Houston Neighborhoods – Memorial Heights

The area of Houston South of I-10 and North of Allen Parkway has been called many names over the years. Even today, some refer to it as Washington Heights, others say it is Rice Military and some infuriate native Houstonians by calling the area “The Heights.” The truth is, the area has grown so much from nothing, and much of the area never established a formal name. For now, most people refer to anything East of Shepherd Drive as Memorial Heights and Rice Military as the region West of Shepherd Drive. For the purpose of this blog, this is all Memorial Heights.

Moving on from its name, Memorial Heights is one of the most central areas of Houston with convenient access to all freeways, every relevant and desirable neighborhood and a boisterous nightlife. The region runs mostly East to West parallel to Buffalo Bayou and Washington Avenue, and is bordered by The Heights to the North, Downtown to the East, Montrose & River Oaks on the South and a smidge of The Galleria area on the West. You can get around on foot, by car or using public transport, and you can move quickly. If you travel for work, you’re set up to get out of the city, into the suburbs or on a plane in under 30 minutes. Much like Austin’s 6^th Street, New Orleans’ Bourbon Street or Dallas’ Greenville Avenue, entertainment and dining are set up one after the other preparing for the perfect pub crawl.

Walkability ★★★★★

The neighborhood is walkable in a variety of ways depending on your needs. On the East end is Buffalo Bayou Park. The 124 acres include Eleanor Tinsley Park, home of Houston’s 4^th of July celebration, Freedom over Texas  and our annual 2 day music festival Free Press Summer Fest. You can walk out your front door and be here enjoying the cool breeze as the wind bounces off of Buffalo Bayou within minutes if you are near the Studemont/Montrose intersection. On the other end is Memorial Park with an 18-hole golf course and driving range, a 3 mile jogging trail, the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center and access to Buffalo Bayou for kayaking – we host Texas’ largest regatta every March! This area is perfect for anyone closer to Shepherd or Westcott. Regardless, from one park to the other is under 5 miles and you can easily enjoy both.  Perhaps you want to get outside and enjoy an adult beverage safely. Well, Washington Avenue is walkable with clubs, bars, restaurants and everything else. Plus, you can mosey over to Montrose and enjoy bites from award winning restaurants like Pass & Provisions, indulge in affordable cocktails, or splurge on amazing buys at one of the many thrift stores.

Transportation ★★★☆☆

The great thing about Memorial Heights is the ability to get anywhere in a matter of just minutes. Memorial Drive, Allen Parkway and Washington Avenue all terminate in downtown Houston. How convenient is that? If you don’t own a car, there is a METRObus route along each of these roads that can get you into downtown or out of town, if you need it. Taxis and Uber services are plentiful in the area too, but most importantly, if the day is nice, you can get around with a bicycle or your own two feet!

Dining ★★★★★

This area is full of dining from affordable bar food to fine dining quality. For cheap bar food, head over to Porch Swing Pub for mini corn dogs or crawfish. Even the bars without a food menu, such as Liberty Station often have a food truck out front. For something a bit more substantial, J Black’s offers lite bites and pizzas, Max’s Wine Dive features comfort food with a twist, and Soma Sushi caters to those with a raw taste. For a bit of good ol’ cheap Mexican food, head over to Laredo Taqueria – regardless of the time of day, there is always a line out the door. On date night, take an Uber over to Brenner’s on the Bayou. You can enjoy a quality steakhouse dinner with a serene bayou view if the weather is nice. Even if you’re on a budget, you can saddle up to the bar where appetizers and drinks are easy on the wallet. Please remember to wear a coat and tie whether dining at the bar, on the patio or in the dining room.  Have a hankering for breakfast tacos, done right? Well, get here early because the ladies at Sunrise Taquito close shop at 12 PM daily. That’s right, the little restaurant inside a Shell gas station only serves breakfast tacos during breakfast time. They’re worth dragging yourself out of bed on a Saturday morning with the hangover from whatever you did the night before.

Nightlife ★★★★★

You can be Kim Kardashian club ready or slumming it in jeans and your favorite Chucks, and you’ll find a place to fit in with hardly any trouble at all. Liberty Station is set up like an ice house, but serves craft cocktails and local craft beer, and pretty fast, I might add. Be careful though; I’m quite sure they’ll smack you across the face if you dare to order a Miller Lite. R bar on Memorial Drive is your neighborhood sports bar. The spot is tucked away in a strip center, you wouldn’t even know it was there, and yet somehow, it becomes home. After just a few visits, everyone knows your name and you can’t imagine going anywhere else. Looking to lose yourself to the beat and pop bottles all night, check out Aura on Nett Street. One of the most popular spots for Sunday Funday and possibly one of the longest open bars is Kung Fu Saloon. You can enjoy the outdoors on their patio with Jenga, Bean Bag Toss and Connect Four, or head inside to the arcade. On my Washington Avenue bucket list is Julep, known for its mint julep, of course. They are expanding the menu this year to include other popular southern cocktails too.

Pet Friendly ★★★★★

Oh goodness! This is where Memorial Heights really exceeds the rest of Houston. The Johnny Steele Dog Park just had their grand opening in January 2015 and is separated into a large dog and small dog section. Both sections include about an acre of running space, shaded areas, and seating for the humans (and tuckered out pups, Both sides also have water features including their own pond and dog wash areas. This section of Buffalo Bayou Park has always been an unofficial park for man’s best friend, but recently underwent $1.5 million in huge renovations to keep dogs out of Buffalo Bayou and off of Allen Parkway. Dogs are also welcome at Memorial Park along the 3 mile jogging trail and at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center – just remember to keep them on a leash, please. My furbaby, Jagger prefers long walks on the trails that follow the curves of Buffalo Bayou, and for the really busy pet parents out there, nearly every apartment community has an on-site dog park.

Average Home Purchase Price: $503,469*

Average One Bedroom Rental Rate – Privately Owned: $1,173**

Average One Bedroom Rental Rate – Class A Apartment: $1,456***

*data calculated on January 4, 2015 from HAR.com using houses, townhouses & condominiums sold in the “Rice Military, Washington Corridor, Sabine and West End” market areas in the previous 90 days with at least 1 bedroom and an average square footage of 2342 square feet. This average rate does not take into account studio or efficiency condominiums.

** data calculated on January 4, 2015 from HAR.com using one bedroom condominiums and apartments leased in the “Rice Military, Washington Corridor, Sabine and West End” market areas in the previous 90 days ranging in size, quality and condition. This average rate does not take into account studio or efficiency lease options.

*** data calculated on January 4, 2015 using the most recent “best rate available within 60 days” published on UrbanLeasing.com for traditional one bedroom one bathroom apartments at Class A apartment communities in the “River Oaks, Heights and Montrose” market areas that are within the geographical boundaries of Memorial Heights. A “Class A” apartment is new or recently updated, well maintained and offers luxury finishes, gated access, on-site parking, washer and dryer, and amenities include at minimum a pool, fitness center and cyber café. This average rate does not take into consideration studio or efficiency apartment homes. The team at UrbanLeasing.com updates rates on a daily basis as market data becomes available.

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