Porchman

Both Twin Cities newspapers are reporting that the bridge was deemed "structurally deficient" in 2005. The inspectors' grading of the structure is described here:

http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_6522474

Financially troubled (?), but still on the grow....

Landry's to open a new Brenner's location in the former Rainbow Lodge/Lodge at Bayou Bend location.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headli...iz/5017101.html

What a great place for a roller coaster!

i meant the crowd moved elsewhere. didn't want to be too sarcastic.

From what I gleaned, they had a fall-off after their initial surge, but it seems they have really attracted a good, constant following. They had a pretty full house this past Friday night...just enough table rotation to have seating available. Between their initiatives like steak night and the synergy provided by other similar joints in that area like the Dark Horse and Beavers, I think they have good staying power.

i thought that was already out.

Opened, you mean? Yes. I was just responding to sowanome's search for alternatives to Max's. There's also Cova, but they get packed, too.

Another wine bar would be great since Max's is always crowded.

Please post info.

Max's is, indeed, a cattle call. Good food, though. Have you tried the Corkscrew (east of Sawyer)? http://www.houstoncorkscrew.com/ . It's a comfortable, laid back joint.

...Bottom line, it appears that the Hermann "deed restrictions," if they exist, may not apply to any of the TMC. I'll keep looking for more detail about the Hermann tract and original medical center properties.

Hermann is on its own land, not TMC land. Simply, Hermann was there before the creation of the TMC. From what I understand, you are correct that TMC restrictions do not apply to Hermann.

Of course, this is strategically important. You may remember the battle that erupted between St. Lukes and TMC, Inc about 10 years ago over Luke's potential affiliation with for-profit Columbia/HCA. It is my understandinfg that if Memorial Hermann ever wanted to try some for-profit model in the TMC, they can. Whether they would is another issue, but it's nice to have that flexibility in strategic planning.

Article on the ITL alternatives (specifically Oak Forest) From Today's HBJ:

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories...5163200^1493824

It looks as though that big vacant lot was cleared of whatever not too long ago as there is about waist high growth in there now.

Whoever the developer is probably bought out any old houses, buildings, etc that used to be in that area to make it available for Wally World.

Not sure what it was originally. It backs up to some blank light industrial on N Post Oak, so that may have been its prior use. The Dodge Dealer had an ancillary lot there for a while.

Right behind the LA Fitness building, there is this gigantic open field that is plenty big enough for a super Wally World.

Oh, just north of the Marq-E Complex. Yeah, that would do it, alright.

Has anyone seen any news stories or press releases concerning the Super Wal-Mart going in at the NE corner of Silber Rd at IH10 aka Katy Fwy (just west of 610 and IH10 in 77024)???

Isn't the NE corner of that intersection the Marq-E Entertainment Center? I can't believe they'd shove a Super Wal-Mart in there. Oh, wait, I forgot we're in Houston. Although, seriously, I don't think there's enough room to put up a building that size and have enough room to meet the minimum parking space requirement.

I wish it was a Target. Is there already a Target in the area? I can't remember. There is one at Memorial City, but I don't know if that is the closest.

There's also a new Target at Sawyer and 10 between Woodland Heights and the 6th Ward. I think that would close the triangle on one in the Silber/10 locale.

I remember when someone posted last year's rankings. I thought that they missed a lot of our County owned parks.

Having been to a number of the cities that ranked ahead of Houston in the last ranking, I thought something had to be missing, as well.

I looked up this year's rankings

http://www.tpl.org/tier3_cd.cfm?content_it...;folder_id=3208

I was interested to see that Houston had two of the ten largest city parks in the Country - Cullen and George Bush. We clearly don't rank very high in recreational facilities, but that is largely due to the parks being just natural green space. They appear to have rankings only by park authority in this category, not by metro area or city.

i have an aunt that lives near the bayland house you mentioned. i believe she told me the work on the bayland house was over a million dollars worth.

About $800k is what they indicated on the Woodland Heights home tour. It's 6400 sf house with 2000 sf of porch space. They put a 2000-bottle wine cellar in the basement, so there were some additional costs beyond restoration.

As for 945 Heights, from what I could see, the peirs were really solid and straight (something you don't see on several homes that are inhabited and otherwise well-kept) and there was no visible sag in the main structure. The porch, which did not appear original to the house, had to go. It probably would have revealed a great facade.

Even if the house itself couldn't be saved, I wish the trim had been salvaged. Machined molding from Home Depot just isn't the same.

From today's HBJ:

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories...5163200^1494014

Tricon is ubiquitous in the Heights area. They used to build solid homes. You can tell there is a varying difference in quality comparing their homes from the early 2000's to the present.

Actually, two realtors (neither of whom represent Tricon, by the way) have told me that Tricon's quality has improved since 2000. I don't know for sure. I haven't noticed anything when I've walked some of their open houses - Mctorians and firehouses, both. However, as CityLiving101 can testify, a walkthrough like that doesn't tell you much (unless the builder is really bad).

Two Tricon Mctorians in my neighborhood - one built '03, the other '06 - have recently had single-paned decorative windows on the upper levels worked on. I'm assuming leak problems were the issue. Anybody know?

Can anyone recommend a contractor and/or architect for a project involving the conversion of an attic to an additional bedroom/living area?

I have a fairly typical Heights bungalow with a large attic, and the project would involve, as best as I can tell (my remodeling skills are non-existent), the installation of a stairwell, the buildout of the attic space for bedroom/living area and bathroom, and the possible reposition of the a/c equipment in the attic.

Any suggestions are much appreciated.

I plan to do a similar project, so I've been keeping watch. I was impressed by the work of two Heights builders that have had their own homes on the Heights Home Tour:

-Broman Design and Construction, 1233 Yale - converted the attic within the exisitng roof.

-Gabriel Homebuilders, 1607 Cortlandt - added a full, second flooor to their bungalow.

I found one other company on the web that had done a conversion in the Heights. The name escapes me...I'll keep looking. I was impressed with a creative alternative the company had to moving a bunch of utilities.

Please post what you learn - builders and the experience, as well. I am interested in getting a feel for cost/sf and what factors in running it up (adding dormers, moving utilities, etc.). Thanks. Good luck!

I walked around the property yesterday. I, too, had not really noticed the house due to the overgrown lot. The structure of the main house - piers and the roof look pretty good. Not any significant structural sag from what I could tell. The porch would probably need to be rebuilt (not usually a big deal). I understand the house has some fantastic neo-classic detailing inside.

Can anybody give any insight as to the options discussed with Harry James in the meeting last week? I would like to share my thoughts with him in context. Thanks.

They're just restricted to surface streets, though.

Exactly. Everybody was restricted to the surface streets when the Loop shut during morning rush.

Now if they can only have a "intersection box" ordinance.

Do you mean a "don't enter the intersection unless you can go all the way through" ordinance? They did finally pass one of those a few years ago. I've actually seen it enforced, too.

Latest launch by the City of Houston to combat traffic snarls.

This would have been handy last week when that load of concrete shut down the West loop.

For details, see press release: http://www.houstontx.gov/mayor/press/20070705.html

Are there any paper recylcing bins around the Heights? They had them in quite a few places in spring branch but I can't seem to find any in the heights.

If I have too much for my bin, I got to the City recycling center on Harvard, by the RR tracks just north of Center. You can also recycle glass there which you cannot do at curbside.

the old texas commerce does KNA chase tower

Yeah, "Sky Lobby" as it's called is pretty cool. Member "Montrose1100" posted some great pics taken there back in January. (See http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...?showtopic=9270)

what?!?!?! oh man that sucks. that corner is going to look diff w/o kaplans there....

It's going to look and feel really different if they put a huge apartment complex there.

Looks like they're getting closer to completion than I realized. All the old classrooms have brand new drop ceilings. The newly repointed and cleaned brick on the exterior of the old building looks great.

Update: The building is almost completely torn down as of yesterday.

Looks like it's going to be rental apartments

*Fence is up around the building, and there's a sign for a demo company tacked to it

*Martin Kaplan sold the property to Retreat at the Heights, LTD last year

*Retreat at the Heights registered agent is Tim L. Myers, managing partner of Allied Realty Services http://www.alliedrealty.com/

Anybody have any other skinny on this?

Sold out!

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories...tml?jst=b_ln_hl