Riverside Terrace Real Estate

[brian0123]

On a side note about your neighborhood, my wife and I are house hunting right now and were wondering a little bit about Riverside Terrace. We've driven around it and found it very pretty with nice people. That said, we're sensitive to the issues of gentrification. How do residents of Riverside Terrace feel about Caucasian neighbors? Would it stoke fears of "taking over the neighborhood" or is it a non-issue? Or, have the demographics in Riverside Terrace already started to change?

[alsal29]

We have lived in Riverside now for a little over 2 years. I honestly don't think the neighbors are wild about gentrification, and sometimes it can be hard getting some realtors to even show you properties. That said, since we have been here the neighbors have been nothing but nice. Our neighbors watch our house and I think they are great. We also have an abandoned property next to us on Calumet that I have reported to the police for people breaking into. The city was supposed to come and board it up, but they have yet to do it. At least in the case of the house next door, it would be salvagable. It is not to the point of tearing it down, but it is a sad state to just see it fall to disrepair, and it is frustrating to have it happen next door to you with no real recourse.

[JLWM8609]

How do residents of Riverside Terrace feel about Caucasian neighbors? Would it stoke fears of "taking over the neighborhood" or is it a non-issue? Or, have the demographics in Riverside Terrace already started to change?

I think you'll find that most residents of Riverside Terrace don't care about the race of their neighbors, at least I don't. Interestingly enough, back in the late 50s when Riverside Terrace was becoming THE place to live for black professionals in Houston, some white residents resisted the white flight and resisted the tactics of the realtors to get them to sell their homes and stayed with the hopes that the neighborhood would become a mixed race neighborhood. Those efforts lasted until the late 60s when the neighborhood finally tipped the scales and become majority black. Some of those white residents took it as a sign that their efforts to mold Riverside into a rougly 50/50 mixed race area failed and thus finally left. But, some white residents stayed until the 1980s before moving into retirement communities or smaller homes or condos in other neighborhoods. I think the efforts to make Riverside Terrace a throughly mixed neighborhood are being re-kindled. While it's still majority black, I have observed many white residents, and LGBT families living in the area and everyone seems to get along nicely.

[brian0123]

I think you'll find that most residents of Riverside Terrace don't care about the race of their neighbors, at least I don't. Interestingly enough, back in the late 50s when Riverside Terrace was becoming THE place to live for black professionals in Houston, some white residents resisted the white flight and resisted the tactics of the realtors to get them to sell their homes and stayed with the hopes that the neighborhood would become a mixed race neighborhood. Those efforts lasted until the late 60s when the neighborhood finally tipped the scales and become majority black. Some of those white residents took it as a sign that their efforts to mold Riverside into a rougly 50/50 mixed race area failed and thus finally left. But, some white residents stayed until the 1980s before moving into retirement communities or smaller homes or condos in other neighborhoods. I think the efforts to make Riverside Terrace a throughly mixed neighborhood are being re-kindled. While it's still majority black, I have observed many white residents, and LGBT families living in the area and everyone seems to get along nicely.

Very cool. Thanks for the info.

[NenaE]

Hopefully, all people will continue to recognize the historical and architectural contributions of the area, and save more houses from further deterioration and eventual demolition. It really is a special place.

Edited June 7, 2012 by NenaE

[spikey2]

Thanks for all the advice concerning this home in an area I truly love. I will start the paper trail and will also send copies of all letters I sent to officials here in Houston to the property owner also. To the family asking about moving to this area, I most say Riverside is open to all races. Although parts of Riverside became nearly 100 % African American some areas such as the S Macgregor section always had a small mix of white families that never moved out. There are also Asians and Hispanics who have moved in recently to the townhomes and condos. Therefore we are no longer a black or white community but are on our way to becoming a 21st century American community, with all races and lifestyles welcome.

Edited June 8, 2012 by spikey2

[AmandaH]

So happy to see this thread! We have rented on Arbor off of Dowling for almost 3 years now, and I think are finally starting to convince our families and friends that YES IT's SAFE to come over! The worst things for us in this neighborhood are the motorcycle traffic to the bar down the street and the abandoned house diagonal from us. It's so sad every day to drive by these houses that were once so amazing and see them falling down. I would take the character of this neighborhood over the boring cookie-cutter suburb I grew up in any day. Oh, and we are young, white/Hispanic musicians if it makes a difference :-)

[infinite_jim]

Best way to clean up a neighborhood: Lightning

j/k

[kbates2]

Lived there in 2525 Prospect for a few years. Our neighbors were all really nice and we were the only white/hispanic people who lived on the block. We probably pissed them off a bit as we were either still in college or just graduating when we lived there, which meant a ton of cars and some parties, but overall it was good.

We had a garage apartment in the back that didn't have a locking downstairs, so everything that we would put in there would disappear, but that was about the worst of it.

[gypsy0722]

Hi all. My wife and I are looking at houses in the Houston area (inside or just outside the loop) and we stumbled upon Riverside Terrace. I see that some of you have commented on this area and am just wondering what you think of the neighborhood. Is it a good family area? we have an 8 month old who is going to Montessori school downtown. All info is appreciated...

[alsal29]

I like it. It is definitely more gritty though than your more typical family areas. As long as you are not expecting wonderful public schools, I think it is fine. I would think there would be some decent montessori type schools on the other side of 288. In my opinion you can't beat the value though for the amount of house and yard you can get in this area for the price. I think the trade off is the schools and no real grocery stores around. Maybe one day :/

[NenaE]

I find that neighborhood extremely fascinating! Such history and great architectural contributions. Someone really needs to research and document it's history, for posterity. Joseph Finger ~one of my favorite Houston architects.

Edited August 11, 2012 by NenaE

[brian0123]

Hi all. My wife and I are looking at houses in the Houston area (inside or just outside the loop) and we stumbled upon Riverside Terrace. I see that some of you have commented on this area and am just wondering what you think of the neighborhood. Is it a good family area? we have an 8 month old who is going to Montessori school downtown. All info is appreciated...

My wife and I were in your exact situation a couple months ago. We looked at Riverside, but ultimately decided on the South Braeswood area (Knollwood Village). I'm not sure what your price range is, but you can still find decent 3/2/2 for 300k. Yeah, it's more expensive... but the neighborhood is full of families. Our first weekend here consisted of our neighbors inviting us out and the kids on the street playing in the sprinkler (our 1yo daughter had a blast). Riverside Terrace seems like a nice place, but we decided to move where the schools are better and there are more families. Plus, there are a ton of grocery stores/restaurants/ and Rice Village is five minutes away. Good luck on your search. PM if you want more info.

[RiversideT]

Over the past nearly 20 years, I have watched Riverside Terrace return from a very bleak period in its history.  The neighborhood is pulling itself out of the seedy area it had been allowed to become.  There is still much to do.  Every time we lose a house to demolition, it reminds one of the fact that so much has been disregarded and disrespected in this neighborhood for far too long.  

 

http://vimeo.com/41671048

 

As I can, I will post photos of houses we've lost recently, and ones that are in danger of being lost.  Hopefully, we can bring more attention to the neighborhood, and help to save some of these magnificent homes.

 

This first house was demolished about a year ago, and was located at 2507 Calumet.

[RiversideT]

Here is another down on the end of Binz at the 288 feeder.  The home had been completely gutted, and all the doors and interior moulding were carefully removed and stored in the house.  But the new owner, deciding against restoring the house, just wrecked it a couple of months ago - with the interior features still inside the house.

[NenaE]

This is the style so many suburban homes copy. Sad story.

[Subdude]

Cool, but unfortunate pictures.  Thanks for posting.

 

 

[IronTiger]

Once that kudzu-like stuff starts growing on the brick, it will actually destroy the concrete that keeps the bricks together. I think it would be nice for a family to move in and fix up the home to make it a rather nice place to live.

[NenaE]

Any news about the stucco, French-styled one that looked abandoned? it was on the South side, near Hwy 288, one or two streets off the main drive. Had a porte-cochere, drive thru feature, with room on other side. Another style copied in the suburban mcmansion creations. 

[RiversideT]

NenaE, I am assuming you mean this house on Oakmont?  Wouldn't someone have such a lovely home if they were able to get ahold of this one?  And can you imagine how it would look all landscaped?  It's a shame to see it in such state.  I heard at some point a while back that the owner lived in Austin, but per HCAD, he lists the address of the house as his mailing address.

[RiversideT]

This poor house on the east side of Riverside Drive facing N. MacGregor Way never had a chance.  It had been a barber shop for the longest time - always a strange use of a nice house in what should be a residential neighborhood.  After that closed up, it remained vacant for years and used as a heavy trash dumping ground, unofficial homeless shelter, etc.  It finally met its fate earlier this month, becoming landfill.  Never really had a chance, though - the current price tag on the property is $1.25M, and that may be why it has sat vacant for several years.

[ArchFan]

This is really a shame.  I don't know how salvageable these houses would have been after so many years of neglect.  But, I hope that out there somewhere are some energetic entrepreneurs who will see value in doing something with them, rather than just razing them.  I do think that it takes a special kind of person to take on projects like that, plus they probably need to be able to deal with a potentially long time horizon.  So ... I recognize that it might be a risky proposition financially ... but, I wonder if we are more risk-averse in this town than people in other cities.

[NenaE]

Yeah, thats the one...RiversideT. and I agree. It has sat vacant for quite a while. Nice to know it's still there. Hope it gets some love. We have an old thread here, on HAIF, that talks about it. Yeah, ArchFan, I agree, salvage or re-use what you can, if it's being wrecked. Unfortunately, the freeways chop up original neighborhood plans, leaving a mangled version. Those houses on the outskirts of the neighborhoods are especially vulnerable. It's a shame. I'm guessing they are hoping to sell the land for future high rise development. 

[JLWM8609]

Yeah, thats the one...RiversideT. and I agree. It has sat vacant for quite a while. Nice to know it's still there. Hope it gets some love. We have an old thread here, on HAIF, that talks about it. Yeah, ArchFan, I agree, salvage or re-use what you can, if it's being wrecked. Unfortunately, the freeways chop up original neighborhood plans, leaving a mangled version. Those houses on the outskirts of the neighborhoods are especially vulnerable. It's a shame. I'm guessing they are hoping to sell the land for future high rise development. 

 

Funny you should mention salvaging or re-using what you can and how the freeway chopped up the neighborhood. I heard a story of a house that was in the way of 288. When it came time to tear it down, the house wasn't razed, but instead the owner had it dismantled. Some of the materials such as bricks and windows went to build what I believe was his replacement home in the Acres Homes area, and others were able to take what materials they needed, too. I wish I knew more about that and where the home is located now.

[ArchFan]

I don't live in near this neighborhood, but I went to UH in the 80s and my major professor lived in a house on the bayou.  not one of the cool houses from when it was "where the rich Jewish people" lived, but a nice 70s style house that I think is gone now.  

 

Anyway, I think the general neighborhood has a lot of potential, despite the construction of 288 that seems to have ripped it apart.  I hope that it will continue to recover, without just "gentrifying"... aka,  kicking out the families who have lived their for decades.

[NenaE]

So much is being razed. The developers probably don't want to bother with what they may perceive as just a hinderance (salvage). On a somewhat positive note, I've seen many small homes on blocks near downtown packed up, ready to move, not dozed. One paper I ran across had the addresses of previous slave's homes, along with stories of their lives. I looked up the two Houston ladies homes, both were gone, empty lots. That's sad.

 

I'm taking photos of as many as possible. The neighborhoods are changing, fast. I'd be ok with it, if they would keep some historic structures, to save the identities of the neighborhoods. Maybe the little corner store. I just don't see it happening. I do see a lot of churches. So many generic town homes are replacing full streets of homes. I'm afraid everything is gonna look the same. It's boring, no matter what name they conjure up. I often wonder...What would Peter Papademetriou and Stephen Fox say? 

[ArchFan]

It is scary to think that so much human history, memories of human lives actually, will be forgotten if we just throw everything away.  even if its just for selfish reasons, i think we and future generations will gain so much benefit from knowing who and what came before us.  even in Houston, which people tend to think of as having no history, actually does have a history that is interesting and enriching.

[marmer]

This old gal went down hard yesterday.  Corner of Riverside and Almeda.

 

 

 

 

[RiversideT]

For anyone interested, the house at 2507 Calumet that replaced the house in the very first set of pictures is for sale:

 

http://search.har.com/engine/2507-Calumet-Houston-TX-77004_HAR56050744.htm

 

http://swamplot.com/a-steel-framed-live-work-studio-by-carlos-jimenez-on-the-slopes-of-riverside-terrace/2014-06-26/

 

Definitely would not have any problems finding this one since it is so out of character with the rest of the houses along the street.

[alsal29]

The Calumet one is across the street from me. I was sad when they tore the old one down, but was glad while definitely not fitting in the neighborhood, it is at least a single family home. 2522 Calumet has also been vacant since at least 2009.  Someone recently bought it, but they haven't done anything with it yet.

 

That is sad about the one at Almeda and Riverside. That was a beautiful house.