Westheimer Road
Encyclopedia
Westheimer Road is an arterial road
in the western half of Houston
, Texas
, United States
. It runs from Bagby Street west to the Westpark Tollway
. Westheimer Road runs roughly parallel to and south of Buffalo Bayou
throughout its course. The street was named after Michael Louis Westheimer, a German immigrant and flour salesman.
Westheimer Road's eastern terminus is at Bagby Street. At this point, traffic heading east on Westheimer either turns southwest on Bagby Street or jogs right and southeasterly, continuing on Elgin Street into Midtown
. From Bagby west, Westheimer jogs mostly westerly, through Neartown
, forms the south boundary of the River Oaks community, and then passes under the west 610 Loop.
The portion spanning from Interstate 610
west to the Westpark Tollway is designated as a part of Urban Road 1093
. Although Urban Road 1093 was formally extracted from Farm to Market Road 1093 on June 27, 1995, signs and common usage still refer to this segment of Westheimer Road as FM 1093. From the 610 Loop west, Westheimer Road traverses through Uptown
and then west-southwest to Chimney Rock. From Chimney Rock west, Westheimer is straight along a cardinal
east–west line. Westheimer passes north of Alief and Westchase
when passing under Beltway 8. After intersecting Highway 6 and passing west of West Oaks Mall
, Westheimer Road and Westheimer Parkway split, with Westheimer Parkway continuing west through George Bush Park
and Westheimer Road (a.k.a., "Old Westheimer Road") turning southwest. Westheimer Road terminates when FM 1093 becomes the feeder road of the Westpark Tollway
just west of FM 1464 and just inside Fort Bend County.
said in a 2006 article that Westheimer Road, "more than any other thoroughfare, embodies Houston's car-enamored, zoning-free ethos, a damn-near 20-mile phantasmagoria of strip malls, storage facilities, restaurants, big-box retail, office parks, apartment complexes, strip clubs, malls, supermarkets and the occasional church." In another article he referred to Westheimer as "mainly about the fetishes, broken dreams and vanities of Anglo whites
."
In a post on the Houston Press website during the same year, he called the stretch of Westheimer west of Chimney Rock Road and east of Fondren Road, which he refers to as "Mid-Westheimer," "The Testosterone
Zone." Referring to a photograph of a shopping center on that segment, Lomax added that "This strip center is the essence of that -- Evans Music City, an army surplus store, a titty bar and a liquor store within 100 yards of each other. Now that's one-stop shopping." In Houston Architectural Guide, Stephen Fox said the following about the stretch of Westheimer between Chimney Rock Road and South Gessner Road:
Lomax said that the segment of Westheimer in Westchase
is "virtually all chains -- a Geography of Nowhere wasteland of Boston Market
, Borders
, Kroger
, Randalls, Taco Bell
, Citgo
and Sonic
. Several of the six CVS outlets we passed are there, as are a few of the uncountable Starbucks
." He added that the segment of Westheimer Road in Westchase does not have "the sleaze of the Highway 6 area and the tacky exuberance of mid-Westheimer, the area between Chimney Rock and Fondren."
In 2007 Colliers International ranked Westheimer Road as the seventh most expensive retail streets in the United States by rent per square foot; the group calculated the rent per square foot as $120 United States dollar
s.
In 2007 Mimi Swartz of Texas Monthly
referred to a stretch of Westheimer between Claremont Lane and Kirby Drive as "the socialite’s sector" due to the stores catering to residents of River Oaks
and other nearby wealthy communities; in the article she describes several places along the stretch of Westheimer.
and the Cinco Ranch
neighborhood in Harris County and Fort Bend County. The Parkway then runs under Grand Parkway near Cinco Ranch High School
. Westheimer Parkway's western terminus is in Fort Bend County, Texas
approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) northwest of Grand Parkway. At this point, traffic heading northwest on Westheimer Parkway continues on Pin Oak Road near Katy Mills Mall
, located in Katy
.
Jewish immigrant and flour salesman who had settled in Houston in 1859. He purchased a 640 acres (2.6 km²) farm west of Houston's city limits at the time, where Lamar High School and St. John's School are currently located. Having built a school on his land for his 16 children, other local children were invited to join the school, as a public school system was not established in the area. The road that led to his property was known as "the road to Westheimer's place" and winded through what would later be Neartown
and River Oaks.
In 1895 Westheimer allowed Harris County to build a right-of-way for a road stretching from Houston to Columbus
and Sealy
; this road became Westheimer Road.
Arterial road
An arterial road, or arterial thoroughfare, is a high-capacity urban road. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector roads to freeways, and between urban centres at the highest level of service possible. As such, many arteries are limited-access roads, or feature...
in the western half of Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It runs from Bagby Street west to the Westpark Tollway
Westpark Tollway
The Westpark Tollway, also Fort Bend Westpark Tollway, is a limited-access toll road serving western Houston and Harris County, and northeastern Fort Bend County. Construction on the facility began in 2001 and portions of the road were opened to traffic in May 2004. Construction of the roadway...
. Westheimer Road runs roughly parallel to and south of Buffalo Bayou
Buffalo Bayou
Buffalo Bayou is a main waterway flowing through Houston, in Harris County, Texas, USA. It begins in Katy, Fort Bend County, Texas and flows approximately east to the Houston Ship Channel and then into Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico...
throughout its course. The street was named after Michael Louis Westheimer, a German immigrant and flour salesman.
Westheimer Road's eastern terminus is at Bagby Street. At this point, traffic heading east on Westheimer either turns southwest on Bagby Street or jogs right and southeasterly, continuing on Elgin Street into Midtown
Midtown, Houston, Texas
Midtown is a district southwest of Downtown Houston, bordered by Neartown and U.S. Highway 59.-History:Around 1906 what is now Midtown was divided between the Third Ward and Fourth Ward. Before the 1950s what is now Midtown was a popular residential district. Increasingly, commercial development...
. From Bagby west, Westheimer jogs mostly westerly, through Neartown
Neartown Houston
Neartown is an area located in west-central Houston, Texas, United States and is one of the city's major cultural areas. Neartown is roughly bounded by U.S. Highway 59 to the south, Allen Parkway to the north, Bagby Street on the east, and Shepherd Drive to the west...
, forms the south boundary of the River Oaks community, and then passes under the west 610 Loop.
The portion spanning from Interstate 610
Interstate 610 (Texas)
Interstate 610 is a freeway that forms a forty-two-mile loop around the downtown sector of city of Houston, Texas. Interstate 610, colloquially known as "The Loop", "Loop 610", "The 610 Loop", or just "610", traditionally marks the border between the inner city of Houston and its surrounding areas...
west to the Westpark Tollway is designated as a part of Urban Road 1093
Farm to Market Road 1093
Farm to Market Road 1093 is a farm to market road in the U.S. state of Texas. It begins in Eagle Lake at FM 3013 and heads east to Interstate 610 in Houston. In Houston, a portion of FM 1093 is also a portion of "Westheimer Road", which continues east of I-610 without the FM 1093...
. Although Urban Road 1093 was formally extracted from Farm to Market Road 1093 on June 27, 1995, signs and common usage still refer to this segment of Westheimer Road as FM 1093. From the 610 Loop west, Westheimer Road traverses through Uptown
Uptown Houston
The Uptown District of Houston is located 6.2 miles west of downtown and is centered along Post Oak Boulevard, Westheimer Road , and the Galleria...
and then west-southwest to Chimney Rock. From Chimney Rock west, Westheimer is straight along a cardinal
Cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...
east–west line. Westheimer passes north of Alief and Westchase
Westchase, Houston, Texas
Westchase is a business management district, with some residential and retail elements, located in western Houston, Texas, United States. The district is bounded roughly by Westheimer Road on the north, Gessner Road on the east, Wilcrest Drive on the west, and the Westpark Tollway on the south...
when passing under Beltway 8. After intersecting Highway 6 and passing west of West Oaks Mall
West Oaks Mall (Houston, Texas)
West Oaks Mall is a retail shopping mall in the Alief area of Houston, Texas, USA, that opened in 1984. It is located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Westheimer Road and Highway 6. Anchor stores include Dillard's, Macy's, and Sears...
, Westheimer Road and Westheimer Parkway split, with Westheimer Parkway continuing west through George Bush Park
George Bush Park
George Bush Park is a city park in Houston, Texas in the United States. It is the sixth largest city park in the nation, covering . It was previously known as Cullen-Barker Park.-History:...
and Westheimer Road (a.k.a., "Old Westheimer Road") turning southwest. Westheimer Road terminates when FM 1093 becomes the feeder road of the Westpark Tollway
Westpark Tollway
The Westpark Tollway, also Fort Bend Westpark Tollway, is a limited-access toll road serving western Houston and Harris County, and northeastern Fort Bend County. Construction on the facility began in 2001 and portions of the road were opened to traffic in May 2004. Construction of the roadway...
just west of FM 1464 and just inside Fort Bend County.
Character of Various Segments
John Nova Lomax of the Houston PressHouston Press
The Houston Press is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in Downtown Houston....
said in a 2006 article that Westheimer Road, "more than any other thoroughfare, embodies Houston's car-enamored, zoning-free ethos, a damn-near 20-mile phantasmagoria of strip malls, storage facilities, restaurants, big-box retail, office parks, apartment complexes, strip clubs, malls, supermarkets and the occasional church." In another article he referred to Westheimer as "mainly about the fetishes, broken dreams and vanities of Anglo whites
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
."
In a post on the Houston Press website during the same year, he called the stretch of Westheimer west of Chimney Rock Road and east of Fondren Road, which he refers to as "Mid-Westheimer," "The Testosterone
Testosterone
Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group and is found in mammals, reptiles, birds, and other vertebrates. In mammals, testosterone is primarily secreted in the testes of males and the ovaries of females, although small amounts are also secreted by the adrenal glands...
Zone." Referring to a photograph of a shopping center on that segment, Lomax added that "This strip center is the essence of that -- Evans Music City, an army surplus store, a titty bar and a liquor store within 100 yards of each other. Now that's one-stop shopping." In Houston Architectural Guide, Stephen Fox said the following about the stretch of Westheimer between Chimney Rock Road and South Gessner Road:
Lomax said that the segment of Westheimer in Westchase
Westchase, Houston, Texas
Westchase is a business management district, with some residential and retail elements, located in western Houston, Texas, United States. The district is bounded roughly by Westheimer Road on the north, Gessner Road on the east, Wilcrest Drive on the west, and the Westpark Tollway on the south...
is "virtually all chains -- a Geography of Nowhere wasteland of Boston Market
Boston Market
Boston Market, known as Boston Chicken until 1995, headquartered in Golden, Colorado, is a chain of American fast casual restaurants. It is owned by private equity firm Sun Capital Partners, headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida.-History:...
, Borders
Borders Group
Borders Group, Inc. was an international book and music retailer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company employed approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders and Waldenbooks stores....
, Kroger
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer...
, Randalls, Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
, Citgo
Citgo
CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a United States-incorporated, Venezuela-owned refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de...
and Sonic
Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In is an American drive-in fast-food restaurant chain based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, complete with carhops who sometimes wear rollerskates. As of August 31, 2010, there were 3,500 restaurants in 43 U.S. states. Sonic serves approximately 3 million customers daily.-1950s:Following...
. Several of the six CVS outlets we passed are there, as are a few of the uncountable Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
." He added that the segment of Westheimer Road in Westchase does not have "the sleaze of the Highway 6 area and the tacky exuberance of mid-Westheimer, the area between Chimney Rock and Fondren."
In 2007 Colliers International ranked Westheimer Road as the seventh most expensive retail streets in the United States by rent per square foot; the group calculated the rent per square foot as $120 United States dollar
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
s.
In 2007 Mimi Swartz of Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...
referred to a stretch of Westheimer between Claremont Lane and Kirby Drive as "the socialite’s sector" due to the stores catering to residents of River Oaks
River Oaks, Houston, Texas
River Oaks is an affluent community located in the geographic center of Houston, Texas, United States. Located within the 610 Loop and between Downtown and Uptown, the community spans . Established in the 1920s by brothers William and Michael Hogg, the community became a well-publicized national...
and other nearby wealthy communities; in the article she describes several places along the stretch of Westheimer.
Westheimer Parkway
From its eastern terminus at Westheimer Road / FM 1093, Westheimer Parkway winds through George Bush ParkGeorge Bush Park
George Bush Park is a city park in Houston, Texas in the United States. It is the sixth largest city park in the nation, covering . It was previously known as Cullen-Barker Park.-History:...
and the Cinco Ranch
Cinco Ranch, Texas
Cinco Ranch is a census-designated place and master-planned community located in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston within Fort Bend and Harris Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 11,196 at the 2000 census. It lies about 25 miles west of the Harris County seat of...
neighborhood in Harris County and Fort Bend County. The Parkway then runs under Grand Parkway near Cinco Ranch High School
Cinco Ranch High School
Cinco Ranch High School is a public high school located in unincorporated Fort Bend County, Texas, United States that serves grades 9 through 12 as part of the Katy Independent School District. It is located off Cinco Ranch Boulevard within the community of Cinco Ranch...
. Westheimer Parkway's western terminus is in Fort Bend County, Texas
Fort Bend County, Texas
Fort Bend County is a county located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. In 2000 its population was 354,452, while the 2010 U.S...
approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) northwest of Grand Parkway. At this point, traffic heading northwest on Westheimer Parkway continues on Pin Oak Road near Katy Mills Mall
Katy Mills
Katy Mills is an outlet shopping mall in Katy, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, developed by The Mills Corporation and now owned by Simon Property Group. The mall opened on October 28, 1999 and hosts a variety of over 200 specialty stores...
, located in Katy
Katy, Texas
Katy is a city located in Harris, Fort Bend and Waller Counties in the U.S. state of Texas, within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area...
.
History
Westheimer Road and Westheimer Parkway are named after Michael Louis Westheimer, a prosperous GermanGermans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
Jewish immigrant and flour salesman who had settled in Houston in 1859. He purchased a 640 acres (2.6 km²) farm west of Houston's city limits at the time, where Lamar High School and St. John's School are currently located. Having built a school on his land for his 16 children, other local children were invited to join the school, as a public school system was not established in the area. The road that led to his property was known as "the road to Westheimer's place" and winded through what would later be Neartown
Neartown Houston
Neartown is an area located in west-central Houston, Texas, United States and is one of the city's major cultural areas. Neartown is roughly bounded by U.S. Highway 59 to the south, Allen Parkway to the north, Bagby Street on the east, and Shepherd Drive to the west...
and River Oaks.
In 1895 Westheimer allowed Harris County to build a right-of-way for a road stretching from Houston to Columbus
Columbus, Texas
Columbus is a city in Colorado County, Texas, United States, west of Houston along Interstate 10, on the Colorado River. In 1890, 2,199 people lived in Columbus, Texas; in 1900, there were 1,824 residents. The population was 3,916 as of the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Colorado County...
and Sealy
Sealy, Texas
Sealy is a city in Austin County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 5,248 at the 2000 census. Sealy is located 50 miles west of the downtown Houston area.-Geography:...
; this road became Westheimer Road.