Southgate (Houston)

Southgate is a neighborhood in Houston, Texas, United States.

History

In 2002 St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital was engaging in an expansion project. In January 2003 some residents asked the City of Houston to reclassify University Boulevard as a residential street in order to control the amount of traffic on the street. The Southgate Civic Club asked for a street closure on Southgate Boulevard to prevent traffic from the Texas Medical Center from reaching the subdivision. In late December 2003 the City of Houston Public Works Department closed a portion of Southgate Boulevard to block Medical Center traffic. In 2003, on weekdays, 38% of the vehicle traffic on Southgate Boulevard did not originate from the neighborhood. The Houston Fire Department had stated opposition to the street closures. In December 2003 the City of Houston closed Southgate east of Travis Street, preventing commuters to a St. Luke's office building from parking in the neighborhood. Deborah Mann Lake of the ''Houston Chronicle''. said that the closure of Southgate Boulevard did not bring very many complaints.

In 2004 residents considered establishing a property owners association to better prevent developments not desirable to the community from occurring and to more strongly enforce deed restrictions. Some residents believed that a property owners association could gain too much power and cause the community's direction to fall into an undesirable power authority.Saucier, Heather.
Southgate residents debate need for owners association / Some favor more control, but others express concerns
" ''Houston Chronicle''. Thursday May 27, 2004. ThisWeek 8. Retrieved on October 23, 2012. In 2004 Richard Merrill, the president of the Southgate Civic Club, said that a majority of residents supported the idea of a property owners association. One resident, Michael Bonderer, launched a campaign against the idea of a property owners association and put a sign in his yard. He was banned from the Southgate community message board, which had been established to discuss the property owner issue.

In 2007 Southgate residents and Houston City Council member Anne Clutterbuck worked on a plan to make modify street closures to continue stemming Texas Medical Center traffic.

In 2010 Raj Mankad of the ''Houston Chronicle'' said that despite being in the presence of the high-rises of the Texas Medical Center, it "retains a close-nit community feel.Mankad, Raj.
Houses vs Towers — Can urban neighborhoods survive?
''Houston Chronicle''. Tuesday March 16, 2010. Retrieved on October 23, 2012.

In April 2010 the City of Houston "automated" curbside recycling program was extended to Southgate.

Cityscape

Southgate is adjacent to Rice University and the Texas Medical Center. It consists of four subdivisions.

Trees line the neighborhood streets. In 2002 Southgate had 573 houses. Many of the houses were built in the 1930s and the 1940s. Unlike surrounding communities like the City of West University Place and Southampton, by 2002 few of the original houses in Southgate had been demolished and replaced with new development. Because there is less variety in the housing styles, the pricing range was more narrow than in other areas. In 2002 the lowest housing prices were a bit below $300,000 ($ in current money) and most of the original two-story houses sold in the $400,000 ($ in current money) range. The small number of newer houses often had prices of over $700,000 ($ in current money).Feser, Katharine.
Southgate has great location, traditional feel
" ''Houston Chronicle''. Sunday January 6, 2002. Business 6. Retrieved on October 23, 2012. In 2002 Feser said that Southgate had similarities to the communities making up Morningside Place. By 2010 the housing stock included several restored 1930s houses and some more recent modern houses. Raj Mankad of the ''Houston Chronicle'' said that the housing stock "demonstrates both stability and openness to innovation."

Demographics

In 2005 Allison Cook said "There's just more disposable income in Southampton, Broad Acres and storied Shadow Lawn than in Southgate".

Government and infrastructure

The Southgate Civic Club operates the community. It includes an architectural review as part of its deed restrictions, described by Raj Mankad of the ''Houston Chronicle'' as "strong."

Houston Fire Department Fire Station 3

is located at 3828 Aberdeen Way. Houston Fire Department Station 33 Braes Heights Medical Center is near the Texas Medical Center at 7100 Fannin @ South Braeswoo

It is within Houston City Council District C.

The neighborhood is within the Houston Police Department's South Central Patrol Divisio


Patrol services are contracted to the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office.

The Rice Area Constable Service patrols the community, charging it $200 yearly. On some streets parking is restricted, because the community is in proximity to the Texas Medical Center.

Southgate is in Texas's 7th congressional district

Harris Health System (formerly Harris County Hospital District) designated Martin Luther King Health Center in southeast Houston for ZIP code 77030. The nearest public hospital is Ben Taub General Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.

Education

Public schools

Roberts Elementary School is located in Southgate. Southgate is zoned to Houston Independent School District schools, including Roberts, Pershing Middle School (located in Braeswood Place - Any student zoned to Pershing may apply to Pin Oak Middle School's regular program), and Lamar High School (Upper Kirby).

Roberts has a magnet program in the fine arts. As of 2002 the school consistently achieves high test scores. During that year, Katherine Feser said that the school was a "draw" for Southgate.

Private schools

St. Vincent de Paul School
a K-8 Roman Catholic school operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, is in the area.
St. Nicholas School Medical Center Campus
a K-8 private school, is in the area.

Public libraries

The Houston Public Library Stella Link Branch and the Harris County Public Library West University Branch are near Southgate.

Community information

The Weekley Family YMCA is located near Southgate.

Media

The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the area regional newspaper.

The ''West University Examiner'' is a local newspaper distributed in the communit

The '' Village News and Southwest News'' is a local newspaper distributed in the community.

In the mid-20th century the community newspaper ''Southwestern Times'' served Southgate and surrounding communities. The paper was headquartered in Rice Village.

Notable residents

* Brock Wagner (founder and owner of Saint Arnold Brewing Co.)Richards, Sarah.
Houston's own / Word `failure' not in Saint Arnold Brewing Co. owner's vocabulary
" ''Houston Chronicle''. Thursday June 12, 2003. ThisWeek 12. Retrieved on October 23, 2012.

References

Further reading

* Harris County Block Book Map: Southgate Addition
JPGPDF
*

" ''Houston Chronicle''. Thursday July 19, 2007. ThisWeek 1.
* Zheng, Chunhua Zen.
Traffic patterns, safe streets, top list of University Place
" ''Houston Chronicle''. Thursday August 23, 2001. ThisWeek 1. Retrieved on October 23, 2012.

External links

Southgate

Southgate Neighbors discussion group

University Place Association

University Place Association
(Archive)

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Neighborhoods in Houston