Sharpstown Houston Apartments & Rentals

Rent an apartment in Sharpstown, Houston, TX, and you'll be part of a vibrant, urban "edge" city. This cross between a suburb and cosmopolitan community is on the southwest edge of Houston. It offers a variety of housing options as well as commercial and retail businesses and a modern urban mix of people.

The community got its start in the mid-1950s. Developer Frank Sharp, from whom the area derived its name, created of the country's first master planned community centered around the automobile. His plan included homes, schools, shopping and recreational areas. Launched in 1955, it was completed in 1961. Although common today, this type of community development was unusual at the time. As part of his vision, Sharp donated land for construction of the Southwest Freeway, also know as State Highway 59, to give Sharpstown easy access to Downtown Houston.

In 2005, the Greater Sharpstown Management District was created to more closely oversee the area. The district includes other neighborhoods in addition to Sharpstown, such as parts of New Chinatown, Little Saigon, Bellaire and others.

As a so-called edge city, Sharpstown offers a mix of suburban serenity with urban hipness. Not far from all that downtown has to offer, the neighborhood has some attractions of its own. The area is dotted with family friendly restaurants, small retail outlets and businesses.

The neighborhood mall is PlazAmericas. It features more than 100 stores, dining, entertainment and an 83,000 square foot "Mercado" filled with numerous small shops offering unique items and services. The mall originally opened in 1961 to coincide with Sharpstown's development. It was Houston's first enclosed and air conditioned mall. It has been renovated several times, most recently in 2010-2011. The mall serves as a community gathering place with live entertainment stages, a play area for kids and a family lounge.

The area also has Houston-operated public parks, including Sharpstown Park and Golf Course, an 18-hole public course that was at one time part of the Sharpstown Country Club.

The apartment rental market in Sharpstown is more affordable than many other parts of Houston. One bedroom apartments start at between $450 and $550 a month. You can find two-bedroom units starting at $635 a month and going up to about $775. Most of the apartment buildings are low-rise, two and three story buildings. Prices vary depending on the amenities offered and the location. Condos, townhomes and single-family homes are also available in Sharpstown. The neighborhood includes people of all ages, but is especially popular with 20- and 30-somethings, particularly young married couples and young families. Commute times vary, with people taking 15-25 minutes to get to work.

Residents of the Sharpstown neighborhood live in either Houston City Council District F or J. Visit Houston city government for more information. The neighborhood is part of the Greater Sharpstown Management District. Children in Sharpstown attend schools in either the Houston Independent School District or the Alief Independent School District. The area is served by two branches of the Houston Public Library: The M.E. Walter Neighborhood Library and the HPL Express SouthWest Library.

The Zip codes serving the Sharpstown area are 77074 and 77036.