This article is in reference to the area around the City of Katy, Texas. For more information regarding the City itself, please go directly to Katy, Texas.
Contents
- History
- Greater Katy versus the City of Katy
- Economy
- Government and infrastructrure
- Demographics
- Public schools
- High Schools
- Jr High Schools
- Elementary Schools
- Charter Schools
- Private schools
- Higher education
- Public libraries
- North South roads
- East West roads
- Neighborhoods within Greater Katy
- Religion
- Regional Organizations
- References
Greater Katy is the term often used to refer to a suburban region on the west side of the Greater Houston metropolitan area that has a Katy address but not part of the city of Katy. This area includes the suburbs that surround the Katy city limits west to Pederson road, east to Fry road, north to FM 529 and south to FM 1093/ Westpark Tollway Parkway. While these boundaries are not exact, it gives a rough outline of what most people consider Greater Katy. Most of Greater Katy is to the east of the city of Katy toward Houston and includes surrounding suburban areas and unincorporated areas that are not in the Houston city limits. The region includes parts of Harris County, Fort Bend County, and Waller County much as the City of Katy does. Greater Katy is one of the fastest growing portions of the Houston metropolitan area and the state of Texas as a whole.
History
As of 2015 the population of the Katy area is larger than that of the city limits of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Greater Katy versus the City of Katy
The City of Katy is actually a very small area surrounded by Greater Katy. The City itself only had an estimated 13,000 residents as of 2004. Many people confuse Greater Katy with the City of Katy, however there is no city representation or services provided to people outside of the actual city limits of Katy. Some of this area is actually within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the City of Houston the city of Katy cannot annex this area without express permission from the City of Houston. This has occurred on several occasions in regards to relatively small tracts of land. Most recently this came into play with development of the Katy Mills Mall, which sat mostly within the City of Katy but about half was in the Houston ETJ. The developer and city of Katy threatened to build just parking lot on the Houston area depriving Houston of any real property tax value. For 1 million dollars Katy bought the right to annex the area desired.
Economy
Several corporations are headquartered in the Greater Katy area.
As of 2014, within the area, the Katy Independent School District, having about 8,000 employees, is the largest employer. BP America, with about 7,000 employees, is the second largest.
Igloo Corporation is headquartered west of Katy in unincorporated Waller County. Academy Sports and Outdoors has its corporate offices and product distribution center in unincorporated western Harris County.
In 2008 KBR announced that a new office facility would appear at the intersection of the Grand Parkway and Interstate 10 in unincorporated western Harris County, Texas, between Houston and Katy. The new complex would have been be in close proximity to the Energy Corridor area of Houston. KBR planned to continue to have a corporate presence in Downtown. In December KBR said that it would not continue with the plans due to a weakened economy. In 2015 the former KBR property was sold to a development company, and has now become a Costco.
The Katy Area Economic Development Council serves as the economic development organization for the area. Founded in 2003, the Katy Area Economic Development Council’s (Katy Area EDC) mission is to establish the Katy area as the premier location for families and businesses through planned economic growth and economic development. Since its inception, the Katy Area EDC has grown to over 210 members, has a budget of $900,000 and has assisted in the creation of over 16,200 jobs and more than $2.5 billion in capital investment. Katy Area EDC is a full-service private, non-profit, 501 (c) 6 economic development corporation.
Government and infrastructrure
Harris County Leadership Academy (formerly Delta Boot Camp), a juvenile correctional facility of the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, is in Harris County near Katy. It is located on a 14-acre (5.7 ha) plot of land in the northwestern portion of the county, in proximity to the Sharp Road and the Katy-Hockley Road Cutoff intersection. The juvenile boot camp, scheduled to open in November 1999, was originally scheduled to be located in proxmimity to Barker Cypress Road and south of Interstate 10. It had a price of $2 million, with most of the money coming from federal grants and $500,000 coming from taxpayers. It had survived a lawsuit filed by residents of the area surrounding its current northwest Harris location.
Demographics
By 2004 many Venezuelans fleeing the economic changes by the Hugo Chávez government settled in the Houston area due to the oil industry, and they specifically chose to move to the Katy area due to the Katy Independent School District's reputation and the proximity to their workplaces in west Houston. As a result the Katy area received the nickname "Katyzuela". In particular, as of 2012 Venezuelans are concentrated in Cinco Ranch. As of 2015 two restaurants, Budare Arepa Express and Delis Café are, according to Florian Martin of Houston Public Media, "could be considered the social centers of the Venezuelan community in Katy. "
Public schools
Schools listed are in Greater Katy only for a full list of all KISD schools visit www.katyisd.org
High Schools
Jr. High Schools
Elementary Schools
Note that some schools may have a Houston address, but fall within KISD.
Charter Schools
Aristoi Classical Academy (formerly West Houston Charter School), a state charter school, is in Katy.
Private schools
Faith West Academy Saint John XXIII High School
The new campus of the British International School of Houston (BISH) will open in Greater Katy in September 2016. The school selected the Katy area partly because many BISH students reside in Greater Katy.
Higher education
Katy is served by the Houston Community College System. HCC Northwest College operates the Katy Campus
Public libraries
Harris County Public Library operates the Katy Library in the City of Katy.
Greater Katy is served by the Fort Bend County Libraries Cinco Ranch Branch Library is in Cinco Ranch, south of Katy. The HCPL Maud Smith Marks Branch Library is in unincorporated Harris County, east of Katy.
North-South roads
(listed from west to east)
East-West roads
(listed from north to south)
Neighborhoods within Greater Katy
Greater Katy is, for the most part, subdivisions and master planned communities with retail centers. Some of the neighborhoods and subdivisions that are in Greater Katy:
Religion
In 2013 Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha of Trinidad and Tobago, Branch 377, an organization of those who have Trinidad and Tobago ancestry, and the Hindu community of the Greater Katy area jointly began development of a new Hindu temple, which will include all Hindu deities rather than focusing on one deity. By November of that year, the 2.4-acre (0.97 ha) future site of the Sai Durga Shiva Vishnu Temple in unincorporated Fort Bend County already had its temporary buildings. The renovation was scheduled to begin in early 2014 with a goal of opening in May of that year. About 10-15 people are organizing the temple. Amaranth Venkateswarlu, an engineer who is one of the organizers, stated that there are about 500 Indian families who live in Greater Katy and that they currently go to Hindu temples in Pearland and Sugar Land.
Regional Organizations
While the City of Katy is the only area served by city fire, police, and emergency services, there are other cases where all of Greater Katy is served by one organization. Examples include: