hysinger

Was driving by the (soon to be vacant) Chase bank across Woodhead from Kroger on W Gray and noticed the variance request sign. Does anyone know what might be planned here? I was under the impression this lot was owned by Weingarten.

The State of Texas has specific rules around the creation and dissolution of the district. The truth is that the District Court found that a mistake was made when the Montrose Management District (at least the west half) was founded. They did not have the minimum number of property owners sign the petition for formation. Also, over 1,000 owners of assessed properties signed petitions to dissolve the district after it was formed, which was greater than the 80% threshold needed according to the law. However, the district unilaterally rejected the petition as invalid. These are the issues that the two lawsuits are about. A judgement has been rendered in the first, and I believe the second goes to trial later this year. If businesses feel they are benefiting from the additional assessment they pay, then management districts will have their support. In this case it seems clear that the majority of assessed property owners do not think the district is working in their best interests. They are the taxed and they are expressing their displeasure with the way the money is being spent. It is quite similar to a ballot referendum on residential property taxes or city budget spending limits. Businesses don't vote in elections, so the petition process is used in this case to authorize and amend an assessment that only they pay. Also, this is not the TIRZ. Most of the money for infrastructure improvement (both in Montrose and in Kirby) will come from that. The "districts" primarily handle private security and beautification.

I know I am running the risk of bumping this thread needlessly, but I noticed on the city of Houston permit report that a number of permits were issued to Tellepsen construction for Regent Square. The summary from the report pasted below. If you look up the individual permits by permit number the buyer is "Tellespen" [sic] and the owner / occupant is "Regent Square..." Perhaps they are about to start construction? 77019 2016/10/14 Building Pmt 15014370 3515 W DALLAS ST FL1 HIRISE APT W/CLSD PKG GARAGE/AMENITIES 1-13-1-R2/S2-A-FA/SPK M-10 77019 2016/10/14 Building Pmt 15014377 3515 W DALLAS ST B1-4 NEW APTS/ENCL PKG GARAGE/AMENITIES 1-4-1-R2-A-FA/SPK M-15014370 77019 2016/10/14 Building Pmt 15032810 3515 W DALLAS ST FP FP RM AT APTS 1-13-1-B-A-FA/SPK IBC06 M-15014370 77019 2016/10/14 Building Pmt 15139728 3515 W DALLAS ST B111 FUTURE RETAIL LEASE SPACE 1-13-1-M-A-FA/100% SPK 2012 IBC 77019 2016/10/14 Building Pmt 15139732 3515 W DALLAS ST B121 FUTURE RETAIL LEASE SPACE 1-13-1-M-A-FA/100% SPK 2012 IBC 77019 2016/10/14 Building Pmt 15139736 3515 W DALLAS ST B122 FUTURE RETAIL LEASE SPACE 1-13-1-M-A-FA/100% SPK 2012 IBC 77019 2016/10/14 Building Pmt 15139740 3515 W DALLAS ST B131 FUTURE RETAIL LEASE SPACE 1-13-1-M-A-FA/100% SPK 2012 IBC 77019 2016/10/14 Building Pmt 15139744 3515 W DALLAS ST 132 FUTURE RETAIL LEASE SPACE 1-13-1-M-A-FA/100% SPK 2012 IBC 77019 2016/10/14 Building Pmt 15139747 3515 W DALLAS ST B134 FUTURE RETAIL LEASE SPACE 1-13-1-M-A-FA/100% SPK 2012 IBC 77019 2016/10/14 Building Pmt 15139750 3515 W DALLAS ST B141 FUTURE RETAIL LEASE SPACE 1-13-1-M-A-FA/100% SPK 2012

They are relocating the power lines that run down the street that is to be abandoned. They are routing them north on Smith to Anita, and then over. Notice that the new concrete utility pole is actually "in" the street that is to be abandoned (rather than on the sidewalk).

I think this map shows the use on the ground floor of the buildings proposed / built. I believe the pink color represents retail - there is a retail space for lease at the corner of the Sovereign. A large portion of the sovereign on the ground floor is the parking garage.

I made the very end of the North Montrose meeting. No one form GID was there - said they "weren't ready yet." Took a picture of phase one. Stated same start date of Q4 2016 and said that Telepson was the GC.

I didn't see post about the North Montrose meeting in time, but I did attend the meeting discussing the plans for Dunlavy as part of ReBuild Houston. Several representatives from the architecture firm doing the design work for Regent Square. They said the work currently underway on Dunlavy at Allen Parkway is in part being performed as part of that development. They said phase I should break ground in Q4 2016, and considerable money was being spent by GID in preparation for that event. They said phase I would include the Alamo Draft House (near the cemetery), the commercial buildings at the SW corner of W Dallas and Dunlavy, the apartments with GF retail south of W Dallas, and retail and a parking garage north of W Dallas. Hopefully someone attended the neighborhood meeting and can provide additional detail.

Soil samples could also be due diligence related to a sale I suppose

Can you reveal where you read that? I figured this was coming but it seems odd given they were doing soil work just two weeks ago. Honestly, GID's philosophy with this property is hard to understand. They have now missed two real estate booms, and if they are canceling, will miss the third. This a prime property, about to get better with the renovation of buffalo bayou / allen parkway. Perhaps they will sell it so something can actually happen here.

I hate to create false hope, but I noticed activity at the site tonight on the way home. Looks like they are taking soil samples (company called Terracon) on the lot bounded by Allen Parkway, Dunlavy, W Dallas and Tirrell. Also, I noticed a banner attached to the fence on the lot across W Dallas for Morris (www.morris-hz.com).

For what its worth, it looks like the city finally issued a building permit http://houstontx.gov/planning/Publications/listsrv/WebeReport.html 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007638 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 21 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (MASTER OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007639 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 1 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR ( 2 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007641 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 3 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (3 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007643 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 6 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (4 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007645 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 7 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (5 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007646 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 8 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (6 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007647 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 9 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (7 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007648 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 10 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (8 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007649 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 11 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (9 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007650 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 12 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (10 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007651 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 13 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (11 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007652 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 14 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (12 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007653 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 15 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (13 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007655 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 16 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (14 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007656 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 17 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (15 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007658 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 18 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR ( 16 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007660 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 19 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR ( 17 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007662 1717 BISSONNET ST FL 20 NEW APARTMENTS 1-21-1-R2-A 2006 IBC 100 % SPR (18 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007664 1717 BISSONNET ST ( CORE /COMMON AREA)FOR APARTMENTS 1-21-1-SH-A 100% SPR( 19 OF 26) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007671 1717 BISSONNET ST 100 NEW RESTAURANT SHELL 1-21-1-SH-A 100% SPR 2006 IBC 20 OF 26 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007674 1717 BISSONNET ST 110 NEW RESTAURANT SHELL 1-21-1-SH-A 100% SPR 2006 IBC 20 OF 26 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007677 1717 BISSONNET ST 120 NEW APARTMENT (PUMP ROOM) (22 OF 26 ) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007678 1717 BISSONNET ST 130 NEW APARTMENT (GENERATOR ROOM)( 23 OF 26 ) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007679 1717 BISSONNET ST GARAG NEW OPEN PARKING GARAGE 1-21-1-S2/R2-A 100% SPR ( 24 OF 26 ) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007683 1717 BISSONNET ST 600 NEW APARTMENT (LEASING OFFICE)1-21-1-B/R2-A 100% SPR ( 25 OF 26 ) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007684 1717 BISSONNET ST NEW APARTMENT (HEATED AREAS IN ROOF) 77005 2014/09/18 Building Pmt 13007698 1717 BISSONNET ST 610 NEW APARTMENT (CLUB ROOM/AMENITIES)1-21-1-A3/R2-A ( 26 OF 26 )

I drove by the site this morning, and there is a large excavator on the site, along with a dumpster and fuel tank. They seem to have started breaking up the concrete pads just south of W Dallas near the cemetery. Perhaps this is to comply with the tax rebates they are seeking. For some reason a start date of October 2010 comes to mind.

I was under the impression that infrastructure work had to be started by Oct 1 to get the $10 million in incentives. I'm surprised I don't see more work on the site given that deadline.

Does anyone have any updates on this project? There was some brief activity just north and south of W Dallas to the west of Dunlavy, and every now and then I see someone cleaning up the lots and performing general maintenance. Other than that nothing seems to be happening. However, there are always people around the complex of constuction trailers on West Dallas. I wonder if this project is dead.

1900 W. Gray St. and 2802 Timmons Lane The River Oaks Examiner has an article today announcing that after receiving several unsolicited offers, the River Oaks Post Office at the corner of West Gray and Dunlavy is being put up for sale. The article can be found at http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2009/01/...post_office.txt This probably won't make the people who live in the condo building next door (metropolis?) very happy. Some or all of them might be losing their view of downtown.