Urban Corridor Planning

[Vertigo58]

Enclosed are details (location, timings, parking information) for the Urban Corridor Planning community workshops.

If you plan on making it to any of the meetings, please drop us a line at urban.corridor.planning@cityofhouston.net. Please indicate all events you are attending.

Urban Corridor Planning will change how the City regulates development and designs its streets and other infrastructure along METRO's light rail and guided rapid transit corridors: Main Street, Uptown, East End, North, Southeast and University.

Your input will help determine the plans and policies that will create a quality urban environment in your area. We hope you can join us for the kick-off workshop for all six corridors on Saturday, April 14, 2007 (details below). Come and discuss general guidelines that may be applicable to all six corridors.

Each corridor workshop will run for two consecutive days and is an interactive working session where participants will work in small groups to respond to questions and complete activities from the design team. On the first day, join us to discuss some of the key opportunities for change in the corridor. The second day builds on information gathered from the first day. Join us on the second day to discuss preliminary design ideas and concepts for your corridor. We hope you can join us for both days.

Both days of the workshop begin at 6:00 pm. If preferred, you can drop by either day between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm to speak to a member of the design team one-on-one.

For more about this initiative, go to www.houstonplanning.com and click on Urban Corridor Planning. Sign up to receive updates about schedules and locations. Email us at urban.corridor.planning@cityofhouston.net. Please include your name, address, phone number and email (required). Updates will only be posted online and sent via email.

Please note: Urban Corridor Planning will not affect METRO's decision on transit alignment. The University Corridor workshop will be held after METRO has selected the final alignment.

Kickoff (all 6 corridors): Saturday, April 14th

8:30 am to 12 pm

George R. Brown Convention Center

1001 Avenida de las Americas

Houston, TX 77010

The Convention Center is located in eastern downtown, near the intersection of Avenida De Las Americas and Dallas. Follow the signs to the correct room. Parking is available on area streets and in the parking garage just south of the Convention Center.

East End: Monday & Tuesday, April 16 & 17

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Marbella Banquet Hall

6632 Harrisburg Road

Houston, TX 77011

The Marbella Banquet Hall is located on Harrisburg near S. 66th Street. Parking is available on the area streets and behind the Banquet Hall.

North: Wednesday & Thursday, April 18 & 19

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Reid Memorial United Methodist Church

5203 Fulton St.

Houston, TX 77009

The church is located on Fulton, just north of Cavalcade, near the intersection of Fulton and English. Parking is available on the south side of the church as well as along area streets.

Southeast: Wednesday & Thursday, April 25 & 26

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Holman Street Baptist Church

3422 Holman Street. #B

Houston, TX 77004

The church is located near the University of Houston campus, just west of Scott Street, between Alabama and Elgin. Parking is available in the church parking lot and on area streets.

Main Street: Monday & Tuesday, April 30 & May 1

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Palmer Memorial Church

6221 Main Street

Houston, TX 77030

The church is located on Main Street between Sunset Blvd. and N. MacGregor Drive. Taking the Metro Light Rail is encouraged. Take the Hermann Park/Rice U stop. If driving, parking is available on Fannin, along Hermann Park, and in the Memorial Hermann Parking Garage, located at Main and N MacGregor.

Uptown: Wednesday & Thursday, May 2 & 3

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

The Pavilion at Post Oak

1800 Post Oak Blvd.

Houston, TX 77056

The Pavilion at Post Oak is located on Post Oak Blvd at the corner of Ambassador Way between San Felipe and Westheimer. Ample parking is available in front of the building. The meeting will be on the second floor of the Pavilion.

Presentation of Preliminary Findings (all 6 corridors), Wednesday, May 23

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

George R. Brown Convention Center

1001 Avenida de las Americas

Houston, TX 77010

The Convention Center is located in eastern downtown, near the intersection of Avenida De Las Americas and Dallas. Follow the signs to the correct room. Parking is available on area streets and in the parking garage just south of the Convention Center.

[Vertigo58]

UPDATE!

LOCATION: The Kick-off workshop will be held in Exhibit Hall B, George R. Brown Convention Center.

PARKING: Parking is available on area streets, at Hilton-Americas parking garage ($4 to $14), outdoor parking lots on either side of GRB ($7), and parking meters nearby.

We hope you can join us for the kick-off workshop for all six corridors on Saturday, April 14, 2007 (details below). Come and discuss general guidelines that may be applicable to all six corridors.

Kickoff (all 6 corridors)

Saturday, April 14th

8:30 am to 12 pm

George R. Brown Convention Center, Exhibit Hall B

1001 Avenida de las Americas

Houston, TX 77010

The Convention Center is located in eastern downtown, near the intersection of Avenida De Las Americas and Dallas.

REMINDER!

UPCOMING CORRIDOR WORKSHOPS

Each corridor workshop will run for two consecutive days and is an interactive working session where participants will work in small groups to respond to questions and complete activities from the design team. On the first day, join us to discuss some of the key opportunities for change in the corridor. The second day builds on information gathered from the first day. Join us on the second day to discuss preliminary design ideas and concepts for your corridor. We hope you can join us for both days.

Both days of the workshop begin at 6:00 pm. If preferred, you can drop by either day between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm to speak to a member of the design team one-on-one.

For more about this initiative, go to

www.houstonplanning.com and click on Urban Corridor Planning. Sign up to receive updates about schedules and locations. Email us at urban.corridor.planning@cityofhouston.net. Please include your name, address, phone number and email (required). Updates will only be posted online and sent via email.

Please note: Urban Corridor Planning will not affect METRO's decision on transit alignment. The University Corridor workshop will be held after METRO has selected the final alignment.

East End: Monday & Tuesday, April 16 & 17

6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Marbella Banquet Hall

6632 Harrisburg Road

Houston, TX 77011

The Marbella Banquet Hall is located on Harrisburg near S. 66th Street. Parking is available on the area streets and behind the Banquet Hall.

[musicman]

Eastend meeting turnout was horrible last night. i think 7 people total were providing comments and about 40 or so consultants were "capturing" our comments. i know my big comments were to maintain neighborhoods and provide some additional park space if at all possible.

[TheNiche]

Eastend meeting turnout was horrible last night. i think 7 people total were providing comments and about 40 or so consultants were "capturing" our comments.

Um, no. I was there. Although there were a lot of City staff and consultants there, your numbers are way off.

[musicman]

Um, no. I was there. Although there were a lot of City staff and consultants there, your numbers are way off.

that's what the planner's bf said at our table. he told us that his girlfriend (a planner) asked him to come to raise the numbers because of the poor turnout from saturday. i know at our table we had a metro consultant and 4 city planners and three citizen types. the citizens were definitely out numbered

[Vertigo58]

Um, no. I was there. Although there were a lot of City staff and consultants there, your numbers are way off.

I think Musicman meant turnout of the "town folk" from the neighboorhoods showing up at this event. I wanted to go tonight to see what it was all about. Can one of you provide some insite, was there a presentation or any positive hope for the area?

Did they state how many buildings will be raised and on what side of Harrisburg, etc.?

Thanks!

[musicman]

I think Musicman meant turnout of the "town folk" from the neighboorhoods showing up at this event. I wanted to go tonight to see what it was all about. Can one of you provide some insite, was there a presentation or any positive hope for the area?

Did they state how many buildings will be raised and on what side of Harrisburg, etc.?

Thanks!

tonight is part two where the comments from yesterday will be compiled. i think each group had similar ideas involving commercial development but one map i saw only preserved eastwood and all other neighborhoods were subj to bulldozing. two other maps definitely wanted all old neighborhoods preserved which was my preference as well. i personally only saw three maps after the meeting yesterday. each was a different groups wishes.

i think there is hope for the area but all questions involving the rail were not addressed. they wanted this to be strictly development related. remember this is about changing ordinances around here to hopefully provide things that are more pedestrian friendly. BUT since the parcels are individually owned, the city can't dictate what actually goes there.

one lady i sat with said this is kind of a feel good thing by the mayor and nothing more.

[TheNiche]

that's what the planner's bf said at our table. he told us that his girlfriend (a planner) asked him to come to raise the numbers because of the poor turnout from saturday. i know at our table we had a metro consultant and 4 city planners and three citizen types. the citizens were definitely out numbered

I won't argue with you that the constituents were outnumbered, but not by a margin of 7 to 40.

[TheNiche]

Did they state how many buildings will be raised and on what side of Harrisburg, etc.?

The presentation quality was pretty limited. The focus groups were definitely the dominant event. Nobody that I'd spoken with professed to have a very good sense of the extent of ROW takings or demolition, if necessary.

tonight is part two where the comments from yesterday will be compiled. i think each group had similar ideas involving commercial development but one map i saw only preserved eastwood and all other neighborhoods were subj to bulldozing. two other maps definitely wanted all old neighborhoods preserved which was my preference as well. i personally only saw three maps after the meeting yesterday. each was a different groups wishes.

I definitely got the sense that areas designated for preservation were basically limited to those areas that had a resident within one of the focus groups.

[musicman]

I won't argue with you that the constituents were outnumbered, but not by a margin of 7 to 40.

4 to 1 would be a good guesstimate IMO. i just hoped for way more participation.

for vertigo, i will agree with niche that they definitely wanted to avoid anything METRO related. i know one of the planners of my table said METRO wasn't in attendance, but then another citizen pointed out that a lady at our table was from METRO and another one was at the table with the eastwood/hcclub people.

[TheNiche]

4 to 1 would be a good guesstimate IMO. i just hoped for way more participation.

Still too high, IMO. ...but then I'm only counting planners as planners and constituents as everyone else (the lump sum of people who live, work, own, or have a very general stake in the East End).

[musicman]

Still too high, IMO. ...but then I'm only counting planners and planners and constituents as everyone else (the lump sum of people who live, work, own, or have a very general stake in the East End).

that's it then. i'm only counting people that don't have personal business stakes. none of the felix fraga/mary hansen types.

[Guest danax]

I definitely got the sense that areas designated for preservation were basically limited to those areas that had a resident within one of the focus groups.

There are usually the same 10-15 people who show up at all of the East End civic events, and the other few hundred thousand you'll never see, unless something is given away.

I wonder how the mayor reacts when they tell him that 10 people or whatever showed up and here's what they'd like to do.....can he sincerely consider these ideas as any way representative of the population when it's obvious it's just what the vocal minority wants? The City really has no way of ever knowing what the people want when no one participates.

[Vertigo58]

There are usually the same 10-15 people who show up at all of the East End civic events, and the other few hundred thousand you'll never see, unless something is given away.

I wonder how the mayor reacts when they tell him that 10 people or whatever showed up and here's what they'd like to do.....can he sincerely consider these ideas as any way representative of the population when it's obvious it's just what the vocal minority wants? The City really has no way of ever knowing what the people want when no one participates.

This is the crux of the problem and always has been in this area. Advertising this type of event in the right way.

The area historically is very low income, no home computers and limited means of getting knowledge of big moves like this. Add percentage of renters (whom are merely passing through) and this is the end result. The city movers & shakers says "well guess no one cares" lets do it! I know I would. Could we blame em?

The only solution is gathering a crowd move in numbers going door to door to alert! Just like anything else we would have to get people with time to spare to join in, maybe some $ and well see where this is going.

Lets just win the lottery so this will just be a faded memory.

[TheNiche]

The City really has no way of ever knowing what the people want when no one participates.

False. Instead of asking for people to show up somewhere (AND making the mistake of not advertising that there'll be free food, but providing it anyway), the City would have to go directly to the people if they wanted valid input. They would need to actively engage people, for instance by using telemarketers to conduct surveys, having booths set up at the entrance to grocery stores, and even having people go door to door. And everything they did would have to be bilingual. Many folks that don't speak very good English just don't show up because they don't think that they can be of much help or that the event will be of any help to them. It would be expensive. This is one reason I don't much care for attempts at planning. Input can either be sought by taking the opinion of the dozen loudest voices out of many tens of thousands (or more) or input can be sought by spending gobs of money. I'd much rather they seek input by rubber stamping building permits as the market demands them, and by making capital investments that make sense...it isn't as though it is incredibly difficult to figure out where they do and don't.

Anecdote: back when my family first moved to McAllen and I was in elementary school, for instance, the PTA meetings were conducted in Spanish, and someone had to sit in the back of the room with my mom and translate for her. They got pretty good turnout, but would never have gotten anything near that if they'd only conducted the meeting in English. The City isn't making any attempt to accomodate this kind of community, and the community that is plugged in enough to know that the event was even occuring probably understood that it 'wasn't for them'. Even still, most aren't plugged in.

[Guest danax]

False. Instead of asking for people to show up somewhere (AND making the mistake of not advertising that there'll be free food, but providing it anyway), the City would have to go directly to the people if they wanted valid input. They would need to actively engage people, for instance by using telemarketers to conduct surveys, having booths set up at the entrance to grocery stores, and even having people go door to door. And everything they did would have to be bilingual.

I think you're speaking from a theoretical perch. Yes, the City could improve turnout in situations like this, no doubt, with a more creative, intensive effort. The comments in my previous post are based on some experiences that our local civic club has had trying to get people to participate. Bilingual, signs, etc....no results.

We have a free wi-fi in the nabe too, and those folks that offer that service have had the hardest time even getting anyone to take advantage of that. They've found many are suspicious or simply uninterested, and are baffled. They've got a U of H anthropology professor studying the situation, and now someone from Rice's Baker Institute is on it too, all in an effort to discover how to communicate better with the residents.

So it's not so easy.

[Vertigo58]

There are usually the same 10-15 people who show up at all of the East End civic events, and the other few hundred thousand you'll never see, unless something is given away.

Advertise "Free Beer" and they would tear down the building.

[TheNiche]

So it's not so easy.

I never said that it would be easy. In fact, that it is not easy is a premise in my bottom-line argument.

[Guest danax]

I never said that it would be easy. In fact, that it is not easy is a premise in my bottom-line argument.

No, you didn't, it's just funny to be involved in that same general issue and seeing college professors studying the situation. No one anticipated such difficulties and no one has come up with a successful idea yet. The Pecan Park civic group is really doing cutting-edge experimentation is this area, since we're about to embark on a door-to-door deed restriction drive (wish us luck ). The other civic clubs around likely have either given up trying or never really have tried, even though most have several fully bilingual members and would welcome any participation.

Active civic involvement is either something you're taught or learn yourself through some personal outrage that drives you to action. The teaching part is apparently not happening and many from Latin American countries have a tendency to avoid conflict with neighbors and so never speak out about negatives and also have a tendency to be apathetic towards government, except when there's an immigration protest......but that's another topic.

[woolie]

Hi guys, I would have loved to make it to these meetings, but just too busy...

[musicman]

i went to tonight's meeting. saw a couple of haif members there. good luck to the businesses on the narrower portions of harrisburg. looks like they will be history. appears as if the people thought the city's effort was disingenuous.

[Guest danax]

i went to tonight's meeting. saw a couple of haif members there. good luck to the businesses on the narrower portions of harrisburg. looks like they will be history. appears as if the people thought the city's effort was disingenuous.

If they bulldoze those old storefronts a lot of the charm and potential will be erased. Might as well model Harrisburg Blvd after a street in Pearland and call it Harrisburb, whereas I think they should model it after Washington; a combo of old and new.

But what control do the "planners" who were in attendance have in any of that anyway? We're developers there? They're the ones who will be in control of what happens to that area.

[Vertigo58]

If they bulldoze those old storefronts a lot of the charm and potential will be erased. Might as well model Harrisburg Blvd after a street in Pearland and call it Harrisburb, whereas I think they should model it after Washington; a combo of old and new.

But what control do the "planners" who were in attendance have in any of that anyway? We're developers there? They're the ones who will be in control of what happens to that area.

Glad I was present to experience 1st hand. Majority of this developement group was from Canada may as well have been from Siberia. While it is important to be present and voice our opinions at these type of "show" events I see that our input will be ignored and the show goes on just as I indicated earlier in this topic. After a while they were pretty much blocking out any outspoken people in the crowd. All of those renderings and photos on display were being displayed at ARCH where AIA has the new location, nothing new. They could have done better.

All of you have valid points and all are true especially the Danax mention of the culture and how "passive" they are. That is why so little turned out plus plain laziness. The attitude is "we don't want trouble besides someone else will be there to speak for us". Bull! These people would rather fill up the local beer joints than come to these meetings.

I wanted to see what it was all about and started loosing interest myself as I live closer to 45 S Freeway and Lawndale area and to tell you the truth I loath the Harrisburg area. Always have. I know that sounds crude but it has been a sh...hole for decades and the people only have themselves to blame. I feel no loyalty what so ever to that area. Were so overloaded with our own immediate area that well... you see where this is going. I had to stand up and say :

What? save these run down burned out builldings? You gotta be kidding? but to emphasize I did not mean the historic buildings just the empty shells that ruin the image and appearance of that area, yes I compared it to scene in LA after the riots of 92. That is what it looks like, horrible. Even more pathetic is there were local leaders of civic groups present and they stayed silent, chickens!

The facts are that area has some of the poorest people living there and they are renters that dont give a crap about anything as they are merely passing through. Most people that grew up there got the hell out as they knew it hit the skids years ago. That area is so loaded with illegal immigrants and dope peddlers too. I hope they do build all of those modern housing units and charge high dollar rent maybe that will start to zap out the crime element that curently lives there.

To tell you the truth the Metro Rail is the BEST THING that could happen to that pathetic area. It will be the most modern site to be scene there since the 1960's when Kress was opened there. I cannot believe people were upset about saving "Used Car Lots"??? What? That is the very thing that has ruined the look of that area. This is a RARE opportunity for that word called "Progress" and these imbeciles are against it? That is the equivalent of a ship sinking someone offers you a life vest and you say "No Thanks" we want to drown.

I'm outta here. Back to Near East End/Eastwood /Broadmoor area where I belong to fight my own battles. Harrisburg can fix their own ........ and stay locked in to the STONE AGE as it has been for more than 40 years. Lost cause. Tally ho, Sayonara, chop chop and all that good stuff!

[musicman]

If they bulldoze those old storefronts a lot of the charm and potential will be erased. Might as well model Harrisburg Blvd after a street in Pearland and call it Harrisburb, whereas I think they should model it after Washington; a combo of old and new.

But what control do the "planners" who were in attendance have in any of that anyway? We're developers there? They're the ones who will be in control of what happens to that area.

Harrisburb LOL. very true.

the planners really have no control. They are dependent on the property owners to do the development. they can ask a developer to try and make an urban development but there's definitely nothing legally they can do. one of the planners went up and showed a picture of "one of the more narrower sections of Harrisburg" and was concerned of the width. in actuality he put up a pic of one of the WIDER sections (containing both along the street parking and a median). There was only about 6 ft of sidewalk left if they had 2 lanes of traffic. then they showed pics of only one lane and people were asking what will happen to the traffic?? All you saw was blank stares from the consultants. It was actually quite funny. i corrected the consultant and said that is is actually one of the wider portions of harrisburg and the portions closer to downtown are narrower. they just blew that comment off. there will definitely be devastation of the older buildings. it seems that the east side district lady, mary hansen has been providing guidance and wants everything along harrisburg bulldozed. IMO that is the wrong answer. there are some very nice storefronts that could remain but the buildings themselves remodeled for a more modern use. keep that historic feel.

one thing that was repeated brought up was more pocket parks. but the city is broke (parkwise). they are planning on the developers to do the work and the city will do nothing else. therefore no new parks. the nearby sidewalks are in horrible shape but they won't be fixed with this project either.

btw the rail won't go over the railroad tracks either. so the train delay travel times will remain

[musicman]

To tell you the truth the Metro Rail is the BEST THING that could happen to that pathetic area. It will be the most modern site to be scene there since the 1960's when Kress was opened there. I cannot believe people were upset about saving "Used Car Lots"??? What? That is the very thing that has ruined the look of that area. This is a RARE opportunity for that word called "Progress" and these imbeciles are against it? That is the equivalent of a ship sinking someone offers you a life vest and you say "No Thanks" we want to drown.

The car lot comment was interesting. i think the person was talking about a specific car lot that the man just opened, not all car lots in general. what was different is that there were a few business owners here and none of their questions could be answered. i know one of them owns the recently updated mcdonald's on harrisburg.

what i found interesting is that the main shopping district in the area didn't have a rail stop. is that real planning?

[TheNiche]

But what control do the "planners" who were in attendance have in any of that anyway? We're developers there? They're the ones who will be in control of what happens to that area.

As of this moment, the planners have effectively zero control.

There was one developer there that I could identify, but he's hooked up with ULI and Blueprint Houston, and seems to tote the party line for planning. He wasn't going to offer any criticism. He also represents a miniscule fraction of any development that could potentially take place.

Otherwise, I have not seen any evidence that the City made a sincere effort to connect with developers.

[Vertigo58]

As of this moment, the planners have effectively zero control.

There was one developer there that I could identify, but he's hooked up with ULI and Blueprint Houston, and seems to tote the party line for planning. He wasn't going to offer any criticism. He also represents a miniscule fraction of any development that could potentially take place.

Otherwise, I have not seen any evidence that the City made a sincere effort to connect with developers.

Couldnt help but note that they never gave any time frames but they did say it would have to go through quite a bit of red tape and approvals, so that sounds like what... Years?

We will all be collecting social security by the time they even stick the shovel in the ground. Quite a tease. The chubby guy with the curly hair really got me. They all should have gone through rehearsals for quick rebuttals instead of "I dont know have we checked in to that yet" responses. Trying to stay positive but by viewing those photos of pedestrians walking quite damned close to the rail and cars, come on. This area has always had a high rate of DWI drivers due to the many cantinas up and down the ave. Imagine the cars plowing into the already overcrowded sidewalks?

Not sure if you guys have ever been to Canada? but when I went to Toronto I noticed they had really nice WIDE sidewalks. Plenty of room for even up to 10 people walking side by side in a conversation. These presenters (from Canada) are in the mindset that this area could be like that without moving something? Too much. Gene Green and other local reps should have been present. They are supposed to have some pull as to how things could or should play out. When Kathy Whitmire was in charge she really spruced up lower Westheimer & Lee Brown fixed up the mostly African-American areas big time. Where are our leaders??? It's a hot potatoe!

[TheNiche]

Otherwise, I have not seen any evidence that the City made a sincere effort to connect with developers.

I have now seen evidence, but the way that they handled it doesn't sit perfectly well with me. It isn't unethical per se, but it is somewhat convoluted.

I have no further public comments on the matter.

[musicman]

Otherwise, I have not seen any evidence that the City made a sincere effort to connect with developers.

supposedly some were there during the day when the public wasn't invited. in what numbers, i don't know. but if the public turnout was so poor, there probably wasn't stellar developer turnout either because they know they can do whatever they want and the city can't stop them.

[musicman]

The chubby guy (from Canada) with the curly hair really got me.

Not sure if you guys have ever been to Canada? but when I went to Toronto I noticed they had really nice WIDE sidewalks.

the chubby guy might need them.