Walmart Supercenter At 111 Yale St.

[LookyHere]

This location really isn't very "urban", or at least what I think of urban as being. It's only semi-dense and centrally located, near a large neighborhood and an interstate. Show me what Wal-Mart would propose to put on the magnificent mile in Chicago, that would be much more urban.

But this is Houston and the mixed use development and residential density from apartments and townhomes are about as "urban" as a sprawling city like Houston gets.

[s3mh]

But this is Houston and the mixed use development and residential density from apartments and townhomes are about as "urban" as a sprawling city like Houston gets.

Wal-Mart used the term "urban" when discussing a possible concept for the Yale location, not me. Regardless of how you define "urban", Wal-Mart appears to be conceding that its typical suburban superstore is not suited for the area.

[august948]

Wal-Mart is talking a lot of talk about making the Yale location some new urban concept Wal-Mart, but won't give anyone any details. The only thing they have said for certain is that they are not going to put in a gas station or a tire/lube service center. They made the same promise for the Silber location. Not sure about 45 and Crosstimbers.

That's too bad. The tire/lube center is one of the best things about walmart.

[longhornguy]

Anybody else having trouble downloading the pdf of Peter Brown's plan?

[sevfiv]

Not sure what is going on with the file - here is an image of it:

[heights]

Not sure what is going on with the file - here is an image of it:

Thanks, the new pic works. I am going to cross post it in the "Non-Confrontational Wal-Mart Information" Thread if you don't mind.

It does look like they would be a little short on parking for a Wal-mart Supercenter.

[heights]

Here's a proposed drawing that was apparently done by Peter Brown as a suggestion for the developers. Remember, this is just the informational thread -- please post comments in the "other" Walmart thread. For some reason I have trouble posting attachments, but I'll give it a shot.

Edited August 3, 2010 by heights

[TheNiche]

Thanks, the new pic works. I am going to cross post it in the "Non-Confrontational Wal-Mart Information" Thread if you don't mind.

It does look like they would be a little short on parking for a Wal-mart Supercenter.

The drawing is not to scale...meaning, it has no bearing on reality. It's crap. In fact, in oh-so-many ways, the girth of this particular crap is anatomically improbable. It might be mistaken for a woodland critter that climbed up through the plumbing into the bowl, just in time to die and rot.

[dbigtex56]

The drawing is not to scale...meaning, it has no bearing on reality. It's crap. In fact, in oh-so-many ways, the girth of this particular crap is anatomically improbable. It might be mistaken for a woodland critter that climbed up through the plumbing into the bowl, just in time to die and rot.

Not quite sure I'm picturing this correctly - perhaps an animation would help.

The drawing is confusing, too.

[porTENT]

That's an expensive plan. It would require them to acquire the apartment complex on Heights blvd, demolish it, extend Koehler St, & then create a new block by cutting the newly acquired parcels with an avenue. Terminating the axis at the store. Apparently also according to the conceptual site plan posted above, the metal warehouses in the northwest corner of the site are going to remain as existing. I suppose if you were bored enough you could scale a transposition of his plan over an ortho google map.

Edited August 3, 2010 by porTENT

[tanith27]

It would require them to acquire the apartment complex on Heights blvd, demolish it, extend Koehler St, & then create a new block by cutting the newly acquired parcels with an avenue.

While the image may be considered 'crap', this part does seem true as I've read somewhere that these apartments are part of the sale and will be demolished as part of the project.

[dbigtex56]

While the image may be considered 'crap', this part does seem true as I've read somewhere that these apartments are part of the sale and will be demolished as part of the project.

Very interesting, if true.

So, the building of this Wal-Mart is going to benefit low-income citizens ... by demolishing their affordable housing?

[J008]

Very interesting, if true.

So, the building of this Wal-Mart is going to benefit low-income citizens ... by demolishing their affordable housing?

Yeah I have been thinking the same thing for a while. There is a big variance sign in front of the apartments. Good luck finding a couple hundred apartments in that area on the bus line and accross the street from the public health facility that is on heights at a similar rent.

It will be odd when they tear down affordable housing and build a panera bread / starbucks / nail salon and act as if that is somehow helping poor folks.

[AtticaFlinch]

Very interesting, if true.

So, the building of this Wal-Mart is going to benefit low-income citizens ... by demolishing their affordable housing?

Yeah I have been thinking the same thing for a while. There is a big variance sign in front of the apartments. Good luck finding a couple hundred apartments in that area on the bus line and accross the street from the public health facility that is on heights at a similar rent.

It will be odd when they tear down affordable housing and build a panera bread / starbucks / nail salon and act as if that is somehow helping poor folks.

Weird. So you two thought the low prices were intended only to benefit low income residents of just this one apartment complex? That's weirder than the idea that this Walmart is being built to service just Heights residents.

[DianeTX]

The apartments are already part of the development. Since that slice of land is already a plat they can extend the road through it without a traffic study and yes, they have asked the city to put a light at the intersection. This was directly from the developer/city after I called about the variance and plat notifications.

[bachanon]

posts not pertaining to thread subject matter have been removed. please stay on topic.

[sunsets]

Aw, I'm kind of sad to see the apartments go. I know they are low-income, but that place is always spotless. Flowers are always planted and several times I've observed management picking up the yard. Compared to the dreck that is Skyline on White Oak, they are very nice.

[dbigtex56]

While taking the #34 Heights bus I noticed a "Request for variance" sign on the apartment complex which is (I assume) scheduled for demolition as part of this project. Obviously, I couldn't read it in its entirety.

Although the hearing has probably already been held, does anyone know what issue was being addressed?

[Hartmann]

After seeing some of the posts about traffic and where exactly the Wal-Mart will be located, I don't think Yale north of 10 will be that much more inundated with traffic (originally I did). I wonder what they're going to do about the 1 lane headed north near Washington though. I no longer care if they put the Wal-Mart in, I've got more important things to worry about. Don't want to support their "tactics", just don't shop there.

The other thing I think is just ridiculous is the charge that people against the Wal-Mart are racists and don't like Latinos. That's as much of a stretch as Wal-Mart being put on this earth to stick it to the poor.

I wonder how people would feel if it was a Costco instead of a Wal-Mart?

[dbigtex56]

Weird. So you two thought the low prices were intended only to benefit low income residents of just this one apartment complex? That's weirder than the idea that this Walmart is being built to service just Heights residents.

Neither of said anything of the sort. How weird that our words could be misinterpreted so purposely.

[Angostura]

The variance request on the agenda for yesterday's (5Aug) planning commission meeting was to include a reverse bend in the extension of Kohler St (between heights and Yale) that is slightly tighter than the ordinance calls for. The reason for the reverse bend is so that Kolhler will line up with 2nd St east of Heights.

You can see the detailed request here:

http://ataps1.pd.ci....ng+Calendar.nsf

Based on the video available of the commission meeting, it looks like the decision was deferred for 2 weeks.

Edited August 6, 2010 by Angostura

[AtticaFlinch]

The other thing I think is just ridiculous is the charge that people against the Wal-Mart are racists and don't like Latinos. That's as much of a stretch as Wal-Mart being put on this earth to stick it to the poor.

Well it's either hipster elitism or racism. Or a combination of both.

Neither of said anything of the sort.

Yeah, you did: "So, the building of this Wal-Mart is going to benefit low-income citizens ... by demolishing their affordable housing?"

Or maybe you were trying to prove Walmart is evil and not concerned about the poor by drawing an analogy of no relevance whatsoever? I mean, you know, since Walmart isn't building this new supercenter to benefit just the people who live in that one single apartment complex.

Edit: Unless you're suggesting this Walmart will be mobile and sentient, wandering around the innerloop devouring any low-income housing it comes across.

Edited August 6, 2010 by AtticaFlinch

[Hartmann]

Well it's either hipster elitism or racism. Or a combination of both.

I don't think a majority of people in the Heights are either of those things. There certainly is a hipster element in the area but it's down in Montrose too.

For the most part, people here are "normal".

[AtticaFlinch]

I don't think a majority of people in the Heights are either of those things. There certainly is a hipster element in the area but it's down in Montrose too.

For the most part, people here are "normal".

Sorry. I should have been more clear. I was referring to the vocal opposition, not the majority of Heights residents.

[TheNiche]

I don't think a majority of people in the Heights are either of those things. There certainly is a hipster element in the area but it's down in Montrose too.

For the most part, people here are "normal".

I spent this last Monday sitting in a waiting room for five hours with about 30 freshly-recruited Marines, ages 18 to 20. No females were present. Every last one of them grew up in deep east Texas. Discussions of home life were difficult for me to listen to. Child abuse, drug abuse, and rampant misogyny were the norm. And you can be assured that the discussions frequently entailed circumstances that were anatomically unlikely...or just dumb. That these tendencies happen to be par for this particular course makes it no less unlikable or more defensible. It's not to say that there aren't exceptions, but...for the most part, people there were "normal". ...normal being relative, and all.

Edited August 6, 2010 by TheNiche

[Porchman]

I don't think a majority of people in the Heights are either of those things. There certainly is a hipster element in the area but it's down in Montrose too.

For the most part, people here are "normal".

An excerpt of comments on the HBJ....

We do not want Wal-Mart in the Heights. This area is undergoing a major redevelopment and Wal-Mart moving in will STOP this progress. The reason Target worked is because Target attracts a different type of buyer.

Let's hope we do not equate this sense of "progress" with a sense of "normal'.

[dbigtex56]

Well it's either hipster elitism or racism. Or a combination of both.

Yeah, you did: "So, the building of this Wal-Mart is going to benefit low-income citizens ... by demolishing their affordable housing?"

Or maybe you were trying to prove Walmart is evil and not concerned about the poor by drawing an analogy of no relevance whatsoever? I mean, you know, since Walmart isn't building this new supercenter to benefit just the people who live in that one single apartment complex.

Edit: Unless you're suggesting this Walmart will be mobile and sentient, wandering around the innerloop devouring any low-income housing it comes across.

Again, I said nor suggested no such thing. Please do not take my words out of context.

[Hartmann]

An excerpt of comments on the HBJ....

Let's hope we do not equate this sense of "progress" with a sense of "normal'.

Well I think it's a stupid quote and would argue that Target attracts a very similar audience to Wal-Mart. I wonder if the person quoted has actually gone to Target. I also wonder if they ever shop at Loews or Home Depot off the north loop.

[dbigtex56]

The variance request on the agenda for yesterday's (5Aug) planning commission meeting was to include a reverse bend in the extension of Kohler St (between heights and Yale) that is slightly tighter than the ordinance calls for. The reason for the reverse bend is so that Kolhler will line up with 2nd St east of Heights.

You can see the detailed request here:

http://ataps1.pd.ci....ng+Calendar.nsf

Based on the video available of the commission meeting, it looks like the decision was deferred for 2 weeks.

Thanks for the info. This appears to be item #50 (D -Variances ) on the agenda:

50 Washington Heights Koehler STD C3R

[AtticaFlinch]

Again, I said nor suggested no such thing. Please do not take my words out of context.

I'm pretty sure I didn't, but to be safe, perhaps you can give a little detail into what exactly you meant. The quote in question for ease of reference: "So, the building of this Wal-Mart is going to benefit low-income citizens ... by demolishing their affordable housing?"

Well I think it's a stupid quote and would argue that Target attracts a very similar audience to Wal-Mart.

There was an article posted previously that said Walmart's average customer earns $35k/year and Target's average customer makes $50k/year.

To me, this is clearly a class and race struggle, but those on the disgusting, offensive side of the struggle have been doing a pretty good job of maintaining the appearance of legitimacy by disguising it as being about traffic, property values and crime. As a student of nuance and of getting to the core of what drives human behavior, I can tell you almost invariably whenever the canards of property values and crime are brought up as reasons to oppose something, they're ALWAYS a guise for latent racism or classism.