West University Place: History, Community, and Quality of Life

West University Place, often called "West U," is a city within the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan area in Texas. Bordered by Kirby Drive to the east, the Union Pacific St. Louis Southwestern Railway railroad track to the west, Bellaire Boulevard/West Holcombe Boulevard to the south, and Bissonnet and Law Streets to the north, West U offers its residents a unique blend of small-town charm and big-city access.

A City Forged by Independence

The development of West University Place began in 1917, spearheaded by Ben Hooper, a former governor of Tennessee. A significant moment in the city's history occurred in the 1920s when Lillian "Lilly" Nicholson, then an English major at Rice University, was asked to name the streets of West U. Inspired by her English literature book, Nicholson chose names of famous authors, a legacy that continues to shape the city's identity.

West University Place was officially incorporated on January 2, 1924, by order of the County Judge of Harris County. This decision was driven by Houston's reluctance to extend power lines to the area. Unlike Houston Heights, West University Place chose not to consolidate with the City of Houston, maintaining its independent status. The incorporation in 1923 prevented Houston from annexing West University Place's territory as it did with other surrounding unincorporated areas. The municipality reaffirmed its independence in 1939 by refusing consolidation and adopting a formal city charter the following year.

Geography and Infrastructure

West University Place is located at 29°42′57″N 95°25′59″W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2), all land. The city's boundaries are Kirby Drive to the east, Union Pacific St. Louis Southwestern Railway railroad track to the west, Bellaire Boulevard/West Holcombe Boulevard to the south, and Bissonnet and Law Streets to the north. Viewed on a map, the city shape resembles a little house, with a "chimney" to the west side, and since it surrounds the city of Southside Place, a "door" is formed on the map surrounding Southside Place.

The Poor Farm Ditch, a waterway draining into Brays Bayou, has played a role in the city's infrastructure and history. Originally part of the Harris County poor farm, the ditch was dredged in 1928 following significant flooding. Despite these efforts, flooding persisted, leading the city commissioners to dam streets in December 1935. In 1954, the Harris County Flood Control District widened and deepened the ditch, adding a concrete bottom and siding and installing a chain-link fence. The Sunset Terrace Garden Club and later the West University Garden Club enhanced the ditch's appearance by planting oleanders, obscuring it from view along Edloe Street.

Transformation and Development

Prior to 1992, West University Place liberalized its development rules. This allowed developers to build new houses within the city. Don Stowers of the Houston Post said that West University Place changed from an "aging middle-class neighborhood" consisting of mid-20th century bungalows and cottages to an increasingly wealthy community of "dare we say, young urban professionals in their austere red-brick Georgians." As new houses appeared, property values increased and the city began to get more tax revenue. Eventually, West University Place ran out of available lots, and its construction peaked.

The original housing stock of West University Place consisted of mid-20th century bungalows and cottages. Prior to 1992, the City of West University Place liberalized its development rules, allowing for new houses to be built in the city. As lot sizes were typically approximately 50 feet (15 m) by 120 feet (37 m), the houses constructed were Georgian houses described by Don Stowers of the Houston Post as "lot hugging." Because nearby Bellaire had larger, more inexpensive lots, many area home seekers began to consider Bellaire.

West University Place is surrounded by the cities of Bellaire, Houston, and Southside Place. The city was developed in 1917 by Ben Hooper, a former Tennessee governor. West U feels like a small town that happens to be surrounded by one of the largest cities in the country. Thanks to its history of zoning codes and private police and fire departments, West U prides itself on providing residents with covetable quality-of-life amenities.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, West University Place had a population of 14,955. The median age was 41.6 years. 29.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. There were 5,043 households and 4,654 families in West University Place. Of the households, 46.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 78.7% were married-couple households, 6.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 13.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. There were 5,308 housing units, of which 5.0% were vacant.

In 2010, the racial makeup of the city was 90.6% White, 0.80% African American, 0.2% Native American, 8.4% Asian, 0.90% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. There were 5,260 households, out of which 44.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.1% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.9% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.6% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 22.1% from 25 to 44, 34.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.4 years. The median income for a household in the city was $202,132, and the median income for a family was $227,425. Males had a median income of $168,056 versus $71,910 for females.

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Government and Public Safety

The City of West University Place operates under the Council-Manager form of government. The council contains the mayor and four city council members. The city council, elected on a non-partisan basis, is elected during the first Saturday in the May of every odd-numbered year. Each member serves a term of two years. Members may serve for not more than two successive terms in each office.

The West University Place Fire Department is headquartered at 3800 University Boulevard. The West University Place Police Department is also now headquartered at 3800 University Boulevard following a large two-story addition completed in the summer of 2011. The old police department building was torn down and replaced with a large parking lot.

The city enforces a ban prohibiting drivers around West University Elementary School from talking on mobile phones during school zone hours. AT&T tried and failed to persuade the city to not apply the ban. West University Place is located in District 134 of the Texas House of Representatives.

Community and Lifestyle

West U families take advantage of the swimming pool and many programs at the local rec center, and the neighborhood boasts one of the largest little leagues in the country. Friends and neighbors, who often volunteer together, catch up at popular hangouts like Tiny’s No. Pocket parks perfect for recharging. Tucked into West University’s orderly grid are charming pocket parks like Colonial Park, which has a popular neighborhood pool, and Friends Park, which has brick-lined walkways and a striking clock tower.

West U is known for its family-nurturing atmosphere and steady property values. The original housing stock of West University Place consisted of mid-20th century bungalows and cottages.

There are a total of 26 subdivisions within West University: West University Place (First and Second), Belle Court, Bissonnet Place, Cambridge Place, College Court (part), College View (1st through 4th), Colonial Terrace, Cunningham Terrace, Evanston, Fairview, Kent Place, Krenzler Court, Matthews Place, Monticello, Pemberton, Pershing Place, Preston Place, Quenby Court, Rice Court, Sunset Terrace (part), Tangley Place, and Virginia Court. Rice Court is located north of University Boulevard and east of Buffalo Speedway. Pemberton is an area south of University Drive and east of Wakeforest Street.

Education

Top-ranked West University Elementary School is a particularly popular draw. Pupils who live in West University Place are zoned to West University Elementary School in West University Place, Pershing Middle School in the Braeswood Place neighborhood of Houston, and Lamar High School, in the Upper Kirby district of Houston.

West University Elementary opened in 1925, although its permanent facility was not yet complete at the time; Platte School initially took its non-kindergarten students while the sales office of Southside Place housed kindergarten students. The permanent facility has a Spanish Renaissance architectural style and was financed by a $55,000 bond. The majority of the land that housed the school was donated by D. T. Austin and W. D. Haden. In the 1970s and 1980s West University parents reshaped West University Elementary, which Tim Fleck of the Houston Press described as "deteriorating", into "a community focal point that kept many West U children in public school through the fifth grade." West University Elementary School, by the 1990s, became what Fleck described as "the prototype of how the increasingly minority district could maintain the allegiance of affluent whites" and "a selling point for parents moving into the area." In 1996 37% of West University Elementary students had transferred there from other schools. As of 2010 about 600 students who were zoned to West University Elementary School were enrolled in Pin Oak Middle School or Lanier Middle School, opting for those schools instead of Pershing, their zoned school.

Other nearby parochial schools and private schools include the School of St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church in Houston (adjacent to the city limits), St. John's School in Houston, Episcopal High School in Bellaire, St. Francis Episcopal Day School (Texas) in Piney Point, and The Post Oak School with campuses in Bellaire and Houston. Local Catholic schools for girls include Incarnate Word Academy, St. Agnes Academy and Duchesne Academy, and are joined by the all-boys schools of Strake Jesuit and St. Thomas High School.

Parks and Recreation

The first West University Place Recreation Center, formerly the Southwest YMCA, included a gymnasium, a swimming pool, and lighted sports fields. The City of West University had purchased the Southwest YMCA property around 2003. In 2008 residents approved a bond to build a new $8.8 million recreation center at a plot of land bounded by Bellaire Boulevard, Community, and Westpoint. The new recreation center does not have basketball courts; however, the center has a swimming pool, a weight room, a cardiovascular room, and racquetball courts. Additionally, classes such as yoga, jazzercize, and dance are offered for a fee. Colonial Park, at 4130 Byron Street, has a park and a recreational center. Friends Park, formerly the Rice Pocket Park, is located at 3771 Rice Boulevard.

Library Services

The Harris County Public Library system operates the West University Branch Library in West University Place. The library opened in a section of the West University Community Center in 1942. As World War II continued the library was moved into the Reed and Yancey Realtors field office.

A Contrast with "Black Bottom"

The narrative of West University Place stands in stark contrast to that of Philadelphia's "Black Bottom," a historically Black neighborhood displaced by urban renewal projects in the 1960s. In Philadelphia, universities and the city government collaborated to replace neighborhoods deemed "slums" with modern developments, leading to the displacement of thousands of residents. Andre Black, a former resident of the Black Bottom, remembers being forced to move from his home at the intersection of 36th and Market streets in 1968. He and others formed the Black Bottom Tribe to preserve the memory of their lost neighborhood, highlighting the human cost of urban development.

While Drexel University expands its footprint in Philadelphia, it does so without federal aid or eminent domain, focusing on development to the east and west of its main campus. Community benefits agreements and partnerships with neighborhood groups aim to mitigate the impact of gentrification, offering residents assistance with legal aid, home repairs, and workforce development.

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