maybe Jeff can shed some light on this. Im driving through Memorial Heights (I think) right around Washington and Heights Blvd (near Satellite Lounge), and I notice a weird trend. It seems they are bulding several pricey 2 story condos right next to old decrepit houses that look like they may fall over. Also when driving down the streets you will see a really cool restaurant, right next to a run down old used tire shop, or one of the thousands of Taqueria's in this area. I didnt go explore the area North of I-10 which is the traditional Heights area so it may be more developed than Memorial Heights. Just curious because it looks like a cool area to live...... So whats the deal? Is the Heights in a slow phase of transition? What are the long-term plans?
Technically, you weren't in the Heights. You were in what is loosely referred to the Washington Avenue Corridor and, partly, the West End. That area extends from downtown to 610 between I-10 and Memorial Drive. It also includes the Sixth Ward. Because much of that area was loaded with industrial use facilities and impoverished neighborhoods, many builders were able to get in there and build townhome and condo developments for little money. There are several areas in what is referred to generally as "The Heights." Woodland Heights, Sunset Heights, Norhill Heights, Heights proper, West Heights and others are all in an area loosely bordered by Airline and N. Main, I-10, the North Loop and Shepherd. To the west of Shepherd are the Timbergrove subdivisions (Timbergrove Manor, etc). Only one area thus far (Woodland Heights) has successfully petitioned the city to declare it an historic neigborhood giving it the ability to deed restrict certain types of development via city ordinance. In all other circumstances, you have to get a high percentage of the residents (I believe 75 to 80 percent) to sign deed resrtiction agreements. If you drive around the Heights long enough, you'll see yard signs that say things like "I Moved to the Heights to AVOID Deed Restrictions" and "No Deed Restrictions in the Heights." Most of the owners of those homes don't realize that the deed restrictions in the Heights that are always proposed deal with what can be done with the property after it is sold: i.e. only single-family dwellings that must be x number of feet from the property line, etc. This prevents multi-family dwellings like townhome developments on a single lot and shared walls like in condos. Since people in the Heights aren't interested in that in most cases but do want to restrict development, they have turned to the city. As I understand it, the Heights Association is attempting to draw up an historic preservation restriction for all areas of the Heights including Heights proper, West Heights, Sunset Heights, Norhill etc. that would accomplish that goal. It took the Woodland Heights a while to get theirs through because they were fought by developers and anti-zoning/anti-tax advocates from way out on the west side who HATE historic preservation. The last Perry Homes multi-family development that went up was on Heights Blvd and there were picketers in front of it for days until Perry came to some sort of agreement with the Heights people. It isn't yet because there are still a lot of broken down properties that can be (and likely will be) developed into giant monsters. If I had to make a comparison, I'd say the Heights could border on West University type development rather than Montrose which is what the West End and Washington Corridor are becoming. West U. has the giant houses built right up to the property line. I don't think it will come to that in the Heights. Residents here still place a great deal of value on houses being in-keeping with their surroundings and, generally, people don't move in here unless they want a home like one you typically find in the Heights already. In addition, it is becoming much more difficult to find property in the Heights that is inexpensive enough to make new developments profitable for developers.
boy, where have you been... these things have been popping all over the inner loop. They are tearing down single family homes and trees and jamming 6 unit condo's on these spaces... it's ridiculous, and the more ridiculous thing is that these hideous condo's start at about $200,000!! YUP... start at 200G's! They are also building new homes (just not as many) next door to the same type of decrepit buildings in the Heights as well as the West End and Montrose!? It's all about monthly mainenance fees and more money!!!
Not a Heights expert, but I visited my friend the other day, close to Heights Boulevard @ I-10. Drove around and picked up a flyer for this really old, broken-down old house near there. It was selling for close to 500k. I get that it's all about location, location, location, but man, this house looked like it was marked for demolishing, and the government decided it wouldn't be worth it because the house would fall down by itself lol.
In the early 1960's my great uncle bought his house which was located on two lots in the polish part of the Heights for $4400. A few years ago my cousin sold it for roughly $800,000.
I grew up in a house right near the intersection of Studewood and White Oak. My dad bought the house back in the 70's, sold in the mid 90's when we were in a pinch. The heights wasn't an upcoming neighborhood at the time, people were still in the suburb mindset i guess. If he had been able to hold out a few more years he would have made a killing.
Interesting. Do you think it'll always be like that? Or do you think land value in the Heights will surpass Montrose?
They are two different type of areas in my opinion so tough call. I would imagine Heights would be better simply because Montrose started gentrifying sooner and I would imagine there are no more low hanging fruit properties in that area any more. I think the Heights will become more like West University or Bellaire as the schools get better.
