Area walkability a great convenience
Easy access to the places that are important in your life is a great concept, and Houston’s luxury condominiums are doing their part to ensure their residents can do this every day.
According to Walkscore.com, Houston is the 22nd most walkable large city in the U.S.
Walkability is a very valuable amenity for condos to be able to provide for their homeowners, according to Stephanie Aron-Weiss at John Daugherty, Realtors.
“It is easily one of the best amenities a building has to offer,” she said. “Location is very important, especially in a city like Houston, which has grown so much and will continue to grow. Not having to depend on a car or navigate Houston traffic is huge.”
So, how does the term “walkability” apply to the Houston condo market?
Walkability is a measure of how friendly an area is to walking, Aron-Wiess said.
Factors influencing walkability include the presence or absence and quality of footpaths, sidewalks or other pedestrian rights-of-way, traffic and road conditions, land use patterns, building accessibility, and safety.
Throughout Houston, it’s not difficult to find a home that has great walkability possibilities.
One of Houston’s Most Walkable Neighborhoods according to Redfin.com is Midtown, with a walk score of 82. Residents who reside in this part of the city have access to work opportunities, MetroRail, restaurants, clubs, and gyms.
Surge Homes’ Parc at Midtown has a walk score of 87 for its access to a variety of places such as Elizabeth Baldwin Park as well as its own 5,000square-foot park with pathways and benches.
The Moderne, located near Rice Village, is rated with an impressive 93 walk score due to its proximity to the Rice Village shopping area, which offers an incredible selection of restaurants and retail shopping.
The River Oaks offers a prime walkable location positioned near the River Oaks Shopping District, as is The Westmore, located in the Upper Kirby District near retail and dining selections.
The Galleria area is also home to multiple luxury condos offering prime walkability.
“At The Manhattan, the Galleria is just steps away. You have everything you need under one roof. If the Galleria doesn’t have what you need, there are grocery stores, banks, pharmacies, and restaurant options all within walking distance,” Aron-Weiss said.
New to the Galleria area according to Aron-Weiss is the upcoming Post Oak bus line, which will make it even easier to get around the area for Galleria area residents. Post Oak is becoming the new Madison Avenue, Aron-Weiss added.
“This saves time and money. They can either walk or jump on the new Post Oak bus line then shop at Neiman Marcus, grab soup at Kenny & Ziggy’s, enjoy a date night at The Annie, grocery shop at Whole Foods, bank at Wells Fargo, or sip a coffee at Starbucks. The opportunities here are endless,” she said.
Other luxury properties in the Galleria area include The Empire, The Oxford Lofts on Post Oak, Cosmopolitan, and Astoria.