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Inside Today: Legendary BBQ joint keeps on cookin’ • 1B
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Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston
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s ’ e n e l r a D
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10570 NW Frwy 713-680-2350
Saturday, May 17, 2014 • Vol. 60 • No. 28 2013
BEST
Community Paper In Texas
Demographics signal departure of Shepherd car lots By Michael Sudhalter
Texas Community Newspaper Association
michael@theleadernews.com
ABOUT US 3500 East T.C. Jester Blvd Suite A (713) 686-8494
www.allenSOLDit.com
news@theleadernews.com www.theleadernews.com Facebook/THE LEADER.
Shepherd Drive was once a premiere location in Houston for car lots. But due to changing demographics and rising real estate prices, several car lot owners, such as Quality Used Cars & Trucks at 1604 N. Shepherd, are either on the market or have been sold. (Photo by Michael Sudhalter)
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832.419.9969
READER’S CHOICE Vote Your Best
Used car salesman are usually the ones that have a deal for you, but they may be on the right end of a sweet real estate transaction if trends continue on Shepherd Dr. Jose Guzman, manager of BLT Auto Sales & Repair at 2611 N. Shepherd, said the owner of the business would sell it for $1.2 million. “The owner is thinking about getting a fast food restaurant because this is a good corner,” Guzman said. “Construction is changing the area.” Not everyone, however, is
leaving Shepherd in the wake of the real estate boom. “Why would I want to leave?” said John Parker, owner of John Parker Auto Sales at 2521 N. Shepherd. Parker, who has been in business for the past 33 years at the current location, said he’s focused on selling cars now, but noted that it’s a tougher business than it used to be. “Some people have moved out and some people have retired,” Parker said. “The car business changes. The prices for used cars are up, so it’s hard to do what we do. Before, you were talking about a whole lot
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FIND IT.
GARDEN OAKS FURNISHED GARAGE APARTMENT: Garden setting, secure 6 ft. fence, kitchen, living room, bedroom, office, deck. Furnish washer/dryer, gas and water. $800/month. Reference + deposit. Ideal for a single person. 713-862-2849.
COMPANION TO FEMALE and light house cleaning, 4-5 hours, 3-4 days. References. Betty, 713699-1077. FOR SALE BY OWNER SHEPHERD PARK PLAZA: 3-2-2. Detached garage with pool. Call 713-254-8616. SEMI-RETIRED HANDYMAN: Carpentry, paint, roof repairs, power washing. Don Ruthstrom, 713-754-0923.
Residents hope to maintain neighborhood’s character By Michael Sudhalter michael@theleadernews.com
Heights resident Raul De La Rosa answers 911 calls for the Houston Fire/EMS at the Houston Emergency Center, 5320 N. Shepherd Dr. (Photo by Michael Sudhalter)
Tightly-secured building provides city’s emergency communication By Michael Sudhalter michael@theleadernews.com
Have you ever driven down North Shepherd and noticed a heavily secured 128,000 square foot building across the street from St. Pius X High School? That building, located at 5320 N. Shepherd, is quite likely the single most important building in the city of Houston. The Houston Emergency Center, a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) The Houston Emergency Center opened at 5320 N. Shepherd in 2003. takes approximately 10,000 calls per call centers that were located downDe La Rosa said working at the call day and houses 500 employees, in- town. center was “intimidating” at first, but cluding 911 call-takers and police and Heights resident Raul De La Rosa, he’s adjusted well to it. fire/emergency medical service dis- 36, has worked in the emergency call “You focus on what you need to do patchers and officials from the Office center since 2007, first as a civilian to help the person,” De La Rosa said. of Emergency Management. employed by the Houston Police De- “I have to make sure we’re sending the The call floor is 36,000 square feet, partment and currently as an employ- right (kind of services).” along with 104 work stations. In addi- ee of Houston Fire/EMS. The building is classified as a Cattion to that, there’s a command center, “The main thing I like is that ev- egory 5, which means it can withstand breakout rooms and situation rooms ery day I get a different experience 170 mile-per-hour hurricane-force within the building. of helping people,” De La Rosa said. winds. The $53 million center broke ground “Every day, you will get at least one During a natural disaster, such as at the site of an old Globe Department emergency. Just knowing what I do Store in 1999 and opened four years counts is a good feeling.” See EMERGENCY CENTER, P. 8A later. It consolidated three emergency
By Michael Sudhalter
Church
5A
Classifieds
4B
Coupons
6A
Food/Drink/Art Obituaries
1B 5A
Opinion
4A
Public Information Puzzle Sports
2A 6B 7B
See CAR LOTS, P. 8A
Brookwood Estates, a small neighborhood located north of Loop 610 at W. T.C. Jester Blvd. has applied with the city to restrict lot sizes in the neighborhood. (Photo by Michael Sudhalter)
Heights resident named Presidential Scholar
THE INDEX.
cheaper car.” The signs advertising no money down, 0 percent financing and great used car
Always on Alert
You let us know your favorite businesses and restaurants last year. Now, it’s time to choose again. The Leader enters its second year of letting you – the reader – tell us your favorites in the second Reader’s Choice Awards. Readers will be asked to choose the best of all the businesses in the area. We’re taking votes, counting them one-byone, and then publishing the Top 3 businesses in each category, which will publish at the end of September. Until then, vote starting today in The Leader (on Page 7B) and Sunday, May 18 on our website, www.theleadernews.com. Voters are welcome to make copies of the ballot and submit them either by mail, in person, or online.
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Last month, The Leader reported om the closing of car lots along Shepherd Drive – an indication that the value of land has surpassed the value of those once-common businesses. Since reporting that story, The Leader has learned that one more car lot is on the market, while another longtime car lot owner plans on staying.
michael@theleadernews.com
Heights resident Reagan Lukefahr plans on reading a monologue of William Shakespeare when she performs in front of the leader of the free world. “I love doing Shakespeare – I hope the audience likes it,” said Lukefahr, 18. Lukefahr was selected as a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts and will travel to Washington D.C. for a ceremony at the White House
on June 22. She’ll perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in front of President Barack Obama and other guests. Lukefahr and the other honorees will be presented with a Presidential Scholar Medallion during the trip. The Presidential Scholar program represents the best of the best. One hundred and fortyone Presidential Scholars were selected, and only 20 of them were selected
for Performing Arts. All of the applicants go through a rigorous application process that includes academic excellence, essays, school evaluations, transcripts, community service leadership and commitment to high ideals. Lukefahr was nominated as a semi-finalist last year, among a group of 11,000 applicants, through the
See LOT SIZE, P. 8A Reagan Lukefahr
See SCHOLAR, P. 8A
If Brookwood Estates residents are successful, developers won’t have an opportunity to build town home or other multi-family homes until 2054. Brookwood Estates, a small neighborhood located just north of Loop 610 at T.C. Jester Blvd. has applied with the city of Houston for minimum lot size restrictions for its approximately 200 homes within an area that is two blocks wide and four blocks long. The restrictions would ensure that if a home is sold or torn down, it cannot be replaced by anything except another single-family home. If the city approves the application, it would be valid for 40 years. While some neighborhoods such as Brooke Smith, just west of I-45 (at Main), have applied for lot restrictions, block by block, Brookwood Estates is one of the few neighborhoods to apply for the entire area. “I found out that someone could sell their house and six units could be built where one lot was before,” said Brookwood Estates Civic Club president Tom Neal. That galvanized the neighborhood to apply to the city for a restriction that would allow it to maintain its character. A neighborhood needs signatures from 10 percent of its homeowners for the city to accept the application. City representatives have said the application process is lengthy and will include a community meeting to be announced at a later date. But the good news for residents is that developers cannot build nonsingle family homes, while the application process is ongoing. “The city has to to find out who owns each lot, and mail them a letter letting them know we’re petitioning this change,” Neal said. Although the process has been set in motion, Neal said he won’t breathe easily until everything is approved. “I’m nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rockers,” Neal said. “I don’t know what they’re going to do. It’s the city. It’s government. People