Greenspoint, Houston

Greenspoint
Skyscrapers in the Greenspoint District
Skyscrapers in the Greenspoint District
District logo
Coordinates: 29°56′09″N 95°27′03″W / 29.9359459°N 95.4508066°W / 29.9359459; -95.4508066
Country United States
StateTexas
CountyHarris County
CityHouston
District created1991
Government
 • TypeManagement district
 • BodyNorth Houston District
Area
 • Total18.0 km2 (6.96 sq mi)
Population
 (2012)[1]
 • Total42,569
 • Density2,400/km2 (6,100/sq mi)
ZIP Code
77037
Area code(s)281, 346, 713, 832
Websitewww.northhouston.org

Greater Greenspoint, also referred to as the North Houston District, is a 7-square-mile (18 km2) business district and a suburban neighborhood in northern Harris County, Texas, United States, located mostly within the city limits of Houston. Centered around the junction of Interstate 45 and Texas State Highway Beltway 8 near George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the area is a classic example of a planned edge city.[2] The initial 2,000-acre (8.1 km2) retail and office development centered around Greenspoint Mall was a project of the Friendswood Development Company during the 1970s and early 1980s.[3]

Greenspoint is one of Houston's major business districts, with 10.82 million square feet (1.005 million square metres) of office space.[4] The district's 2,880 companies host a workforce of nearly 50,000 people.[5][6][7][4] Major flooding events along Greens Bayou, which bisects the district, have put additional pressure on the area's large low-income population; nearly half of Greenspoint residents have an income of under $25,000 per year, well below the Houston median of over $44,000 per year.[8][3]

In order to create new infrastructure, boost public services (particularly safety), and spearhead urban planning, the Texas Legislature created the North Houston District in 1991. This special government entity is bounded by the Hardy Toll Road to the east, Airtex Boulevard to the north, Veterans Memorial Drive to the west, and West Road to the south.[9]

  1. ^ a b "Super Neighborhood Resource Assessment – Greater Greenspoint" (PDF). City of Houston. August 2014. Retrieved 2017-09-12.
  2. ^ Lang, Robert (2003). Edgeless Cities: Exploring the Elusive Metropolis. Brookings Institution Press. pp. 65–66. ISBN 9780815706120. greenspoint edge city.
  3. ^ a b Bivins, Ralph. "Exxon mulls move to Greenspoint site." Houston Chronicle. Wednesday December 13, 1989. Business 3. Retrieved on August 3, 2009.
  4. ^ a b "North Houston District Submarket Report: January–June 2011" (PDF). North Houston District. July 2017. Retrieved 2017-09-12.
  5. ^ "North Houston District Business Summary" (PDF). North Houston District. 2016-09-30. Retrieved 2017-09-13.
  6. ^ Gonzales, J.R. (2016-08-05). "A look back as Greenspoint Mall turns 40". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2017-09-12.
  7. ^ Pittman, Steve (2001-11-29). "Greenspoint area focuses on improving its image". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2017-09-12.
  8. ^ Rogers, Susan (2016-04-22). "Greenspoint, poverty and flooding". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2017-09-12.
  9. ^ "Boundary Map Archived 2010-10-19 at the Wayback Machine." (Full map Archived 2014-12-22 at the Wayback Machine) Greenspoint Management District. Retrieved on May 19, 2009.