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Saturday, December 28, 2024 • Vol. 69 • No. 52
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INSIDE.
Bridgewood Property Company reacquires Village of The Heights By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com Bridgewood Property Company, a prominent senior living developer based in Houston, has reacquired one of its signature properties, The Village of The Heights, located in the heart of the city’s Historic Heights neighborhood. Originally developed by Bridgewood in 2015, the reacquisition marks a strategic move to enhance the community’s offerings and solidify its presence in this vibrant area. “This community represents the
cornerstone of our vision for premium senior living,” said Jim Gray, President of Bridgewood Property Company. “We’re excited to build upon its success and enhance the resident experience through significant investments.”
Renovation Plans to Elevate Resident Experience
The Village of The Heights is slated for substantial upgrades, reflecting Bridgewood’s commitment to delivering luxury senior living at an attainable price point. Planned renovations include updated décor and new fur-
niture curated by a premier designer specializing in luxury hospitality. In addition, the company is expanding emergency generator systems to ensure uninterrupted service, even during power outages, enhancing safety and convenience for residents. Bridgewood Property Company is also reacquiring Village of Meyerland, where renovations are also planned.
A Premier Location in the Heights
Nestled at the corner of 14th and Studewood, The Village of The Heights
offers residents stunning views of the Houston skyline and seamless access to the neighborhood’s rich cultural and recreational offerings. Its craftsman-style exterior was carefully designed to complement the surrounding Historic Heights architecture. Residents benefit from the proximity to the eclectic dining scene along 11th Street and boutique shopping on 19th Street, including iconic destinations such as the Historic Heights Theatre. This integration of urban convenience See BRIDGEWOOD P. 2
Houston WHEN THE LIGHT DIMS Expands Historic Landmark Designations: Two Heightsarea buildings recognized
Start the new year off with sound financial investments
By STEFANIE THOMAS editor@theleadernews.com
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City Council Approves New Historic Designations
City announces holiday collection schedule
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Photos courtesy of Cynthia Hoeschler
Dr. Peter Bunosky and his wife Judy posed for this photo with their four daughters, to celebrate family memories. They had no way of knowing that one day it would be Alzheimer’s that would slowly begin to rob them of those memories.
Local author shares family’s journey with Alzheimer’s No more vehicle safety inspections in 2025; emission inspection requirement remains
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Where to ring in the new year in style
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By STEPHANIE SHIRLEY The Leader News Contributor Cynthia (Cindy) Hoelscher, a Heights resident and recently-published author, has been the caregiver for not just one, but two Alzheimer’s patients. Her father has long since passed, but her mother is currently diagnosed with Early Stage Onset and the rocky road ahead is just beginning. It is Cindy’s mission to create awareness about the disease by sharing her families’ experience, in hopes of removing the stigma that often clouds the disease. And most importantly, she is pleading with affected families to begin early and frequent dialogs to facilitate navigation of the impending hardships that will most certainly follow. The statistics are quite sobering. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, over one tenth of the U.S. population over 65 is living with Alzheimer’s dementia, with over two third of those being women and
The sisters’ mom, Judy Bunosky, is seen here in a recent photo holding her great grandchild, who will become increasingly difficult for her to recognize, as time and the disease progress.
those statistics increase markedly for people over the age of 75. That percentage also dramatically escalates for those fortunate, or in some cases, unfortunate, enough to live to 85.
Bringing this closer to home, The Alzheimer’s Impact Movement estimates nearly 12 percent of Texans over the age of 65 are battling the disease. The Mayo Clinic states that the actual disease can initiate years, even decades, before there is any memory loss or substantial indications. And yet, there is still no cure. As with every terminal illness, it is the caregivers who are most affected; physically, emotionally and financially. It is staggering to comprehend that there are over 11 million unpaid caregivers nationwide, providing crucial support for family and friends with this disease. AARP’s advocacy group has recently been lobbying for new programs and services for caregivers, for this very reason. Alzheimer’s Disease International stated that their 2024 World Alzheimer’s Month campaign will centered around redefining and readdressing the stigmas See ALZHEIMER’S P. 3
On Dec. 11, the Houston City Council approved the designation of five historic properties, including four protected landmarks and one standard landmark. This brings the city’s inventory to 307 landmarks and 182 protected landmarks. These newly recognized properties, spanning three council districts, showcase Houston’s commitment to preserving its architectural, cultural, and historical heritage. Additionally, the council approved a change in designation for a garage apartment on White Oak Drive, transitioning it from a contributing to a non-contributing structure in its historic district.
What Are Protected Landmarks?
Protected landmarks offer significant preservation safeguards, requiring that all design, alterations, and maintenance align with Houston’s Historic Preservation Ordinance. Unlike standard landmarks, protected landmarks cannot be demolished or significantly altered without strict review, further solidifying their role in maintaining the city’s historical landscape. See LANDMARKS P. 2
Submitted photo
Delco House, 807 North Loop, circa early 1930s, protected landmark
Providing Peace of Mind: Precinct 1 Constables Office offers layer of security, protection during the holidays and throughout the year Applications for Bayou City Art Festival Spring 2025 nonprofit partners now open
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THE INDEX. People ���������������������������������������2 Topics ����������������������������������������4 Classifieds ���������������������������������7 Local Culture �����������������������������8
By STEPHANIE SHIRLEY The Leader News Contributor Residents that are new to The Heights and neighboring communities may perceive an increase in petty theft crimes, such as the uptick in ‘porch pirates’, automobile break-ins or lawn thievery, as proof of a rising, new trend. But, the fact is that it those crimes are neither limited to, nor new to, the area. Crime increase has always been one of the effects caused by high inflation and a challenging economy, but population density
factors in, as well. While more remote suburban neighborhoods are not invulnerable to crime, they have the benefit of demographics and space on their side. One of the accepted concessions for living in a central location like the Houston Heights area is the sheer quantity of people residing in a very small geographic area. “There is a positive correlation between the increase and density of residences and businesses with crime, especially petty crime,” acknowledged Constable Alan Rosen of Harris County
Precinct 1. His office works in tandem with the Houston Police Department to deter and mitigate crime by providing an added layer of services, protection and resources in the community. The Leader was provided a report containing Precinct 1 data on crimerelated calls that were received by Rosen’s agency, using The Heights as an example of trending. The figures detailed 38 different crime categories reported in several Heights zip codes during the last five years. When comparing and analyzing incident totals for
the year 2019 compared to those for 2023, it was found that less than onethird of the categories showed significant increases. “And, of that third, the majority were normal and expected trend increases to due demographics and current economic conditions,” Rosen said. “Though the volumes will be substantially different than those logged by HPD, as they are the primary call source, the trends are not,” he added. Regardless of numbers, residents are
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