Near East End

[ncstdc]

i'm talking about the area inside 45/59/scott st (york st)/harrisburg blvd. what all is going around in there? i'm looking at a couple places and just wanted some opinions. i hear the light rail will going down harrisburg (?). any recomendations or comments about this area?

[Guest danax]

The immediate area east of Downtown used to be industrial and is converting to dense housing, townhouses, lofts etc. A little further east and and south of Leeland, you have the remnants of an old black neighborhood, a former section of Third Ward, which is also giving way to dense new construction. North of Leeland and east of Scott, you have more industrial remnants and Eastwood, the oldest master-planned addition in Houston, dating to 1913. North of Harrisburg is Magnolia Park and Second Ward. Early 1900s homes, most very modest, a few large ones, probably the early ones when there was speculation that it was going to be a fine neighborhood. Fairly quickly it became an area for mostly Mexican immigrants who worked in the factories and the Port. It's been a very run-down area for decades and, at this point, pretty much has it's tongue hanging out waiting for redevelopment, although you could still find an old home to fix up if so inclined. North of Buffalo Bayou, on Clinton Dr. between Jenson and York, are a bunch of new townhomes. It's an interesting area. Quiet and isolated from the rest of the East End, close to the Bayou and the skyline views are nice.The construction is continuous and there are plans to build on an old Superfund sight nearby too so, in a few years, there will be hundreds more townhouses up there.

Eastwood is well preserved and becoming more so each year so it's not going anywhere. The townhomes and lofts and spreading and lots of vacant lots and old industrial is for sale. The Buffalo Bayou Master Plan is in the process of converting the bayou, as it runs through the East End, into a top-notch recreation/conservation area the city will be proud of. There are a lot of heavy players behind it so chances are it will actually happen, and many phases are already happening.

Harrisburg and the Warehouse District were both going to get MetroRail, now they'll get MetroRail Light (Bus Rapid Transit), then hopefully real rail.

I've lived out here in Pecan Park, further east than the area you're interested in, for 3+ years and hope to die in my house (of natural causes, that is). I highly recommend it for someone who wants to be part of the city and doesn't have 400K to spend. It still is a little funky in spots but crime is not a big problem. The existing housing stock is old and simple so I'm figuring most of it will eventually get replaced, except for a few select neighborhoods where interest in some of the early 20th Century houses is already underway.

I love watching the city discover this area and love seeing new developments coming in. It's got so much potential. No freeways cut through the area, the two main bayous are nice and river-like and, amazingly, it doesn't flood. I could blabber on but some of the old-timers here are probably a bit tired of my incessant drivel.

[ncstdc]

i've been drove around there at night and there's like no car nor foot traffic at all. i saw a bunch of perry homes built around there in "st charles square", but i'm looking a couple blocks to the north east of that. What all is around this area? I tried to look for signs of life.

thanks for your insight!

[LTAWACS]

i'm talking about the area inside 45/59/scott st (york st)/harrisburg blvd.  what all is going around in there?  i'm looking at a couple places and just wanted some opinions.  i hear the light rail will going down harrisburg (?).  any recomendations or comments about this area?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I stay right down the street from there and I go through there every morning on the way to work.

Bottom line is:

We dont know yet. But so far it looks good.

[hokieone]

i've been drove around there at night and there's like no car nor foot traffic at all.  i saw a bunch of perry homes built around there in "st charles square", but i'm looking a couple blocks to the north east of that.  What all is around this area?  I tried to look for signs of life. 

thanks for your insight!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Danax has a lot of good points about the area. I'm still waiting on my townhouse to finish up in a couple of months and then I'll be in one of the ones he mentions off of Clinton Dr. The area still has a long way to go, but I am looking forward to the quiet nature for a while as the area continues to move past being an Industrial and haven for abandoned home. So far, I think the value is still high in that area, prices are not "the greatest deal ever", but for location and overall quality, I think its a place with high potential. I finally saw that the plasma center off of Jensen is relocating, that is where Alan Atkinson is allegedly going to develop some high end condos and a retail center. And as danax mentioned, the Buffal Bayou Partnership is trying to make progress, it'll take some time, but eventually I think we'll get there.

As for the St charles square area, thats an area just begging for aggressive development with its extremely close proximity to downtown. However, it really looks like its lagging, it would have been nice if perry and juliet and whoever else is building over there would have made some effort to build less scattered and make it more of a community. However, in Houston we all know that is impossible. And I'm not sure there is any sort of "master plan" for that area, just the someone buys some land, someone builds something routine we've all seen happen time and time again. I looked at the St Charles square homes and wasn't overly impressed either. standard perry drill, complete with lack of care for the little details. Carpet in the bathroom of one of the houses? Come on. If you were thinking about the area and realized you would have to put up with the transient atmosphere, you are definitely expecting a lot better quality of work for the $190 I think those go for over there.

Still Midtown seems to have the momentum to keep going. The East End of dt is starting to get some, it just is at that point where it can go either way still.

[ncstdc]

here's a google earth view of where i'm looking.. i guess i'm less than a mile east of downtown. but no way i'd buy one of those perry homes in st charles square, this is just north of those i think. i am still debating on either midtown or the east end

[Guest danax]

here's a google earth view of where i'm looking.. i guess i'm less than a mile east of downtown. but no way i'd buy one of those perry homes in st charles square, this is just north of those i think.  i am still debating on either midtown or the east end

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My thought process if I were comtemplating those 2 areas would be something like; 1) 3 aspects to consider a) area demographics, present & future. Future amenities like retail, schools, crime and general "feel" would evolve from the makeup of the population, which of course, is constantly changing , what kind if structure am I buying for the price? What can I afford and what will I get in terms of housing for that. c) how long will I be living there? Am I looking to make a quick profit or a place to stay and participate in the coming changes.

Midtown is, at this point, and probably for a long time, a higher level neighborhood. It's location demands that it advance as Downtown and the Museum District do, since it's sandwiched between them. Money will continue to flow there as long as the inner-loop continues to appreciate, which it should. I think the initial builders like Perry broke the ice and helped attract outside residents that moved it from dead zone to what it is now. It's established enough now that mainstream retailers are comfortable enough to move in so the complete picture is starting to come into focus. With some of the proposed developments on the horizon, I think it's poised to make a new move upwards that will push it out of range for most entry-level homebuyers.

The Near East End ( I've seen it called this on HAR so maybe it will stick) is still raw and you'll get more for your money there in terms of housing. The area probably still scares some cautious persons off but, at only a mile or 2 from Downtown, what's can possibly happen to cause it to revert to something less? It's not going to become industrial again. Now that the pioneers have blazed the first trails, time and further demand due to higher prices in other inner-loop areas and mounting traffic frustrations will eventually bring more and more people.

As you have noticed, it's very dead over on the near East end right now. The place is in the initial stages, probably like Midtown was 8-10 years ago. The only retail is the old liquor stores and restaurants. But, don't forget that there are the old existing neighborhoods that have new blood too and, the parallel townhouse developments to the north on Clinton so the overall future of the area, in terms of amenities, is not completely dependent on the Near East End crowd. There's a chance down the road that the entire area east of 59 and west of Dumble or so, will grow into one another and form a big, fat pool of professional types that will attract the next phase of amenities. Worst case, the townhomes all turn out to be moldy, ripoff pieces of dung and the entire area gets a bad reputation and is shunned. Sorry, just going through thoughts I'd being having.

You can get more home for the price on the East End but it's not going to be as "urban" as Midtown. Midtown will get the nice park(s), stores, etc for awhile. I would consider the East End now, and in the future, to be more of a bedroom community, meaning, a place to go home to, not necessarily walk to stores etc. All of the shopping you need is minutes away though, by car or rail in a few years (ok, BRT).

So, what would I do? Forget new construction, that's what every Tom, Dick and Harry is doing. I'd buy an old house (East End) on good old pier and beam while they're still cheap and turn it into something that is 100% me. Little by little if you don't have the money. This option is even cheaper if you're willing to learn how to do most of the work yourself. The satisfaction is something you'll never get from a production home but I understand that most people don't want to get into that.

[VicMan]

Ncs, Midtown's website has a map of the district.. http://www.houstonmidtown.com/midtown.cfm?a=cms,c,13,1

[ncstdc]

I agree, being that close to downtown, it has to eventually bring in more business. But with that kind of development being so far away and I really want to be in a more pedistrian-friendly area, I might just go back trying to find a place in midtown.

[The Great Hizzy!]

I find myself more and more intrigued by the SE quadrant of the city, almost to the point where I'm spending more time there than anywhere else (I live on the West Side). There are some nicely preserved in-town neighborhoods, some others that aren't as well preserved but are still showing promise and some inriguing 1950s and 60s era subdivisions that when I first arrived in Houston seemed to be in danger but are starting to clean up their act.

If I were to buy a home on the SE side, I think Eastwood would be the place. I like the architecture, I like the ethnic restaurants on Lawndale (thank you, COH, for finally repaving the street) and the people are great. Plus, I like 'hoods with a nice portfolio of trees and shrubbery.

[Houston_Ag]

What do yall know about the Cityview Terraces on south jensen across from the perry townhomes? I saw they have broken ground. Looks like they have a nice rooftop balcony. Anyone spoken with the developer or have additional details.

[hokieone]

Someone in a previous thread had put this info on there

Cityview Terraces is offering a 2bed/2.5bath with study, 1974sf for $210K or $106psf

And I guess all will come with a rooftop terrace with a great view of downtown. I also noticed that they broke ground, thats been a long time coming. For a while I thought they were pulling a shamrock of not going to actually do it.

[Houston_Ag]

Thanks hokie.... do you know anything about the multifamily rental complex proposed near jensen & navigation?

[hokieone]

Thanks hokie.... do you know anything about the multifamily rental complex proposed near jensen & navigation?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No clue on that one, I actually was just out there today. That variance request sign has also been up there probably just as long as the cityview terrace sign. It does look like they are starting to move the ground though, so maybe they will get started soon. I thought about getting down to see if there were some other signs, but it was so hot I decided I'd save the street investigating for another day. That whole cluster there could be good though, with mixed housing/retail supposedly where the plasma center is, the cityview terrace, and then hopefully nice apartments on that corner could make for a nice little corridor.

[Guest danax]

No clue on that one, I actually was just out there today.  That variance request sign has also been up there probably just as long as the cityview terrace sign.  It does look like they are starting to move the ground though, so maybe they will get started soon.  I thought about getting down to see if there were some other signs, but it was so hot I decided I'd save the street investigating for another day.  That whole cluster there could be good though, with mixed housing/retail supposedly where the plasma center is, the cityview terrace, and then hopefully nice apartments on that corner could make for a nice little corridor.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That spot where the proposed apartment complex is prime. I'm kind of surprised a CDC got ahold of it before someone else. I also see that that industrial complex at Jenson and Clinton, SE corner is for sale, and that is right at the bayou's edge.

[Houston_Ag]

i noticed they have placed a new sign there.... listing a public hearing for Aug 1. i guess they are gearing up for this project.