Is it just me or--- (real estate, new home, schools)

[theSUBlime]

It's definitely a start, but Houston is big so these small patches will have to come together to form a big patch. Given the fact that we can geographically fit a few of the nations biggest cities into ours, it might take take a while. But, it's a start.

[stoneclaw]

Originally Posted by Mr. Football

It's nothing our local government is doing, rather we can give more credit to the Federal Gov't. Obama and the Fed have put the rest of the country in the proverbial ****ter. Texas is more self-reliant and thus is the lone bright spot in what otherwise is a miserable US economy. People are flocking here to escape the misery and embrace opportunity in hopes to experience what's left of the "American Dream".

I'm not going to get into a political battle, but that's a lousy explanation. I just have to say this: Obama didn't do this by himself. Obama is just the fallback resulting of 8 years of Bush mismanagement, unnecessary spending, and wars. Clean up takes just as long as it did to get into the mess. We are only a little over 4 years.

Houston has been a hotbed for a while now. Houston was the fastest growing city last decade and still continues to be one of the fastest growing in the country.

Now back to the topic

[jghall00]

I've considered moving to 3rd ward several times. I'm not really a suburban type. But I have young children and its important to me that they live in the safest possible area. I can't envision them riding their bikes around the 3rd ward and me feeling safe about it. Hopefully the area benefits from some rekindled interest. There are some really nice homes there that could use some rehabililtation.

[key2thecity]

Originally Posted by hbcu

run the original residents off, jack up land values and attract the former resident who ran to the suburbs back....but unfortunately, that resident will not participate in community events nor attend schools out there so basically they're just owning a house but adding no value to the area

Originally Posted by stoneclaw

I'm definitely not talking about doing that. The residents make the neighborhoods and give them their eclectic charm. Fortunately, you don't see this happening a whole lot in the Trey.

Actually, it is/has happened in the Tre. I was raised there. Parts of "Midtown" and the "Theatre District" were originally considered 3rd Ward. Once they revamped Almeda and started adding those ugly 3 story townhouses, they all but ran the residents off or bought them out. The only people that knew or cared were the 3rd Ward residents. Now, they've moved to the other side of 288 to do the same thing. Will it be more aesthetically pleasing in the area now? Of course. Will the original residence benefit? Hell no. It's called regentrification.

No one cared about the area in the 80s/90s when people were getting shot and it looked like a scene from "Boyz N the Hood," but now that upper income people want to move back to the city because the suburbs are boring and the commute is too long, they're willing to fix it up. It happens to many urban areas across the country (i.e. Brooklyn). But trust, that is exactly what they're doing.

But to answer your question, yes, Houston does seem to be coming along nicely in some regards.

[key2thecity]

Originally Posted by jghall00

I've considered moving to 3rd ward several times. I'm not really a suburban type. But I have young children and its important to me that they live in the safest possible area. I can't envision them riding their bikes around the 3rd ward and me feeling safe about it. Hopefully the area benefits from some rekindled interest. There are some really nice homes there that could use some rehabililtation.

3rd Ward has come a VERY long way. I grew up there when it was still fairly dangerous but I could walk and bike to friends homes safely. My last address there was on Southmore Blvd. If I could afford to move back with my 7 year old in tow, I would, if I could be near Southmore/Maegregor. However, you have to understand that 3rd Ward has 3 very different sides. The top (S. Maegregor/N. Maegregor) to Blodgett and the area south of U of H, is more affluent and A LOT of old money live there. The middle, between Blodgett on back to Alabama, is mixed - many middle class people, a lot of duplex renters, and some fairly lower class people. The bottoms, Alabama and north up to I-45 is probably where you really wouldn't want to live. It's pretty rough back there.

[jghall00]

Originally Posted by key2thecity

3rd Ward has come a VERY long way. I grew up there when it was still fairly dangerous but I could walk and bike to friends homes safely. My last address there was on Southmore Blvd. If I could afford to move back with my 7 year old in tow, I would, if I could be near Southmore/Maegregor. However, you have to understand that 3rd Ward has 3 very different sides. The top (S. Maegregor/N. Maegregor) to Blodgett and the area south of U of H, is more affluent and A LOT of old money live there. The middle, between Blodgett on back to Alabama, is mixed - many middle class people, a lot of duplex renters, and some fairly lower class people. The bottoms, Alabama and north up to I-45 is probably where you really wouldn't want to live. It's pretty rough back there.

Thanks for breaking down the area. I never understood why some parts looked really nice, and other parts looked terrible. Now I know what area to focus on. My wife and I were discussing moving out to Champions Forest from our current apartment in the Galleria, but I really don't want to do the suburban commute thing. May I can keep 3rd ward in the running. I have fond memories of hanging out at the Mahogany Cafe on Rosedale when I first came to Houston.

One thing I appreciate about Houston is its dynamism. The city is constantly redeveloping itself. Its very chaotic, but there's a measure of freedom here that I haven't experienced in the other places I've lived. The city just doesn't sit still.

[stoneclaw]

Originally Posted by key2thecity

Actually, it is/has happened in the Tre. I was raised there. Parts of "Midtown" and the "Theatre District" were originally considered 3rd Ward. Once they revamped Almeda and started adding those ugly 3 story townhouses, they all but ran the residents off or bought them out. The only people that knew or cared were the 3rd Ward residents. Now, they've moved to the other side of 288 to do the same thing. Will it be more aesthetically pleasing in the area now? Of course. Will the original residence benefit? Hell no. It's called regentrification.

No one cared about the area in the 80s/90s when people were getting shot and it looked like a scene from "Boyz N the Hood," but now that upper income people want to move back to the city because the suburbs are boring and the commute is too long, they're willing to fix it up. It happens to many urban areas across the country (i.e. Brooklyn). But trust, that is exactly what they're doing.

But to answer your question, yes, Houston does seem to be coming along nicely in some regards.

That's why i said you don't see this happening a whole lot, and i was really speaking of the area (s) around TSU and north of TSU. But on the other hand, a whole lot has already happened: from 288 railroading right through the neighborhood and the new overtaking of a portion of what used to be 3rd Ward which is now referred to as Midtown.

I can only hope that the remaining residents get to hold on and keep some of that old original charm that was injected into Third Ward, abeit many of those residents will die eventually.

[hbcu]

The problem is why wouldn't "developers" want to lure middle class to 3rd ward?

They seem hell bent on the upper-income folks who move on emotions and they don't add any value as a whole as they stay holed in their homes and send their kids to schools no way near the attendance zone boundaries.

The area off Cullen and 610 has tons of empty land and older homes just sitting there waiting to be bought and it seems ideal for middle class developments we see stuck way out there in the boondocks....those folks are the ones who'll repopulate the school system out there

With the rail system coming in and if there's value...the bottoms will go towards the yuppies also....

[key2thecity]

Houston definitely doesn't sit still! That's why I love it! I've moved to the suburbs just to get a taste of something different. But I'm sure I'll move back into the city as my family grows.

[key2thecity]

Originally Posted by stoneclaw

That's why i said you don't see this happening a whole lot, and i was really speaking of the area (s) around TSU and north of TSU. But on the other hand, a whole lot has already happened: from 288 railroading right through the neighborhood and the new overtaking of a portion of what used to be 3rd Ward which is now referred to as Midtown.

I can only hope that the remaining residents get to hold on and keep some of that old original charm that was injected into Third Ward, abeit many of those residents will die eventually.

Well damn, everyone will die eventually, lol. But I understand what you mean. I wasn't trying to be rude, just putting the truth out there. I hope the remaining residents have some business/economic sense and don't sell. They're property will be worth a lot in the next couple of decades.