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Has anyone else noticed the steep rise in gentrification taking place in suburban areas for the last decade or so? What do you think is an effective and plausible solution to this epidemic of rising affluence and real estate prices?

Thought this was an interesting article about the state of Property Developers. This is by a newspaper I always think are pretty reliable, The Guardian. In this article, the writer discusses the state of Property Developers in our cities. Are they exploiting them? While this centers more on the vastly changing landscape of London, which is in a similar building boom as Houston, though I would argue is a bit more sophisticated, it none-the-less affects all of us especially here in Houston where developers are king not only in the real estate sector, but in designing our buildings as well. Hope y'all enjoy it. http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/sep/17/truth-property-developers-builders-exploit-planning-cities

HI Everyone - Not sure if anyone would be interested, but I've started taking pictures of abandoned places in Houston. Feel free to check out the page and the Instagram - for more info on why I started the project! Please let me know if any of you know any cool places to photograph or viable sources that could help. Cheers! Page: http://facebook.com/abndtx Instagram: http://instagram.com/abndtx

Press release: Enterprise Products Company Affiliate Agrees to Acquire Shell Plaza from Hines Affiliate HOUSTON, Jul 10, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Hines, the international real estate firm, and privately held Enterprise Products Company (EPCO) announced today that their respective affiliates have executed definitive agreements whereby an affiliate of EPCO would acquire Shell Plaza in downtown Houston from the Hines U.S. Core Office Fund. Shell Plaza, which consists of two buildings, One Shell Plaza and Two Shell Plaza, is a 1.8 million-square-foot office complex located in the heart of Houston's Central Business District. Completed in 1970, Shell Plaza was developed by Hines and designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Shell Plaza is the North American headquarters of Shell Oil Company and the law firm Baker Botts LLP. "We are pleased to be selected as the winning bidder to acquire Shell Plaza," said Richard H. Bachmann, president and CEO of EPCO. "Shell Plaza is a trophy, Class A office property with a premier location in Houston's Central Business District. This long-term investment reflects our confidence in Houston, its strong and diverse economy, as well as its role in global commerce and its attractive environment for business development." "Hines has had a long successful history as an owner of Shell Plaza, and we are honored to have had such a strong relationship with one of Houston's most important corporate citizens, Shell Oil Company. Since the Hines U.S. Core Office Fund and our partners acquired Shell Plaza in 2004, it has been a great investment, and we are pleased that an outstanding Houston company will be the new owner," said Charles Hazen, CEO, Hines U.S. Core Office Fund. Completion of the transaction is subject to customary due diligence and is expected to close in August 2012. Hines will continue to manage and lease Shell Plaza subsequent to the completion of the transaction. Hines is a privately owned real estate firm involved in real estate investment, development and property management worldwide. The Hines portfolio of projects completed, underway, acquired and managed for third parties includes 1,192 properties representing more than 482 million square feet of office, mixed-use, industrial, hotel, medical, sports facilities and residential properties, as well as large, master-planned communities and land developments. Currently, Hines manages more than 135 million square feet of space across the globe, of which 11 million square feet is in Houston alone. Other office buildings Hines owns and/or manages in downtown Houston include: 717 Texas, JPMorgan Chase Tower, 601 Travis, 1100 Louisiana and BG Group Place. With offices in 110 cities in 18 countries, and controlled assets valued at approximately $22.9 billion, Hines is one of the largest real estate organizations in the world. Access www.hines.com for more information. Formed in 1968, privately held Enterprise Products Company is headquartered in Houston, Texas. EPCO and its affiliates own significant equity interests in Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as well as real estate holdings in the Houston area, including the 1100 Louisiana office complex in downtown Houston.

I'm tired & it's time to let my 1940 cape cod original in Lawndale/Wayside area benefit from a new owner to carry it forward in the historic East End's future. See Classified. Thanks much for any interest.