HOUSTON An old K-Mart shopping center in the heart of a northeast Houston neighborhood has become the epicenter of criminal activity and mounting complaints from homeowners who live nearby.
The abandoned structure sits near the intersection of Homestead Road and Parker Road near the Scenic Woods subdivision.
This is a sign that our community is in jeopardy, said Ivory Mayhorn, the president of the Super Neighborhood Association and area resident for the past 40 years. It breaks my heart to see this.
The building is surrounded by a weeded parking lot. Several of the building s windows have been smashed open. Iron bars replace where walls once stood.
The K-Mart closed its doors about 12 years ago.
I remember when this was the place to be, lamented Mayhorn.
Mayhorn claims the location has now become a magnet for gang members, drug dealers and prostitution.
We don t want someone to get raped or murdered out here, he said.
Illegally-dumped garbage occupies much of the space behind the building. Mayhorn has been working with the city to try and transform the structure into a neighborhood community center.
That way our neighborhood can come back, said Mayhorn.
A group of investors from the state of Washington own the property. Houston s Division of Neighborhood Protection has cited them numerous times for various violations, including a citation for maintaining a dangerous building that was issued over a year ago.
Neighborhood Protection officials said the owners are still considered non compliant and will be ordered to appear before the next Building and Standards Commission Hearing.
In the meantime, residents who live near the dilapidated building have little choice but to wait.
We wanted to do better and we know we can do better, said Mayhorn.
