GerryM

Looks like some of the empty space west of the park will be filled in soon. http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/22649-more-coming-to-midtown/?p=450930

I've owned a condo directly across from Baldwin Park for almost eight years (an older landmark property that was gutted and renovated in 1999). We're definitely in the middle of a city, so there have been occasional incidents of property theft. There are also some homeless people and other non-residents who go to the park or transit through the area. All that being said, my wife and I enjoyed the park almost daily, traveled on foot and by bike regularly, and walked our dog in the immediate neighborhood at all hours of the day and night. I never felt threatened, though of course we exercised common sense vigilance. The park itself is well maintained and heavily used by residents, families with kids, dog walkers and others. The neighborhood has noticeably filled out and improved since I moved in, with a generally better grade of construction quality in more recent years (if still a bit cookie cutter in appearance). Dining and entertainment options are a little bit more of a walk, but a short bike or car ride away. We recently moved out of the area for reasons unrelated to the neighborhood, but we loved our time there. We still own the condo and will likely move back in when our situation brings us back to Houston.

An earlier post in this thread included a link to the architectural renderings. The link didn't work any more, but here's an updated one… http://www.theldnet.com/details.php?project=HCC%20Central

The old HCC building at the corner of Holman and San Jacinto has been demolished, so this project is definitely progressing. The campus already looks tremendously better now that the plaza has an opening to the sky, with sight lines to the main buildings cleared aside from the graceful, mature oaks lining Holman.

Construction of the Magnificat building is progressing nicely. Windows are in, exterior cladding is going up.

My wife and I biked past the Armory this weekend, and its rehab shows some good progress. The windows along the southeast corner are already repaired, and scaffolding has gone up on that part of the building.

Notice in photo 2 -- there's a porta-potty stationed by the open side door on the right, the chain link gate is open and several of the window boards and balcony doors had been opened, presumably to let in light and air. In photo 1, the front door is open as well. There were a few workers walking around, though they weren't wearing hardhats and it wasn't obvious what they were doing.

Location: 3816 Caroline, Houston Houston Light Guard Armory & Club Designed by noted Houston architect Alfred C. Finn, the armory was constructed in 1925 to replace an 1892 building that had become obsolute. Finn detailed the building to suggest a late renaissance period neo-gothic English masonry. The old Light Guard Armory building at 2816 Caroline (near Alabama, behind HCC) has been empty and slowly sagging into disrepair for years, but now it's in the process of being rehabbed to house the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum. Work has already started!

The mango gelato was excellent. The soy latte was good, too.