City of Houston established the Midtown Tax Increment Investment Zone, which takes a portion of the ad valorem taxes generated within its boundaries to finance infrastructure and reimburse developers, in 1995. A nine-member board of directors appointed by the City of Houston, Harris County, and the Houston Independent School District (HISD) governs the Midtown TIRZ, which is also known as Reinvestment Zone Number 2. Harris Health System (formerly Harris County Hospital District) designated Martin Luther King Health Center for the ZIP code 77004, Casa de Amigos Health Center in Northside for 77006, and Ripley Health Center in the East End for 77002. The nearest public hospital is Ben Taub General Hospital in the Texas Medical Center. State representation The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates the Houston VII District Parole Office in Midtown. Midtown is located in District 147 of the Texas House of Representatives. As of 2008, Garnet F. Coleman represents the district. Midtown is within District 13 of the Texas Senate; as of 2008 Rodney Ellis represents that district. Federal representation Midtown is in Texas's 18th congressional district. As of 2008 its representative is Sheila Jackson Lee. The Sam Houston Station, the new Houston Post Office on Hadley Street in Midtown, became the city's main post office in 2015, replacing the previous one in Downtown Houston. The United States Government operates the La Branch Federal Building in Midtown; originally built as a Veterans Administration Building in 1946, it as of 2009 houses federal offices. The Social Security Administration previously had its own office at 3100 Smith Street. Foreign governments The Chinese Consulate-General, Houston maintained an education office in Midtown. The consulate closed in 2020. Economy Spec's Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods has its headquarters in Store #00 Downtown Location in Midtown. At one time the FlightAware headquarters were in Midtown. Education Colleges and universities Houston Community College System's Central Campus is located in Midtown. Midtown is close to the University of Houston (UH), the University of Houston–Downtown (UHD), Texas Southern University, Rice University, and University of St. Thomas. Primary and secondary education Public schools Midtown is served by Houston Independent School District (HISD). Midtown is divided between Trustee District IV, represented by Paula M. Harris as of 2008, and Trustee District VIII, represented by Diana Dávila as of 2008. Two schools, Gregory-Lincoln Education Center (in the Fourth Ward) and MacGregor Elementary School (in the Hermann Park area),