infinite_jim Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 ^Great thread Editor.Montrose has a lot of local places with authenticity & cultural niches, for example:Disco KrogerLower Westheimer Music VenuesSt Thomas UniversityWestmoreland/Audubon hoodUpper Westheimer Shopping DragHyde Park (architect's hood)Fairview/Pac Street Gay DistrictSouth Montrose Blvd Dining & now Office Menil Enclave While this list is a mere minute of thought, each of these places hold something ethereal and unique to Houston. To alter or destroy each of these "nodes" or "anti-nodes" would be an attack on the neighborhood at large. I would use this base list as a way to orchestrate a neighborhood master plan that focuses on future surrounding development and infrastructure, to either sensitively alter or preserve these places as they are today. However, one needs to look at other "cool" neighborhoods in other cities to see how socio-economic and roving cultural bias have played a roll in the eventual demise of the character of previously "cool" neighborhoods. Some prominent examples are greenwich village & haight-ashbury. Moreover is Montrose at a "tipping" point? These aspects have to be counterbalanced when considering the future of this place, b/c the present condition today is really a subtle balance of beauty in my eyes. In review of the thread topic, I think Crunchtastic hit a nail on the head, in that the neighborhood has no identifiable epicenter, however it is urban myth that the intersection of Westheimer and Montrose is the center of Houston's culture, despite your common experiences. That southwest corner is an architect's dream site for an array of programmatic functions; the more the merrier! Ultimately, it's about defending porch culture for me and the Heights is winning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memebag Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 5. Tear down the adult bookstore on Westhiemer and redo Numbers next to it.Blasphemy. Diner's News deserves some kind of historical marker, not destruction. If you don't want adult bookstores, move to The Woodlands or something.And I love the bars sprinkled among the houses. Forced relocation to a bar ghetto would take some of the fun out of bar hopping in Montrose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trymahjong Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 1. I have to agree with other posters that the stripmall at Westheimer and Montrose has to go. This intersection is at the heart of Montrose and deserves something better. It isn't just the stripmall that makes it look bad. The gas station and the lame-excuse-even-for-a-Taco Cabanna really bring that corner down. The old Ming's building being empty doesn't help much either. (Man I miss that place...) 2. Burial of the utility lines. 3. I am on the fence about the townhomes. Depends on where they are and what they are replacing. At least in Montrose a lot of the townhomes are not as cookie cutter and can be pleasing to look at. 4. Since we have a lot of flexibility with this I would move all the bars and place them on Montrose. Kinda like Cedar Springs in Dallas. I really like the layout with everything all together. That being said though, Montrose has a lot more traffic than Cedar Springs does so that would be a mess. 5. Tear down the adult bookstore on Westhiemer and redo Numbers next to it. 6. Do something with the lot Wendy's is on in front of the Tremont. 7. Getting around: bke paths, new sidewalks and I liked somebody else's idea of a trolly.8. Redo the Hollywood video in a historically safe way and open back up the front part as an entrance instead of letting it be home to a bum.The adult DVD has been closed down and the new owner states that the building will be repainted and a "different" type business will open there----the vacant lot on Helena across from the Hollywood convenience store should be a two story steak house--these are the things told to the residents association-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumber2 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 The Internet killed Riches? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanS Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 The Internet killed Riches?...among other things... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Timmy Chan's Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 RE-open Goats Head Soup, Epstein's, Blue Iguana, and every other dank smelly bar that's closed down over the years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Pretend you're a fairly powerful urban planner. Not exactly Sim City, but still given the latitude and budget to do what you see is fit. How would you change Montrose? What parts would you keep? What about infrastructure? Social services? Let you imagination run.It needs more gays and less yuppies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumber2 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 It needs more gays and less yuppies.What about boot wearing, truck driving, construction workers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 What about boot wearing, truck driving, construction workers?No ... just the fashionable, fabulous ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I would pass an ordinance that says you can't have a parking lot in front of your commercial building, instead you should have a 10 foot setback with enough room for a sizable sidewalk. Parking in the back. Could you imagine Westheimer being a cool pedestrian corridor with antique shops, cafe's, tattoo parlors and resale shops? That would be awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapillionWyngs Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I would get rid of all the businesses and rebuild it with the type of homes it started out with. I would make it a family community again. It had beautiful mansions, trees, parks. I haven't been there since around 1975, and don't plan to go there unless someone rebuilt it as a family neighborhood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMan Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I would get rid of all the businesses and rebuild it with the type of homes it started out with. I would make it a family community again. It had beautiful mansions, trees, parks. I haven't been there since around 1975, and don't plan to go there unless someone rebuilt it as a family neighborhood.Isn't Wilson Elementary improving? (I know it is adding a middle school Montessori program) I think this will help cement the family friendliness of Montrose.All we need to do is get rid of the bad apartments (Takara-So, etc) and Montrose will be stunning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OkieEric Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 All we need to do is get rid of the bad apartments (Takara-So, etc) and Montrose will be stunning.haha...glad to see you mention those. Are those really that bad, though? Ugly as he$$, but there are some other smaller complexes (near Woodhead and W Main) that are absolutely terribleI'd personally like to see something done with Wilshire Village and the center across the street - together, they make up a pretty good chunk of land. I know a lot of us (including myself) would like to see the apartments saved, but I really can't see that happening. At this rate it will be years before anything happens there, thoughI'd also like to see that strip center at Westheimer/Montrose saved and restored to its former glory - as in the original look. Improved streets and sidewalks throughout the area would also be nice, but that's not necessarily a Montrose-only issue - some parts are in decent condition, while others (like mine!) are terrible. Is there a way to track where the city plans to resurface, etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapillionWyngs Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Isn't Wilson Elementary improving? (I know it is adding a middle school Montessori program) I think this will help cement the family friendliness of Montrose.All we need to do is get rid of the bad apartments (Takara-So, etc) and Montrose will be stunning.You have to understand that Montrose used to be on par with River Oaks. They had HUGE mansions out there - BEAUTIFUL homes. What remains there is a joke - nothing like it used to be. I never understood why the gay community decided to adopt an entire area - especially THAT entire area. It has been the scene of many hate crimes, and God only knows what else - if there had been no "centralized" gay community in Houston, these things wouldn't have happened.I liked it better with the mansions, then it was tolerable when the "hippies" started converting some of them into restaurants, but when the hate crimes started, I realized that the gay community had made a mistake in being so centralized. It's scary to me. They have endured a lot out there, and if I was gay, I think I would try to live outside a gay community. I just never have understood the reason behind it. (no pun intended). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trymahjong Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Neartown (check out their website for details) is hosting a meeting to decide a "master plan" for the Neartown area Oct 18 at Annunciation Greek Church on Yoakum--perhaps that is the opportunity to voice all these great ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 I never understood why the gay community decided to adopt an entire area - especially THAT entire area. It has been the scene of many hate crimes, and God only knows what else - if there had been no "centralized" gay community in Houston, these things wouldn't have happened.Probably for much the same reason that blacks and Vietnamese "adopted" certain neighborhoods, as did Irish and Italian immigrants a century ago. Historically minorities that have been discriminated against cluster in certain neighborhoods, but over time they tend to disperse and integrate into other areas. I would pass an ordinance that says you can't have a parking lot in front of your commercial building, instead you should have a 10 foot setback with enough room for a sizable sidewalk. Parking in the back. Could you imagine Westheimer being a cool pedestrian corridor with antique shops, cafe's, tattoo parlors and resale shops? That would be awesome.The setbacks would take a long time to implement, but you are right about brining Westheimer back to a pedestrian corridor. A lot of what it would take would be just the cost of paint: convert the curb lanes to parking, then a bike lane, then one car lane in each direction. I think you would be surprised at how fast pedestrian activity would pick up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownWxBoy Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 It's at full capacity. You can't get anymore flaming that it already is. Oh I beg to differ! Don't ever underestimate the gays... there's always room for more fabulous! ha ha ha While Nazi-style mass relocations are pretty gay, all you really need to make anything gayer are the right accessories. I'm thinking scarves. Ooo... I am seeing cute, trendy messenger bags! I just bought one from Calvin Klein.... love it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Its funny what part of the Montrose everyone has pictured in you mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
memebag Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 Its funny what part of the Montrose everyone has pictured in you mind.Stop looking in me mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 5. Tear down the adult bookstore on Westhiemer and redo Numbers next to it. Speaking of Pumpers (Number's nickname) has anyone been inside lately? It is going way, way too long without being fixed up. That was actually part of the funniness of it was the dilapidated state but now its not so funny. Not only are the interior and more than likely exterior becoming worse the place seems to far exceed the fire codes, etc. We nearby EE visitors always feared its demise but it doesnt seem too far away. Last few times we ventured in the screens never work or lighting or well always something is always fkd up. I am afraid the end is near old Number's. The whole building is just so out of place now. Parking lot has always been a real hell hole and thats when its not raining. Someone pull up that rotting carpet! Call Ministry to do the last rights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Stop looking in me mind. I hate it when people do that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 You know what is either happening or about to happen is: That whole stretch of lower Westheimer all the way from Montrose Blvd to Elgin will eventually be widened. Thats right. With the big boom of ever so close Midtown that narrow strip is busting at the seams. It MUST be widened. That means goodbye to more than likely the north side like where Numbers/La Strada/Porno-adult books sex toys, stores heaven, etc presently stand. Right now it is so narrow you can shake hands with other drivers while waiting for the lights to change. Insanity. They might as well widen since the obliterated the beautiful Victorians that once used to line that whole corridor. Only one beauty stands on the curve as we speak she has lost all her sister Victorians to the stupidity of or lack of care for historical bldgs. Take a drive or walk on this very stretch and see how crammed up it is. It will widen, lets set our clocks now...tick...tick...tick.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OkieEric Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 You know what is either happening or about to happen is:That whole stretch of lower Westheimer all the way from Montrose Blvd to Elgin will eventually be widened. Thats right. With the big boom of ever so close Midtown that narrow strip is busting at the seams. It MUST be widened. That means goodbye to more than likely the north side like where Numbers/La Strada/Porno-adult books sex toys, stores heaven, etc presently stand. Right now it is so narrow you can shake hands with other drivers while waiting for the lights to change. Insanity. They might as well widen since the obliterated the beautiful Victorians that once used to line that whole corridor. Only one beauty stands on the curve as we speak she has lost all her sister Victorians to the stupidity of or lack of care for historical bldgs. Take a drive or walk on this very stretch and see how crammed up it is. It will widen, lets set our clocks now...tick...tick...tick.... I dunno...to me, Shepherd has much, much worse traffic at certain times of the day. Why would Westheimer be widened when other streets in the city need more attention? You mean widen as in actually create additional lanes? No way... They'd have to widen much further out to make it effective, anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 The narrowness of lower Westhiemer is why it would make a great pedestrian street in the first place. Cars have to slow down and the building, it made to be built on the setback, would make a great space.And thanks for making fun of my typo. I didn't realize you had to be an English major to post here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 2. Enact legislation to prevent the construction of any more townhomes.I always thought that the townhouses were overall a good addition to the area that contributed to revitalization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KACI Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 By generating high revenue to investment and by making all members represent on a whole. It is so narrow that you can shake hands with other drivers while waiting in the signal for the change of lights. The number of candidates seeking a position on the Board of Trustees should be increased. ------------------- Kaci Guaranteed ROI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 and have media snap photos of them holding and kissing babies! Yeah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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