The Astrodome Area includes the commercial and residential developments which have located in what was a virtually empty part of south Houston before the opening of the Astrodome in 1965. The area lies south of South Braeswood Boulevard, extending to Loop 610 further to the south. At that time boulevards
cut through the treeless plain and large tracts of undeveloped land were laid out for major investments. Plaza Del Oro was the largest project, a mixed use development by Shell Oil Company which was scaled back to a few technical and medical office buildings and many apartments and condominiums. The majority of residential units in the area are multi-family or single-family attached. Staffordshire in the northern part of the area is single-family.