is right.

[Tyler Maryak]

@djohnnie is the hero we need but don't deserve right now.

[Side Show Joe]

2 hours ago, adman said:

@Side Show Joe Where'd ya move to?

 

Burkburnett. right on the Red River, just north of Wichita Falls. It's a really nice small town. I tell people it's like living in Mayberry. It's an hour and a half drive from Denton, and a very easy drive for games.

[adman]

12 hours ago, Side Show Joe said:

Burkburnett. right on the Red River, just north of Wichita Falls. It's a really nice small town. I tell people it's like living in Mayberry. It's an hour and a half drive from Denton, and a very easy drive for games.

Thats cool. I grew up in a small town in East Texas. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

Your question regarding crime got me thinking so I started doing some research. Some interesting stats. 

So overall crime in Burkburnett is 1.08 times higher than it is in Denton.  Denton does have higher violent crime numbers with robbery and rape being the two driving forces. Assault and murder are a near dead heat however. 

http://www.areavibes.com/compare-results/?place1=Denton%2C%20TX&place2=Burkburnett%2C%20TX#cri

 

[ChristopherRyanWilkes]

I always thought the crime in Denton was pretty isolated. There are some property crimes and obviously drunken antics, but that's pretty typical in a college town. 

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Denton is almost part of Dallas now ..... When i graduated in 1966  I-35W didn't exist (had to use 377) and there was trees and undeveloped land between Denton and Dallas.. As for growing faster than Ft. Worth, Plano,  and Dallas ... tough to increase population much for them since they are "penned in" by other cities and can't get larger in area... Plano was an A or AA HS when I was in college in the 60's... Frisco ... never heard about it then.  Even the road between Denton and McKinney was all agriculture land. Soon it will be part of the continuous Dallas-metro.. (Sorry Dentonites.... your small town is disappearing. ).. There was even undeveloped land between LBJ (aka 635) and Dallas in the early 70's.  Had car trouble on LBJ once in 1971 and there wasn't a building for miles (somewhere near the Galleria now.).....

Edited February 16, 2016 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[UNTLifer]

Denton roads have always sucked.  Denton's crime has always been under-reported considering it is where the two segments of I35 merge to head north.

[Side Show Joe]

8 hours ago, adman said:

Thats cool. I grew up in a small town in East Texas. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

Your question regarding crime got me thinking so I started doing some research. Some interesting stats. 

So overall crime in Burkburnett is 1.08 times higher than it is in Denton.  Denton does have higher violent crime numbers with robbery and rape being the two driving forces. Assault and murder are a near dead heat however. 

http://www.areavibes.com/compare-results/?place1=Denton%2C%20TX&place2=Burkburnett%2C%20TX#cri

 

Interesting numbers. Thanks for posting them. Denton is a much bigger city then Burkburnett, and as a result, Denton has more reported crimes. When comparing the number of crimes to the overall population, things do get closer in some categories. But Denton seems to have more violet crime, especially murders. Burkburnett hasn't had any murders.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Side Show Joe

[TheWestie]

Buncha things have happened in the last couple years. New Mayor and city council who actually wanted to pass bond packages to pay for re-doing roads and infrastructure (like electrical lines and pipes, some of which have caused road closures). And then TxDOT starting the 35Express project. City decided well since TxDOT is starting 35 now, lets do our surface street improvements that will compliment 35Express and pull the band-aid off all at once, instead of letting the wound fester. So yeah 35 sucks, and will for another year until it's done but then that's it. Hickory St from Fry to Carroll is abysmal, and needs to be repaved something fierce. This likely won't happen until summertime when the traffic load is way worse because school is out. 

[TripleGrad]

The only thing really wrong with Denton is traffic.  I35 has become a parking lot for far too much of the day, and yes, that makes people angry.   Other than that, though, Denton is doing fine.  The downtown area is really booming, with a lot of the outer ring really developing with interesting independent shops.  The area around UNT is also redeveloping.  I won't say it's better (I still miss my Baby Stuffed Pizzas), but it's certainly cleaner and newer than it was.   The old Golden Triangle Mall got a facelift.   There's a new focus on the local politics, which I think can be credited to social media.  The airport is expanding.  UNT and TWU have record attendance year after year.  There are numerous art and film and music festivals pretty much year round.  If only we had football in this burg . . .

Things are -different-, and I miss the small town this place used to be, but Denton isn't bad, and still at the core remains the same.

[GreenTexan13]

On 2/15/2016 at 2:22 PM, Side Show Joe said:

My family has recently moved away from Denton. I've always wanted to get some land in the country. We have been returning on the weekend and getting our house ready to sell. I still keep track of things happening around Denton, as I still read the DRC. To me it seems like crime is getting worse. It seems like every road is under construction, and too many drivers are angry. Do any of y'all around Denton, or any that return to visit, sense this too?

I think with any city, the growth in population = more crime. I don't see much more crime then I think I would see in another average college city.

Construction is horrid.. But like some of the other people have pointed out, I think the worst of it is the dang parking lot we call I-35. I have lived in Denton/Argyle/Corinth since 2005 and notice a big difference in a decade's time. The downtown area is turning into a mini 6th street and I feel like Denton has a college bar/activity scene that can compete with the College Station's or the Austin's we all think is important when we were in college.

[meangreendork]

Crime is still isolated. It's about even for the last few years overall.

As for traffic - the worst part really IS I35E. That's the worst, worst, worst part. I like the mixed age, almost fam-friendly vibe of the square. It's pretty good for all ages during the day, and it's definitely a good night spot for grown-ups and college-age folks after 10pm.

[Mean Green 93-98]

On 2/15/2016 at 2:30 PM, UNTFan23 said:

. . . and people "wanting to keep Denton small." 

I'm not one to impose my will on others on such matters.  But . . .

 

I wouldn't complain at all if Denton had 40,000 less people and the DFW area had 4 million less people.

[Aldo]

I wouldn't say Denton is in the decline.

I moved here in '04 and like @UNTLifer mentioned, they have always been awful since I've been here. Txdot is finally catching up with growth and building up 35, and then the 380 project also sprung up. I don't go around the souf side too much, but they seem to be doing a lot of construction down there too (2499 is awesome). At least they are looking to fix roads, so I won't call that decline. Except for hickory. Hickory between campus and the square sucks.

As far as crime goes, there has been a sad string for random incidents over the past 12 months, especially off Mckinney St. 

But the whole town has been growing, more business is coming through, homes are being built and sold left and right, schools are getting built. 

And there's bbq and beer. 

[UNT90]

On February 24, 2016 at 3:56 PM, Mean Green 93-98 said:

I'm not one to impose my will on others on such matters.  But . . .

 

I wouldn't complain at all if Denton had 40,000 less people and the DFW area had 4 million less people.

Genocide? 

[Side Show Joe]

Since posting this thread in February we have had a guy arrested at the court house for making terrorist threats, a sex trafficker living in the UNT dorms, and now a 3 hour standoff in a nice neighborhood. DRC Story

This is not the Denton I moved to.

Edited June 18, 2016 by Side Show Joe