Proposed Riverside Terrace historic district roils Third Ward

To understand why a proposed historic district in Riverside Terrace has erupted into an unlikely battle pitting neighbors against one another in the historically Black enclave, consider 2506 Rosedale. The columned brick house was once home to the family of Mack Hannah Jr., a longtime Texas Southern University regent and civil rights leader whose business ventures made him one of the wealthiest Black men in Texas until his death in 1994. The house is now owned by Asif Mahmood, a neighbor who is overseeing a full overhaul of the property and is embroiled in a bitter fight over the proposed historic district he has championed. Mahmood, who applied for the historic designation last year after moving to the neighborhood in 2018, wants to preserve the tree-filled area that he said “is slowly getting discovered.” Some neighbors agree with the proposal. Many disapprove. The issue has roiled the usually quiet Third Ward neighborhood, prompting widespread opposition among residents — most of them Black, many of them with deep roots in Riverside Terrace — who say the proposed historic district isn’t necessary and would drive up expenses and property values. They fear the move could oust longtime residents. It has also raised questions about the role of preservation in a city founded on a swamp, where old buildings are rare and new construction is the norm. Residents and city officials are divided: Is the proposed historic district an instrument of gentrification, or a bulwark against it? The story of the proposed Riverside Terrace historic district is a story about Houston’s changing face. It involves six months of bureaucratic wrangling, several hundred frustrated residents and at least one dead homeowner who participated in absentia. A history of change One recent morning, the pavement outside 2506 Rosedale rumbled with trucks. An earth-mover loaded dirt into a dump truck, slowly removing a small mountain of dirt to make way for a circular driveway. More than a dozen contractors readied construction on the empty house, its windows open to reveal a near-total gut renovation. One window bore red tags, raising the prospect that code violations of some kind have occurred. It is unclear how Mahmood intends to use the house, one of several he owns in the proposed district. He declined to comment for this article. Neighbors say he may rent the house as apartments or on Airbnb; he already operates several in the neighborhood, property records show. Had he not petitioned to make Riverside Terrace a historic district, his acquisition of these properties may not have attracted attention. After all, the neighborhood has seen its share of change. Built in the early 20th century, it was once called the “Jewish River Oaks” for its preponderance of Jewish families who were then barred from tonier parts of town. We want to foster conversation and highlight the intersection of race, identity and culture in one of America's most diverse cities. Sign up for the HouWeAre newsletter here. In the early 1950s, a white secretary purchased a home on behalf of cattle rancher Jack Caesar. With the deal complete, the secretary transferred the deed to Caesar, who, as a Black man, was believed to be the first to integrate the predominantly Jewish neighborhood. Soon after, someone detonated a bomb on Caesar’s porch, blowing out the windows and destroying the front porch. Over the next decades, affluent Black homeowners — still barred by deed restrictions from buying homes in wealthy neighborhoods like River Oaks — became the majority. In recent years, residents have seen modern, metal-clad apartments proliferate in nearby areas, raising concerns that something similar could happen to their neighborhood. In December, three homeowners — led by Mahmood — asked the city to consider 51 homes as historic landmarks. The designation comes with tax benefits but requires homeowners to receive permission for projects that would alter the exterior appearance of their properties. In a February vote, too few homeowners approved the designation. The city redrew the boundaries of the district to include just 18 homes in order to achieve a majority, as is permitted by city bylaws. The question now heads to City Council, which will consider whether to grant final approval on June 8. Community desires The matter heads to City Council muddled in controversy. At issue is the city’s tally of the district’s supporters and detractors. An attorney hired by the Riverside Civic Association has found seven alleged violations of the city ordinance governing historic districts that, if proven to be true, could nix the proposal altogether. In a door-to-door poll of the district, two supporters told the Houston Chronicle they voted yes as a means of maintaining the neighborhood’s architectural continuity. Martha Failing, a resident since 2015, said she sought to prevent a future “glass-and-steel” structure with “jutting overhangs” from being built on a nearby vacant lot. One resident, former City Council Member Jew Don Boney, voted yes then withdrew his support earlier this month. The city rejected his change of heart, which the civic association says in a document prepared by its lawyer is a violation of a state law that allows a homeowner to “withdraw consent” during proceedings. “I was not aware of the negative impact this would have on the community and the African Americans who have lived in Riverside Terrace for generations,” Boney wrote in an email to city officials explaining his decision. “I understand now that this ... does not reflect the desires of the community, but only a few.” Neighborhood opponents worry it will restrict their ability to alter or sell their homes and raise the costs of routine repairs to windows, roofs and exteriors. The civic association alleges another violation — an apparent vote in favor of the district, cast by a homeowner who died several months prior. The person’s power of attorney is believed to have given consent in their absence. In light of the alleged violations, and what the civic organization characterizes as a lack of transparency surrounding the designation process, many Black residents of Riverside Terrace are calling on council members to vote down the proposed district. “We are talking about our homes, the one thing African Americans have to pass onto our children,” longtime Rosedale resident Elizabeth Smith said. “It is our legacy. What they are trying to take away from us is our generational wealth.” Home ownership is one of the ways Black families have gained a foothold in Third Ward, Smith said, and they do not trust city officials to safeguard the neighborhood. History more than justifies the mistrust, said Shani Adia Evans, an assistant professor of sociology at Rice University who has studied gentrification and displacement. Black people were systematically excluded from home ownership for most of the 20th century, Evans said. Since much of the average person’s wealth is in property, Black people “have not been able to transfer wealth across generations in the way that whites have,” a disparity that has resulted in the average Black person having just one-tenth the wealth of the average white person. Concerns about expensive home repairs should not be dismissed, she said. Black middle class and professional people “may be less able to pay for property renovations and maintenance that meet the standards of the historic district,” Evans said. A homeowner’s willingness to spend tens of thousands of dollars on property improvements, she said, may largely depend on their inherited wealth — or lack thereof. Catherine Rieser, a 22-year Rosedale resident, voted in support of the proposed district but said she understands the concerns of her Black neighbors. After months of wrangling and neighborly discord, she seemed unfazed by the prospect of the district getting voted down. “Black people have a long history of being cheated out of property,” she said one recent afternoon. “They don’t trust anyone looking out for their interest except themselves, and I don’t blame them for that.” nora.mishanec@chron.com

Proposed Riverside Terrace historic district has longtime residents fighting for their neighborhood

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