An oldie but goodie!
If you don't feel like reading, check out a video version here:
The Heights was developed as its own municipality July 1st, 1896 as a street car suburb of Houston.
The Heights got its name quite literally as it is at a higher elevation than downtown Houston, which was an appealing consideration when malaria carrying mosquitos were a big concern.
The Heights has an interesting history. The population in 1900 was around 800 people and it was annexed by the city of Houston in 1919. The neighborhood took a downturn after World War II and even gained some notoriety for a serial killer in the 70s.
But, in the 1990s the neighborhood started to see a resurgence, with it’s proximity to downtown and it’s previous “dry” restriction keeping out a lot of chain restaurants, it became a magnet for artists and "mom and pop" businesses.
The neighborhood was designed and platted in a traditional grid system which means it is super easy, accessible and walkable. It allows more direct routes and shorter distances to reach your destination vs the suburban layout of more recently constructed neighborhoods that have long and winding roads to give the illusion you are further out from the city.
Today, the heights is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Houston. In fact, you'll notice developers are adding the word “heights” to everything in an attempt to associate their buildings and developments with this desired area, EVEN if it is NOT in the Heights.
So where exactly are The Heights?
The "Greater Heights" is the area bound by 610, I-10, Shepherd/Durham, and kinda-sorta Main. If you check legal descriptions there are definitely areas of overlap, but this is a good general rule of thumb. Areas like Shady Acres are not The Heights even though some people may refer to them as such.
Within The Heights there are several further area distinctions and subdivisions such as Woodland Heights, Heights Proper, Sunset Heights, etc. Independence Heights is just North of the I-10 boundary.
You may ask...why does it matter?
Houston doesn't have zoning but there are other limiting factors. Where you are may affect your deed restrictions, historic restrictions and what you can or cannot do in the future with your property. So, it is important to know exactly where you are!
So what does the future hold for the Heights?
This eclectic neighborhood seems to have something appealing for nearly everyone and we see a wide variety of neighbors in terms of lifestyle.
In the past decade, revitalization has been on overdrive with outrageous new construction homes that take up the full lot. There has been a lot of investment in new construction for businesses and restaurants. But, let’s be honest, revitalization is always a double edge sword, as the area gets more popular, it tends to get more expensive as well…and the building of 3000+ square foot homes has started to put the neighborhood out of reach for many Houstonians.
Be sure to stay tuned as we learn more about our cool city!
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