What's Houston Next Major Suburb? (Dallas, Pasadena: living in, zip code, vs)

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by LizzySWW

Maybe we'll start calling Houston.........Katy/Houston! Do ya think? I can hear it now, the local morning news comes on & the TV anchor says, " It's gonna be a hot one today Katy/Houston." Next the Astros will become the Katy/Hosuton Astros.

That only happens in the San José-Oakland-San Francisco Bay Area--that's DFW. Los Angeles is still Los Angeles (or the beloved "L.A.")--what Houston is more like especially with the massive city limits.

Imagine if Houston was like L.A. that if you drive 50 miles along the freeway in any direction out of downtown, there will be unbroken sprawl along the freeway. Unbroken sprawl from downtown to Conroe, Hempstead, Sealy, Eagle Lake, Wharton, Freeport, Galveston, Cleveland, and Anahuac. Hopefully it will come true!

[HookTheBrotherUp]

I think Fulshear is next on the West side. They are going to extend the toll road into Fulshear, so it seems almost sure things will pick up. Already when you pass the 99, there are new subdivisions all the way up until 1463, which is way out there already. I see more planned further down than 1463.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by HookTheBrotherUp

I think Fulshear is next on the West side. They are going to extend the toll road into Fulshear, so it seems almost sure things will pick up. Already when you pass the 99, there are new subdivisions all the way up until 1463, which is way out there already. I see more planned further down than 1463.

Fulshear has a lot to overcome. It didn't have as large of population as Tomball to start out with as you can see at the townsite and the local economy has to start out from scratch. There is no grocery store nearby. Where will the grocery store be located so these people can stop clogging S. Fry Road in front of the H-E-B? The Bella Terra Walmart has relieved some of the traffic but people will flock to H-E-B for the gas (and the car wash).

There was only one bank a few years ago, now there's at least 3. I wonder how much longer it will take for the megabanks to build branches in that neglected part of town? Anyone care to speculate which credit unions will build a branch in the town to serve the community?

[westres1]

Originally Posted by rtdrtd20

I agree that there is fast growth in the Katy area. I grew up in Nottingham Country and graduated from Katy Taylor years back, at that time South Katy didn't even exist. However, traffic is an issue currently, I shudder to think what will happen if that growth occurs. For example, why did they make Westpark a 4 lane (2 each way) toll road if such growth projections are being made?

The westpark toll is constrained by the high wires and train tracks on the South and Westpark Dr on the North. It had to be that size. Plus the original costruction company was incompetent and had to be fired. the plan was revised halfway thru the project.

[LizzySWW]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

That only happens in the San José-Oakland-San Francisco Bay Area--that's DFW. Los Angeles is still Los Angeles (or the beloved "L.A.")--what Houston is more like especially with the massive city limits.

Imagine if Houston was like L.A. that if you drive 50 miles along the freeway in any direction out of downtown, there will be unbroken sprawl along the freeway. Unbroken sprawl from downtown to Conroe, Hempstead, Sealy, Eagle Lake, Wharton, Freeport, Galveston, Cleveland, and Anahuac. Hopefully it will come true!

This would make Houston seem much bigger than it already is for sure.

But there is a visual cut off (the miles & miles of the water reserves) between Katy & Houston. So I think this will always make Katy seem seperate. Like it's own little town. Driving west down I-10 you just know you are leaving the Houston city limits.

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by westres1

The westpark toll is constrained by the high wires and train tracks on the South and Westpark Dr on the North. It had to be that size. Plus the original costruction company was incompetent and had to be fired. the plan was revised halfway thru the project.

Also they wanted to reserve some ROW (right of way) for a future commuter rail alongside the tollway.

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

The red-light cameras and the constant traffic on Highway 6 from First Colony Blvd to Murphy Road are detracting from the quality of life. Try going from the mall to the Whole Foods (especially on weekends). You'll have to squeeze in to the overcrowded left turn lane and then go through a red light camera on the freeway before crossing it to Whole Foods. So much for zoning!

I wish I could shop in my own county but I'd rather go to The Galleria instead of dealing with horrendous traffic to get to a mall with not as much things as The Galleria.

The traffic near the Galleria is just as bad. I was there today shopping at The Container Store and Westheimer approaching Post Oak was a parking lot.

Originally Posted by SilverWings

One final note - Sugar Land is also over 100K, just not officially, yet. The 77K figure does not include New Territory, River Park, and Greatwood, which will all be annexed in 2014. SL will probably top out between 150K and 200K unless more "urban" development starts to take place, which I doubt.

I think that the New Territory annexation date is scheduled to be 2017. Too bad...I wish it were 2014.

[jluke65780]

Originally Posted by Topaz

The traffic near the Galleria is just as bad. I was there today shopping at The Container Store and Westheimer approaching Post Oak was a parking lot.



I think that the New Territory annexation date is scheduled to be 2017. Too bad...I wish it were 2014.

Yeah, around the Galleria is pretty bad. I hate switching lanes on westheimer.

[SilverWings]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

That only happens in the San José-Oakland-San Francisco Bay Area--that's DFW. Los Angeles is still Los Angeles (or the beloved "L.A.")--what Houston is more like especially with the massive city limits.

Imagine if Houston was like L.A. that if you drive 50 miles along the freeway in any direction out of downtown, there will be unbroken sprawl along the freeway. Unbroken sprawl from downtown to Conroe, Hempstead, Sealy, Eagle Lake, Wharton, Freeport, Galveston, Cleveland, and Anahuac. Hopefully it will come true!

Um... I'd prefer NOT to become LA, thank you very much.

And I certainly didn't mean any disrespect to Katy, it's a very nice place but really, aside from the I-10 connection and plentiful open land, there's nothing remarkable about it (relative to other outlying area of Houston) to think it'll become some mega-suburb in 15 years. I think Pearland might end up with more dynamic growth long term due to the Med Center.

On the other hand if they ever build Grand Parkway fully, I think you'll see Katy and Sugar Land start to mash together in North Ft. Bent Cty and fill in the west side of town pretty good. But not for quite some time, I think.

Topaz, you might be right about 2017. Though I know it's a phased annexation so maybe I was remembering just one part of it, I'm not sure.

[jluke65780]

Originally Posted by SilverWings

Um... I'd prefer NOT to become LA, thank you very much.

And I certainly didn't mean any disrespect to Katy, it's a very nice place but really, aside from the I-10 connection and plentiful open land, there's nothing remarkable about it (relative to other outlying area of Houston) to think it'll become some mega-suburb in 15 years. I think Pearland might end up with more dynamic growth long term due to the Med Center.

On the other hand if they ever build Grand Parkway fully, I think you'll see Katy and Sugar Land start to mash together in North Ft. Bent Cty and fill in the west side of town pretty good. But not for quite some time, I think.

Topaz, you might be right about 2017. Though I know it's a phased annexation so maybe I was remembering just one part of it, I'm not sure.

Katy however is more similar to Houston than any other suburb imo. I feel Sugarland will be the major suburb though.