Westward Expansion (Houston, Baytown, Pearland: how much, buyers, school)

[hbcu]

They'll move into Brookshire in terms of schools.....what'll happen is the newer communities will want their own elementary and middle schools so they can call the shots before thinking about sending them to the high school or just go private...

or do what Magnolia did....they build a newer school in the city for the older residents and turn the older school over to the Woodlands folks that are zoned there

[Bobloblawslawblog]

Originally Posted by bigboyz06

How far west do you see the city/suburbs expanding? Brookshire or Sealy perhaps, or no?

Brookshire - probably. Sealy - no freakin' way. Unless people plan on living in their cars full-time, that's just way too far. I think Brookshire is the last stop on the Westward express. If anything, I think the new development will soon trend towards the South, along 288 into Brazoria county.

[SouthernBoy205]

Brookshire is already be affected by the growth.

[Bobloblawslawblog]

Originally Posted by Tool Time

When Katy and Cypress get actual business districts that provide 6 figure jobs like Sugar Land, Clear Lake and The Woodlands, it will expand. Otherwise it will just fill in.

And that would be a good thing. Infill is exactly what Greater Houston desperately needs... NOT more sprawl. Especially the North side suburbs.

Originally Posted by westhou

Clear Lake has a business district?

I don't know about today, but Clear Lake grew up around NASA. At one time it was very much the CBD for that area.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by Bobloblawslawblog

I don't know about today, but Clear Lake grew up around NASA. At one time it was very much the CBD for that area.

Nowadays things are spread out here, but there is a more diverse array of professional jobs here than most people realize. Certainly more than the vast, westmost seas of composite rooftops.

[Bobloblawslawblog]

Originally Posted by tstone

Nowadays things are spread out here, but there is a more diverse array of professional jobs here than most people realize. Certainly more than the vast, westmost seas of composite rooftops.

Yeah, my time in Houston was mainly the 70's and early 80's... and back then Clear Lake's focal point was still NASA. Some petrochemical stuff as well, but the space program was a much bigger force in those days than it is today. I had some friends who lived in Clear Lake, and their parents all worked in Clear Lake. A few worked at the Johnson Space Center. Not a lot of commuting to downtown Houston from CL from what I remember.

I also remember all the protests when Houston was about to annex CL in the late 70's. They wanted to incorporate as their own city, but you know how that goes (Kingwood, anybody?).

That was a long time ago. I'm sure it has changed, especially with the bare-bones space program that exists now.

[LocalPlanner]

There's still a fair amount to fill in within Katy ISD (north side) and Cy-Fair ISD, and the Grand Parkway will help do it. Some portions of those districts are off-putting to more educated, higher-income buyers because of perceived school quality (at present), but there's still land in more desirable school zones that's available.

I do think that growth for more upscale subdivisions out west at some point (once the oil and gas industry goes back into growth mode) will skip Royal ISD and just go out to Sealy. Home buyers have shown they're more than willing to make the extra drive "for the schools." Seems illogical, but lots of folks on this board subscribe to that philosophy, so the market will respond.

[PedroMartinez]

As long as major employers keep pushing west (as well as north and even east - but only a tiny bit), it will allow people to continue going further out. And unless Houston truly embraces public transportation that works, the ITL will somewhat close to additional business expansion and a greater percentage of companies will expand in the burbs and x-burbs. The push is definitely focused west and north-west.

I also see some expansion and push on the northeast side. I believe Generations Park will be the first of a few large business areas. I'm actually hoping this doesn't happen, because it will only hurt my commute and my property taxes. It appears the planners are realizing the east is going to grow. They are expanding 90 between Dayton/Liberty and Beaumont, and of course 90 between 10 and Crosby is a straight shot highway as of a couple of years ago.

[DJboutit]

Originally Posted by Bobloblawslawblog

Brookshire - probably. Sealy - no freakin' way. Unless people plan on living in their cars full-time, that's just way too far. I think Brookshire is the last stop on the Westward express. If anything, I think the new development will soon trend towards the South, along 288 into Brazoria county.

I agree Brookshire will be the furthest westward and most of the people living there will not be working Downtown I see most working in Westchase or Energy Corridor. 288 south I see hwy 6 Manvel being the furthest south

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

As long as major employers keep pushing west (as well as north and even east - but only a tiny bit), it will allow people to continue going further out. And unless Houston truly embraces public transportation that works, the ITL will somewhat close to additional business expansion and a greater percentage of companies will expand in the burbs and x-burbs. The push is definitely focused west and north-west.

I also see some expansion and push on the northeast side. I believe Generations Park will be the first of a few large business areas. I'm actually hoping this doesn't happen, because it will only hurt my commute and my property taxes. It appears the planners are realizing the east is going to grow. They are expanding 90 between Dayton/Liberty and Beaumont, and of course 90 between 10 and Crosby is a straight shot highway as of a couple of years ago.

There's actually very large projects happening out past Kingwood off I-69 now. Also, large tracts have been purchased by potential developers in the Plum Grove area of western Liberty County.

Given how fast it is to get into the Loop on the Crosby freeway, it's only a matter of time before more residential developers and homebuyers start putting northeast on the radar. Perception of school quality is the biggest hurdle.