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* [http://www.sharpstowndistrict.com/home.htm Sharpstown Public Improvement District]
* [http://www.sharpstowndistrict.com/home.htm Sharpstown Public Improvement District]
* [http://www.firehouse51.net HFD Firehouse 51]
* [http://www.firehouse51.net HFD Firehouse 51]

* [http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=3207245&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.1.1 What Happened to Sharpstown?] by [[KRIV]]
{{Houston, Texas}}
{{Houston, Texas}}


Revision as of 22:43, 9 August 2009

A sign in a median indicating Sharpstown

Sharpstown is a master-planned community in Southwest Houston, Texas, United States. It was one of the first communities to be built as a master-planned, automobile centered community and the first in Houston. Frank Sharp, the developer of the subdivision, made provisions not only for homes but also for schools, shopping and recreation areas. While this model has been duplicated countless times in the past fifty years, at the time it was quite revolutionary, attracting national media attention. The development was dedicated with much fanfare on March 13, 1955.

Overview

Sharpstown
Sharpstown Center

The residential architecture in Sharpstown consists of post–World War II bungalows, modern and traditional homes. The materials used in building these homes were of sound quality and have withstood the wear and tear of the baby boomer generation as well as the test of time.

Robindell, a small neighborhood within Sharpstown is built of homes similar to that of Memorial Bend. Robindell also has an L-shaped neighborhood swimming pool. The first pool manager was a neighbor, J.W. Puryear. College men from Georgetown University were recruited to take lifeguarding jobs at the pool each summer. The lifeguards trained the neighborhood children to be racing swimmers and took many ribbons at Houston swimming competitions.

History

Sharp donated a 300-foot-wide strip of land through the development to the state of Texas for construction of the Southwest Freeway (U.S. Highway 59). This routing ensured easy access from Downtown Houston to homes in the neighborhood, as well as to Sharpstown Center (1961), Houston's first air-conditioned, enclosed shopping mall.

From the 1980 U.S. Census to the 1990 Census, many African-Americans left traditional African-American neighborhoods and entered parts of Southwest Houston such as Sharpstown. The Hispanic population increased by an amount between 1,000 and 3,500 per square mile. Many Asian-Americans also moved into the Sharpstown area, creating one of the largest concentrations of Asian-Americans in Houston. Glenda Kay Joe, an Asian community leader, said in a 1991 Houston Chronicle article that the Sharpstown Civic Association and the Southwest Advocate newspaper opposed Asian-American settlement in Sharpstown. According to Joe, once Sharpstown residents became accustomed with Asian immigrants, the opposition disappeared.[1]

Sharpstown was affected by the Sharpstown scandal. The scandal combined with a set of apartment complexes that became run-down ensured that Sharpstown became a neighborhood surrounded by crime by the 1990s.[citation needed] A 1992 Houston Chronicle article described Sharpstown as "a racially mixed neighborhood with a strong Vietnamese community."[2]

With Sharpstown's close-in location, there is renewed interest in revitalizing the neighborhood. In 2005, median home prices in Sharpstown had roughly doubled since 2000.[citation needed]

The City of Houston instituted the current nine city council districts in 1979. Sharpstown has been districted in District F since 1980. District councilmembers elected to the Houston City Council have been past presidents of the Sharpstown Civic Association - John Goodner (1980-1993), Ray Driscoll (1994-1999), Mark Ellis (2000-2003), and M.J. Khan (2004-present).

In a 2007 Houston Press article journalist John Nova Lomax said "residential Sharpstown never changes" and that "the houses are still decent and the apartments still rotten."[3]

Government and infrastructure

Fire Station 51 Sharpstown

The Houston Fire Department operates the Fire Station 51 Sharpstown at 6902 Bellaire Boulevard at Bintliff Drive.

The neighborhood is served by two Houston Police Department patrol divisions. Areas north and west of U.S. Route 59 are served by the Midwest Patrol Division, which was formed by dividing Westside Division [1]. Areas south and east of U.S. 59 are served by the Fondren Patrol Division [2].

In 1989, during a city council race, many in Sharpstown voted for Jim Westmoreland for an at-large position. In one precinct 68.5 percent of the voting residents voted for him. Westmoreland drew controversy after reports of a joke that was characterized as "racist" spread. Westmoreland was defeated in that race. In a 1989 Houston Chronicle article, Nancy Palm, a Republican Party activist from western Houston, said that the residents who voted for Westmoreland had social ties with them and did not see the controversy as significant.[4] In the first 1991 Mayor of Houston election most Sharpstown voters voted for Bob Lanier.[5][6]

City Council District F covers Sharpstown. As of 2008 M. J. Khan represents the district.[7][8][9] By December 3, 1991, increases in crime and changes of demographics in southwestern Houston neighborhoods lead to many challengers desiring to fill the city council seat of District F.[10] In 2005 Khan promoted an anti-graffiti campaign in Sharpstown and other communities in his district.[11]

Parks and recreation

The city operates Sharpstown Park and the Sharpstown Golf Course at 8200 Bellaire Boulevard. The city operates the Sharpstown Green Park at 6300 Sharpview Drive.[12] The city operates the Sharpstown Community Center at 6600 Harbor Town Drive.[13]

Sharpstown has a little league team called "Bayland Park Little League" (formerly Sharpstown Little League).

Sections

Original sections

Sharpstown Sections 1, 1A, 2, 3, and 5 form the original sections of Sharpstown.

Sharpstown Country Club Estates

Sharpstown Country Club Estates It was developed in the late 1950s by the Sharpstown expansion west of the Southwest Freeway by Frank Sharp. The neighboorhood is next to the Sharpstown Golf Course and west of the Sharpstown Center.

Sharpstown Country Club Estates was named after the Sharpstown Country Club (now Sharpstown Park and Golf Course) that was east and west of the neighborhood after 1955, Sharpstown CCE surrounded the country club. The neighborhood is known as one of the quietest sections of Houston by its residents. The neighborhood is divided into two sections, Sharpstown Country Club Estates East and Sharpstown Country Club Estates West. Sharpstown Country Club Estates attracted middle to upper class citizens who were involved at the Sharpstown Country Club.

The sections are Country Club Estates 2 and Country Club Estates 3.

Sharpstown Country Club Terrace

Sharpstown Country Club Terrace includes Country Club Terrace 1, Country Club Terrace 2, and Country Club Terrace 3.

Education

Colleges and universities

Houston Community College System serves Sharpstown. Houston Baptist University, a private university, is located in Sharpstown.

Primary and secondary education

Public schools

Sharpstown High School

Sharpstown is served by several schools in the Houston Independent School District. Sharpstown is divided between Trustee District V, represented by Dianne Johnson as of 2008, and Trustee District VI, represented by Greg Meyers as of 2008.[14]

Bonham, Neff, McNamara, and Sutton Elementary Schools serve Sharpstown's original sections. Elementary schools serving Sharpstown Country Club Terrace include Ed White Elementary School and Pat Neff Elementary School. Elementary schools serving Sharpstown Country Club Estates include Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary School (area north of High Star Drive) and Pat Neff Elementary School (area south of High Star Drive). Sands Point Elementary School, serving as a relief school, was named after Sands Point Drive in Sharpstown Country Club Estates.

From there, pupils in Sharpstown's original sections, depending on the attendance zone, progress to either Jane Long Middle School (any student zoned to Long may apply to Pin Oak Middle School's regular program) or Sharpstown Middle School. Pupils in Sharpstown Country Club Estates, depending on the attendance zone, progress to Paul Revere Middle School (area north of Sands Point Drive) or Sharpstown Middle School (area south of Sands Point Drive). All pupils in Sharpstown Country Club Terrace are zoned to Sharpstown Middle School.

Sharpstown High School serves Sharpstown's original sections and Sharpstown Country Club Terrace, while Lee High School (with Lamar High School and Westside High Schools as options) serves Sharpstown Country Club Estates.

In the early 2000s, the areas north of Sands Point Drive were zoned to Sharpstown Middle School.[15]

Sharpview Elementary School was temporarily established at 7734 Mary Bates in order to relieve some Sharpstown-area elementary schools; Sharpview opened fall 2000 and closed in spring 2004. Plans to establish a permanent reliever elementary and/or middle school are, as of 2006, on hold [3].

KIPP: the Knowledge Is Power Program operates several charter schools along KIPP Way, west of Sharpstown.

Private schools

File:SaintAgnesHouston.JPG
Saint Agnes Academy
Strake Jesuit College Preparatory

Sharpstown also has three private schools. St. Francis de Sales Catholic School (grades K-8), Strake Jesuit College Preparatory and Saint Agnes Academy, are located in Sharpstown.

Public libraries

The area is served by the Houston Public Library. M. E. Walter Neighborhood Library, a full service branch, is located at 7660 Clarewood in Sharpstown.[16] HPL Express Southwest is located within the Southwest Multi-Service Center at 6400 High Star, east of Sharpstown.[17]

Community services

The Harris County Hospital District operates the People's Health Center at 6630 DeMoss Street.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ Rodriguez, Lori. "Census tracks rapid growth of suburbia." Houston Chronicle. Sunday March 10, 1991. Section A, Page 1.
  2. ^ Criss, Catherine and Eric Hanson. "Ultimate divorce: a murdered family." Houston Chronicle. Saturday May 20, 1991. A2.
  3. ^ Lomax, John Nova. "I am a Pedestrian Report: Bellaire." Houston Press. May 25, 2007.
  4. ^ Bernstein, Alan. "Core of white support failed to halt Westmoreland's defeat." Houston Chronicle. Sunday November 12, 1989. A1.
  5. ^ Rodriguez, Lori. "Saying goodbye, with no regrets." Houston Chronicle. Saturday November 9, 1991. A31.
  6. ^ Bernstein, Alan and Jim Simmon. "Black vote went solidly for Turner/Whitmire failed to produce split." Houston Chronicle. Thursday November 7, 1991. A21.
  7. ^ "COUNCIL DISTRICT MAPS > DISTRICT F." City of Houston.
  8. ^ "City Council." City of Houston. Retrieved on May 10, 2008.
  9. ^ Bernstein, Alan. "Rookie members to decide city matters for years to come." Houston Chronicle. Sunday September 24, 1995.
  10. ^ Johnson, Stephen. "Crime, drugs main issues in Dist. F race." Houston Chronicle. November 3, 1991. Voter's Guide, Page 5.
  11. ^ De Mangin, Charles. "Summit to address public safety / Councilman, HPD to give tips, information to cut crime rate." Houston Chronicle. Thursday March 24, 2005. ThisWeek 1.
  12. ^ "Parks List O-Z." City of Houston. Retrieved on January 3, 2009.
  13. ^ "Sharpstown Community Center." City of Houston. Retrieved on January 3, 2009.
  14. ^ "Trustee Districts Map." Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on November 11, 2008.
  15. ^ "Sharpstown MS Boundary Map." Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on May 6, 2009.
  16. ^ "Walter Neighborhood Library." Houston Public Library. Retrieved on April 28, 2009.
  17. ^ "HPL Express Southwest." Houston Public Library. Retrieved on April 28, 2009.
  18. ^ "People's Health Center." Harris County Hospital District. Retrieved on April 28, 2009.

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