South Houston Area
| Clear Lake Area Map |
As a community that is home to NASA Johnson Space Center, as well as to the third largest boating center in the United States, Clear Lake has a great deal to offer.
Clear Lake describes an area built near the bay water that empties into the Gulf of Mexico. It lies about halfway between downtown Houston and Galveston on I-45 South.
The city of Houston annexed Clear Lake City in 1976. But eight surrounding communities comprise the area: Clear Lake Shores, El Lago, Kemah, League City, Nassau Bay, Seabrook, Taylor Lake Village and Webster.
Clear Lake originally was a fishing and agricultural community. NASA’s decision in the 1960’s to located the Johnson Space Center there gave a strong impetus to the area’s development. Contributing significantly to the area’s economy also are the petrochemical and computer industries. As a result, housing in Clear Lake is in demand and the area offers a variety of housing options. For example, South Shore Harbour in League City offers homes with boat slips and touts their resort and conference center. In seaside communities near NASA Road 1, one can set sail from townhomes, apartments and homes as well.
High-flying types will appreciate Hobby Airport just 10 miles away. Even non-flyers will occasionally have the chance to greet astronauts, U.S. Presidents and other VIP’s as they wing in to Ellington Field.
In October 1992, Space Center Houston opened in the area. A visual time line depicting the history and future of manned space flight illustrates America’s space accomplishments. Walt Disney Imagineering created hands-on exhibits and programs, allowing visitors to experience the inner workings of the manned space program.
For those who would enjoy living in a community built on dreams pointed upward to the sky and downward to the sea, Clear Lake is certainly worth exploring.
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| Friendswood Area Map |
The city of Friendswood lies farther south, on the west side of the Gulf Freeway. It is a rural community founded in 1895 by members of the Society of Friends (Quakers).
These days over 34,000 residents enjoy a heavily wooded, rural atmosphere. Some homes sit on several acres, others on smaller subdivision lots. Creek front properties are available, and one subdivision offers a private landing strip as an amenity. Easily accessible to all these communities is Hobby Airport, named for the late William P. Hobby, former Texas governor. Close by, too, is Ellington Air Base, a training base used by NASA, the U.S. Army Reserve, and the Coast Guard.
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| Galveston Area Map |
Many newcomers are surprised to learn that Galveston, an island on the Texas Gulf Coast, is just a little more than a one-hour drive from Houston. Galveston is home to many residents who work in or on the fringes of Houston. In addition, many Houstonians own weekend and vacation property in nearby Galveston or on Galveston Bay.
Housing options in Galveston range from stately Victorian-era mansions along Broadway Boulevard to beach front villas and bungalows. Several high-rise condominiums dot the Gulf Coast shoreline as well as apartment complexes. Subdivisions of single-family dwellings offer more traditional homes within the city while resort waterfront properties often are built on stilts.
Developments along the canal and bay that feature resort homes are an attractive option for newcomers to the area. Pirates’ Cove is a new development nestled around the Galveston Country Club that offers views of the bay and the golf course from each home. Laffite’s Cove is a community in the canal area that was developed by The Woodlands Corp.
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