NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Neartown, Houston, Texas

Montrose, also known as Neartown, is an area in west-central Houston, Texas. It is one of Houston's three major cultural areas alongside the Museum District and Downtown, though of all the cultural districts, Montrose comes with the most distinctive character of eccentricity, diversity, and livability. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 845 KB) Summary Taken by WhisperToMe Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 845 KB) Summary Taken by WhisperToMe Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... A tattoo is a mark made by inserting pigment into the skin: in technical terms, tattooing is micro-pigment implantation. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Space City Location Location in the state of Texas Coordinates , Government Counties Harris County Fort Bend County Montgomery County Mayor Bill White Geographical characteristics Area City 1,558 kmÂ² (601. ... The Houston Museum District is an area of Houston, Texas. ... Downtown Houston Downtown Houston is Houstons largest business district. ... The well-being or quality of life of a population is an important concern in economics and political science. ...

Montrose is sometimes referred to as "The Gayborhood" or "The Area" by people within the Houston gay community. Longtime residents sometimes call it "The Montrose," although that has become less common. The name was originally pronouced as if it were two words, that is, "Mont Rose." Torontos Church and Wellesley district, one of the largest gay villages in North America Rainbow flags are displayed in the Castro area of San Francisco as a symbol of gay pride The entrance to Chueca metro station in the Plaza de Chueca (Chueca square) in Madrid (Spain), during gay... The notion of the gay community is complex and can be very controversial. ...

Although Montrose Boulevard extends from the Interstate 10 south to the Mecom Fountain north of Hermann Park, the Montrose area is usually thought of as the area centered around the intersection of Montrose Boulevard and Westheimer Road. The general boundaries are U.S. Highway 59 to the south, Allen Parkway to the north, Bagby Street on the east and Shepherd Drive to the west. Once a magnet for the hippie movement, Houstonians would consider it as a hybrid of San Francisco's the Haight-Ashbury and The Castro. Interstate 10 (abbreviated I-10) is the southernmost east-west, coast-to-coast interstate highway in the United States. ... United States Highway 59 is a north-south United States highway (though it is signed east-west in parts of Texas). ... A singer dresses in a stereotypical hippie outfit. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The City by the Bay; The City That Knows How; Golden Mountain (historic Chinese name) Location Location of the City and County of San Francisco, California Coordinates , Government City-County San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom Geographical characteristics Area City 600. ... Categories: US geography stubs | San Francisco neighborhoods ... The sidewalk on Castro Street looking north from 18th toward Market displays some of the color of the neighborhood. ...

Overview

Montrose is considered one of the most attractive areas of Houston, with renovated mansions, bungalows with wide porches and cozy cottages lining shady boulevards. It is an area made for pedestrians (unusual in Houston), where people can walk and cycle easily. This area has a strong identity built up over its long history.

The Montrose area, originally envisioned as a planned community and streetcar suburb dating back to the early 20th Century before the development of River Oaks, hosts a significant diverse community of young adults, gay men and lesbians, punk rockers, artists, as well as a vibrant thrift, vintage, and second-hand shopping district. Gay bars, shopping, and restaurants are all found here. A streetcar suburb is a community whose growth was mostly shaped by the coming of the electric streetcar or tram. ... River Oaks is heavily wooded and has Houstons most expensive homes[citation needed]. River Oaks is an affluent community located in the geographic center of Houston, Texas. ... Homosexuality is a sexual orientation characterized by esthetic attraction, romantic love, or sexual desire exclusively for another of the same sex. ... A lesbian is a female who is aesthetically, sexually, romantically and/or emotionally attracted to other females. ... A gay bar is a drinking establishment which caters primarily to a gay or lesbian clientele. ...

On Montrose Boulevard itself and Westheimer Road, there are a few original homes remaining—a majority have been converted to businesses and/or restaurants since 1936. Some former homes fall victim to the wrecking ball. The real treasures are to be found in the tree lined residential streets off Montrose and Westheimer where many century old bungalows and mansions can be found. A wrecking ball is a heavy steel ball, usually hung from a crane, that is used for demolishing large buildings. ... A row of bungalows in Virginia A bungalow is any single story house. ... Mansion near Almelo, The Netherlands A mansion is a large and stately dwelling house for the wealthy. ...

During the 1960s and 1970s, the Montrose was known for its Bohemian flavor—this would spawn both the Westheimer Colony Art Festival in 1971, and the subsequent street fair in 1973, which would become known as the Westheimer Street Festival. The Montrose, like Haight-Ashbury, is still a central location for teen runaways in the southeast Texas region. In recent decades, many young gay and lesbian runaways have made their way to Montrose. 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Though a Bohemian is a native of the Czech province of Bohemia, a secondary meaning for bohemian emerged in 19th century France. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Categories: US geography stubs | San Francisco neighborhoods ...

During the 1990's through to recent times this district has become increasingly gentrified with a trend towards remodelled and new homes, high rents, upmarket boutiques and restaurants. Montrose has become an ecclectic niche market for office buildings in Houston, with both new development and redeveloped older buildings dotting Montrose Boulevard.

History

Houston's urban real estate boom starting in the 1990s transformed the Montrose and significantly increased housing costs. The neighborhood went from being a place with lots of abandoned buildings, sexually-oriented businesses, and low rent, to a neighborhood full of yuppies and new condominium construction. Inner Loop neighborhoods, despite the Fall of Enron, have continued to be a prime market for redevelopment (perhaps aided by the Bush oil boom) - older multifamily complexes, primarily run-down apartments, neglected businesses, and/or undeveloped/abandoned greenspace were considered as commodities for companies such as Perry Homes. This has increased interest in the area and pushed the median home price to $230,200 in 2005. Seinfeld was a pop cultural phenomenon during the 90s and became one of the most popular TV programs ever. ... Yuppie is short for Young Urban Professional. It is used to describe a demographic profile: people, usually between their late twenties and early thirties, generally with graduate degrees. ... A condominium is a form of housing tenure. ... Enron Corporation is an energy company based in Houston, Texas. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

A majority of townhouses were built in the Midtown area east of Montrose; right before the Westheimer Street Festival's demise in the early 2000s, some Neartown residents have voiced their concerns about the festival affecting their quality of life issues, ranging from street parking to traffic gridlock. Image File history File linksMetadata 1515waugh. ... Image File history File linksMetadata 1515waugh. ... A street of British Victorian/Edwardian terraced homes. ... Midtown Houston is just south of downtown Houston, Texas, bordered by the Montrose area and U.S. Highway 59. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

From the United States Census 2000 demographics, about one quarter of the residents are homeowners, whereas three quarters consists of renters: including many students from the University of Houston, Rice University, and the University of Saint Thomas, as well as for those employed in the Texas Medical Center, Downtown Houston, and Greenway Plaza. 1880 US Census of Hoboken, New Jersey The United States Census is mandated by the United States Constitution[1]. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats (congressional apportionment), electoral votes, and government program funding. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... The University of Houston, formerly University of Houstonâ€“University Park, is a comprehensive doctoral degree-granting university[2] located in Houston, Texas. ... Rice University William Marsh Rice University, commonly called Rice University and opened in 1912 as Rice Institute, is one of the United Statess top teaching and research universities. ... The Roman Catholic University of Saint Thomas was founded in Houston, Texas in 1947 by the Basilian Fathers. ... Skyline of Texas Medical Center The Texas Medical Center is the largest and one of the most famous groups of medical institutions worldwide. ... Downtown Houston Downtown Houston is Houstons largest business district. ... Picture of Greenway Plaza Skyline Greenway Plaza is a master-planned development off of U.S. Highway 59 in Houston, Texas, five miles (8 km) west of Downtown Houston and three miles (5 km) east of Uptown Houston. ...

The City of Houston's Planning Department refers to the Montrose neighborhood as a mixed-use, diverse community which serves as a model for other neighborhoods to follow. Since the 1990s gentrification, the demographics of those renting have changed; because of higher rent due to redevelopment, musicians and artists have been replaced with yuppies and professionals (attorneys, educators, medical professionals). Other Houston neighborhoods, such as Meyerland, Westbury, and Second Ward (east of Downtown Houston) have become popular places for the artistic and gay and lesbian communities to move when Montrose becomes too expensive. Gentrification is a process in which low-cost, deteriorated neighborhoods experience urban restoration and an increase in property values, along with an influx of wealthier residents. ... Yuppie is short for Young Urban Professional. It is used to describe a demographic profile: people, usually between their late twenties and early thirties, generally with graduate degrees. ... A sign indicating Meyerland Meyerland is a neighborhood in Houston, Texas. ... Westbury is a neighborhood in the southwest part of Houston, Texas. ... A hispanic neighborhood in the GEE (greater east end) in houston texas. ... Downtown Houston Downtown Houston is Houstons largest business district. ...

Places of interest

Consulates The Menil Collection, in Houston, houses the art collection of founders Dominique and John de Menil. ... The Rothko Chapel is a non-denominational chapel in Houston, Texas that serves as a work of modern art: its walls are covered with fourteen mostly-black color field paintings by Mark Rothko, and the chapel itself was largely designed by the artist. ... Ohne Titel (to Bob and Pat Rohm), 1970. ...

Parades Pentecost is considered in Eastern Orthodoxy to be the birth of the Church. ... A cathedral is a Christian church building, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy, such as the Anglican, Catholic and some Lutheran churches, which serves as the central church of a diocese, and thus as a bishops seat. ...

IDS Center in Minneapolis Philip Cortelyou Johnson (July 8, 1906 â€“ January 25, 2005) was an influential American architect. ...

Education

The area is the location of the Houston Independent School District schools Wilson Elementary School, Lanier Middle School and High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), as well as Annunciation Orthodox School (a K-8 private school), St. Anne's Catholic School (a K-8 Catholic private school), and the University of Saint Thomas. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 847 KB) Summary Taken by WhisperToMe Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 847 KB) Summary Taken by WhisperToMe Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... The John P. McGovern-Stella Link Branch of the Houston Public Library, located in the Braeswood Place neighborhood The Houston Public Library Heights Branch Meyer Branch Eleanor K. Freed Montrose Branch Houston Public Library is the public library system serving Houston, Texas. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 830 KB) Summary Taken by WhisperToMe Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 830 KB) Summary Taken by WhisperToMe Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... The University of St. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 848 KB) Summary Taken by WhisperToMe PD Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 848 KB) Summary Taken by WhisperToMe PD Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... High School for the Performing and Visual Arts The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA for short) is a secondary school located at 4001 Stanford Street in the Montrose district of Houston, Texas. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 833 KB) Summary Taken by WhisperToMe Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 833 KB) Summary Taken by WhisperToMe Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Lanier Middle School Sidney Lanier Middle School is a secondary school located at 2600 Woodhead Street in Houston, Texas, United States, with a ZIP code of 77098. ... The Houston Independent School District is the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States. ... Lanier Middle School Sidney Lanier Middle School is a secondary school located at 2600 Woodhead Street in Houston, Texas, United States, with a ZIP code of 77098. ... High School for the Performing and Visual Arts The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA for short) is a secondary school located at 4001 Stanford Street in the Montrose district of Houston, Texas. ... Annunciation Orthodox School, or AOS, is a private school located in Houston, Texas established in 1970. ... The Roman Catholic University of Saint Thomas was founded in Houston, Texas in 1947 by the Basilian Fathers. ...

Pupils living in Montrose proper are zoned to either Poe Elementary (in the Boulevard Oaks neighborhood) or Wilson for elementary school. Pupils in Montrose proper are zoned to Lanier for middle school, and all Montrose area pupils are zoned to Lamar High School (in the Upper Kirby neighborhood of Houston). Edgar Allan Poe Elementary School is a primary school located at 5100 Hazard Street in Houston, Texas with a ZIP code of 77098. ... Poe Elementary School Boulevard Oaks is a neighborhood in Houston, Texas, United States. ... Lamar High School Mirabeau B. Lamar High School is a secondary school located at 3325 Westheimer Road in Houston, Texas, United States, with a zip code of 77098. ... Upper Kirby is a commercial district in Houston, Texas. ...

The area is served by the Eleanor K. Freed-Montrose Branch of Houston Public Library. The John P. McGovern-Stella Link Branch of the Houston Public Library, located in the Braeswood Place neighborhood The Houston Public Library Heights Branch Meyer Branch Eleanor K. Freed Montrose Branch Houston Public Library is the public library system serving Houston, Texas. ...

See also

Torontos Church and Wellesley district, one of the largest gay villages in North America Rainbow flags are displayed in the Castro area of San Francisco as a symbol of gay pride The entrance to Chueca metro station in the Plaza de Chueca (Chueca square) in Madrid (Spain), during gay... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Bayou City Art Festival (formerly the Westheimer Colony Art Festival) is an art festival held biannually in Houston, Texas in Memorial Park in the spring, and in Downtown Houston in the fall by the Art Colony Association. ...

External links

Categories: Gay villages | Houston neighborhoods | Streetcar suburbs Flag of Houston, Texas - From: http://fotw. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Space City Location Location in the state of Texas Coordinates , Government Counties Harris County Fort Bend County Montgomery County Mayor Bill White Geographical characteristics Area City 1,558 kmÂ² (601. ... Downtown Houston Downtown Houston is Houstons largest business district. ... The Greater Greenspoint Districtâ€”known as the downtown of Houstons north sideâ€”is a 12-square-mile area bordered by the Hardy Toll Road to the east, Airtex to the north, Veterans Memorial to the west, and West Road to the south. ... Greenway Plaza is a master-planned development off of U.S. Highway 59 in Houston, Texas, five miles (8 km) west of Downtown Houston and three miles (5 km) east of Uptown Houston. ... Street signs in Midtown Houston are distinct from the plain green signs seen in most of Houston Midtown Houston is a district southwest of Downtown Houston, Texas, bordered by the Montrose area and U.S. Highway 59. ... The Houston Museum District is an area of Houston, Texas. ... Rice Village is a shopping district in Houston, Texas. ... Skyline of Texas Medical Center The Texas Medical Center is the largest and one of the most famous groups of medical institutions worldwide. ... Lamar High School in 1957. ... Uptown Houston Uptown Houston, or the Uptown District, is mainly centered around the the Galleria, the largest and most prestigious shopping mall in Houston. ... Westchase is a district located in western Houston, Texas. ... Acres Homes, Texas is a wooded area northwest of the city of Houston. ... Aldine was once a town, but now a small portion of the area is in the corporate limits of Houston, in Harris County, Texas. ... Alief is an area in Harris County that is mostly within the city limits of Houston, Texas. ... A sign marking Braeswood Place Braeswood Place is a group of subdivisions in Houston, Texas. ... Clear Lake City is a master-planned community located in southeast Harris County, Texas. ... Genoa Township was a township located about 15 miles south-east of Houston, Texas. ... A sign at the entrance to the Houston Heights The Houston Public Library Heights Branch Reagan High School Houston Heights, often nicknamed The Heights, is a large community located in northwest-central Houston, Texas. ... Independence Heights known to many nowdays as simply Studewood was originally northeast of Houston, TX in an area now within the Houston city limits, bounded on the south by Thirtieth Avenue, on the north by Crosstimbers, on the west by Yale Street, and on the east by Airline Drive in... Inwood Forest is a community of 1,200 homes in near-northwest Houston, Texas. ... Kingwood Kingwood is a 14,000-acre (57 kmÂ²) master-planned community located in northeast Houston, Texas. ... Maplewood Maplewood is a community in Houston, Texas. ... The Memorial area of Houston, Texas is a wealthy distict west of the Galleria. ... A sign indicating Meyerland Meyerland Plaza The Meyer Library of the Houston Public Library system Meyerland is a 6000-acre community in southwest Houston, Texas, outside of the 610 Loop and inside Beltway 8. ... Oak Forest is a neighborhood in Houston, Texas. ... River Oaks is heavily wooded and has Houstons most expensive homes[citation needed]. River Oaks is an affluent community located in the geographic center of Houston, Texas. ... Sharpstown is a master-planned community in southwest Houston, Texas. ... The South Park community of Houston, Texas is a broad post-World War II development in the south-central area of the city, just south of MacGregor Park (from which it gets its name) and the 610 Loop. ... Spring Branch is a community in west-northwest Houston, Texas, roughly bordered by Clay Road and U.S. Highway 290 to the north, Beltway 8 to the west, Interstate 10 to the south, and Interstate 610 to the east. ... Sunnyside is a neighborhood in Houston, Texas, United States. ... This is an incomplete list of neighborhoods/subdivisions in Houston, Texas. ... One of Bellaires two water towers, commemorating the citys little league team Bellaire is a city located in Harris County, Texas within the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area. ... Bunker Hill Village is a city located in Harris County, Texas. ... Hedwig Village is a city located in Harris County, Texas. ... Hilshire Village is a city located in Harris County, Texas. ... Hunters Creek Village is a city located in Harris County, Texas. ... Piney Point Village is a city in Harris County, Texas. ... Southside Place is a city located in Harris County, Texas. ... Spring Valley is a city located in Harris County, Texas, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 3,611. ... A sculpture with the logo of the city of West University Place An electronic sign in the center of West University Place West University Place, often called West University or West U for short, is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houstonâ€“Sugar Land... The Houston Independent School District is the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States. ... Aldine Independent School District is a school district based in Houston, Texas. ... Alief Independent School District is a school district that is based in southwest Houston, Texas. ... Clear Creek Independent School District (CCISD) is a school district based in League City, Texas. ... Crosby Independent School District is a public school district based in Crosbyâ€”an unincorporated area of northeastern Harris County, Texas within the Houstonâ€“Sugar Landâ€“Baytown metropolitan area. ... The Fort Bend Independent School District, also Fort Bend ISD or FBISD, is a school district system in the U.S. state of Texas based in the city of Sugar Land. ... Galena Park Independent School District is a school district based in unincorporated Harris County, Texas, United States. ... Huffman Independent School District is a public school district based in Huffmanâ€”an unincorporated area of northeastern Harris County, Texas within the Houstonâ€“Sugar Landâ€“Baytown metropolitan area. ... Humble Independent School District is a school district based in Humble, Texas. ... The Katy Independent School District is a public school district in the state of Texas. ... North Forest Independent School District is a school district based in northeast Houston, Texas. ... Pasadena Independent School District is a school district that is based in Pasadena, Texas. ... Spring Independent School District is a school district based in unincorporated Harris County, Texas. ... Spring Branch Independent School District is a school district based in Hedwig Village, Texas, including a portion Houston located in the western part of the city and several small municipalities known as the Memorial Villages, including Hedwig Village and Spring Valley. ...

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