Heights - River Oaks - Montrose Edition | September 2023

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Heights River Oaks

Montrose Edition VOLUME 5, ISSUE 6 SEPT. 7OCT. 10, 2023

A new force rises

Fifty-four cadets graduated from the Houston Police Academy on Aug. 10 and joined the Houston Police Department. The city invested more than $1 billion into the HPD in its 202324 budget, including funding for ve police cadet classes as the department seeks to bolster its numbers.

SHAWN ARRAJJCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Major eorts toward public safety, police reform take center stage in Houston as mayoral election nears

intended to fund ve police cadet classes as well as 3% raises for all ocers. Cadet retention is part of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s $72 million One Safe Houston initiative, to which he has attributed a recent drop in violent crime, includ- ing murder and aggravated assault.

July, a total of 5,129 ocers were on sta with the Houston Police Department, or roughly 2.2 ocers per 1,000 city residents, according to HPD data. This is down from 5,259 ocers in January 2020, or 2.25 ocers per city resident. The city invested more than $1 billion into the Houston Police Department when the scal year 2023-24 budget was adopted in July, which is

BY SHAWN ARRAJJ

As Houston prepares to transition to its next mayor in 2024, crime remains top of mind for many likely voters, and city ocials are looking to keep momen- tum going from a recent drop in criminal activity. However, obstacles remain when it comes to department funding and ocer recruitment. As of

CONTINUED ON 16

Also in this issue

Impacts: Asian street food eatery opens on Shepherd Drive (Page 7)

Development: Cemetery-area project raises concerns (Page 9)

Transportation: TIRZ seeks grant for safe schools project (Page 11)

Business: Serenity Knives crafts, sharpens in Heights (Page 18)

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River Oaks Clinic

Greater Heights Clinic

Our new clinics in River Oaks and Greater Heights are now open and welcoming new patients.

When it comes to exceptional care right in your neighborhood, Kelsey-Seybold has you covered with two new state-of-the-art clinics. Offering innovative, connected healthcare, both clinics feature specialists in primary and specialty care, plus the convenience of an on-site laboratory and X-ray. There’s even an on-site pharmacy at the Greater Heights location. Same-day or next-day primary care appointments are available now.

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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION

Montrose Boulevard Improvements Project Public Engagement Meeting Notice

Montrose Boulevard Improvements Project Public Open House The Montrose Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 27 (Montrose TIRZ) will host an in-person public open house for the Montrose Boulevard Improvements Project on Monday, September 18, 2023, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at St. Stephens Episcopal School, Pecore Hall,1800 Sul Ross Street, Houston, Texas 77098. The in-person public open house will be held to provide the public with information about project progress and provide updates based on public comments received during the first public open house for the project in January 2023. Informational displays will be available for public viewing, and project team representatives will be available to provide information and answer questions. Project information available during the public open house will focus on Segment I of the project, which has reached 90% design. Following the public open house, the Montrose TIRZ will proceed with their regularly scheduled Board Meeting at St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 1827 W. Alabama Street, Havens Center, Houston, Texas 77098 at 7:30 p.m. Public feedback and participation are encouraged. Comments/feedback received will be taken into consideration by the project team. Written comments will be accepted during the public open house and by mail and email until October 18, 2023 (30 days following the meeting). Mail and email comments may be submitted to the following addresses:

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Impacts

BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & LEAH FOREMAN

W. 34TH ST.

W. 25TH ST.

Now open

610

290

610

20TH ST.

W. 18TH ST.

T. C. JESTER BLVD.

W. 11TH ST.

WHITE OAK DR.

W. 6TH ST.

WHITE OAK PARK

WASHINGTON AVE.

TAYLOR ST.

7 Tin Drum Asian Kitchen The Hong Kong-inspired restaurant oers a variety of stir-fries, street snacks, wok-tossed noodles and ramen. Restaurant ocials said they were looking to create a dining experience reminiscent of a curbside cafe in Asia, with a colorful interior featuring art, grati and a mini mart. • Opened Aug. 7 • 1111 Shepherd Drive, Ste. 100, Houston • www.tindrumasiankitchen.com

MEMORIAL PARK

SAWYER ST.

BUFFALO BAYOU PARK

BUFFALO BAYOU

P K

610

W. GRAY ST.

10 1

grilled cheese—made with ham, bacon, pepperoni and an array of melted cheese. • Opened July 8 • 401 Franklin St., Houston • www.twistedgrilledcheese.com

527

W. ALABAMA ST.

RICHMOND AVE.

Coming soon

8 Southern Land Company project Southern Land Company plans to construct a 36-story residential tower and a 75,000-square-foot oce building in Upper Kirby. The residential tower will feature 318 luxury apartments along with 18 penthouses, and the oce building will include 22,000 square feet of rooftop and ground-level space for restaurants and retail shops. • Breaking ground in spring 2024 9 Comalito Menu oerings will include tacos al pastor; tacos de parrilla, or grilled tacos; and fresh salsas in an eort to recreate the taquerias of Mexico City. Peppers and produce used at Comalito will be sourced from the Houston Farmers Market. • Opening in fall 2023 • 2520 Airline Drive, Houston • www.underbellyhospitality.com • 2811 Kirby Drive, Houston • www.southernland.com 10 Rumi’s Kitchen The upscale restaurant will specialize in traditional Persian cuisine with Middle Eastern inuences. Other oerings will include a Persian-themed cocktail program and jeweled rice, a Persian dish made with butter and spices, named for its golden color. • Opening in October • 1801 Post Oak Blvd., Ste. 120, Houston • www.rumiskitchen.com

• Opened Aug. 2 • 1901 N. Shepherd Drive, Houston • www.amysicecreams.com

Now open

1 Nando’s Peri-Peri The eatery is known for its Portuguese-South African cuisine and ame-grilled chicken. The location includes artistic installations from both South African and local artists, including HTX Made and Carisa Joy Marx from

4 Gorjana The Laguna Beach-based jewelry store oers plated necklaces, earrings, bracelets and other jewelry in what ocials describe as an “eortless, laid-back” style, according to a July 27 news release. • Opened Aug. 30 • 707 Yale St., Ste. 107, Houston • www.gorjana.com 5 Papabubble The company, which was founded in Barcelona, is known for letting guests watch the candy-making process, including the addition of color and the shaping, pulling and cutting of the candy. Candies are sold in various avors and styles, including fruit salad, berry mix, blackberry and cinnamon. • Opened Aug. 11

Republic Finishes. • Opened Aug. 7 • 1717 Post Oak Blvd., Houston • www.nandosperiperi.com

2 Balmain The Texas agship location of the French fashion house features design elements such as parquet ooring, marble shelves and antique furniture. Customers can shop for men’s and women’s apparel as well as the brand’s signature handbags, shoes and sunglasses. • Opened Aug. 1 • 4444 Westheimer Road, Ste. D105, Houston • https://us.balmain.com 3 Amy’s Ice Creams The shop is known for having more than 350 avors of ice cream in rotation, including an array of seasonal and vegan avors. The new Heights location is Amy’s rst new Houston store in 25 years.

• 927 Studewood St., Houston • www.papabubblehtx.com

6 Twisted Grilled Cheese Options at the gourmet sandwich bar include the 5 Cheese Classic Grilled Cheese, made with a blend of ve premium cheeses. It also oers signature dishes exclusive to the POST location, such as the Twisted Pig

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Development

BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & IRENE ZHENG

Caretakers at Olivewood Cemetery raise concerns about proposed development

Ocials and community members with Olive- wood Cemetery, Houston’s oldest incorporated Afri- can American cemetery, are ghting to protect the burial grounds from encroachment by a proposed ve-story sports facility. The backstory Established in 1875, the 7.5-acre cemetery preserves the history of around 4,000 emancipated African Americans after the Civil War in the late 1800s. Those buried range from prominent elite to Union Army veterans to regular community members. Although the cemetery was deemed abandoned by the city of Houston in the 1970s, it has been under the care of a group called the Descendants of Olivewood Cemetery since 2003. The group’s volunteer board of directors has been tasked with restoring and preserving the cemetery. The situation The Descendants of Olivewood Cemetery are now battling development plans from a group called Maximo Capital for a ve-story sports facility on two of the cemetery’s adjacent lots, Board Member Paul Jennings said. Maximo was denied a parking variance in July by the Houston Planning Commission that would have allowed the company to proceed with the project despite having fewer parking spaces than what is required under city law. However, Jennings said he is still concerned the project may move forward with a dierent layout. Ocials with Maximo did not reply to requests for comment.

Olivewood Cemetery

Proposed development site

B A Y O

S U M M E R S T .

What they’re saying “This [cemetery] really tells the story of Houston, a story that’s largely untold,” Jennings said. “These people were enslaved, and then they were emanci- pated, and they thrived. That’s a story.” A closer look Although the land where Maximo plans to build is not within the boundaries of Olivewood Ceme- tery, Jennings said it is likely the grounds contain unmarked children’s graves. Jennings cited aerial photos from the 1940s and resident adavits. Moving forward Jennings said he believes the best outcome would be a third-party, such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, buying and donating the land to the cemetery group. Ideally, the site would be evaluated for human remains, which could be relocated, and land could be converted into a community center, he said.

Established in 1875, the 7.5-acre cemetery preserves the untold stories and history of around 4,000 emancipated African Americans after the Civil War in the late 1800s.

SHAWN ARRAJJCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION

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Transportation

BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & ANNA LOTZ

Texas Central, Amtrak exploring partnership Texas Central and Amtrak officials are exploring a partnership to potentially advance the 240-mile high-speed rail project proposed to connect Houston and Dallas. Two-minute impact Amtrak officials said the two entities are evaluating the project’s viability. The project is anticipated to: • Provide travelers a 90-minute route between Houston and Dallas • Remove 12,500 cars per day from I-45 Zooming out Texas Central and Amtrak have submitted applications to federal programs for grant funds to study and design the high-speed rail project.

Montrose TIRZ seeks TxDOT grant for safety project Several streets surrounding Montrose-area schools could be improved with grant funding from the Texas Department of Transportation. The big picture

The Montrose Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone is seeking $6.8 million in grant funding for a Safe Routes to Schools Project, which entails trying to create more and safer transportation

options to area schools, including: • Wharton Dual Language Academy • Gregory-Lincoln Education Center • Carnegie Vanguard High School More details

BOMAR ST.

Details include installing new 6-foot-wide sidewalks and replacing existing sidewalks in disrepair on several streets. TIRZ officials submit- ted grant applications on June 5 to TxDOT with hopes of the projects being funded through the agency’s Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside

program. The project is estimated to cost $8.5 million, with around $1.7 million coming from the TIRZ. Grant awardees are expected to be announced in October.

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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION

Government

BY SHAWN ARRAJJ & MELISSA ENAJE

Harris County’s burn ban in effect until October A burn ban is in effect until at least October in unincorporated Harris County after commissioners approved a measure Aug. 8 citing extreme tempera- tures and continuous dry conditions. Fire Marshal Laurie Christensen said excessive heat conditions and a lack of rain have elevated various environ- mental levels that could cause potential forest fires. Quote of note “The burn ban is in place to reduce the potential of a devastating wildfire happening in our commu- nity,” Christensen said. Zooming out As of Aug. 25, Harris County’s average drought scale was 761, according to the Keetch-Byram Drought Index. The index measures drought con- ditions on a scale from 0-800. Conditions between 600-800 have the potential to lead to intense, prolonged fires.

Ballot proposition could affect City Council agendas

$2.5B Harris Health bond election OK’d Voters in November will get to decide whether or not to fund a $2.5 billion expansion for the Harris Health System in a move that could expand health care access for more than 1 million uninsured residents. Harris County commissioners unanimously approved Aug. 17 placing the bond referen- dum on ballots for Nov. 7 elections. Digging in In part, the bond would fund a new Level 1-capable trauma center at Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital in northeast Houston and increased capacity at Ben Taub Hospital. The cost Over the next 10 years, the bond could increase tax bills by just under $6 per month for the average homeowner.

Commissioners raise vet staff salaries Harris County commissioners approved adjusting the base salary for key positions within the county’s Veterinary Public Health Division on Aug. 8, which includes animal control officers, technicians and veterinarians. The additional funding of more than $563,000 for the market-rate salary adjust- ments will be absorbed within Harris County Public Health’s current budget, Executive Director Barbie Robinson said. Going forward Commissioners will also consider adding three veterinarians to the county payroll, according to the proposed fiscal year 2023-24 budget that is up for adoption in September. Officials from the county’s public health services department recommended the addi- tional positions to improve shelter operations.

What’s allowed:

Houston voters will get a chance to decide in November whether the city should amend its char- ter to allow members of the Houston City Council to place items on the council’s weekly agenda. What happened Council members voted Aug. 2 to approve placing the item on ballots for Houstonians to vote on during this year’s election Nov. 7. Zooming in Currently, the mayor in Houston has sole dis- cretion to determine what should and should not be placed on the agenda each week. If the charter amendment is approved by voters, any council member would be able to place an item on the agenda as long as they had the backing of at least two other council members. Agenda items would still need a majority of the council’s approval—at least nine votes in favor—in order to pass the council.

Approved ceremonial fires

Empowering the council An item on Nov. 7 ballots will give voters the chance to amend Houston’s charter related to weekly Houston City Council agenda topics.

Noncommercial cooking, such as backyard cookouts and barbecues

Welding performed under county fire code requirements

How it works:

• Only the mayor can place an item on the agenda • Council members can request items be placed on the agenda, but all items require mayoral approval

Sale or use of fireworks, but fire marshal’s office discourages using fireworks during the ban

What’s not:

What would change:

No outdoor, open burning is allowed except in outdoor burning activities authorized by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Those actions found in violation of the burn ban will be considered a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $500.

• A council member could place an item on the agenda if they have the support of at least two other members • The mayor would not be able to veto the placement of an item if three council members back its placement

SOURCE: CITY OF HOUSTON/COMMUNITY IMPACT

SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

HOUSTON SUPERSTORE 2410 Smith Street (713) 526-8787

WESTCOTT AND MEMORIAL 5818 Memorial Dr (713) 861-4161

SHEPHERD 1900 S Shepherd (713) 529-4849

Real estate

Number of homes sold

July 2022

July 2023

Residential market data

34 24

38 33

-29.4%

-13.2%

77006

77019

The total number of homes sold was lower in four of five local ZIP codes when comparing July 2023 to July 2022. Home sales rose in the 77098 ZIP code, though it still had the fewest total sales.

12 16

109 63

-42.2%

+33.3%

77007

77098

77006

610

77007

92 72

-21.7%

77008

77019

Median home sales price

77098

2022

2023

77006

-22.5%

$504,950.00

$651,299.00

288

77007

+1%

$525,000.00

$520,000.00

Homes sold in Heights, River Oaks and Montrose area by price point

77008

-0.4%

$555,000.00

$557,500.00

July 2023

77019

+52.2%

$616,500.00

$405,000.00

$1 million+

77098

+43%

$890,000.00

$622,500.00

$750,000-$999,999

Average days on market

$500,000-$749,999

103

-28.8%

+64.7%

-9.8%

+26.7%

+55.3%

$250,000-$499,999

104

>$249,999

NEIGHBORHOOD DATA PROVIDED BY VICTORIA HAWES JAMESTOWN ESTATE HOMES 832-296-1663 VH@JAMESTOWNESTATEHOMES.COM WWW.JAMESTOWNESTATEHOMES.COM

77006

77007

77008

77019

77098

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Events

BY IRENE ZHENG

27th Annual Houston Turkish Festival After a four-year hiatus, the Turkish Festival is back. There will be performances from local and international artists, including Turkish band Yeni Turku and dance troupe Tuana. Visitors can also enjoy arts and crafts, a market with local vendors, a variety of Turkish food and beverages, and a children’s area. In addition, American Turkish Association-Houston will donate a portion of proceeds to earthquake relief efforts in Turkey. • Sept. 23-24, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Sept. 23) and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (Sept. 24) • $10 (general admission), free (children 13 and younger) • The Water Works at Buffalo Bayou Park, 105 Sabine St., Houston • www.houstonturkishfest.com “Seismic” Watch the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra kick off its 19th season with “Seismic.” Conducted by Mei-Ann Chen, the show will feature ROCO’s full 40-piece chamber orchestra in two ROCO-commissioned world premieres. The program includes Anthony DiLorenzo’s “Techtonal,” Kevin Lau’s “The Nightingale” and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade.” • Sept. 30, 5 p.m. • $0-$35 (guests decide how much to pay) • The Church of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Blvd., Houston • www.roco.org

September

ReelAbilities benefit concert Pianist and composer David Harris will perform with local jazz musicians and vocalists such as David Caceres, Kelly Dean, Sashi Nisankarao and Dee Dee Dochen. His concert will help raise funds for the ReelAbilities Houston Film & Arts Festival. • Sept. 7, 7:30 p.m. • $100 • Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston, 3400 Main St., Houston • www.reelabilitieshouston.org Morning ragas and poetry for International Day of Peace The Rothko Chapel, in collaboration with Jaipur Literary Festival Houston, hosts a contemplative morning of poetry and music with the classical Indian quartet Anirudh Varma Collective and the Houston Poet Laureate Aris Kian, in celebration of the globally- recognized International Day of Peace. The event takes place inside the Rothko Chapel sanctuary and is followed by light bites on the Rothko Chapel Plaza. • Sept. 17, 9 a.m. • $0-$25 (guests are asked to pay what they can) • Rothko Chapel, 3900 Yupon St., Houston • www.rothkochapel.org

Brew at the Zoo Enjoy beer tasting, games and live music at the Houston Zoo’s annual event. Guests will have access to the zoo’s newest exhibit, Galapagos Island. Games and activities include LED mini golf, giant beer pong and sketches from digital caricature artists. The event is only for individuals 21 and older. • Sept. 15, 6-10 p.m.

• $35 (event pass), $49 (beer pass) • 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston • www.houstonzoo.org

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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION

A new force rises From the cover

Two-minute impact

Houston crime trends

Jan. 1-July 31

Turner and HPD Chief Troy Finner have both attributed decreases in violent crime in 2022 and 2023 to investments made through the One Safe Houston initiative, a multipronged crime ghting eort launched in February 2022 that has involved funding cadet retention eorts and ocer overtime as well as new behavioral health programs, gun buyback events and domestic abuse response. “[The crime drop] is because of the mayor … giving money to police and re to reduce crime, in a holistic plan that threw its arms around everybody in Houston,” Finner said of One Safe Houston at an Aug. 11 community event to celebrate its progress. Although HPD data shows decreases in some violent crimes, such as murder and aggravated assault, some crimes, such as theft from motor vehicles, have increased when comparing the rst seven months of 2023 with the same timeframe in 2022, according to HPD data. Meanwhile, in the 2023-24 budget, Turner also prioritized incentives for new cadets. The city has been able to drop the number of police ocers eligible for retirement from 38% in 2016 to 28% as the city has enlisted about 2,200 cadets, Turner said.

Kidnapping, abduction

Sexual assault*

Aggravated assault

Theft from motor vehicle

Murder

Robbery

5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000

Full year

25,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 30,000

5,000 0

*DEFINED ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL INCIDENTBASED REPORTING SYSTEM, WHICH INCLUDES CRIMES OF RAPE, SODOMY, SEXUAL ASSAULT WITH AN OBJECT AND FONDLING

SOURCE: HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENTCOMMUNITY IMPACT

helped establish. In the 2023-24 budget, Turner said he increased the city’s fund balance—which func- tions as a savings account for the city—to $401 million, or $220 million above the minimum in the city’s charter. Funding gaps that may exist during the FY 2024-25 budgeting process could be covered by the fund balance, Turner said.

and crime and more than $7 million toward cadet retention eorts. Under federal guidelines, cities must have all ARPA funds allocated by December 2024, and all funds must be spent by December 2026. Once ARPA funding dries up, cities such as Houston will be on their own for nding ways to fund new patrol initiatives and cadet incentives that ARPA

Zooming in

About $60 million of the HPD budget for the 2023-24 scal year comes from federal corona- virus relief funds through the American Rescue Plan Act, including $20 million toward patrol enhancements meant to help reduce violence

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Also of note

What they’re saying

What's next?

Turner, elected in 2015, will see his second and nal term as Houston mayor end in January because of term limits. Seventeen candidates have led to run for mayor in the Nov. 7 election. Although crime rates may be dropping in Houston, crime remains a top concern among residents, according to a survey conducted in July by the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Aairs. The survey was conducted from July 12-20 and included responses from 800 people whom UH deemed likely voters. What likely voters think should be a “top priority” for Houston’s next mayor Crime Flooding Road and street construction

Meanwhile, the city is also working on completing a series of police department reforms aimed at improving accountabil- ity. The city released the 104 reforms in a September 2020 report from the Mayor’s Oce of Policing Reform and Accountabil- ity, which was formed after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. Stephen Ives, board chair for the city’s Independent Police Oversight Board, said a culture change is underway in HPD under the leadership of Finner and with increased oversight from the IPOB, which monitors cases where an ocer discharges a weapon or uses force. Howard Henderson, a criminal justice research expert with Texas Southern University, said he has noted progress as well when it comes to both accountability and transparency. Remaining reforms Of the 104 recommended police reform items released by the city of Houston in September 2020, around 90% had been completed as of July. Some items that remain to be completed include: • Crisis intervention: Lobby lawmakers to amend state law to allow a physician or health care professional to issue notice of detention. • Independent oversight: Bring on a convicted felon, who has completed terms of punishment, to serve on police oversight board. • Power dynamics: Invest in dashboard cameras for all police cars. SOURCE: CITY OF HOUSTONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

“There is a culture change eort underway inside the police department. I think in any system, accountability matters. … [Citizens] knowing [we] are paying attention

and will speak up.” STEPHEN IVES, BOARD

CHAIR OF THE INDEPENDENT POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD

“Public safety will always be the city of Houston’s No. 1 priority, and that is reected in the over $1 billion that we allocated through council for this year’s budget toward the Houston Police Department.” DAVE MARTIN,

83% 72% 65% 65% 44% 34% 16% 12%

Economy and jobs Aordable housing Trash collection and recycling Parks and recreation Animal adoption/control

HOUSTON MAYOR PRO TEM, SPEAKING AT AN AUG. 10 HOUSTON POLICE ACADEMY GRADUATION

What likely voters said has a “major negative” impact on the quality of life in their neighborhood Violent crime

“Community members need to be engaged in what the justice system

48% 45% 39% 28%

looks like. The question that is important is will the next mayor continue this?” HOWARD HENDERSON, CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH EXPERT AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY

Home and car break-ins Illegal drug sale and use Illegal dumping

SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON HOBBY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION

Business

BY SHAWN ARRAJJ

One of the walls at Serenity Knives is dedicated entirely to custom and handmade knives created on site.

In addition to kitchen knives, Serenity Knives also oers a selection of handmade pocket and hunting knives.

PHOTOS BY SHAWN ARRAJJCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Serenity Knives crafts, sharpens at Heights locale Russell Montgomery welcomes customers into his shop from all walks of life, but he estimates that

Serenity Knives owner Russell Montgomery uses the workspace attached to his showroom.

A closer look The custom knives oered at Serenity are

around 40% of them are professional chefs. That’s because Montgomery runs Serenity Knives, which oers handmade custom knives for a variety of uses. Knives, he said, are one of the most crucial tools for anyone looking to take their cooking to the next level. The backstory Montgomery founded his shop in 2010, running it out of his house for several years and using his garage as his base for crafting. In 2018, he began construction on the showroom, where he now showcases a wide variety of handmade and manu- factured knives of dierent sizes and purposes.

handmade, and Montgomery and his small team carve the shape of the knives on site. The steel is purchased from U.S. manufacturers, and material for the handles are sourced from artists around the U.S., Montgomery said. The rest of the process—including design, cutting out the steel, shaping the angles, adjusting the weight, putting in the grind lines, treating the knife with heat, bung and creating the edge—all take place in Montgomery’s workspace. What they’re saying “Even when we are making the same knife, it will come out a lot dierent,” Montgomery said.

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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION

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