St. George Place, Houston facts for kids
St. George Place is a neighborhood in Houston, Texas. It's located in the Uptown Houston area, between the 610 Loop and Beltway 8. This neighborhood was created in the early 1990s from parts of an older area called Lamar Terrace.
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History of St. George Place
The Lamar Terrace area was first developed after World War II, opening in 1949.
Changes in Property Ownership
In the 1980s, companies connected to a Saudi businessman named Adnan Khashoggi started buying many houses in Lamar Terrace. Between 1982 and 1985, these companies bought 75 houses. They planned to build a large complex with a skyscraper and a hotel nearby, but this project was put on hold. Later, banks that had loaned money for these houses took back 47 of them because the loans weren't paid.
Neighborhood Challenges
By the late 1980s, Lamar Terrace faced problems like urban decay. This meant some houses were run-down, with trash and old cars in the yards. People even called it the "Galleria Ghetto" because it looked so different from the fancy Galleria area nearby. An investor named Robert L. Silvers was shocked by how the neighborhood looked, calling it a "disaster."
Robert Silvers Helps Redevelop the Area
Because people thought the Galleria area would grow, residents of Lamar Terrace voted to remove old rules about how properties could be used. This made it easier for new development. Robert Silvers started buying properties in Lamar Terrace in the late 1980s. He bought 107 lots in total, many of which were empty. He then tore down the houses that were not well kept.
Silvers worked with the city to create a special zone called a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ). This allowed the neighborhood to use future property tax money to pay for improvements. When a TIRZ is set up, the amount of tax money collected is frozen at a certain level. As property values go up because of new development, any extra tax money collected is then put back into the TIRZ area to fund more improvements.
On December 12, 1990, St. George Place became Houston's first TIRZ. This meant that the city, Harris County, and the Houston Independent School District agreed to put some of their future tax money back into the area. In 1993, the Houston City Council approved special rules for building in St. George Place, and the neighborhood's boundaries were expanded.
Building the New St. George Place
At first, new homes were built slowly. So, Silvers started his own company, Ironwood Homes, to build houses. This encouraged other builders to come to the area.
In 1999, the St. George Place Civic Association was formed. This group helps residents work with the TIRZ board. By 2006, the neighborhood had greatly improved. It had mostly new, nice homes, well-kept streets, and easy access to shopping and jobs.
About St. George Place Today
St. George Place is located west of The Galleria. Its borders are West Alabama Street, Chimney Rock Drive, Richmond Avenue, and South Rice Avenue.
Around 2000, new houses in St. George Place cost between $350,000 and $450,000. By 2002, 242 new houses had been built. People expected all the older houses to be replaced within five years.
Before the redevelopment, Lamar Terrace had many neglected houses. By 1999, these old properties were gone. By 2016, home and land values had increased a lot, with homes costing from $575,000 to $1,500,000.
Who Lives Here?
In the 1990s, many people renting homes in Lamar Terrace were Hispanic families with lower incomes. By 2016, the neighborhood had changed. Now, it's home to wealthy families, young professionals, and people whose children have grown up and moved out, from many different backgrounds.
Education in St. George Place
Public Schools
Students in St. George Place attend schools in the Houston Independent School District. The neighborhood is zoned for St. George Place Elementary School and Tanglewood Middle School (which used to be Grady Middle School). For high school, students are zoned to Margaret Long Wisdom High School (formerly Lee High School) but can also choose to go to Lamar High School or Westside High School.
St. George Place Elementary School is a large building, about 86,000 square feet, and can hold 750 students. It has different colored sections for classes, which helps younger kids find their way. The school also has science rooms, art rooms, and a library.
The new campus for the Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School (MCLIMS) is right next to St. George Place Elementary. This school, which cost $32 million, has a special sun and moon design.
History of Schools in the Area
In the 1990s, the school district planned to build a middle school in Lamar Terrace. They bought 94 lots and tore down all the houses on them, spending $10 million to clear the land. However, no school was built for many years because funding wasn't approved.
St. George Place Elementary finally opened in 2006. Most of the money for the school came from the school district, with some help from the TIRZ. Before this school opened, students went to Pilgrim Elementary School.
Public Libraries
The closest public library for residents is the Jungman Branch of the Houston Public Library.
Parks and Fun Things to Do
The city of Houston has Grady Park at 1700 Yorktown.
The Gerald D. Hines Waterwall Park is also very close, just a three-block walk from St. George Place. It's a popular spot with a huge water fountain.
