Willowbrook Mall area (Houston, Spring, Katy: apartment complex, for rent, crimes) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

Repubocrat · 06-10-2009, 06:41 AM

Is the Willowbrook Mall area a good place to rent? I left Houston in 1996 and I remember that area around FM 1960/249 being a good area. There are some reasonably priced apartments in that area, although we would rather own in a place like Kingwood. How is the traffic on 249 and what is the best way to avoid traffic in the morning? Thanks!

EasilyAmused · 06-10-2009, 06:50 AM

Where are you working? Avoiding traffic is impossible from that area if you are working in the city.

249 looks nice around there, but I really don't know much more than that. Why can't you rent in Kingwood? They've got a new towncentermarketstreet place that I'm sure has nice apartment near by.

Repubocrat · 06-10-2009, 06:55 AM

Probably working downtown. Renting in Kingwood is a bit more expensive but maybe it is worth it if I don't have to deal with heavy traffic on 59. Ideally, it would be nice to be closer to the downtown but it seems like the closer you get to downtown, it is either super expensive or total ghetto.

EasilyAmused · 06-10-2009, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Repubocrat

Probably working downtown. Renting in Kingwood is a bit more expensive but maybe it is worth it if I don't have to deal with heavy traffic on 59. Ideally, it would be nice to be closer to the downtown but it seems like the closer you get to downtown, it is either super expensive or total ghetto.

59 has a lot less traffic. It gets backed up right around downtown, but once you break free of the spaghetti bowl, it's smooth sailing home. Going to the NW side is a pain. 60 -90 minutes easily.

rigas · 06-10-2009, 07:10 AM

yes 59 is a lot less traffic, and the willowbrook area has gotten pretty bad lately. my office is off mills and 1960 (about 1/4 mile off 249) and the apartments are NOT GOOD. going out toward tomball some and you will find some nicer places. there are constant break ins all over the willowbrook area these days that i dont remember even 5-10 yrs ago. had my brothers truck broken into at the academy across from the mall, they have cameras at the parking lot and the people of academy would not show him the tape. they told the police they would release the tape if a judge ordered it, that was store policy.

some of the area is nice but its not getting any better.

as for trafic, it all depends on when you want to drive, i take 249 to the belt and the belt to 10 to get down town, STAY OFF 290 most of the day it is terrible inside the beltway. 10 is not to bad now that construction is finished.

EasilyAmused · 06-10-2009, 07:13 AM

It's about 15-20 minutes from the Beltway and 10 to downtown. There are some very nice places to rent along Eldridge in the Energy Corridor. It's really taken off since you left. They have incredible forested hike and bike trails along Buffalo Bayou for miles and miles, and are adding more.
Just another option for renting if you wanted to look. But buying in Kingwood would be less expensive.

citizen_jane · 06-10-2009, 07:41 AM

I can't anwser the questions about traffic other to say it's better if you can find a way to stay off 290 by taking surface streets.

The area immediately around 1960 is not nice and I wouldn't recommend it but going even a little bit north to Cypresswood, Louetta or Spring-Cypress and things get much much better. There are many new nice looking apartment complexs. There are also new townhouses in one section of the Vintage and an apartment complex being built in the another part of the The Vintage. The Vintage has lots of resturants with more opening up. There's also plans for green space and parks with trails connecting to other green spaces. I can't remember all the details right now, maybe someone else can fill it in.

My only comment would be this, a large part of the old Compaq/currently HP campus (sitting at the corner of 249 and Louetta Rd across the street from The Vintage development) has been sold to the Lone Star Community College. They will start using the space sometime next year. I'm assuming this will be bring more people into that immediate area and also renting those townhomes and apartments.

rude_monk · 06-13-2009, 02:47 PM

I recommend going about a mile north of 1960 to Cypresswood, east of 249 is a good area with newer apts.

Also Cutten Rd from 1960 to Cypresswood is a good area for apts.

Sometimes it's possible to find a way around the congestion on the highways here during rush hour by taking side streets depending on where you need to go. Beltway-8 is a tollroad so it has less traffic and fewer problems even during rush hour in my experience.

SkyeAnjel · 06-15-2009, 05:14 AM

I agree with citizen jane

Texas User · 06-18-2009, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Repubocrat

Is the Willowbrook Mall area a good place to rent? I left Houston in 1996 and I remember that area around FM 1960/249 being a good area. There are some reasonably priced apartments in that area, although we would rather own in a place like Kingwood. How is the traffic on 249 and what is the best way to avoid traffic in the morning? Thanks!

I live here now and moving to Katy next month.

Yes and No. Well it depends on where you live in the Willowbrook Mall area. Zip is 77070.

Lot has changed since 1996. Too much traffic and higher crimes.

Have you considered Spring and/or Cypress?