Extreme variety in housing costs and style is available in the area within Loop 610. The area contains some of the city's most desired and high-end neighborhoods because of their proximity to downtown, the Texas Medical Center, Hermann Park and the Museum District. Tree-lined streets are a mainstay and many of the city's finer restaurants are within the inner loop. Homes located in the inner loop range from wood-frame bungalows to stately mansions to a variety of apartments, townhomes and condominiums. The HeightsJust north of Buffalo Bayou and east of Shepherd is an area known as the Heights, a Houston-annexed town recognized for its turn-of-the-century Victorian mansions. Founded more than a century ago, the community has experienced a renovation effort to recapture the Victorian charm that once characterized the neighborhood. Wood-frame homes with gingerbread trim complement the community's revitalized Main Street District that is home to quaint antique shops and other small stores. Because of its proximity to downtown, the Heights has become an attractive neighborhood to young professionals who want a short commute and are interested in renovating an old home. Homes are being updated to accommodate modern lifestyles -- without destroying the original charm of the home. Because of its rise in popularity, Heights-area homes are commanding top dollar -- especially those that have been restored. Still, there are many homes to choose from that haven't been restored or fully restored. Montrose Buffalo Bayou forms the northern boundary of the Montrose area which enjoys a rich cultural and ethnic diversity. The Montrose district, bordered also by Highway 59 (south) and Shepherd (west), brushes against a modern downtown (east) and yet many homes retain a flavor of days gone-by. Homes built here during the early 20th century still stand, so the area is characterized by two-bedroom, brick bungalows, and two-story brick homes as well as contemporary townhomes and highrises. So historic is this area, in one small pocket of homes, Courtlandt Place, all houses are listed in the national historic registry. Other surrounding neighborhoods are Westmoreland, Avondale and Cherryhurst, all generating a southern, small-town atmosphere. These neighborhoods enjoy walking distance to fine dining and eclectic shopping, including neighborhood groceries and hardware store. Residents of Montrose appreciate living "close-in" to downtown. They enjoy easy freeway access to other parts of Houston. For those who aim for this lifestyle, the Montrose area offers the best of both worlds. River OaksExclusive neighborhoods are common to every city, whether it's Highland Park in Dallas, Pacific Heights in San Francisco or Lake Forest in Chicago. Houston's most exclusive neighborhood is River Oaks, replete with white-columned mansions, maids' quarters and manicured gardens. Nestled around the southern edge of Memorial Park, River Oaks was established by Will and Mike Hogg, the sons of former Texas Governor James Hogg. In 1928, the Hogg brothers promoted lots in the subdivision for $2,200. Deed restrictions required architectural control and prohibited homes priced below $7,500. Restrictions for Kirby Drive allowed homes only of American Colonial or English Tudor style. Today, this exclusive neighborhood of about 1,600 residents offers properties starting over $400,000. Deed restrictions prohibit "For Sale" signs on the properties. Many of the district's streets are named after famous golf and country clubs in cities such as Chevy Chase, Md., Inverness, Ohio, and Inwood, New York. The River Oaks area is known for its quaint, upscale restaurants as well as its exclusive boutiques and shops. Characterized by smaller lots, Royden Oaks, Oak Estates and Afton Oaks are located south of River Oaks. Living there are many long-term residents, accompanied by young couples who have purchased homes with renovation plans in mind. River Oaks residents enjoy easy access to the Southwest Freeway, a main artery southwest from downtown, and Loop 610 around the inner city area. Added attractions for residents are the nearby Galleria, the Museum District and the Toyota Center, home court to the Houston Rockets. South MainHouston's Texas Medical Center is the city's largest employer with 61,000 local citizens working within its more than 40 institutions. It's no wonder that housing in this area is in high demand. Lying in the southwest corner of the 610 Loop, the South Main corridor is attractive to active residents because of its convenience to the Texas Medical Center, downtown, the Galleria area, museums and Rice University, Houston's oldest institution of higher learning. Surrounding the city's medical community, as well as being close to these other hubs of activity, has rendered valuable the land in South Main neighborhoods, Boulevard Oaks, Braeswood and Devonshire; and its townships, Bellaire and West University and Southside PLace. The Boulevard Oaks section of the South Main corridor was formed by a group of small neighborhoods: Southhampton, Vassar Place, and North and South Blvd. The area is known for its abundant oak trees that, on many streets, form attractive, geometric patterns. The New York Times once called one street in Boulevard Oaks one of the most magnificent residential streets in America. Another neighborhood is Braeswood, bounded by Holcombe, South Main and Kirby streets, and Brays Bayou. It was developed in the late 1920s by George F. Howard, a lawyer, banker and real estate entrepreneur, with the backing of financier John A. Kirby and former Gov. William Hobby. Kansas City landscape architects, Hare & Hare, planned Braeswood that was known as Houston's ultimate garden suburb. They designed what was considered during that era "modern" homes, two of which in 1950 attracted national attention for exceptional design. Architecturally well-known homes include two, for instance, on Bluebonnet Street: 2329 (Carl Mulvey, architect, 1929); and 2307 (Bolton & Barnstone, architects, 1954). Today in Braeswood, one finds many large homes remodeled. Very few are tear-downs. In parts of Braeswood some deed restrictions have expired, creating occasional disputes over property use. Even so, one can count on this fashionable residential development to please anyone living here. Devonshire describes a small pocket of homes lying within walking distance of South Main's medical complex. Close by the South Main area are other points of interest: Hermann Park, the Toyota Center, Rice University,many fine restaurants, and the Astrodome. Several multi-family developments are located within the South Main area, many of which are home to an ethnically and internationally diverse population of medical students and health care professionals. West University PlaceThe city of West University Place was developed by former Tennessee Gov. Ben Hooper in 1917. Proximity to Rice Institute inspired the name West University. It incorporated in 1925, ironically, because of a reluctance on Houston's part to extend power lines out "that far." Now, over 13,000 residents live in this city that spans 1,248 residential acres and nearly 20 acres of commercial property. West University maintains strong inspection and permit policies as well as strict zoning regulations. Because of the high demand for homes in the area, few to none vacant home lots remain. About fifteen years ago, a trend began in the area. Older homes were razed and replaced with new, multi-story Georgian style homes. Bellaire The West Loop of 610 cuts mid-way through another city, Bellaire. The occupational make-up of Bellaire's 15,000 residents is predominantly professional, as is true of most of the South Main area. The town experienced a housing boom during 1991-93, with more than 100 homes built per year. Housing variety in Bellaire range from 1950s style two- and three-bedroom ranch styles, to the new Georgian mansions built during the past few years. Those with the renovation bug have had much to choose from in this community. Bellaire's shopping district enjoys a "neighborly" atmosphere with that old small town feeling.
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