The Energy Corridor is a district of Houston, Texas, United States that lies along Memorial Drive and Eldridge Parkway.
The area is loosely bound to the area just north of Interstate 10 (the Katy Freeway) and Westheimer Road/Farm to Market Road 1093 to the south, and extends from Kirkwood Road to the east and Fry Road to the West. The area is defined by many oil industry related companies, such as ExxonMobil and Shell Oil Company.[1]
Over 26,000 ac (10,500 ha) of urban park area, the largest outside the National Park System, borders the Energy Corridor. Two parks adjacent to the district include George Bush Park and Bear Creek Pioneers Park.[1]
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Several areas in Houston are within a 12 miles (19 km) radius of the Energy Corridor. The areas include Alief, Garden Oaks, the Houston Heights, Memorial, Meyerland, Sharpstown, Spring Branch, Westchase and Uptown Houston. Areas in Houston outside of the radius include the Downtown Houston, Greenspoint, and the Texas Medical Center. The City of Jersey Village, the City of Katy, and the First Colony area of Sugar Land are within the twelve mile radius. Unincorporated areas within the radius include Cinco Ranch, Mission Bend, and New Territory. Unincorporated areas outside of the radius include Greatwood.[2]
Peyton Collins, an employee of Insignia/ESG, said in October 2000 "Although the Energy Corridor currently reports a 15 percent vacancy, historically it has been one of the strongest markets in Houston, even during the difficult late '80s and early '90s."[3]
An economic growth study conducted around 2010 concluded that the population would grow by 29% by 2025, that office space would grow by 36%, and that retail operations would grow by 40%.[4]
BP America, the United States division of BP, has its headquarters in One Westlake Park in the Energy Corridor.[5][6] The 20 story BP Plaza tower was under construction in 1992.[7] BP Plaza was one of a few office towers that was being built in a two year period before December 1992.[8] As of 2009 BP America is the largest employer in the Energy Corridor, with 5,500 employees.[9]
ConocoPhillips has its world headquarters also in the Two Westlake Park in the Energy Corridor.[10] As of 2009 ConocoPhillips, with 2,800 employees, is the fourth largest employer in the district.[9] The ConocoPhillips facility was formerly the headquarters of Conoco Inc.[11]
Sysco has its world headquarters in the Energy Corridor. With 1,800 employees it is the fifth largest employer in the district.[9] Citgo has its world headquarters in the Energy Corridor.[12] As of 2009 it has 520 employees and is the 14th largest employer in the district.[9] Citgo announced that it was moving its headquarters to the Energy Corridor district in July 2004.[13]
Other oil industry companies in the Energy Corridor include:[14]
Becks Prime, a chain of restaurants, has its headquarters in the Energy Corridor.[21][22]
The Houston Public Library operates the Kendall Neighborhood Library on Eldridge Parkway, about 1/8 mile south of Memorial Drive. This new facility opened in 2009, replacing a smaller building on Memorial Drive.
Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI) had its headquarters in the Eldridge Place 1 and 2 buildings in the Energy Corridor area of Houston, Texas.[3][23] By 2000 the company that had acquired BFI, Allied Waste, sold the former headquarters.[3]
According to a 2009 report by the Energy Corridor District, the U.S. Census Bureau's data indicated that 66% of the employees at the Energy Corridor live within a group of zip codes referred to the district as the "Commute Zone." The "Commute Zone" includes areas in northern Fort Bend County, western Harris County, and southern Waller County.[24]
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) provides public transportation to the area. Line 75, originally known as the Energy Corridor Connector, operates during weekdays.[25] The line, which began service on January 25, 2010, transports people who work and/or live in the corridor to area businesses and restaurants. People coming from Downtown Houston and Midtown Houston can connect to the 75 connector via 228 Addicks and 229 Kingsland/Addicks through the Addicks Park and Ride. The 75 connector also connects with routes along Westheimer Road and Memorial Drive.[26] In January 2011, the name of the route was changed to 75 Eldridge Crosstown, and the southern terminus of the line was extended to Mission Bend Park and Ride, enabling more convenient connections with the Westchase district and the International Corridor/New Chinatown area.
The founder of Houston Executive Airport in unincorporated Waller County, west of the Energy Corridor, intended for his airport to be patronized by employees of firms in the Energy Corridor.[27]
The Energy Corridor is served by three different school districts.
Residents of the AMLI on Eldridge Parkway, San Paloma, and Village on the Parkway are within the Houston Independent School District. The community is within Trustee District VI, represented by Greg Meyers as of 2008.[14][28] The Houston ISD residents are zoned to Ray K. Daily Elementary School,[29] West Briar Middle School (with Revere Middle School as an option),[30] and Westside High School.[31]
The IH-10 / Park Ten East area is zoned to the Katy Independent School District:
The zoned schools are [1]:
For Empirian at Park Row, Heritage at Park Row, Legends at Park Ten, and Park Place Apartments :
For Stone Oak Apartments:
For all IH-10 / Park Ten East sections of the Energy Corridor:
In addition, the Promenade at Memorial in the Memorial Drive West area is zoned to:
The Village on Memorial Townhomes of the Memorial Drive West area is zoned to the Spring Branch Independent School District.
The zoned schools are:
The City of Houston operates the Energy Corridor Trailhead.[32]