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Porchman

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Everything posted by Porchman

  1. Porchman
    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.
  2. Porchman
    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.
  3. Porchman
    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).
  4. Porchman
    They've started on the back. There's video on Channel 2's main page. http://www.click2houston.com/index.html
  5. Porchman
    Channel 13 is reporting that the bulldozers move in Tuesday. http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=...&id=5632401
  6. Porchman
    They're putting the final touches on. It really looks great. Along Arlington East Wing (Rain has held up the landscaping) Parking ramp entry from W. 14th "Don't Mess with the Heights"
  7. Porchman
    Metro Retro / Mid Century Modern http://www.metroretrofurniture.com/ could be a good resource for you going forward. They have a warehouse in Pasadena and a store on Washington near the Dark Horse Tavern.
  8. Porchman
    Article from the Chron today with some neat pics. Glad to see it moving forward. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/hei...ws/5085023.html A newer rendering was included with the hard copy of the article. I'll see if I can get posted later.
  9. Porchman
    There is potential for a buffer. But they will need to use a substantial part of the parking area to the west in order to fit almost 50 units per floor. Well, that's true, and they're doing that, as well. What I was inidcating is that homes which would not have fit the economic model of maxing the land have found new life on smaller, tighter lots, instead of simply being torn down to make way for newer and bigger or, as you point out, newer and more plentiful. Even with the ordinances (and pending clarifications), much can still (and will) be torn down. So an economically viable alternative can be generated for preservation by allowing lot adjustments.
  10. Porchman
    I agree. However, the only problem here is striking the balance. This is a 5.5 story building backing up to single-family neighborhood with well-maintained homes. Porchman is reserving judgement. He would like to see renderings and a plat. This is one issue with which I struggle. I've seen how more dense use of land has offered opportunity for restoration of some of the older homes in the Heights (eg. the Bungalow Revival homes on W14). With the highly appreciated land value of the area, this is a way to counter the tear-it-down-and-build-something-giant craze. They purportedly do not have renderings. They did this project in Denver. http://www.bygroup.com/Gallery/allied.html. I would not be surprised if there was some resemblance in the Retreat project. Not sure which old building you mean. They've stripped the whole property - 21st to 22nd. There is no retail planned for the building. The lower level is parking structure.
  11. Porchman
    I previously posted a query about this on the Kaplan's Ben Hur thread when I saw that the old building was being demo'd. A representative of Allied Realty Services has reported the following to the Houston Heights Association Land Use Chair: 195 apartments. (on two acres) 4 stories of apartments, 1-1/2 stories of parking underneath No renderings available at this time. They may make a presentation to the Land Use Committee in October. Allied is working with the association of homeowners who are on the north side of W 22nd
  12. Porchman
    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.
  13. Porchman
    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.
  14. Porchman
    It's going to look and feel really different if they put a huge apartment complex there.
  15. Porchman
    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.
  16. Porchman
    Update: The building is almost completely torn down as of yesterday.
  17. Porchman
    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?
  18. Porchman
    The Family Law Center not an aesthetic masterpiece, certainly. The big problem for the County, though, was cost. It was going to cost almost as much to rehab the Family Law Center as it would to replace it. The major problem is that the whole thing is built of poured concrete (interior walls included). Per Houstonian in Iraq's observation, I think the plan is to have the new federal courthouse over by the other federal buildings near 2 Houston Center. However, the buzz on this is a bit old. I believe GSA is budgeting site and design for Houston in FY 2009. There was an old thread on this. Has anybody heard anything else on this lately?
  19. Porchman
    The original projections were for this summer. Not sure if this is on schedule. I believe that's a new track and field space on the east side of the school. Here are some info links, but there's no current progress report on either one. http://hs.houstonisd.org/ReaganHS/Info/Renovation.htm http://www.houstonisd.org/portal/site/bond...00028147fa6RCRD
  20. Porchman
    I think lighting the the tops of DT's buildings would be best - not just with little the little twinkle lights or neon, but in ways that accent the architecture in a tasteful manor. Of course, the effect would diminished on a muggy, hazy night. Hmm... ...And in the field of image-conscious cities, here's what Cleveland has done...
  21. Porchman
    The head of PR/Development at Bufalo Bayou Partnership told me several weeks ago that they are moving ahead with the project. Level 1: Canoe rental. Level 2: Partnership offices (currently housed on Vine Street). Level 3 and Roof: Event space. I'm looking forward to seeing it.
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