Houston in Flux: Understanding a Decade of Bayou City Development

Date
2016
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Kinder Institute for Urban Research
Abstract

This report quantifies, visualizes and analyzes new construction and demolition in Harris County between 2005 and 2015. By showing both demolition and construction, this report spotlights the effects of economic booms and busts, illuminates the locations where development pressures are either most extreme or nonexistent and draws attention to communities rebuilding themselves within a decade. These changes are often discussed anecdotally in Houston, but quantifying construction and demolition offers a concrete and nuanced look at how these processes affect different parts of the region. Redevelopment, preservation, outward growth and gentrification can all be spotted in the maps included in the report and in the accompanying interactive online map (www.houstoninflux.com). The report and accompanying interactive component serve two purposes. First, the report is an example of forthcoming Kinder Institute “landscape” analyses that will establish a baseline understanding of important critical issues facing the Houston area. Second, the interactive map provides an accessible public tool that citizens, public entities, businesses and community-based organizations can utilize to better understand their respective communities.

Description
The Houston region is growing rapidly, but quantification and visualization of this growth is not always readily accessible. Although public entities release data on construction, new building permits and demolition permits, it remains challenging to contextualize individual projects within broader regional trends. This report aims to translate information about isolated developments into a cohesive narrative of the Houston area’s physical transformation over the past decade.By showing both demolition and construction in Harris County, this report spotlights the effects of economic booms and busts, illuminates the locations where development pressures are either most extreme or nonexistent and draws attention to communities rebuilding themselves within a decade. These changes are often discussed anecdotally in Houston, but quantifying construction and demolition offers a concrete and nuanced look at how these processes affect different parts of the region. The report also includes an interactive online map.
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Walker, Kelsey and Shelton, Kyle. "Houston in Flux: Understanding a Decade of Bayou City Development." (2016) Rice University and Kinder Institute for Urban Research: https://doi.org/10.25611/p80h-gzsw.

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Copyright ©2016 by Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research. All rights reserved.
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