fwki

...as does (I think) Dragon Bowl on 11th.

and don't forget Kroger....heck, I think the Conoco serves sushi now ever since the WHCA wrote it into the deed restrictions as "compulsory fare" along with the no new garage apartments clause.

Compared to the cost of the property and rebuilding, the tank removal or abandonment is cheap - about $5,000-$10,000 per location. Since 1998 all tanks in use had to meet modern standards which is why we saw many old stations close in the early 90's. No doubt the purchaser did his enviromental due-diligence in any case. However, these guys didn't lift a brick for two years after purchase of the D'Amicos tract, so don't expect any action soon.

City records show transactions for two properties closed on April 11, 2012 from Burroughs Trust to 602 STWD LP (GP being NAV-Retail, LLC). The Conoco tract is 18,237 SF and the Ready Room tract is 9,768 both classified as commercial real estate. That is a nice chunk of land.

The property falls under the original Norhill Addition deed restrictions, but it is one of the originally designated commercial lots in Norhill Addition wherein the residential limitations did not apply. I do not know what commercial deed restrictions exist, if any, so a nice tall tower would really spark the forum!

I saw that Venture Commercial and Bryan Danna posted their real estate sign in front of the Conoco. These are the same developers of the former Burroughs property on the north side of White Oak (D'Amicos etc). HCAD Tax records still show the Burroughs trust as owners, but that data base is not current. Anybody hear anything about the site being in play?

A cunning plan, no doubt. Using the 11th, which serves as the demarcation between the Forbidden Zone and the Deeded South, will allow transit to go unnoticed until engaging the Germantown defenses at the weakest point. Their only retreat will be via the Quitman aqueduct into the hinterlands of the Fifth Ward. However, can you count on the Woodland Heights Reichstag to remain neutral? After all, they are ancestral brothers, and Germantown is actively being courted to join the Axis of Preservation and Self Righteousness. Such a move would curry favor with the High Priestess of Regulatory Land, and when the fog of war clears you may find her wantonly gazing eastward. And then your only defense will be the Wal-mart Castle and its ramparts of non-conformity.

We're scheduled to invade next week. Actually the Wal-Mart is just a ruse by us Timbergrovers to block-bust the Heights and expand eastward.

Since this thread is about stereotypes, I wouldn't worry too much about the bayou-sipping, tree-dwellers in Timbergrove on the west, not with Germantown poised for attack on the east. They never got over the I-45 thing imposed by the DoT Treaty of Austin.

There is almost nothing negative at all about this development, whichas far as I can tell is why the primary opponents have had to turn magnifying glasses and complaints onto a bridge which has always been there.

I have to agree, 74 pages of posts that amount to nothing, although I do appreciate the progress reports and photos since I have used alternate routes during construction. We used to call that neighborhood west of the steel mill Crackton. That mill made many of the bridge super structures around Houston until it got hemmed-in and couldn't easily transport the wide and tall loads to job sites. And Crackton made many of the crimes in the Heights. But here I go again waxing on about the good ole days.....

...If the City can't get squat with 6 mil what in the world are a bunch of residents supposed to be able to get?

Heights-Norhill Little League sponsors, that's what. You don't hate kids too, right?

Edit: And jobs! Got two teenagers who need gas money.

Awesome! More potential Little League sponsors are always welcome in our neighborhood! Many of our kids cannot readily afford the fees, but our HNLL policy is to accept all neighborhood youngsters, so sponsorships from individuals and businesses are an important part of a maintaining a first class organization. We can be proud of our Olympians every four years, and many of those champions started out in neighborhood sports leagues. More importantly kids "at risk" respond well to healthy activity and team sports and all kids respond well to the fun, new friends and role models. The future is determined by our kids, so if you really care about this neighborhood, put down your Walmart placards and spend time where it counts by sponsoring or volunteering at our local schools and kids' organizations. Sorry about the hijack Mr. Editor, but thanks for the link and the heads-up, my introductory letters will go out soon.

LINK:

How to Celebrate Arbor Day

On the last Friday in April, go to Walmart and get you some trees, start digging.

Our timeline is the only one we know (at least for now). Unless he's got some way to travel to other timelines.

We must find the portals to alternate realities. Obviously some of our members spend time there and must know the locations.

This is great one from June 28th. I like the additional comments also.

http://swamplot.com/comment-of-the-day-choosing-which-history-to-preserve/2012-06-28/#comments

After consulting the Urban Dictionary and my few female friends, I have to agree.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jorts

Ha! You mean the Lance Armstrong costumes I see all these bikers wearing?

Yeah, it kinda freaks me out on Sundays when they flock together like giant Mexican parrots on some SyFi B movie....thought I was having a flashback last week. I just bought a bike though, but I don't have anything to wear besides jean shorts and a T, hopefully they won't swarm me and peck my eyes out like I'm from the wrong bird gang or something.

I own the gallery thats going into the building and I live within a half mile of the place. I used to hang out there too. Parking and noise are the reasons it can't be a bar/music venue any more but its not going to be a town home development and it will still be skater and bike friendly. Let me know if you have any questions and if I can answer them, I will be glad to.

Congratulations on your new venture! One question, will the bicyclers have to wear regular clothes or can they wear their costumes?

On HCAD, a sale closed 1/30/2012 to a neighbor one block up White Oak. I bet he is an art enthusiast.

Speaking of Heights "hip" I wonder how the vinyl shop and the stationary shop on White Oak are doing. I can't gaze on White Oak while driving anymore for fear of taking out a hipster, but I think they are still open for business.

Just so we don't get off topic, geese are to ducks and chickens as Walmart is to Mom and Pops.

Hyperbole or not, gazhomme hits at the heart of this Walmart unoccupy movement. Except for the educational discussions on real issues like architecture, traffic, progress or how the 380's work (or not work), I find most of it to be boring, duplicitous mudslinging. Viewing the Heights from my over-the-hill vantage point, one can almost guess the generation of posters. Easy credit led to the the housing bubble (really a lifestyle bubble) and now reality sets in. Imagine landing a jumbo loan out of college, leasing a fancy car, paying for organic arugula and eventually believing your own BS lifestyle without ever having to really earn it. Then one day you find yourself staring up at the hilltop of your life in the shadow of a mountain of debt, dysfunctional family and friends, and a nine-to-five you'll be lucky to have once you really need it. The whole cultural process impacted everyone, and the wound lies open right here in the Heights for everyone to see and discuss. But just like water seeks its own level, we will all end up in the same place: Walmart, incognito with a fancy house note or heads-up with a crappy paid-for historical. Then we die.

I can't wait till they open this thing up! ... the dog was $3,000 (but we tell everyone it's a rescue) ....

That says it all, been here 20 years and couldn't concisely verbalize what has changed in this neighborhood. Hey gazhomme, you going incognito or sending the nanny?

funny, i was just thinking this morning... that is going to be a nice looking building when complete. Its rare to see all brick sided construction on buildings this size these days.

True, but I have bad memories of four years in a snow-covered midwestern dormitory that was very similar. However, it is a huge improvement over the eyesore, contaminated lot.

I am no architect, but this building strikes me as ugly. Perhaps they will spruce it up with some gargoyles or something. In that one shot with the SFH....put bars on the windows and we have a psychiatric hospital right out of the sixties.

...I highly doubt the lights will function as described during normal use......

Ok, I just misunderstood DianeTX. I thought she was witnessing the intended business use in operation as opposed to a temporay operational test of its superfluous capability.

The are very bright, vivid colors that are quickly changing, flashing and chasing around the columns. If they just had one color or slowly morphed the colors it would look better. It just seemed to advertise "Party Here!". I see a lot of distracted drivers on Yale, Heights and I10.

This sign would qualify as an Attention-Getting Device under the City ordinance.