Only about 250 ft. separate I-10’s eastbound feeder from White Oak Bayou between Heights Blvd. and Yale — and within that never-developed span, Texas C.R.E.S. and an adjacent landowner are hoping to plant a food truck park, as advertised on the sign up near the southeast corner of the site. The conceptual plan above from architect Marshall Porterfield — not yet okayed by the city — indicates parking spaces for 10 vendors (and 6 patrons) accessible via entrances on the feeder and on Heights Blvd., across from the Heights Business and Mediation Center. A deck seating island in the middle of the parking lot provides some dining room within the third-acre site, owned by the current pair of developers since last year.
The rest of the land is devoted to park space for people and dogs. It backs up to an imagined spur of the White Oak Bayou Trail (currently only accessible on the other side of the bayou) that curves to the south.
Photos: Jason Cockerell. Site plan: Marshall Porterfield via Texas CRES and Delux Realty/Michel Coret
But where will the lands’ current residents move to?
nice something being done with this spot against the bayou. something the public could use.
HOWEVER, this is way too close to the interstate to be a food truck park. I’m not keen on sitting by the interstate where there is an abundance of noise and pollution to eat my taco. at the very least they will need to put up dense foliage and/or a structure to block the noise.
That dog don’t hunt – creating a destination with poor access.
Way insufficient parking. Also, the distance and grade height, for pedestrian access from the bike path south of the bayou – as well as from the other retail parking lots, even further south, is an impediment.
On the list of all things urban hipster, this was the one box The Heights had not yet checked. Somewhere in a Sunset Heights micro-house, there is a boomtown coffee barista grinning from oversized ear piercing to oversized ear piercing, finishing a fresh wax coat his vintage mustache, thinking of all of the artisan delights they (preferred pronoun) can sample. Vegan hot dogs, spaghetti donuts, froze popsicles, even a refreshing avocado latte. Their mind spins with anticipation. Brooklyn of the south they say to themselves. This helps heal the “Berning” sensation of the 2016 campaign.
Oh, hipsters. What would we do without your eclectic salt shops, chill spotify mixes, and cat memes.
I’d normally not respond to Jason’s comment but, as he specifically calls out the men and women who work at Boomtown Coffee on 19th st., I would like to note the following: I’ve been getting coffee to go at Boomtown Coffee since it opened. The baristas there have been uniformly friendly and informative. I have not ever had a bad cup there. As for appearances, I dunno, they simply look young to me but I guess that’s just because I’m old.
Debris flies off freeways periodically, another reason we give them a wide berth.
@jason gaines
Though your comment was a pretty delightful read, I’m not sure food trucks are as cool as they once were, seeing as every office park, random event, and even suburban weddings have them. Seems like they may be too mainstream for hipsters nowadays.
I can totally see myself biking here but I wonder where all the Houston vehiclist will go. With this potentially being a hotspot, you’re going to have people flooding the already packed shopping center parking lot at Chipotle/Starbucks.
A bit over-the-top but Jason Gaines’ parody piece was quite funny. Never been to Boomtown but will take TimP’s word that they are friendly and down-to-earth. [For the record, I don’t patronize even Starbucks. I get my coffee for free at work.]
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That being said, I’m in agreement with others that this scrap of land may just be a *wee* too close to the freeway for comfortable food truck dining. But, I still applaud the creative thinking by the developers. Talk about trying to turn a lemon into lemonade.
Ten food trucks and six parking spaces with little to no foot traffic passing through or by. Sounds like a brilliant plan.
TimP: I thought his ‘rant’ was pretty funny. And I don’t think anything he said would contradict the positive experience you’ve had. He never said they’re sumg aholes.
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I go to a lot of hipster places that are pretty close to his comment. I would recognize them as such yet get service I’ve been happy with.
Oh stop it with the Heights/Hipster thing already. The hipsters are long gone from the Heights. They were priced out in 2012 when 2/1 bungalows went from $275k to $400k+ and garage apartments shot from $500 to $800-1,200. The Heights is now filled with empty nesters who have downsized their 6,500 sq ft Woodlands McMansions to a 3,500 sq ft bungalow humper houses and young Exxon Mobil families who name their kids Caswell and McKewen and drive X5s and Q7s. And what was once hipster is now mainstream and corporate. Gourmet popsicles? Steel City pops is regional chain with 25 locations. People who use the “hipster” card to disparage all things new and different just need to calm down and accept the fact that they are just getting old and do not like to try new things or are a total corporate tool and cannot imagine any consumer experience that is different from the generic offerings at suburban strip malls across the US.
It was funny until he called out a specific place of business and its employees.
It so happens I once actually had coffee with a Boomtown barista who could fit that description at another nearby coffee place. He’s a nice guy.
Is this really necessary, or even smart? A remaining shred of non-developed swamp forest, hard against two busy arteries, the floody bayou, and the filthy freeway. Not a congenial destination. Leave it alone to absorb floodwater, filter the freeway particulates, and house the homeless people.
Even without parking I could still see it being plausible. There’s a ton of apartment dwellers and retail workers in the immediate area that have no intention of driving anywhere to go grab a bite.
@Old School
I’ve been trying to put this into words. That is a spot-on description of the Heights and the overuse of “hipster”.
Bravo
@OldSchool…. When did Hipster equate with being poor and not able to afford Heights housing, or mandate you drive a Toyota Tercel or Yugo instead of an Audi ? I’m in the middle of the Heights, and presently surrounded by Hipsters. While, generally, “the hipster perceives him/herself as the counterpoint to mass-culture and conformity”, I’m an old f**k yet seem to share the counterpoint to mass-culture and conformity mindset.
Hipsters don’t *live* in the heights anymore, but they for sure still work there.
This drawing isn’t to scale, is it? There’s no way to cram 10 adult size food trucks in there.
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They may not live in the Heights, but the hipsters still stroll there. I saw one strolling down the ghost of a railroad track with his banjo slung across his back.
More important info buried in the last paragraph – are we really finally getting a dog park in the Heights!?
People see me all the time and they just can’t remember how to act
Their minds are filled with big ideas, images and distorted facts
Even you, yesterday you had to ask me where it was at
I couldn’t believe after all these years, you didn’t know me better than that
lol
Thanks, Old School, but adjusting my rear-view mirror, I remember when 2-1 cottages on a full lot were about $150K, and even cheaper in Norhill. Heights Boulevard was raggedy with no curbs. It was easy to find a grocery cart because usually one would be abandoned on your block by a homeless person or an elderly person who couldn’t drive or afford a taxi. A 7-year old Honda was a common car at the time, and seeing a Mercedes meant someone was lost or passing through. The area was homier with neighborhood block potlucks. The Heights is indeed full of well-heeled empty nesters and high-achieving young professionals; most all I’ve met are fine people. The schools have apparently improved due to local involvement, that’s a good thing. I’ll never understand big houses, though.
This baby boomer here definitely identifies with the hipster crowd more than people her own age. I find them refreshing and fun. Had to go to Urban Dictionary just to make sure I knew what a hipster was LOL.
I thought the food truck park’s days were waning. Five years ago in Austin they were everywhere. Now, at least half of those plots sit vacant. I think the trend has moved on.
my shady, Houston is more food diverse than Austin. Look at how many masterchefs on the show this year are in the top 20. 5 or more. Houston was the only city to get it’s on segment on the show. Something’s happening here, my shady.
Just in time for the Food Truck fad to “wain”.
Y’all are flipping out over nothing. Half of the facility will be parking. This drawing is just to build hype among the city planner types.
For those concerned about parking, who may visit the food truck lot, you haven’t noticed the massive apartment building two blocks away? Who needs parking when you can walk?
After reading the article, this writer clearly didn’t listen to a thing I said. The main idea is to bring a community park to the area with a food addition. Whether it be on an evening walk, breaking away from the office, or just wanting to get the kids out of the house. The idea is to create something that will benefit the area and boost the cities street appeal. Or are y’all liking the new tent style living complex that has nestled itself in the trees. As I kept reading, it was pretty clear that he looked at my sign and came up with his own thoughts and ideas. A dog park, a city bike rental station, possible a play area for the young ones, so many things envisioned but without help from the city all of this may just end up being a dream. Please keep in mind this is just a rendering, meaning a work in progress. We are already addressing many of these concerns/comments, but if this all doesn’t work out, just think about what’s there now and how quickly that fire can grow.