Houston Heights West, East and South – Defining Features

Defining Features

This Historic District Profile was developed to help property owners. It explains the typical features of buildings found in Houston Heights Historic Districts. This can be helpful when you are planning a project that would change your home’s exterior. Most homes in Houston Heights are one or two stories in height. The majority of homes in the Houston Heights Historic Districts feature plenty of large windows. In conjunction with transoms above doors, these windows provided comfort and climate control in the years before air conditioning was readily available. Many of the district’s homes feature architectural detailing such as decorated gables, textured shingles or siding, bay windows, and turned or tapered porch supports. Most homes are built on pier-and-beam foundations.

Historic District designations are used to maintain the character of a neighborhood. Once an Historic District is created, certain rules apply to the entire neighborhood. These rules require that changes to properties in the District must be appropriate. In other words, the historic character of the property must stay the same.

Exterior changes must be approved in advance. The Planning Department can help with this process. If the project is approved, the property owner receives a Certificate of Appropriateness. In many Houston neighborhoods, deed restrictions require that the neighborhood civic association also approve changes to a property. The civic association’s regulations and standards may differ from those of the City. The information shown here refers only to City Historic designation requirements. Property owners should also check with their neighborhood association before beginning any project.

When planning a building project within the Houston Heights Historic Districts, please refer to this chart. It shows which building elements are compatible and which are not. Combining defining elements from different architectural styles into a single design is not allowed. Definitions of common architectural terms can be found in the glossary.