Walmart Supercenter At 111 Yale St.

[AtticaFlinch]

People-watching at a Wal-Mart off of Washington Avenue after the bars close should be a blast! I'm already looking forward to shopping there.

Too bad they didn't build this a decade ago. It could have drawn a slightly more risque Montrose 2 AM crowd than the one that now exists.

[crunchtastic]

I'd love nothing more than to see the concerned heights neighbors do a real protest of the proposed Yale Wal Mart.

Think of it as a meaningful vacation from strenuous days of blogging, girls lunches at Stella Sola, play dates, bikini boot camp,and taking your overly-accesorized children to Berryhill while the moms relax with some 'ritas. Raise awareness for the cause by mobilizing for hours a day in the 100 degree heat, marching in the dirt with signs and bullhorns. Or how about going door- to- door with clipboards? Forming a human chain in front of the bulldozers? If you did, you might get a tiny bit of insight into the tiring, hot and less-than-comfortable lives of the people for whom WalMart is a good thing.

Yea, I know I'm being hyperbolic and rude. I originally expressed these sentiments in a PM, but I feel compelled to go public with them. I've had dear friends in the Heights on and off for more than 20 years, and there's a lot about it I love. But I am really, really glad that I did not buy a house there. Because lately I find the misdirected, contradictory righteousness just downright suffocating. We're talking about empty dirt by the railroad tracks, on the other side of the freeway, generating no jobs and nothing to the tax base. I understand taking a philosophical stance, but not at the expense of our community during a recession.

I will say this to the Stop Wal-Mart crowd: whatever big box retailer builds on that site, watch the news when they start

hiring. When 5,000 people show up to apply for 250 jobs, ask yourself: are my priorities perhaps misplaced?

[sargento03]

The houston chronicle article today said that "A development site plan obtained by the Houston Chronicle shows a 152,015-square-foot Walmart flanked by a parking lot for 664 cars and additional retail spaces for a bank, fast-food restaurant and other stores."

Has anyone seen any site plans or renderings?

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/7090711.html

Never mind.. found it:

http://swamplot.com/only-a-little-off-target-walmart-heading-right-between-washington-ave-and-the-heights/2010-07-01/

[sevfiv]

For those interested there are a couple of "guides" to help keep your community Wal-Mart free:

http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/community/ (United Food and Commercial Workers Union-backed)

http://walmartwatch.com/battlemart (Center for Community and Corporate Ethics)

[curley1733]

Yeah, let's get a Union to help us figure out how to run things!

[ricco67]

People-watching at a Wal-Mart off of Washington Avenue after the bars close should be a blast! I'm already looking forward to shopping there.

I wonder if they will put this on the Jitney route and/or allow people to park there.

ah...drunken morons shopping at 3am for replacement underwear, the possibility for after-hour antics is amazing for the parking lot.

[poyea]

The houston chronicle article today said that "A development site plan obtained by the Houston Chronicle shows a 152,015-square-foot Walmart flanked by a parking lot for 664 cars and additional retail spaces for a bank, fast-food restaurant and other stores."

Has anyone seen any site plans or renderings?

http://blogs.chron.com/primeproperty/2010/07/post_69.html

[heights_yankee]

People-watching at a Wal-Mart off of Washington Avenue after the bars close should be a blast! I'm already looking forward to shopping there.

I'm gonna give you that one.

[heights_yankee]

I'd love nothing more than to see the concerned heights neighbors do a real protest of the proposed Yale Wal Mart.

Think of it as a meaningful vacation from strenuous days of blogging, girls lunches at Stella Sola, play dates, bikini boot camp,and taking your overly-accesorized children to Berryhill while the moms relax with some 'ritas. Raise awareness for the cause by mobilizing for hours a day in the 100 degree heat, marching in the dirt with signs and bullhorns. Or how about going door- to- door with clipboards? Forming a human chain in front of the bulldozers? If you did, you might get a tiny bit of insight into the tiring, hot and less-than-comfortable lives of the people for whom WalMart is a good thing.

Yea, I know I'm being hyperbolic and rude. I originally expressed these sentiments in a PM, but I feel compelled to go public with them. I've had dear friends in the Heights on and off for more than 20 years, and there's a lot about it I love. But I am really, really glad that I did not buy a house there. Because lately I find the misdirected, contradictory righteousness just downright suffocating. We're talking about empty dirt by the railroad tracks, on the other side of the freeway, generating no jobs and nothing to the tax base. I understand taking a philosophical stance, but not at the expense of our community during a recession.

I will say this to the Stop Wal-Mart crowd: whatever big box retailer builds on that site, watch the news when they start

hiring. When 5,000 people show up to apply for 250 jobs, ask yourself: are my priorities perhaps misplaced?

I am willing to bet this nastiness is directed at me since I think I am the only obvious mother who has a blog in this thread (and I go to Berryhill and drink margaritas). I don't go to boot camp and I've never had lunch at Stella Sola and I have sons so they don't wear accessories, but I get the fact that you are stereotyping. And I can add to this that you know nothing about me outside of how you have stereotyped me. For you to think I have come to this position in life easily and that I have no understanding of a less-than-comfortable life makes you just as self righteous as anyone else.

As I've said before, I think that people who are anti-Walmart are in many cases because they care about people and feel that WM does a lot of things to perpetuate the poverty cycle. This is what I have expressed many times in this thread. I understand that others think Walmart benefits the poor with their pricing, but I think the bad outweighs the good and a lot of others feel that way as well.

Also, I don't think anyone wants to see nothing on that site and see it remain a dirt lot. People just had higher hopes for this area than 1 giant big box store with a mcdonalds and a 600 space parking lot. There could be something like a scaled down, area appropriate City Centre which would employ a huge and diverse population, from chamber maids at a hotel to clerks, receptionists, waiters thru to management. Maybe people who worked at the new hotel and movie theater might even get some health benefits and be allowed to work a 40 hour week. Who knows? People would just like something else, something better for everyone.

Edited July 2, 2010 by heights_yankee

[CleaningLadyinCleveland]

Is this just a FB page or is there any actual community action behind it?

see this posting:

Stop the Heights Wal-Mart! More than 200 "Likes" in less than 12 hours. Keep spreading the word. Anyone who wants to be a part of running this campaign, please e-mail stopheightswalmart@gmail.com. We need help and volunteers!

[heights]

http://blogs.chron.c...07/post_69.html

From the plans, it looks like that upscale apartment complex just south of the bayou between Heights and Yale is going to go away and be replaced with retail or something. (and maybe that chic nightclub that fronts Yale, too)

And now looking closer (you can right-click and zoom in), I see there will be not one, but TWO banks!

Personally, I don't mind there being a Walmart (call me crazy), but the last thing we need in or near the Heights is another f-ing bank!

Edited July 2, 2010 by heights

[CleaningLadyinCleveland]

From the plans, it looks like that upscale apartment complex just south of the bayou between Heights and Yale is going to go away and be replaced with retail or something. (and maybe that chic nightclub that fronts Yale, too)

that chic night club you mentioned is named Dirt.

[heights]

that chic night club you mentioned is named Dirt.

HAHAHAHAHA. How appropriate.

I was just looking at the HCAD maps of the area and I see that the property just north of the tracks between Heights and Yale where the "Son's of Hermann" (yes, they actually had an apostrophe on the sign making "sons" possessive) used to be is referred to as "Lofts on Heights Boulevard". Has this been mentioned here before? I thought that was going to be some retail place.

[TheNiche]

I am willing to bed this nastiness is directed at me since I think I am the only obvious mother who has a blog in this thread (and I go to Berryhill and drink margaritas). I don't go to boot camp and I've never had lunch at Stella Sola and I have sons so they don't wear accessories, but I get the fact that you are stereotyping. And I can add to this that you know nothing about me outside of how you have stereotyped me. For you to think I have come to this position in life easily and that I have no understanding of a less-than-comfortable life makes you just as self righteous as anyone else.

Crunch apparently hit close enough to home that you overlooked the hyperbole disclaimer.

And yeah, speaking as someone who is himself less-than-comfortable and that has recently spent a fair bit of his time Censusing less-than-comfortable populations alongside less-than-comfortable coworkers...I tend to think that your appreciation for this lifestyle is pretty superficial. People in your community need work. They want to work. Wal-Mart provides work. A vacant lot does not. ...and from the sounds of things, HEB is still interested in your neighborhood, so it won't be too long until you have both. Nothing wrong with that!

People just had higher hopes for this area than 1 giant big box store with a mcdonalds and a 600 space parking lot. There could be something like a scaled down, area appropriate City Centre which would employ a huge and diverse population, from chamber maids at a hotel to clerks, receptionists, waiters thru to management. Maybe people who worked at the new hotel and movie theater might even get some health benefits and be allowed to work a 40 hour week. Who knows? People would just like something else, something better for everyone.

Those people have been living in a cave for the last several years, apparently. Nothing like that can or will happen for a long time to come; well-capitalized discount retailers and grocers are very nearly the only game in town.

[sevfiv]

For reference:

[outback]

Petition already up at

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthehoustonheightsareawalmart/

[SilverJK]

I hear they have picket board signs on sale at walmart.... just sayin'.

[heights]

You know, this is almost as bad as Starbucks trying to put in a coffee shop at 19th and Heights. Wonder if the neighborhood association will have as much luck defeating Walmart.

[barracuda]

We're talking about empty dirt by the railroad tracks, on the other side of the freeway, generating no jobs and nothing to the tax base. I understand taking a philosophical stance, but not at the expense of our community during a recession.

I will say this to the Stop Wal-Mart crowd: whatever big box retailer builds on that site, watch the news when they start

hiring. When 5,000 people show up to apply for 250 jobs, ask yourself: are my priorities perhaps misplaced?

The problem with this argument is that Walmart and other big-box retailers do not necessarily create net-new local jobs. Instead, they take jobs away from existing businesses and may put smaller and independent competitors out of business due to their cost advantages.

The net of an argument against Walmart, at least for me, is that the company plays by its own rules and leeches off society. There is considerable cost hidden by the low pricing of the products you find on Walmart's shelves, including the loss of American manufacturing jobs, increased environmental degradation at production moved overseas where rules are less strict had human rights abuses are tolerated, and underpaying store employees who then become dependent on society for food stamps and ER visits for healthcare. Saving a few bucks at Walmart is realistically just shifting problems and costs onto other areas, and we all end up paying the price.

It's interesting that someone already brought up the taxpayer-funded feeder reconstruction of I-10. Of course, this is not specifically to benefit Walmart, but there is a history of taxpayer funded or subsidized infrastructure projects for many other Walmart locations. It will be interesting to see if Walmart receives additional assistance for this location, such as property tax breaks. The company has been able to take advantage of smaller communities desperate for their business and mindless to the risks, but in an urban and competitive environment like inner-loop Houston, nobody is that desperate for them to build, so hopefully we don't get stuck subsidizing their business.

[TheNiche]

You know, this is almost as bad as Starbucks trying to put in a coffee shop at 19th and Heights. Wonder if the neighborhood association will have as much luck defeating Walmart.

Which neighborhood association claims jurisdiction over this parcel?

[TheNiche]

The problem with this argument is that Walmart and other big-box retailers do not necessarily create net-new local jobs. Instead, they take jobs away from existing businesses and may put smaller and independent competitors out of business due to their cost advantages.

Which small or independent businesses in the West End or Heights-area will be put at a competitive disadvantage by Wal-Mart?

[mcook2002]

It's interesting that someone already brought up the taxpayer-funded feeder reconstruction of I-10. Of course, this is not specifically to benefit Walmart, but there is a history of taxpayer funded or subsidized infrastructure projects for many other Walmart locations. It will be interesting to see if Walmart receives additional assistance for this location, such as property tax breaks. The company has been able to take advantage of smaller communities desperate for their business and mindless to the risks, but in an urban and competitive environment like inner-loop Houston, nobody is that desperate for them to build, so hopefully we don't get stuck subsidizing their business.

one of the few posts of value in this entire thread. wouldn't it be wonderful if you were in the NIMBY brigade yet were essentially subsidizing their business too!!??

[s3mh]

I do not understand how this makes business sense to WalMart. People who live in the Heights, Rice Military, Garden Oaks, River Oaks and Upper Kirby are not going to be regular WalMart shoppers. WalMart is not going to beat out Kroger and Whole Foods for grocery store customers. And when given a choice between WalMart and Target, innerloopers will chose Target 9 out of 10 times. I thought WalMart's attempts at upscaling were seen as a failure. So, why put a superstore down the street from a historic neighborhood, parallel to a street where people are paying $12 for cocktails, a mile away from a nice Kroger and a future Whole Foods, and miles away from WalMart's bread and butter? Just think of what people would post if Max's Wine Dive announced that they were opening a new location in Pasadena.

[TheNiche]

People who live in the Heights, Rice Military, Garden Oaks, River Oaks and Upper Kirby are not going to be regular WalMart shoppers. WalMart is not going to beat out Kroger and Whole Foods for grocery store customers. And when given a choice between WalMart and Target, innerloopers will chose Target 9 out of 10 times.

Those neighborhoods would represent only a fraction of this Wal-Mart's customer base. The fact is, there is a huge untapped market of Wal-Mart's core customer base inside the loop, only you have to look in places like the Near Northside, 5th Ward, the East End, and 3rd Ward to find it. There are only a handful of parcels of prime inner-loop land that could accommodate a Supercenter, and I'd argue that this is the best of them.

[20thStDad]

I do not understand how this makes business sense to WalMart. People who live in the Heights, Rice Military, Garden Oaks, River Oaks and Upper Kirby are not going to be regular WalMart shoppers. WalMart is not going to beat out Kroger and Whole Foods for grocery store customers. And when given a choice between WalMart and Target, innerloopers will chose Target 9 out of 10 times. I thought WalMart's attempts at upscaling were seen as a failure. So, why put a superstore down the street from a historic neighborhood, parallel to a street where people are paying $12 for cocktails, a mile away from a nice Kroger and a future Whole Foods, and miles away from WalMart's bread and butter? Just think of what people would post if Max's Wine Dive announced that they were opening a new location in Pasadena.

The hell we aren't! Well, at least for some things. Probably not meat and produce. Some of us are coupon clippers getting by on one income while moms take care of babies.

As for that apartment complex on Yale/Heights that is gonna bite the dust, finally. That's where all the criminals live I hear.

Edited July 2, 2010 by 20thStDad

[HeyHatch]

I'd love nothing more than to see the concerned heights neighbors do a real protest of the proposed Yale Wal Mart.

Think of it as a meaningful vacation from strenuous days of blogging, girls lunches at Stella Sola, play dates, bikini boot camp,and taking your overly-accesorized children to Berryhill while the moms relax with some 'ritas. Raise awareness for the cause by mobilizing for hours a day in the 100 degree heat, marching in the dirt with signs and bullhorns. Or how about going door- to- door with clipboards? Forming a human chain in front of the bulldozers? If you did, you might get a tiny bit of insight into the tiring, hot and less-than-comfortable lives of the people for whom WalMart is a good thing.

Yea, I know I'm being hyperbolic and rude. I originally expressed these sentiments in a PM, but I feel compelled to go public with them. I've had dear friends in the Heights on and off for more than 20 years, and there's a lot about it I love. But I am really, really glad that I did not buy a house there. Because lately I find the misdirected, contradictory righteousness just downright suffocating. We're talking about empty dirt by the railroad tracks, on the other side of the freeway, generating no jobs and nothing to the tax base. I understand taking a philosophical stance, but not at the expense of our community during a recession.

I will say this to the Stop Wal-Mart crowd: whatever big box retailer builds on that site, watch the news when they start

hiring. When 5,000 people show up to apply for 250 jobs, ask yourself: are my priorities perhaps misplaced?

I, too, feel compelled to go public with this message. Since you don't live in the Heights, why don't you take your crunchy-tastic, holier-than-thou, self-righteous and judgemental attitude, drag Niche along with you, and worry about something in your own soul-less and character-less neighborhoods. I, too, am really, really glad you didn't buy a house here. I worked my butt off to pay my way through college, worked in an incredibly male-dominated, chauvinistic industry, kicking a** I might add, and postponed having kids until I was in my early thirties so that I could provide for my kids in a way that would make their lives easier for them, as well as take these years a bit easier for myself. And, oh by the way, this also includes working at and volunteering for many not-for-profits (that I am betting with a name like "Crunchtastic" you support) in an effort to give others better breaks than life has already brought them. My husband works his butt off to provide for his family and maintian the ability to give to the causes of his choice. Why should we feel guilty about lunch with our friends, play dates, going to the gym, or whatever the hell we want to do or attitude we want to have if it is not hurting anyone else. My priorities are not misplaced. My kids wear what they want to wear, and if that includes multiple tutus with a frigging fireman hat, I am glad they are not worried about what some jaded ninny's opinions are.

I'm not going to apologize for wanting an H-E-B over a Wal-Mart. The H-E-B will hire the same, or more, people than the Wal-Mart, take better care of them and the neighborhood, and provide a better product that is still within the budget of people who shop at Wal-Mart. Accept that lower-income families deserve access to good quality at good prices, and, just like high-income families, they know the difference.

For all you know, I may be one of the ones physically campaigning against Wal-Mart. You bet I started this thread to create public awareness and hopefully protests. I feel like Mr. Burns from The Simpsons, rubbing my hands together while saying, "Exxxxcellent."

[poyea]

I, too, feel compelled to go public with this message. Since you don't live in the Heights, why don't you take your crunchy-tastic, holier-than-thou, self-righteous and judgemental attitude, drag Niche along with you, and worry about something in your own soul-less and character-less neighborhoods. I, too, am really, really glad you didn't buy a house here. I worked my butt off to pay my way through college, worked in an incredibly male-dominated, chauvinistic industry, kicking a** I might add, and postponed having kids until I was in my early thirties so that I could provide for my kids in a way that would make their lives easier for them, as well as take these years a bit easier for myself. And, oh by the way, this also includes working at and volunteering for many not-for-profits (that I am betting with a name like "Crunchtastic" you support) in an effort to give others better breaks than life has already brought them. My husband works his butt off to provide for his family and maintian the ability to give to the causes of his choice. Why should we feel guilty about lunch with our friends, play dates, going to the gym, or whatever the hell we want to do or attitude we want to have if it is not hurting anyone else. My priorities are not misplaced. My kids wear what they want to wear, and if that includes multiple tutus with a frigging fireman hat, I am glad they are not worried about what some jaded ninny's opinions are.

I'm not going to apologize for wanting an H-E-B over a Wal-Mart. The H-E-B will hire the same, or more, people than the Wal-Mart, take better care of them and the neighborhood, and provide a better product that is still within the budget of people who shop at Wal-Mart. Accept that lower-income families deserve access to good quality at good prices, and, just like high-income families, they know the difference.

For all you know, I may be one of the ones physically campaigning against Wal-Mart. You bet I started this thread to create public awareness and hopefully protests. I feel like Mr. Burns from The Simpsons, rubbing my hands together while saying, "Exxxxcellent."

Well said!!!

[little frau]

If someone does not live in the Heights, they can't have an opinion about this? If you didn't want 'outsiders' to chime in, perhaps you should have stuck to posting on your neighborhood group.

Soul-less? Character-less? Now who's being self-righteous?

Jaded ninny?, that's being judgemental. Unless of course you personally know Ms. Crunch which I doubt.

She was gracious whereas you were not. Easy to see who has class and who doesn't.

No, I don't know her.

[HeyHatch]

If someone does not live in the Heights, they can't have an opinion about this? If you didn't want 'outsiders' to chime in, perhaps you should have stuck to posting on your neighborhood group.

Soul-less? Character-less? Now who's being self-righteous?

Jaded ninny?, that's being judgemental. Unless of course you personally know Ms. Crunch which I doubt.

She was gracious whereas you were not. Easy to see who has class and who doesn't.

No, I don't know her.

Listen, Little Frau, I never said that people couldn't have an opinion, and I certainly never said "outsiders" (your word, not mine.) What I hoped to express, be it not up to your standards, was that I don't appreciate anyone, Heights resident or not, passing judgement on my lifestyle nor assuming that I am a complete, self-serving idiot simply because I oppose a Wal-Mart in my neighborhood and may enjoy the occasional lunch with friends while, gasp, still managing to be my kids' main caretaker. But thanks for pointing out how gracious he/she (you assume this person is a she, you seem to be good at assuming) was to insult an entire population of the Heights. I thought "jaded ninny" (that one you can quote) was an appropriate turn of phrase. Feel free to disagree, but don't imply that you know any betterm because as you say, you don't know her.

But, getting back to topic of the resistance to WalMart, I will continue to stir the pot and fight the fights I choose based on my own accounting of what the situation is. You, and anyone else who so chooses, are welcome to disagree and even offer contradictory points of view. But don't come in here insulting me and mine and not expect a swipe back at you and yours. I would say that same philosophy is used by many o'HAIFer. Don't mess with our chickens.

[heights]

Which neighborhood association claims jurisdiction over this parcel?

Apparently the HHA if you believe the title of this thread.