The Heights Information & Developments

[Urbannomad]

I think that depends on 2 things really:

1) How far west are you talking... west of Durham, west of Ella, etc?

2) The biggest thing is how well the the drainage and grade of the lot and surrounding lots is.

I live near 1100 W 18th, and the morning after Ike 18th St flooded pretty good because the creek got backed up with debris. There was a small amount of water that made it to the bottom of our bottom step but not up to our piers. Since we are on piers & beams the water was no where near close to making it into our house. Our garage is in back, on a slab, and water didn't make it that high. Some cars parked on 18th did get flooded though.

During a normal, heavy rain it's no problem where are. However, I know some of the higher streets (above 20th) do flood during heavy rains because some of the older lots have not "upgraded" or "regraded?" their ditches like new construction. The best thing I think is to talk with neighbors that have been there a while, and if you can, drive around during/after a heavy rain.

[toadfroggy]

I think it depends on how far west you're talking about.

I'm on E 25th and my house and my street has always been high and dry, but I'm not in the floodplain. I wasn't living there during Allison, but there was a bad day of street flooding in 2007, when I had to wade home because Yale, Heights, and Harvard were both knee high at 20th St. The streets were impassable for several blocks around, but once I got to 25th, it was clear. I think it helps that it's not a curbed street, so water pools in the ditches rather than the street.

The flooding that occurred immediately post-Ike was a problem north of the Loop around Main and Yale. I remember not being able to exit Yale westbound due to high water, but at Shepherd it was OK. I also walked around a lot after Ike just checking things out and I didn't notice any evidence that anyone had had water in their houses, but I didn't wander west of Shepherd.

I heard from my next-door neighbor that areas "on the other side of Yale" didn't fare well during Allison, but she may have been referring to Shady Acres or Timbergrove rather than that part of Heights.

[Yankee_in_TX]

I think most of the home we are looking at are between Durham and Ella (I know, that's a large area!). Most are considered in Shady Acres, I believe.

[Porchman]

I think most of the home we are looking at are between Durham and Ella (I know, that's a large area!). Most are considered in Shady Acres, I believe.

Generally the area between Beall and White Oak Bayou in the W. 20's is in the flood plain. See the TSARP map .

Yes, most of that area in the W. 20's is Shady Acres. Parts near Durham are Houston Heights up to about W 25.

[Yankee_in_TX]

Generally the area between Beall and White Oak Bayou in the W. 20's is in the flood plain. See the TSARP map .

Yeah, EVERYTHING we're looking at is really close, some in the 100 year, some 500 and some 'clear,' I was wanting to get a general sense of flooding in that area, and I appreciate everyone's input.

Sadly, the one I really love is dangerously close to the Floodway.

We'll definitely ask neighbors before we put an offer on anything.

Edited May 15, 2009 by Yankee_in_TX

[Urbannomad]

We live in the 100 year plain in Shady Acres and haven't had any problems, other than street flooding after Ike that went down in less than an hour after the rain stopped. Unfortunately it depends on so many factors that it's hard to make a generalization about an area as large as most of the neighborhood. I just recommend not being directly next to the creek that cuts N/S through the neighborhood and avoid the floodWAY! I'll put in a plug for some the homes for sale around us on/near Beall St south of 19th as a good place to check out as well w/o flooding problems.

An upside to being in the 100 year plain is that the COH requires the living area of all new construction to be elevated above the base flood elevation... it's not a guarantee, but since HOUSTON floods, often without regard to floodplain models, it can help mitigate much of the flooding. And the additional insurance is cheap if you are elevated, and you'd probably want it anyway no matter where you were. Good luck!

Edited May 15, 2009 by Urbannomad

[Yankee_in_TX]

An upside to being in the 100 year plain is that the COH requires the living area of all new construction to be elevated above the base flood elevation... it's not a guarantee, but since HOUSTON floods, often without regard to floodplain models, it can help mitigate much of the flooding. And the additional insurance is cheap if you are elevated, and you'd probably want it anyway no matter where you were. Good luck!

The home near the Floodway is rasied. Maybe 4/5 stairs to get in the house from the front and the garage. We noticed the garage has a bunch of 'holes' around the base (maybe 1 foot wide x a few inch high rectangles).

[newtexan]

We are interested in house in clsoe proximity, just west of Bevis and south of 18th, does anyone know if this area has a history of flooding?

[callisthenes]

For those living on W 20ish-25ish, how does that area do during heavy rains?

I realize that a lot has changed since Allison w/ all the construction, but we're looking at buying up there and most of the homes appear to be in the 100 year flood plain.

The floodplain map is the best place to start, but you should keep in mind the statistics of flood prediction on streams.

As the map legend indicates, the chance of a discharge of a certain size (e.g. 100-year, 500-year) occurring is the reciprocal of the recurence interval, so 1% for the "100 year", or 0.2% for the "500 year". These probablitities are based on observations of actual stream discharge, and may be extrapolated if large discharges have never been observed and measured on a particular stream.

If a 100-year discharge occurs in one year, that does not mean a discharge of that size will not occur again for 100 years; it may occur again next year, or even this year. It's still a probability of 1%, and the "100 year" is an average amount of time between events of that size based on observed peak discharge over the years. So if you buy in a floodplain, you are playing the chances.

That's the stream statistics, which says little if a heavy local downpour exceeds the capacity the local storm drains or trenches in a particular block and causes street flooding.

[Keep Heights Green]

I'm writing to introduce and inform you about Keep Heights Green, a local non-profit whose mission is to replant/replace many of the trees our area lost during the hurricane devastation. We were formed in October of last year, immediately following Hurricane Ike. I

[editor]

I'm writing to introduce and inform you about Keep Heights Green, a local non-profit whose mission is to replant/replace many of the trees our area lost during the hurricane devastation. We were formed in October of last year, immediately following Hurricane Ike. I

[Keep Heights Green]

Thank you. I will do that.

[jc281]

I drove by a large modern house on a substantial corner lot in the Heights a while back. It seemed cool but very out of place.

It was white. and on the NE corner of an intersection. Not a townhouse or patiohome.

All I know..any ideas?

[Porchman]

I drove by a large modern house on a substantial corner lot in the Heights a while back. It seemed cool but very out of place.

It was white. and on the NE corner of an intersection. Not a townhouse or patiohome.

All I know..any ideas?

This one?

[Tiko]

Didn't we do this already?

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/in...5&hl=modern

[Porchman]

Didn't we do this already?

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/in...5&hl=modern

Yes http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/in...&hl=harvard

[heights_yankee]

This one?

i love that house

[Jayman7]

Is there are map or can someone tell me what streets border the various Heights sections, so far I know of The Heights, Norhill, Woodland Heights, Sunset Heights. Thank you

[jgs1419]

Is there are map or can someone tell me what streets border the various Heights sections, so far I know of The Heights, Norhill, Woodland Heights, Sunset Heights. Thank you

Generally speaking and subject to much discussion,

The Heights (excluding Stude, etc.): Shepherd to Oxford, I-10 to 20th & Ella to Yale, 20th to 610 - that second part is a bit nebulus since much of that land was originally industrial area and is now residential.

Stude/Ralfallen, et al: Oxford to Studewood, 11th to 20th

Sunset Heights: Yale to North Main, 20th to 610

Shady Acres: E TC Jester to Durham, 11th to 20th

Norhill (including Proctor Plaza): Studewood to North Main, 11th to 20th

Woodland Heights: Studewood to Houston Avenue, I-10 to Pecore

Some of those are hard lines of demarcation, some are gross generalizations but that will get you in the ballpark.

[Jayman7]

So what is the area bordered by N. Main, 610, Airline Dr. and Cavalcade. More specifically 800 block of Aurora?

[RedScare]

So what is the area bordered by N. Main, 610, Airline Dr. and Cavalcade. More specifically 800 block of Aurora?

According to HCAD, that is Sunset Heights.

[samiamj]

Is there are map or can someone tell me what streets border the various Heights sections, so far I know of The Heights, Norhill, Woodland Heights, Sunset Heights. Thank you

Shady Acres borders are:

http://www.shadyacres.org/index.php?page=12

Approximate 610N to Durham to W 15 to TC Jester

[Urbannomad]

I think RedScare has the right idea. HCAD has the maps and GIS shapefile for all of the subdivisions in Harris County. However, so many new small subdivisions have been platted in the Heights area that it can get confusing, but it's still there.

Or just search for an address at HCAD's site and it will tell you the subdivision, unless it has been re-platted by a developer... in which case just choose an address a few doors down.

[Porchman]

So what is the area bordered by N. Main, 610, Airline Dr. and Cavalcade. More specifically 800 block of Aurora?

According to HCAD, that is Sunset Heights.

800 block of Aurora is Sunset heights. Brookesmith is inside the more general area about which Jayman7 inquired, as well.

[Jayman7]

Sunset Heights was my first guess. I didnt see any designation in the HCAD records. Thank you all

[RedScare]

Sunset Heights was my first guess. I didnt see any designation in the HCAD records. Thank you all

Look at the legal description on the right hand side. The neighborhood is listed right under the lot and block number, unless, as mentioned earlier, a developer has sub-divided the lot.

[Jayman7]

Ahh, if if were a snake... Yes, Sunset Heights. Thank you!

[tmariar]

Thought there might be room for a thread about non-restaurant food people come across in the area. I was thinking especially of seasonal specials, hard-to-find items, and new discoveries at the local grocery stores, the Airline markets, the Saturday farmers market at Onion Creek, or fruit stands (saw a little one in the Home Depot parking lot!) - but I'd be interested in hearing about just about any interesting food finds along the same lines.

Robb Walsh just posted something about finding chepil for sale behind Canino's, and that gave me the idea.

I recently bought a glass jar of lupini beans from the foreign foods aisle at the Studewood Fiesta that I really liked, straight from the jar, sprinkled with pepper (but then eaten without the peel). I can see why they might be considered an acquired taste, but to me they tasted a lot like olives (similar texture, and stored in brine). The peaches Fiesta had that day were also really good.

I'll see if I can think of any others. Anyone else have any finds they're not saving for their food blog?

Edited July 13, 2009 by tmariar

[Porchman]

The produce at Fiesta is great. Mrs. P. and I shop the one at North Shepherd and 23rd. The peaches have been phenomenal lately. So have the mangos.

As far as their international aisles (plural at Store #2!), I really dig the Carribean section. I like the spicy things generally. However, I also find myself browsing the beverages with an eye to what goes with the bar cart contents .

Elsewhere, try the panaderia in the 1300 block of Yale. But don't bring your American Express...or your Visa..MC..DC..debit. It's cash only. Also it's not very, uh, bilingual. But Porchman will lay down some bad-ass, yankee Spanish ("esta..cuanto cuesta?") for really good ojos any day.

[crunchtastic]

As far as their international aisles (plural at Store #2!), I really dig the Carribean section. I like the spicy things generally. However, I also find myself browsing the beverages with an eye to what goes with the bar cart contents .

Caribbean section at Fiesta and bar cart mean one thing: Ting!! Appleton's (or Mount Gay) and Ting. Vodka and Ting. Gin and Ting. It's the best citrus soda on the planet.

So, I'm back after having been gone nearly two weeks and am tripping on the new HAIF. Big thumbs up, Ed. A lot to digest, but in a good way.