West University Place, Texas
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement
West University Place, often called West University or West U for short, is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Template:Nowrap metropolitan area and southwestern Harris County.<ref name="Handbook">Template:Handbook of Texas</ref> At the 2020 U.S. census, the population of the city was 14,955.<ref name="Census 2010">Template:Cite web</ref> It is nicknamed "The Neighborhood City" and is mainly a bedroom community for upper-class families.
West University Place is surrounded by the cities of Bellaire, Houston, and Southside Place. Template:As of, West University Place has the state's fifth highest concentration of households with incomes $150,000 or greater.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
History
[edit]The city was developed in 1917 by Ben Hooper, a former Tennessee governor. The name "West University Place" originated from its proximity to Rice Institute, now known as Rice University.<ref name="Handbook"/> The first lots in the community were sold in 1917.<ref name="Annexbitter">Lee, Renée C. "Annexed Kingwood split on effects." Houston Chronicle. Sunday October 8, 2006. A21. Retrieved on July 6, 2011. "Some of the area communities that incorporated as cities and escaped annexation by Houston:" Print version exclusively has the information cited; the information is not included in the online edition. To obtain a print version, you may get a microfilm copy from the Houston Public Library Jones Building or the University of Houston Main Library.</ref> Portions of West University were previously within the Harris County Poor farm, which extended from an area between Bellaire Boulevard and Bissonnet Street, eastward to an area near the "poor farm ditch."<ref name=Lakeditch>Lake, Deborah Mann. "Ditch in West U. once served county farm." Houston Chronicle. Wednesday April 18, 2001. ThisWeek 4. Retrieved on October 17, 2012.</ref>
In the 1920s, Lillian "Lilly" Nicholson, a Rice University English major, lived with a friend whose father was a city planner. The city planner asked Nicholson and her friend to name the streets of West University Place. Nicholson took names from her English literature book and gave them to the streets in West University Place. As a result, many West University streets are named after authors. Cydney Mackey, a family friend of Nicholson, said in a Houston Chronicle article, "Aunt Lilly had always said she wanted to be an architect, unknown for women in that era, and this was her way of making a small but lasting mark on our city's landscape."<ref name="Rust">Rust, Carol. "Houston has street sense (and nonsense as well)" (). Houston Chronicle. Wednesday April 16, 1997. Houston 1. Retrieved on October 26, 2011.</ref> One street, Weslayan Road, is a misspelling of "Wesleyan."<ref name="Rust"/>
The City of West University Place was declared incorporated by the County Judge of Harris County on January 2, 1924. The city incorporated because Houston was reluctant to extend power lines that far from the city center. West University Place, unlike Houston Heights, did not consolidate into the City of Houston.<ref name="Handbook"/> Because of the 1923 incorporation, Houston did not incorporate West University Place's territory into its city limits, while Houston annexed surrounding areas that were unincorporated.<ref name="Annexbitter"/> In 1939, the municipality refused to consolidate, later adopting a formal city charter the following year. The city had around 15,000 residents in the 1960s and the 1970s. The city had 12,714 people in 1990.<ref name="Handbook"/>
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."<ref name="StowersSmallBig">Stowers, Don. "Bellaire small-town flavor, big-city convenience." Houston Post. April 26, 1992. L section. Available from the microfilm desk at the Jesse H. Jones Building of the Houston Public Library Central Library.</ref> 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. Area home buyers began to consider nearby Bellaire because it had more inexpensive and larger lots, and amenities described by Stowers as "comparable" to West University Place's amenities.<ref name="StowersSmallBig"/>On October 22, 2018 24/7 Wall Street, which collaborates with USA Today, ranked West University Place the "best city to live in".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Geography
[edit]
West University Place is located at Template:Coord (29.715929, −95.432992).<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, all land. The city of Houston surrounds much of West University Place.<ref name="Annexbitter" /> The boundaries are roughly Bellaire Boulevard/Holcombe Boulevard, Kirby Drive, Bissonnet Road, and Community Drive.<ref>"City Map Template:Webarchive." City of West University Place. Retrieved on November 11, 2011.</ref> West University Place is Template:Convert from Downtown Houston.<ref name="FeserRebirth">Template:Cite news</ref>
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. (See map)
The Poor Farm Ditch is a ditch that drains into the Brays Bayou that formerly belonged to the Harris County poor farm. In 1928, the ditch was dredged after significant flooding had occurred in the area. On occasions, the ditch still flooded. The commissioners of the City of West University adjourned their meeting so they could dam streets in December 1935. The Harris County Flood Control District, in 1954, widened and deepened the ditch and added a concrete bottom and siding. During that year the district installed a chain link fence. To make the ditch more attractive, the Sunset Terrace Garden Club planted oleanders around the ditch; the oleanders obscure the view of the ditch from Edloe Street to the east. The West University Garden Club maintained the flowers. A 2001 Edloe Greenbelt proposal called for the removal of the flowers.<ref name=Lakeditch/>
Cityscape
[edit]In 2018, Mimi Swartz of Texas Monthly described it as "an orderly quarter where older brick bungalows and modest two-story colonials reside in peace alongside grand—but not too grand—new construction."<ref name=SwartzTrumpShirt>Template:Cite web - Article first posted June 8, 2018</ref> The typical lot size in West University Place is Template:Convert.<ref name="Feserenov">Feser, Katherine. "Renovations increase area's appeal, prices" (Archive). Houston Chronicle. Sunday January 28, 2001. Retrieved on February 20, 2012.</ref>
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 Template:Convert by Template:Convert, 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.<ref name="StowersSmallBig"/> In a 15-year period ending in 2002, around half of the existing houses in West University Place were torn down and replaced with newer houses.<ref name="Pemberton">Feser, Katherine. "Restoration the way to go in Pemberton" (). Houston Chronicle. July 8, 2002. Retrieved on December 30, 2008.</ref>
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.<ref name=Zoningmap>"Zoning Map." City of West University Place. Retrieved on March 24, 2019.</ref> 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. People living in the area were fond of restoration of older houses, and it includes some of West U's more expensive homes.<ref name="Pemberton"/> Colonial Terrace is west of Weslayan Street and is near the railroad tracks. Originally, it was the least developed part of West University Place. By 2000, this area was as built up and popular as other areas within West University Place.<ref name="ColonialTerrace">Feser, Katherine. "New houses spice Colonial Terrace area" (). Houston Chronicle. April 12, 2001. Retrieved on December 30, 2008.</ref>
Demographics
[edit]| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 10,758 | 71.94% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 120 | 0.8% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 23 | 0.15% |
| Asian (NH) | 1,889 | 12.63% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 3 | 0.02% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 50 | 0.33% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 699 | 4.67% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,413 | 9.45% |
| Total | 14,955 |
At the 2010 U.S. census,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> there were 14,787 people, 5,260 households, and 4,264 families residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 5,543 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,955 people, 5,460 households, and 4,654 families residing in the city.
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. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.9% of the population. In 2020, 71.94% of the population was non-Hispanic white, 0.8% African American, 0.15% Native American, 12.63% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.33% some other race, 4.67% multiracial, and 9.45% Hispanic or Latino of any race.<ref name=":0" />
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. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.17.
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. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males.
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. About 1.4% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.
Template:Asof many residents include lawyers and employees of the nearby institutions Rice University and the Texas Medical Center; that year Swartz described the community as "a prosperous place" that nevertheless is not "as flashy as wealthy neighborhoods like River Oaks or Memorial".<ref name=SwartzTrumpShirt/> In 2009 Claudia Feldman of the Houston Chronicle described West University Place as a "wealthy city inside a city" and "a tidy, orderly community, one where furniture matches, bills get paid and accomplished parents raise accomplished children."<ref>Feldman, Claudia. "Grieving families seek answers" (Archive). Houston Chronicle. August 27, 2009. Retrieved on September 5, 2009.</ref> John Nova Lomax, a journalist, stated in a 2008 Houston Press article that, due to the growth and dominance of Houston, municipal enclaves with their own services, including West University Place, "are little more than glorified neighborhoods."<ref>Lomax, John Nova. "The Seoul of Houston: The Weather Was Not the Strong Point on Long Point." Houston Press. Wednesday January 30, 2008. Retrieved on September 5, 2009.</ref>
As of 2011, 85% of adults living in West University Place had bachelor's degrees, making it the community with the highest percentage of adults with bachelor's degrees in the Southern United States.<ref>Thomas, G. Scott. "Houston suburb leads South's quality-of-life standings." Business Journals. Tuesday December 6, 2011. Retrieved on December 6, 2011.</ref>
Religion
[edit]West University Baptist Church was established in 1928 by Nannie David; at the time the charter indicated 18 members.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Beginning circa 2007 there was an attempt to swap land with the city government, but some residents protested as they feared eminent domain.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2015 the attempt ended in failure after political rancor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
St. Andrews Presbyterian Church is in the city limits.<ref>Template:Cite web - Mapping the address shows that it is in the West University Place city limits.</ref> In 2004 there were fewer than 600 members, and Sarah Williams of the West U Examiner described it as being "midsize".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
St. George Orthodox Church moved to West University Place in September 1954.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2012 it received mosaics made by a British artist, Aidan Hart.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The area Catholic church,<ref>Template:Cite web - Despite the statement, the church is outside of the West University Place city limits.</ref> St. Vincent de Paul, is in the Houston city limits.<ref>Template:Cite web - Comparing the street address to a map shows that the church is in the Houston city limits.</ref> It was established in 1939 with the parish church being built from the following year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Catholic church is a part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
Economy
[edit]AT&T operates a telephone exchange center at 4068 Bellaire Boulevard.<ref>"Tandems Template:Webarchive." AT&T Inc.. Retrieved on February 1, 2009.</ref>
Government and infrastructure
[edit]Local government
[edit]
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 council enacts legislation, adopts budgets, establishes policies and appoints the city manager, city secretary, city municipal court judges, prosecutors, and clerks.<ref>"Mayor And Council Template:Webarchive." City of West University Place. Accessed June 17, 2008.</ref>
The City Council appoints the city manager to carry out the operations of the city.<ref>"City Manager Template:Webarchive." City of West University Place. Accessed June 17, 2008.</ref> The city secretary maintains ordinances, resolutions, meeting minutes, and legally required publications.<ref>"City Secretary Template:Webarchive." City of West University Place. Accessed June 17, 2008.</ref> The city attorney gives the city council general counsel, litigation, contract review, and ordinance review.<ref>"City Attorney Template:Webarchive." City of West University Place. Accessed June 17, 2008.</ref> West University Place's sewage treatment plant and animal pound are located on a lot in Houston.<ref>"Animal Control FAQs Template:Webarchive," City of West University Place</ref>
The West University Place Fire Department is headquartered at 3800 University Boulevard. Adam Ohler, a firefighter at the department, said in a 2009 Texas Monthly article that the pace of work in the department is "a lot slower than in other city stations—certainly slower than the Provo Fire Department, where I moved from, or some of Houston's units, whose guys run twenty to thirty calls a day."<ref>"Adam Ohler, 30. Firefighter and Paramedic." Texas Monthly. Volume 37, Issue 12. December 2009. 40.</ref> 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. In 2018 Swartz stated that "The police department is famous Houston-wide for enforcing speed limits with a vengeance."<ref name=SwartzTrumpShirt/>
There was a plan to sell the West University maintenance facility, but city council suspended the proposed sale in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Local politics
[edit]In 2001 Kathleen "Kathy" Ballanfant, the publisher and editor of the Village News and Southwest News, stated that "There's a long tradition in West University of not letting your partisan affiliation influence what happens. If you have committed your volunteer time in Little League and the city and various other things, it doesn't matter what political party you're in."<ref>Fleck, Tim. "GOP Mayoral Pipe Dreams." Houston Press. May 24, 2001. p. 1. Retrieved on April 13, 2014.</ref>
The city enforces a ban prohibiting drivers around West University Elementary School from talking on mobile phones during school zone hours.<ref>"Most, but not all, drivers comply with West U. phone ban." Houston Chronicle. August 25, 2008.</ref> AT&T tried and failed to persuade the city to not apply the ban. The West University City Council voted 5–0 to establish the ban; a person who violates the ban gets a $500 fine.<ref>Casey, Rick. "AT&T fails to sway council" (Archive). Houston Chronicle. April 16, 2008. Retrieved on February 1, 2009.</ref> In 2008 the Houston Press rated this ban as the "Best New Ordinance".<ref>"West University Cell Phone Ban (Around West U. Elementary) " (Archive). Houston Press. Retrieved on September 28, 2015.</ref>
In December 2009 the city voted to ban texting while driving.<ref>Mark, Steve. "Bellaire and West U both ban texting while driving Template:Webarchive." Bellaire Examiner. December 9, 2009. Retrieved on January 25, 2010.</ref> Bans of texting while driving were passed in West University Place and Bellaire within hours of one another.<ref>Connelly, Richard. "OMG 4 Rlz, No Texting While Driving In Bellaire Or West U." Houston Press. Tuesday December 15, 2009. Retrieved on January 25, 2010.</ref>
In 2019 there was a proposal to reduce the number of hours in which landscapers were allowed to work, as a way of reducing noise, but it failed three to two.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
County, state, and federal representation
[edit]Harris County Precinct One, headed by Allen Rosen as of 2019, serves West University Place.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
West University Place is located in District 134 of the Texas House of Representatives. As of 2021 Ann Johnson (D) represents the district.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> West University Place is within District 17 of the Texas Senate, represented by Joan Huffman.<ref>"Senate District 17 Template:Webarchive" Map. Senate of Texas. Accessed September 28, 2008.</ref>
West University Place is in Texas's 7th congressional district; as of 2019 Lizzie Pannill Fletcher is the representative.<ref>"Congressional District 7 Template:Webarchive." National Atlas of the United States.</ref> The closest United States Postal Service office is the Weslayan Post Office at 5340 Weslayan Street, Houston, Texas, 77005-1048.
The United States Postal Service uses "Houston" as the city designation for all West University Place addresses.<ref name="KingwoodannexQ's">Template:Cite web</ref>
Harris Health System designated Martin Luther King Health Center in southeast Houston for ZIP code 77005.<ref>Template:Cite web - See ZIP code 77005. See this map for relevant ZIP code.</ref> The nearest public hospital is Ben Taub General Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.
Parks and recreation
[edit]
In 2018 Swartz stated that the area recreational facilities had "secure, nontoxic equipment."<ref name="SwartzTrumpShirt" /> From 1988 to 2003 the Friends of West University Place Parks Fund Inc., a volunteer board, and several West University-area businesses and residents raised $1.5 million to improve West University parks. The funds were collected to acquire additional green spaces and redevelop existing parks.<ref name="Neighbparks">"Houston's neighborhood parks offer change of pace in the city." Houston Business Journal. Sunday, October 26, 2003. Retrieved on October 13, 2012.</ref>
The first West University Place Recreation Center, formerly the Southwest YMCA, included a gymnasium, a swimming pool, and lighted sports fields.<ref>"Recreation CenterTemplate:Dead link." Friends of West U Parks. Retrieved on December 30, 2008.</ref> The City of West University had purchased the Southwest YMCA property around 2003.<ref name="Neighbparks" /> 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.<ref>Mark, Steve. "Bad economy good news for West U Rec Center project." West University Examiner. February 5, 2009. Retrieved on January 25, 2010.</ref> 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. Russ Schulze, the chairperson of the Parks and Recreation department of West University Place, said that the city wants to construct a recreation center "for our residents, not something that will compete with nearby fitness centers or the Weekley YMCA, or to merely attract what residents outside West University want."<ref>Matusow, Cathy. "West U Doesn't Want Its Rec Center To Attract Outsiders, Maybe." Houston Press. Friday February 13, 2009. Retrieved on January 25, 2010.</ref> Current policy denies admission to the pool or other facilities to non-residents unless physically accompanied by a resident at all times [1].
The Weekley YMCA in Houston, the current YMCA facility, includes West University Place in its service area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It opened in 1951 as the Southwest YMCA.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The current facility in Braeswood Place, Houston broke ground in 2001.<ref name="Stantondeathvalley">Stanton, Robert. "'Death Valley' coming back to life." Houston Chronicle. Thursday July 19, 2001. Retrieved on January 7, 2012.</ref>
Colonial Park, at 4130 Byron Street, has a park and a recreational center. The park has a playground, a picnic area, two tennis courts, a parkour course, a concrete walking path, and a pavilion.<ref>"Colonial Park Template:Webarchive." Friends of West U Parks. Retrieved on December 30, 2008.</ref> By 2003 Colonial Park had been enlarged and several facilities, such as a playground, pool, and tennis courts, had been added, due to efforts from the Friends of West University Place Parks and its allies.<ref name="Neighbparks" /> On May 11, 2009, the West University Place city council approved the design of the new Colonial Park pool,<ref>Christian, Carol. "West University Place City Council approves design for Colonial Park poolTemplate:Dead link." Houston Chronicle. May 13, 2009. Retrieved on May 14, 2009.</ref> which was completed in 2011.Template:Citation needed Colonial Park Pool is open May through September, while the recreational center is open year-round.
Friends Park, formerly the Rice Pocket Park, is located at 3771 Rice Boulevard. The park, the newest in the city, opened on December 11, 2007.<ref>"Friends Park Template:Webarchive." Friends of West U Parks. Retrieved on December 30, 2008.</ref> Huffington Park, located at 3901 Milton Street, has a playground, a shaded arbor, picnic tables, and game tables.<ref>"Huffington ParkTemplate:Dead link." Friends of West U Parks. Retrieved on December 30, 2008.</ref> Whitt Johnson Park, at 6540 Wakeforest Street, has a playground, a gazebo, a picnic area, and a lighted basketball court.<ref>"Whitt Johnson Park Template:Webarchive." Friends of West U Parks. Retrieved on December 30, 2008.</ref> Judson Park, at 4242 South Judson Street, has a playground, a picnic area, a lighted tennis court, and a concrete walking path.<ref>"Judson Park Template:Webarchive." Friends of West U Parks. Retrieved on December 30, 2008.</ref> Wier Park, at 3012 Nottingham Street, has a playground, picnic tables, two lighted tennis courts, and a basketball court.<ref>"Wier Park Template:Webarchive." Friends of West U Parks. Retrieved on December 30, 2008.</ref>
In 2002 West University's little league team was placed in the same league as the Bellaire team. Previously they played in separate leagues.<ref>Martin, Betty L. "Little Leaguers pit Bellaire and West University neighbors" (Archive). Houston Chronicle. Thursday, June 20, 2002. Retrieved on September 23, 2015.</ref>
Education
[edit]
Primary and secondary schools
[edit]Public schools
[edit]The city is within the Houston Independent School District (HISD).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018 Swartz described the area schools as "well funded and well appointed."<ref name="SwartzTrumpShirt" />
Pupils who live in West University Place<ref>"Street Map." City of West University Place. Retrieved on November 29, 2018.</ref> are zoned to West University Elementary School in West University Place,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Pershing Middle School<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in the Braeswood Place neighborhood of Houston, and Lamar High School,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in the Upper Kirby district of Houston. All pupils zoned to Pershing may attend Pin Oak Middle School (in the city of Bellaire) instead.<ref>"Pin Oak Middle School." The Southwest District. Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on November 29, 2008.</ref> Pin Oak was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2008.<ref>"Twenty-six Texas public schools named NCLB- Blue Ribbons Schools Template:Webarchive." Texas Education Agency. September 9, 2008.</ref><ref>"Feds award 26 Texas schools with 'blue ribbon'." Houston Chronicle. September 9, 2008.</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 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."<ref name="Fleck3">Fleck, Tim. "What Went Wrong at the Rice School?." Houston Press. August 21, 1997. 3. Retrieved on September 8, 2009.</ref> 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."<ref name="Fleck3" /> In 1996 37% of West University Elementary students had transferred there from other schools. In 2015 West U Elementary had 1,274 students, making it HISD's largest elementary school, with 96% of the students living inside the attendance zone.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Template:Asof 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. In 2010 two parents, Adrienne Vanderbloemen and Christi Young, started a blog that supported the idea of sending one's child to Pershing Middle School.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
West University Place is in close proximity to The Rice School, a kindergarten through 8th grade magnet school in Houston.<ref name="SER2">Downing, Margaret. "Magna Charter." Houston Press. September 29, 2009. 2. Retrieved on November 7, 2009.</ref> The Rice School opened in August 1994 to relieve West University Elementary School and several nearby campuses.<ref name="History">"History of The Rice School / La Escuela Rice." The Rice School. February 28, 2007. Retrieved on September 8, 2009.</ref><ref name="Fleck1">Fleck, Tim. "What Went Wrong at the Rice School?." Houston Press. August 21, 1997. 1. Retrieved on September 8, 2009.</ref>
Gabriela Mistral Early Childhood Center is the closest public early childhood center to the city of West University Place. Students who are eligible for HISD's preschools may attend any Early Childhood Center in Houston ISD.
Private schools
[edit]
St. Mark's Episcopal School (K–8) is located within West University Place.<ref>"Zoning Map." City of West University Place. Retrieved on March 28, 2019. Also: Harris County Block Book Map, Cambridge Place Lts. 29 to 39, 55 to 66 (PDF and JPG). Volume 9, Pages 23-36. The location of the church, where the school is, is marked here.</ref><ref>Home. St. Mark's Episcopal School. Retrieved on March 30, 2019. "3816 Bellaire Boulevard, Houston, TX 77025"</ref> The Beehive Preschool Center is located at the West University Church of Christ.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Other nearby parochial schools and private schools include the School of St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church in Houston (adjacent to the city limits),<ref>
</ref> 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.Template:Citation needed Template:Asof The Village School in the Energy Corridor area has a bus service to an area along Westpark, via Royal Oaks Country Club. This stop serves students living in West University Place.<ref>Template:Cite web - Village Bus Routes 2018-2019 (states: "Sam's Club @5301 S. Rice Bellaire (used by students in Galleria, Bellaire, West University, etc.)") and Royal Oaks/Westpark Bus Route (states: "Families who live in the Galleria, West University, Bellaire, etc. areas may access this service from the Sam's Club stop.") - Note the Sam's Club is in the Houston city limits.</ref>
Colleges and universities
[edit]The Texas Legislature designated Houston Community College System (HCC) as serving Houston ISD (including West University Place).<ref>Sec. 130.182. HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.</ref> West University Place is also served by University of Houston and is in close proximity to Rice University.
Public libraries
[edit]
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. After the war ended the library moved back into the community center.<ref>"West University Branch Library." Harris County Public Library. May 24, 2007. Retrieved on August 13, 2009.</ref> The current Template:Convert library facility opened in 1963.<ref>"West University Library." Harris County Public Library. Retrieved on August 13, 2009.</ref>
Media
[edit]The Houston Chronicle is the area regional newspaper. On Thursdays, residents receive the Bellaire/West U/River Oaks/Meyerland local section.
The West University Examiner is a local newspaper distributed in the community. <ref>"About UsTemplate:Dead link." Examiner News.</ref> The West University Buzz is a monthly publication about people, products and services in the community.
The Village News and Southwest News is a local newspaper distributed to houses and businesses in the community.<ref>"Circulation Area" (Archive) Village News and Southwest News. Retrieved on April 13, 2014. "Responsive Newspapers, L.P. 5160 Spruce Bellaire, TX 77401"</ref>
In the mid-20th century the community newspaper Southwestern Times served West U and surrounding communities.<ref>Southwestern Times (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 18, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 24, 1946. Page: 1 of 16 (Page view). Posted at the Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas. Retrieved on March 2, 2017.</ref> The paper was headquartered in Rice Village, and it served as an official publication for the city.<ref>Southwestern Times (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 44, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 22, 1948. Page: 2 of 20 . Posted at the Portal to Texas History, University of North Texas. Retrieved on March 2, 2017. "2510 Times Boulevard, Houston 5, Texas (In The Village)"</ref>
Transportation
[edit]West University Place is a member city of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO). The city is served by bus lines 2 (Bellaire), 10 (Willowbend), 41 (Kirby/Polk), 65 (Bissonnet), 84 (Buffalo Speedway), and 402 (Bellaire Quickline).<ref>"System Map Template:Webarchive." Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas. Retrieved May 23, 2008.</ref><ref>"Uptown/Galleria and Greenway Plaza Area Template:Webarchive." Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas. Retrieved June 17, 2008.</ref><ref>"Schedules." Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas. Retrieved June 17, 2008.</ref>
In culture
[edit]West University Place is the setting of the novel A Gracious Neighbor by Chris Cander.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Notable people
[edit]- Craig Biggio, retired baseball player for the Astros<ref>de Jesus Ortiz, Jose. "BASEBALL PREVIEW 2007 / The homestretch to 3,000 / Craig Biggio has missed a lot of family time during a big league career that began in 1988. So it will be an extra-special moment when his wife and three children are on hand for a milestone hit Template:Webarchive." Houston Chronicle. Sunday, April 1, 2007. Special, Page 2.</ref>
- Brian Cushing, former football player for the Houston Texans
- Rafael Espada, Vice President of Guatemala from 2008 to 2012<ref>Reed, Michael. "West U resident next Guatemalan VP," West University Examiner, November 14, 2007.</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Jeff Van Gundy, former NBA basketball coach
- Dylan Sprayberry, actor known for roles in Teen Wolf and Man of Steel
References
[edit]Template:Reflist Template:Notelist
External links
[edit]Template:Portal Template:Commons category
- City of West University Place official website and City History
- Friends of West University Place Parks Fund, Inc.
- West University Elementary School
- West University Little League
- Template:Handbook of Texas
Template:Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown MSA Template:Harris County, Texas Template:Texas