First Montrose Commons
One of Houston’s Finest Historic Neighborhoods
First Montrose Commons is 31 blocks of residences, schools, and businesses located just a mile and a half from either downtown or the Texas Medical Center. Our neighborhood’s rich history dates back to its days as farmland during the Republic of Texas. A lot has changed since then, but one thing that has not is the genuine sense of small town community and caring for one’s neighbor that has been a hallmark of our community since its very beginning. Our neighborhood association was founded to preserve this unique quality for our current and future residents.
The neighborhood is bounded by Montrose Boulevard on the west; Milam Street/SPUR 527 on the east; Richmond Avenue to the south, and West Alabama Street to the north.
Houston’s renowned High School for the Performing and Visual Arts has called FMC home for 34 years. During the regular school year, we meet there every third Tuesday of the month at 7:00pm, except October, December, and April—those are our “Party Months” (more about that later…).
The Montrose Center, Houston’s community center for the LGBT Community, is located at the east end of the neighborhood. During the summer months, or when HSPVA is closed, we hold our monthly meetings there.
Our meetings are fairly informal, and anyone who lives in or owns property or a business in FMC is welcome. We usually begin with an update of ongoing projects or concerns, and end with open discussion of whatever folks have on their minds. Representatives from the FMC Board meet frequently with City Council Members and other City Officials to assure our neighborhood’s needs are addressed.
Neighborhood security and safety are regular topics. We have an active Citizens on Patrol neighborhood watch program. Our neighborhood is home to a very diverse group of folks – a true cross-section of Houston, and we pride ourselves in our neighborly behavior towards each other.
We’d like to invite you and all members of our community, to attend our next meeting so we can meet and get to know one another better. We encourage everyone who lives in FMC to become an Active Member of the Neighborhood Association – dues are just $10 per person per year, and can be paid by cash, or check at each meeting, or online via PayPal.
Now—about those parties I mentioned earlier…. FMC holds three neighborhood parties each year: The Holiday Party at Robin’s Nest in December (NOT to be missed!); Texas Neighborhood Night Out, in the 700 block of West Main next to HSPVA; and our latest, April Foolishness, featuring the Mad Hatter Contest in April, also in the 700 block of West Main. All three are potluck affairs. All three welcome adults and kids (but no pets or animals – for safety’s sake). All three attract lots of folks!
Once again, welcome to First Montrose Commons.