Moving to Midtown in Houston

Sandwiched between two of Houston’s largest employment centers – Downtown and the Texas Medical Center – Midtown is booming with new residential development.  Over 100 years ago, Midtown was home to many of Houston’s poshest neighborhoods, but these gave way to decline and commercial encroachment after World War II.  For a peek at the past glory of Midtown, visit Adkins Architectural Antiques on Fannin, or stop at one of the many restaurants along Milam to taste its recent history as an enclave for Houston’s Vietnamese community.

About 20 years ago, Midtown began its rebound with townhomes flourishing south of the Pierce Elevated, which is considered the boundary between Downtown and Midtown.

The transformation of Baldwin Park tells the rebirth of Midtown in one glance. Located near Elgin (which becomes Westheimer a few blocks west) and Highway 288, Baldwin Park was founded in 1910 and is home to stately Live Oak trees. For many decades, the park was mainly a hangout for vagrants. After a recent renovation that added a jogging track and brightly colored playground equipment, the park is filled with people of all ages who live in block after block of newly built townhomes in all directions. Mid-rise and high-rise development has also taken root in Midtown, both for-sale and rental.

The Houston Museum District

As the gateway to the Museum District, Midtown is developing a cultural vibe of its own. It’s long been home to the Ensemble Theater, Houston’s resident African-American theater company, and new additions include the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum in the stunning 1925 Houston Light Guard Armory building.

The area’s cultural bona fides got even more legit with the opening of the Midtown Arts and Theatre Center in late 2015. On the Main Street rail line, the center includes six theaters and performance spaces, a gallery, coffee shop and wine bar. Nearby, the long-awaited transformation of Midtown’s 6-acre “super block” into a residential, retail and restaurant playground over top of an underground parking facility for 360 cars is
complete.

South of the U.S. Highway 59 bridges, Midtown gives way to the Museum District, which has flourished both east and west of Highway 288 with historical renovations and new condos, townhomes and mid-rises.
Proximity to museums, Hermann Park, Rice University and the Medical Center, plus easy access to highways, all add to the area’s appeal.