Porchman

HBJ's Allison Wollam reports

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From the Chron: Dr. Feigin made city a major player in pediatric medicine

Mrs. Porchman frequently commented on how remarkably energetic and very kind Dr. Feigin was. She loved his brown bag sessions when he was President at BCM.

Last night we were out walking in the neighborhood and the gates were open. One of the staff came out and we chatted. He said that they're going to have the gates open from after school until sunset and the track would be available.

From the HHA Newsletter:

Of course, within five minutes some thugs were on the track with bikes and a lady was walking her dog on the field. Odds are that this will be a short-lived experiment, so use it while you can.

From Today's Chron Real Estate section...

Oh, I get it. He's Tim X!

More news on the stadium...Glad to see the Dynamo stay; hopefully the deal won't slow negotiations to build a new home.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headli...ts/5854535.html

Baby steps, perhaps....

From the HBJ City to oversee huge sports multi-use complex

Question for those who opposed the midrise on Yale at 22nd....If this were proposed as a midrise (no more than 6 stories), would that offend you, too? Just curious.

My concern would be the same, Red. Retreat at the Heights is an improvement to Yale, no doubt. However, it's not an improvement to the neighborhood on W. 22. I would argue that this is not only because of scale, but also due to the fact that there is no "breathe" space. It comes right up to the street and the property to the West. ( See the Google image of the Retreat construction site.) It's also all parking on the lower level. While a building like the one being discussed here might go on White Oak, it would not be kind to the neighbors on Oxford as such a devlopment would have to use this small footprint very efficiently.

I think the thing about the areas of 19th st to 24th and Yale or so already have the assisted living/hospitals/hospices/office buildings which are multi-floor buildings

True. However, per my observation above, they have space around them. These buildings have frontage and are not parked on top of the nearby residents. I never get the feeling these buildings encroach upon the neighborhoods around them thet much (not even Heights Tower which takes ugliness to a bold, new level).

...if something large is intended for that area, I think you'll see Ashby High Rise related issues pop up all over again. I can't ever imagine something like that coming to the area, unless it was on the periphery along I-10 or 45. If it does, I'll be one of the first to picket.

Let's get the yard signs and bumperstickers ready "StopRizkyBusiness.org"

This is what was said when Levcor acquired the property last year.

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive....id=2007_4436973

"Larry Levine, Levcor's president, said he will upgrade the mall and possibly add hotel and residential components."

The roof collapsed this morning. Channel 13 is reporting that demo crews are prepping to take the rest of it down tonight.

Thank you for the suggestions. In my haste to run off to a meeting tonight, I failed to mention one other factor: The firm and the whoop are in DC. Saint Arnold's is probably out. However, I discover Shiner has distribution out of Southern MD, and is apparently widely available in our nations capital.

My query also turned up this amusing blog which includes a rant about a vegan joint that serves Shiner on tap. The Lewis-Black-meets-Marvin-the-Martian rant on "Why I hate DC" also has some other amusing comments.

Now that I have your attention...

Mrs. Porchman is planning a whoop for her firm this summer. She wants to know what a "crowd-pleasing" beer would be. Price would be part of the issue.

I stock Dos Equis for our parties, because I have found that it's the one beer that seems to please everybody, and I don't like stocking a bunch Bud, Coors, Leiny's, funky euro-beers, etc. that we're not going to drink. I know it's pricier, but it comes down to a management issue

Your thoughts/recommendations? Mrs. P. thanks you!

Good pics, wernicke! I went through there yesterday. Impressive! I particularly noted:

• Memorial Hermman's new pavillion. I didn't realize, from the renderings I had seen, that the first level was open to a courtyard between it and the original building.
  
• The Methodist Outpatient Center (pictured). I think they need this. My doc is in Smith Tower (Scurlock? - Oh, hell, I know which garage to park in and how to get in from there). Anyway, there seems to be a real need for space throughout Methodist's professional buildings now. This mega-complex should help.
  
• MD Anderson's expansion south of OST. Some nifty stuff going in down there.
  
• The Bertner extension across the Bayou. Now that makes sense!
  

Looks like Pot Belly's out, Arby's in.

Yuck.

Yuck? Yay! Potbelly's is good, but I like Arby's, too - sometimes for the classic (albeit over-cooked, and over-processed) roast beef, sometimes for the market fresh sandwiches like the pecan chicken. Although, I could also make a meal out of curly fries and a jamocha shake. Carbs! Damn, I'm hungry now.

Thanks for all the leads.

Does anyone know about church operated Pre-K/DayCare programmes near TMC ?

St. Stephen's Episcopal School @ Woodhead and W. Alabama

It's a Montessori School, serving students 18 months through 18 years of age. They have two-day and three-day programs. The 2008-2009 tuition schedule and program information is in on their site.

a friend of mine is a mgr there. she sent me this.

When M'kubwa (Mak) our old gorilla died, it was decided that we would not get more until we had the best facility possible. When our new African exhibit is complete (year 200?) we will get troops of both gorillas and chimpanzees. We will then have 3 of the great apes at the Houston Zoo

Are the students barefoot and eating corn pone for lunch once they get inside?

We all go barefoot and eat corn pone in the Heights. We're just keeping it real.

I guess I shouldn't be all that surprised about a developer from the Middle East wanting to build on Post Oak. Last time I was in the Galleria you couldn't swing a hookah without clanging into an Emirates ad. They should rename it Emirates Mall or West Dubai Mall or something.

Yeah, then they'd have ads with the slogan "What do you buy at West Dubai?" (gag). They could just rename the whole district the "Uptown Area of Enterprise" or "UAE".

Wasn't there a rumor awhile back about Dubai business men wanting to invest in a project in Houston? Maybe this could be related to that? You know how they like to do in Dubai....tall!

Oh yeah, and he said it could be larger than the Oaks District project, if so, then I hope the site is either where the Old Navy is, or the strip center where Linens & Things is. Like someone else said, Uptown doesn't really need strip centers anymore.

HBJ is reporting that Dubai-based Deyaar Devlopment has acquired property for development at Post Oak and Richmond. It is 6 acres of the 9.4 that Boymelgreen purchased last year. They're not giving much deatil at this time.

I've been in this house. It's really fantastic. I want a loggia in my house.

mkultra25: Maybe Peggy McGee can work a deal for you. Can you come up with 8.1?

You've mentioned the Yale reconstruction a couple of times. What are they planning? I would assume a Studewood style redo? Hopefully, without the mid-project delay? Do you know a timeframe?

It was mentioned last night that it's been pushed up to next year. Yes. it's my understaing that it's the whole thing - utilities, pavement, etc. I vaguely recall someone mentioning that COH would be overseeing this project, where TXDOT was in charge of Studewood.

Thanks for the update, Porchman. I'm not too upset at no first floor retail. Putting a happy face on Kroger Plaza would be a MUCH more impressive feat. "Mixed use" is becoming an extraordinarily overused term anyway. There is retail on either side and across the street, as well as up and down 19th and 20th. The Republic will survive without it.

Agreed. It also minimizes the impact on the residences in that area. I think Allied eschews managing anything other than residential. Probably a smart business plan.

I like the brick on the bottom, neither impressed nor disgusted with the top. Isn't that pretty much what happens with passe architecture? Overall, I am glad to see the new blood coming to Yale. As I have stated before, Yale is exactly the street this type of development should occur on. Who knows, a $30 million shot to 22nd Street could boost interest in 23rd through 28th. How's that for a "half full" statement?

It will be interesting to see how much of an impact it will have. The pending reconstruction of Yale could delay any positive effects, however.

BTW, what was your impression, having been there and seen and listened to the presentation?

I really don't do impressions except for maybe Ethel Merman.

Anyhoo, the Allied Realty folk gave solid answers to a barrage of questions. Some of the answers were not what some people wanted to hear. There is solid concern from those living near the project - the impact of construction being paramount right now. There was general concern over long-term impact issues like traffic. They got light applause at the end for braving the quick-fire queries. It was a fairly moderate turnout. No big harangue.

Here it is...or atleast mostly...the big Y thang is apparently not going to be part of the design.

Project specs:

-$30M project

-Rendering lies - no retail on first level. Apparently they've talked to Weingarten about making the Kroger plaza a happier place to be. Although, Weingarten is pretty tied up right now .

-195 units - half 1 BR, Half 2 BR; 1.88 parking places per unit. Interesting point: They have created a 2-level parking garage (at least one level below grade). They made each level acessible from a different street - one Level from 21st and one level from 22nd. This should help abate a concentration of traffic.

-Average monthly rent $1500. Residents are puportedly expected to earn 3x rent (54K).

-They say there is primo deposit for doggies and kitties. They have a pet walking area. (Walking a cat doesn't work, trust me).

-Outdoor pool and fitness room.

-No clear answer on what's going to happen with the remaining retail property, which purportedly tied up in probate. Allied (the developer) has no control over this.

-Another developer is going to put 4 townhomes on the lot west of Long John Silvers, which is currently being currently being used as the construction lot. They're targeting the fried fish lovers market .

-As shown in the rendering, brick on the bottom, metal on the top.

-Issues raised:

• Metal on the top. Issue raised: Is the loft look passe?
  
• Traffic: No turn lanes on Yale to serve Northbound traffic. Yale is about to get torn up, now what?
  
• How ya gonna get the water out the garage? Answer: Sump pumps that feed into the storm sewer. 2nd question: How ya gonna deal with the over-taxed storm sewer? Not a problem...because the City of Houston says so.
  
• Make your construction people respect the 'hood. Answer: we'll work on it. Let us know.
  

Much thanks to the HHA Land Use Committee Chair for getting them to come speak with us.

Oh, someone might as well add this to the "Going Up" wiki.

A representative from Allied Realty / Allied Construction will be making a presentation to the HHA Land Use Committee this evening regarding this project. All those interested are encouraged to attend.

• 6:30 PM, Heights Fire Station @ 12th and Yale.
  

Cool pic. You captured the confluence of Buffalo and White Oak very well.

They have a Quizno's over there now?! If I was still working over in that area, I would be a much larger person (Mesquite Chicken with Bacon becoming my lunch standard).

They've started on the back. There's video on Channel 2's main page.

http://www.click2houston.com/index.html