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112-633: Hugh Potter, who was involved in the River Oaks Corporation and took control of it in the 1930s, had created the concept of the shopping center. Potter originally planned to place the center at the intersection of River Oaks Boulevard and Westheimer Road where St. John the Divine Church was built, but in 1930 he changed the location to where it would be ultimately built. The preliminary studies began in 1932. Potter commissioned architects Edward Arrantz and Oliver C. Winston to create

224-473: A gentlemen's agreement excluding blacks , Jews, and other minorities. Homes along Kirby Drive were restricted to American Colonial or English Tudor style architecture. During the 1920s, River Oaks was so effectively organized, planned and restricted that it became the most expensive neighborhood in Houston. The City of Houston annexed the community in 1927, adding 3,465 acres (1,402 ha) of land to

336-563: A 14-seat private conference room. The library has several reading areas, including the Marsha Moody Children's Reading Room, a teenager reading area, and a periodical reading area. The exterior was designed to match visual cues of buildings in the surrounding area, such as the River Oaks Baptist Church and School . The Emily Scott and Joseph Wood Evans Clock Tower, a part of the library's exterior, includes

448-502: A bookkeeper. Jones took an interest in the young man's career, and put him through law school. Creekmore passed the bar exam in 1932 and returned to work for Jones. He held several positions in the Jones business empire. In 1959, he was named to the board of Houston Endowment, and was promoted to president of the board in 1964. By 1965, Creekmore had persuaded other directors of Houston Endowment to sell several business properties, including

560-473: A citywide program that provides needy children between the ages of two and ten with toys during the winter holidays . In 2003, Goodfellows distributed almost 250,000 toys to more than 100,000 needy children in the Greater Houston area. In 1926, Jesse H. Jones became the sole owner of the paper. He had approached Foster about selling, and Foster had answered, "What will you give me?" Jones described

672-619: A county schoolhouse, the building is currently the administrative center for the River Oaks Garden Club. In 2011 Bloomberg Businessweek ranked River Oaks as the seventh most expensive housing blocks in the United States. In 2017 Hurricane Harvey caused some flooding in River Oaks. Located within the 610 Loop and between Downtown and Uptown , River Oaks spans 1,100 acres (450 ha). The community

784-498: A garden book archive and works of art. The Houston Chronicle is the area's regional newspaper. On Thursdays, residents receive the Bellaire / West U /River Oaks/ Meyerland section, which covers events specific to these neighborhoods. The River Oaks Examiner and Village News are local newspapers distributed in the community. The River Oaks Buzz is a monthly magazine mailed free of charge to all residents and focuses on

896-780: A group of civic clubs, places of worship, businesses, and other institutions and community interests. River Oaks is a part of the Houston City Council District G. River Oaks is within Harris County Precinct 4. As of 2020, R. Jack Cagle is the precinct's County Commissioner. River Oaks is in Justice of the Peace/Constable Precinct One. As of 2012 Alan Rosen is the constable. River Oaks is located in District 134 of

1008-604: A major renovation and modernization project, which was completed in the late 1960s. On April 25, 2017, it was imploded and reduced to rubble. The site is now occupied by the Texas Tower. The newspaper and its staff have several times been Pulitzer finalists: In April 2004 the Houston Chronicle began carrying a Spanish-language supplement, the entertainment magazine La Vibra . La Vibra caters to speakers of Spanish and bilingual English-Spanish speakers, and

1120-417: A maze of corridors, cul-de-sacs and steps that seemed to spring on strollers at the most unexpected times." The facility, which was 106 years old in 2016, was originally four separate structures, which were joined to make one building. Jesse H. Jones erected the first Chronicle building, a long, narrow structure clad in granite, on the corner of Travis Street and Texas Avenue in 1910. The second building,

1232-479: A non-gridded network and named some of them for well-known country clubs. Some of the larger lots ranged from one-quarter acre to four acres in size. William and Michael Hogg, the sons of former Texas Governor Jim Hogg , and attorney Hugh Potter established River Oaks in the 1920s. Potter obtained an option to purchase 200 acres (81 ha) around the River Oaks Country Club in 1923, and in

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1344-475: A note for 500,000 secured by a mortgage on the Chronicle Building, the note to be payable (interest and principal) at the rate of 35,000 a year for thirty-five years, which I figured was about his expectancy. I would also pay him 20,000 dollars a year as editor of the paper and 6,000 dollars a year to continue writing the daily front-page column, "MEFO", on the condition that either of us could cancel

1456-436: A plan to install an open-air wine bar/patio for private parties. Tony Vallone , who planned to establish the wine bar/patio, later announced that the plans have been called off. In October 2011 Weingarten completed a renovation of $ 1.15 million. The company planted palm trees from Florida along the curbs, and it added energy-saving lighting. In a 38-year period ending in 2012, Weingarten spent over $ 115 million in renovations to

1568-539: A press release announcing that one of her reporters bad been caught making up sources over the course of several years. Barnes never explained why the Chronicle decided against being transparent to it readers immediately, instead of waiting for word to leak to the extent that other news outlets started planning stories. The sources being questioned in Ward's reporting were the product of "man-on-the-street" interviews from

1680-559: A road that runs through the center of the community, is lined on both sides by mansions and estates located away from the street. The two square mile (5.2 m ) area of the subdivision comprises approximately 1,600 homes, mostly detached single family homes. In 1990, the Houston Chronicle said that "[t]he grandest streets are probably River Oaks Boulevard and Lazy Lane. Some of the houses are monstrosities, but many show taste and grace and also have lovely gardens." River Oaks

1792-469: A story dealing with rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Harvey . Barnes said Houston Chronicle researchers had problems finding a number of sources quoted in Ward's story, so the newspaper hired investigative journalist David Wood, a Pulitzer Prize winner. On November 8, 2018, one day before Barnes left for a position as senior vice president of news at National Public Radio, the Houston Chronicle released some of Wood's findings. The paper announced it

1904-401: Is a subscriber-only site that contains everything found in the daily print edition. From its inception, the practices and policies of the Houston Chronicle were shaped by strong-willed personalities who were the publishers. The history of the newspaper can be best understood when divided into the eras of these individuals. The Houston Chronicle was founded in 1901 by a former reporter for

2016-460: Is assigned to Wilson Montessori School , Lanier Middle School , and Lamar High School . 29°45′11″N 95°24′32″W  /  29.753°N 95.409°W  / 29.753; -95.409 River Oaks, Houston River Oaks is a residential community located in the center of Houston, Texas , United States. Located within the 610 Loop and between Downtown and Uptown , the community spans 1,100 acres (450 ha). Established in

2128-416: Is composed of musicians from around the United States and guest conductors from around the world. River Oaks Country Club , located within the community on the northern end of River Oaks Boulevard, is a country club that includes a golf facility that was designed by architect Donald Ross . Ross is considered to be one of the most significant golf course designers in the history of golfing . Opening in 1923,

2240-476: Is in the center. In 2006 Mimi Swartz of National Geographic wrote that La Griglia is "the River Oaks lunch spot of choice." The section that was demolished in 2007 included a Black-eyed Pea , a Jamba Juice , a Jos. A. Bank , and a bakery. The Jamba Juice and Jos. A. Bank moved while the Black-eyed Pea and the bakery closed. In 2007 Boutique Em&Lee and the lingerie boutique La Mode moved within

2352-484: Is located in a region bounded on the north by Buffalo Bayou , on the east by South Shepherd Drive, on the west by Willowick Road, and on the south by Westheimer Road . River Oaks is located northeast of Uptown , north of the Upper ;Kirby district, west of Neartown , and is near to the freeway system and many major thoroughfares such as Westheimer Road, Kirby Drive and San Felipe Street. River Oaks Boulevard,

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2464-633: Is mainly distributed in Hispanic neighborhoods. In December 2004 the Chronicle acquired the Spanish-language newspaper La Voz de Houston . In the weeks following the September 11 attacks , the Houston Chronicle published a series of opinion articles by University of Texas journalism professor Robert Jensen that asserted the United States was "just as guilty" as the hijackers in committing acts of violence and compared that attack with

2576-494: Is now rededicated." Under Jones' watch, the Chronicle bought KTRH , one of Houston's oldest radio stations, in 1937. In 1954, Jones led a syndicate that signed on Houston's third television station, KTRK-TV . The board of Houston Endowment named John T. Jones, nephew of Jesse H. Jones, as editor of the Chronicle . Houston Endowment president, J. Howard Creekmore, was named publisher. In 1961, John T. Jones hired William P. Steven as editor. Steven had previously been editor of

2688-796: Is the closest public early childhood center to River Oaks, while Wilson Elementary School's preschool program is the closest tuition-based program. Only economically disadvantaged students, homeless students, students who are not proficient in English , or children of active-duty members of the U.S. military or whose parent has been killed, injured, or missing in action while on active duty may be enrolled in tuition-free HISD preschools. Students who are eligible for HISD's preschools may attend any Early Childhood Center in Houston ISD for free. Students not eligible may enroll in tuition-based HISD preschool programs. Several independent (private) schools serve

2800-613: Is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas , United States. As of April 2016, it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times . With the 1995 buyout of its longtime rival the Houston Post , the Chronicle became Houston's newspaper of record . The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper owned and operated by

2912-424: Is uninfluenced by unworthy motives, and unbought by the desire for gain. A newspaper which can be neither bought nor bullied is the greatest asset of a city or state. Naturally, a newspaper makes mistakes in judgment, as it does in type; but, so long as errors are honestly made, they are not serious when general results are considered. The success or failure of a particular issue is of little consequence compared with

3024-1034: Is within the Houston Community College System boundaries. The closest campuses are the Central Campus in Midtown and the West Loop Center. Four-year universities and colleges in close proximity to River Oaks include University of St. Thomas in Montrose and Rice University in the Houston Museum District . The community is served by the Adele B. Looscan Branch of Houston Public Library . The current building opened in September 2007. The former library, established in 1956, closed on August 27, 2005, and

3136-545: Is within the Houston Super Neighborhood #23 Afton Oaks/River Oaks, a division of the City of Houston that includes River Oaks and some surrounding subdivisions, including Afton Oaks . In 2015 the super neighborhood had 14,518 residents; 77% were non-Hispanic White, 10% were Hispanic, 7% were non-Hispanic Asian, 4% were non-Hispanic black, and 2% were non-Hispanic other. According to the 2000 U.S. Census ,

3248-590: The Tulsa Tribune and the Minneapolis Star Tribune , and credited with turning around the declining readership of both papers. One of his innovations was the creation of a regular help column called "Watchem", where ordinary citizens could voice their complaints. The Chicago Tribune later called this column a pioneer and prototype of the modern newspaper "Action Line". Steven's progressive political philosophy soon created conflict with

3360-399: The Chronicle endorsed Wendy Davis for governor in 2014 , and Sylvester Turner for mayor in 2015. Additionally, the Chronicle initially endorsed Jeb Bush for the 2016 Republican primary, but did not endorse any other candidate after he dropped out. In September 2018, then-executive editor Nancy Barnes released a statement on the Chronicle ' s website notifying readers for

3472-607: The Chronicle switched to being a morning-only paper. With the demise of the Houston Post on April 18 the next year, the Chronicle became Houston's sole major daily newspaper. On October 18, 2008, the paper endorsed Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election , the first Democrat to be endorsed by the newspaper since 1964, when it endorsed Texan Lyndon B. Johnson. It endorsed Mitt Romney in 2012, but endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016, and Joe Biden in 2020. Locally,

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3584-558: The Chronicle . Everett D. Collier replaced Steven as editor. Collier remained in this position until his retirement in 1979. J. Howard Creekmore was born in Abilene, Texas, in 1905. His parents died while he was young, so he was raised by his stepmother. The family moved to Houston in 1920. Howard enrolled in Rice Institute, where he graduated with degrees in history and English. After graduation, he went to work for Jesse Jones as

3696-483: The Chronicle . Houston oilman John Mecom offered $ 85 million for the newspaper, its building, a 30 percent interest in Texas National Bank of Commerce, and the historic Rice Hotel. Early in 1966, Mecom encountered problems raising the additional cash to complete the transaction. He then began lining up potential buyers for the newspaper, which included non-Houstonians such as Sam Newhouse, Otis Chandler and

3808-534: The Hearst Corporation , a privately held multinational corporate media conglomerate with $ 10 billion in revenues. The paper employs nearly 2,000 people, including approximately 300 journalists , editors , and photographers . The Chronicle has bureaus in Washington, D.C. , and Austin . The paper reports that its web site averages 125 million page views per month. The publication serves as

3920-488: The Houston Heights . In 2017 Weingarten announced plans to build a 30-story residential tower with construction scheduled to begin in 2018. Ziegler Cooper is the architect. The tower, which will house ground-level retail in about 10,000 square feet (930 m) of space, would replace parking spaces and an existing building that houses the restaurants Café Ginger and Local Pour. The Houston Chronicle wrote that

4032-479: The Ku Klux Klan (KKK). He sold the rest of his interest to Jesse H. Jones on June 26, 1926, and promptly retired. In 1911, city editor George Kepple started Goodfellows. On Christmas Eve 1911, Kepple passed a hat among the Chronicle ' s reporters to collect money to buy toys for a shoe-shine boy. Goodfellows continues today through donations made by the newspaper and its readers. It has grown into

4144-508: The River Oaks Theatre would be demolished. In 2007 Weingarten announced for certain it was going to demolish the northeast corner portion of the center. Weingarten announced that a $ 15 million, about 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m) complex of two- and three-story buildings, anchored by a two-story Barnes & Noble, would replace the former portion. The plans called for a spa, office space, shops, and restaurants to be housed in

4256-403: The River Oaks Theatre , and Starbucks . Previously the shopping center had two Starbucks locations, with one being referred to by a joke that Lewis Black made in 2002. That Starbucks closed in 2020. In 1987 Events, a gift store, opened. Events is in a 6,000-square-foot (560 m) space. The founders, Jay Rosenstein and Raymond Barron, sold it to Regina Garcia in 2013. La Griglia Restaurant

4368-735: The Texas House of Representatives and represented by Ann Johnson, a Democrat. River Oaks is within District 17 of the Texas Senate and represented by Joan Huffman , a Republican. The community is within Texas's 7th congressional district . As of 2019, the representative is Lizzie Pannill Fletcher . The United States Post Office Service (USPS) operates the River Oaks Post Office at 1900 West Gray Street, supporting

4480-581: The Wilson administration , helping to found the Red Cross during World War I, and later famously under the Roosevelt administration, described the paper's mission in these terms: I regard the publication of a newspaper as a distinct public trust, and one not to be treated lightly or abused for selfish purposes or to gratify selfish whims. A great daily newspaper can remain a power for good only so long as it

4592-514: The " newspaper of record " of the Houston area. Previously headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building at 801 Texas Avenue, Downtown Houston , the Houston Chronicle is now located at 4747 Southwest Freeway . While Houston Chronicle staff formerly published on the ad-supported, non-subscriber site Chron.com, today Chron and Houston Chronicle have separate websites and newsrooms. Houstonchronicle.com, launched in 2012,

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4704-469: The "abstract, minimalist vocabulary" were "[t]wo of the most distinctive features" in Winston's architectural plans, and that this arrangement "imparted a sense of fluidity that stood in distinct contrast to even the least historicizing Washington centers then realized, where form and composition engendered a feeling of static reserve." Tenants include Barnes & Noble , Kroger Signature , Jos A. Bank ,

4816-532: The 1920s by brothers Will Hogg and Michael Hogg, the community became a well-publicized national model for community planning. Real estate values in the community range from $ 1 million to over $ 20 million. River Oaks was also named the most expensive neighborhood in Houston in 2013. The community is home to River Oaks Country Club , which includes a golf course designed by architect Donald Ross and redesigned in 2015 by Tom Fazio . In 1923, Thomas William House, Jr., Thomas H. Ball , and Junius W. Reynolds founded

4928-529: The 610 Loop campus, at the intersection of the 610 Loop and U.S. Route 59 / I-69 ( Southwest Freeway ). The facility, previously used as the Houston Post headquarters, will have a total of seven buildings with a total of over 440,000 square feet (41,000 m ) of space. The original building is a 1970s four-story " New Brutalist " building. As of 2016, the building housed the Chronicle Production Department, as well as

5040-622: The African-American community) and the Houston Tribune (an ultra-conservative paper). Both papers had rather small circulations and no influence among the city's business community. The two major newspapers in Houston never mentioned Steven for many years thereafter. John J. Jones left the Chronicle not long after Steven's ouster. J. Howard Creekmore, president of the Houston Endowment, took John Jones' place at

5152-560: The City of Houston Planning Commission recommended that the shopping center be designated as a historic landmark. This designation would give tax breaks discouraging demolition. In July 2007 some trees in the area were felled to prepare for the demolition. The City of Houston designated the River Oaks Shopping Center, Alabama Theatre, and the River Oaks Theatre as historic landmarks. Under the city law at

5264-506: The Country Club Estates Company. This firm acquired two large tracts west of Houston totalling 360 acres for the purpose of developing a subdivision. County Club Estates Company sold investors shares to fund the River Oaks Country Club, which they chartered on February 1, 1923. The club developed both recreational facilities for adults and children. Country Club Estates Company planned a residential subdivision near

5376-502: The Downtown facility, the presses there were decommissioned in the late 2000s. The newsroom within the facility had bullpen-style offices with a few private cubicles and offices on the edges. The facility was connected to the downtown Houston tunnel system . Turner wrote that "in recent decades," 801 Texas Avenue "offered viewers an architectural visage of unadorned boxiness.... An accretion of five buildings made into one, it featured

5488-463: The Endowment board had ordered him to dismiss Steven. Jones had to comply. On September 3, the paper published a story announcing that Everett Collier was now the new editor. No mention was made of Steven or the Houston Endowment board. Houston Post staff wrote an article about the change, but top management killed it. Only two weekly papers in Houston mentioned it: Forward Times (which targeted

5600-474: The Majestic Theater, was built west of the Chronicle building. The second building built by Jones opened in 1910. In 1918, the third Jones building, Milam Building, opened west of the theater. An annex was built on the north side of the main building in 1938 and gained a fifth floor in the 1960s. The fifth building was a production plant, built north of the original four buildings. They were joined in

5712-564: The River Oaks Community Center, operated by the City of Houston, is one block west of Lamar High School . River Oaks Park includes a .25-mile (0.40 km) off-road trail located within the park's boundaries, tennis courts, a playground, and a lighted sports ground. River Oaks Park includes the Pumpkin Carriage, intended to evoke Cinderella 's carriage. Around 2003 Friends of River Oaks Parks had restored

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5824-764: The River Oaks Shopping Center portion, the Alabama Theatre , and the River Oaks Theater in its list of fifty most important historic buildings in Houston. The GPHA also asked the Texas Historical Commission (THC) to inquire about the historical eligibility of the old portion. The THC ruled it to be eligible to be on the National Historic Register , along with the Alabama and River Oaks Theatres. That year,

5936-463: The River Oaks Shopping Center. The front page of the July 22, 2006 Houston Chronicle reported there were plans to demolish parts of the River Oaks Shopping Center and to build redevelopment, including a Barnes & Noble , on the site of one portion, a building on the northeast corner of Shepherd Drive and West Gray, for redevelopment. These plans, which were unconfirmed by the newspaper, stated that

6048-461: The River Oaks and Melcher post offices. Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (METRO) operates bus services in and around River Oaks. Lines serving River Oaks are the 27 Shepherd, 32 Renwick/San Felipe, 41 Kirby/Polk and 82 Westheimer. Harris Health System (formerly Harris County Hospital District) designated Casa De Amigos Health Center in Northside for ZIP code 77019 and

6160-521: The Scripps-Howard organization. Creekmore strongly believed that local persons should own the paper. He insisted that Mecom pay the $ 84 million debt immediately in cash. Mecom cancelled his purchase agreement. In 1968, the Chronicle set a Texas newspaper circulation record. In 1981, the business pages—which until then had been combined with sports—became its own section of the newspaper. Creekmore remained as publisher until Houston Endowment sold

6272-469: The United States. Real estate values range from $ 1 million to over $ 20 million. The community has multiple houses deemed historic by the city government's planning commission. As of 2020 the law allows for demolition of city-designated landmarks after a 90-day waiting period, so by 2020 multiple property owners tore down their respective historic landmarks. 80 demolition permits of River Oaks permits residences were approved in 2018 and 2019. Adjacent to

6384-768: The Valbona Health Center (formerly People's Health Center) in Greater Sharpstown for ZIP code 77027. The nearest public hospital is Ben Taub General Hospital in the Texas Medical Center . Politicians and political parties conduct fundraising campaigns in River Oaks because it has "six desired qualities" including "allure, location, preening, location, Secret Service familiarity and location." In both 2000 and 2004, River Oaks residents gave $ 3.9 million to political campaigns. In 2008, they gave $ 3.4 million to political campaigns through

6496-420: The all-important principle of a fearless and honest newspaper. This I intend the Chronicle shall always be, a newspaper for all the people, democratic in fact and in principle, standing for the greatest good to the greatest number, championing and defending what it believes to be right, and condemning and opposing what it believes to be wrong. Such have always been the policies of the Chronicle and to such it

6608-472: The architecture firm Nunn & McGinty, were finalized in 1937. The first stores at the River Oaks Shopping Center opened in November 1937. Anna Mod, author of Building Modern Houston , wrote "The center was the subject of numerous articles" when it opened. In 1971 Weingarten Realty bought the center. In 1975 Weingarten made its first renovation. In 2008 area residents began complaining upon learning about

6720-642: The area and private schools marketed to River Oaks families include St. John's School (K–12, in Upper Kirby), Annunciation Orthodox School (K-8, in the Neartown area), River Oaks Baptist School (K-8, in River Oaks), Episcopal High School (9–12, Bellaire ), The Kinkaid School in ( Piney Point Village ). In 2006 St. Anne Catholic School received the Blue Ribbon Award . River Oaks

6832-517: The buyout of Foster as follows: Wanting to be liberal with Foster if I bought him out, since he had created the paper and originally owned most of the stock, and had made a success of it, I thought for a while before answering and finally asked him how much he owed. He replied, "On real estate and everything about 200,000 dollars." I then said to him that I would give him 300,000 dollars in cash, having in mind that this would pay his debts and give him 100,000 spending money. In addition, I would give him

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6944-659: The carriage. The Houston Business Journal said "Pumpkin Park provides outstanding resources for neighborhood children – a wonderful playground, community center and the Summer Enrichment Program offering youngsters sports activities and crafts classes." On June 24, 1999, the River Oaks Property Owners, Inc. entered an agreement with the City of Houston; ROPO agreed to maintain and upgrade parks and esplanades in River Oaks. ROPO also has

7056-482: The center had "a snazzy “modern” design evocative of the era in which the center was built". The parts of the River Oaks Shopping Center are along both sides of West Gray Avenue. Richard Longstreth of Cite described the two main buildings as being "mirror images, each framing a forecourt, as if two of the Washington centers were face to face." Longstreth wrote that Potter had "probably stipulated" this design "at

7168-494: The center. It was there for 30 years. In 2013 Atrium Ready to Wear, a fashion designer clothing store, and Casa de Novia Bridal Couture, a bridal dress shop, moved into the center in a space below the Américas restaurant. The former moved into a 1,000-square-foot (93 m) area while the letter moved into a 2,600-square-foot (240 m) area; both are separated from one another by a low glass partition. The combined new space of

7280-401: The city limits. Bus service to Downtown Houston opened during the same year. After World War II, as Houston experienced its greatest growth, River Oaks became a haven for the wealthy of the city. River Oaks has been the subject matter of scholarly studies, primarily because its significant contributions to Houston's history and development as an elite suburban community. The community was

7392-502: The community is the River Oaks Shopping Center , Houston's first shopping center. Constructed in 1927 and designed by architect Hugh Prather , the center, originally known as River Oaks Community Center, was one of the first automobile-oriented retail centers in the United States. Its design, with arcs of retail space on either side of West Gray Avenue, was considered a model for future development. Portions of

7504-590: The community. Houston Fire Department operates Station 3 at 3735 West Alabama at Cummins, near River Oaks. The fire station is in Fire District 28. Station 3 moved to its current location in 1958. The station underwent a renovation in 2003 and 2004 and re-opened in the northern hemisphere spring of 2004. The community is within the Houston Police Department 's Central Patrol Division, headquartered at 61 Riesner. River Oaks has one of

7616-423: The community. Since the 1970s and by 1995, most of the children in River Oaks were sent to private schools. Catholic schools , operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston , include St. Thomas High School (9–12, males only, north of River Oaks along the north edge of the Buffalo Bayou) and St. Anne Catholic School (K-8, south of River Oaks at Shepherd and Westheimer). Other private schools in

7728-435: The country club grounds. Kenneth E. Womack and Ball sold club memberships and also charter memberships which bundled a club membership with a share of stock in the residential investment. They raised a total of $ 249,750 for Country Club Estates Company. They hired Herbert A. Kipp for the design of the first subdivision, covering an area of about 178 acres. Keeping with the country club theme, Kipp laid out wide, curving roads for

7840-422: The country club has hosted the River Oaks International Tennis Tournament since 1931. The Houston Intown Chamber of Commerce assists economic activity in River Oaks. The Houston Ballet headquarters, training facilities and pre-professional school, the Ben Stevenson Academy , were located on West Gray near the River Oaks Shopping Center until 2012. Several municipal parks serve River Oaks. River Oaks Park and

7952-486: The development was planned to establish a well-integrated community. Advertised as a "distinguished experiment in fine living," River Oaks became a national model for community planning. River Oaks' planning standards, residential architecture, and landscape design were publicized during the 1920s and 1930s in national newspapers, real estate media and design journals. Deed restrictions at the time restricted home prices to over $ 7,000 and specified architectural styles, with

8064-517: The editorship and/or the MEFO-column contracts on six months' notice, and that, if I canceled both the column and the editorship, I would give him an additional 6,000 dollars a year for life. I considered the offer substantially more than the Chronicle was worth at the time. No sooner had I finished stating my proposition than he said, "I will take it", and the transaction was completed accordingly. In 1937, Jesse H. Jones transferred ownership of

8176-465: The end of its first month in operation, the Chronicle had a circulation of 4,378—roughly one tenth of the population of Houston at the time. Within the first year of operation, the paper purchased and consolidated the Daily Herald . In 1908, Foster asked Jesse H. Jones, a local businessman and prominent builder, to construct a new office and plant for the paper, "and offered [a] half-interest in

8288-512: The fact that one of their reporters had been cheating for years under their noses. In many instances over the course of years, Loeb worked directly with Ward and even rewrote his stories for final publication. The Austin American Statesman , where Ward worked as a reporter for 25 years covering the state's political class prior to joining the Houston Chronicle in 2014, also conducted an internal review of "his final years" of work at

8400-469: The first time that the paper's Austin bureau chief, Mike Ward, had resigned and was the subject of an internal investigation after questions were raised by a staff member over fabricating sources. Barnes opted not to disclose the source-fabrication or Ward's resignation to Chronicle readers and the general public until she was contacted by reporters at other outlets pursuing a story about the Chronicle ' s scandal—one full week after Ward had resigned. By

8512-512: The following year William Hogg established the Country Club Estates in order to support the development of the community. The two brothers promoted the sale of lots in the subdivision for US$ 2,200 (equivalent to $ 39,037 in 2023) apiece in 1928. The brothers, along with sister Ima Hogg , oversaw the construction of Bayou Bend , a stately southern-style home on the banks of Buffalo Bayou . The first development of River Oaks

8624-454: The growth to the changes instigated by Steven. In the summer of 1965, Jones decided to buy a local television station that was already owned by the Houston Endowment. He resigned from the Houston Endowment board to avoid a conflict of interest, though he remained as publisher of the Chronicle . On September 2, 1965, Jones made a late-night visit to the Steven home, where he broke the news that

8736-437: The historic shopping center were demolished in September 2007 to redevelop the site for a bookstore and parking garage. As of 2008, Landmark Theatres operates the River Oaks Theatre , an " arthouse " theater, located in the center. The theater is the last historic movie theater in Houston that is still being used as it was originally designed. River Oaks is home to the forty-member River Oaks Chamber Orchestra . The orchestra

8848-534: The impacts of rapid economic growth on life in the city. It did not perform investigative journalism. This resulted in a stodgy newspaper that failed to capture the interests of newcomers to the city. By 1959, circulation of the rival Houston Post had pulled ahead of the Chronicle . Jones, a lifelong Democrat who organized the Democratic National Convention to be in Houston in 1928, and who spent long years in public service first under

8960-510: The lowest crime rates in Houston. The River Oaks Property Owners, Inc. offices are at 3923 San Felipe Road. The community operates its own private security force, River Oaks Patrol. The Texas Department of Public Safety classifies the force as a guard, alarm, and investigation company. The community is within Super Neighborhood #23 and its recognized council was established on October 15, 2001. Each super neighborhood represents

9072-594: The merger of Houston's National Bank of Commerce, in which Jones had a financial interest, with another Houston bank, the Texas National. In 1964, the Chronicle purchased the assets of its evening newspaper competitor, the Houston Press , becoming the only evening newspaper in the city. By then, the Chronicle had a circulation of 254,000—the largest of any paper in Texas. The Atlantic Monthly credited

9184-720: The middle of that year. In 1992 Cynthia Mayer of the Philadelphia Inquirer described River Oaks as one of Houston's "richest, most Republican neighborhoods", and Bennett Roth of the Houston Chronicle also described the area as such in 2008. See also: List of companies in Houston See: List of colleges and universities in Houston [REDACTED] Category [REDACTED] Texas portal 29°45′04″N 95°25′59″W  /  29.751°N 95.433°W  / 29.751; -95.433 Houston Chronicle The Houston Chronicle

9296-435: The neighborhood had 8,169 housing units. Of the 7,401 occupied units, 3,573 were rental units and 3,828 were owner units. The Super Neighborhood had 3,518 families with a total of 9,521 individuals. River Oaks Super Neighborhood had a lower average family size than the average City of Houston family size. The River Oaks average was 2.7, while the city average was 3.4. River Oaks is one of the wealthiest communities in Texas and

9408-452: The neighborhood program at River Oaks Elementary School which allows non-magnet students residing in the school's boundaries to attend. Some magnet parents opposed, believing that the River Oaks program would reduce racial diversity at the school. In 1996, HISD added a neighborhood program to the school for grades Kindergarten through 2nd, with grades 3 through 5 phased in over a subsequent three-year period. Crockett Early Childhood Center

9520-610: The new complex. The Starbucks on that lot was not affected. There was a campaign to preserve the Art Deco building. The Greater Houston Preservation Alliance (GPHA) made a petition that got over 25,000, asking for Barnes & Noble to not lease space in the project. This petition was sent to the Barnes & Noble chairperson and CEO. The GPHA stated that the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission included

9632-457: The newspaper as a down payment, with twenty years to pay the remainder. Jones agreed, and the resulting Chronicle Building was one of the finest in the South." Under Foster, the paper's circulation grew from about 7,000 in 1901 to 75,000 on weekdays and 85,000 on Sundays by 1926. Foster continued to write columns under the pen name Mefo , and drew much attention in the 1920s for his opposition to

9744-456: The now closed Will Rogers Elementary School (opened in 1950, closed in summer 2006), and Poe Elementary School . By 1995 River Oaks Elementary became one of the most prestigious elementary schools in Houston and had a waiting list. By that year several new families had established themselves in River Oaks and many of them were interested in sending their children to public school. In 1995, several River Oaks parents petitioned HISD to re-establish

9856-605: The now-defunct Houston Post , Marcellus E. Foster. Foster, who had been covering the Spindletop oil boom for the Post , invested in Spindletop and took $ 30 of the return on that investment—at the time equivalent to a week's wages—and used it to fund the Chronicle . The Chronicle ' s first edition was published on October 14, 1901, and sold for two cents per copy, at a time when most papers sold for five cents each. At

9968-568: The offices of the Spanish newspaper La Voz de Houston . The Houston Chronicle building in Downtown Houston was the headquarters of the Houston Chronicle . The facility included a loading dock, office space, a press room, and production areas. It had ten stories above ground and three stories below ground. The printing presses used by the newspaper spanned three stories. The presses were two stories below ground and one above. In

10080-458: The old portion began. In 2007 Jennifer Friedburg of the Houston Chronicle wrote that pro-preservationists "will certainly continue to try to change the rules to protect other buildings that might be demolished in the future" and that "While this act seals the center’s fate, it will do little to end the debate about what type of city Houston is, what it values and what it will look like in the future." In 2018 Weingarten announced plans to demolish

10192-399: The outset". The main buildings had a semicircular shape. This way, automobile drivers entering the forecourt could see all of the stores. and drivers traveling from River Oaks to Downtown Houston would also be able to see the stores. Anna Mod wrote that the entrances to the shops each had "a solid base, large windows, and a minimally detailed cornice ." Longstreth wrote that the shape and

10304-488: The paper to the Hearst Corporation. On May 1, 1987, the Hearst Corporation purchased the Houston Chronicle from Houston Endowment for $ 415 million. Richard J. V. Johnson, who had joined the paper as a copy editor in 1956, and worked up to executive vice president in 1972, and president in 1973, remained as chairman and publisher until he retired on April 1, 2002. He was succeeded by Jack Sweeney. In 1994,

10416-516: The paper to the newly established Houston Endowment Inc. Jones retained the title of publisher until his death in 1956. According to the Handbook of Texas online, the Chronicle generally represented very conservative political views during the 1950s: ... the Chronicle generally represented the very conservative political interests of the Houston business establishment. As such, it eschewed controversial political topics, such as integration or

10528-450: The paper. A copy of the original story that led to the investigation has been removed from the Chronicle ' s website. But Austin-based NPR affiliate KUT interviewed Ward for the radio in the days after the story ran and still has the story posted on its website, despite the fact that the sources used in Ward's reporting are suspected of being fake. On July 21, 2014, the Chronicle announced that its Downtown employees were moving to

10640-490: The plans for the study. Arrantz died, so he was replaced by Stanton Nunn. Winston was later hired by the Public Works Administration to be the housing division project planner. In the early fall of 1936, H. G. Frost committed to financing the center. Potter asked Winston to finish the process, so Winston took one month of leave of absence from his job with the federal government. The designs, produced by

10752-1170: The right to spend its own funds to improve them. Municipal parks assisted by ROPO include Del Monte Park, Mary Elliot Park, Ella Lee Park, Homewood Park, Kirby Park, Rebecca Meyer Park, Olympia Park, Pine Valley Park, and Sleepy Hollow Park. The Houston Independent School District (HISD) operates the public schools serving River Oaks. The community is within Trustee District VII. As of 2000, almost 9% of HISD property taxes originated from River Oaks residents. The attendance boundaries of River Oaks Elementary School , Lanier Middle School , and Lamar High School include River Oaks. Lanier opened in 1926, River Oaks Elementary opened in 1929, and Lamar opened in 1937. As of 2014 there were 517 students in grades Kindergarten through 5 that were zoned to River Oaks Elementary School; that year, according to HISD estimates, about 56% attended River Oaks Elementary, about 41% attended private schools or homeschooling programs, about 2% attended other HISD schools, and about 1% attended public schools in other school districts. Laura Nathan-Garner, author of

10864-475: The school closed. At the time River Oaks had mainly older families. At the time the remaining families who did have children had the money to send their children to private school and preferred to do so. Between 1986 and 1996, River Oaks Elementary School only admitted magnet school students from other areas of the city. The community was divided between the attendance zones of Woodrow Wilson Elementary School (opened in 1925, now Ella Baker Montessori School ),

10976-468: The second edition of the Insiders' Guide to Houston (2012), wrote that "Many children in [River Oaks] attend [Lamar]". In 1974 most of River Oaks was assigned to River Oaks Elementary School. Prior to desegregation, it had around 800 children. After desegregation, many parents removed their children from River Oaks Elementary, and the school was far below capacity. In 1986 the neighborhood component of

11088-625: The section with the former Laff Stop Comedy club so a thirty-story residential tower could be built in its place. The center is at the intersection of West Gray Avenue and South Shepherd Drive in Neartown , adjacent to the eastern boundary of River Oaks . The center is 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Downtown Houston , 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the Rice University / Texas Medical Center area, 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Uptown Houston / The Galleria , and 2 miles (3.2 km) south of

11200-450: The shopping center. In 2010 Weingarten announced that a branch of the Américas restaurant by Michael Cordua will open in the center. As of 2010 Tony Mandola's Gulf Coast Kitchen had been located in the center for 20 years. At that time there were plans to move. In 2011 the record shop Allrecords was notified that the Luke's Locker wanted to expand, so Allrecords decided to move out of

11312-428: The shops is 1,000 square feet (93 m) larger than the combined previous one. Marfreless Bar moved to a two-story area behind the River Oaks Theatre in 1976. In 2013 Marfreless announced it was closing. It was accessible through an unmarked door. The closure was scheduled for March 30, 2013. In June 2013 the bar announced it was going to reopen later that summer, with new management. The first J McLaughlin in Texas

11424-678: The site of the 1972 murder of Dr. John Hill (later described in Thomas Thompson's novel, Blood and Money ). River Oaks was the home of Jeff Skilling before he began serving a 25-year prison sentence for his involvement in the Enron scandal . The River Oaks Garden Club Forum of Civics , located in Upper Kirby , is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the "Forum of Civics" on October 13, 1988. Formerly

11536-428: The staff and two and one half times the size of the previous facility. Friends of Neighborhood Libraries raised one million dollars in four months, and around $ 2.5 million in total to help fund the new library. The 21,000 square feet (2,000 m ) library, designed by Jackson & Ryan Architects, houses over 60,000 books and is the first city LEED-certified facility. It includes a 120-seat multipurpose meeting room and

11648-525: The super neighborhood had 14,313 residents; 12,273 of them (85.7%) were White , 1,160 (8.1%) were Hispanic , 390 (2.7%) were Asian, 247 (1.7%) were Black, 18 were Native American , 13 were Native Hawaiian, and 23 were Others. 189 people were of two or more races. Of the 12,088 residents over 18 years of age, 10,390 (86.0%) were White, 945 (7.8%) were Hispanic, 353 (2.9%) were Asian, 205 (1.7%) were Black, 17 were Native American, 8 were Native Hawaiian, and 22 were Other. 148 were of two or more races. As of 2000

11760-539: The time Barnes informed the public about what would turn into the biggest journalism scandal of 2018, it had already become one of the worst kept secrets in Austin among the capitol press corps that writes about Texas politicians. The scandal had also become popular fodder among staffers who work at the capital. Within 45 minutes of being contacted by a freelance reporter for the Texas Observer , Barnes hastily issued

11872-423: The time, the owners and developers of a building designated as a landmark can still demolish a building designated as such without penalty if they apply for a certificate of nondesignation. If this is granted, the recognition of a place as being a historic landmark is delayed for a six-month period. During this period the owner and/or developer is/are free to demolish the building. On September 4, 2007, demolition of

11984-536: The very conservative views of the Houston Endowment board, especially when he editorially supported the election of Lyndon B. Johnson , the Democratic candidate for president. However, more than political philosophy was involved: Robert A. Caro revealed in his biography of Johnson that written assurance of this support from John T. Jones had been the price demanded by Johnson in January 1964 in return for approval of

12096-542: The zip codes 77027 and 77019. The post office sits on a 109,160 square feet (10,141 m ) property with a gross building area of 18,100 square feet (1,680 m ). In addition the Julius Melcher Post Office is near River Oaks. In January 2009 the USPS announced that it will put the River Oaks Post Office property up for sale. In October of that year the USPS announced that it, for now, will not sell

12208-540: Was demolished in February 2006. The previous Looscan branch had around 61,000 visitors in the fiscal year 2005. The original plans for Looscan called for the library to get a $ 5.4 million renovation. An Upper Kirby group proposed a new site near the Upper Kirby YMCA . Around that period the group Friends of Neighborhood Libraries began raising funds. The replacement library, costing $ 6.2 million, has twice

12320-441: Was retracting a total of eight stories. Barnes later went on to tell Columbia Journalism Review that the widespread fabrication apparent in Ward's articles was unprecedented, in her experience: "I've been an editor a long time and I have never seen anything like this, period.". None of the Chronicle ' s editors responsible for overseeing Ward's stories—including then-managing editor Vernon Loeb—assumed any responsibility for

12432-522: Was scheduled to open at this center on July 19, 2013. A 12,500-square-foot (1,160 m) Kelsey Seybold Clinic opened in 2021. The complex has an apartment complex, The Driscoll at River Oaks. It is scheduled to open in 2021, and construction began in 2018. The range of units is from 900 square feet (84 m) to 3,000 square feet (280 m). The complex is within the Houston Independent School District (HISD), and

12544-458: Was the summer house of William L. Clayton . Houston-architect Birdsall Briscoe completed this Colonial Revival home for the Clayton family in 1924. This property is a City of Houston Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The development plans ensured that River Oaks's parks and esplanades were planted with oaks, shrubs, azaleas and other flowers. Every detail of

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