which part of Westbury are you talking about? I'm not aware of any largescale redevelopment in the neighborhood

Westbury Square is definitely an eyesore. The crazy Italian guy that owns it refuses to sell at a reasonable price. I think he actually lives on the property from what I've heard.

Several years ago he was splitting his time between his apartment there and California I believe. Apparently the city has tried to condemn it several times over the years and he somehow has avoided condemnation by transferring it between entities

GEA89 said:

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HoustonAggie11 said:

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lol yall acting like Westbury is the 5th ward.

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It was for some time, at least parts of it. I am a consultant in the construction industry and some of the homes and streets I saw as part of a mass buy and re-build by a developer were pretty disgusting and the area was run down. In all fairness the floods in Harvey really helped put money back in to the area and cleaned it up. Now if we can get the city to fix the roads.

Anyone know why Westbury Square is not bulldozed by now? Used to go there when I was a kid with my parents, really good Chinese restaurant in there I remember, drove by it the other day for the first time in decades and I was surprised it was still standing. Pretty bad shape, but still there.

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There was a great pizza place there with the first PONG machine I ever saw.

MAS444 said:

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Quote:

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seems there is a lot to do in Houston area with the sports teams, restaurants, five hours from New Orleans, 4 hours to Dallas, and one hour to state parks and the Beach.

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I so admire those who are innocent enough to be optimistic about travel times...

Interesting. I would think the condemnation order would be applied to the property rather than ownership, but certainly no expert.

I think he did have to tear down part of it from what I remember.

Diggity said:

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which part of Westbury are you talking about? I'm not aware of any largescale redevelopment in the neighborhood

Westbury Square is definitely an eyesore. The crazy Italian guy that owns it refuses to sell at a reasonable price. I think he actually lives on the property from what I've heard.

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We represented a group that purchased a ton of flood damaged homes, fixed them up, and sold them. It was all across the area, not one street or section.

maroon barchetta said:

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GEA89 said:

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HoustonAggie11 said:

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lol yall acting like Westbury is the 5th ward.

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It was for some time, at least parts of it. I am a consultant in the construction industry and some of the homes and streets I saw as part of a mass buy and re-build by a developer were pretty disgusting and the area was run down. In all fairness the floods in Harvey really helped put money back in to the area and cleaned it up. Now if we can get the city to fix the roads.

Anyone know why Westbury Square is not bulldozed by now? Used to go there when I was a kid with my parents, really good Chinese restaurant in there I remember, drove by it the other day for the first time in decades and I was surprised it was still standing. Pretty bad shape, but still there.

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There was a great pizza place there with the first PONG machine I ever saw.

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I think I remember that place. I also remember a Chinese antique store, my friends brother would go there and buy incense to cover up his weed smoking when the parents were gone. Guy ended up in prison, who saw that coming?

No doubt - all the weed smokers I knew definitely ended up in prison. Tell tale sign of things to come.

GEA89 said:

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maroon barchetta said:

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GEA89 said:

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HoustonAggie11 said:

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lol yall acting like Westbury is the 5th ward.

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It was for some time, at least parts of it. I am a consultant in the construction industry and some of the homes and streets I saw as part of a mass buy and re-build by a developer were pretty disgusting and the area was run down. In all fairness the floods in Harvey really helped put money back in to the area and cleaned it up. Now if we can get the city to fix the roads.

Anyone know why Westbury Square is not bulldozed by now? Used to go there when I was a kid with my parents, really good Chinese restaurant in there I remember, drove by it the other day for the first time in decades and I was surprised it was still standing. Pretty bad shape, but still there.

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There was a great pizza place there with the first PONG machine I ever saw.

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I think I remember that place. I also remember a Chinese antique store, my friends brother would go there and buy incense to cover up his weed smoking when the parents were gone. Guy ended up in prison, who saw that coming?

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it was obvious the guy was gonna go to prison one day cause he smoked weed in high school?

ha - jinx .MAS444

gotcha...it sounded like you were talking about large scale scrape and build.

I'm only aware of one concentrated part of Westbury that had real flood damage., which were the streets along the Willow Waterhole Bayou. That little ditch just isn't big enough to handle major storm events.

In general, Westbury fared pretty well with all the flooding events. Meyerland/Maplewood areas got the brunt of it.

I wouldn't judge the neighborhood by that area. The further south you get towards 90, the lower the values generally. Has a lot to do with the elementary school.

GEA89 said:

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HoustonAggie11 said:

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lol yall acting like Westbury is the 5th ward.

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It was for some time, at least parts of it. I am a consultant in the construction industry and some of the homes and streets I saw as part of a mass buy and re-build by a developer were pretty disgusting and the area was run down. In all fairness the floods in Harvey really helped put money back in to the area and cleaned it up. Now if we can get the city to fix the roads.

Anyone know why Westbury Square is not bulldozed by now? Used to go there when I was a kid with my parents, really good Chinese restaurant in there I remember, drove by it the other day for the first time in decades and I was surprised it was still standing. Pretty bad shape, but still there.

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no parts of it are come on dude, guy who owns Westbury Square refuses to sell heard he is a slum lord type guy

If they could ever get that developed would help the area.

MAS444 said:

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No doubt - all the weed smokers I knew definitely ended up in prison. Tell tale sign of things to come.

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Truth told, I barely made it out alive.

Saw an unusual amount of cars in the Westbury Square parking lot today, and a sign that said Rodeo Parking.

Wonder if they were charging people to park there for shorter Uber rides or something?

Just drove by. The sign said free parking and free shuttle.

LMCane said:

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Furlock Bones said:

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We live in Meyerland now. I once lived in Westbury about a decade ago. Westbury looks a decade older while Meyerland is seeing lots of renos and new builds. Largely thanks to flooding, but also because much of it is zoned to Bellaire High School.

Kolter is a really good elementary if you have kids that age.

We have been there about a year and a half and really like it. We aren't Jewish but we do really like the JCC.

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Thanks that is great advice.

Would be moving back to Texas to be closer to my parents (83 and 76) - no school age kids.

Would be more about a nice inexpensive home (compared to the DC area) and lots to do outdoors.

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Why not just move to Dallas then?

Youre still going to have a long dive to Dallas (which is a crappy drive) whenever you do want to go see them, and the outdoorsy stuff you can do here isnt that much different then Dallas. There is quicker beach access... but its Galveston. If it was me, if youre gonna move from farther away with the goal to be closer to your parents, at least be in the same city.

Claude AI is showing Sugarland as a very nice neighborhood and about an hour to the beach and 3 hours to my parents near Dallas.

quick Zillow and there are some very nice full houses for around $2600 a month rental.

my current rent in the DC suburbs is $3150 for a 3 bedroom "luxury" condo that just had plumbing problems!!!

I hate Maryland.

LMCane said:

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Claude AI is showing Sugarland as a very nice neighborhood and about an hour to the beach and 3 hours to my parents near Dallas.

quick Zillow and there are some very nice full houses for around $2600 a month rental.

my current rent in the DC suburbs is $3150 for a 3 bedroom "luxury" condo that just had plumbing problems!!!

I hate Maryland.

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(Pa)Telfair should be an easy 2.5 hours to Dallas for you (if you have a helicopter).

we live in the area, closer to the Med Center. We have 3 kids, all went to Horn Elementary, Pin Oak Middle, Bellaire HS. Property values go up every year, so do taxes. We like it in this area, no complaints.

LMCane said:

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Claude AI is showing Sugarland as a very nice neighborhood and about an hour to the beach and 3 hours to my parents near Dallas.

quick Zillow and there are some very nice full houses for around $2600 a month rental.

my current rent in the DC suburbs is $3150 for a 3 bedroom "luxury" condo that just had plumbing problems!!!

I hate Maryland.

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Lmao who knew OP was indian

A beautiful newish home in Sugarland very modern amenities for $2500 a month. of course it won't still be available in another three months when I would be able to get down there.

this seems pretty amazing:

You're in one of the best birding corridors in North America this stretch of the Texas Gulf Coast is on a major migratory flyway. Here's what's out there:

Best Overall Brazos Bend State Park 4.8 (5,760 reviews)
Just south of Sugar Land, this is the crown jewel of the region. Over 300 bird species have been recorded here, plus alligators everywhere. Multiple trails wind around lakes draped in Spanish moss. Open daily 8AM10PM.

Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge 4.5
A massive federal wetlands refuge with herons, egrets, roseate spoonbills, and shorebirds in abundance. The 9-mile auto tour is a great way to cover ground and avoid mosquitoes. The Discovery Center ( 4.8, open 7 days) nearby offers easy boardwalk trails into the marsh and is open every day 7AM6:30PM.

Armand Bayou Nature Center 4.7
A wonderful hidden gem northeast of Sugar Land, right on the way toward Galveston. It sits on one of the largest urban wilderness preserves in the US bayou trails, birds, alligators, and even free-roaming bison. Small admission (~$7). Closed Sunday mornings.

Galveston Island State Park 4.6
At the end of the corridor, the bay side of this state park is excellent for coastal birding marsh, prairie, and shoreline habitats all in one place. The Nature Center has binoculars available to borrow and knowledgeable rangers.

Laffite's Cove Nature Society 4.8 (free!)
A quiet, beloved birding preserve tucked into a Galveston neighborhood, with boardwalks through woods and ponds. Free to visit, open daily 6AM8PM, and regularly sighted species include warblers, herons, and migratory songbirds. Limited parking, so go early.

The whole route is essentially a birder's dream day trip start at Brazos Bend, work your way through the Brazoria refuges, and finish at Galveston!

Be aware that the natives are all restless due to Fort Bend ISD closing seven schools. Lots of people are predicting a disaster of Biblical proportions.

Well, maybe not Biblical, since many of them are other religions. But certainly one where dogs and cats are living together.

Okay, maybe not dogs, since they are unclean.

Anyway, it's pandemonium here. I'd look elsewhere.

Rubicante said:

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A couple things. First, unless your definition of "near" Dallas is liberal enough to include Waco, you're not making it from Sugar Land to Dallas Cypress in 3 hours.

Second, suggesting the **** stretch of coastal area south of Houston as a birder's "dream day trip" is one of the funniest things I've read on this board.

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FIFY.

No need to go all the way to the coast for birding. You can see ghetto birds every night just west and south of Meyerland.

MFn Barnes

Slow roll by Tweety's diamond inn and they'll flock to you! They won't stick around unless you have bread though

Charismatic Megafauna said:

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Slow roll by Tweety's diamond inn and they'll flock to you! They won't stick around unless you have bread though

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I was think more about these birds:

My bad, I was thinking ghetto ducks

LMCane said:

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A beautiful newish home in Sugarland very modern amenities for $2500 a month. of course it won't still be available in another three months when I would be able to get down there.

this seems pretty amazing:

You're in one of the best birding corridors in North America this stretch of the Texas Gulf Coast is on a major migratory flyway. Here's what's out there:

Best Overall Brazos Bend State Park 4.8 (5,760 reviews)
Just south of Sugar Land, this is the crown jewel of the region. Over 300 bird species have been recorded here, plus alligators everywhere. Multiple trails wind around lakes draped in Spanish moss. Open daily 8AM10PM.

Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge 4.5
A massive federal wetlands refuge with herons, egrets, roseate spoonbills, and shorebirds in abundance. The 9-mile auto tour is a great way to cover ground and avoid mosquitoes. The Discovery Center ( 4.8, open 7 days) nearby offers easy boardwalk trails into the marsh and is open every day 7AM6:30PM.

Armand Bayou Nature Center 4.7
A wonderful hidden gem northeast of Sugar Land, right on the way toward Galveston. It sits on one of the largest urban wilderness preserves in the US bayou trails, birds, alligators, and even free-roaming bison. Small admission (~$7). Closed Sunday mornings.

Galveston Island State Park 4.6
At the end of the corridor, the bay side of this state park is excellent for coastal birding marsh, prairie, and shoreline habitats all in one place. The Nature Center has binoculars available to borrow and knowledgeable rangers.

Laffite's Cove Nature Society 4.8 (free!)
A quiet, beloved birding preserve tucked into a Galveston neighborhood, with boardwalks through woods and ponds. Free to visit, open daily 6AM8PM, and regularly sighted species include warblers, herons, and migratory songbirds. Limited parking, so go early.

The whole route is essentially a birder's dream day trip start at Brazos Bend, work your way through the Brazoria refuges, and finish at Galveston!

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Birds? Those things can't survive 6M people/cars worth of pollution. When you go bird sighting in the metro Houston area you always look down.