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Old 11-20-2011, 07:36 AM
 
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Yay or nay? Drove through and it looked ok, but the area just south looked pretty rough. Worth considering?
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Old 11-20-2011, 09:15 AM
 
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Just an opinion here but I've always thought that area a hidden gem, very nice looking, very walkable, and so close to everything but without the super high price tag of adjacent neighborhoods like Afton Oaks, Bellaire, Uptown. One concern would be the noise due to proximity to 59, Westpark and 610, but commutewise, you're in a fantastic spot! It seems very calm and safe the once or thrice I've driven through but I don't really know. Try driving through there late at night and weekends to see? As for the area south of it, if it's the area south of 59 you're talking about, that's a bad area but a completely different neighborhood and I don't think you need to worry. Bellaire is immediately adjacent to that hood, without a highway divider none the less, and they seem to be doing fine.
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Old 11-20-2011, 07:14 PM
 
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Also Larchmont and Afton Oaks are zoned to the same elementary school.

But they are zoned to different middle and high schools (Larchmont to Grady, Afton Oaks to Lanier - Larchmont to Lee with Lamar and Westside as choices, Afton Oaks to Lamar)

Quote:
Originally Posted by houstonfan View Post
Just an opinion here but I've always thought that area a hidden gem, very nice looking, very walkable, and so close to everything but without the super high price tag of adjacent neighborhoods like Afton Oaks, Bellaire, Uptown. One concern would be the noise due to proximity to 59, Westpark and 610, but commutewise, you're in a fantastic spot! It seems very calm and safe the once or thrice I've driven through but I don't really know. Try driving through there late at night and weekends to see? As for the area south of it, if it's the area south of 59 you're talking about, that's a bad area but a completely different neighborhood and I don't think you need to worry. Bellaire is immediately adjacent to that hood, without a highway divider none the less, and they seem to be doing fine.
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Old 11-20-2011, 10:14 PM
 
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Yay. My wife and I have lived in Larchmont for almost 3 years, we're both professionals - she works in the Galleria, I work in the suburbs (quit living there years ago, much happier in the city!).

It's very safe considering its still an urban area - the neighborhood is small at about 250 houses and there is only the entrance on the north side at Barrington and those on the east side on Rice. Because of this, there is little traffic through the neighborhood and cars/people that do not belong there are immediately noticed by vigilant neighbors. It's very unusual to see anyone I don't know on the streets, and it's perfectly safe to walk at night. The areas to the southwest are well separated by the freeway, the walls, and the traffic barriers.

There are a lot of young families. The lots are larger than most of those in the older neighborhoods closer in to town (about 8000 sq feet) so it appeals to people that want a yard instead of the 3 story townhouses that also market to the same demographic at about the same price (low $300s). You'll see a lot of people pushing strollers and walking dogs in the mornings and evenings. The trees are very nice too.

The freeway access is very good (and important for me since I drive a bit to get to my job on a reverse commute). The noise has never bothered me, don't even notice it. When we are lucky enough to have heavy rain parts of the neighborhood along with the main access on Richmond Avenue can have some minor street flooding.

Can't beat the location. Galleria is walking distance, 59, 610, and Westpark mean that you can get to about any area in the city worth visiting going east or west within 20 minutes. Memorial park is a quick trip except for rush hour.
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Old 11-20-2011, 11:59 PM
 
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It will also be walking distance to the rail if it ever gets finished.

And Pete's Fine Meats is awesome IMO.
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Old 11-21-2011, 06:23 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tebor79 View Post
It will also be walking distance to the rail if it ever gets finished.

And Pete's Fine Meats is awesome IMO.
I forgot about that. That would be sweet for commuting to downtown IF that line ever gets built out. Not holding my breath.

Aero, thanks for an insider's perspectives on that area. I remember seeing some newer houses built there, is that area actively being built over or just a few random houses now and then? What about that large lot that they're clearing on Richmond? Is that going to be commercial development?
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Old 11-21-2011, 10:38 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by houstonfan View Post

Aero, thanks for an insider's perspectives on that area. I remember seeing some newer houses built there, is that area actively being built over or just a few random houses now and then? What about that large lot that they're clearing on Richmond? Is that going to be commercial development?
There's a few newer houses (several per block, between $500K to about $650K with one pushing a little higher than that) but I would not say it's being actively built over - it's random houses as you observe. At least a few of them were built by current residents that wanted to move up in house but stay in the neighborhood. I suspect that most people looking to spend over $500K on new construction are going to go across Richmond into St. George's place (which was a dump of a neighborhood 20 years ago before the current TIRZ and redevelopment started). Most of the houses in Larchmont have been well kept for 60 years and are still valuable enough relative to the land to not slip into tear down status. That may eventually change once the lots in St. George's Place fill in.

What is active is major renovations. Many of the houses had the garages converted to living space in the 70's and finding them with recent new kitchens and master bedroom additions is now pretty common. I'm seeing that sort of work being done almost continuously on at least 2 or 3 houses at a time.

The lot on Richmond was Pilgrim Elementary. HISD just cleared and sold it and it's being developed into "4 story luxury apartments" by Greystar. As of yesterday they put a construction trailer out there and started clearing trees and grading so it looks like a done deal. Here are the details: Greystar buys HISD tract for luxury apartments - Houston Business Journal
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Old 11-22-2011, 02:42 PM
 
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Yay!!
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Old 11-22-2011, 06:51 PM
 
1,534 posts, read 3,477,296 times
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I will have to drive through again to see if I can spot the types of renovations and developments you're talking about. Don't call the cops on me if you see 'an outsider's' car driving through.

In the short term, the new apt will look good for that strip on Richmond, although I wish they'd build over one of the ugly run down complexes next to that lot and turn that lot into a park for you guys. Long term though, who knows, there's debate that it'll run downhill. Greystar is a very good management company so as long as they hold the property, the complex will be well kept. I used to live in one of their apts and the landscaping was immaculately well kept, maintenance responded promptly. 4 stories is unfortunate since it'll shadow that small community, plus it'll look out of proportion there where everying is low.
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Old 11-23-2011, 12:33 AM
 
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Ah yes, the run down complex you refer to is the good 'ol Chateux Dijon, also known as the former home of George W. Bush. Strangely enough, despite that the fact that it looks pretty dated (I think it was built around 1960) they appear to be able to keep the occupancy rates up without it slipping into the sort of situation that the apartments farther west and south into Gulfton are in.

I do wish a park would go in instead, however. There's a real dearth of small parks in this area of town, which would be nice for not only Larchmont but also St. George's place and the mid rise condos scattered about the area. I used to live in Montrose and there was a nice number of small parks that were established as the neighborhoods were built in the 30's and 40's, like Cherryhurst.

Anderson Park is only a couple of blocks west and may originally have been intended for that, but since it is now surrounded by warehouses and industrial buildings and on the other side of Chimney Rock it's completely disconnected from the neighborhood.

Unfortunately, with Pilgrim's old lot going for $10 million I'm thinking that acquisitions for parkland are probably not realistic anymore because of how valuable the land is. If it wasn't set aside in the 50's when this area was being developed out of Westmoreland Farms, I suppose it never will be. That's too bad, there's also about 5 acres along Alabama on the north side of St. George's elementary that is 3 or so blocks of cleared Lamar Terrace houses which came down when the school was built. HISD has it fenced off and for sale, but it would make a wonderful park for Uptown.
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