Central Southwest Super Neighborhood 40
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Briefing Book
CEENNTRAL SOOUUTHWEST C ENTRAL S FORTCBEND
HOUSTON FORT BEND HOUSTON
Collaborative Community Design Initiative. No. 4 Community Design Resource Center 2016
CRESTMONT PARKCRESTMONT PARK CRESTMONT PARK CRESTMONT PARK CRESTMONT PARK
EDGEBROOK AREA EDGEBROOK AREA EDGEBROOK AREA
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KINGWOOD KINGWOOD KINGWOOD
Kirby Drive
Contents Introduction
5
Context
7
Figure Ground Land Use Housing Street Pattern Parks and Amenities Transportation Flooding Districts
Demographics
21
Opportunities
29
Participants and Sponsors
39
Population Age Race and Ethnicity Income Education Housing
New Transit Town Center Linked Neighborhoods Alternative Networks
Sims Bayou
4
Introduction Super Neighborhood #40 Central Southwest is located approximately six miles southwest of downtown Houston. The approximate boundaries of the neighborhood are US90A on the north, Beltway 8 to the south, Hillcroft to the west and Highway 288 to the east. Central Southwest is one of Houston’s largest super neighborhoods in both land area and population. The South Houston Coalition of Concerned Citizens is the primary civic organization in the Super Neighborhood and is comprised of 25 area civic clubs and homeowner associations. The groups work together to advocate for opportunities and change together that will improve the area. The neighborhood has developed in spurts, with the first phases occurring in the 1960s and 1970s. Today the area is experiencing substantial new development particularly along the Highway 288 and Beltway 8 corridors. Sims Bayou is in many ways the east-west spine of the neighborhood. Connecting north and south to Sims Bayou is a series of drainage and utility easements that are opportunities to create a network of linked public spaces. In addition, a grid of commercial streets divides the area into regular quadrants, yet the economic opportunities in the area are limited. Finally, small subdivisions throughout the neighborhood, define the area’s character yet would benefit from being linked to area resources and amenities.
5
Location Map
Highway 288
eda Alm
Rd 90 ay hw Hig
W Orem Dr
S Post Oak Rd
Hiram Clarke
W Fuqua St
6
Context The pattern of development in the Central Southwest Super Neighborhood is extremely clear. Small subdivisions of single-family homes characterize the built environment. The subdivisions and built fabric are interrupted by utility and drainage easements and rightof-ways that weave throughout the neighborhood. The northeast corner of the neighborhood is currently the least developed, though this is changing rapidly as new homes and subdivisions are constructed. Over the last several decades the neighborhood has grown rapidly. Since 2000 nearly 7,700 new homes have been constructed in the neighborhood housing nearly 30,000 new residents, a 45% increase.
OPPOSITE PAGE, Left: Aerial Map ABOVE, Right: Figure Ground BELOW, Right: Growth in Housing Units, 20002014 BELOW, Left: West Orem Photo 22,250 Housing Units 16,943 Housing Units
2000
7
mber of in the nu Increase units housing
+ 31%
2010
24,637 Housing Units
+ 11%
2014
ABOVE, Left: Vacant Land Map ABOVE, Right: Commercial and Industrial Land Uses Commercial Industrial BELOW: W. Orem and S. Post Oak Intersection
8
In the Central Southwest Super Neighborhood single-family detached housing makes up 74% of all housing, while in Houston overall single-family represents 45% of all housing. Vacant land makes up a large portion of land area in the neighborhood and while this changing it continues to be a dominant land use type. Commercial land uses in Central Southwest are concentrated along W. Orem and W. Fuqua, as well as South Post Oak. However, commercial development is sparse compared to the population of the neighborhood. Industrial land uses are scattered throughout the neighborhood, with concentrations along Highway 90 and Almeda Road.
ABOVE, Right: Residential Land Use Multi-Family Single Family BELOW, Right: 2014 Housing by Type Central Southwest Houston BELOW: Meredith Manor Photo
80%
70%
74%
60%
50%
40%
45% 36%
30%
20%
16%
10%
5% Single-Family Attached
9
Single-Family Detached
3%
13%
Small Apartments (3-9 units)
16% 6% Large Apartments (10 or more units)
1%
Mobile Homes/Other
Highway 288
1-mile
eda Alm 0
Kirby Dr
Buffalo Speedway
W. Airport
Hiram Clarke Rd
W. Orem Hillcroft
W. Fuqua St S. Post Oak
1-mile
y9 wa h Hig
1-mile 1-mile 1-mile
10
11
90
Minchen Park Wildheather Park Townwood Park Almeda Community Center Park Canterbury Village Park
Alm
eda
W. Orem Hiram Clarke Rd
ABOVE, Right: Park Map Parks 1/2 Mile Radius RIGHT, From Left to Right: Townwood Park and Cambridge Village Park, Photos by J. Andrews, G. Custodio, L. Hernandez, E. Westmoreland OPPOSITE PAGE, Top Left: Street Pattern Diagram OPPOSITE PAGE, Bottom Left to Right: W. Fuqua and Hiram Clarke Photo
ay
hw Hig
S. Post Oak
The Central Southwest neighborhood has 12 parks that when combined total 165 acres. Based on the current population in the neighborhood the park area exceeds the recommended standards for community, neighborhood and pocket parks as adopted by the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department in the recently published 2015 Master Plan. The parks are fairly evenly distributed across the neighborhood and range in size from small to large. However, because of the low density development in the neighborhood there are areas that do not have easy access to parks.
Taylor-Stevenson Park Landmark at City Park Brentwood Park James Madison High School Park Cambridge Village Park Post Oak Village Park Windsor Village Park
W. Fuqua St
Highway 288
Central Southwest has a grid of major thoroughfares, with a typical spacing of approximately one-mile. Yet many of the existing thoroughfares are discontinuous. The most recent major thoroughfare plan includes proposals to extend or complete a number of north-south corridors including Hillcroft, Buffalo Speedway and Kirby Drive. East-west projects include the continuation of Airport Boulevard and West Orem (west of the neighborhood boundaries). Combined this is approximately 12 miles of new thoroughfares planned to be constructed in the Central Southwest neighborhood in the coming years.
eda
Highway 288
W. Orem Hiram Clarke Rd
Alm
90 ay hw Hig
S. Post Oak
W. Fuqua St
12
The Hiram Clarke Transit Center, located on W. Fuqua Street, serves five area bus routes. The routes are the 54 Scott, 14 Hiram Clarke, 11 Almeda/Lyons and the 98 Briargate. The 49 Chimney Rock/S. Post Oak serves the west side of the neighborhood, with the 73 Bellfort and 87 Sunnyside serving the northeastern corner of the neighborhood.
Bellfort 73
Sunnyside 87
Almeda / Lyons 11
The Transit Center is centrally located, directly adjacent to the Hiram Clarke Multi-Service Center, which is also home to the public library.
Hiram Clarke 14
Chimney Rock S Post Oak
The Central Southwest neighborhood is extremely under served with pedestrian and bike infrastructure. The neighborhood has a single bike path that runs along Sims Bayou from Hillcroft on the west to S. Post Oak Road on the east for a length of two miles. All other bike path projects are proposed for the future, including the completion of the Bayou Greenways east of S. Post Oak. The proposed bike paths do not connect to the Hiram Clarke Transit Center on W. Fuqua Street.
49
Scott Briargate 98
Ridership 2016
Hiram Clarke Transit Center
20-30 Minutes Off-Peak
60 Minutes Off-Peak
98 Briargate
87 Sunnyside
49 Chimney Rock/S. Post Oak
14 Hiram Clarke
11 Almeda/Lyons
73 Bellfort
13
15 Minutes Off-Peak
54 Scott
ABOVE, Right: Transit Map RIGHT: Transit Ridership by Route, April 2016 OPPOSITE PAGE, Top: Bike Paths Existing Proposed OPPOSITE PAGE, Bottom Left to Right: Madison High School and Hiram Clarke Transit Center
7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0
54
14
ABOVE, Right: Map of Drainage Easements RIGHT: Typical Drainage Easement Photo OPPOSITE PAGE, Top Left: Former Flood Zone Map OPPOSITE PAGE, Top Right: Revised Flood Zone Map (Adopted May 2016) 100-Year Flood Plain 500-Year Flood Plain OPPOSITE PAGE, Bottom: Sims Bayou Flooding, Meredith Manor Subdivision June 2001
15
S. Post Oak
A series of drainage ditches weave through the Central Southwest neighborhood moving water towards Sims Bayou. There are approximately 50 miles of these drainage easements, most of them man made. The easements are an opportunity to create an alternative pedestrian and bike network.
W. Orem
eda
Hiram Clarke Rd
In the Central Southwest neighborhood alone three detention basins were constructed. As a result of the project 35,000 homes and 2,000 businesses sited along the 19mile stretch of Sims Bayou have been removed from the flood zone.
90
Alm
ay
hw Hig
Highway 288
In 1990, after decades of flooding and property loss, the Sims Bayou Federal Flood Damage Reduction project began construction. The project, a partnership between the Army Corps of Engineers and the Harris County Flood Control District, would take over twenty-five years and $379 million in funding to complete. The need for the project was amplified by the damage caused by Tropical Storm Allison in June of 2001.
W. Fuqua St
HCID #8
HCID #12
Five Corners District
16
Greater S
Incentives for economic development in the Central Southwest neighborhood could help encourage new amenities, retail and dining services. The area has a management district, the Five Corners District which has committed to reduce crime, business development, transportation planning and beautification.
HCID #8
HCID #12
HCID #10-A
Five Corners District
In addition to the management district the area also has three Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones. TIRZ #9 South Post Oak was created in 2000 and is in the center of the neighborhood. To date 425 units of affordable housing have been constructed with an estimated value of $28 million. TIRZ #24 Greater Houston was created in 2012 and is focused on the redevelopment or development of former oil fields, under-utilized industrial properties and vacant land. The TIRZ encompasses the northeastern corner of the neighborhood and the area east of Almeda. Finally, TIRZ #25 covers the northern and southern boundaries of the area along Highway 90 to the north and W. Fuqua Street to the south. TIRZ #25 was created in 2015. Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones within Houston focus on public improvements such as infrastructure investment. ABOVE, Right: Five Corners District, Management District RIGHT: Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZ #9 South Post Oak, TIRZ #24 Greater Houston, TIRZ #25 Hiram Clark/Fort Bend Houston OPPOSITE PAGE, Left: Vacant and Undeveloped Land
17
TIRZ #9 South Post Oak
TIRZ #24 Greater Houston
TIRZ #25 Hiram Clark/ Fort Bend Houston
The Central Southwest Super Neighborhood has two major grocery stores and two smaller stores. The major stores include a Fiesta on S. Post Oak and a Foodarama on Hiram Clarke. There is also a Joe V’s on W. Fuqua St. and a Pyburn’s Farm Fresh Foods in the southern portion of the neighborhood.
ABOVE, Right: Map of Grocery/Convenience Stores Grocery Stores Convenience Stores OPPOSITE PAGE, Right: Fiesta
1
Alme
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Fiesta S Post Oak Rd
Residents reported that in the 1980s the area was served by five grocery stores. According to the Food Trust organization Houston has one of the fewest grocery stores per capita of major U.S. cities. In addition, as stores have become increasingly large and controlled by fewer and fewer companies many neighborhoods have lost access to the healthy and fresh food available at most grocery stores.
W Orem Dr
W Fuqua St
Joe V’s Foodarama Pyburn’s Farm Fresh Foods
18
19
Central Southwest
2000
2010
45,884
Total Population
67,639
2014
2000
75,388
47%
11%
Houston 2010
2014
1,953,631
2,099,451 7%
2,239,558 7%
Race/Ethnicity White Black or African American Asian Other Hispanic or Latino
7% 54% 1% 1% 38%
5% 42% 2% 1% 50%
5% 42% 3% 1% 50%
31% 25% 5% 2% 37%
26% 23% 6% 2% 44%
26% 23% 6% 1% 44%
Age 17 Years or Younger 18 - 64 Years Old 65 Years or Older
33% 61% 6%
31% 62% 7%
30% 63% 8%
28% 64% 8%
26% 65% 9%
26% 65% 9%
Place of Birth Foreign Born Residents
20%
28%
25%
26%
29%
28%
Means of Transportation to Work Drove Alone Carpooled Public Transportation Other (Walk, Bicycle, Work at Home, etc.)
72% 20% 5% 3%
77% 15% 3% 5%
80% 14% 4% 3%
72% 16% 6% 5%
75% 13% 5% 7%
80% 11% 4% 5%
Educational Attainment 25 Years + Less Than High School High School Graduate (includes equivalency) Some college Bachelor's degree Master's degree Professional school degree Doctorate degree
36% 26% 26% 8% 3% 1% 1%
32% 28% 24% 11% 3% 1% 1%
29% 28% 26% 12% 4% 1% 1%
30% 20% 23% 17% 6% 3% 1%
26% 22% 24% 17% 7% 2% 2%
24% 22% 24% 18% 8% 2% 2%
Median Household Income Percent of Houston's Median
$
37,641 103%
$
43,777 99%
$
44,870 98%
$
36,616
$
44,124
$
45,728
Percent of Population Below Poverty
15%
16%
19%
19%
22%
23%
Housing Units Occupied Vacant Housing Units
96% 4%
92% 8%
91% 9%
92% 8%
88% 12%
87% 13%
Tenure Percent Owners Percent Renters
72% 29%
67% 34%
65% 35%
46% 54%
45% 55%
45% 55%
Households without access to a vehicle
9%
5%
5%
12%
10%
10%
Persons per Household
3.4
3.3
3.4
2.7
2.7
2.7
*Sources: Census 2000, Census 2010, ACS 2014
20
Demographics The Central Southwest Super Neighborhood was home to 75,388 people according to the 2014 American Community Survey. Since 2000 the population has increased 64%, likely one of the fastest growing Super Neighborhood’s in the City of Houston. 10% 65+ years
8% 65+ years
The neighborhood has a substantial amount of vacant land and is sparsely developed; as a result there are only 2,600 people per square mile, much lower than the Houston average of 3,600 per square mile. The total population and density will likely rise as new development comes to the area.
25% 0-17 years
30% 0-17 years
63% 18-64 years
The neighborhood has a large percentage of married couples, both with and without children, at 44%. Nearly one-third of the population is below the age of 18, a percent that has been declining since 2000.
65% 18-64 years
Central Southwest 2014
Houston 2014
ABOVE, Right: Population by Age 2014 BELOW, Right: Population Change 2000-2014 BELOW: Almeda Plaza Park
75K 68K
46K
2000
21
+47% Central Southwest Population Change
+11% Central Southwest Population Change
+ 7% Houston Population Change
+ 3% Houston Population Change
2010
2014
Hiram Clarke
The Central Southwest Super Neighborhood is diverse. The largest population group is Hispanics, representing 50% of residents. Black or African American residents comprise 42% of the population. Since 2000 the Black or African American population has declined by 12% and the Hispanic population has grown by 13%. The majority population by race for each census tract is illustrated to the right.
W. Orem
As Houston’s Hispanic population has grown over the last three decades many neighborhoods, including Central Southwest, have experienced substantial demographic change.
White 4%
White 7% Hispanic or Latino 37%
2000 ABOVE, Right: Race/Ethnic Majority by Census Tract, 2014 Black or African American Hispanic or Latino RIGHT: Central Southwest Percent Change Race/Ethnicity, 2000-2014 BELOW: S. Post Oak Temple
Other 1%
Asian 1%
Black or African American 54%
Hispanic or Latino 50%
Black or African American 42%
2014
Other 1%
Asian 3%
22
The Central Southwest Super Neighborhood has a median household income nearly equal to the overall Houston median. This has been true since 2000, when the median income in the neighborhood was slightly higher than the median in the city overall. $47,999
$35,504 $55,484
Hiram Clarke
Based on the median income there should be substantial shopping and dining opportunities in the neighborhood, yet this is not the case. One goal is to ensure that the demographics of the neighborhood are understood as a means to encourage new economic development, investment and amenities.
$47,555
$50,000
$35,923
$39,241
W. Orem $42,750 $46,893
$42,635
$42,440
ABOVE, Right: Median Household Income by Census Tract, 2014 BELOW, Right: Central Southwest and Houston Median Household Income 2000, 2010 and 2014 BELOW: S. Post Oak Subdivision
Central Southwest $37,641 Houston $36,616
2000
23
Houston $44,124
Houston $45,728
dian Income Central Southwest Me Central Southwest e Houston Median Incom $43,777
Central Southwest $44,870
2010
2014
Educational attainment for the population over the age of 25 years has increased substantially over the last 15 years in the Central Southwest Super Neighborhood. For example, the percent of residents graduating from high school has risen from 36% in 2000 to 28% in 2014; while the number of people with a college degree has risen from 14% to 18%. Today, educational success in the Central Southwest neighborhood is nearly equivalent to Houston overall.
Graduate Degree or Higher 6%
Bachelor's degree 12%
Less than High School 28%
Some college 26% H.S. Graduate 28%
Central Southwest 2014
Graduate Degree or Higher 12% Bachelor's degree 18%
Some College 24%
Less than High School 24%
H.S. Graduate 22%
Houston 2014
ABOVE, Right: Educational Attainment, 25 Years + for Central Southwest and Houston, 2014 BELOW, Left to Right: Madison High School and Martin Luther King Early Childhood Center
24
Dowling MS 0
y9
wa
h Hig
Highway 288
Working with area schools to enhance the success of children could enhance opportunities across the neighborhood.
Montgomery ES
eda
W. Orem
S. Post Oak
In addition to public schools, Central Southwest is home to six private and charter schools. These include: YES Prep Southwest Campus, the Imani School, Billy Reagan K-8 Educational Center, Jean Hines Caldwell Elementary School, Leader’s Academy High School and Victory Preparatory Academy.
Madison HS
Hiram Clarke Rd
Madison High School and Dowling Middle School rank very low according to the 2015 Children at Risk School rankings, both receiving a letter grade of “F.” The two best performing elementary schools are Windsor Village and Montgomery, receiving an A- and B+ grade respectively. Almeda and Grissom Elementary Schools both received a grade of “F” with Hobby and Petersen receiving “D” grades.
Hobby ES
Alm
The Central Southwest Super Neighborhood has eight public schools; all are within the Houston Independent School District. The schools include Madison High School, Dowling Middle School and six elementary schools.
W. Fuqua St
Windsor Villa ES Grissom ES Petersen ES Almeda ES Highest Rank
100% 80% 60% 40% 20%
Windsor Village ES
Petersen ES
Montgomery ES
Hobby ES
Grissom ES
Almeda ES
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Dowling Middle School
ABOVE, Right: HISD Public School Map BELOW, Right: Children at Risk Public School Rankings, 2015
0% Madison High School
Lowest Rank
Nine subdivisions in the Central Southwest neighborhood have applied for and received prohibitive yard parking ordinances. This fact indicates the strength and organization of area civic clubs to reduce nuisances and increase the quality of life in the area.
2001
2004
1972
1977
1966
1986
1995 1968 2003 1969 1984
ABOVE, Left: Prohibited Yard Parking Ordinances ABOVE, Right: Median Age of Housing by Census Tract, 2014 BELOW: Meredith Manor and area home
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Central Southwest has a very high percentage of homeowners. 65% of households own their own home, as compared to 45% in Houston overall. However, since 2000 the percent of homeowners has been declining. In 2000 72% of all households owned their own home, by 2010 the percent had declined to 67%, and by 2014 65%. The decline in homeownership is a nationwide and citywide trend. Two factors are contributing to this decline: the subprime lending crisis in the late 2000s and the increasing number of single-family housing units that are being purchased by investors and rented. The market for homes in the Central Southwest neighborhood is very diverse. Luxury home construction is occurring in the northeast corner of the neighborhood. As of June 2016 these new homes were listing for between $270,000 and $570,000. In the western portion of the neighborhood homes for sale are typically older homes, or small starter homes, and list for just over $100,000. The average listing price in June 2016 according to Zillow was just over $180,000.
50%
93%
75%
60%
32% 77% 74%
60%
67%
70%
71%
29% Renter
34% Renter
35% Renter
72% Owner
67% Owner
65% Owner
2000
2010
2014
A neighborhood of homes and families, Central Southwest is very safe, with a low incidence of crime compared to Houston overall.
ABOVE, Right: Percent of Homeowners by Census Tract, 2014 BELOW Righ: Central Southwest Housing Tenure, 2000-2014
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New Transit Town Center Linked Streets and Neighborhoods Alternative Networks
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Opportunities
Alm W. Fuqua St
Kirby Dr
Buffalo Speedway
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Hiram Clarke Rd
ABOVE, Right: Map of Major Thoroughfares BELOW Right: Utility easement OPPOSITE PAGE, Left: Opportunity Map
W. Orem S. Post Oak
In many ways Central Southwest is a neighborhood with many small centers but few “hearts” that bring everyone together.
W. Airport
Hillcroft
Specifically, we have identified four opportunities. First, to take advantage of the proposed commuter transit, particularly along US 90A as a means to better connect the neighborhood to the city. Second, to develop a town center and other approaches to the creation of central gathering and shopping areas as a means to create places for people to come together. Third, to work towards a more continuous street network to link existing neighborhoods and subdivisions, but also to create a continuous network of major thoroughfares. And fourth, to create an alternative network for pedestrians and cyclists by utilizing the existing system of drainage and utility easements that weave throughout the neighborhood and have the potential to connect schools, parks, shopping, transit and homes.
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The Central Southwest Super Neighborhood is an organized and strong community. The South Houston Coalition of Concerned Citizens is comprised of 25 civic clubs and homeowner associations that meet monthly. While residents are organized and unified, the neighborhood’s built fabric is discontinuous and fragmented. As a result, the opportunities identified for the neighborhood focus on linking and connecting the existing context and planning for future growth.
ed R Guid Line nge g ra (Lon Corr
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W. Orem
eda
Hiram Clarke
Proposed Missouri City/Stafford Stop
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tial
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o AC
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(US ail
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To the Texas Medical Center and Downtown via the Main Street light rail line (Red Line)
Proposed to travel 42 miles through Missouri City, Stafford, Sugar Land, Richmond/ Rosenberg and terminating in West Fort Bend. Total projected cost $2.2 billion. Projected daily boardings 21,600. (Source: Gulf Coast Rail District) To Pearland
ABOVE, Left: Photo of US 90A and Union Pacific rail line ABOVE, Right: Map of Proposed Transit Corridors OPPOSITE PAGE: Map of Proposed Transit Corridors and Vacant Land
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NEW TRANSIT
In February 2015 the Gulf Coast Rail District released the “Regional Commuter Rail Feasibility Study.” The study focused on three potential commuter rail corridors in the Houston region, these were Westpark, Hempstead and US90A.
Central Southwest, in the long term, could be a neighborhood extremely well linked by transit. Currently, along the proposed transit corridors and Highway 288, there is substantial vacant land and opportunities for development.
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idor Corr eda
Proposed Hwy 288 Tollway
The Houston Galveston Area Council (HGAC) includes the proposed US 90A commuter rail in the recently released 2040 Regional Transportation Plan. HGAC also identified the Almeda Line Guided Rapid Transit as a project undergoing “environmental assessment.” The proposed Almeda corridor transit route is in the eastern portion of Central Southwest. At the same time a tollway along State Highway 288 is being proposed.
90
US
or
rrid
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The US 90A commuter rail corridor parallels a Union Pacific line that is the northern boundary of the Central Southwest Super Neighborhood and travels to far west Fort Bend County. The 42-mile route would connect commuters from Missouri City, Stafford, Sugar Land, Richmond and Rosenberg to the terminus of the Red Line light rail. The study’s projected daily boardings were 21,600.
W. Orem
Opportunity Site, Future Town Center Hiram Clarke Rd S. Post Oak Hiram Clarke Rd
Potential Pedestrian/Bike Trail along utility easement, connecting to future Sims Bayou Greenways
ABOVE, Left: Aerial Photo, Hiram Clarke and W. Orem ABOVE, Right: Map of Existing Conditions and Vacant Land along Major Commercial Corridors Vacant Land
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TOWN CENTER
The primary commercial corridors in the Central Southwest Super Neighborhood are W. Orem, W. Fuqua/Allen Genoa, S. Post Oak and Hiram Clarke. The intersection of S. Post Oak and W. Orem has the densest retail and commercial development.
In addition, there is substantial new residential and commercial development occurring along the 288 corridor, particularly at the W. Airport exit. Finally, when the northern extension of Buffalo Speedway is complete additional opportunities will emerge along this thoroughfare. Vacant land for new commercial and retail development is concentrated
along W. Fuqua/Allen Genoa and W. Orem. The intersection of W. Orem and Hiram Clarke has been identified as an opportunity site for a centrally located Town Center. In addition, three smaller sites have been identified for focused local retail and amenity development, in these areas there are also a substantial number of underutilized properties.
Alm
Buffalo Speedway, northern extension
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W. Orem
Hiram Clarke Multi-Service Center Hiram Clarke Transit Center
W. Fuqua St
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CONNECT
W. Airport (Planned Completion) Buffalo Speedway
S. Post Oak W. Orem
Hiram Clarke
ABOVE, Top: Photo of Meredith Manor, illustrating the lack of connectivity across subdivsions (see study area 2) ABOVE: Aerial Photographs of three study areas OPPOSITE PAGE, Right: Subdivsion Diagram, developed by J. Andrews, G. Custodio, L. Hernandez, E. Westmoreland
W. Fuqua St.
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LINKED NEIGHBORHOODS
In many areas of Houston development has occurred piecemeal, without the benefit of a master plan or even a complete thoroughfare network to drive decision-making. This is the case in the Central Southwest Super Neighborhood where not only are local streets discontinuous but so are many major thoroughfares. Central Southwest is characterized by a series of small subdivisions
that developed over time, beginning in the 1960s through to today. Many subdivisions, constructed independently, are disconnected from surrounding developments. As a result each neighborhood feels like an island, separated from the greater context. Identifying locations where new roads and/or pedestrian bridges can be constructed to create better connectivity across the larger neighborhood has the potential to link
the separate subdivisions together to create a continuous and connected built fabric. The map below is an example of the existing conditions in the neighborhood. The entire area should be studied to identify all potential locations to create greater connectivity.
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Hiram Clarke Rd
1
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eda
W. Orem
S. Post Oak
W. Orem
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W. Fuqua St
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eda Hiram Clarke Rd
W. Orem
Highway 288
S. Post Oak
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0 wa h Hig
W. Fuqua St
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ALTERNATIVE NETWORKS A series of drainage ditches weave through the Central Southwest neighborhood moving water towards Sims Bayou. There are approximately 50 miles of these drainage easements, most of them man made. In addition to the drainage easements there are also approximately seven miles of high voltage utility easements. The largest of these easements runs north to south from US 90A to Beltway 8, adjacent to Hiram Clarke. The easements are an opportunity to create an alternative pedestrian and bike network to link schools, parks, community centers, transit routes and other destinations.
ABOVE, Right: Map of Easements BELOW, Left to Right: Drainage and utility easements OPPOSITE PAGE, Left: Map of Easements, Parks and Schools with potential links
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Participants
Community Design Workshop
University of Houston College of Architecture Student Team, Spring 2016 Jana Andrews Gabriela Custodio Liliana Hernandez Elizabeth Westmoreland *This document includes research prepared by students in Spring 2016
Community Design Resource Center
Susan Rogers, Director Adelle Main, Senior Research Assistant Barbara Blanco Gonzalez, Research Assistant Minelya De Leon, Research Assistant Tran Le, Research Assistant
Honored Guests and Critics
Vivian Harris Donald Perkins South Houston Coalition of Concerned Citizens Andrea Gonzalez Alex Lahti Eric Leshinsky Rafael Longoria Sana Rehman Jenifer Wagley
Sponsors
The Collaborative Community Design Initiative is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Architecture Center Houston Foundation. The initiative would not be possible without the generous commitment of time from stakeholders and professionals across Houston. We would like to thank all of our partners and supporters.
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