What is the Sharpstown area like? (Houston, Sugar Land: buying, new construction, schools)

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Actually Greenspoint has an alright office market. The Exxon move will have to be digested, but they'll be OK. The big problem with that area is the total lack of any single family housing beyond entry-level (under $130,000).

Why is METRO an issue? The nicer parts of the city inside the Beltway, and the outer part of Memorial outside the Beltway, all have bus lines. It's not like it's been the end of the world for them, instead they seem to be thriving. Would it be bad if METRO provided local bus service (as opposed to park and ride) to the suburban areas of Harris County currently without it, like Cypress, Katy, Clear Lake, Atascocita etc.?

Some bad news for Greenspoint today. CDC Houston announced details of Town Center Springwoods Village. Southwestern Energy Co. announced they will move their offices to the new development transferring their 1,000 employees out of their Greenspoint area headquarters. How many others will follow?



Springwoods Village Town Center plans announced - Your Houston News: News

[Chicken_of_Bristol]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Why is METRO an issue? The nicer parts of the city inside the Beltway, and the outer part of Memorial outside the Beltway, all have bus lines. It's not like it's been the end of the world for them, instead they seem to be thriving. Would it be bad if METRO provided local bus service (as opposed to park and ride) to the suburban areas of Harris County currently without it, like Cypress, Katy, Clear Lake, Atascocita etc.?

My thoughts as well.

There are "bus lines" in Memorial and the homes sell in the millions of dollars.

One of the biggest draw backs in Houston I see is the lack of a decent transit system. Unless you are lucky enough to live within walking distance to METRO, you are basically stuck driving everywhere. Many places don't even have functioning sidewalks.

But I will admit I have heard other people here complain about the dreaded "METRO" as if it is the start of the downfall of the neighborhood. Perhaps it is based on lingering racial issues here (all the people I have ever heard make such statements are white). Perhaps it is simply the fact that they have never lived in a real city with real transit.

One question that I have always wondered about: Are the burglars really going to use the bus to get to and from their target? Getting back on the bus with a television under one's arm would be a little impractical I would think.

[LocalPlanner]

My guess is that the anti-local-bus folks think that having such service will allow people who don't have enough income for a car to live in their area. And those lower income folks will be associated with folks who (1) degrade public school performance and/or (2) cause crime.

It's not that bus riders themselves are using the bus to actually commit crimes. Although I did hear one real estate agent once who was convinced that auto thieves used the 1960 bus to come in and steal cars.

[testmo]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

Sharpstown was never meant to be "like" the Heights, but if you like mid-century fixer uppers Sharpstown and Braeburn will seem like heaven to you. In many ways those neighborhoods,(Sharpstown/Braeburn) look a lot like Those off of TC Jester that are so hot now...

braeburn and large sections of Sharpstown look identical to areas off TC Jester that people are crazy about. in some areas Sharpstown looks a little more kept up. Im just going to say it - a lot of the drive for real estate is from out of towners and people moving in from the suburbs. for a looooong time this area of houston (encompassing Sharpstown) has been thought of as predominantly black. that is why it is not perceived the same or completely overlooked. aint saying its right or not completely stupid but i hear it a lot. i got and heard the same kind of thing when moving to Westbury...

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by Chicken_of_Bristol

There are "bus lines" in Memorial and the homes sell in the millions of dollars.

.

We don't have sidewalks either, and the kids seem to get around just fine. As do the adult walkers and joggers.

[LocalPlanner]

Hmm, I thought the overall perception of this area was a heavy low-income Hispanic demographic, especially after the mall converted to PlazAmericas. Which of course, probably had the same impact as the perception it was predominantly black.

[Schumacher713]

Are builders level houses and building lots of new ones in Sharpstown? I honestly have not been over there in many years. If not then the area is not really coming back. When builders hit your area that is a sign the area is going to get a lot better.

[philopower]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

Sharpstown was never meant to be "like" the Heights, but if you like mid-century fixer uppers Sharpstown and Braeburn will seem like heaven to you. In many ways those neighborhoods,(Sharpstown/Braeburn) look a lot like Those off of TC Jester that are so hot now...

Good riddance. Who wants it to be like the heights anyway? The heights is nice in a fake, plastic way. Any soul that the area had is long gone. The goal for sharpstown is to continue the beautification process, force slumlords to be responsible for their properties, continuing the expansion of Chinatown within the beltway, and continuing to keep it affordable so that property taxes don't rise too much. This is completely possible and there is an ongoing effort to do so.

[testmo]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Hmm, I thought the overall perception of this area was a heavy low-income Hispanic demographic, especially after the mall converted to PlazAmericas. Which of course, probably had the same impact as the perception it was predominantly black.

people thinking SW houston is predominantly black and carry negative connotations of it dont know what it is like now. when i was growing up this was a black part of town. it was "katrina refugees" that numbnuts carried on about for years. they still think the same thing. westbury has always been predominately white - but nobody i talked to outside of my immediate friends had any idea of that. i might as well have said i was moving to africa. its ridiculous. i describe where i live (north/sw houston) to people i meet/work with and they ALWAYS ask "do you feel safe there"

wtf? i grew up in KW. people i went to HS most of them carry the same understanding of houston as their parents did. which is very little

my posts just makes me sound like a klan member or something. it is better understood with my previous post. it is why i believe some of the big development is happening on the north/west side of the city as opposed to SW. not that SW isnt really developing. homes here are selling in the 300,000s too, but it is spoken of completely differently see: Sharpstown

[philopower]

Originally Posted by Schumacher713

Are builders level houses and building lots of new ones in Sharpstown? I honestly have not been over there in many years. If not then the area is not really coming back. When builders hit your area that is a sign the area is going to get a lot better.

Yes there is new construction. Though not at the level as in bellaire, sharpstown section 1 specifically has seen new construction, however these properties tend to be private and not for sale. On the upside there are a ton of renovated homes being sold every year.