Centered around the junction of Interstate 45 and Texas State Highway Beltway 8 near George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the area is a classic example of a planned edge city.

The bayou was extensively channelized in the 1970s to improve drainage from the then-new airport; however, rapid development within its environs has compromised its ability to handle high-volume rainfall events.

[10] Over Construction also overwhelmed the bayou with uncontrolled sewage overflows in the 1970s and 1980s, and the waterway continues to struggle with water quality issues.

[14] Between 1990 and 2010, the number of people under the age of 18 in Greenspoint increased nearly sixfold, indicating the departure of young professionals and their replacement with low-income families in the area's apartment complexes.

By contemporary standards, the 1.2-million-square-foot (110,000 m2) mall was state-of-the-art, with the interior designed to mimic an urban streetscape with extensive natural lighting and organic landscaping.

In 1978, Friendswood Development Company, a subsidiary of oil giant Exxon, purchased hundreds of acres around the mall for the construction of what the Texas Observer described as a "world-class suburban business district, a hub for the corporate jet set.

[15] Greenspoint, faced with a glut of residential and commercial development, quickly lost its luxury appeal and price point.

[15] Greenspoint Mall became the apex of a growing crime problem, and by the middle of the decade, motor vehicle theft was endemic to its large surface parking lot.

[16] After frequent robberies in the parking lot and the infamous murder of deputy Roxyann Allee the mall was nicknamed "Gunspoint.

[18] 15 of those complexes were extensively renovated and merged into a large development known as "CityView", designed to appeal to higher-income young professionals.

[8] After Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Louisiana in 2005, large groups of evacuees settled into apartment complexes in the area.

[21] In 2017, Greenspoint Mall entered into a contract for sale to an international investment group which seeks to replace the ailing complex with mixed-use development.

Prior to its move, ExxonMobil had consolidated a variety of departments into the district, including computer operations and exploration.

[38] Greater Greenspoint straddles the city limits of Houston, with portions lying in unincorporated Harris County.

[45] The district levies its own special ad valorem commercial property tax on parcels within its boundaries to fund these improvements.

TIRZs, which are created by the City of Houston (as opposed to the Texas Legislature), use tax increment financing to fund infrastructure and economic development projects within their boundaries.

[48] While the North Houston District and the GGRA often cooperate to create, manage, and fund infrastructure projects, they are distinct legal entities with different geographic boundaries.

[50] The United States Postal Service operates the Greens North Post Office at 1530 Greensmark Drive.

[9][55] PreK schools serving sections of Greenspoint include deSantiago, Griggs, Hinojosa (in Aldine), Keeble, and Magrill.

[65][66] The Harris County Public Library Aldine Branch, located at 11331 Airline Drive in Greenspoint and in Houston, serves the community.

[70] The 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) CityView Park includes benches, a garden, a 30-foot (9.1 m) by 30-foot (9.1 m) pavilion, a trellis, a seat wall used for resting and providing shade, and tables.

The 11 acres (4.5 ha) Thomas R. Wussow Park has baseball/soccer (football) fields, hike and bicycle trails, a playground, a public pavilion, a spray ground, and sand volleyball courts.