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Do you think central Houston will regain the densest census tract anytime soon?


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The density in this city mirrors how decentralized our city truly is. As of 2000, central zipcodes such as 77006 hovered around 8500 people per square mile, 77004 around 5000 people per square mile, 77019 around 5200 people per square mile, 77002 around 6300 people per square mile, and 77005 around 6000 people per square mile. Using these numbers, the Montrose area has the densest zipcode in the inner loop. We can only assume these numbers have become even larger over the past six years.

While the inner loop density averaged around 6200 people, areas on the southwest side, that are still growing, such as zipcodes 77081 had a density of about 15,500 and 77036 was around 10,000 people per square mile. If I am not mistaken Houston's densest census tract falls somewhere in these areas also.

With endless residential construction happening in the inner loop, townhome construction that could probably hold about 5-10 people on average where one or two bungalows once stood, do you think central Houston is on its way to regaining the densest census tract?

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Edited by WesternGulf
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With endless residential construction happening in the inner loop, townhome construction that could probably hold about 5-10 people on average where one or two bungalows once stood, do you think central Houston is on its way to regaining the densest census tract?

(emphisis added)

Townhome or bungalow, it all comes down to parking.

"One Man, One Car" might be Houston's motto, and unless there's some assurance that every adult has a place to stash his or her car, there's no crowding more of them into the same space. Even assuming that you could find six adults who were willing to occupy the same 3 bedroom townhome, they'd end up killing each other over who gets to park in the 2 car garage. Funny, people will share a bathroom, but not a car or a parking space.

A bungalow provides the same number of parking spaces as two town homes (two in the driveway, two in the street vs two 2-car garages, no on-street parking). Net change: zero.

I don't know if this is a recognized theory, but it's been my observation.

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I'm curious...I read a few years ago that one of census tracts in the Gulfton area (nothing but huge apartment complexes) was the densest census tract outside of NYC. Is that true?

I would probably say no. I believe the Gulfton area peaks at around 35000-40000 people per square mile. NYC peaks at around a quarter million people per square mile. Chicago, San Francisco, LA, and Boston all have census tracts around 90000-100000 people per square mile. All are located near downtown. I do not even think the Gulfton area is the highest in Texas. Dallas has a tract in north Dallas, so I hear that is very similar to the Gulfton area, that peaks at around 50000 people per square mile.

dbigtex56, that probably was a stretch with the 5-10 people, but most of the townhome construction seems like 2 townhomes on one bungalow lot. About 6 bedrooms on average.

Edited by WesternGulf
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dbigtex56, that probably was a stretch with the 5-10 people, but most of the townhome construction seems like 2 townhomes on one bungalow lot. About 6 bedrooms on average.

That might not be a stretch at all. Most of the townhome construction in Rice Military, for instance, consists of 6 townhomes on a double lot, or 3 TH per lot. The average apartment/condo has 1.75 or so inhabitants. So, a bungalow is often being replaced by 3 units of 1-3 people, or 5-7 total on the lot.

As far as Central Houston goes, it could happen, but not soon. It takes awhile to build the tall structures.

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Am i the only one here that thinks its a good thing that theres lots of room to spread out and grow and have nice sized yards.......live in a home that is more than a slice of sheetrock away from your neighbor? That said, im looking in Camp Logan/Rice Military for a new townhome. Fortunately thats an option for us in Houston....live in a large twnhome community close to your neighbor or live on a 1 acre lot with trees etc etc etc......i suppurt densification in the city as well as a strong supporter of more city annexation to obtain more open land to build on inside the city limits, that would provide the nice large yards trees etc etc..........

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That might not be a stretch at all. Most of the townhome construction in Rice Military, for instance, consists of 6 townhomes on a double lot, or 3 TH per lot. The average apartment/condo has 1.75 or so inhabitants. So, a bungalow is often being replaced by 3 units of 1-3 people, or 5-7 total on the lot.

As far as Central Houston goes, it could happen, but not soon. It takes awhile to build the tall structures.

Agreed. There is also a sharp difference in the average household size of a poor hispanic family (common in Gulfton) and the wealthy professional couple and empty-nester households (more typical of central Houston). Furthermore, a lot of the Gulfton households aren't counted in official demographics for reasons that should be pretty obvious.

Edited by TheNiche
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Am i the only one here that thinks its a good thing that theres lots of room to spread out and grow and have nice sized yards.......live in a home that is more than a slice of sheetrock away from your neighbor? That said, im looking in Camp Logan/Rice Military for a new townhome. Fortunately thats an option for us in Houston....live in a large twnhome community close to your neighbor or live on a 1 acre lot with trees etc etc etc......i suppurt densification in the city as well as a strong supporter of more city annexation to obtain more open land to build on inside the city limits, that would provide the nice large yards trees etc etc..........

No your not the only one. I enjoy having open spaces, in fact isn't that what made Texas famous?

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