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bobruss

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Everything posted by bobruss

  1. bobruss
    That doesn't look deep enough to be a pool. Looks more like a drain for landscape drainage, or perhaps a fountain.
  2. bobruss
    Auberge Hotels, is getting ready to break ground on their 30 story residential tower and hotel in the RO on the corner of Buffalo Speedway and West Alabama. This will be a major addition to Houston's hotel inventory. Auberge is owned by the Freidkin Group out of Houston. They have luxury hotels around the world. I'm sure Monarch is familiar with this group. They have the Commodore Perry in Austin, a beautiful estate on a ten acre cite just north of UT, on Red River. They also own the Bowie, in Ft Worth, across from The Kimbell, and The Modern on Camp Bowie. They are also building a Hotel on Turtle Creek in Dallas. They own Gulf States Toyota, the production company that produced, "Killers of the Flower Moon". They also own Italian football team Roma. This will be a major get for Houston. My son works for Auberge in Austin as the GM of their restaurant. It's an amazing property, if I do say so myself. Having stayed there recently, I highly recommend the Perry.
  3. bobruss
    How times have changed in Riverside Terrace. Average home prices are over $500K and many are selling for over a million now. I'm happy to report that work has resumed on the Weingartens mansion. They took the brick off and are replacing with stone. It's going to be an amazing residence on one of the most incredible 5 acre properties in Houston. For anyone curious this is just a couple of blocks east of Scott. And how many neighborhoods are home to a pair of Bald Eagles. They live in Parkwood in a small but incredibly beautiful park of the same name. If you drive down South MacGregor towards Scott you can often see them up in a tall pine tree just across from the bayou where the corten pedestrian bridge crosses Brays. In The west end of the big white house garage at Rio Vista for anyone interested.
  4. bobruss
    Glad to see this moving forward. This will be a nice addition to the neighborhood.
  5. bobruss
  6. bobruss
    While this is disappointing, Rice is still going forward on a new master plan for the village and their western campus and stadium.
  7. bobruss
    I believe I brought this up last May and no one believed that there was something askew.
  8. bobruss
    There is a new master plan being developed by a major Houston firm for Rice University's property in the Village. It's all in the early planning stages and it will be a Rice Village Game Changer for sure. Thats all I can say.
  9. bobruss
    I'm curious how this ended up in Going Up, instead of Points North where all of the other stories about projects in the Woodlands are located.
  10. bobruss
    That will be something to watch. I hope it works.
  11. bobruss
    Little known about this but saw a blurb about a new Texas AIDS Memorial park to be developed along the cap trail close to the Ardmore apartments and the Hearing institute.
  12. bobruss
    It also might be due to the weather yesterday. I know in the past these fountains have been closed down when the wind is forecast to be blowing hard from the north. When the fountains originally opened and water rained down on workers walking from their offices when the winds were heavy people were complaining and the city shut them down for a while. It causes the water to completely soak people walking on the sidewalk. The difference with the incredible fountains in Las Vegas, and Dubai, is that they are out in the middle of a very large body of water, far enough away from the crowds to not be a nuisance or a reason to detour. People go to see them as a tourist entertainment attraction and not a main thoroughfare for pedestrians.
  13. bobruss
    The park is in disrepair and needs a lot of loving care. It's been neglected for a long time. It was originally donated to the city of Houston in the 1930's. It actually went across MLK where U of Houston now has a med school. U of Houston eventually bought the land on the east side of MLK. At the time of its dedication to the city, land along Brays Bayou to Scott was donated by MacGregor's wife for additional natural greenspace. The plan was to connect Hermann Park and MacGregor park with a natural park like string of pearls. This is when Riverside Terrace, west of MacGregor park was starting to be developed along Brays Bayou It started closer to Almeda before 288 was built on the North side and worked its way down to Calhoun. This was to become the River Oaks for the Jewish community who had been banned from River Oaks. Families like the Weingartens, the Sakowitz, the Fingers, and Battlesteins to name a few. Our home was built in 1949. So originally this was a Jewish neighborhood until the mid 60's. So I don't fully understand the complete cultural bias since she fails to remember that it wasn't always a black neighborhood. I fully appreciate her concern for removing the things that brought joy and history to her memories in the park, but to neglect to remember that this has had at least two different chapters of its story, is not fair either. Regardless and in reading about the plans it sounds to me like they will be improving the area around the MLK Statue and creating a plaza. They will be renovating the original gymnasium and swimming pool. They will be improving the children's playground which is in disrepair, and they will be improving the perimeter trail and connecting it to the Brays bayou hike and bike trail. They will also be adding an amphitheater near the bayou for concerts, and improving the tennis facilities. So I really don't understand her fears. Unfortunately what this doesn't address are the people who come over on Sunday afternoons into the evenings and drive through the grassy areas and dig trenches in the grounds or people who dump their unwanted belongings in the trash dumpsters in the park. So along with these improvements, what really needs to happen is for people to be a little more respectful for this cherished park and treat it with respect. It has nothing to do with gentrification. The area across OST has been rundown vacant lots, poorly kept business fronts or empty buildings. There are four small scale townhouse projects built on OST and thats it. Everything else is the same as its been for the last ten years. Start turning some dirt!
  14. bobruss
    Can someone refresh my memory on what the cladding will be on these buildings.
  15. bobruss
    Monarch, For a city that has nothing going for it😜, like Dallas and Austin, we sure seem to get our share of World Series, NFL Super Bowls, Mens college Final Fours, World cup games, and now College football playoff championships. I guess we need to work a little harder and then we might get a few more opportunities. Oh, and did I see where they are planning a St. Regis residence tower off Memorial Drive on the Welling property.
  16. bobruss
    This is great news for our neighborhood and a much needed revitalization of a historic Houston park. I was beginning to think that this was getting shelved since we first heard about the meter plan in 2021. I applaud the Kinder Foundation for their continued support in making Houston a much more livable city. I also want to remind Bike riders who frequent the Brays trail to keep a look out for the pair of Bald Eagles who nest in Parkwood and can be seen high up in the pine trees close to Rio Vista street on the south side of the bayou where the corten steel pedestrian bridge crosses Brays Bayou just west of Scott. It's an amazing sight and pretty special to have a pair of Bald Eagles living in broad daylight inside the loop on s. Macgregor.
  17. bobruss
    I'm curious how Dallas got 4 million dollars and Houston $320,000.
  18. bobruss
    How is their leasing going? Have they had any other companies join the roster. I haven't heard anything about any additions. It will take that building filling before they decide to add another I believe.. or a large firm wanting their own facilities. Any word on anything exciting coming up?
  19. bobruss
    To add to the discussion concerning Urban Planners, I would like to suggest that all watch a spectacular series running on Apple TV called HOME. This is probably one of the most refreshing well produced narrated and beautifully filmed television shows/documentary series I have ever watched. Regardless if you are an architect, planner or just one who appreciates good architecture this show has it all. There is nothing commercial about the production and it features real people predominantly architects and their search for serenity, beauty , and a relationship to earth and fellow man. The episode that really hits on this urban planning theme is the Chicago episode featuring Theaster Gates, my new hero. Not only is he a world class artist, but what he has accomplished in South Chicago is astonishing. If you thought what Rick Lowe has done with the Row Houses, in the Third ward, was great, you will be blown away by Theaster , and this all while he has created some of the most important art of the 21st century. I saw him perform at the Menil a couple of years ago with a jazz group at his exhibition. The man is a genius. He lets his actions speak for themselves. I have watched many of the episodes, and they range from homes in France, Bali, Hong Kong, Malibu and Austin to name a few. I can guarantee that anyone who watches one will watch all the rest. I only hope this piques the interest of a few architects and planners to watch, and to think about what they do and how remarkable things can be if you have your heart in it. This is my Christmas gift to all HAIFers!
  20. bobruss
    Looks like six.
  21. bobruss
    Lets see how those towers in Austin when you'll be able to see right through them in the since most will be vacant and at night you wont even know some of them are there because there will be nobody in them for a while. Real estate in Austin is stagnant right now. Home prices are down considerably. I spoke with a good friend who has worked in commercial real estate there since 1995 and he said it is extremely slow and doesnt have a clue what's going to happen with all of the empty space. So it's really not any different there than here. WE will always be the leader in this state for the arts. When we lived in Austin in the 90's if it hadn't been for the Ransom center and the art museum on campus Austin would not have had a true art museum. They didnt have an opera, a ballet, or an orchestra. Live theater was the comedy club down on 6th street a friend of mine from Houston started. So they're Johnny come lately's in my books. It is an impressive skyline I'll grant you that, but they have no choice but to bundle it all downtown in a tight little central center because there is no place else to build. Put downtown , the uptown galleria, the med center, greenway plaza and the energy corridor in that same area and think how impressive our downtown would look. I'll take Houston over Dallas and Austin anyway.
  22. bobruss
    When does the library open?
  23. bobruss
    I might have missed it, but have they given a date for the Ismali center's opening. I imagine the interior work is going to take awhile considering the craftsmanship and attention to detail in some of the other centers. Also, is that going to be a glass curtain wall of some sort facing West Dallas, that's being constructed now. Truly remarkable, and to think we are the first in America. This will become a huge tourist draw from all over the states and abroad. MONARCH, this is one thing that austin and dallas won't have. Ever!
  24. bobruss
    Those are some stunning photgraphs. Beautiful images of the most elegant building in downtown. Thanks JERMH!
  25. bobruss
    That's a great idea!
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