Welcome to Boomtown!

The Growth Issue: Utopian Suburbs, Houston's Detached Townhomes, the Kinder Effect, and Hottest Neighborhoods. Plus: A local Filipino food revolution, Galveston Bay's oyster restoration project, and indoor spots to stay cool.

In this issue:

Arts & Culture

Virtuoso Status

At 97, David Adickes Is Still Creating Art—and Cracking Jokes

The celebrated Houston artist may be pushing 100, but he still has no plans of retiring anytime soon.

05/20/2024 By Daniel Renfrow Photography by Anthony Rathbun

Pinheads Unite!

Houston’s Secret Pinball Scene Is Hiding in Plain Sight

With pinball “speakeasies” like Wormhole and boutique game design companies like Barrels of Fun, Houston is entering its golden age of pinball.

03/20/2024 By Meredith Nudo

The Heart of It

Intimacy Coordinators Are Houston Theaters’ Secret Asset

Behind every romantic scene is a professional creating affection and making sure actors are comfortable.

02/19/2024 By Holly Beretto

Eat & Drink

On the Rise

Houston’s Filipino Food Scene Is Heating Up

A new generation of dedicated chefs—and yes, social media—is behind the cuisine’s growth in the city.

05/21/2024 By Sofia Gonzalez Photography by Brian Kennedy

Paying It Forward

Truth BBQ Doesn’t Just Offer Great Food. It Gives Second Chances.

The acclaimed Houston restaurant has been quietly helping houseless and formerly incarcerated people for years.

04/25/2024 By Sofia Gonzalez

Tried and True

How Houston’s Historic Burger Joints Have Stood the Test of Time

These neighborhood dives have spent decades building a sense of community, one burger at a time.

01/19/2024 By Daniel Renfrow

Home & Real Estate

The Growth Issue

Welcome to Boomtown

What's not growing or exploding right now in Houston?

06/12/2024 Edited by Emma Balter Illustrations by Sam Island

Want It All

Is an Affordable Home within the 610 Loop Still a Thing in Houston?

With the help of a local real estate agent, we go on a wild-goose chase to find a $350,000 home in the city.

06/10/2024 By Emma Balter

Luxe Living

The Houston High-Rise Apartments That May Be Worth $2,000 (Maybe)

From offering amazing downtown views to smart home technology, the city’s newest luxury properties are competing for high-earning residents.

06/07/2024 By Sofia Gonzalez

Sky High

Houstonians Are Spending Top Dollar to Lift Their Homes

Faced with the threat of more floods and changing city codes, many residents are choosing to build up.

06/05/2024 By Diane Cowen

The Great Disconnection

How Detached Townhouses Took Over Houston

A rare find in other US cities, they’ve become the de facto style built in Houston thanks to our construction-friendly ethos.

06/04/2024 By Daniel Renfrow

Sprawl

The Suburban Utopia Promise of Bridgeland

With master-planned communities, developers have created entire cities out of nothing on the outskirts of Houston.

06/03/2024 By Sofia Gonzalez Photography by Anthony Rathbun

Well-Read

Houstonians Are Adopting the ‘Bookshelf Wealth’ Design Trend

Well-curated bookshelves help tell the story of who we are and how we’ve lived.

03/13/2024 By Diane Cowen

News & City Life

Boomtown

Houston’s Growth by the Numbers

We look at the stats that define the city's relentless expansion.

06/12/2024 By Emma Balter

Balancing Progress

Can the New East River and Houston's Historic Fifth Ward Coexist?

The developer Midway and longtime residents are trying to come up with solutions.

06/12/2024 By Uvie Bikomo

Gripes

What It’s Actually like to Use Public Transit in Houston

Although Houston is growing, its public transit system hasn’t become any more efficient.

06/12/2024 By Uvie Bikomo

Boomtown

A Guide to Surviving Houston’s Growth

Experts weigh in on what to do if you’re facing a tough situation, from navigating eviction and eminent domain to cleaning up after a flood.

06/11/2024 By Uvie Bikomo

Survival Guide

What to Do When Your Property Is Threatened by Eminent Domain

We talk to attorneys about options for property owners who receive a notice about eminent domain.

06/11/2024 By Uvie Bikomo

Survival Guide

What to Do If You’re Facing Eviction in Houston

We talk to a Legal Aid attorney about options now that COVID-19 protections have phased out.

06/10/2024 By Uvie Bikomo

Survival Guide

What to Do When Development Comes to Your Houston Neighborhood

Gentrification, community character, and effects on longtime residents all come into play as neighborhoods grow and change—or have growth and change thrust upon them.

06/07/2024 By Uvie Bikomo

Survival Guide

What to Do If Your Home Floods in Houston

The aftermath of a hurricane can be chaotic and costly. We check in with West Street Recovery for tips on how to prepare and deal with damage.

06/05/2024 By Uvie Bikomo

Kinder Land

How the Philanthropy of Nancy and Rich Kinder Has Shaped Houston

The couple is worth an estimated $8.1 billion, and they’re giving almost all of it back to their adopted city.

06/03/2024 By Daniel Renfrow

Shelled

Galveston Bay’s Decimated Oyster Population Is Getting a Savior

Rett Reef in San Leon is Texas’s first private-industry oyster restoration project.

05/23/2024 By Lauren McDowell Photography by Nicki Evans

Yes Ma’am, No Ma’am

We Ranked Houston Buildings We Love or Hate

From the quirky Beer Can House to the god-ugly Alley Theatre.

05/20/2024 By Uvie Bikomo

Bayougraphy

The Montrose Center’s New CEO Is Ready to Make Her Mark

Avery Belyeu, the first transgender woman to helm the historic LGBTQ+ center, seeks to lead through active listening and collaboration.

04/19/2024 By Daniel Renfrow

Houstorian

How Montrose Boulevard Became the Typical Houston Composite

Over a century, the tony street went from oil tycoon mansions to gas stations—and live oaks, of course.

04/05/2024 By James Glassman

Travel & Outdoors

No Sweat, Baby

An Insider’s Guide (Literally) to Indoor Summer Fun in Houston

As the season pushes three-digit temps, you’ll find us having a blast in air-conditioning.

05/28/2024 By Uvie Bikomo, Sofia Gonzalez, and Daniel Renfrow

’Cue and Culture

A Discerning Houstonian’s Guide to Kansas City

Where to find barbecue that rivals ours (yes, really) and unique cultural experiences perfect for a weekend trip.

05/22/2024 By Liz Cook

Local Retreats

Luxury Hotels Are Popping Up in Trendy Houston Neighborhoods

Move over, downtown and the Galleria. Accommodations are coming to cooler areas of the city.

03/15/2024 By Uvie Bikomo

Beer and Bleats

Blue Heron Farm’s New Beer Garden Is Goat Heaven on Earth

Pet goats, a fluffy sheepdog, and even Jeremy the escape-artist tortoise.

02/07/2024 By Meredith Nudo