Gulfgate/Pine Valley is a collection of neighborhoods inside Loop 610 south of the Gulf Freeway. It is crisscrossed by older highways, such as Telephone Road and the city’s first by-pass, the Old Spanish Trail/Wayside combination. These highways, along with a major rail line and Brays Bayou, divide the area into a number of discrete neighborhoods. The largest of these, Pine Valley, Freeway, and Gulfgate Riverview consist of single family homes surrounded by light industrial buildings and warehouses. Gulfgate, one of Houston’s first malls, located on the eastern edge of the area, has been completely redeveloped as part of a tax increment reinvestment zone to revitalize the retail district. Gulfgate/Pine Valley has a diverse range of local eateries, pubs, and major hangouts minutes away. The community is home to the 3,000 square foot Orange Show/ TOS folk-art attraction, which features a wishing well, a pond, a stage, a museum, an oasis, a gift shop, and hosts concerts and festivals, including the popular Houston Art Car Parade. The neighborhood is centrally located with direct access to highways that connect residents to Downtown in only 10 minutes, public transit options and bike friendly streets. Four public parks – Gragg Park, Smither Park, Brookine Park and Fonde Park serve the community – and provide expansive fields where families can enjoy sports and picnics. Residents and visitors enjoy vibrancy in the parks which provide a recreation center, basketball court with exercise equipment, organized sports events and exercise classes, and artistic monuments.
-Adapted from City of Houston Super Neighborhoods