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The Heights Charm & Character


heightsfan

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Good Afternoon All,

hope your week goes well!

I am seeking feedback,ideas, suggestions, or comments.

With many of the new and larger homes being built in the area will the smaller

bungalow homes eventually have to upgrade or be torn down ?

What shape or community is the Heights moving towards . . . since many of us

can identify other neighborhoods around Houston (River Oaks, West U , Montrose, OakForest)

Is there another neighborhood like the Heights in other major cities ? Some have mentioned

King Williams in San Antonio ?

A coworker just moved down from Iowa and I tried to describe our neighborhood

Thank You

"make it a great day"

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With many of the new and larger homes being built in the area will the smaller

bungalow homes eventually have to upgrade or be torn down ?

What shape or community is the Heights moving towards . . . since many of us

can identify other neighborhoods around Houston (River Oaks, West U , Montrose, OakForest)

The rules that seem to hold true are:

1. NO prevailing lot size restriction in effect...bungalow will get demolished and lot possibly sub-divided

2. Prevailing lot size in effect...if lot is 5000 sq ft or less, bungalow gets remodeled, if lot is 6000 sq ft or more, bungalow gets leveled.

The Heights is becoming West U for DINKS or people whose kids haven't reached school age.

Edited by cwrm4
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The Heights is becoming West U for DINKS or people whose kids haven't reached school age.

Not sure about that....I know plenty of young families in the neighborhood that have kids that go at least to elementary school. As far as I can tell the elementary schools are really good and the middle schools are getting right up there as well. Not sure about High Schools though.

Although I can't see the future of the area, it certainly doesn't seem to be headed in the direction of West U to me. My wife used to live over there and even though you had some nice homes in the area, it all seemed rather sterile to me. Very Stepford Wife-ish. Even though some large homes are being built around here, everybody seems to embrace the openness and casualness of the Heights. In one day, I'll run into more neighbors while walking the dog than I would in 6 months over there. I'm about a 5 min bike ride from Onion Creek and I'll see more fellow cyclists in those 5 minutes than I would in a full day in West U.

Besides, West U has no Lights in the Heights.

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A distinction needs to be made between Woodland Heights (and to some extent Norhill) and the Houston Heights. Your comments apply to Woodland Heights, which does have a good elementary school (Travis) and for the most part is a friendly, neighborly place.

The Houston Heights (west of Studewood, with the exception of 6th - 7th west of Michaux), with the McVictorian explosion, is turning into West U for DINKS (or couples with kids headed to private-school).

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A distinction needs to be made between Woodland Heights (and to some extent Norhill) and the Houston Heights. Your comments apply to Woodland Heights, which does have a good elementary school (Travis) and for the most part is a friendly, neighborly place.

The Houston Heights (west of Studewood, with the exception of 6th - 7th west of Michaux), with the McVictorian explosion, is turning into West U for DINKS (or couples with kids headed to private-school).

i respectfully diagree with this. as a young mom, i know plenty of families on "that side" of the Heights with kids and planning on having more. there are families all over the Heights and there is more than 1 good elementary school. Harvard, Travis and Helms are all great schools. Plus, i don't know what sending kids to private school has to do with anything about the character of the neighborhood... AND in HISD we have school choice, so people who aren't zoned to one of these favored schools don't mind b/c they know they'll be able to send their kids to a different school than the zoned school. hamilton middle school was a recognized school in 2007 and hogg, while not great, is already starting to see a lot of involvement from parents whose kids are due to enter the school in the next couple of years. reagan highschool is the technology magnet for houston and is generally as well regarded by parents as Lamar.

i think the main distinction between West U and the Heights is that people in the Heights appreciate things that people in West U dont- like your neighbor having crazy yard art or the ecclectic mix of people on your block. i also think this area attracts people who tend to be politically liberal and, therefor, more socially liberal. yes, there is a contingent of people who want a big house but can't afford one in West U and then come here. BUT, as a whole, the "character" of this area is as much the people as it is the homes. the shape the Heights is moving toward it to be some version of "The Heights." it does not desire to become any other part of houston. any resemblace is coincidental.

heightsfan, i do believe you live in Proctor Plaza. because the residents of this area fought very hard, no bungalows will be coming down here. bungalows in this part of the heights can go for more per sq ft than the McVics in other parts. i hope that i am right when i say my son will come back to proctor plaza 30 years from now to find it much as it is now from the street (with all additions in the back, of course). ^_^

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  • 3 weeks later...

Again CWRM4 I have to agree to disagree with you....

Everything you said about the prevailing lot sizes is very true and astutely observed.....but I do not think the Heights will be West U, and I don't think the Woodlands Heights area has better people in it than other areas of the Heights. That is just something Woodland Heights people like to think about themselves.

I know all my neighbors, and I am on the other side of the tracks as well...Also, one of the most out and about streets I have ever seen in the Heights is the 1400 block of Ashland, its got more neighbors socializing than I have ever seen. One house in particular seems to have a party every day with their neighbors.

I think the Heights is improving drastically....and it will only be a short while till the schools follow. As the young realize the suburbs schools are not great anymore, the price of gas stays high, and the property taxes remain out of control, the only way inner city has to go is up. Schools will get better as more educated people (who may currently be dinks) move into the area.

And I happen to be a DINK, from the suburbs, not moving when I have kids, which I plan on having soon.

The rules that seem to hold true are:

1. NO prevailing lot size restriction in effect...bungalow will get demolished and lot possibly sub-divided

2. Prevailing lot size in effect...if lot is 5000 sq ft or less, bungalow gets remodeled, if lot is 6000 sq ft or more, bungalow gets leveled.

The Heights is becoming West U for DINKS or people whose kids haven't reached school age.

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Came from reading all the comments and replies together...

first comment:

Tanith: "Even though some large homes are being built around here, everybody seems to embrace the openness and casualness of the Heights. In one day, I'll run into more neighbors while walking the dog than I would in 6 months over there. I'm about a 5 min bike ride from Onion Creek and I'll see more fellow cyclists in those 5 minutes than I would in a full day in West U."

CWRM4 "A distinction needs to be made between Woodland Heights (and to some extent Norhill) and the Houston Heights. Your comments apply to Woodland Heights"...."

The Houston Heights (west of Studewood, with the exception of 6th - 7th west of Michaux), with the McVictorian explosion, is turning into West U for DINKS (or couples with kids headed to private-school)."

Cant help but read CWRM4's comment to say that everything West of Studewood, is dry, sterile, McVic owners who dont socialize with others...implies a bunch of rich DINKS are just destroying the character of the heights...which is offensive to many.

Whoa there, where did this come from??
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Good Afternoon All,

hope your week is going well !

So is there really a big difference in homes, people, and neighborhood among Norhill, Woodlands, Proctor Plaza,

Sunset, Houston Heights or Shady Acres ?

I know that some of these areas are deed restricted and do not permit bigger homes

Some areas are dry while others reside near many bars

Thank You

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Good Afternoon All,

hope your week is going well !

So is there really a big difference in homes, people, and neighborhood among Norhill, Woodlands, Proctor Plaza,

Sunset, Houston Heights or Shady Acres ?

I know that some of these areas are deed restricted and do not permit bigger homes

Some areas are dry while others reside near many bars

Yes, I have recently been informed that those who live within a 5 minute bike ride of Onion Creek are of a much higher calibre than those that say, live 6 minutes away. :lol:

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Good Afternoon All,

hope your week is going well !

So is there really a big difference in homes, people, and neighborhood among Norhill, Woodlands, Proctor Plaza,

Sunset, Houston Heights or Shady Acres ?

I know that some of these areas are deed restricted and do not permit bigger homes

Some areas are dry while others reside near many bars

Thank You

You live here. What do YOU think?

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  • The title was changed to The Heights Charm & Character

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