Midtown, Houston
Midtown is a central neighborhood of Houston, located west-southwest of Downtown. Separated from Downtown by an elevated section of Interstate 45, Midtown is characterized by a continuation of Downtown's square grid street plan, anchored by Main Street and the METRORail Red Line. Midtown is bordered by Neartown to the west, the Museum District to the south, and Interstate 69 to the east. Midtown's 325 blocks cover and contained an estimated population of nearly 8,600 in 2015.
Originally populated as a Victorian-style residential neighborhood in the 19th century, Midtown experienced an economic depression during the latter half of the 20th century, resulting in the departure of residents and businesses and a proliferation of vacant land. The formation of the Midtown Redevelopment Authority in the early 1990s and a renewed interest in Houston's urban core resulted in the gentrification of the district throughout the 2000s, fueled by an influx of young residents and the development of a vibrant nightlife. Like many other gentrified areas of Houston, Midtown's street signs are themed, specific to the area's logo, and there are many parks, sculptures, and businesses that include “Midtown” in their name, as a form of economic unity and to further attract more visitors and residents. Midtown has continued its rapid development through the 2010s, but the district continues to face issues of crime, inadequate infrastructure, chronic homelessness, and geographic disparities in public investment.
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 led homeowners to leave for neighborhoods they considered less busy. The area became a group of small apartment complexes, low-rise commercial buildings, and older houses. According to a City of Houston report, the remaining churches and the Houston Community College System Central campuses provided the neighborhood's "only stability."In the 1970s, Midtown became home to Little Saigon, a neighborhood of Vietnamese and Vietnamese Americans, who pioneered the redevelopment of Midtown Houston. During the 1980s, Travis and Milam Streets were viewed as a mirror image of 1970s era Saigon. The Vietnamese areas were established around Milam Street, Webster Street, Fannin Street, and San Jacinto Street. By 1991 this Little Saigon had Vietnamese restaurants, hair salons, car shops, and travel agencies. Mimi Swartz of Texas Monthly stated in 1991 that "Little Saigon is a place to begin easing into a new country".
On June 24, 1994 Isabella Court at 3909-3917 South Main Street received listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
The City of Houston established the Midtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone in 1995. The establishment of the TIRZ led to the opening of upper income townhomes and apartment complexes in western Midtown and the area along Elizabeth Baldwin Park. Between 1990 and 2000 the area within the Midtown Superneighborhood saw the population increase from 3,070 to 5,311. The increase by 2,241 people was 73% of the 1990 population. During that period about 2,200 multi-family units opened, particularly along Louisiana Street and West Gray Street. Since the total multi-family acreage remained at a small number, the population increase also increased the density of the area. During the 1990s commercial uses increased, particularly along Main Street and Louisiana Street. In 1999 the 76th Texas Legislature created the Midtown Management District.
By 2004, higher rents and street construction have reduced the number of Vietnamese American businesses, many of which have relocated to the outer Houston Chinatown in the Bellaire Boulevard corridor west of Sharpstown. On May 1 of that year, during the 6th Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Festival, the section of Midtown along Milam Street and Travis Street near Tuam Street received the designation "Little Saigon."
In 2009 Houston City Council approved the expansion of the Midtown TIRZ by. The new territory includes the Asia House, the Buffalo Soldiers Museum and the Museum of African-American culture.
In 2014 the ranking website Niche stated that Midtown was the favorite neighborhood for millennial people.
Cityscape
In 2010 Denny Lee of The New York Times said that Midtown, a "mixed-use" district, was "dotted with" bánh mì restaurants. By 2012 many new bars, retail operations, and restaurants had opened in Midtown. Ed Page, a retail broker, said in 2012 that Midtown has not yet seen any significant new retail; he was referring to big box stores.As of 2010 five flower shops are located along Fannin in a section of Midtown. One decade before 2010 there were over one dozen flower shops in that area. In 2003 the flower shop owners were mostly Asian. The shops, along four city blocks, were centered on Rosedale Street. The number declined after the establishment of the METRORail Red Line. Nancy Sarnoff of the Houston Chronicle said in 2010 that the remaining flower shops told her that the establishment of the line helped cause several of their competitors to go out of business.
Midtown has no traditional hotels. As of 2025, Midtown's largest accommodation provider is , operating 64 furnished apartments at Mid Main Lofts. The area also has one bed and breakfast and other rental units available.
Little Saigon
Midtown was known for a concentration of Vietnamese businesses, termed "Little Saigon". Vietnamese in Houston, in the 1970s, had settled Allen Parkway Village. Midtown was in proximity and was relatively inexpensive. Midtown became a center of business and religion for ethnic Vietnamese across the Houston area even though very few ethnic Vietnamese actually resided in Midtown.By 1991 this Little Saigon had Vietnamese restaurants, hair salons, car shops, and travel agencies, and as of 2000 businesses there included grocery stores, medical and legal offices, restaurants, music and video stores, hair styling shops, business service offices, and jewelry stores. Mimi Swartz of Texas Monthly stated in 1991 that in what is now Midtown, "Little Saigon is a place to begin easing into a new country." Due to the actions of a group of Vietnamese-American leaders led by My Michael Cao, who served as the President of the Vietnamese Community of Houston and Vicinity, a resolution that installed Vietnamese street signs along Milam Street in Midtown was passed. Vietnamese street signs have denoted the area since 1998. In 2004, this area was officially named "Little Saigon" by the city of Houston.
The redevelopment of Midtown Houston from run-down to upscale increased property values and property taxes, forcing many Vietnamese-American businesses out of the neighborhood into other areas. By 2003 the number of Vietnamese business declined, with many of them moving to the Southwest Houston Little Saigon, despite the beautification projects occurring. Hope Roth stated that pressure from other new developments and increase in costs related to land and space caused a decline in Little Saigon. Roth stated that many of the area restaurants still remain, but increasingly cater more to mainstream American tastes. In 2010 Denny Lee of The New York Times wrote that "traces" of the Vietnamese community remained.
Demographics
As of 2012 Midtown has about 8,600 people. Midtown had a 65% population increase in a ten-year period.According to the 2000 Census, the Super Neighborhood #62 Midtown contained a total of 5,311 residents. The racial makeup of the area was 45% White, 18% Black or African American, 6% Asian, less than 1% Native American, less than 1% from other races, 1% from two or more races and 28% of the population were Hispanic or Latino The super neighborhood contained a total of 4,559 people above the age of 18. The super neighborhood contained a total of 3,219 people who were male and 2,092 people who were female. 18 people were in nursing homes. Nobody was in a correctional institution, a university or college dormitory, or a military quarter. There were 2,326 households, with a population of 4,142 in those households. The average household size is 1.78 people.
Some parts of the Midtown TIRZ are within Super Neighborhood #66 Binz.
Transportation
, is the area transit authority. The METRORail Red Line runs directly through Midtown along Main Street. Three stops are located in Midtown. Bus routes 1, 8, 25, 60, 65, and 182 stop at Wheeler Station. Routes stopping at the Downtown Transit Center, adjacent to Midtown and located in Downtown, include 11, 15, 24, 30, 35, 52, 60, 70, and 77. Other routes serving Midtown include 3, 5, 33, 42, 44, 53, 56, 82, 85, 102, 108, 131, 261, 262, 265, 269, 274, and 283.An intercity bus station served by Greyhound Lines and several bus lines that serve Mexico and Central America) were located in Midtown. The bus station was built in 1979 and had 15 bus bays. Additional buses came to the Midtown bus station after the 1990 closing of a bus terminal east of Downtown. In 2008 the Houston Press named the Greyhound Terminal as "best place to people watch." In 2023 the Greyhound station is scheduled to close after November 30, 2023 and consolidate with a bus station in Magnolia Park, East End serving other lines. As criminal activity had occurred around the station, there were people living in the area who had a positive reception to the station's closure.
Government and infrastructure
Local government
The Midtown Management District is headquartered in Suite 355 at 410 Pierce Street. During previous eras the management district was headquartered in Suites 350–355 in the Bienville Building at 3401 Louisiana Street.Houston Fire Department Station 7 is located in Midtown. The station is in Fire District 8. The station "Young America #7" first opened in 1878. Several months later the station's name changed to "Eagle #7" and the station was located on Congress Street near Main Street. In 1899 the station moved to the intersection of McIlhenny and Milam. The station moved to its current location in 1969. A renovation was scheduled for the financial year of 2009.
The Houston Police Department's South Central Patrol Division, headquartered at 2022 St. Emanuel., serves the district.
As of 2011 two Houston City Council districts, C and D, cover portions of Midtown. Previously two districts, D and I covered portions of Midtown.
The City of Houston established the Midtown Tax Increment Investment Zone, which takes a portion of the ad valorem taxes generated within its boundaries to finance infrastructure and reimburse developers, in 1995. A nine-member board of directors appointed by the City of Houston, Harris County, and the Houston Independent School District governs the Midtown TIRZ, which is also known as Reinvestment Zone Number 2.
Harris Health System designated Martin Luther King Health Center for the ZIP code 77004, Casa de Amigos Health Center in Northside for 77006, and Ripley Health Center in the East End for 77002. The nearest public hospital is Ben Taub General Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.