Jump to content

East Downtown, Warehouse, Dynamo District Development

kw_uh97

Recommended Posts

Houston19514

Houston19514

Posted
Posted

Really?

I was under the impression that "The Heights" was named so because it was the highest point in the area. In fact, if I remember correctly, many people took refuge there during an epidemic on the belief that the elevation would prevent it. I want to say that the disease was Cholera, but I'm not sure.

Not sure where dbig came up with that about the Heights, but I'm pretty sure it's not true. The Heights was 75 feet above sea level and 23 feet above the level of downtown Houston. The name Houston Heights then was a natural title and gave confidence to people hunting a healthful location. It is a matter of history that during the terrible yellow fever epidemics that periodically struck Houston, many people fled to the Heights and camped out until the siege subsided.

I believe the Heights was developed well before the dredging of the ship channel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 114
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Houston19514

Houston19514

Posted
Posted

Correct me if I am wrong, but it is my understanding that George Mitchell (who developed the Woodlands) named it after his wife or daughter, Cynthia Mitchell Woods.

If that was the case, wouldn't it be Woodsland? The Pavilion of course was indeed named for Mrs. Mitchell (and the name is Cynthia Woods Mitchell). I'm not buying the idea that The Woodlands was named for the Woods family. Pretty sure it was named for the woodlands in which it was built and to reflect the importance the design put on the preservation of the woodlands.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CHiPs

CHiPs

Posted
Posted

Speaking of Broadmoor, does anyone know what happened to the old wooden "Broadmoor" neighborhood sign that used to be on the little triangular esplanade on Dumble Street? It's been gone for several weeks now.

Yes, it was faded and didn't stand up straight, but the Eastwood Civic Association board has been discussing restoring (or if necessary, replacing it) and it should not have been removed without contacting the ECA or Councilman Rodriguez's office.

A fellow HAIFer and I plan to contact the ECA about replacing the sign. Any more volunteers? There's strength in numbers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
silverartfox

silverartfox

Posted
Posted

A fellow HAIFer and I plan to contact the ECA about replacing the sign. Any more volunteers? There's strength in numbers.

Thanks to both of you! I'm on the ECA board -- you can PM me if you like. Please come to the next general ECA meeting at 6:30 pm, April 4th, at the Cape Center on Leeland@Lockwood.

I'm still wondering what happened to the old sign.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RedScare

RedScare

Posted
Posted

Not sure where dbig came up with that about the Heights, but I'm pretty sure it's not true. The Heights was 75 feet above sea level and 23 feet above the level of downtown Houston. The name Houston Heights then was a natural title and gave confidence to people hunting a healthful location. It is a matter of history that during the terrible yellow fever epidemics that periodically struck Houston, many people fled to the Heights and camped out until the siege subsided.

I believe the Heights was developed well before the dredging of the ship channel.

Not even close. The Port of Houston was established in 1842, and the Republic of Texas gave the City the right to remove obstructions and improve the channel in 1843. In the mid-1870s, full on dredging of the channel was undertaken, and its first ocean-going vessel arrived in 1876. The US government assumed responsibility for the channel in 1890.

The land for the Heights was purchased in 1891. The first lots were sold in 1893, and building took place shortly afterward.

http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rhh11

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dbigtex56

dbigtex56

Posted
Posted

Not sure where dbig came up with that about the Heights, but I'm pretty sure it's not true.

Not sure where I came up with it, either (which is why I prefaced my remarks with "It's my understanding...")

I was told this tale several years ago (the "pre-HAIF Era") by a native Houstonian, and had never verified it. Now that I think about it, seems like an awfully long distance to truck dredged dirt, especially in the 19th century.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LTAWACS

LTAWACS

Posted
Posted

Not sure where I came up with it, either (which is why I prefaced my remarks with "It's my understanding...")

I was told this tale several years ago (the "pre-HAIF Era") by a native Houstonian, and had never verified it. Now that I think about it, seems like an awfully long distance to truck dredged dirt, especially in the 19th century.

Well they didn't have anything else to do. Why not move dirt?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RedScare

RedScare

Posted
Posted

Not even close. The Port of Houston was established in 1842, and the Republic of Texas gave the City the right to remove obstructions and improve the channel in 1843. In the mid-1870s, full on dredging of the channel was undertaken, and its first ocean-going vessel arrived in 1876. The US government assumed responsibility for the channel in 1890.

The land for the Heights was purchased in 1891. The first lots were sold in 1893, and building took place shortly afterward.

http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rhh11

Additionally, the majority of the original Houston Heights does not exceed 60 feet in elevation. Only the northern and northwestern section reach above 60 feet, and even those areas appear to top out at 66 feet. Most of the Heights is under 60 feet in elevation, certainly higher than downtown Houston, most of which is under 50 feet, but not 25 feet higher. Most of it is only 10 to 15 feet higher.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
totheskies

totheskies

Posted
Posted

Well, both in the warehouse district, as well as the rest of east end, as Niche pointed out, it isn't repopulation.

for the warehouse district prior to the condos and townhomes most of the land was commercial and industrial, so that isn't so much a repopulation as it is populating an area that historically wasn't used for residential. Granted there were residential structures that people used (and still do), it wasn't the norm.

as for the rest of the east end, the area is still/already populated. I'd say if anything is happening, it is a changing of the residents. be it renters, owners or whoever.

Anyway, as to the point, I think there are probably less people from out of town that are willing to come to the East End, than there are people who know Houston who choose the East End. I have no basis of fact on that, just a gut feeling from myself visiting other cities and judging the area based on the condition of the buildings that are in the area (and I'm sure, as Niche pointed out, some are so ignorant as to base their judgment on the skin tone of people they see).

How many people park in their yard in the Heights, or in Montrose? You can either see ruts in the yard, gravel instead of a yard, or cars in the yard in half of the houses in most neighborhoods in the East End, that alone is probably going to scare someone who doesn't know Houston into looking somewhere else.

How much gang graffiti is there in the Heights, or Montrose? Sadly, I see this one place under i45 (going south on the feeder, take the u-turn by the railroad tracks by Schlumberger) that has gang graffiti on it all the time, (even though some group comes by and paints over it, it's right back the next day) you just don't see that over there. That doesn't mean that there aren't issues with violence in those areas, it just means that at first appearance people will be frightened of the area.

I'm not saying that everyone that transplants to Houston just ignores the East End, but I am saying that it is less likely.

Most of the people I have met that have moved here, they do so because they are from Houston and heard good things about the neighborhood, usually through friends that live here. Some of them went to school at UH and decided to rent in the area, and decided to them live in the area.

Anyway, lunch is over, back to the work.

I agree... people from out of town don't know anything about the East End. But that's because there's still a HUGE contingent of Houstonians that don't know about it. At least they don't know that people actually live over here. Working at UofH, I'm simply astounded to know how many people have never, and will never cross the other side of I-45 from here. Just heard some faculty in my dept discussing Italian food for lunch, and how one could really go for a good lasagna. So naturally I directed them to Mandola's and they were blown away. Loved the neighborhood feel of it, and were interested in what called the "transition" of the neighborhood. Now they live in Cypress and Katy respectively, so I wouldn't expect them to know every nook and cranny of this area. But they have worked at UofH for at least 10 years.

Locals are moving to the East End because they're being priced out of other areas, but still want some convenience to downtown and other inner loop areas. I think were in the beginnings of an East End boom here, and for far more reasons than just the soccer stadium. But out-of-towners learn about our neighborhoods from locals they meet and online resources. Until the East End gets the word out that it's "improving" no one else is going to know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
kylejack

kylejack

Posted
Posted

I drove past Epicurean Express today, and there is a now open sign out front. I'm glad to finally get a grocery store in this area even though it is small. I will go in today and see if they actually carry anything useful.

I went and checked it out. Nothing special so far. It's basically a convenience store with some very minor produce right now. There was quite a bit of wine, but otherwise nothing significant. There's some bare shelves and an unused deli counter, so hopefully there is some potential for it to grow into something more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
tigereye

tigereye

Posted
Posted

Heard something new that haven't ever heard mentioned before: Plans of a free Trolley on Polk running from Hyatt to the Promenade linking Hyatt & Downtown CBD, HOU Pavillions, Toyota Cntr & GRB, and Promenade. I'm guessing this would include reuse of the old Metro Trolley Busses but I'd love if it actually were the old school rail trolley cars like in SF.

This is the second time I've heard such an idea in HTown. The other would be a trolley along Washington.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NenaE

NenaE

Posted
Posted

Oh! I like this conversation.

I hope that my love for architecture (or buildings - there's a fine distinction) doesn't make me a misanthrope. I've noticed that there are those who can appreciate a building as one might a piece of music, or a work of art. Others see buildings as a formula, where the only criteria for value are square footage, an arbitrary measure of desirability, and land value.

For those who take the latter point of view - I get it. There are certain practical and economic considerations which cannot be ignored. Please consider that those who take the former point of view are responsible for some of the great (and profitable) neighborhoods. Greenwich Village, the French Quarter, Nob Hill, et. al. would not exist if the typical Houston style of development had been allowed.

So far as someone calling me a tree or building 'hugger', fine. Yes, I like them. And I'll ask, do you like your mom? Because that would make you a motherhugger - right?

I'm sorry. but I just now saw this conversation with Lotus and dbigtex56, and I had to laugh at the last line.Thanks, needed that.

I have to agree, I was born with a natural curiosity for architecture. Guess that makes me one, I don't care what I'm called. Just wish more developers, investors, etc. would listen more to architectural historians like Stephen Fox or organizations, such as the Houston Preservation Society.

Lotus, you definitely have a way with words.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 year later...
  • The title was changed to East Downtown, Warehouse, Dynamo District Development

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
All of the HAIF
None of the ads!
HAIF+
Just
$5!


×
×
  • Create New...