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The problem with Pearland...

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by: 5 OP
~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 9:52am

The problem with Pearland...

Here we are trying to retain our small town culture, which is wonderful, yet we're being pulled apart by some realities associated with rapid growth. I moved to the SIlverlake area, West Pearland, about 16 years ago. Though I was on the edge of the developed portions of Pearland, I felt very much connected to our city, including the eastern portions. Subsequently west Pearland has become vastly more developed and it's a though a new city has grown up west of S.H. 288 with residents being mostly new to the area (e.g. 10 years or fewer). Most of those residents feel as much connected with the Medical Center, Missouri City, and Sugarland as to Pearland. For many residents on either end of Pearland, the other end is more of a concept than a reality, simply because they rarely venture to the other end. I have a few friends from west of S.H. 288 who never even get close to S.H. 35, and others from the east end who don't want to get close to S.H. 288. I'm wondering if the small town feel is going to be totally lost before long. If so, to me, that's sad.

Also, isn't it funny that we never think of north or south Pearland? I think our neighbors Houston, Brookside Village, Manvel, and Rosharon will inhibit further expansion and so the North and South visions of Pearland my never become a thing, as east and west Pearland have become.

Thoughts?

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Replies:

~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 10:45am

I've been apart of Pearland 30+ yrs. I currently live on the east side more "original downtown" area which I still consider Pearland. Honestly everything past Cullen to me now isn't really much Pearland now especially 288 and west. I agree it's sad, and yes I am one of those to partly blame for that feeling. I personally just do not like going over there also due to traffic. Everything over there, I can drive towards the Fairmont area in the same amount of time with less anxiety and frustration.

4
~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 10:48am

@DrewLundgren : I agree with your observations wholeheartedly. I've noticed some changes that are very sad. In the 'old days' drivers would pull over for a funeral procession to show respect and allow the mourners to proceed. Now we have drivers who do not pull over and some who will actually merge into the funeral procession so that they can get where they are going.
It would be wonderful if everyone would recognize the mourners by pulling over and think one day, that will be one of my loved ones being laid to rest.
The competition between east and west has been going on for many years, long before the explosion of growth on the west side and has become more pronounced with that growth. One thing that doesn't help is the amount of traffic generated by this growth and the failure of not addressing the timing of lights along 518 as well as not enforcing the law about blocking intersections.
Just my thoughts.

5 OP
~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 10:58am

@kerrbearsis : @Mitsu2125 : Exactly. Thank you for your thoughts.

6
~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 1:08pm

@DrewLundgren : I moved to Texas/Pearland in June 2013. At no time have I ever viewed Pearland as a "small town". It's a suburb of Houston. Population is around 200k. I grew up in the second largest city in Illinois, which had a similar population.

5 OP
~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 1:26pm

@squidgirl : Thanks. I understand completely. It has changed dramatically in the past ten or fifteen years. I think many of the old timers, and especially those born here 40 or more years ago, miss the old Pearland.

New Member
~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 2:57pm

I've been here since my family moved here in 1972. The small town concept died some 20 years ago. I can remember folks grumbling about the population breaking 10,000. It's totally out of control now. Every time a story hits the news about fast we are growing, it seems to empower those who are 'in charge' to allow for more. It wouldn't surprise me one bit to wake up one day and find we have been absorbed into the Houston metroplex.

7
~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 3:12pm

only been here 3 years but i love the town!

8
~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 4:16pm

Removed By Request

4
~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 6:43pm

@DrewLundgren : I really miss the old Pearland. Our population was 12,000 when I moved here.
I do appreciate having more options for shopping and not having to go into Houston to shop.
It's a double edged sword.

4
~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 6:46pm

@Stealth83 : I do like the new folks, just miss the small town ways (manners), lower taxes, etc.

8
~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 7:01pm

Removed By Request

4
~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 10:00pm

@Stealth83 : Yes, sadly

5
~ 5 years ago Nov 21, '19 10:26pm

*Edited

@DrewLundgren :

Consider living in Manvel for 45 years. The population was less than 400 back when I was little. Not much existed on 288 except farm land until you made it to just before 610. Pearland was east of Cullen, down 518 to around the area where what I call "the old Kroger" sits near Barry Rose Rd. We didn't (and still don't) have a grocery store so we either went to Alvin or Pearland, which were much, much bigger cities than Manvel.
Nowadays, I avoid the west side of Pearland at 288 like the plague and am beginning to avoid the east side at Pearland Pkwy. just the same. If I can drive peacefully up 1128 to Pearland and get groceries, scripts, etc that's what I'm going to do. You should take a drive south on 1128 all the way til it T's way back in the farming area before this Farm-to-Market roadway is swallowed up with concrete and lights.
(Or, you could take a left at the T and head down to Ski Texas (it's a little neighborhood) then keep going til just before FM 1462 where Little Cambodia is.)

2
~ 5 years ago Nov 22, '19 8:34am

@HillCountry : I LOVE Manvel! I agree with you too. I moved to Pearland in 2004 - and picked it for the farmland, open fields, and LESS city stuff. It was culture shock enough for my kids back then, coming from super rural Louisiana. I avoid 288 and anything South of CR 90 as much as possible now, there is nothing I need over there that bad. And I'm starting to feel that way about Pearland Parkway, which is sad, because roaming from Cullen to Friendswood USED to be easy.

~ 5 years ago Nov 22, '19 9:52am

@HillCountry : yes... all that area is growing.. downtown "manvel" was there at 1128/hwy 6. the highlight was the Pik N Pak on the corner and Dilly burger...

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