One of the hottest areas in Central Houston for new construction and renovation, Houston Heights is a fairly compact area, at least by its legal definition. Founded in 1891 as a separate city connected to Downtown Houston by streetcar, the Houston Heights proper stretches just a few blocks east and west of Heights Boulevard, with I-10 West and 20th Street as its southern and northern boundaries.
History of The Houston Heights
As newcomers moving to Houston continue to flood into the area, and as builders work feverishly to find houses and lots to accommodate them, “The Heights” has come to refer to an ever-expanding envelope of neighborhoods located north and west of Downtown, and the redevelopment fervor is also spreading outside the 610 Loop. Following its glory days in the late Victorian era and the first half of the 20th century, The Heights declined as automobiles and highways made it popular to escape to new suburbs like Spring Branch, now going through a decay-and-rebirth cycle. From Victorian mansions to modest cottages, many original homes were demolished in the 1950s and 1960s as commercial interests invaded the area. Many other once-glorious homes were subdivided into apartments.
But as early as the late 1970s, Houstonians began rediscovering The Heights and a nascent renovation trend got a foothold. As early as the 1990s, some builders began creating new homes that were hard to distinguish from the old Victorians. The renovation pioneers battled crime and a severe lack of restaurants and retail, but they were rewarded with affordable prices and seemingly unlimited opportunities. Today, the pace of new construction and redevelopment all over The Heights is fast and furious, and property values have soared. It is common to find homes over the $1 million mark, and modest bungalows can fetch more than half a million. As affluent newcomers move to Houston, grocery stores, retailers, and restaurateurs have followed. Today, the Heights is home to some of the hottest restaurants in Houston, and the cultural scene is also thriving with many art galleries and artist studios in the area. Parts of the Heights area, including much of Houston Heights and surrounding neighborhoods including Norhill and Woodland Heights, have been declared as protected historic districts, curtailing demolition and restricting renovations of historic homes. Builders remain very active in these neighborhoods, where single-family detached homes are the predominant style.
Development of The Houston Heights Area
Construction activity in the Greater Heights area has spread all the way west to Ella Boulevard, encompassing N. Shepherd Dr. and Durham (Shepherd’s southbound counterpart), and neighborhoods such as Shady Acres, Sunset Heights, and Independence Heights. In these areas, newly constructed townhomes and row houses offer a much more affordable entry price than in the historic districts.
Several vintage 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s neighborhoods located just north of the 610 Loop are increasingly being transformed with new construction, including Oak Forest, Shepherd Forest, and Candlelight Forest. Neighborhoods such as Timbergrove and Garden Oaks which have long been tight and well-preserved pockets in the area are also seeing new construction. Though still in its earliest stages at this point, construction and renovation activity has also spread out to hug the 610 Loop and I-45 North, which have traditionally formed the northern and eastern boundaries of the “Greater Heights.”
North Main Street is a main artery in Northside Village, where turn-of-the-century homes in working-class neighborhoods are being renovated or replaced with new construction. An increasing number of newcomers moving to Houston are rediscovering Lindale Park, located just inside the 610 Loop.
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