Houston's Cool Bay Area

[AviationGuy]

There's already a "found" Houston photo thread, but it focuses on highrise architecture and skyline views. So I wanted to create a thread specifically for the Houston Metro's Bay Area (Galveston Bay and Clear Lake). This is one of my favorite areas of the metro. A lot of this area is within the Houston city limits.

Interestingly, the updated Google Earth satellite view was taken right after some flooding, and tons of mud flowed into Clear Lake.

The area in large part was developed in the 60s due to the development of NASA as a centerpiece. Due to its age, to me a lot of the bay area is a bit dated, and could use a lot of redevelopment. From what I've seen, the momentum seems to be building and the area is starting to change for the better.

Since I don't have any photos of the bay area of my own, I went to Google Street View and selected views of the some areas that I find interesting, or which I wanted to comment on. So here goes. I hope you enjoy seeing this area.

[IMG] Taylor Lake Village by dharper615, on Flickr[/IMG]
Source: Google Street View
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4041197...n/photostream/

The above is a view of a new development on Taylor Lake. I like it because of the tropical look of the development. Each home is on the waterfront.

[IMG] Clear Lake Shores_4 by dharper615, on Flickr[/IMG]
Source: Google Street View
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4041197...n/photostream/

Above is a view from an old neighborhood called Clear Lake Shores, which is being redeveloped.

[IMG] Clear Lake Shores_3 by dharper615, on Flickr[/IMG]
Source: Google Street View
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4041197...n/photostream/

The above is a view of some of the redevelopment of Clear Lake Shores.

[IMG] Clear Lake Shores_2 by dharper615, on Flickr[/IMG]
Source: Google Street View
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4041197...n/photostream/

The above is more redevelopment of Clear Lake Shores.

[IMG] Clear Lake Shores by dharper615, on Flickr[/IMG]
Source: Google Street View
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4041197...n/photostream/

The above photo is of an interior street in Clear Lake Shores. Many of the old homes have been replaced, but the area retains an eclectic coastal vibe. Many of the homes have their living quarters on the second level, with an open carport below (due to flooding potential from tropical storms and hurricanes). This is my favorite enclave in all of the bay area.

[IMG] Kemah_3 by dharper615, on Flickr[/IMG]
Source: Google Street View
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4041197...n/photostream/

The above photo is of the Kemah boardwalk area right on the bay (very touristy). Kemah historically was a tacky, shabby fishing village on the bay. Now it's a tacky, redeveloped fishing/tourist community. It's definitely been cleaned up a lot, though.

[IMG] Kemah by dharper615, on Flickr[/IMG]
Source: Google Street View
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4041197...n/photostream/

Above is more of the Kemah boardwalk area, including one of many marinas in the area.

[IMG] Nassau Bay by dharper615, on Flickr[/IMG]
Source: Google Street View
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4041197...n/photostream/

The above photo shows a street in Nassau Bay. This is pretty typical of most parts of the bay area. These areas were built in the 60s and were once the home of astronauts (maybe still?). Seems like in the movie Apollo 13, there were scenes from one of these neighborhoods.

[IMG] NASA by dharper615, on Flickr[/IMG]
Source: Google Street View
http://www.flickr.com/photos/4041197...n/photostream/

NASA in the distance. It's a huge complex but you can only see a little of it in the photo.

[natenate]

I always loved these areas as well. I always make it a point to say that i'm going to make more trips to Galveston but never do :/

[mello]

So great to see these areas I have always wondered why Houston didn't take more advantage of the huge body of water that is Galveston Bay being so close to the central part of the metro. I guess so much of it is industrial that may be the main reason.

[AviationGuy]

Originally Posted by natenate

I always loved these areas as well. I always make it a point to say that i'm going to make more trips to Galveston but never do :/

Since you've been there you already know this, but just fyi for other viewers, geographically the areas depicted are in the NASA area of the Houston metro. Galveston is about 25 miles away and is an island.

[AviationGuy]

Originally Posted by mello

So great to see these areas I have always wondered why Houston didn't take more advantage of the huge body of water that is Galveston Bay being so close to the central part of the metro. I guess so much of it is industrial that may be the main reason.

I think that's correct. While the non-industrial areas near or on the bay are nice, a lot of the bay is bordered by very heavy industry and port facilities.

[chris08876]

I was looking at some houses in the Houston Area, and holy crap they are so cheap compared to NJ. You could get an amazing home for 300k (Large sqft(4000 or more), and so many features), where here in NJ, a shack that's about 1000 sqft and doesn't even look good is going for 400-500k or more depending on the area. Some fine real estate. I might move there and the oil jobs are there. Plus, Ive heard your taxes are great. No state income and property is probably light years behind what NJ is (In terms of cheapness, right now, the property tax in my house is $13,000 .

[AviationGuy]

Originally Posted by chris08876

I was looking at some houses in the Houston Area, and holy crap they are so cheap compared to NJ. You could get an amazing home for 300k (Large sqft(4000 or more), and so many features), where here in NJ, a shack that's about 1000 sqft and doesn't even look good is going for 400-500k or more depending on the area. Some fine real estate. I might move there and the oil jobs are there. Plus, Ive heard your taxes are great. No state income and property is probably light years behind what NJ is (In terms of cheapness, right now, the property tax in my house is $13,000 .

Chris, my property is appraised at about $300K, and my taxes are between $6K and $7K. People from some states say these property taxes are high, but it's true that we don't have a state income tax. I tried to find a website that shows property and income tax rates for various states and cities, but didn't find one. But that was a while back. Maybe there's something now.

Inner city prices are getting to be very high for what you get, but suburbs are still a great bargain for those who favor the burbs.

HAR.com is a great website to look at homes in Houston. You may have already discovered that site.

[TexasBoi]

Originally Posted by mello

So great to see these areas I have always wondered why Houston didn't take more advantage of the huge body of water that is Galveston Bay being so close to the central part of the metro. I guess so much of it is industrial that may be the main reason.

I wonder why type of city Houston would be if downtown was on the bay instead of where it currently is now on the bayou.

[bobdreamz]

Looks a lot like many parts of Florida.

[Reverberation]

Originally Posted by TexasBoi

I wonder why type of city Houston would be if downtown was on the bay instead of where it currently is now on the bayou.

That would be cool to see. The original port of what is now Houston was actually Harrisburg, but Santa Anna burned it down. Then the Allen brothers bought what is now Houston at the farthest navigable point on the bayou and plotted out a grid and founded the city.

[AviationGuy]

Originally Posted by Reverberation

That would be cool to see. The original port of what is now Houston was actually Harrisburg, but Santa Anna burned it down. Then the Allen brothers bought what is now Houston at the farthest navigable point on the bayou and plotted out a grid and founded the city.

I had to look this up to confirm that I remembered correctly, but the Allen brothers were New York real estate people. When my oldest sister was a wild teenager, she hung out at Allen's Landing (it was a hippie hangout in the late 60s). I don't know what it's like these days.

[Reverberation]

Originally Posted by AviationGuy

I had to look this up to confirm that I remembered correctly, but the Allen brothers were New York real estate people. When my oldest sister was a wild teenager, she hung out at Allen's Landing (it was a hippie hangout in the late 60s). I don't know what it's like these days.

I believe they also marketed it as a beautiful coastal city surrounded by mountains as opposed to a mosquito infested sweatbox, but then the 1900 storm, then oil....

I had a college professor who used to romp around downtown Houston in the 60's when Houston was a big psychedelic scene. He was dropping names like the 13th Floor Elevators so it seemed legit.

[AviationGuy]

Originally Posted by Reverberation

I believe they also marketed it as a beautiful coastal city surrounded by mountains as opposed to a mosquito infested sweatbox, but then the 1900 storm, then oil....

I had a college professor who used to romp around downtown Houston in the 60's when Houston was a big psychedelic scene. He was dropping names like the 13th Floor Elevators so it seemed legit.

I've seen the sketches that I think were used by the Allen brothers whenever that was. The sketches I've seen showed the rolling terrain along what is now Allen Parkway and Memorial Drive near downtown, but they made the gentle roll look like mountains, I guess as a marketing ploy. Mosquito infested swamp/forest would be much more truthful on their part. I'm sure it was a mudfest as well.