The Northside is a district of Houston, Texas, United States. It is within the Greater Northside Management District.
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House Bill 3634, authored by state representative Jessica Farrar and sponsored in the Texas Senate by Mario Gallegos, created the management district. The bill became the Chapter 3812 Texas Special Districts Local Laws Code and the district began operation in August 2006.[1]
Jim McIngvale, the owner of Gallery Furniture, a furniture business with a location in the Northside, refused to pay $48,000 dollars of taxes to the management district that were assessed from 2005 to 2007; he paid taxes to the district in 2008. McIngvale said that the management district does not do enough to maintain the area; the business owner described the management district's taxation policies as "taxation without representation." The district sued McIngvale to try to force him to pay the taxes. McIngvale said that he is willing to dispute the charges in court. During that month a fire destroyed his north Houston store's warehouse.[2]
The management district is headquartered at 6219 Irvington Boulevard.[3]
The Houston Fire Department operates stations in the district.[4] Stations inside include two in Fire District 19, Station 9 Northside and Station 12 Moody Park. In addition Station 15 Heights of Fire District 6 and Station 30 Lindale Park of Fire District 31 are in the district.[5]
The Harris County Department of Education is headquartered in the Northside in the Ronald W. Reagan Building.[6]
In 2009, Saint Arnold's Brewing relocated to the Northside area at 2000 Lyons, purchasing a building that was formerly a food service facility for the Houston Independent School District.[4][8] Shipley Do-Nuts has its headquarters in the Northside.[9][4]
The "Fulton Corridor," a stretch of Fulton Street within the district, is a major commercial avenue. By 2010 many major chains such as Auto Zone, Family Dollar, Payless ShoeSource, Rent A Center, and Walgreens relocated outlets to the strip.[10]
FedEx used to operate a freight facility in the area. As of 2010 the former freight facility land will house a 144-unit apartment complex with a clubhouse and a pool.[10]
Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) operates bus services in the Northside. METRO also plans to establish METRORail North Line service along Fulton.[10] The METRO Northline Transit Center opened at the northwest corner of Northline Mall on Saturday October 27, 2001. The center, covered and lighted, is the 15th transit center established by METRO. As of 2001 it is METRO's newest transit center.[11] The center, with a price tag of $1 million, has four bus bays, an information kiosk, newspaper vending machines, benches, a covered platform, and bicycle racks.[12] When the center opened, four bus routes served it.[13]
Coach USA, in partnership with Greyhound Lines, operates the Crosstimbers station at 4001 North Freeway.[14]
Most residents are within the Houston Independent School District.[4] Two HISD zoned high schools, Davis and Sam Houston, are in the Northside.[15][16] Zoned high schools serving additional portions of the northside include Kashmere,[17] Reagan,[18] Washington.[19] North Houston Early College High School is an optional school in the Northside.[20]
Some sections are within the Aldine Independent School District. Residents of AISD in the Northside are zoned to MacArthur High School in unincorporated Harris County.[21]
Benji's Academy, a charter school, is located in the Northside.[22]
At one time YES Prep East End, a state charter school, was located in the Northside.[4][23] At one time Juan B. Galaviz Charter School was located in the Northside.[24]
Houston Public Library operates public libraries in the Northside. The Carnegie Neighborhood Library and the Moody Neighborhood Library are within the district boundaries.[25][26] The Dixon Neighborhood Library is adjacent to the district.[27]
Houston Community College operates the Northline Campus of the Northeast College.[28]
The University of Houston–Downtown (UHD) is located within proximity of the community.[29][30]
