Holiday Home Tour & Holiday Market

The 2007 Historic Houston Heights Holiday Home Tour & Holiday Market, themed “Christmas Past and Present,” is set for Friday, November 30 through Sunday, December 2.

The Home Tour will highlight three beautifully restored turn-of-the-last-century homes and two recently constructed homes reflecting traditional Heights architecture. All five homes will be decked out in their holiday best, and docents will be available to point out the rich history, architecture, and unique holiday decorations of each home.

The Holiday Market at the Heights Fire Station will feature local artists, crafters, and merchants with fine hand-made wares, gift items, Christmas decorations, one-of-a-kind accessories, and house portraits. Food vendors will offer delicious treats for sale, and street performers will delight and entertain.

Shuttles will be available on Saturday and Sunday to go between the homes and can be boarded from the Fire Station.

The tour homes will be open from 6:00 to 9:00 PM on Friday, from Noon to 6:00 PM on Saturday, and from Noon to 5:00 PM on Sunday. The Holiday Market will be open from 6:00 to 9:00 PM Friday, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Saturday, and from Noon to 5:00 PM on Sunday.

Advance tickets are $17. Tickets purchased on tour days are $20 for all five homes or $5 for each home. Tickets can be purchased online (click here) and picked up at the Fire Station. Advance tickets are available at these local businesses: Another Place in Time, Buchanan’s Native Plants, Eclectic Home, and McCain’s Market. Tickets will be available for purchase on tour days at the Fire Station and at the homes.

For more information about the Historic Houston Heights Holiday Home Tour and Holiday Market, go to the web site above or call the Houston Heights Association at 713-861-4002 and select option 7.

Scout For The 2008 Holiday Tour

Do you see any spectacular holiday decorations in the neighborhood? If so, suggest they volunteer for next year’s Heights Holiday Home Tour! You’ll be paying your friend, neighbor, or relative a great compliment and also enabling them to scoop up more wonderful decorations while the sales are still going on! If want to suggest a home for 2008, contact Trudy Nelson, 713-802-0773.

Heights Trees Count!

by Angela DeWree, Urban Forestry Chair

This year the Urban Forestry Committee of HHA sponsored three activities to celebrate and educate the Heights about our rare treasure, our Heights Urban Forest.

Most recently, Kelly Simmons, Nicole & John Ridgway, Taylor Moore, and Ellen Newcaster worked with Victor Cordoba and his assistant, Jeremy Burkes, to count Heights trees in the City right-of-way on the north side. It was fun and a worthwhile working walk in our neighborhood with a Target team of employees and countless neighbor volunteers on bike, foot, baby strollers, backpack, and automobile.

On July 29, 30 Boy Scouts from Spring, a family of Girl Scouts from Katy, a Target team of employees, and a wonderful committee of Catherine Burst, Kelly Walker, Nicole Ridgway joined with seven HHA Board Members and neighbor volunteers to successfully count the Trees in the right-of-way west of Yale to Shepherd, 4th to 20th.

In the spring, neighbors gathered at Marmion Park to register champion trees and receive gift plants for a butterfly garden, courtesy of Taylor Moore and Newton Nursery.

Everyone loves trees, for their amazing properties: flood mitigation, reduction of noise and air pollution, habitat for migrating birds and wildlife, and overall health and beauty that makes life in our Houston Heights wonderful.

This year’s extraordinary in-kind sponsors include: Yumi Ice Cream, C&D Hardware, Dacapo’s, Collina’s on 19th, Another Place in Time, Buchanan’s, Inside Outside, Kelly Simmons, Catherine Burst, Park People, Design & Inspiration, Kroger, and fabulous Target including teams of employee volunteers. A very special thanks goes to Taylor Moore of Newton Nursery for gift plants, glasses, and trees; Huy Nguyen, manager of Starbuck’s at Nicholson & 610, for a constant flow of coffee at each and every Urban Forestry event; and Catherine Burst of Treescape for her hard work & Tall Tree books.

In 2008, we look forward to planting trees; three activities are in the planning. Special acknowledgments to Heights neighbors who “Live in Tandem with Trees”; it can be a new construction, historic renovations, or a great garden.

Remember HEIGHTS TREES COUNT! The Urban Forestry Committee meets the first Tuesday at 6:30 PM at the Fire Station.

Demo Watch

Another ten demolition permits have been issued for properties in Houston Heights. Four of these permits were for properties within the boundaries of the Houston Heights Historic District East. However, these four properties are classified as non-contributing, meaning they are not historic.

Our neighborhood character is the very reason why builders want to build here. It is possible for the old and the new to co-exist as long as the new only replaces non-historic sites and is done in keeping with the historic architectural style. The HHA began tracking demolitions in June of 2005. Since then 288 structures have been bulldozed or relocated out of the neighborhood.

Two Houston Heights historic district applications are moving through the approval process at Houston City Hall. Historic district designation mandates a 90-day waiting period on all demolitions or relocations. It also requires plan review for all new construction. For more information about historic district designation, please click here.

Below is the list of the properties for which demolition permits were issued between October 15 and November 14, 2007.

• 931 Alexander
• 407 Arlington
• 1417 Cortlandt
• 333 Heights Blvd.
• 812 Oxford
• 813 Oxford
• 818 Oxford
• 107 W. 13th St.
• 113 W. 13th St.
• 1305 Heights Blvd.

Heights Women Invited To Tea

Ladies are cordially invited to the Houston Heights Woman’s Club at 1846 Harvard St. for their first annual Victorian Christmas Tea to be held on Sunday, December 9, 2007 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. Come and see the newly renovated club house and enjoy the Christmas Tree decorated with hand crafted ornaments made by the members under the supervision of Melvalene Cohen.

Tickets are $15.00 for Woman’s Club members and $20.00 for guests. Members who are interested in helping with this event, please call Chairperson Amydell Beardshall at 713-869-4065.

Heights Holiday Caroling Hayride

Several years ago, the Houston Heights Association sponsored a hay wagon for members to ride on. If there is enough interest, the hay wagon is going to be made available again.

The wagon will accommodate 20 to 24 adults and children. It will only be available on the nights of December 7, 8, 14, and 15. The caroling hayrides will only travel through the Heights area. If you have a group that would be interested in riding on the wagon, or you are having a holiday party and would be interested in being caroled, call 713-869-0505 or e-mail TortureT@aol.com.

Calendar of Events for December 2007 - January 2008

HHA headquarters: The Fire Station is on the corner of Yale and 12th Streets.

Community Calendar

Events planned by other community organizations.

Every Wednesday and Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Historic Houston’s salvage warehouse is open. Call 713-522-0542 or visit their web site www.historichouston.org.

December 1, 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Heights Presbyterian at 240 West 18th Street presents Cookies and Wassail with Santa.

December 1 - 16, UpStage Theatre Young Audience Series presents Santa’s Magic Timepiece, an annual Christmas favorite. Saturday and Sunday afternoons, 2:00 PM, Lambert Hall, 1703 Heights Blvd. Visit www.upstagetheatre.org or call 713-838-7191.

December 3, 1:00-5:30 PM, Incarnate Word Academy at 609 Crawford hosts a blood drive for the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center. Please email ebradford@incarnateword.org for more information or to set up an appointment to donate blood.

December 8, Woodland Heights Civic Association presents Lights In The Heights, see www.woodland-heights.org/Events/LITH2007.

December 9, 3:00-5:00 PM, Houston Heights Woman’s Club presents their first Victorian Christmas Tea, see right column.

December 15 at 7:00 PM and December 16 at 11:00 AM, St. Mark’s United Methodist Church at 600 Pecore presents its traditional Christmas Pageant. To join or for information, call 713-861-3104, email c3_courtney@yahoo.com, or visit www.smumc.org.

Future History

February 24, 2008, Awards Dinner

April 4-6, Spring Home Tour

June 7, Fun Run

October 5, Bicycle Rally

December 5-7, Holiday Home Tour