What does Manor need? - Manor Green Initiative (Houston, Dallas: homes, landscaping) - Austin - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

hou17 · 01-09-2009, 02:05 PM

Hello Central Texas!

I will be moving to my first home in Manor in about another month and was thinking to myself today that although Manor is close to Austin and cheap to live, there are a lot of improvements that could be made which could help beautify the area and increase the number of residents and possibly jobs to the area.

I was thinking that Manor could use a real clean-up. By this I mean that the downtown area and the area around highway 290 needs to look clean and inviting. I think that the city and community should come together to have these areas cleaned of all trash and debris on the road. Landscaping like grass, trees, and shrubs should be trimmed. I would also like to see the city invest in planting trees and flowers around the city to make it look more appealing.

I think that we can slowly turn Manor into a more attractive place to call home. I'm starting to imagine greenery being planted along side highway 290 as well as downtown. Since Manor really doesn't have anything that naturally attracts people to pass through like Austin's hill country and shopping, Elgin's bbq, or Bastrop's pine forest. It would also be nice if Manor could be hooked up with the national Main Street programs where the govt will help to revitalize the downtown areas of small towns.

What does this forum think? Are there any residents of Manor that think they would participate in community service like this if the city didn't pay for it? Another idea that I had to improve the community is for the HOA's of Manor to have a monthly contest for the best yard landscaping in the community. Let me know what yall think. I think this could help our home values at least a little.

luksky · 01-09-2009, 04:51 PM

Hello again hou17! Like I have said before I doubt you will get many responses on this forum about Manor but I, being a Manor resident, think what you are proposing is a great idea. I believe all Manor needs is a little TLC and I think it starts with just a few people to implement an idea and move forward with it.

I do believe that one subdivision in Manor...not really sure which one, does have a landscaping contest. It's not the one I live in though.

I am a stay at home mom and homeschool my daughter so we would have some extra time to help out on this endeavor.

Go with your vision and I think we can get these things in motion slowly but surely!

hou17 · 01-09-2009, 05:13 PM

Thanks. I wonder if the city of Manor would be interested in something like this.

TexasHorseLady · 01-09-2009, 05:46 PM

What you might want to do is get involved, volunteer on some already existing committees, get to know some of the long-term residents of Manor and feel them out about it, then work with those who are interested in coming up with a plan to present to the City. Wouldn't be quick, most likely, but as someone who lives in a small town (moved here 12 years ago), and grew up in small towns, I think it would be more likely to succeed.

What you don't want to come across as is somebody who moves to a small town and then tries to make it over into something like where they came from, because that's likely to get you resistance for what sounds like a great idea. Way too many people do that and folks have been turned off by it.

HappyTexan · 01-09-2009, 06:47 PM

Ditto what THL said. Stay back a bit and be seen and not heard. Listen and look.
The town doesn't have to get all cleaned up in 6 weeks

BJB817 · 01-09-2009, 09:49 PM

Hou-

I want to tip my hat to you for taking that kind of initiative. Communities like Manor and anywhere for that matter, can definitely use more people like you!

That said, I have to agree with the posts about not taking the world by storm right off the bat. I would research if there already are some committees formed to beautify areas such as the downtown and 290 corridor and if so, see about getting involved. The City and Chamber of Commerce would be the two places I'd check with first.

I think you're onto something though. Manor, with it's location and the new tollway coming has lots of potential. They're lucky enough to have an actual "downtown" area and some revitilization could be just what the doctor ordered!

Best of luck!

LindaAustinTx · 01-11-2009, 06:53 AM

Welcome Home! I live in Manor too. Clean up starts at home, in neighborhoods. As a Realtor who trys to sell homes here too, there is not a lot to offer a buyer. 8 miles to shopping, No food stores, very few places to eat. You have to go out of town to do most anything. If the city mowed more often its center islands on 290 that would be a big help. It looks like a town you pass through.
There are real good people here, if we all did our part, mowed are yards, did not barbaque in the front yards, that would be a great start. Most of Manor is not on 290, but who see's it, and with the new toll rd, now everyone goes around it. We have a great new park, no one knows about.
I am not sure what the answer is, but it could start with the city doing more of their part.
LindaTx

TexasHorseLady · 01-11-2009, 08:31 AM

I'm all for having nice neighborhoods, but I'm not sure what the problem is with BBQing in the front yard - that's Texas friendly, invite all the neighbors, have a block party type behavior! (Though usually it's in the back yard, sometimes the front yard just works better.)

I haven't had a hard time selling Manor. The buyers I've had that ended up in Manor looked other places first, but that's where they ended up settling. Location is great - close enough in for an easy commute to Austin (or Dallas or San Antonio or Houston now that 130 has gone through), but far enough out to be out of the hustle and bustle if that's not your thing.

I hope it will maintain its small town/rural ambiance. We've got more than enough "city" in the Austin area - we need to preserve our small towns and their character and not let them be turned into just another bedroom community for Austin (or imitations of somewhere else). Just like we don't want Austin turning into a Dallas-clone or a Houston-clone or a California-clone because those who come in from outside feel more comfortable where they came from than where they are, we don't need our small towns turning into those kinds of clones. It would be a terrible loss.

It's possible to have an attractive little town and not regulate it into Stepfordhood. One of the attractions of small towns is that they are NOT "gated community" clones. That's what you need to emphasize to sell them to the kind of people who'll enjoy living there.

sweettexs · 05-20-2010, 02:57 PM

We're moving to Manor in about a month. I think the town has a lot of potential! We're looking forward to getting involved in the community. When people come together for a common goal, there's no telling what teamwork will bring! :-)

eepstein · 05-20-2010, 05:06 PM

Manor really shouldn't even exist. How many farmers were displaced to make way for this extremely poor, uneducated place??

Quote:

Originally Posted by hou17

Hello Central Texas!

I will be moving to my first home in Manor in about another month and was thinking to myself today that although Manor is close to Austin and cheap to live, there are a lot of improvements that could be made which could help beautify the area and increase the number of residents and possibly jobs to the area.

I was thinking that Manor could use a real clean-up. By this I mean that the downtown area and the area around highway 290 needs to look clean and inviting. I think that the city and community should come together to have these areas cleaned of all trash and debris on the road. Landscaping like grass, trees, and shrubs should be trimmed. I would also like to see the city invest in planting trees and flowers around the city to make it look more appealing.

I think that we can slowly turn Manor into a more attractive place to call home. I'm starting to imagine greenery being planted along side highway 290 as well as downtown. Since Manor really doesn't have anything that naturally attracts people to pass through like Austin's hill country and shopping, Elgin's bbq, or Bastrop's pine forest. It would also be nice if Manor could be hooked up with the national Main Street programs where the govt will help to revitalize the downtown areas of small towns.

What does this forum think? Are there any residents of Manor that think they would participate in community service like this if the city didn't pay for it? Another idea that I had to improve the community is for the HOA's of Manor to have a monthly contest for the best yard landscaping in the community. Let me know what yall think. I think this could help our home values at least a little.