introducing 18th street bungalows

New 'pocket-sized' Heights development takes shape in up-and-coming Durham corridor

18th Street Bungalows The Heights Durham

This "pocket-sized" development is big news for Durham.

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Anyone keeping score of the blistering pace of real estate development in The Heights knows that North Shepherd Drive is the proverbial place to be. To wit: Heights Bier Garten and Snooze picked the North Shepherd corridor for their buzzy locales.

Not to be outdone, Shepherd’s twin street, Durham, will soon receive an injection of some of the Shepherd fervor, thanks to an exciting development. Local developer Capital Retail Properties has announced a new, “pocket-sized” project at 802 West 18th St., appropriately dubbed 18th Street Bungalows.

Partnering with the ubiquitous Gensler architects, Capital Retail Properties will create a 3,000-square-foot retail site that promises to seamlessly fit into the neighborhood (as veteran Heightsites would demand) and harness the area “as the neighborhood’s next corridor of change,” according to the masterminds. The project will be home to two tenants on a 10,000-square-foot lot at the corner of West 18th and Durham Drive and will offer a unique twist on the area’s Victorian aesthetic with a modern, industrial take on a vintage bungalow, according to a statement.

Another key, Heights-friendly factor is walkability to neighboring spots. The 18th Street Bungalows will be located just steps from Snooze and Balls Out Burger, plus a duo of upcoming concepts from nationally acclaimed restaurateur Ford Fry. Flying Fish restaurant, which is based in Dallas, will be opening a location at 19th and Durham.

“Our goal with the design was to honor the historic aesthetic of the neighborhood while embracing its youthful spirit and vibrancy,” said design consultants Dick Lew and Jim Ou, in the statement. To that end, the development is imagined as a classic craftsmen silhouette, with a front porch, large storefront windows, exposed wood, and ribbed sheet metal in two shades of gray.

“We’re excited to bring a whimsical and dynamic piece of architecture to Durham, just as it is poised to begin absorbing overflow retail demand from Shepherd,” added Capital Retail Properties partner Anderson Smith, who is also a Heights resident, in the statement. “Tenants will not only benefit from heavy car and growing foot traffic, but also enjoy terrific street presence in a new landmark.”

urban-renewal shopping openings the-heights

rent affordability news

Houstonians need to make nearly $68,000 to afford rent in 2025

Photo courtesy of Dolce Midtown Apartments

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A new rental report from Zillow has revealed Houston renters need to make about 23 percent more money than they did five years ago in order to afford rent in 2025.

Zillow analysts examined the income needed to afford rent in 50 major U.S. metros, and determined rent prices in each city as of April 2025.

The average Houston renter needs to make $67,731 a year to afford living in the city, the report found. To afford rent for a single-family home, the income needed increases even further to $85,017.

Despite Houston's rising rent cost of living, it's still more affordable than many other cities. Nationally, the average income needed for someone to comfortably afford rent comes out to nearly $81,000. The study says that figure has increased nearly 35 percent since 2020.

"Housing costs have surged since pre-pandemic, with rents growing quite a bit faster than wages," said senior Zillow economist Orphe Divounguy. "This often leaves little room for other expenses, making it particularly difficult for those hoping to save for a down payment on a future home. High upfront costs are often overlooked, which can keep renters in their current homes."

Rent prices in Houston averaged $1,693 last month, which is less costly than the national average rent price of $2,024. Additionally, Houstonians are spending about 24 percent of their income on rent, while the typical American spends almost 30 percent of their income on rent.

Renters are also saving hundreds of dollars in comparison to those that own their homes, as a recent SmartAsset study discovered the median monthly housing costs for a Houston homeowner came out to $2,219.

At least we're not living on the East or West Coast, where eight U.S. metros require six-figure incomes to afford rent. Residents in San Jose, California need to make $136,532 a year to afford rent, the highest out of all 50 U.S. cities. Rent prices in San Jose came out to $3,413 in April.

Here's how much money renters need to afford living in other Texas metros, according to Zillow:

Dallas – $71,413
Austin – $68,840
San Antonio – $58,590

zillow housing report rent prices affordability houston