Black Hole: Vast Prairies That Lie South Of The Loop

[FilioScotia]

It may not be the racial make-up of Pearland, but it's definitely the racial makeup of the area.

I bet all the black people are asking themselves where all these white people came from!

I lived in the neighborhood just south of Madison High for several years in the early 70s. My house was on Simsbrook at Whiteheather, in that un-subdivided neighborhood just east of Hiram Clarke. Just east of us, the subdivision of tract homes on both sides of the bayou on Buffalo Spdwy between Orem and W. Fuqua was new then, and it was heavily promoted to people in the inner city with special FHA mortgages that let them move in little or no down payment.

Even then, the area was predominantly black and it was a nice area. I'm white, and I say that because my wife and I always enjoyed our observation that the nicest looking houses in that new neighborhood belonged to black families. They were well maintained and their yards were always neat and trimmed.

Even though the area was new, there were already some trashy looking houses with badly kept yards and cars on blocks in the driveways, and almost without exception, they belonged to white families. I haven't been back there in many years so I have no idea what it looks like now.

Edited October 26, 2006 by FilioScotia

[The Great Hizzy!]

The area south of 610, west of 288 and Almeda Rd, and east of Hiram Clarke has a checkered history. For openers, it was the scene of a fairly large oil field in the 1920s. That oil field was on both sides of what is now Almeda Road and Hwy 288, and extended east most of the way to Mykawa Rd.

Remember the lawsuits filed in the early 90s by the people in the Kennedy Heights neighborhood? Kennedy Heights is east of Cullen and south of Selinsky. People there claimed living on top of former oil field sludge pits was making them sick and causing birth defects. They never produced a shred of evidence to back up their claims of deformed babies with brain damage, and it was all so bogus that even the most famous ambulance chaser in the country -- Houston's own John O'Quinn -- dumped them when it became clear the lawsuits were going nowhere. Unfortunately, memories of Kennedy Heights and houses built over sludge pits still resonate all over that end of town.

Evidence of the oil field is still visible west of Almeda Rd, and to the east to a lesser extent. There was also a very large landfill on Holmes Rd. I think it's closed now, but in any event, nobody is building anything on it, and most of the area we're talking about looks like a wasteland because that's what it is.

As for why no one has developed this area, I've read all the postings on this thread and I have to disagree with those who say it's because the area is mostly black. There are just too many areas around Houston where people of all races live side by side and get along just fine. The area east of 288 has developed, and, sadly, it has become a ghetto that's in a serious state of decline. I will agree that race is probably a factor in the way this area has been allowed to decay, but I don't think race figures in the lack of new development in the undeveloped area. Look at the success of the loft apartments on the edge of Freedmen's Town in the 4th ward near downtown.

West of Almeda, I can't help but observe that development picks up as you get farther away from the "wasted" looking area. Almeda Plaza to the south, and the area west of there around Madison High School, and north to Allum Rd. Looking at the map, that former oil field and landfill looks like a large undeveloped island in the middle of a sea of development.

I think it's because, so far, no developer has had the guts to take a chance on it. I also think that at some point, a brave developer with a lot of cash will step up and spend whatever it takes to clean it up, and when he or she succeeds, others will follow. It will happen fairly soon, and I predict the area will be completely developed within 20 years. I also think people with money to invest long term could do a lot worse than buy land in that area today, because it's going to be worth a lot more 10 and 15 years from now.

I actually agree with much of this. Granted, I don't have the history here in Houston that many of you have but everything I've read and heard concerning "the Black Hole" suggests that there are just as many (if not more) environmental concerns as there are social concerns as to why this area never saw any type of significant development up until the last couple of years. Frankly, even when you consider Pearland and Manvel, there wasn't much development south of the Beltway either until about 2000. Shadow Creek Ranch has spawned lots of residential development in the Pearland area along 288 but it was pretty barren too relative to other Houston area suburbs.

I wonder how much it would cost for a developer to go through the requisite environmental abatement associated with a new housing development? There are probably quite a few "hot spots" of toxic activity in many of those former oil fields.

And I agree that west of 288 and, more to the point, west of FM 518 (Almeda Road), the areas aren't spectacular but pretty average. Certainly not the worst of areas of the city but not blue ribbon communities either. Unfortunately, however, east of 288 has Sunnyside, which has never been a wealthy or bustling area, and South Acres, which has seen better days. Still, there are plenty of new development in town that's taken place near once struggling areas. Even Acres Homes itself, particularly on the western fringe, is seeing new home development, some retail infusion and even an upgrade in public works projects such as street and sewage repair, parks and so forth.

I just think that largely, the "Black Hole" has its costly environmental concerns and then the area itself isn't asthetically pleasing--perhaps the most treeless and barren landscape in the city limits, IMO.

[VicMan]

Don't forget South Park, which is also east of SH 288 and south of 610!

[VicMan]

By the way, KB Home isn't afraid of building stuff in the Black Hole, apparently - the builder owns four subdivisions in there now (see http://www.kbhome.com/Map~RegionID~7.aspx )

Royce Homes also has one subdivision and will open another http://houston.roycebuilders.com/houston_homes.asp

Edited October 29, 2006 by VicMan

[TheNiche]

By the way, KB Home isn't afraid of building stuff in the Black Hole, apparently - the builder owns four subdivisions in there now (see http://www.kbhome.com/Map~RegionID~7.aspx )

Royce Homes also has one subdivision and will open another http://houston.roycebuilders.com/houston_homes.asp

Yeah, actually I've been doing some research on the area. It seems that the number of new homes sold has more than doubled each year since about 2001. Most everything going in is on 50-foot-or-less lots, though. There are also an incredible number of new low-income tax credit apartment complexes, including four simultaneously under construction. Seems like its going to go from 'slum' to 'dense slum' pretty quickly. That Wal-Mart hasn't yet bought land along 288 in this area is beyond me.

[musicman]

Yeah, actually I've been doing some research on the area. It seems that the number of new homes sold has more than doubled each year since about 2001. Most everything going in is on 50-foot-or-less lots, though. There are also an incredible number of new low-income tax credit apartment complexes, including four simultaneously under construction. Seems like its going to go from 'slum' to 'dense slum' pretty quickly. That Wal-Mart hasn't yet bought land along 288 in this area is beyond me.

Well there's a walmart at 518 and a sam's basically at the loop so they are definitely nearby.

[UrbaNerd]

Uberslummification!

[TheNiche]

Well there's a walmart at 518 and a sam's basically at the loop so they are definitely nearby.

Go to walmart.com and find stores at 77002. That'll give you an idea of how their stores tend to be spatially dispersed. Notice how this area seems left out? It'd also draw very heavily from the less affluent areas of the inner loop. I'm pretty sure of this because poor hispanic near northsiders described to me once how troublesome it was to get to a quality Wal-Mart. If Wal-Mart built at Reed Road, it'd fill a big void very nicely.

[musicman]

Go to walmart.com and find stores at 77002. That'll give you an idea of how their stores tend to be spatially dispersed. Notice how this area seems left out? It'd also draw very heavily from the less affluent areas of the inner loop. I'm pretty sure of this because poor hispanic near northsiders described to me once how troublesome it was to get to a quality Wal-Mart. If Wal-Mart built at Reed Road, it'd fill a big void very nicely.

no walmart because no homes. now that homes are coming so is retail.

Edited October 29, 2006 by musicman

[TheNiche]

no walmart because no homes. now that homes are coming so is retail.

Yeah, that's my point.

[VicMan]

I wonder if the gentrification in the Third, Fourth, and Second Wards will push some former residents into the "Black Hole" area. The displaced residents will need new neighborhoods, so the land in the "Black Hole" can easily translate into tons of new affordable housing units.

Again, a developer needs to build a "North Pearland" subdivision west of SH 288.

Edited October 29, 2006 by VicMan

[TheNiche]

Again, a developer needs to build a "North Pearland" subdivision west of SH 288.

Yeah, I'm sure that "North Pearland" will go over really well within the City of Houston limits.

[VicMan]

Yeah, I'm sure that "North Pearland" will go over really well within the City of Houston limits.

There are some undeveloped unincorporated areas sandwiched between Houston and Pearland, though (I.E. Brunswick Lakes is in unincorporated Harris County) - A north Pearland could be put there.

Alternatively, one could name the places after the feeder roads (E.G. Almeda Court or Cullen Lakes)

Edited October 29, 2006 by VicMan

[VicMan]

By the way, if you wish to personally suggest the area as a location, use http://www.walmart.com/cservice/cu_commentsonline.gsp

Edit: Beazer Homes has two communities in the Black Hole:

* Summerlyn - http://www.beazer.com/FindHome/community.a...ommunityID=1295

* Regal Oaks - http://www.beazer.com/FindHome/community.a...ommunityID=1769

EDIT: Lennar Homes also operates the Brunswick community: http://www.lennar.com/findhome/community.a...mp;DIVID=HOSLEN

EDIT: Ryland Homes shares Regal Oaks with Beazer: http://www.ryland.com/find-your-new-home/1...Regal-Oaks.html

Edited October 30, 2006 by VicMan

[plumber2]

The area south of 610, west of 288 and Almeda Rd, and east of Hiram Clarke has a checkered history. For openers, it was the scene of a fairly large oil field in the 1920s. That oil field was on both sides of what is now Almeda Road and Hwy 288, and extended east most of the way to Mykawa Rd.

Remember the lawsuits filed in the early 90s by the people in the Kennedy Heights neighborhood? Kennedy Heights is east of Cullen and south of Selinsky. People there claimed living on top of former oil field sludge pits was making them sick and causing birth defects. They never produced a shred of evidence to back up their claims of deformed babies with brain damage, and it was all so bogus that even the most famous ambulance chaser in the country -- Houston's own John O'Quinn -- dumped them when it became clear the lawsuits were going nowhere. Unfortunately, memories of Kennedy Heights and houses built over sludge pits still resonate all over that end of town.

Evidence of the oil field is still visible west of Almeda Rd, and to the east to a lesser extent. There was also a very large landfill on Holmes Rd. I think it's closed now, but in any event, nobody is building anything on it, and most of the area we're talking about looks like a wasteland because that's what it is.

As for why no one has developed this area, I've read all the postings on this thread and I have to disagree with those who say it's because the area is mostly black. There are just too many areas around Houston where people of all races live side by side and get along just fine. The area east of 288 has developed, and, sadly, it has become a ghetto that's in a serious state of decline. I will agree that race is probably a factor in the way this area has been allowed to decay, but I don't think race figures in the lack of new development in the undeveloped area. Look at the success of the loft apartments on the edge of Freedmen's Town in the 4th ward near downtown.

West of Almeda, I can't help but observe that development picks up as you get farther away from the "wasted" looking area. Almeda Plaza to the south, and the area west of there around Madison High School, and north to Allum Rd. Looking at the map, that former oil field and landfill looks like a large undeveloped island in the middle of a sea of development.

I think it's because, so far, no developer has had the guts to take a chance on it. I also think that at some point, a brave developer with a lot of cash will step up and spend whatever it takes to clean it up, and when he or she succeeds, others will follow. It will happen fairly soon, and I predict the area will be completely developed within 20 years. I also think people with money to invest long term could do a lot worse than buy land in that area today, because it's going to be worth a lot more 10 and 15 years from now.

You hit it on corrrectly. It was the Holmes Rd dump. There was an incenerator at that site that realy stant bad. I remember the first years AstroWorld was open it would be horrible when the wind was blowing out of the south. Nobody, except the very poor were willing to put up with that smell.

[TJones]

Niche, I believe there is alot of that area that are old chemical and toxic waste dumping grounds for alot of the plants in Pasadena. No Kidding ! I know a lawsuit was settled sometime back about a whole housing development that was condemned sometime back in the 90's because of this very thing. Alot of the foundations of these houses are still visible, and I beleive some structures still stand, as they slowly clean up and bulldoze the whole thing. I want to say it is on Bemer over by San Jac College.

[TheNiche]

Niche, I believe there is alot of that area that are old chemical and toxic waste dumping grounds for alot of the plants in Pasadena. No Kidding ! I know a lawsuit was settled sometime back about a whole housing development that was condemned sometime back in the 90's because of this very thing. Alot of the foundations of these houses are still visible, and I beleive some structures still stand, as they slowly clean up and bulldoze the whole thing. I want to say it is on Bemer over by San Jac College.

Yeah, I spotted it on Google Earth sans foundations, but there seems to be new development under way on the adjacent properties.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

Niche, I believe there is alot of that area that are old chemical and toxic waste dumping grounds for alot of the plants in Pasadena. No Kidding ! I know a lawsuit was settled sometime back about a whole housing development that was condemned sometime back in the 90's because of this very thing. Alot of the foundations of these houses are still visible, and I beleive some structures still stand, as they slowly clean up and bulldoze the whole thing. I want to say it is on Bemer over by San Jac College.

You're talking about the Brio Superfund site. It's at the corner of Dixie Farm Rd and Beamer...quite a ways from the "Black Hole" that's the subject of this thread.

The subdivision adjacent to the Brio site was condemned and cleared in the late 80's and early 90's, but as I understand it, homes are popping up on that same site now. I haven't been out that way for a decade or so, so I can't confirm it. I know a guy that designed the original subdivision, and he's pretty ticked that they're building another subdivision there after all the lawsuit hell he and his company went through back then.

In addition to the subdivision on one side of Brio site, there was a baseball/softball complex on another side of Brio. My sister used to play ball there as a kid...we always jokingly asked if she kept her mouth shut as she slid into 2nd base...our guess was "probably not".

[hbcu]

Madison, Sterling, Westbury, Willowridge, Jones, Milby, etc. used to be lilly white and blacks were sometimes shipped there by force. Eventually, some will stay and then the area changes...My parents used to tell me South Park from Griggs (Palm Center) to Bellfort used to be beautiful but people running away at the first sign of color moving in and no zoning makes for trouble. The area between Mykawa and Telephone is heavily wooded and had alot of unique businesses. I think Crestmont was the name and was zoned to Sterling.

You have whites in town who went to those schools but act ashamed when asked about their past. Now, Westfield and Aldine is similar to HISD and they act like that's bad word. Imagine when The Woodlands gets like that...

I grew up off of Blue Ridge Road in Briargate and the area hasn't really taken much of a nose dive outside of retailers leaving in the past and we're gaining old residents back because they see the houses were built better and the area isn't high density with apartments. The neatest ones are more than 5 miles away tucked away from the neighborhoods.

Pearland is following the same path Missouri City is in terms of people running away out there and my question is what's next?

[VicMan]

Crestmont is indeed zoned to Sterling.

Madison, Sterling, Westbury, Willowridge, Jones, Milby, etc. used to be lilly white and blacks were sometimes shipped there by force. Eventually, some will stay and then the area changes...My parents used to tell me South Park from Griggs (Palm Center) to Bellfort used to be beautiful but people running away at the first sign of color moving in and no zoning makes for trouble. The area between Mykawa and Telephone is heavily wooded and had alot of unique businesses. I think Crestmont was the name and was zoned to Sterling.

You have whites in town who went to those schools but act ashamed when asked about their past. Now, Westfield and Aldine is similar to HISD and they act like that's bad word. Imagine when The Woodlands gets like that...

I grew up off of Blue Ridge Road in Briargate and the area hasn't really taken much of a nose dive outside of retailers leaving in the past and we're gaining old residents back because they see the houses were built better and the area isn't high density with apartments. The neatest ones are more than 5 miles away tucked away from the neighborhoods.

Pearland is following the same path Missouri City is in terms of people running away out there and my question is what's next?

[cottonmather0]

You have whites in town who went to those schools but act ashamed when asked about their past. Now, Westfield and Aldine is similar to HISD and they act like that's bad word. Imagine when The Woodlands gets like that...

This reminds me of a story -

When I moved here from Boston almost (gulp) 9 years ago, I met a girl at the office on my first day of work who within 5 minutes was telling me about buying a new house in Cinco Ranch with her husband. She explained that they both grew up in Alief and were sad they couldn't live in the old neighborhood, but (she whispered after looking around to see if anyone was listening), "now it's all black."

[Guest danax]

This reminds me of a story -

When I moved here from Boston almost (gulp) 9 years ago, I met a girl at the office on my first day of work who within 5 minutes was telling me about buying a new house in Cinco Ranch with her husband. She explained that they both grew up in Alief and were sad they couldn't live in the old neighborhood, but (she whispered after looking around to see if anyone was listening), "now it's all black."

The question is, did it get better once it was "all black" or worse?

I don't know, but you really can't blame folks for fearing their area turning into a "black" neighborhood, as crime stats go, although there are many middle class areas now where, hopefully, the old fears won't apply, but it'll take time for the new stats to trickle in and change old ways of thinking.

[shinoda28107]

The question is, did it get better once it was "all black" or worse?

I don't know, but you really can't blame folks for fearing their area turning into a "black" neighborhood, as crime stats go, although there are many middle class areas now where, hopefully, the old fears won't apply, but it'll take time for the new stats to trickle in and change old ways of thinking.

i live in the 21st century? yes, these old fears have to change.

[hbcu]

technically..Alief never turned "black"...it's a mixture of everything....

you would be surprised that alot of whites own property in black areas and keep renting to some less than desirable folks which continues the cycle. As long as the seciton 8 money hits the account on the 1st they really don't care.

I'm black, keep to myself and have been exposed to life in the black neighborhood and the white neighborhood...for people to move away or make accusations based on skin color is ridiculous...

the real question is why some whites never banded together and refused to sell in some areas in order to prevent areas from changing. It's sad to see how can 610 South ALL the way to The Beltway has changed because people continue to run away.

[EWKrause]

Yes, but . . . .

We're looking to move out of Dairy-Ashford/Memorial area closer -- much closer -- to downtown. We're in our late 50s, have kids in college and are behind on the 401(k). In other words, don't have much to put into a home. We're looking for SAFE but also affordable. We've just recently been looking into the City Park/Orem area (both east and west of 288). The homes just east of 288 seem slightly better built than the ones west of 288.

I'd love to hear suggestions where to go to put $150,000 to $175,000 into a home that will hold value.

Is it possible that, due to proximity to Downtown & TMC that these areas will cohere and actually appreciate over time?

Also, what is the flood situation there? Sims Bayou -- what happened to that area during Allison? I seem to remember part of 288 being under water at both the Beltway and 610. Every time we're out there looking at models, it always seems to be REALLY muddy . . . even when it hasn't rained for days.

[TheNiche]

Yes, but . . . .

We're looking to move out of Dairy-Ashford/Memorial area closer -- much closer -- to downtown. We're in our late 50s, have kids in college and are behind on the 401(k). In other words, don't have much to put into a home. We're looking for SAFE but also affordable. We've just recently been looking into the City Park/Orem area (both east and west of 288). The homes just east of 288 seem slightly better built than the ones west of 288.

I'd love to hear suggestions where to go to put $150,000 to $175,000 into a home that will hold value.

Is it possible that, due to proximity to Downtown & TMC that these areas will cohere and actually appreciate over time?

I haven't explored the east side of the City Park development (didn't even know that they'd laid the streets yet), but I'd just be concerned with all the C-R-A-P that surrounds it on all sides. Once Orem punches straight through from Almeda to Scott, it could be a big problem. Also, most of what is getting developed along the 288 corridor, even among new construction, has been low-end housing. It's going to be ugly one day. Some of it already is.

I'd suggest a part of town with more appreciation potential and less of a crap-surrounded future, even if the present might be bleak. Suggestions: East End (Eastwood, Broadmoor, etc.) and the scattered townhome developments just south of Loop 610. The latter haven't been selling too well just recently, so you might be able to get some good bang for the buck in that area, then ride the wave of appreciation/development that will result from TMC construction. There are also a couple of big projects that will be developed in that area over the next five to ten years that will add immensely to the demographics of that area.

Also, what is the flood situation there? Sims Bayou -- what happened to that area during Allison? I seem to remember part of 288 being under water at both the Beltway and 610. Every time we're out there looking at models, it always seems to be REALLY muddy . . . even when it hasn't rained for days.

You probably shouldn't be too concerned about Sims Bayou. It has been undergoing a large project to increase floodwater throughput. Additionally, the engineers designing the development will have had to have removed the subdivision from the flood plain by using detention ponds and installing adequate drainage.

[LarryDallas]

This reminds me of a story -

When I moved here from Boston almost (gulp) 9 years ago, I met a girl at the office on my first day of work who within 5 minutes was telling me about buying a new house in Cinco Ranch with her husband. She explained that they both grew up in Alief and were sad they couldn't live in the old neighborhood, but (she whispered after looking around to see if anyone was listening), "now it's all black."

That sort of mentaliy is why KB, Royce, Beazer, etc....sell tons of homes when perfectly good existing ones are located much closer to town and are not cookie cutters built on the cheap with illegal labor and corrupt subsidies from the govt. at all levels in the form of taxpayer funded superhighways and smaller roads/bridges leading to the planned communities.

The $3 gasoline and variable rate loans are killing most of the buyers who did not want to live near or have their kids go to school with the poor "blacks and mexicans". Oh, and this does not mean just whites have this sort of mentality. In my experience all races of people who have moved up in socioeconomic class tend to think this way.

I could care less about this mentality. In fact, it has benefited me greatly in the past because I was able to buy a great house in Westbury where people take pride in their property and access to the city is a mere 5 minute drive to loop 610. My property taxes have stayed low because of the stigma attached to Westbury High School and the adjacent crime in nearby Hillcroft and Fondren. A 2200 sq ft house here goes for about $175K which is total BS since they were $97K back only in 1997 when I bought. If this was a place like Bellaire where people think there are no colored people the house would cost over $300K and I would be paying higher taxes just so I could write a fancy return address on all of my mailings; to hell with that.

Edited April 1, 2007 by LarryDallas

[musicman]

I could care less about this mentality. In fact, it has benefited me greatly in the past because I was able to buy a great house in Westbury where people take pride in their property and access to the city is a mere 5 minute drive to loop 610. My property taxes have stayed low because of the stigma attached to Westbury High School and the adjacent crime in nearby Hillcroft and Fondren. A 2200 sq ft house here goes for about $175K which is total BS since they were $97K back only in 1997 when I bought. If this was a place like Bellaire where people think there are no colored people the house would cost over $300K and I would be paying higher taxes just so I could write a fancy return address on all of my mailings; to hell with that.

tell us what you really think! next time you better look around when you say colored people.

[houstonmacbro]

tell us what you really think! next time you better look around when you say colored people.

Coloured? Maybe 'people of color' was meant?

[yak23flora]

In addition to the subdivision on one side of Brio site, there was a baseball/softball complex on another side of Brio. My sister used to play ball there as a kid...we always jokingly asked if she kept her mouth shut as she slid into 2nd base...our guess was "probably not".

I used tp play ball there too, for 9 years. I remember when the Brio site was Dixie Refining and in operation. The part on the north side of Dixie Farm/Choate Rd. was the "storage" facility, we used to sneak in over there and throw things into the open storage pits that seemed to stretch for 100 yards. They had a huge ruptured storage tank on its side there too, and the whole place was wierdly cool.

Southbend was razed and today it remains undeveloped, I pass there once or twice a week. There is new development across from the site on Beamer, south of San Jac. A low cost housing place sprang up recently targeting college students but few college students live there. On the lot abutting Dixie Farm and Beamer, where starving cows used to roam, new development is going in muich to my disgust, I remember when all of this area was pleasant country and hold memories. Progress, I suppose, more cookie cutter suburbs.

Someone mentioned the undeveloped land between Ellington and Friendswood around 45 and FM 2351. This is still a producing gas and oil field and Exxon Mobil has storage facilities in the salt domes underground. I work for an oilfield services company and have looked at this area wondering why it has (happily for me because I like the coastal prarie) not bee developed. ExxonMobil still has crews working this field daily, monitoring and maintaining. It is in decline, but better production techniques keep it worth the while.

This field was first drilled in the 1920s and 30s, part of the Hastings field complex, much of which has been sold and developed.

With a pretty large gas storage facility underground (I've been told one of its compressor station is on Rex Road at Beamer by the Heritage Park subdivision) I don't know what would be involved in selling.