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<br />11;" <br /> <br />~~;:":;:..' ". <br /> <br />!i <br />" <br /> <br />}.l:-. '~:.' <br />~;.'.;~'-'" <br /> <br /> <br />l~~~":':':, <br />t~.~....~ <br /> <br />::)~.: <br /> <br />I~'~: <br /> <br />~:'-.: <br />~~~~.:; . - ~. <br />!f~:~.." <br />~r":-':." <br />t~.... <br /> <br /> <br />It <br /> <br />~~~'~" . <br />~~~::. <br />t~~~~ '. <br />r+'. <br />( <br /> <br />~:.:": <br />~r.:~", <br /> <br />~";~.:: - : <br />~~'..;.'. ;. <br />"F'". . <br />~.'~ ". <br />~.: -". <br />~;""" <br /> <br /> <br />J~~'. . <br /> <br />~;.:,~ : <br /> <br />..,..... <br /> <br />!~~;; <br /> <br />f;;:. . <br />, '. <br />(0":: <br /> <br />.~~- . <br /> <br />\~.".' <br />.f .". <br /> <br />:,..0 . <br /> <br />~ .~ <br /> <br />." <br />:;:(. <br /> <br />(. <br />~::. .. '. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />-- <br /> <br />_ .. _ _ F!.~a!!.!!!n.g .q~~l~ . _ IlJcr.~.a~f! .OPP'q.r:{I!.n.!ti~~fo,(J;.~.~n.9.fJJic..P~_1(.~!Qp.IJJ.f#.l1t,.", '.'___'''''""'''....",,. :""'-""'':'''''':','''~_.:. <br />. .. .. ".... ,n... - .. .. .. -in -the}ioiiAside area . . <br /> <br />A significant industrial and retail business community frames and encapsulates the residential <br />area of the Northside. One cannot enter the Nortbside neighborhood without crossing the natural <br />geographic boundaries created by Main Street businesses on the south, Broad way commercial <br />areas on the west, the Port of Houston industrial complexes and I:IUck traffic from Barbour's Cut <br />on the north, and the light industries and small businesses on the SH 149 feeder and gill Street on <br />the east These border areas are permanent, immutable parts of the Northside neighborhood, as <br />intricately intertwined in the future of the residential community as the residents themselves. <br />Without doubt, they are part of the neighborhood's problems and will be part of their solution, <br /> <br />Since a major factor driving tbe entire. planning process 'is the community's desire to attract new <br />families to the l"lorthside, it is important to understand that prospective borne buyers seek more <br />than just a house. They also want to live in areas that show strong si gns of social and economic <br />vitality. For better or worse; the bordering commercial zones create a visitor's tirst impression of <br />the Northside. . And. like the neighborhood they surround. the business areas show evidence of <br />decline. While there are a nwnber of well-kept, apparently thriving retail businesses on Main <br />Street, there are also numerous vacant, boarded-up storefronts. Along Broadway and 8 th Street <br />some poorly maintained industrial and light commercial properties need to be cleaned up. Lastly, <br />overgrown vacant lots that front on 8~ Street, Barbour's Cut and Broadway attract illegal . <br />dUIDping, harbor vemn and detract from the overall appearance of the Northside area. Strategies <br />and action recOmmendations descnbed in the 'Beautification and Urban Design section will help . <br />increase the Northside's ovet:all appeal. <br /> <br />Besides the improvem~t of the commercial zones' physical condition, there perhaps are more <br />important opportunities available to benefit both present and potential Northside citizens~ Th ese <br />opportunities lie in building up the business community and attracting new comme;rce. A major <br />concern of North side citizens expressed in the September community meeting, by the Steering <br />Committee, and by respondents to the neighborhood survey is the ne ed for jobs andjob training. <br /> <br />Two factors offer hope that these needs may be met. First is tbe fact that the state of the national <br />and regional economy is strong, and the outlook for the future looks bright. Texans have more <br />. disposable income, the job market is tight, and opportunities for new business andjob creation <br />abound. The second factor is the Port ofHoustoo's plans to build a new container tenninal at <br />Bayport. With funding approved by Harris County voters, this project will produce an estima ted <br />28.580 jobs for the area and 5633.3 million in revenues. By taking certain proactive steps now, <br />the Northside area has an eltcclIent opportunity to capture a portion of these strong economic <br />trends and new developments for itself. <br /> <br />Strategy: Develop a visionary, community-based system to direct actions toward building <br />a strong economic base for new businesses and jobs together with affordable housIng <br />initiatives. <br /> <br />To seize the opportuDities for renewal that now seem apparent requires consideration of a method <br />for organizing and implementing a variety ofprograms and initiatives tbat will help the Northside <br />reach its potential. This is a task that requires the development of a cormnon vision among all . <br />those who would stand to gain by the revitalization of the Northside area - its present and future . <br />neighborhood residents, property owners, church leaders, school administrators and teachers, <br />business owners, government officials and, by extension, all those who live and work in La Porte. <br /> <br /> <br />50 <br />