Best Area with an Active Down Town

[LocalPlanner]

One thing to note about The Woodlands and Sugar Land is that their "downtowns" are brand new and not based on any historical, pre-existing downtown area. They are fine developments and walkable within themselves, but you won't find any "charm" or "historical context" like you see in the suburban California downtowns.

Houston is different from DFW, San Antonio and Austin in that we have very few historical suburban downtowns that have any economic activity like you're looking for. Galveston is the most notable, but it's hard to call it a suburb and won't meet your other expectations (plus is has a myriad of other issues, particularly storms). Otherwise, there's Tomball and Humble (both quite small), Conroe, and Rosenberg. I doubt any of these will particularly impress you. DFW does much, much better than Houston on this front (McKinney, Rockwall, etc.).

[chris_ut]

Can also look at CityCentre at I-10 and beltway 8 it's one of those fake shopping "downtowns" like they have in the Woodlands and SugarLand

[Dlg_69]

So we are making the move to Houston. I start new role in December and will be relocating in February and rest of family will be joining me in June of next year. So focus has changed to needeing to be near west side of downtown for work and close proximity to good junior colleges. I have two sons who will be moving with us, so it would be preferred to be near good schools. I am very appreciative of everyone’s input in providing their honest opinions about where to look, so thank you. Very excited about this new opportunity and being able to call Houston home.

[chris_ut]

I’m not familiar with junior colleges is that the same as community college?

[timtemtym]

The outer areas aren't going to have an authentic downtown if you're talking about something like Old Town Orange or Long Beach's 2nd street or even downtown Huntington Beach. They're going to be more like the Irvine Spectrum area or basically an area where they built a new mall and ran some streets through it.

I don't know where in OC you're coming from, but something comparable in Houston would be the Heights area or other inner loop areas like Bellaire/West U. Houston never really had that design of storefronts on sidewalks. There are very few areas like that compared to Southern California.

Most of Houston's westside feels like that swath of OC from Huntington Beach/Fountain Valley/Westminster over to Santa Ana.

Home lots in Houston, even in inner loop areas, always were a lot larger than typical SoCal lots. There's just an aura of "hey we have room to spread! Everyone take two steps back!" in Houston that you can't get anywhere in the LA/OC basin. Even in Orange County they seem to build on every inch of available space. An empty lot is hard to come by. Houston is extravagant in it's spread of land... So you might find that you don't need an actual acre when both you and your neighbors aren't built right up against each other.

And yes, after six years in SoCal, I am severely missing Houston.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by chris_ut

I’m not familiar with junior colleges is that the same as community college?

Yup! Same thing.

[texas7]

Consider clear lake or friendswood. Not really active downtowns though. San jacinto community college is nearby and a good jr college. Much better than lonestar college. Both locations would be near as there are a couple of locations. University of Houston clear lake recently converted from a jr / sr college to a 4 year school. Good programs. And if you still prefer jr college over a four year -- they work will with uh clear lake when the kids are ready to transfer to the four year. Friendswood has a small town feel.

[Dlg_69]

Originally Posted by chris_ut

I’m not familiar with junior colleges is that the same as community college?

Yes same meaning as community college.