Moving to Houston-Avonadale/Montrose Area? (Kirby, River Oaks: apartment complexes, crime, homes)

[escantrell37]

Hello! My husband and I are relocating to Houston (early/mid 30's...no kids) and have been looking and looking and looking....you get the idea. we found a really incredible place on Avondale, just off Taft, in Montrose... what do you think about the area? We're very drawn to the fact that we can walk to a variety of restaurants and bars. First off, while we are straight, the large gay population doesn't bother us AT ALL, BUT, we DID wonder if there were many (ANY) straight couples populating the area.... also, one person we met mentioned prostitutes, drug dealers, etc, but we drove by at midnight and feel pretty comfortable w/ the way it looked at that time of night.

Thanks for any and all help! We hope this is the place, but thought we should get some feedback before we move in, rather than after!

[modster]

It is a great historic area, loaded with character, very urban, and very pedestrian friendly.

it is also somewhat dangerous at night, prostitutes, a lot of very sketchy foot traffic et al. People parking going to the clubs in the area, etc., etc.

[theSUBlime]

I think you'll like it just fine, neighbor! Like modster said, it's historic and fairly walkable location, wedged between some of the nicest, most active areas of Houston (Downtown, River Oaks/Upper Kirby, Midtown, Rice Village, etc.)

I'm over off of Taft and Hawthorne and I'd say there are plenty of straight couples, it's just they tend to own the homes and the gays tend to live in the apartment complexes.

There IS sketchy foot traffic, maybe a lost tranny, male prostitute or a drug dealer, but nothing violent or really dangerous, usually just drunken people walking around if anything--it's only because it's a busy area with quite a few of gay bars and night clubs (so there is definitely a police presence). I personally have never felt unsafe and I don't think there's any reason to feel that way.

[XodoX]

I've walked through Montrose so many times in the middle of the night and I never felt unsafe.

[Oildog]

I've stumbled around there and never had any problems. The main issues with the prostitutes/homeless and dealers is petty theft. If you leave your garage open some junkie will likely help himself to something he can pawn.

[sevfiv]

It's a great area with nice original housing stock - you do have a lot of retail and restaurants in the immediate area which can be good, but it gets very busy along Westheimer and even busier a block or two north along Pacific St. where a large amount of bars are located. I don't think crime there is any worse than anywhere else and it just requires common sense to avoid the petty stuff.

Here's a link to the civic association - they seem to be active which is a great great thing these days:
Avondale Association

[escantrell37]

For all of your information! It's much appreciated.

[TexasTheKid]

Two things:

1. Montrose isn't a gayborhood. It is an enclave of progressive thought where such things as whether or not gayness "bothers" anyone is inconsequential. I think it's telling you'd even make it a point to lend credence to such an outdated stereotype. While some people may not be comfortable being near "the gays," my wife and I sure don't have any problem, nor do any of the thousands of other straight couples in the area.

2. Prostitution and drug dealing are everywhere. It's just a bit more apparent in the city. Be vigilent and you'll be fine. Don't feed the bears!

[jfre81]

The "gayborhood" thing peaked in the 80s and early 90s and there were still heterosexuals around then.

What sketchy foot traffic there is, from my observations at night, tends to stay along the main roads like Westheimer as opposed to the more quiet backstreets. Hustlers of all stripes work high traffic areas.

Remove valuables from the car when you leave it unattended and lock the doors. This is a good idea anywhere you are. Inner city, suburbs, gated, not gated, doesn't matter.

[sevfiv]

There's a lot of foot traffic along Westheimer, Fairview, Montrose, Yoakum, and so - sketchy and not - because of surrounding retail, restaurants, bars, and clubs. When you get closer to Kroger and the Montrose/Westheimer intersection, there are quite a lot of teens hanging around at night because they missed curfew at Covenant House. Rewind 20 years, and I think most people would be shocked at how different the area is now, though (different for the better).