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Houston housing
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Also, consider Brentwood Condominiums(behind 7575 Kirby). Lots of med students,residents, and older folks which keeps things pretty quiet.
[The last thing you want to do is spend an hour and a half driving home in traffic after a 30-hr shift on the wards/icu/whatever.
During med school, I lived in affordable housing less than 2 miles away from the med center- short walk/bike/bus ride to the med center. Right near all of the restaurants/bars in the Rice Village area, close proximity to downtown. The best parts of Houston for entertainment (restaurants/bars/nightlife/theatre), outdoors (Memorial Park, Hermann Park), festivals, sports, etc. are all within a 10-15 mile radius of the med center (med center, rice village, downtown areas). Move to the suburbs if you enjoy spending 1/2 of your life in your car, you enjoy shopping at super target, and eating at the same chain restaurants that are in every city.
Plus, living in the med center vicinity, you will be in close proximity to all of hospitals for either UT-Houston or Baylor- when you have to be at work at 5AM, it makes a big difference living 2 miles away from the hospital vs. 40 miles away.[/QUOTE]
Also, consider Brentwood Condominiums(behind 7575 Kirby). Lots of med students,residents, and older folks which keeps things pretty quiet.
[The last thing you want to do is spend an hour and a half driving home in traffic after a 30-hr shift on the wards/icu/whatever.
During med school, I lived in affordable housing less than 2 miles away from the med center- short walk/bike/bus ride to the med center. Right near all of the restaurants/bars in the Rice Village area, close proximity to downtown. The best parts of Houston for entertainment (restaurants/bars/nightlife/theatre), outdoors (Memorial Park, Hermann Park), festivals, sports, etc. are all within a 10-15 mile radius of the med center (med center, rice village, downtown areas). Move to the suburbs if you enjoy spending 1/2 of your life in your car, you enjoy shopping at super target, and eating at the same chain restaurants that are in every city.
Plus, living in the med center vicinity, you will be in close proximity to all of hospitals for either UT-Houston or Baylor- when you have to be at work at 5AM, it makes a big difference living 2 miles away from the hospital vs. 40 miles away.[/QUOTE]
applicant2002 said:
Not very new -- I wouldn't call them run-down, but they're older units. Kinda dark. Not very aesthetically pleasing. In Condoland which is nice for accessibility to the med center, but not for anything else, in my opinion -- kind of isolated area with sub-standard services (grocery store, Blockbuster, etc.) that you may not use on a regular basis. Not super safe.
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Just an opinion from the other side of the arguement:
My wife has driven to the medical center from Pearland about daily for the last 3+ years in med school and its not that big a deal. She hasn't "spent have her life in her car" by any means. Having a neighborhood, space, privacy, and an actual home that is ours to enjoy are more important to us than being near the so-called action of the medical center and surrounding areas. When she was post-call we enjoyed our suburban life and I would think many others would see it the same way.
All in all, don't believe all you read about living outside of the medical center. Houston itself is a huge run-down city with many shady areas that is trying to improve its image. We lived right in the medical center during her first year and got tired of spending over $1000 monthly on rent to live in a brand new complex only to leave the gate and find ourselves in the middle of a crime-ridden city. Paying the same for a mortgage on a home is well worth the drive in....and more. If restaurant and bar selection is a deciding factor for housing, live in the med center. We had different priorities before and after living there for a year.
The last thing someone new to the city with limited personal time needs is to find themselves in a crappy apartment with the delusion that being in the center of social activities will make up for it. Other than a ghetto WalMart in Meyerland that is bad even for a WalMart, Super Target is the only major retail store anywhere near the med center and we shopped there when we lived in Houston and now in the nice new one we have down the road in Pearland. We just feel safer when we shop now.
To each their own. Do your homework on what matters most to you +/- family.
My wife has driven to the medical center from Pearland about daily for the last 3+ years in med school and its not that big a deal. She hasn't "spent have her life in her car" by any means. Having a neighborhood, space, privacy, and an actual home that is ours to enjoy are more important to us than being near the so-called action of the medical center and surrounding areas. When she was post-call we enjoyed our suburban life and I would think many others would see it the same way.
All in all, don't believe all you read about living outside of the medical center. Houston itself is a huge run-down city with many shady areas that is trying to improve its image. We lived right in the medical center during her first year and got tired of spending over $1000 monthly on rent to live in a brand new complex only to leave the gate and find ourselves in the middle of a crime-ridden city. Paying the same for a mortgage on a home is well worth the drive in....and more. If restaurant and bar selection is a deciding factor for housing, live in the med center. We had different priorities before and after living there for a year.
The last thing someone new to the city with limited personal time needs is to find themselves in a crappy apartment with the delusion that being in the center of social activities will make up for it. Other than a ghetto WalMart in Meyerland that is bad even for a WalMart, Super Target is the only major retail store anywhere near the med center and we shopped there when we lived in Houston and now in the nice new one we have down the road in Pearland. We just feel safer when we shop now.
To each their own. Do your homework on what matters most to you +/- family.
GoRedSox06 said:
By the way, say "hi" to T. 😉 I have a very, very good friend who will be a PGY3 in g. surg at UTSW and he loves the program -- really happy there.
I agree and disagree with parts of the above post. The problem with making recommendations of where to live in Houston is that it's a HUGE city, and we are all going to resort to some generalizations in order to describe different areas, complexes, etc. You (those preparing to move to Houston) have to make sure to take all of those recommendations with a huge grain of salt.
If you want to live in the suburbs, Pearland is a reasonable choice. A lot of residents live there because of family concerns. It is very "surburby" and if that is what you are looking for, then you will enjoy it. However, as it gets more and more popular each year (ie, as an alternative to the "congestion" of living in Katy or Sugarland), the traffic gets a little bit worse each year. From residents who live there, I have heard wildly different descriptions of commute times. I think if you leave prior to 6:45-7:00am, you will be okay. Evening commute times -- if you leave during peak hours, you may just have to "suck it up" and sit in a little bit of traffic.
What I object to in the above post is the description of Houston being this entirely crime-ridden ghettoized city, which just isn't true. Is the condoland/med center area more unsafe and lacking in "nice" shopping and restaurant options -- yes, definitely. However, YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN THE MED CENTER/CONDOLAND!!! There are so many nice neighborhoods within a reasonable commuting distance to the hospital (20-25 minutes, max.) where you can live in safety, easy access to great restaurants, nice grocery stores, and aesthetically-pleasing surroundings. I urge people to check out the Galleria area for condos/apartments/townhomes, Southampton for beautiful, mature architecture duplexes, apartment complexes that border the southern edge of West University, and for more funky, urban surroundings, consider Upper Kirby, Montrose, Rice Military, and Midtown.
The great thing about Houston is that it is a huge area (including suburbs) that has enough different neighborhoods to satisfy an enormous variety of tastes and lifestyles. In this sense it is really no different than many other large cities, like Los Angeles, Atlanta, San Francisco, and for the above poster, Boston. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of many parts of Boston/Cambridge -- I've spent a ton of time in the Central Square/Harvard Square parts of Cambridge and I hate it -- I think its dirty, run-down, people are unfriendly, and I actually feel more unsafe walking around there than I ever have in Houston. However, I realize that Boston/Cambridge is a big enough area that I could find more pleasant areas (if I could get over the cold!).
Anyways, I think Houston is a fantastic city with a lot to offer. I have come to love it over the years and will be very sad to leave it. Good luck to all of you who are moving here this summer.
lilycat said:
Well said Lilycat!! 🙂
lilycat said:
Shadow Creek is nice. We live in West Oaks in Pearland which is really close to Shadow Creek. It was one of the first big developments in Pearland other that Silverlake. Like most of Pearland, it is close to Highway 288 so it's pretty central.Dr.One said:
GoRedSox06 said:
What do you think about the Sugar Land area? I have drove through it and it seems nice, but I heard they are trying to make it like the Beverly Hills of Texas, and property prices should go through the roof. Also, how is crime out in Houston since Katrina? Pretty bad right?
Dr.One said:
I think Sugarland would be a very rough daily commute to the medical center, especially with proposed construction to I-10 in the works.
Crime in Houston since Katrina... the take-home point, in my opinion, is that crime, particularly violent crime, both pre- and post- Katrina is concentrated in specific neighborhoods which are nowhere near where a resident or student will likely be living (the major "hot spots" right now are on the Southwest side/Fondren areas). Yes, there has been an increase in homicides since the last quarter of 2005. Depending what newspaper you read, there are differing opinions on how much is due to Katrina.
When violent crime occurs in "nice" neighborhoods (I can think of about 7 specific incidents in the last 3 years), it's a really big deal and generates significantly increased attention from businesses and the police department.
Basically, Houston is a big city -- this shouldn't be a shocker to anyone who interviewed here -- it's the fourth-largest city in the U.S. If you have lived in a big city before, then you should know how to take steps to keep yourself safe; if you haven't, then realize a lot of it boils down to common sense. Avoid "shady" neighborhoods when possible; be aware of your surroundings and walk with a purpose; get escorts to the med center parking garages or walk with colleagues to your car; if you have an alarm for your house/apt., use it; don't run alone in the dark; etc.
Dr.One said:
Sugarland it nice too but when my wife and I were looking for a house we thought it was too far out and traffice on 59 was really bad at the time. If you have been through there, you probably already know that. I really thought it was a nice area though. As for it being the Beverly Hills of Texas....well.....it is pricey in some areas and last time I checked taxes were on the high side. A lot of well off people have houses there (Shaquille O'Neal being one) but a lot of middle class people also live out there. I think River Oaks or the Galleria area would be more along the lines of the Beverly Hills of Texas. Surgarland is just a really nice suburb. Pearland is coming up fast too. On the Shadow Creek side of 288 a hospital is going up as well as a buch of new retail. Down 288 at 518 (Broadway) there is a ton of new retail and restaurants. We live more in the middle of Pearland.
Crime in Houston has gotten bad since Katrina but it is mainly relegated to one area where it has gotten really bad. I think the zip where it has gotten hit the hardest is 77036 (it was in Sunday's Chronicle if anyone has it still). If you look at the stats you will see a significant jump in crime but do some research and you will see that it's not all over the place.
PM me if you have any other questions about Pearland or just post here and I will respond.
Thanks!
lilycat said:
thanks for your reply.
is university housing located in a safe area, or is it a high crime area (the actual property)?
applicant2002 said:
It's pretty much in Condoland, so I would say that it is not the safest area, but it is not necessarily a high crime area either. If you do go with University Housing, I would choose the El Paseo property over the Cambridge property. The El Paseo units are BRAND NEW, while Cambridge was built in the 1970's I think.
As to the previous poster asking about Greatwood in Sugar Land; I would stick to Pearland if you're wanting to move to the suburbs. Sugar Land may be a bit too far of a commute.
Regarding property taxes, though, Pearland is much higher than Sugar Land (Pearland - 0.67 per $100 valuation, Sugar Land - 0.32 per $100 valuation) *Note: not including school and other district taxes.
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"to each their own" is right!
To me, living within the city is not just about bars and restaurants, it's about experiencing the entire culture of the city- I enjoy being near the theatre, the museums, the festivals, being in close proximity to Astros games, being right near Hermann and Memorial parks, etc, etc.
Of the time I have spent visiting people in "the suburbs", everything is exactly the same- neighborhoods full of brand-new cookie-cutter homes that all look the same; streets lined with chain restaurants and chain stores that are the same in any city in the country. You could be in Sugarland, Texas and how do you even distinguish that from a suburb in Dallas or anywhere else in the country? Super WalMart, Applebee's, Olive Garden, it's all the same. There is a lack of uniqueness and character.
For all of you who think that Houston is nothing but a run-down ghetto, where the hell are you guys from?- Boise, Idaho?? Sure, Houston has bad neighborhoods, but so does every city anywhere near its size. Just stay away from them!!
I lived in university housing on 7900 cambridge for 4 years and there is nothing wrong with it at all. It's nothing pretty to look at from the outside, but all of the apartments are all recently remodeled on the inside. Also, I did not one time have a problem with crime or felt unsafe in that neighborhood!
For all you guys looking for housing in Houston, there are not just 2 options!!
It's not just condoland vs. moving out to the boonies. There are lots of great areas to live in houston that are not "condoland" and not "suburbian hell" (in my mind!)- montrose, museum district, rice village area, downtown lofts, the heights, etc. If you have a family and want a more neigborhood feel, try Meyerland, Bellaire, etc. You can live in a great neighborhood without a 20-40 mile commute. It's amazing that people think they escape the city problems by moving to the suburbs- Plano of Dallas has to be a classic example- rows and rows of big, brand-spanking new homes, shopping strip after shopping strip of pretty new chain stores, people moving out from Dallas for a "better life"- spending weekends making your grass look greener than your neighbor's grass, and what do you know, one of the biggest heroin problem areas in the country.
Just my 2 cents. If shopping at the "prettier" and bigger Wal-Mart is what makes you happy, by all means, move to Sugarland, the Woodlands, etc.
To me, living within the city is not just about bars and restaurants, it's about experiencing the entire culture of the city- I enjoy being near the theatre, the museums, the festivals, being in close proximity to Astros games, being right near Hermann and Memorial parks, etc, etc.
Of the time I have spent visiting people in "the suburbs", everything is exactly the same- neighborhoods full of brand-new cookie-cutter homes that all look the same; streets lined with chain restaurants and chain stores that are the same in any city in the country. You could be in Sugarland, Texas and how do you even distinguish that from a suburb in Dallas or anywhere else in the country? Super WalMart, Applebee's, Olive Garden, it's all the same. There is a lack of uniqueness and character.
For all of you who think that Houston is nothing but a run-down ghetto, where the hell are you guys from?- Boise, Idaho?? Sure, Houston has bad neighborhoods, but so does every city anywhere near its size. Just stay away from them!!
I lived in university housing on 7900 cambridge for 4 years and there is nothing wrong with it at all. It's nothing pretty to look at from the outside, but all of the apartments are all recently remodeled on the inside. Also, I did not one time have a problem with crime or felt unsafe in that neighborhood!
For all you guys looking for housing in Houston, there are not just 2 options!!
It's not just condoland vs. moving out to the boonies. There are lots of great areas to live in houston that are not "condoland" and not "suburbian hell" (in my mind!)- montrose, museum district, rice village area, downtown lofts, the heights, etc. If you have a family and want a more neigborhood feel, try Meyerland, Bellaire, etc. You can live in a great neighborhood without a 20-40 mile commute. It's amazing that people think they escape the city problems by moving to the suburbs- Plano of Dallas has to be a classic example- rows and rows of big, brand-spanking new homes, shopping strip after shopping strip of pretty new chain stores, people moving out from Dallas for a "better life"- spending weekends making your grass look greener than your neighbor's grass, and what do you know, one of the biggest heroin problem areas in the country.
Just my 2 cents. If shopping at the "prettier" and bigger Wal-Mart is what makes you happy, by all means, move to Sugarland, the Woodlands, etc.
This is a good thing though. In fact, this is one of the main things that makes America great. The way I look at it is, is that everywhere you go you expect the same great expectations. The same good food at Olive Garden, the same great service. I am not an American, but I lived in America for half of my life. When you move away, you miss that kind of stuff. You have no idea how quickly you get used to Americas ultra-convinience lifestyle and suddenly when you don't have a 24 hr Walgreens down the street, you realize you want one.
mmb said:
Parts of Meyerland are really nice. Older homes, established neighborhoods that kind of thing. Many condos and townhomes are in the affordable range and we had friends who went that way. Homes inside the loop are over-priced because of location. But if you can afford it that's no big deal. We didn't know anyone who could.
They were building new homes over there but placed them in the midst of some VERY rough areas (ie homes around needed to be torn down..literally). They were very bare bones, too. NuHomes, KB, Lennar are a few I can think of that build affordable homes but skimp to do it. Be careful and look at the surrounding property values and crime statistics for that particular zip code rather than the city as a whole.
The drive to the med center depends on how far in Meyerland you buy and time of day just like with anywhere else.
Ive been to Meyerland - its where my sister lives. Its a heavily Jewish place, which is pretty close to the medical center ( I think within 20 mins or so). I think crime there is higher than in the suburbs and you also get a much smaller house for your money. My sister lives in Nob Hill and pays like 800 for a 2 bed room 900sqft apartment.
EM Junkie said:
pearland folks,
What's the employment options for Pearland? Can you find okay jobs in pearland or the surrounding suburban areas without driving into Houston? Are there any employment opportunities out there in the Pearland area, like Plano to Dallas kind of arrangement, where good jobs and good neighbourhood are both located in the suburbs?
I just drove through Pearland recently looking for housing, the shadow creek area is nice but other than that big strip mall area on 518, I didn't see any businesses or places for jobs. Do everyone who live in pearland commute into Houston for work?
When is the construction on 288 going to be done? The traffic on my day of visit was awful.
Thanks!
zzz1 said:
I live in Pearland and drive in to the Galleria area to work (IT). There isn't any major industry here in Pearland. Mainly a bedroom community. If you can give me an idea of what specific industry you're looking for that would help set you in a particular direction. PM if you want or just post here
As for safety, and I know others disagree, it is an issue with me. Look at the crime stats for the area where the med center is (77030) and judge for yourself. Its a huge city within a huge city, really, so its to be expected. We lived at the Gates at Hermann Park and my wife rode her bike in for awhile but there are vagrants a'plenty near the Bayou (they sleep there) in the morning. Some near misses but nothing every happened to her. Security to even walk my wife to her car was an ordeal in itself and her med school wasn't very interested in doing much to help. I go pick her up if she gets off duty late at night and has a hike to her car. Not sure if they offer better security escorting to residents.
Its not a war zone by any means but its the epicenter of lots of action, parks, the Zoo, and of course the rail runs right through. Homelessness is a problem in Harris County as a whole and the medical center has many of the services for mental health, free medical care, etc. Its to be expected that in the heart of all of this crimes will occur.
zzz1 said:
I think it's up to about $70 per month now for the remote lots. They also include a yearly Metro Rail pass to ride only between your parking lot and the TMC. I have never had any problems with safety, especially if you are coming at standard times (after 6am, leaving by 6pm), as you will be parking along with dozens of other people at the same time.
zzz1 said:
It is fairly safe. I have never had any problems. On the other hand, I wouldn't want my wife walking around by herself after dark. The TMC is not a crime-ridden ghetto, but as others have said, it is a big city and you should be aware of your surroundings. As far as the Metro Rail, I have never had any problems at the rail platforms in the TMC. Once you go north of the Museum District station, I would watch out!!
Be aware that one of the churches at Holcombe and MacGregor has taken it upon themselves to feed every homeless person in Houston breakfast, so naturally they all camp out in Hermann Park right near the Rice University Metro Rail stop. Again, as a male I have never had a problem, but a woman might...
zzz1 said:
Employment opportunities in Pearland - for retail it is pretty good. There is lots of new retail always sprouting up in the area. As far as large corporations - not so much. Sugar Land is a pretty quick drive to the west, where more professional companies are. The Clear Lake area is not too far away, and you are going against traffic in the morning. Pearland is in the midst of a huge recruting push to bring more professional businesses to the city (huge biotechnology park near 288 and the Beltway), but this will be so far off as to not help you or your spouse any.
As far as traffic - the construction being done now is minimal! They are widening the lanes and building overpasses south of FM 518, and building feeder roads between McHard Rd/Shadow Creek Pkway. and the Beltway. These should both be finished or close to it by the end of summer. However, traffic will only continue to grow worse! While some on this board may disagree, I lived in Pearland from age 3 up until the 3rd year of medical school, I still work on the ambulance there, and all of my family lives there. You are just going to have to drive it at various times throughout the morning and evening to see if the traffic is better when you will be driving. Note that it is always worse in the Fall, and better in the Spring and Summer, and any school holidays. Any construction projects by the state to widen 288 and make a real dent in traffic are AT LEAST 10 years down the road.
I still think Pearland is the best place to live if you have children though! Inside the loop is no place to raise a family, IMO.
Feel free to post more questions!
lilycat said:
I live in Archstone Brompton in one of the un-remodeled apt on the 3rd floor and i absolutely love it. My rent is ridiculously cheap and my apt is huge. The complex is easy to work with and well maintained. I have two friends that live on the first floor apt that are remodeled and a bit more pricy than my place and another friend in a 3rd floor un-remodeled apt and they really like the complex too. It is an easy 30 min bike ride on braeswood bayou trail to my school or I take the apt shuttle or the city bus all are easy. I love the area it is quiet and safer than condo land. I walk out of my complex and there are places to go running and good grocery stores around the corner.
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zzz1 said:
Safety in the med center could and should be better -- in a lot of ways, I think it's just an accident waiting to happen -- at some point, something bad will happen, but unfortunately that's what it will probably take to galvanize increased security presence around the Metro stops and the parking garages.
Everything EMJunkie said was spot on. There is a large homeless population that camps out just north of the MacGregor/Hermann Hospital station, due to the church that feeds them and also probably due to the close proximity of the main county hospital. Also, you often have "unsavory" characters getting treatment at one of the two Level One trauma centers next door to one another (Hermann and Ben Taub)-- where do these people go when they either get released or elude their police escorts (unfortunately common)???
That being said, I am not personally aware of any incidents involving a student or resident in the med center in the last few years. I think about 3 years ago there was a rape of a woman working late in a building on South Fannin (south of most of the hospitals), and I think 4 years ago a woman was raped while jogging around Rice in the wee hours of the morning and while it was still dark out (again, the common sense issue of living in a big city).
On a few occasions I've waited for the MetroRail between 9pm and 11pm and actually did not feel threatened or unsafe. Again, this goes back to common sense -- the Hermann metro rail stop tends to be more deserted at that hour than the Dryden Metro stop (this one attracts many employees from Texas Children's, Methodist, St. Luke's). Therefore, I only wait at the Dryden stop, and when walking to it, I stick to well-lighted, well-trafficked thoroughfares and don't take short-cuts between buildings, dark parking lots, etc. I've also walked out to the parking garage between 9pm and 2am on occasion -- if I can, I walk out with another student or resident. If I can't, I walk fast and purposeful. I've never had a scary encounter in the parking garage, but I'm naturally paranoid so these situations make me a little more nervous. But again, I've never had anything happen, or even close to it.
The only crime I've been personally aware of is that several friends who lived in Condoland or in other med center-area apartments (including Camden Vanderbilt and Archstone Brompton) have had their cars or apartments broken into at some point during the four years. However, I have a friend who lives in an apartment in Tanglewood (George Bush Sr.'s neighborhood) who was broken into last year. It's hard to find an area in a big city where you are totally immune from that kind of activity. All you can do is be as proactive as possible -- use your deadbolts (2 recommended), get or activate an alarm system, get renter's insurance if you don't buy. I also leave my TV on when I'm gone all day.
zzz1 said:
It's a joke some friends and I have. Ben Taub is a public county hospital AND it's a level one trauma center that gets a large majority of the GSW/SW cases (along with the bread-and-butter MVA's). The care is good for a public hospital, and as a resident or student its awesome, because its essentially resident-run, and you get tons of very valuable experience.
Now ask yourself a question -- if you have a choice, do you want to be treated almost exclusively by residents and students? Do you want to have a student in their 2nd month of clinical rotations suturing up a lac on your face? Do you want to have a 2nd year resident (or med student) delivering your/your wife's baby?
It's the quandry we all have -- as residents (and students) we recognize that experience and practice has to come from somewhere. However, even though I will be a resident, I don't really want a resident/intern/medical student anywhere near me when the proverbial *** hits the fan.
That's why "friends" don't let "friends" go to Ben Taub.
Hi, I will be joining as resident in internal medicine at Baylor. All the above posts are very informative.
I am thinking of leasing some apartment at University Housing. Since I dont have a driver's licence, I was thinking of going to the center by the shuttle service.
Can baylor residents travel on the shuttle or is it only for students of UTH?
Any more information about the university housing will be highly appreciated.
Thanks
punk
I am thinking of leasing some apartment at University Housing. Since I dont have a driver's licence, I was thinking of going to the center by the shuttle service.
Can baylor residents travel on the shuttle or is it only for students of UTH?
Any more information about the university housing will be highly appreciated.
Thanks
punk
punk said:
I didn't even know Baylor students and residents could live there until I read your post. I did some checking and I now see that University Housing is available to UTHSC-H, M. D. Anderson, and BCM students, faculty and staff.
However, as far as I know, you CANNOT ride the UTH shuttle bus. There is a sign on the doors that state that you must show your UT ID before boarding. You CAN, however, ride the Houston Metro 87 bus.
Hope that helps!
punk said:
Get a driver's license. It is impossible to live in Houston without one. Public transportation here is limited, at best.
EM Junkie said:
Well, the appointment letter I received from Baylor states something like that they are happy to have me join as "staff" at their residency program. Staff probably includes the residents too, then.
Somebody told me that it is not the UTH shuttle, it is probably called the TMC shuttle. Since BCM is part of TMC, I might be eligible....this is something I want to know.
That link about 87 was very helpful..thanks
punk
punk said:
Nope, that particular bus is the UTH shuttle. Must show UTH ID to ride. You can ride the 87 though. The TMC has various shuttles, but not out to student housing - they mainly go from the remote lots into the TMC.
punk said:
you should definitely have a driver's license in houston. i cant say that enough!
I don't know how frequently Houston is threatened by tornadoes but it seems like maybe an annual thing, I really don't know. Anyway, I was told the communities on the west side were safer in this regard. Any truth to this? I was doing a little reading and it seems that tornadoes are really only dangerous if you are out or live in a trailer. Sorry if this seems stupid, I've never lived in an area were tornadoes were even a threat. Just thought it may be something else to consider when looking for future homes.
I'm not a Texas native, but I am big fan of the weather channel and such, so let my try to asnwer this.
because of size and geography, I believe there are more tornados in Texas in a given year than any other state but Houston is not part of "tornado alley" and the odds of a tornado hitting any particular geographic area in given tornado season is less than 1/1000
MYTH! and anything else you may hear about any one area being safer than another is likely a myth too. If interested, you can read more about tornadoes here http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/
I think the origin of that myth is that in South TX, tornado path is statistically more likely to originate in the SE, but the western communities being safer as a result is definitely a myth.
you were probably reading about puny F1 tornados. F4-F5 can level most well-built houses, though it's true that you wouldn't want to be stuck in a car or a trailer in ANY tornado. Lucky for us, the odds of a tornado being an F5 is less than 1/1000.
and the short answer to your question is no, the odds of a tornado hit are so small I wouldn't factor it in my housing considerations, but if you chose to live in trailer I would definitely stay tuned to the weather channel forecasts
sundevil1 said:
because of size and geography, I believe there are more tornados in Texas in a given year than any other state but Houston is not part of "tornado alley" and the odds of a tornado hitting any particular geographic area in given tornado season is less than 1/1000
sundevil1 said:
MYTH! and anything else you may hear about any one area being safer than another is likely a myth too. If interested, you can read more about tornadoes here http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/
I think the origin of that myth is that in South TX, tornado path is statistically more likely to originate in the SE, but the western communities being safer as a result is definitely a myth.
sundevil1 said:
you were probably reading about puny F1 tornados. F4-F5 can level most well-built houses, though it's true that you wouldn't want to be stuck in a car or a trailer in ANY tornado. Lucky for us, the odds of a tornado being an F5 is less than 1/1000.
and the short answer to your question is no, the odds of a tornado hit are so small I wouldn't factor it in my housing considerations, but if you chose to live in trailer I would definitely stay tuned to the weather channel forecasts
To add to what jschwartz said, I'm a native Texan, lived in Dallas all my life, and after years of tornado seasons (and tornado drills in school) I've never even once heard about 'higher risk' areas in specific municipalities.
Hope that helps (at least a little).
Hope that helps (at least a little).
Hi!
I'm new to this thread. I'm moving to Houston in June, and would appreciate ANY advice. Does anyone know of any newer, swanky places where several residents live and are happy?
I'm looking to rent a newer place (1bdrm), a little bit away from the med center (not condoland) but still within 15min driving distance (anywhere in rice village, montrose, museum district, upper kirby, or midtown is fine), and one that is close to restaurants/coffeeshops/nightlife. I'm a single female so safety is obviously an issue- a place with a parking garage is ideal. But then again, I don't know anyone in Houston, so want a place where other residents are. I prefer a midrise/highrise, but it seems that those not as common in Houston, and maybe not exactly popular among residents?
Specifically, has anyone heard anything about/know anyone who lives at Gables at Upper Kirby, Robinhood, 2727 Kirby, or Alta Lofts?
I've been on looking around the internet for a few months, and was down in Houston last week, but didn't see anything I really liked...so any advice is appreciated.
If you have any suggestions or know anything opening up, feel free to PM me!!!! Thanks!
I'm new to this thread. I'm moving to Houston in June, and would appreciate ANY advice. Does anyone know of any newer, swanky places where several residents live and are happy?
I'm looking to rent a newer place (1bdrm), a little bit away from the med center (not condoland) but still within 15min driving distance (anywhere in rice village, montrose, museum district, upper kirby, or midtown is fine), and one that is close to restaurants/coffeeshops/nightlife. I'm a single female so safety is obviously an issue- a place with a parking garage is ideal. But then again, I don't know anyone in Houston, so want a place where other residents are. I prefer a midrise/highrise, but it seems that those not as common in Houston, and maybe not exactly popular among residents?
Specifically, has anyone heard anything about/know anyone who lives at Gables at Upper Kirby, Robinhood, 2727 Kirby, or Alta Lofts?
I've been on looking around the internet for a few months, and was down in Houston last week, but didn't see anything I really liked...so any advice is appreciated.
If you have any suggestions or know anything opening up, feel free to PM me!!!! Thanks!
sundevil1 said:
If I were you, I would be a lot more worried about hurricanes than tornadoes in Houston!
EMJunkie and other native houstonians,
What about living in woodlands or sugarland areas? How are the commute from these two cities to the TMC?
What are the good and bad points of these 2 cities, as compared to, say Pearland?
Thanks,
zzz1
What about living in woodlands or sugarland areas? How are the commute from these two cities to the TMC?
What are the good and bad points of these 2 cities, as compared to, say Pearland?
Thanks,
zzz1
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No and no.
Look at a map of Houston. TMC is close to the south/south-east point of "inner-loop" Houston (meaning within the 610 loop -- everything is described in relation to the loop).
Now look where The Woodlands and Sugarland are. Woodlands is north of metro Houston. Way north. Sugarland is west of metro Houston. To work in the TMC each day, you have to basically traverse across all of metro Houston if you are coming from either one of those neighborhoods.
Now look at Pearland -- just south of the TMC. No traversing metro Houston.
Basically, the commute from the Woodlands to TMC is probably 45 minutes without traffic. Sugarland, maybe 30 minutes without traffic. You may be able to beat traffic on your morning commute, but definitely not the nighttime. Try doubling the above numbers.
Look at a map of Houston. TMC is close to the south/south-east point of "inner-loop" Houston (meaning within the 610 loop -- everything is described in relation to the loop).
Now look where The Woodlands and Sugarland are. Woodlands is north of metro Houston. Way north. Sugarland is west of metro Houston. To work in the TMC each day, you have to basically traverse across all of metro Houston if you are coming from either one of those neighborhoods.
Now look at Pearland -- just south of the TMC. No traversing metro Houston.
Basically, the commute from the Woodlands to TMC is probably 45 minutes without traffic. Sugarland, maybe 30 minutes without traffic. You may be able to beat traffic on your morning commute, but definitely not the nighttime. Try doubling the above numbers.
zzz1 said:
Ophtho said:
2727 Kirby really isn't close to restaurants or nightlife, so that might be a consideration for you.
I'm really not too familiar with the other complexes you mentioned.
If you want high-rise living, I would look in Midtown or the Galleria area.
zzz1 said:
Agree with Lilycat, although Sugar Land is a bit closer than The Woodlands. I-45 to and from The Woodlands would be a HORRIBLE commute daily, except for maybe coming from Katy down I-10!
US-59 to/from Sugar Land is just finishing a major widening project, so the traffic should be getting better soon. Taxes are lower here from what I have heard, but it is also a lot more crowded than Pearland. Sugar Land does have a lot more job opportunities for spouses as well.
Hope that helps!
zzz1 said:
Sugar Land is a larger city than Pearland, so there is a much wider variety of neighborhoods there, and more established (ie: trees, shopping, schools). Pearland would be slightly more liable to have hurricane damage, as it is a little closer to the coastline (although not likely to make a big difference).
