<![CDATA[Crestwood Neighborhood Association

<![CDATA[Crestwood Neighborhood Association - News]]>Sat, 13 Jun 2026 07:41:46 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[November Meeting News]]>Fri, 15 Nov 2019 16:31:27 GMThttps://www.crestwoodokc.com/news/november-meeting-newsThe Crestwood Neighborhood Association met November 12, 2019 at the home of Bill and Nancy Kitchen and new officers were elected, as follows: Bill Kitchen as President, Doris Carder as Vice President, Timothy Dang as Secretary and Austin Willett as Treasurer. We are happy to report that Jon Franklin and Erin Holstein volunteered to add new plants to the entry planters on both the East and West Ends of 19th Street; Thien Trang Dang volunteered to put together a Newsletter for distribution in January; and Micah LeGall agreed to continue to manage the Summer Yard-of-the-Month awards – this comes with a $50 gift card from TLC Garden Centers. Doris was kind enough to award our past President, Justin Cliburn, with a plaque honoring his contributions to the neighborhood as he served as our President for several years until his wife, Deanne, took over last year. We appreciate all that turned out for the meeting.]]><![CDATA[Crestwood Donation Decals Added to Waste Stations]]>Wed, 07 Nov 2018 22:14:45 GMThttps://www.crestwoodokc.com/news/crestwood-donation-decals-added-to-waste-stations

You may notice new decals atop the pet waste stations located along the 19th Street median. They serve to remind dog walkers that the waste bags are purchased by the Crestwood Neighborhood Association with money donated by residents. They are not maintained by the City of Oklahoma City, although that is a reasonable assumption. What do you think of them?

]]><![CDATA[Talking Crestwood on the OKC Real Estate Show]]>Wed, 12 Sep 2018 14:55:00 GMThttps://www.crestwoodokc.com/news/talking-crestwood-on-the-okc-real-estate-show

The OKC Real Estate Show highlighted Crestwood with its most recent episode. Their interview with the Crestwood Neighborhood Association president begins at the 15:00 mark.

]]><![CDATA[Crestwood to be Featured on OKC Real Estate Show Bus Tour]]>Mon, 20 Aug 2018 17:13:03 GMThttps://www.crestwoodokc.com/news/crestwood-to-be-featured-on-okc-real-estate-show-bus-tour

The Crestwood neighborhood will be one of the destinations for a new bus tour operated by the Oklahoma City Real Estate Show. CNA President Justin Cliburn was interviewed by tour host Landon Whitt, and his interview will air during the tour and on the podcast. The bus tour will occur September 25.

]]><![CDATA[June 2017 Meeting Minutes]]>Fri, 16 Jun 2017 21:04:53 GMThttps://www.crestwoodokc.com/news/june-2017-meeting-minutesMeeting Minutes – June 13, 2017
Present:
Justin Cliburn (President) Francoise Bigot (Board Member)
Micah Legall (VP)                                                               Dan Keefe (Board Member)
Alicia Miller (Board Member)                                           Greg Ennis (Board Member)
Deanne Cliburn (Board Member)                                    Chris Turner (Board Member)
Nancy Kitchen (Board Member)                                      Bill Kitchen
Henry Miller Ennis (Social Director at will)

Opening: Justin began meeting at 7:08 PM. In the Secretary’s absence, Nancy took the meeting minutes.

New Business:

Dog bags for waste stations: Justin reported that it is time to order more doggie bags as there are 6 rolls remaining with two having been delivered to each of the three neighborhood volunteers that maintain them (Amber Graham Knapp, Jenny Downey and Nancy Kitchen). Nancy reported that in March 2016 the association paid $190 for a case of the rolls with trash bags and they will have lasted almost a year and a half. Justin stated we can order the bag rolls from the city’s distributor for approximately $34 for 2,000 bags or $78 for 4,000. It was suggested we order 4,000 bags. A motion was made to vote on purchasing 4,000 bags by show of hands and a majority of those present approved the motion.
Flag Day: Dan Keefe reported that Flag Day is Wednesday June 14th and that the flag on the median pole is removed each year and replaced with a new flag. Little did we know that Dan has been doing this for years. Thank you Dan!
Sign Toppers: Justin reported that the association could purchase sign toppers to complete the neighborhood with signs at each intersection for a cost of $375.00. A motion was made to vote on purchasing the remaining sign toppers by show of hands and a majority of those present approved the motion.
NNO (Neighborhood Night Out – Tuesday September 12, 2017):
Justin reported that he received a public relations message from the Fraternal Order of Police that they would like to have a representative present at our NNO to discuss their desire for pressure to be applied to the City of Oklahoma City to hire more police officers. Those present had no objections.
Justin also reported that John Enconmienda could use some help with organization and set-up of NNO. We discussed getting a Newsletter prepared and delivered prior to NNO with plans to discuss details and ideas at next board meeting.
Justin announced he will get the neighborhood registered for NNO.
A desire was discussed to get the food truck again (have it plug into our electrical outlet on median instead of the loud generator), have the streets blocked off as we did last year and talk to Dana Orwig about again borrowing the tables/chairs from her church.

Meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:30 PM.

Next Board Meeting: Tuesday, July 11, 2017

]]><![CDATA[The History of Crestwood and Its Founder]]>Mon, 24 Apr 2017 00:43:42 GMThttps://www.crestwoodokc.com/news/the-history-of-crestwood-and-its-founderBy Crestwood neighbor Kimberly McCauley

"The Ideal Home"

The Oklahoma City Farmer's Market

The Crestwood neighborhood as we know it is the result of one man's vision almost 100 years ago. John J. Harden, one of the richest men in Oklahoma in the 1920s, used his business acumen and relationships with both state and national political figures to grow much of Oklahoma City “from the shadows.”

Harden had Irish roots but was born in New York and fell in love with a woman named Frances Hale of Nebraska. Her father, David Hale, was one of Nebraska’s most influential political and business leaders of the last quarter of the 19th century. After marrying Frances and having their first daughter, they moved to El Reno just a year after statehood.

Harden immediately jumped into investing. He started with $24,000 and developed the Lakeview Second Addition in El Reno and the College Addition in Vinita in northeast Oklahoma. Soon, hard times hit and he had to sell the remaining lots for a mere $300. But that didn’t stop him or slow him down.

He went on to complete subdivisions in Ohio and South Texas. After time developing “out in the country” of Oklahoma City and cemeteries in Ohio, he moved closer to the area we now call home.

In August 1924, Harden and his partner Roscoe Farmer paid $55,000 for a “barren prairie” close to what is currently Northwest 23rd Street and May Avenue. While he was going to call it Jones Park Addition, he ended up calling the new development Crestwood. He planted 800 shade trees and immediately started building houses. His company arranged with the bank to start two to three houses each week for six months. It was the biggest real estate development in 1925.

Harden continued to develop in surrounding states and grew more and more popular throughout the area. In 1925, The Daily Oklahoman asked harden to build its “ideal home” in the Crestwood neighborhood. That home is still located at 2741 NW 17th St. The exposure Harden gained from the “ideal home” boosted his home sales, and he quickly capitalized on the free publicity, not only selling homes, but financing them as well. He formed John J. Harden Inc. to provide financing to people who wanted to purchase a house but couldn’t afford to outright. This gave even more couples the opportunity to become homeowners, and Crestwood was better for it. Harden sold homes just as quickly as he built them.

The homes sold on average for an insanely-low $5,000 (about $70,000 today). They ranged from a five-room bungalow on Northwest 18th Street for $3,895 to a colonial two-story brick-and-frame six-room home for $9,500. Harden was a master marketer and knew how to sell. At one point in 1926, he even gave away a new Ford sedan to lure potential homebuyers. With Harden’s marketing acumen, combined with low prices and high quality, it took less than four years to sell every house in the development. Soon after, Crestwood was one of the most desirable places to live in the growing Oklahoma City metro. With the development’s success, churches and retail started to move in, creating further draw to the area that once was a “barren prairie.”

Harden became the richest man in Oklahoma in 1925. But, with the rising fame, also came opposition. Many saw him as a bully taking over rather than a businessman enriching the area. In 1927, Carl C. Magee, after moving to Oklahoma City from New Mexico and having a short acquaintance with Harden, launched into a personal attack on Harden that in “unequaled in the annals of Oklahoma reporting.”

This attack and volatile public relationship lasted for years. But it didn’t stop Harden. In the bed of controversy, he proposed to the City Council to build a large building along with sheds for fresh produce sellers. June 16, 1928 was the first day of business for the Farmer’s Market. While attacks continued toward Harden, in its first year alone, the Farmer’s Market produced sales of $565,855 (over $8 million today). Stalls continued to be added and in 1931 the sales for the year reached an astronomical $1.2 million (over $19 million today). Fruit producers and farmers came from as far away as Arkansas, Southern Missouri, Kansas, Texas, and Colorado to sell their crops in the Farmer’s Market building that still stands today.

John Harden did so much for Oklahoma City and his impact is still seen in the beautiful buildings that remain. In addition to Crestwood and the Oklahoma City Farmer's Market, he developed the Linwood Place, Linwood Second, Edgemere Park neighborhoods, as well as others.

There is so much more to the story than could be contained in this short article. You can learn more by reading Out from the Shadows: The Life of John J. Harden by Bob Burke, which is the primary source for this article.

Kimberly McCauley is a small business owner living in the Crestwood neighborhood. If you see her, say hi.

]]><![CDATA[Crestwood Neighborhood Garage Sale Planned for May 20]]>Sun, 23 Apr 2017 22:31:46 GMThttps://www.crestwoodokc.com/news/crestwood-neighborhood-garage-sale-planned-for-may-20by Alicia Miller

If you were thinking about cleaning out your closets to get rid of unwanted items and making a little money in the process, then you're in luck! Crestwood has scheduled a day when everyone in the neighborhood is encouraged to have a garage sale. We will announce on our website, Facebook and Nextdoor that this is a Saturday when shoppers can drive around our neighborhood for lots of garage sale bargains! Other surrounding neighborhoods will also be participating in community garage sales on that day, so we should have a good amount of traffic to the area.

If you plan on having a garage sale on May 20 (or any other day), a $7 permit is required from the city. Information from the city's website is below:Garage Sale Rules

Garage sale signs and other service signs are not allowed on utility poles, traffic sign poles, medians or any public right-of-way. You can put one sign in front of your house. The sign itself can't be larger than 12 square feet.
You can sell any personal property, but not motor vehicles. You cannot sell new merchandise, consignment items, or resale items.
A single permit is good for three consecutive days. The sale must be held at the address listed on it, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The maximum fine for conducting a sale without a license is $200 plus costs.

Ways to purchase a permit

Purchase a permit at okc.gov using a credit card.
Download a permit at okc.gov or call the License Division at (405) 297-2606 for a "paperless permit." Instead of a paper form, you get a permit number over the phone to post at your sale. If your City utility account is in good standing, we can add the charge to your next bill.
You can also get a permit by mail. Request an application at least two weeks before your sale. We'll mail you an application to fill out. Return it with a check or money order for $7.
Go to the Licensing Division, 420 W Main St., 8th floor, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

More information is available at https://www.okc.gov/departments/development-services/business-licensing/garage-sale-permit

]]><![CDATA[March Meeting Minutes]]>Thu, 23 Mar 2017 13:23:39 GMThttps://www.crestwoodokc.com/news/march-meeting-minutesPresent:
Justin and Deanne Cliburn
Donna Stiles
Greg Ennis & Alicia Miller Ennis
Dan Keefe
Jenny Downey
Chris Turner
Francoise Bigot
Carter Faison and Russell Vannoy
John Encomienda and Andrew Rickel

1. John E. gave an update on the Thursday Neighborhood Cookout. Giveaways will be provided by Shop Good, Plenty Mercantile, Ok Collective, Bark and Breakfast, TLC. Chairs and tables will be provided by Dana Orwig’s church. Hot dogs will be provided by Fat Dog OKC, and Dunkin Donuts will provide donuts. Orders will be taken at the event for Crestwood t-shirts. Additionally side dishes, condiments, burger patties, buns, utensils and plates, and tea are being donated. Please feel free to bring whatever you would like to provide.

2. Discussion was held regarding a neighborhood patrol. John E. reached out to Mesta Park, Heritage Hills, and Heritage Hills East – these three neighborhoods have gone in together to pay for an off-duty police officer to patrol their neighborhoods 18 out of 24 hours. The wage of the police officer is $20 per hour and the neighborhood is responsible for providing a vehicle. After discussion it was deemed cost prohibitive for Crestwood to do the same.

3. Little Blitz update- Justin C. updated the group that the cleanup will be held on April 1, 2017. All are welcome to come and volunteer.

4. A neighbor e-mailed the Crestwood Association regarding the possibility of a neighborhood garage sell. It used to be held annually. Alicia M.E. will follow up with interested parties and report back at the next meeting.

5. Donations for brown mulch are being accepted for the 19th St. median. Please bring them during the litter blitz on April 1st.

6. The next Crestwood meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on May 11, 2017 on the 19th St. median (weather permitting).

Meeting concluded at 7:33 p.m.
]]><![CDATA[New Listings for February!]]>Thu, 23 Feb 2017 02:10:27 GMThttps://www.crestwoodokc.com/news/new-listings-for-february

We hate to see these neighbors go, but their home at 2805 NW 18th is a great house to have on the market. It is over 1,900 square feet and has three bedrooms and two bathrooms on two floors. The home is one block away from the beautiful 19th Street median and is surrounded by great neighbors.

From the listing:

Classically beautiful Crestwood home packed with amenities. This 1921 beauty has features the modern buyer loves and all the charm of classic twenties construction to boot. Not all 20's homes have an indoor utility/Mudroom with plenty of space for a washer and dryer, plus a pantry for storage. Another wonderful and unexpected feature is the large master bedroom with 2 nice sized closets. Plus this home has two FULL baths, one downstairs and one upstairs! Of course this home has all the classic features one hopes for in Crestwood, hardwood floors, tiled mock fireplace,builtins for books, linens, drawers for storage, a saddleback staircase, builtin china hutch and a porch ready for relaxing. Come and visit this home, with all the character of the past and the conveniences of today!

This two-bedroom home at 2505 NW 22nd has been completely remodeled with an open floor plan and is move-in ready. It is 1,198 square feet and is close to Cleveland Elementary with easy access to NW 23rd Street.

From the listing:

A fabulous home where historical charm meets a new open floor plan. This home has been completely remodeled and is move-in ready. The kitchen features all new cabinets with a farmhouse sink, a large island boasting a stainless gas stove & a beautiful granite countertop, all new fixtures, with stainless steel appliances. All new paint and trim work throughout the home, hardwood floors and carpeted bedrooms. Beadboard ceilings through living areas with a custom sliding barn door. Updated windows throughout allow so much light in while keeping the home energy efficient. Focal point in the living area is the amazing original fireplace. Both bedrooms are oversized and are inviting, homey spaces. There is a large backyard with a partially covered deck great for entertaining! This charming home also has the original single car garage/workshop recently painted to match the home with a new matching roof. Too many more features to mention. Come check it out!!

]]><![CDATA[February 2017 Meeting Minutes]]>Thu, 23 Feb 2017 01:58:18 GMThttps://www.crestwoodokc.com/news/february-2017-meeting-minutesMeeting started at 7 p.m

Present:

John Encomienda & Andrew Rickel
Micah LeGall
Carter Faison & Russell Vannoy
Barbie Smalley
Jenny Downey
Francoise Bigot
Chris Turner

Lori Longo
Nancy Kitchen
Justin & Deanne Cliburn
Donna Stiles
Greg Ennis
Dan Keefe
Rick and Cecilia Lane

Barbie Smalley explained that a General Bond Election will occur on September 12, 2017. This will be a vote for residents to decide to fund major infrastructure improvements such as road improvements, bike lines, walkability, parks, etc. If the election passes Oklahoma City will look at the neighborhood surveys to help decide priorities. She passed out and walked us through filling out the survey. For those absent, the survey can be found at www.okc.gov/go
Justin Cliburn gave an update that the sign toppers have been installed at peripheral intersections and asked the membership to think about whether or not they would like to fund installing sign toppers on the interior sections of Crestwood. This would cost approximately $600 to complete.
There is a new dog waste station at the 2500 block; however, Nancy Kitchen informed the membership that the key does not seem to work well and this needs to be investigated. She gave Justin a key to check it out. The last one that needs to be installed is the 2700 Block and will cost $228.
Micah LeGall and Nancy Kitchen gave an update on their findings for getting the median on 19th street sprayed with pre-emergent. They found a very cheap price. Justin made a motion to approve the expenditure to spray the median and Nancy seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Justin Cliburn made a motion to approve the expenditure for the dog waste station on 2700 block. Greg Ennis seconded the motion. All present voted to approve except for Micah LeGall.
Greg Ennis gave an update on OSU soil testing. Because it now costs money and takes five months of testing and subsequent fertilization, he recommended we not move forward with this unless we were dedicated to fertilizing the median. Discussion was held on the downsides of fertilizing the median.
Justin Cliburn informed the membership that OU’s Big Event (community engagement day) will send students to help clean up the neighborhood. They can work on the median, help to move big trash out to the front of people’s yards, pull weeds, clean up litter, etc. This will take place on April 1, 2017. He asked for other ideas and the general consensus was that pulling weeds on the median would be very helpful.
John Encomienda made a suggestion that there is a venue in the Plaza District that gives discounted rates to community groups. We could possibly hold a neighborhood party there. It would be $50 per hour. Others expressed concerns about lack of foot traffic holding the event a mile away. The general consensus was that a neighborhood event was a good idea, but that the venue should be on the median.
Francoise Bigot asked about ads on the neighborhood website. Justin will look into whether there are advertisers on the website, and whether or not we should try to monetize ad space.
The newsletter needs to go out soon, preferably by Mid-March. John will take charge of it; Lori will help by writing an article. Greg volunteered Alicia to edit it.
Lori Longo questioned if there has been an uptick in violence/crime lately. The group seemed to agree. Chris Turner gave the suggestion that we follow other neighborhoods' example. Some neighborhoods partner with close-by neighborhoods and pitch in to hire an off-duty police officer to patrol their neighborhoods. John will look into the costs and feasibility of this.

Meeting adjourned at 7:56 p.m.

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