In Montrose, a battle over edginess?

In her Sunday real estate column, the Chron's Nancy Sarnoff chronicled what could be the beginning of change on lower Westheimer — or not. Sarnoff notes the opening of the American Apparel store at 1665 Westheimer Road near Dunlavy, which to some real estate observers shows a possible shift in the funky businesses that line that stretch of street:

"When national-quality tenants come in, the bar usually raises: better tenants, better foot traffic, better sales," said [George] Lancaster, an executive with Hines.

The retailers that pioneered lower Westheimer, like the tattoo shops and secondhand stores, could eventually be replaced with more chef-driven restaurants and edgy retailers, real estate broker Jeff Kaplan said.

Sarnoff points out a handful of new businesses that have opened along lower Westheimer: boutiques Edin and Raye near Dunlavy, Domy (which we love) a little farther east, and restaurants Indika and Dolce Vita down in Avondale. They're all good additions to the neighborhood — they compliment and balance the second-hand stores, coffee shops, bars and tattoo parlors along Westheimer. So it makes us nervous to read that Kaplan thinks the funky shops that make the area interesting might be replaced. Kind of like the cool old Montrose houses are being replaced by "urban" townhomes, maybe?

Houstonist hopes we'll see more diverse shops, restaurants and bars come to lower Westheimer. But we hope developers will avoid the urge to "clean up" the street and instead will take advantage of the chance to create what Houston so sorely lacks: an interesting, fun, walkable human-scale urban district.

Photo by flickr user WesternGulf