The Gulfton Ghetto - Underrated (Houston, Bellaire: apartments, foreclosure, credit)

[extremeturro]

When people refer to the Gulfton Ghetto on city data, there is a general negative connotation surrounding the area. The complaints range from crime, poverty, minorities, etc. However one really needs to look at population to gain an accurate depiction of the area. 77081 is by far the most dense zip code in Houston city limits. Looking at the demographic map on

Mapping America ? Census Bureau 2005-9 American Community Survey - NYTimes.com

you will see that the density in 77081 rivals new york city it self. I personally have never felt unsafe shopping at Fiesta or eating at the many restaurants. Which brings me to another point, the area is booming. Drive down Bellaire Blvd from Chimney Rock to Hillcroft and the amount of business going down there is incredible. You will also find Honduran, Mexican, Mexi-Japanese, Chinese, Salvadorian, Colombian, Cuban, and even Ethiopian restaurants within the vicinity.

From a location perspective, the area is PRIME. You are literally 5 minutes away from the Gally. 10 minutes to downtown. Bellaire McMansions are creepin next door. I could go on and on.

Now the big question is: When will the are redevelop? Personally I feel that the third ward, and the east side deserve it more, but it really feels that Houston's Manifest Destiny is going west?

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by extremeturro

When people refer to the Gulfton Ghetto on city data, there is a general negative connotation surrounding the area. The complaints range from crime, poverty, minorities, etc. However one really needs to look at population to gain an accurate depiction of the area. 77081 is by far the most dense zip code in Houston city limits. Looking at the demographic map on

Mapping America ? Census Bureau 2005-9 American Community Survey - NYTimes.com

you will see that the density in 77081 rivals new york city it self. I personally have never felt unsafe shopping at Fiesta or eating at the many restaurants. Which brings me to another point, the area is booming. Drive down Bellaire Blvd from Chimney Rock to Hillcroft and the amount of business going down there is incredible. You will also find Honduran, Mexican, Mexi-Japanese, Chinese, Salvadorian, Colombian, Cuban, and even Ethiopian restaurants within the vicinity.

From a location perspective, the area is PRIME. You are literally 5 minutes away from the Gally. 10 minutes to downtown. Bellaire McMansions are creepin next door. I could go on and on.

Now the big question is: When will the are redevelop? Personally I feel that the third ward, and the east side deserve it more, but it really feels that Houston's Manifest Destiny is going west?

The main focus now is the inner loop and urbanizing the area more. I'm not sure when redevelopment will come to gulfton, but I'm not thinking anytime soon.

[Zhang Fei]

Originally Posted by extremeturro

you will see that the density in 77081 rivals new york city it self.

The relevant figures are actually pretty different - the population densities for 77081 and 10028 (not even the most densely populated zip in Manhattan) are 16,596 and 172,513 per sq mile respectively.

[westhou]

Originally Posted by extremeturro

When people refer to the Gulfton Ghetto on city data, there is a general negative connotation surrounding the area. The complaints range from crime, poverty, minorities, etc. However one really needs to look at population to gain an accurate depiction of the area. 77081 is by far the most dense zip code in Houston city limits. Looking at the demographic map on

Mapping America ? Census Bureau 2005-9 American Community Survey - NYTimes.com

you will see that the density in 77081 rivals new york city it self. I personally have never felt unsafe shopping at Fiesta or eating at the many restaurants. Which brings me to another point, the area is booming. Drive down Bellaire Blvd from Chimney Rock to Hillcroft and the amount of business going down there is incredible. You will also find Honduran, Mexican, Mexi-Japanese, Chinese, Salvadorian, Colombian, Cuban, and even Ethiopian restaurants within the vicinity.

From a location perspective, the area is PRIME. You are literally 5 minutes away from the Gally. 10 minutes to downtown. Bellaire McMansions are creepin next door. I could go on and on.

Now the big question is: When will the are redevelop? Personally I feel that the third ward, and the east side deserve it more, but it really feels that Houston's Manifest Destiny is going west?

I take it you've never been to New York City. Nothing about Gulfton even comes close to New York City. I used to drive down Bellaire Blvd daily when I used to work in the area and to even compare it to New York City is absurd.

[14Bricks]

The only way gulfton would be developed or redeveloped would be to go in and tear down all the apartments, which is probably never going to happen.

[testmo]

i wouldn't live there but i live close enough to enjoy the lots of good eats available

[Glucorious]

Originally Posted by extremeturro

When people refer to the Gulfton Ghetto on city data, there is a general negative connotation surrounding the area. The complaints range from crime, poverty, minorities, etc. However one really needs to look at population to gain an accurate depiction of the area. 77081 is by far the most dense zip code in Houston city limits. Looking at the demographic map on

Mapping America ? Census Bureau 2005-9 American Community Survey - NYTimes.com

you will see that the density in 77081 rivals new york city it self. I personally have never felt unsafe shopping at Fiesta or eating at the many restaurants. Which brings me to another point, the area is booming. Drive down Bellaire Blvd from Chimney Rock to Hillcroft and the amount of business going down there is incredible. You will also find Honduran, Mexican, Mexi-Japanese, Chinese, Salvadorian, Colombian, Cuban, and even Ethiopian restaurants within the vicinity.

From a location perspective, the area is PRIME. You are literally 5 minutes away from the Gally. 10 minutes to downtown. Bellaire McMansions are creepin next door. I could go on and on.

Now the big question is: When will the are redevelop? Personally I feel that the third ward, and the east side deserve it more, but it really feels that Houston's Manifest Destiny is going west?

Never.

LMFAO @ "rivals new york city itself".

That's gonna take me at least 1 hour now to recuperate from this statement.

[crbcrbrgv]

That Fiesta on Bellaire and Hillcroft is one of the best stores in the Houston area. What a selection. I shop there all the time.

[blkgiraffe]

Shut the hell about the New York density comparison; no need to whineabout. He was just pretty much saying the density within gulfton is abnormal for this region. Just answer the question.

[DrLizardo]

Originally Posted by 14Bricks

The only way gulfton would be developed or redeveloped would be to go in and tear down all the apartments, which is probably never going to happen.

I don't know if it will never happen, but the apartments will have to go before redevelopment will get more than a toehold.

Built during the 70's when credit for developers was easy (history repeats itself, huh?), the city was desperate for housing for all the young workers moving in to work in energy business, inflation favored building quickly before it got more expensive, etc. - they never were intended to be quality construction. Thirty years later and I'm amazed that they're still standing.

I think the last shot that Gulfton had, without demolishing the old apartments, was when Michael Pollack came in during the early 80's. He spent a lot of money fixing up that huge complex (Colonial House?), booted out all the deadbeats and gang-bangers, and renovated the whole thing. New residents got free furniture and VCR.

Oil got cheap, the market dried up, and Pollack lost his ass in foreclosure.

His commercials were hilarious though.