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Houston Inner Loop Neighborhood SPOTLIGHT: The Heights - Houston's Small Town in the Heart of the Big City
Houston Heights is currently one of the city's most-sought after areas. What makes this Inner Loop neighborhood so special?
Heights residents, business owners and visitors treasure the community's artful blend of old and new, funkiness and diversity, and its easy-going, small town ambiance - no small feat considering its location at the center of the nation's fourth largest city.
A National Geographic Traveler profile of the neighborhood relates, "stroll the area's broad, tree-canopied esplanades and side streets dotted with homes dating from the early 1900s and you may think you've landed in a small town."
Journalist and author, John Nova Lomax, describes the Heights as "Houston's own mini-Austin," with its many "low-key" restaurants and beer gardens. The National Geographic article reported the Heights as being "home to the highest concentration of professional artists" in the state of Texas.
Heights At A Glance
The Heights is located in northwest-central Houston, 4 miles (6.4km) northwest of Downtown. The "unofficial" boundaries are Washington Ave. on the south, IH 45 on the east, Shepherd/Durham on the west, and just above the North 610 Loop on the north.
Originally encompassing only a very small area, the Heights was annexed to the City of Houston in 1918 and now includes Woodland Heights, Norhill Heights, Sunset Heights and several surrounding tiny subdivisions which have now "merged."
The Heights boasts 117+ residential and commercial sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is home to and a favorite destination of artists, gourmets, architecture buffs and other creatives from all walks of life.
A short list of the Heights most appealing offerings includes...
*Stately Heights Boulevard lined with distinctive turn of the century homes, well- maintained parks, imposing churches, and a public library, all contributing to the neighborhood's "scenic-right-of-way" designation
*The highest concentration of historic homes in Houston
*The 19th Street business district that has become a Mecca for antique shoppers
*Excellent educational institutions, both private and public, from preschool to secondary, including two state charter schools: Houston Heights Learning Academy and Houston Heights High School
*Popular fun-filled annual events including the Heights Fun Run, Heights Bike and Skate Rally, and Historic Heights Home and Garden tour, among many others
Above all, the Heights most attractive feature is its warm, outgoing residents and business owners dedicated to maintaining the community's friendly small-town atmosphere.
Heights History
Founded by Oscar Martin Carter, self-made millionaire of the 1880's, through his Omaha and South Texas Land Company, the Heights is one of Texas' oldest planned communities, priding itself in its support of local business.
Carter brought to fruition his forward-thinking dream of a community wherein both highly-successful entrepreneurs and the "working class" could co-exist harmoniously as neighbors by promoting and attracting to the Heights not only the rich, but also up-and-coming young professionals and skilled craftsmen.
To this day, the socio-economic makeup of this Houston Inner Loop community retains the same profile.
Heights Housing
The Heights comprises an eclectic mix of many of its original Victorian homes and classic craftsman bungalows, alongside new construction as modern as you’ll find anywhere. Warehouses, derelict gas stations, and old grocery stores become homes, cafes, restaurants and bars, with steel-frame metal-clad residences sitting comfortably amid 1920’s construction.
If you're searching for the perfect Inner Loop neighborhood to call home, you'll likely be attracted by the convenience of close-in living without a nasty commute, and the Heights' wide array of nearby cultural, shopping and dining hot spots.
Heights Lifestyle
Restaurants, Shops & Galleries
If nothing but the "best" will do for you, the Heights is home to many of the "bests" in Houston, according to the Houston Press and Houston Business Journal. Hickory Hollow (101 Heights) boasts the best chicken-fried steak; Glass Wall (933 Studewood) is Houston's best new restaurant; and Berryhill (702 E. 11th) was cited as having the best tacos and homemade salsas as well as being named the best late-night restaurant in town.
With names like Eclectic Home (home furnishings, 345 W. 19th), Jubilee (women’s clothing and home décor, 321-A W. 19th), Redbud Gallery (art gallery, 303 E. 11th), Antidote Coffee (729 Studewood), and the famous Harold’s (clothing, 350 W. 19th), Heights' shoppers and diners will find goodies of all types for every taste and style.
Events & Attractions
The brainchild of a small band of visionary artists and business owners, Heights 1st Saturdays and the First Saturday Arts Market (both held on the first Saturday of each month) afford visitors the opportunity to discover and experience some of Houston's finest shopping, dining, cultural and artistic offerings.
A diverse array of area boutiques, antique shops, galleries and restaurants open their doors with planned special events, serving up a great time for all. Artists show and sell their work, musicians play outdoors, and free shuttles carry visitors from business to business, providing historical and other insights into this unique neighborhood.
Billed by the organizers as “sultry, steamy, exotic, and artfully provocative,” White Linen Night in the Heights brings out an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 people annually. Always the first Saturday evening in August, art lovers wear white linen and take to Heights streets in celebration of art, culture, and community, partaking of complimentary cooling summer drinks and live entertainment while enjoying local shops, eateries and bars.
Always the first Saturday in December, Mistletoe Madness is similar to White Linen Night, but scheduled earlier in the day to allow for holiday shopping. Visitors enjoy caroling, horse-drawn carriage rides, hot cups of Wassail, hay rides, and lots of holiday cheer, with access to free shuttles and pedi-cabs around the neighborhood.
Held on the second Saturday of December, Lights in the Heights features residential block upon block of sidewalks lined with luminarias (lit candles set in sand inside small paper bags), horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, holiday parties, porch entertainment and strolling residents and visitors.
Houston 'insiders' rank Heights' nightlife as some of the hottest in the city with of-the-moment venues comparable to the popular Austin night scene. The humble, yet cool vibe of Big Star Bar (1005 W. 19th) earned its near cult-like following within just a few months of opening; Jimmie’s Ice House (2803 White Oak) and Shady Tavern (1206 W. 20th) offer up the quintessential neighborhood bar experience; and The Boom Boom Room (2518 Yale) is the perfect spot for wine lovers. Other noteworthy venues include the down-to-earth Pearl Bar (4216 Washington) and lively Porch Swing Pub (69 Heights).
21st-Century Heights: You Have (And You Haven't) Come A Long Way, Baby
Along with other Houston Inner Loop neighborhoods, the state of Texas and the rest of the nation, the Heights has grown and evolved in accordance with changing times.
Yet now more than ever before, Heights' denizens are on a mission to preserve the neighborhood's heritage.
More than a century after this Utopian community was first envisioned and established, the
Heights continues to embody and promote not only the preservation and enhancement of beautiful private and public space...
But also good will and community spirit with its friendly, small-town atmosphere and attitude.
Oscar would be proud.
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