Perry Townhomes Telephone/Gulfgate

[musicman]

Perry built some townhomes off of woodridge last year. their next venture was supposed to be off of lawndale but this project died. i noticed that behind the gulfgate lowe's more perry townhomes are being built.

it really surprised me cause perry also built 4 standalone homes behind their woodridge project and sold a couple of them for 20k less than they were asking. The prices they were asking were ridiculous for what they were offering but yet most of them are sold now.

[Kirzania]

What were they asking, just out of curiousity?

[musicman]

What were they asking, just out of curiousity?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

7101 deborah asked 172.9k got 155.6k

7100 deborah asked 189.9k got 164k

[Guest danax]

One proposed route for Metrorail's Southeast Line would go right past there down Telephone on the way to Hobby. Also, the Harrisburg line is listed on the Metro site as

eventually extending to hook up with the Southeast line at Telephone.

Perry may not even care about all that but just found some reasonable land within walking distance to Gulfgate and figured they could make a few grand. There's only a handful of units there.

For all the Perry bashing that goes on, you've got to give them credit for being bold enough to be the first into new, formerly ratty areas and being a major catalyst for further redevelopment by copycats.

[MidtownCoog]

For all the Perry bashing that goes on, you've got to give them credit for being bold enough to be the first into new, formerly ratty areas and being a major catalyst for further redevelopment by copycats.

PRINT THAT in Bold!

There would be no metal townhomes (Urban Lofts, etc.) in Midtown if it were not for Perry.

[RedScare]

PRINT THAT in Bold!

There would be no metal townhomes (Urban Lofts, etc.) in Midtown if it were not for Perry.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know if I'd go that far, Coog, but it is worth noting that Perry can afford to "take a chance" building in these areas, whereas most developers will sit on the fence until someone else goes first. Certainly, Perry helped move Midtown much farther along by building early and often.

[MidtownCoog]

Lets just say they followed Perry to my side of Midtown.

Perry showed up in late 98/early 99. 2001 the metal towers showed up.

Perry has balls, and so did I for taking a big risk. That side of Midtown is essentially "Greater Third Ward".

[Dream]

I must agree. Perry Homes went into the old chinatown area and built 91 homes around Polk and Live Oak. They sold out in 3 months. Now everyone is starting to build in the area.

dream

[rps324]

Good Perry/Bad Perry aside, how does everyone see this development impacting that area? Do you think Perry will do more development circling Gulfgate? Will other developers follow suit and come in behind them? Will this fuel more gentrification in the area or do you think it is a fluke or a bust waiting to happen?

[Guest danax]

Good Perry/Bad Perry aside, how does everyone see this development impacting that area?

[musicman]

Good Perry/Bad Perry aside, how does everyone see this development impacting that area?  Do you think Perry will do more development circling Gulfgate?  Will other developers follow suit and come in behind them?  Will this fuel more gentrification in the area or do you think it is a fluke or a bust waiting to happen?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The development has definitely impacted the area. Home prices have gone up a lot in the last 3 yrs. you could easily find something in the 50's back then now the cheap things are going for 80's. Dot's, Brisket House (pappas bbq) and Spanky's have a monopoly in the area. of the new restaurants...888 Chinese Seafood ( and Doneraki's (mediocre) have been very successful. I've been surprised at the number of banks that have popped up. I've heard that the Home Depot at Gulfgate is number 1 in houston for contractor orders.

For me personally, the worst thing has been the increase in traffic at the Woodridge/45 intersection. If METRO put the light rail in, it would only result in a nightmare!

[MidtownCoog]

Dot's, Brisket House (pappas bbq) and Spanky's )

The OGs!

[gnu]

I find it amazing that it seems like everytime you pass Pappa's BBQ both drive thru lanes are backed up into the road. They have to be doing great.

My other favorite little area nearby there is Oak Acres. west of Telephone and Broad. 30's,40's, and 50's homes on relatively large lots and a lot of trees.

There a been a few nice updates in there too.

[midtownguy]

I was out and about, and was curious about the new Perry development, so I checked it out, and drove along Woodbride and the general area.

Man, there is some serious, serious retail out there. And not small mom-and-pop places, but big, major national, upscale retailers. That area seems to be jumping off pretty well.

I live in Midtown, and as much as I love Midtown, we can't get a Starbucks over here for anything. I'd kill for half the retail they've got along Woodridge. The only thing that area needs is a Target, a movie theatre a gym and a bookstore and they'd be all set.

As much as I'm not a fan of Perry developments, i'm looking to buy w/in the next year, and I may have to consider that area.

[stolitx]

The only thing that area needs is a Target, a movie theatre a gym and a bookstore and they'd be all set.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

From your mouth to God's ears.

Actually all I desparately want is the Target. But the gym and bookstore would be nice too.

[Omar]

Thanks in advance everyone.

I was thinking about moving to those perry townhomes in gulfgate-- either the older woodridge ones or the newer plum creek ones. Its a perfect location for me I need to be as close to pasadena and the medical center as possible and gulfgate is just about in the middle. Outside of how hideous and poorly built they are( i know many on this forum have strong opinions about Perry), how dangerous is it to live there? I mean the place has a reputation for especially high crime and it seems like the newer and more expensive perry townhomes might look especially enticing to a burglar. I have lived in the champions area of NW houston for a long time and dont really have any experience with "bad" neighboorhoods. Forgive the newbie questions, but I would just like to get some idea of what living in gulfgate is like vs. champions area. Any suggestions for a better location(the Idylwood, and pecan park homes are nice but I think might be too much work for me as in the near future I will be in school and have very little free time)?

Thanks,

Omar

[musicman]

Thanks in advance everyone.

I was thinking about moving to those perry townhomes in gulfgate-- either the older woodridge ones or the newer plum creek ones. Its a perfect location for me I need to be as close to pasadena and the medical center as possible and gulfgate is just about in the middle. Outside of how hideous and poorly built they are( i know many on this forum have strong opinions about Perry), how dangerous is it to live there? I mean the place has a reputation for especially high crime and it seems like the newer and more expensive perry townhomes might look especially enticing to a burglar. I have lived in the champions area of NW houston for a long time and dont really have any experience with "bad" neighboorhoods. Forgive the newbie questions, but I would just like to get some idea of what living in gulfgate is like vs. champions area. Any suggestions for a better location(the Idylwood, and pecan park homes are nice but I think might be too much work for me as in the near future I will be in school and have very little free time)?

Thanks,

Omar

My best friend has lived in Pecan Park for 13 yrs. back then, you heard gunshots fairly frequently. But as time went on, you heard less and less. In 2001, an opportunity arose to purchase a house there. i originally was going to fix it up and sell. But over the course of the remodel, i realized how convenient everything was from this area. downtown 5-10 mins, clr lake 15 min (for work), hobby airport. retail fiesta, heb, walgreens, cvs...almeda is 5-10 away so target, wamart, foleys' best guy, penney's. As a result, i decided not to sell and live there. i've had no problems. No it isn't suburban heaven, but my clr lake friends that come and visit are always surprised. You probably would be too.

Many of the homes on the east side are old, but for me the remodel was worth it. Several of my realtor friends who've been by have stated they could get double for what i paid cause i have new wiring, plumbing etc.

i've had NO problems with safety/crime here. There are burglar bars here, but they are artifacts of the past. I've not seen ANY new burglar bars go up. I"ve had an epiphany, regarding crime.....basically it can happen anywhere. A good friend was murdered before Christmas. She lived in a gated, high priced townhome off of Waugh. Safety was a consideration for her and yet it still happened.

I will stress that one of the positives about living here vs. the other eastside neighborhoods is the number of businesses that are located nearby. also access to local parks is better. With in a mile or so I have 2 with walking trails. Also if you enjoy biking, you can easily ride to many places, even downtown.

Many suburbanites are just scared of urban Houston in general. But if you work in the med center and have to go to Pasadena frequently im sure you'll have no problem with "urban Houston"

For me, maybe the worst thing is the traffic at Woodridge and 45 South. But there are ways around it.

Danax also lives in Pecan Park and i'm sure he'll be replying to your post just as soon as he wakes up.

Good luck and feel free to PM if you have any more questions.

[Guest danax]

Danax also lives in Pecan Park and i'm sure he'll be replying to your post just as soon as he wakes up.

Have I become that predictable? Good gawd!

But here I am, just as predicted. You pretty much said what I would say, Musicman.

I like the area and it's already hit bottom and is coming back. If you are concerned with burglaries then I would suggest investing in an alarm system. There is a lot of land around Gulfgate that is nothing but old, lower end, non-descript homes, ratty retail and tired, light industrial; stuff that will eventually get torn down. The convenience to DT and Med. Cntr will only become more valuable so I see a lot more townhomes going in over time.

As for the Perry townhomes, it must be mentioned that the ones on Woodridge have had a problem with burglaries, according to the HPD officer that attends our civic club meetings, so much so that they arranged for, and were granted, a special meeting with some HPD at the HC College across the street. There are some apartments down the road on Office City and some more on Woodridge which are the likely source of the riff-raff, IMO. If you are considering buying there, I would somehow talk to one of the current residents first.

The ones on Telephone......there are some Section 8 apartments right next door so I would have some concerns. Another thing with these Perry "communities"; they take one chunk of land and build these things so tight that there is little space for trees.

If the prices work for you, I wouldn't worry about crime.

[musicman]

The ones on Telephone......there are some Section 8 apartments right next door so I would have some concerns.

The streetwalkers that were along Telephone are now closer Wayside and 45 South. Don't know if that's a plus or a minus.

[rps324]

The Plum Creek apartments are section 8, the Concord ones have income caps, but I don't think those are section 8.

I wouldn't rule out an older home so long as the items like plumbing, roofing, A/C and all have been updated. You are always going to have something to deal with whether it is a resale fairly new townhome, or an older home with updated systems. So expect some issues over time regardless of what you buy. I personally lean towards the single family homes for a number of reasons that work for me, but might not work for everybody.

I am going to be even more predictable than Danax & recommend the usual suspects down there. Get something in good shape in Glenbrook, Idylwood, or somewhere like that & get the seller to throw in a one-year home warranty for good measure. Unless, of course, you just really like the townhomes available down there & that is what you want. Personally I would rather have a more individual home with more of a neighborhood setting, but that is purely subjective & depends upon what you like & want.

[Omar]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

When I was first looking down there I noticed the plum creek apartments-- not realizing they were section 8. I was so surprised when the lady there told me they were only something like 700 a month for a 3 bedroom. I soon realized what they were when she asked how I would plan to qualify.

Has anyone noticed the gated townhomes being built on 610 and crestmont? I think they are actually much nicer than the perry townhomes, but when I took a look inside i was very disappointed. What got me first was--- hollow front doors, not for the individual rooms but for the entrances from the front and back. That was a huge indicator of really poor quality.

The responses regarding the level of crime weren't what I had hoped but I somewhat expected them. The HPD crime statistics names addresses in woodridge and plum creek several times since they were built, and I'm beginning to think that perhaps a longer drive isn't a bad idea--maybe riverside terrace or allendale(I'd never heard of it before either its about the same distance from 610 as Idylwood but southeast of it rather than northwest).

I'm probably asking for what doesnt exist but anyone have any other suggestions for a good neighborhood ~10miles around 610 & 45?

Much appreciated

-Omar

[Roy Vera]

Check out some of the places closed to downtown. I remodeled a 1940s bungalow in Eastwood in 2001 and could not be happier. The location to downtown and great neighbors makes it a wonderful place. The prices vary from 60k - 160k for lots and home from the 150s (they would require work).

-rv

[rps324]

There are plenty of options on ones that appear in great shape, a lot more options if you are willing to put in "sweat equity." Just depends on what you want. Here are a few scattered around.

Gulfgate area houses

[musicman]

If crime IS that much a concern, then I'd stay clear of the Broadway/Bellfort area. The crime in the apartments is high, plus the old southeast memorial hospital has been a drug rehab. I went by there last week and was surprised at how the area continues to decline. Several former multistory professional buildings look like something out of Iraq. There is a storefront in Broadway Square Apartments however the gulf freeway oaks civic club continually complains of lack of police help, even though the substation is there.

Also since many of these are circa 1950/60's construction, I'd definitely make sure that the updates are more than cosmetic esp if you're worried about having to fix items. I personally like having grounded outlets for home electronics. supply plumbing is most likely iron, which will probably have quite a bit of rust internally. I can go on...but it is all about how much sweat equity you are willing to exert.

[rps324]

If you check the crime stats, they are bad in the apartments, & will probably continue to be so, but very little north of Bellefort within the subdivision itself. They are in the process of demolishing two of the multi-story office buildings around that intersection. Contracts have also been let for a lot of work on Broadway as well, (repaving, landscaping, etc.) so there are some improvements along the way.

[musicman]

If you check the crime stats, they are bad in the apartments, & will probably continue to be so, but very little north of Bellefort within the subdivision itself. They are in the process of demolishing two of the multi-story office buildings around that intersection. Contracts have also been let for a lot of work on Broadway as well, (repaving, landscaping, etc.) so there are some improvements along the way.

I personally didn't think the landscaping on Broadway was particularly bad compared to most roads in Houston. Hobby will be pumping in lots to make it a signature entry.

A good friend of mine has lived on Glencrest near Santa Elena for years. I know for them crime has been a concern but location and their great home has kept them there. 2 or 3 yrs ago their neighbor was firebombed. They told me that that ALMOST made them moved. the empty lot may still be there, 2nd lot from santa elena on glencrest.

during my 20th hi school reunion last yr, i spoke with a good freind who used to live on Dover. She told me her parents moved to clear lake the yr before cause the state of things there. She said that they really just felt uncomfortable there. It was another nice home too.

[Guest danax]

Has anyone noticed the gated townhomes being built on 610 and crestmont? I think they are actually much nicer than the perry townhomes, but when I took a look inside i was very disappointed. What got me first was--- hollow front doors, not for the individual rooms but for the entrances from the front and back. That was a huge indicator of really poor quality.

Hollow front doors? Wow. Aren't there codes against that? Unfortunately I'm not surprised. We've had a similar ignorant builder build some real low-end townhomes in my neighborhood too. There will always be the less-enlightened/less-scrupulous element trying to get in on any trend.

The area has long-term potential. The BRT line is supposed to end right nearby at Long/610 and the surroundings are a whole lot of nothin' that should yield easily to redevelopment if any sizable buyer interest ever catches fire.

I know you've decided against an older single family home but here's one in Pecan Park that just went up for sale. Small 1940 home with garage apt. for 90K at 1115 Claxton St., MLS# 6151593 (I couldn't get the link to work). I have no idea how bad the interior might be in terms of past butchering as there are no interior photos and, the "Alacran" cantina is behind it.

When you've got low-quality townhomes for sale for much more than an older home like this with rental income, hopefully the price spread between the two will cause more and more intelligent buyers who want to live close in and decide that these older inner-loop neighborhoods and homes can be a worthy investment/restoration project.

[rps324]

I personally didn't think the landscaping on Broadway was particularly bad compared to most roads in Houston. Hobby will be pumping in lots to make it a signature entry.

A good friend of mine has lived on Glencrest near Santa Elena for years. I know for them crime has been a concern but location and their great home has kept them there. 2 or 3 yrs ago their neighbor was firebombed. They told me that that ALMOST made them moved. the empty lot may still be there, 2nd lot from santa elena on glencrest.

during my 20th hi school reunion last yr, i spoke with a good freind who used to live on Dover. She told me her parents moved to clear lake the yr before cause the state of things there. She said that they really just felt uncomfortable there. It was another nice home too.

I understood that the empty lot is from George Christy buying the house and tearing it down so he would have space to store his car collection. There was an incident years ago with a mystery fire on Glencrest that the old-timers attributed to a crazy guy that rented next door to it, I think that is the house you are thinking of & the suspected cause was out years ago.

Over the last several years many who want the more typical suburban environment have packed up & left the area, but for people like me that have lived in the middle of town, the "block by block" adventure down there is something that doesn't really phase you. I lived in the 6th Ward & dealt with the homeless people, the used car lot behind me, the Heart surgeon living next door to the "flop house" who lives next door to the writer who lives next door to 3 families in one small house and so on. I paid a hell of a premium for all that too.

There is a definite uptick in the socio-economic status of buyers down there (upper Glenbrook) now vs. just 2 years ago. Many coming from more urban environments like Heights or Montrose. People from that perspective are more used to nice areas adjoining bad areas & that sort of thing. It has its issues, but it's still pretty tame in comparison to what I've been through off Washington Ave for example.

The old Italian lady that sold me her house had lived there since '57 and hadn't had any problems. She bought a house in Meyerland proper across the street from her daughter. The first month she was there (Meyerland) a burglar ran right past her in her den while she's watching her soaps. What do you do, there is always the potential of crime anywhere you go.

If you are looking at it from the context of comparing it to the townhomes on Telephone or Woodridge, positives and negatives weighed in, my vote would still be for those houses. But that wouldn't be for everybody.

[musicman]

I understood that the empty lot is from George Christy buying the house and tearing it down so he would have space to store his car collection. There was an incident years ago with a mystery fire on Glencrest that the old-timers attributed to a crazy guy that rented next door to it, I think that is the house you are thinking of & the suspected cause was out years ago.

Over the last several years many who want the more typical suburban environment have packed up & left the area, but for people like me that have lived in the middle of town, the "block by block" adventure down there is something that doesn't really phase you. I lived in the 6th Ward & dealt with the homeless people, the used car lot behind me, the Heart surgeon living next door to the "flop house" who lives next door to the writer who lives next door to 3 families in one small house and so on. I paid a hell of a premium for all that too.

There is a definite uptick in the socio-economic status of buyers down there (upper Glenbrook) now vs. just 2 years ago. Many coming from more urban environments like Heights or Montrose. People from that perspective are more used to nice areas adjoining bad areas & that sort of thing. It has its issues, but it's still pretty tame in comparison to what I've been through off Washington Ave for example.

The old Italian lady that sold me her house had lived there since '57 and hadn't had any problems. She bought a house in Meyerland proper across the street from her daughter. The first month she was there (Meyerland) a burglar ran right past her in her den while she's watching her soaps. What do you do, there is always the potential of crime anywhere you go.

If you are looking at it from the context of comparing it to the townhomes on Telephone or Woodridge, positives and negatives weighed in, my vote would still be for those houses. But that wouldn't be for everybody.

concur rps..good post.

[stolitx]

I'm almost as predictable as Danax and rps, as a resident of Glenbrook I'm here.

I personally haven't had any problems or felt uncomfortable in the area. Do I like the apts on Broadway? No. But some of them are coming down since Hobby bought them for parking structures.

There are problem spots and houses most places. When I lived in the Heights there were regular car break-ins on my street, not so much in Glenbrook. I don't think one's any safer than the other. One definately has a better rep. Like it's been said, it can happen anywhere. But the neighborhood is getting better every day. The civic club is focused on enforcing deed restrictions. We work very closely with the storefront on Broadway and they've always been receptive to anything we present to them. The Captains at the Mykawa district office are helpful too in responding to our needs.

The highrise building structure on Broadway that looks like Iraq, is actually a sign of growth. It was vacant for years and was recently bought. They are bringing it down and building a new retail strip center. The MediStop on Bellfort burned. The apartment owner next door to it is buying it to create a new parking lot for his residents as they don't have one now. Most of the apartment owners/managers on Bellfort have joined Blue Star.

I will agree that the retail on Woodridge is great and I like knowing it's there. But the traffic sucks. I don't go over there except to The Dot, 888 and Lowes. Places I can get to without travelling down Woodridge.