Brownsville

Home to the Consulate General of Mexico, Historic Brownsville sits right on the border of Texas and Mexico. With nearly 200 years of storied development, Historic Brownsville has several preserved sites from its early days as a rough western trading post on the Mexican border to its smuggling days during the Civil War. Residents and tourists can now view Brownville's carefully conserved lineage through its many museums. The area also has its fair share of modern attractions, such as the Gladys Porter Zoo and Sams Memorial Stadium. Historic Brownsville experienced tremendous population growth in 2021, credited to the building of SpaceX Starbase, an aerospace manufacturing company founded by Elon Musk. "Prices and new developments have gone up all over the city, but downtown has had the biggest boom," says Bruno Zavaleta, owner of Zavaleta Realty and native of Brownsville. "People actually know about our city now. Sometimes we miss our sleepy vibes, but it's all good. It's what happens when Elon Musk sends out a tweet and says, 'Hey everyone, move to Brownsville.'"  The Brownsville Museum of Fine Art offers kids' and adults' programs with exhibits by local and international artists. Historic Brownsville Market Square, opened in 1852, is a pop-up event area with occasional tents and vendors, performances and cultural festivals to celebrate the area's heritage. Dean Porter Park hosts the annual December Holiday Village, where residents can stroll around scaled-down Christmas cottages and watch choir, mariachi and dance performances. The Brownsville area is exploding with new construction due to an influx of residents. "Like in every city, we've got older established neighborhoods and newer subdivisions that are experiencing tremendous growth," says Azeneth Badiola, broker and owner of Badiola Real Estate in Brownsville for the last 10 years. Large, new construction stucco homes along Historic Palm Boulevard can cost over $400,000, but bungalows west of Lakeside Boulevard are often priced between $150,000 and $275,000. Homes in the Mitte Cultural District, where most community events are held, have historically sold for below $150,000, but those prices are expected to increase as the area grows. Modern housing here has recently become a development and investment opportunity, with many ranch-style homes and bungalows needing TLC. Historic Brownsville falls within the Brownsville Independent School District. Russell Elementary School and Stell Middle School both score a C on Niche. James Pace Early College High School earns a B rating and opened in the mid-1970s. Their Varsity football games draw crowds to the Sams Memorial Stadium. Catholic private schools like Saint Joseph Academy, which scores an A-plus, are also available in Historic Brownsville. Dean Porter Park is a community hub in the Mitte Cultural District, which promotes historical, cultural and educational activities. Dean Porter Park also has a public swimming pool, the Children's Museum of Brownsville and the Camille Lightner Playhouse, a spot for community theater. Adjoining the park is Gladys Porter Zoo, which has hundreds of animal species, an aquarium and a reptile house. Many area schools take their students on field trips to the zoo to educate them on conservation and wildlife. Residents can view local artifacts in the Historic Brownsville Museum, built inside the 1928 Southern Pacific Railroad train depot. Of the growth in Historic Brownsville and the downtown area, the food industry has surprisingly done some of the most evolving. "We have a ton of new restaurants that have opened since our city got more popular. It's really good for us, from both a revitalization and economy viewpoint," says Zavaleta. Chilmoli Steakhouse and Boquerón Taps and Wine on Washington Street may be new, but Rutledge Hamburgers has been serving its signature small burgers there for more than 100 years. At the Brownsville Museum of Fine Arts, Crepe Town serves sweets like almond flour pancakes and pistachio cheesecake, while 7th & Park is known for spiced Mexican mochas. The community has two convenient H-E-B supermarkets, and the nearest Walmart and Home Depot are just 3 miles away. Though most downtown strolls happen on Washington Street, the Brownsville Metro bus line is available to those who need it, and the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport is only about 6 miles away. Residents can get there by hopping on and off Highway 77, the area's main artery, and onto International Boulevard. As with many Texas neighborhoods, it's not unusual for summer temperatures to soar into the triple digits, with high humidity and heavy air. Since Brownsville is only 30 miles from the Gulf Coast, heavy rainfall is possible.

Southmost Brownsville – known as Southmost by locals – is aptly named for its location near Texas’s southernmost tip. The Los Tomates Port of Entry borders the neighborhood as people pass in and out between the United States and Mexico. “Residents in Southmost are less than 10 minutes away from the United States and Mexico border,” says Catalina Presas, a realtor at Nexus Real Estate and Brownsville native. This neighborhood mainly comprises residential homes situated close together on gridded streets, with commercial areas located along main streets like Southmost Road and Boca Chica Boulevard. Southmost is also home to the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport, which has weekly flights operated by American Airlines and United. Homes in Southmost reflect a mix of older and newer residential developments. “Many of the homes here were built back in the 1960s and 70s and still have their original wooden frame foundations, but there are a handful of new build properties,” Presas says. Ranch-style homes and new traditional builds with brick facades are commonly seen throughout the neighborhood, but locals can also find a handful of Spanish Revival and contemporary residences that dot the less densely populated areas. Many properties include driveways, and since Southmost still has room to grow, a half-acre is common. Home prices for smaller, renovated homes range from about $175,000 to $300,000, but some new three-bedroom builds or unique properties with several acres can sell for $350,000 to $500,000. Southmost falls under the Brownsville Independent School District, and kids can attend Morningside Elementary or Southmost Elementary, both rated C-minus. Students in grades six through eight might go to Besteiro Middle School, rated C, and later feed into C-plus-rated Rivera Early College High School. Secondary school students can also enroll at Lopez Early College High School, a C-plus-rated magnet school with programs for fine arts and an agricultural academy. “Some students in the neighborhood can attend the IDEA Frontier charter school,” Presas says, noting that admission is based on a lottery and doesn’t cost tuition. Birdwatchers, sports lovers and picnic-goers all come together at Morningside Park, a 41-acre outdoor recreation spot along one of the area’s resacas. With its baseball diamonds, kickball fields, basketball courts and soccer fields, it’s a hugely popular destination for recreational sports. Additional recreation can be found at Antonio Gonzalez Park, which also features an extensive athletic complex, an outdoor pool and an indoor rec center. At this park, residents can participate in community events and enroll younger students in after-school programs. The Southmost Branch of the Brownsville Public Library is another excellent resource for community programs, its most notable feature being the Southmost Library Observatory, which uses a state-of-the-art telescope to view the cosmos. Free internet, computer access, wireless printing, study rooms and a virtual reality lab are all accessible to the public. At the intersection of Southmost Road and East 30th Street, residents can find two shopping plazas with both retail and dining options. Grocery shopping can be done at the H-E-B, which also offers a pharmacy, bakery and florist. Shoppers can also find a Dollar Tree and a Melrose Family Fashion department store, which sells a range of apparel items and household goods. Local eateries dot their way through the neighborhood, such as Costa Blanca Mariscos, which serves fresh seafood with bright flavors. Interstate 69E runs adjacent to the Southmost area and feeds into the Los Tomates Port of Entry. Texas State Route 48 runs along the neighborhood’s northern edge and connects locals to the coastal South Padre Island along the Gulf of Mexico. Residents are also right next door to the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport, which offers a handful of flights operated by United and American Airlines but mainly services commercial aviation. Brownsville Metro operates a fixed bus route through Route 6 Southmost, connecting residents to downtown Brownsville and surrounding suburbs.