Southgate, Houston, Texas

The Southgate neighborhood of Houston sits just below Rice University and between Rice Village and the Texas Medical Center, with Brays Bayou only a few blocks away. It was developed in the 1920s and 1930s and many original homes are still standing, giving the neighborhood a quaint, historic air. According to U.S. Census data, the population of Southgate is 2,781, the median age is 47 and the average income is $203,000. The neighborhood is divided into four subdivisions known locally as Southgate Addition, Southgate Section 2, Southgate Section 3 and Southgate Annex.

Some architectural styles that can be found in Southgate include Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, Craftsman and Spanish Colonial Revival. According to Preservation Houston, two Streamline Modern style apartment buildings, designed by architects Snedden & Young in 1936, were sadly demolished in 2021. They were among a scant few surviving Streamline Moderne buildings in the Houston area. The French style Randolph and Virginia West House in Southgate has been given Landmark Designation by the City of Houston. The former home of Claude E. Hooton, the architect who designed the West House in the 1930s is located next door.

The proximity of Southgate to Texas Medical Center led to organized community activism in the early 2000s as the Medical Center expanded causing an increase in traffic through the neighborhood and Medical Center employees parking their cars on residential streets. The community pressured the city of Houston to close off one end of the main thoroughfare to reduce traffic and discourage the use of the neighborhood as a parking lot.

Southgate is served by the Houston Independent School District, with students zoned to Roberts Elementary School which is located within the neighborhood, Pershing Middle School and Lamar High School. Private schools nearby include St. Vincent de Paul School, a Catholic school for students in grades K-8, and St. Nicholas School Medical Center Campus for grades K-8. Two public libraries serve Southgate, the Stella Link Branch of Houston Public Library and West University Branch of Harris County Public Library.

Popular places to eat in Southgate include Common Bond Bistro and Bakery at Texas Medical Center Campus, Cooking Girl (Chinese) on Holcombe Blvd, and Hop Doddy Burger Bar in Rice Village.

The nearest public park to Southgate, Gus and Lyndall Wortham Park, is located on the Texas Medical Center campus. It features a green space, a shaded, ivy-covered pergola and fountains, offering a peaceful place to cool down on a hot day, meditate or read for a few moments of relaxation. Hermann Park is located near Rice University and offers walking trails, a golf course, fountains and gardens for adults and pedal boats, a train and a carousel to keep the kids amused. The Houston Zoo is also located within Hermann Park.