Elements of the District

Located largely in the Greater East End Management District, TIRZ 23 functions as a means to improve the area and is identified by four distinct features as shown on this map: Nodes, Districts, Paths, and Edges. These features were chosen to broker an understanding of the area’s unique physical layout, functionality, and individual character.

Nodes, or Activity Centers, are significant destinations that regularly attract people and typically include a focused concentration of land uses such as shopping areas, major parks, educational institutions, or employers in one location. Examples of Nodes in/near the Zone include, Marron Park, Gus Wortham Park, and the Farmer’s Market.

Districts are identifiable areas within the Zone, each with a distinct character that is separate from other areas. Districts identified in the area are based on known neighborhood boundaries and include Second Ward, Eastwood, Magnolia Park, and Wayside.

Paths are channels for traveling from one destination to another and create the framework for the area on which all other components fit. Examples of paths in the Zone include the roadways, the Metro Rail line, Buffalo Bayou, Harrisburg Bike Trail and the Union Pacific railroad tracks.

Edges create a sense of division between places. On the community-wide scale, edges create a physical and psychological sense of separation. Edges can be manmade, such as a highway or major railroad, or they can be natural areas or waterways. Examples of edges in the Zone include Buffalo Bayou and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.

Land Use/Property Classification

Land uses within the Zone consist primarily of commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential uses. Additionally, there are 208 acres of parkland within the Zone. Overall the area can be characterized by commercial and industrial uses, with scattered vacant parcels and vacant/abandoned buildings intermixed amongst some of the oldest neighborhoods in the Houston area. Recently the area has begun to redevelop, and new development of townhomes and lofts is occurring in the areas closest to downtown.