Signs of Townhomes Coming to Polk St. in East Downtown

Most of this East Downtown property, according to city records, was purchased in November 2012 by CitySide Homes; signs recently posted here suggest that the contemporary townhome’s eastward expansion will continue to continue — this site is just 5 blocks from where Urban Living says it’s building around that leaning Leeland St. live oak — on these 2 purchased parcels between Polk, Clay, Nagle, and Delano that add up to a little more than an acre.

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This photo from Delano St. looks west at the property, where old parking spaces are in the process of being graded. You can see in the background construction of Urban Living’s Princeton City-brand townhomes — that’s at the corner of Clay and Nagle.

And shown in the two photos below is the parcel of the property CitySide hasn’t bought, a vacant 12,525-sq.-ft. industrial building at 2704 Polk St. According to city records, it’s still owned by AHD Plastics.

Photos: Swamplot inbox

16 Comment

  • The homes in the back ground that are being constructed, are also a sign of more town homes coming to the East End.

  • How does one tell one development of 3 story townhomes from another?

  • Heyzeus, that’s probably what tract home critics were saying 60 years ago. But instead of multi-block neighborhoods, the tract townhomes are tiny clusters, which makes for an interesting tapesty once everything’s filled in but could create a nasty patch of soiled shag if these areas ever go ghetto with the intense density.
    CitySide has another cluster in the same area that are only 2 stories.

  • Heyzeus, that’s why they put signs down, because you can’t! They’re the least exciting developments because you already know what they look like before they even break ground.

  • Heyzeus, If you go up to the front door and look under the door mat, there are usually reference codes chiseled in the concrete. You can take these codes to your local library and cross reference with the planning commissions microfiche that is on file. This should clear up any confusion about which development is which.

  • Don’t hate too much. Whatever gets built will be more exciting than an empty lot.
    I’m wondering when the grocery store is coming.

  • Don’t get me wrong, any pulte/perry/etc tract home in the burbs ringing just about every city are just as stutifyingly identical. It’s just interesting to see in the case of urban infill when buyers are seeking proximity to a unique urban environment and culture, rather than the safe homogeneity that a master plan, common builder, and HOA provide in, say, Cinco Ranch.

  • It’s been a pretty slow three years for east downtown townhome development, but it looks like things are coming back to life. While townhomes are about the least interest type of residential development I can think of, modest numbers of buyers willing to spend 250-350k is nothing to sneeze at, and it’s what retailers need to kick east downtown into the next phase.

  • heyzeus, what area of the city do you live in?

  • Who ever would have thunk it.

  • sweet. Keep developing east of Montrose/downtown/midtown. Lots and lots of cheap land. We’ve bought some apt buildings out there and the rents are almost $0 while being only a few miles from downtown.
    .
    Obvious downside is the area is a bit ghetto at the moment.

  • Newhome Guy, I don’t live in Houston anymore. Spent about 12 years living around town (Sugar Land, Med Center, Montrose, Museum District at various times)

  • People will complain regardless of what is built. Build townhomes, people will complain, suburban homes, complaints as well. The big question is, just like GlenW said, when is a real grocery store coming along (to east downtown)? The kroger on polk is a joke. A normal gym would also be good.

  • Kroger is in no position to invest in that store, I can promise you. Why would you spend money on a store that has shown no trend of critical sales increase per foot or AT ALL? Just bad business.

    As for the other player, don’t hold your breath. They’ve squandered a handful of no-brainer deals in the inner city, and to this day have one modern-prototype store to show for a decade of “effort”. Their stores on Scott, 18th are hilarious kick the can efforts, and Central Market is a different animal altogether.

    That being said, the Finger’s site is a “no-brainer” here.

    At least Kroger has shown a commitment to invest major dollars in urban stores, including RE-investing in some locations. Montrose, West U, Heights…the other Heights store they won’t spend money because they can’t sell B/W.

    What’s hilarious to me is that TO THIS DAY there is not a real grocery store in Bellaire. And if the peanut gallery refers me to the HEB or Randalls there as a real grocery store, we can’t be friends anymore.

    Other areas with a hilarious lack of immediate first class grocery store — downtown, midtown, museum area, Westbury, Meyerland.

  • Cody,
    What is your website?

  • Sally, I think you’ve asked that before. Just click my name :)