sttombiz Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 On Grisby road, a street that intersects the BP energy enter with addicks howell in west houston (memorial west), there is a large vacant lot which sits on grisby and ends at the feeder road. a few days ago a sign was placed out in front entitled "notice of variance" I was wondering if anyone on the board knew anything of the matter. Tomorrow at 2:30 in the 900 Bagby building is when the hearing is going to be held regarding the property. I am likely to attend but did not know what to expect or if there have been any leads to future freeway construction concerning this area. Since a new post office (built in 1998) sits on the property already, I would find it difficult to assume that it would be to extend the freeway but I may be wrong. I am a resident of a nearby community so I would like to know what is to become of the vacant lot. Hopefully you know more about variances that I do. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostDog Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 Well if you speaking of that strip of land I'm thinking of, I believe BP recently purchased what I assume to be all 40 acres of it.They are putting a temporary parking lot there which s/be completed in September I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sttombiz Posted July 2, 2006 Author Share Posted July 2, 2006 yea theres its around 14 acres on grisby road. its north of a neighborhood and south of I-10. BP bought it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sttombiz Posted July 2, 2006 Author Share Posted July 2, 2006 I read on the going up section that they plan to extend memorial drive to barker cypress. is this true? I heard something before about making memorial, briar forest-san felipe, and westheimer into super streets (meaning that they would become toll roads). I believe nothing came of the idea, but is any of this true?...also does someone know where I can check the avg housing appreciation rate of the memorial area (77024 and 77079) besides for calculating the numbers on HCAD and har.com? is there a site which measures the appreciation rate of areas in Houston?Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 I read on the going up section that they plan to extend memorial drive to barker cypress. is this true? I heard something before about making memorial, briar forest-san felipe, and westheimer into super streets (meaning that they would become toll roads). I believe nothing came of the idea, but is any of this true?...also does someone know where I can check the avg housing appreciation rate of the memorial area (77024 and 77079) besides for calculating the numbers on HCAD and har.com? is there a site which measures the appreciation rate of areas in Houston?Thanks.Crawford Realty Associates tracks the data by subdivision with Bart Smith's assistance.I think HAR has some of the Crawford data available on its website.Never, never, never use HCAD values for ANYTHING other than paying taxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostDog Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 i was hearing they bought 40 acres.but yes to the best of my knowledge they bought that piece... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sttombiz Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share Posted July 7, 2006 sorry I was wrong. it was 40 acres (just doesnt look that large) and they plan on turning it into a parking garage and likely more development for the corridor. on the east side of BP is another building going up and I did not know who was going to occupy it. anyone know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PureAuteur Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 I heard they are going to widen Bunker Hill Rd in 2008 in order to accomodate the increase in traffic flow in west Houston. I think the road has been getting more use recently because of the construction detours on I-10 feeder road. On Channel 11 this evening, they had the story and interviewed some residents who were upset with the road widening and the possible removal of some historic trees in their neighborhood. They said that the quality of life would go down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 How many trees? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PureAuteur Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Not very many, but the few that could be cut down are very important to the residents. All the trees in that area are good quality. That's why the land value is high there to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 The whole area south of IH-10 between Beltway 8 and 610 have high values. Those trees add to it. They also add to the value of homes north of IH-10 between Beltway 8 and 610. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PureAuteur Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 Yes, the pine trees are what makes Memorial area so valuable; well, that and the Buffalo Bayou, which grows lots of pines, and then all kinds of different trees as you get closer to Memorial Park area.I think the trees that the residents are worried about are not the pines, but some trees that kind of stand off by themselves, and they are some type of oak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 Sounds like another set of whiney NIMBY's. Boo-hoo. The road is coming. I'll make sure to enjoy it as I commute through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 Sounds like another set of whiney NIMBY's. Boo-hoo. The road is coming. I'll make sure to enjoy it as I commute through. Well Memorial drive is 2 lanes at some points and it has done fine all these years, I don't think Bunkhill should be widened with Voss and Gessner already available to be used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lofiunico Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 I volunteered with the city last year and had a talk with Pam Holm (District G councilwoman) who confirmed that this will be happening sometime in the future. They are just planning as of now, but keep a look out. Some of Memorial will actually have center turn lanes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Isn't the plan basically to extend Memorial through the northern tip of George Bush Park and connect with Kingsland Blvd? I've been hearing about this in pieces since 2000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Some of Memorial will actually have center turn lanes. Some of Memorial ALREADY HAS center turn lanes, where have you been? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lofiunico Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 Yeah, over between Broken Bough and Gessner a little bit, but from what I hear the center turn lanes will be slightly more extensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 I am sure the Army Corp of Engineers would have something to say about extending the road THROUGH the Addicks Reservoir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FilioScotia Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 I am sure the Army Corp of Engineers would have something to say about extending the road THROUGH the Addicks Reservoir.Actually, that's the Barker Reservoir, but your point is a good one. (Addicks Reservoir is the one north of I-10.) There's no way the Corps of Engineers would allow extension of a major thoroughfare over a dam and through a reservoir that was created to prevent the Buffalo Bayou flooding that used to be such a big problem on that end of the county. It can of course be argued that Memorial could be elevated at Hwy 6 and run like the downtown Pierce Elevated over the reservoir to Barker Cypress, and even farther west to Fry Rd and even to Mason Rd. That kind of thing has been done. Remember that long elevated stretch of Interstate 10 over the Atchafalaya Swamp in Louisiana? I would be happy to just see Barker Cypress completed between I-10 and Westheimer Parkway. That one connection would do a lot to simplify travel between the Katy-Copperfield areas and the West Oaks-Mission Bend area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 OOPS! Barker, I meant Barker, I sit corrected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FilioScotia Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 OOPS! Barker, I meant Barker, I sit corrected.Stay seated. I might also point out that there is precedent for extending an existing thoroughfare through a flood control reservoir. Highway 6 cuts right through the Addicks Reservoir. So while it can be done, and has been done, I have no faith that it would ever be done with Memorial Drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 Stay seated. I might also point out that there is precedent for extending an existing thoroughfare through a flood control reservoir. Highway 6 cuts right through the Addicks Reservoir. So while it can be done, and has been done, I have no faith that it would ever be done with Memorial Drive.Filio, are you sure Hwy.6 didn't exist BEFORE the reservoir was made ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 Filio, how can Memorial be elevated to MAson Road? It can't even be elevated to Fry Road, or Barker Cypress. I would have to come down before the Kingsland and Barker Cypress intersection. I just think that Barker Cypress and Memorial need to be extended. The Memorial extension is actually pretty short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FilioScotia Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 Filio, how can Memorial be elevated to MAson Road? It can't even be elevated to Fry Road, or Barker Cypress. I would have to come down before the Kingsland and Barker Cypress intersection. I just think that Barker Cypress and Memorial need to be extended. The Memorial extension is actually pretty short.andFilio, are you sure Hwy.6 didn't exist BEFORE the reservoir was made ?Trae is right. I was visualizing a longer elevated extension of Memorial than would actually be needed. The elevated could return to ground level at Barker-Cypress, but it would still need some elevation there because the water level in areas near the reservoir gets pretty high during the rainy season. Rising water pays no attention to the boundary lines on the map. TJones asks if Hwy 6 was there before the Addicks Reservoir was created. Yes it was, as the one lane Addicks to Satsuma dirt road long ago, then one-lane gravel, then a two-lane black top for a long time, and finally as a four-lane black top till the early 90s, when it was finally widened out to its current six lanes. None of that expansion was affected by the fact that it runs right across the Addicks Reservoir. I believe if city and county officials really wanted it, Memorial could be extended over the Barker Reservoir, but I also don't believe they ever will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 A little elevation to Memorial, like what was done to Highway 6 in the Addicks R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FilioScotia Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 A little elevation to Memorial, like what was done to Highway 6 in the Addicks R.Precisely. But I think Memorial would need a little bit more elevation than Hwy 6 has, so they could avoid having to put down a roadway. Putting the roadway on elevated freeway pilings would be much less destructive to the environment of the reservoir, which lest we forget, is a precious wetlands area. That's what the local environmentalists will say the first time the subject of extending Memorial Drive comes up. Environmentalists are so predictable you can set your watches by them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 Precedents aren't limited to Highway 6. There is also Clay Road, Patterson Road, Eldridge, Barker-Cypress, and of course the more recently-built Westheimer Parkway. The latter two already run through the Barker Reservoir, and do so over a much lengthier stretch. Flooding happens sometimes on these roads, but they aren't critical infrastructure, so there is little merit in elevating them.The environmentalists also have less to complain about in this case because the north part of Cinco Ranch is nearly built out; environmentalists typically care less about roads than their impacts. This road probably won't stimulate much new growth, though it may cause home prices in that area to appreciate slightly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 The north part of Cinco Ranch is built out. Cinco Ranch West is almost built out, and Cinco Ranch Southwest is coming online now. It will be around Westheimer Lakes North and Seven Lakes High School. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sttombiz Posted September 10, 2006 Author Share Posted September 10, 2006 so they are planning to turn memorial into a toll road with center turn lanes?...thats what I never understood the resovoir is right there so why would they want to extend memorial. since if you did that there would be new construction from hwy 6 to barker cypress (eg gas stations, utotems, etc). all of this would kill the point of having the flood plain and destroy the ecosystem of the area.I could see them creating memorial into a toll road better than I could see them extending it to barkers. even though the toll road would be the stupidest thing imaginable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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