Pedestrian friendly suburbs (Houston, The Woodlands, Katy: neighborhood, YMCA, schools)

[AK123]

Originally Posted by jghall00

However, are there any neighborhoods where the commercial areas actually have sidewalks that are connected to residential areas, or where large swaths of the local communities can be traversed by pedestrians by foot or bicycle?

Sounds like First Colony in Sugar Land. Especially the areas right around the City Hall and the mall.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by OducksFTW!

Dont mind this post, when Houstonians hear about a walkable area to the nearest convenient store, ice cream shop or any other place of business they automatically assume that is only possible in the "big city". Its hard for us to fathom somewhere where we dont have to hop in a car, find a spot to park, and then get back into in the car to drive back into the MPC in which we came.

OP: Its going to be tough for your kids to meet up friends for a movie, lunch or ice cream etc. without you actually driving them and dropping them off, and then picking them back up.

I remember when I couldn't drive and both my parents were working, living in a large MPC during the summer was impossible. Things were far away and all we did was stay indoors and play video games and after my parents came home is when they could take us to a friends house or something.

I'm not a Houstonian. Just wanted to clear that up.

Originally Posted by jghall00

I'm from New York. I lived in Houston for 11 years, and never cared for it, which is why I left. Now, I have three kids and want an affordable, safe neighborhood with excellent schools. Simply put: my priorities changed.

You are describing the city, you wont get that in 90% of suburbs here. I assure you would like the Heights, 3rd Ward, or another neighborhood better than you would Spring, Sugarland, or Katy.

[Trae713]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

That's depressing, teens need some freedom. I grew up in Tanglewood, which was pretty much the burbs 25 years ago. We could bike to friends houses, stores, and a theater that was at the old Pavilions on Post Oaks all the time.

For the most part MPC's are not walkable,unless you live "all the way at the front." The "trails" go nowhere.

This isn't true, actually. I was always at friends' house in Cinco Ranch growing up, and we biked, skateboarded, walked, etc., everywhere. There are sidewalks everywhere and even better than some parts of Houston. No wide streets either.

[vwgto]

Originally Posted by Trae713

This isn't true, actually. I was always at friends' house in Cinco Ranch growing up, and we biked, skateboarded, walked, etc., everywhere. There are sidewalks everywhere and even better than some parts of Houston. No wide streets either.

I actually disagree as well. The trails/sidewalks actually go everywhere in the Woodlands. You may want to position yourself on the preferred side of major roads, but besides that.....

[vegankris]

I'm surprised there isn't more being said about the Woodlands. They have bike paths/walking trails that connect the entire MPC. You can get EVERYWHERE via these paths. I'm not a fan of MPC's, but if I wanted to live in one, it would be the Woodlands.

[vegankris]

http://www.thewoodlandstx.com/pdfs/h...etrailsmap.pdf

They did a great job when they designed this MPC.

[OducksFTW!]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

I'm not a Houstonian. Just wanted to clear that up.

Irrelevant; the point still stands.

[OducksFTW!]

Originally Posted by vegankris

http://www.thewoodlandstx.com/pdfs/h...etrailsmap.pdf

They did a great job when they designed this MPC.

Is that the entire woodlands? Or a couple of the MPC's put together?

IMO The Woodlands is a bit more fancier than Sugar Land and Katy, however it is so far from the city that its appeal wears off quickly, especially for individuals in their late teens and early to mid twenties...

[tstone]

We have the same type of interconnections in Clear Lake, at least within the Houston city limits but they are on a rectangular grid. They are connected further down towards NASA, Webster, south Pasadena and Seabrook. Some are even road-level bike lanes, which you must be either very brave to use. But the ones in the Woodlands look like a bunch of spaghetti.

Anyway out here the oldest areas have almost everything near them within walking distance and functions like a small city, and is rife with 20-somethings believe it or not. I'm a bit away from all that but being in a "pocket neighborhood" can still walk to a few conveniences like a grocery store, liquor store, haircut, bank, a decent Chinese restaurant, my eye doctor (when I'm dialated), etc in 3-5 minutes. Some folks on the longer residential stretches or buried in the neighborhood will want to break out the bikes. Those in the higher $$ areas or outside the Houston limits will probably want to hop in their cars. Depends on what you're looking for.

This "MPC" was built in the 1960s-90s but the theme isn't much different than the other newer (and busier) ones around the area. It's best you come out and look for yourself and don't believe the myths. If you got dumped in certain flat parts of Orange County CA, you may think you were somewhere in Houston or its burbs.

[chris_ut]

Almost all of Kingwood is walkable/bikeable, all the villages are connected and they connect through to the town center. If you would want to walk a few miles on the trails in the heat of summer is another question but it is very nice in the cooler months. If you are coming down to check out places take 59 North and exit on Kingwood Dr., follow that to the town center than south down West Lake Houston Parkway to the bridge, take a U turn and check out Kings Harbor and the YMCA and see what you think.