Porchman

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

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

Channel 13 is reporting that the bulldozers move in Tuesday.

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=...&id=5632401

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"

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.

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.

Looking at the maps off of Virtual Earth it looks like there would be minimal building backing up to the homes... Wouldn't be too hard to put in a "buffer"...

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.

how does this counter the tear-it down-and-build -something-giant craze? i can seeing them want to put multiple units on one lot instead.

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.

By fighting everything, even that development that would occur in non-residential areas, we signal that the Heights does not want prosperity, only the old, decaying structures symbolized by Skylane. We further signal that since we oppose even well thought out and appropriate development, developers should practice stealth development to evade the angry Heights mobs. The thoughtful and considerate developer will avoid the Heights, leaving the scorched earth group to put crap wherever they can sneak it in.

If this structure were proposed on Heights Boulevard, I would be inclined to agree with you. It is not. It is a proposal to build on the perimeter of the Heights, a scenario that you yourself said was acceptable...and I agree with you that it is, especially if the design compliments the vibrant 19th/20th Street commercial area. It certainly can't be any worse than the Kroger shopping center next door, a blight that we would all applaud removing.

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.

There are other threads that cover this in more detail, but two that bother me are the Lot Line ordinance...

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.

Some questions on this project, hopefully some can answer:

1. Anyone come accross any project renderings yet?

2. Is the building next to the old Ben-Hur site part of the project? It wouldn't break my heart to see those go.

Some retail facing Yale would be nice but I'm doubtful that will happen.

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.

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
  

...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.

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.

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?

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?

Good Afternoon All

hope your week goes well !

Just wondering if anyone has any insight on the completion date for this school ?

Also are there any plans for student parking lot ?

Next to the school will that be a field or parking lot ?

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

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...

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.