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Walmart Supercenter At 111 Yale St.


HeyHatch

Walmart at Yale & I-10: For or Against  

160 members have voted

  1. 1. Q1: Regarding the proposed WalMart at Yale and I-10:

    • I live within a 3 mile radius (as the crow flies) and am FOR this Walmart
      41
    • I live within a 3 mile radius (as the crow flies) and am AGAINST this Walmart
      54
    • I live outside a 3 mile radius (as the crow flies) and am FOR this Walmart
      30
    • I live outside a 3 mile radius (as the crow flies) and am AGAINST this Walmart
      26
    • Undecided
      9
  2. 2. Q2: If/when this proposed WalMart is built at Yale & I-10

    • I am FOR this WalMart and will shop at this WalMart
      45
    • I am FOR this WalMart but will not shop at this WalMart
      23
    • I am AGAINST this WalMart but will shop at this WalMart
      7
    • I am AGAINST this WalMart and will not shop at this WalMart
      72
    • Undecided
      13
  3. 3. Q3: WalMart in general

    • I am Pro-Walmart
      16
    • I am Anti-Walmart
      63
    • I don't care either way
      72
    • Undecided
      9

This poll is closed to new votes


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Since everyone here clearly knows what everyone else thinks and wants, let's put it to a vote (which in my opinion is what the city should do):

http://www.houstonar...for-or-against/

Thank you for posting the vote....if people answer honestly, it will reflect that the incessant posters that are for the proposed Wal-Mart don't even live in the neighborhood. I live in the neghborhood on a very nice street and I know my neighbors that are from ALL WALKS OF LIFE and they do not want the proposed Wal-Mart built.

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Thank you for posting the vote....if people answer honestly, it will reflect that the incessant posters that are for the proposed Wal-Mart don't even live in the neighborhood. I live in the neghborhood on a very nice street and I know my neighbors that are from ALL WALKS OF LIFE and they do not want the proposed Wal-Mart built.

You live in the Heights. You don't live in the same neighborhood as this Walmart either.

Oh, and SFW?

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Some people are full of hate and anger, and very often they don't know why, and they have no clue where to direct it. So they center their impotent rage on the biggest thing around. It's everywhere. It's on the news. It's on the interwebs. It's in damned near every neighborhood and small town in America. It's more American than apple pie and baseball. It's the center of life in some communities. And why not be angry with such an imposing behemoth. It's like all that impotent rage I had against my parents and "the man" when I was a teenager. That's what this rage is against Walmart. It's angst. The world sucks right now. Walmart is clearly a villain. Therefore, let's rail against the beast. The only problem is, Walmart's not the beast. Walmart's the thumbnail on the beast. The entire system is flawed, and raging against this machine is dumb and pointless. It's teenage aggression. It's misdirected anger. Walmart isn't the problem. Walmart has never been the problem. The system that allows Walmart to exist is the problem.

.

Whoooo - hold on there - getting a bit of balance there Mr Flinch....you have now entered a rant. Please mind the gap & reboot your computer (brain).

Edited by CleaningLadyinCleveland
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If normal is the current state, then any development would have a larger than normal impact.

I don't agree with that. I'm not saying there's a firm line between small developments and large developments, but I think a coffee house is going to have a nominal impact, versus a several hundred thousand square foot retail center which requires new streets to be built.

That still doesn't merit any special consideration from voters. The basic point is, no one would give a crap if this wasn't a Walmart. If this was a highrise development, HAIF commenters would be saying things like, "Oh man, I sure do wish it had a zillion floors and not just 25," and "You should just be happy they're building that many. Bad economy and all." If it was a midrise development, the comments would be along the lines of, "I sure do hope they put in an Amy's Ice Cream with all the useful ground floor retail," and "Yeah, I could use an Amy's Ice Cream within biking distance. Then I could get my workout and my ice cream all at once tee hee."

Really? Wow, I must have missed all those arguments on the Ashby Highrise conversations.

Some people are full of hate and anger, and very often they don't know why, and they have no clue where to direct it. So they center their impotent rage on the biggest thing around. It's everywhere. It's on the news. It's on the interwebs. It's in damned near every neighborhood and small town in America. It's more American than apple pie and baseball. It's the center of life in some communities. And why not be angry with such an imposing behemoth. It's like all that impotent rage I had against my parents and "the man" when I was a teenager. That's what this rage is against Walmart. It's angst. The world sucks right now. Walmart is clearly a villain. Therefore, let's rail against the beast. The only problem is, Walmart's not the beast. Walmart's the thumbnail on the beast. The entire system is flawed, and raging against this machine is dumb and pointless. It's teenage aggression. It's misdirected anger. Walmart isn't the problem. Walmart has never been the problem. The system that allows Walmart to exist is the problem.

/rant

Frankly, I don't try to "preserve" anything. The world regularly changes, and I welcome the change. And if you truly think you can manage to keep the world static and unchanging, or even if you merely want it to remain static and unchanging, then I pity you.

I welcome change too. But that doesn't mean I have to agree with everything that changes, or blindly accept everything that changes. I never said I want the world to remain static and unchanging - please stop mischaracterizing what I've said. I would love for the decrepit lot at this location to be transformed, nay, changed, into something nicer. I'd rather it not be a WalMart. I'd rather it not be any kind of supercenter. I'm against massive impermeable parking lots. I'm against oil and grime from however many thousands of extra cars per day running straight into the Bayou. I'm against adding traffic lights to an area that already experiences long delays during rush hour.

If you want me to stop being combative, how about you stop mischaracterizing what I've said? I don't think Heights residents are any better than anyone else. Many of you do though (I took the liberty of bolding a statement where you've set yourself apart for your uniqueness from the rest of the residents of Houston in the quoted statement before this one). And it's not because you "care", for whatever that even means. It's because you've blindly jumped on the cool hate-Walmart bandwagon, and you haven't given any real consideration to the impact your position makes - not just on you, not just on your neighbors, but on everyone who lives within the loop and everyone who passes through. Plus, at the end of the day, you don't own this property and therefore have no right to dictate the terms of development for it, not under current law, and to change the law midstream to affect one developer and one buyer reeks of cronyism worse than what already exists - and this time suppossedly in the name of what's right and good.

I was simply referring to the time you called some Heights residents "God's chosen people".

Explain to me how I've blindly jumped on the cool hate-Walmart bandwagon, and you haven't given any real consideration to the impact your position makes. Since you're apparently in my head, please explain this to me. Really. How do I not understand the impact? Please clearly reference quotes, neighborhood committees I may or may not be a part of, people in the neighborhood I've ignored, and the like.

And it's not because you "care", for whatever that even means

Seriously?

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Whoooo - hold on there - getting a bit of balance there Mr Flinch....you have now entered a rant. Please mind the gap & reboot your computer (brain).

What are you talking about? Is this just some blithe dismissal meant to belittle my opinion? Whatever. I've carefully considered both sides of this discussion long before we ever debated this particular Walmart, and I ran through all the same arguments so far presented here. Then, I discovered it's better to have an extra nickel in my pocket, and it's better for everyone to have an extra nickel in their pockets, than it is to shut down a single Walmart - unless the land it's built upon has some cultural or ecological value. Apparently, I'm just better than most at prioritizing which parts of my life deserve my ire and which I can be apathetic about.

I believe she was referring to the 3 mile radius on the survey. Of which the Heights is within, among other neighborhoods.

Really? Lot's o' speculatin' goin' on here. What if one used to live in the "neighborhood"? Is the opinion then valid? What if one plans to move into the "neighborhood"? Does the opinion then become valid? It's myopic to continue to drag out this trite canard and shove it down our throat as if it's gospel. Three miles is hardly a limiter inside the loop. This'll benefit everyone in the loop, even the dreaded "others" from parts of the loop too scary to tread.

Nemo me impune lacessit

What, are you going to beat me up?

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Agreed. I'm not a fan of Walmart. On a macro level, I have a huge problem with Walmart. Their blatant disregard for valuable archaeological sites is like a knife in my archaeologist heart. Then again, I recognize this isn't entirely Walmart's fault. (Hell, this article lists the Tennessee Titans, the state of Georgia and Whole Foods (?!) as also being bad corporate stewards to important American Indian burial and other heritage sites.) Our lax laws, our disregard for our past and the ridiculously high cost of living makes Walmart and its practices an inevitability. If you want to protest Walmart as a company, I'm right there with you. If you want to protest our values as a nation, I'm on board. If you want to protest our paucity of corporate restrictions, I'll join the picket line with you. But, on a micro level, I appreciate my Walmart. Having one nearby sure has freed up my disposable income. If you were smart, you'd let it free up your disposable income too.

Edit: I can't think of a better selfish reason than that. Can you?

I just don't get the Mirco\ Macro split, They may be destroying things I hold dear but I get tube socks for 58 cents cheaper than target?

I don't see it liberating that much of my income maybe a couple hundred bucks a year which is a lot in total, but that is around $1 a day which if it were that important I'd have cut my internet service by now. I'd probably save more money by The Dirt Bar being torn down.

I do think the connecting roads that drag Heights Blvd into the mix will have an adverse affect on the bike route, this part is already scary and I don't trust that they will make it safer. If I were to start driving to work it would be a dramatic increase in costs.

The diversion of tax revenue is another aburdity to me, If Wal Mart can't pay their own way then how do you expect anyone else to?

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I don't agree with that. I'm not saying there's a firm line between small developments and large developments, but I think a coffee house is going to have a nominal impact, versus a several hundred thousand square foot retail center which requires new streets to be built.

Really? Wow, I must have missed all those arguments on the Ashby Highrise conversations.

/rant

I welcome change too. But that doesn't mean I have to agree with everything that changes, or blindly accept everything that changes. I never said I want the world to remain static and unchanging - please stop mischaracterizing what I've said. I would love for the decrepit lot at this location to be transformed, nay, changed, into something nicer. I'd rather it not be a WalMart. I'd rather it not be any kind of supercenter. I'm against massive impermeable parking lots. I'm against oil and grime from however many thousands of extra cars per day running straight into the Bayou. I'm against adding traffic lights to an area that already experiences long delays during rush hour.

I was simply referring to the time you called some Heights residents "God's chosen people".

Explain to me how I've blindly jumped on the cool hate-Walmart bandwagon, and you haven't given any real consideration to the impact your position makes. Since you're apparently in my head, please explain this to me. Really. How do I not understand the impact? Please clearly reference quotes, neighborhood committees I may or may not be a part of, people in the neighborhood I've ignored, and the like.

Seriously?

Yeah. Seriously.

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I just don't get the Mirco\ Macro split, They may be destroying things I hold dear but I get tube socks for 58 cents cheaper than target?

I don't get why you don't get it. Walmart is evil, but now that I do my grocery shopping there, I save far more than $200/year. I'm likely to save at least half that every month. Only the superwealthy and the superstupid make all their financial decisions based on their politics.

I don't see it liberating that much of my income maybe a couple hundred bucks a year which is a lot in total, but that is around $1 a day which if it were that important I'd have cut my internet service by now. I'd probably save more money by The Dirt Bar being torn down.

Your numbers are wrong, but in this economy, every little bit of savings helps.

I do think the connecting roads that drag Heights Blvd into the mix will have an adverse affect on the bike route, this part is already scary and I don't trust that they will make it safer. If I were to start driving to work it would be a dramatic increase in costs.

I can't speak for your fears, but at the same time, depriving so many people of an improved discretionary income because you fear to cross a street with a crosswalk and a traffic light because of your fear is a bad idea.

The diversion of tax revenue is another aburdity to me, If Wal Mart can't pay their own way then how do you expect anyone else to?

Please. Nobody builds anything without getting government subsidies. You should at least be happy those subsidies will improve the condition of the shoddy infrastructure throughout the area.

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I don't get why you don't get it. Walmart is evil, but now that I do my grocery shopping there, I save far more than $200/year. I'm likely to save at least half that every month. Only the superwealthy and the superstupid make all their financial decisions based on their politics.

Your numbers are wrong, but in this economy, every little bit of savings helps.

I can see why you have so much Wal Mart love. If you're saving $100/mo and WalMart is 5% less than Fiesta you are spending $24K a year at WalMart. Even at say a 20% discount (which I think is near impossible on stuff like rice and beans) you are dropping $500/mo at Wal Mart, which is pretty close to covering my mortgage.

I have a much better understanding where you are coming from since I just don't spend that much money on anything much less at one store.

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I can see why you have so much Wal Mart love. If you're saving $100/mo and WalMart is 5% less than Fiesta you are spending $24K a year at WalMart. Even at say a 20% discount (which I think is near impossible on stuff like rice and beans) you are dropping $500/mo at Wal Mart, which is pretty close to covering my mortgage.

I have a much better understanding where you are coming from since I just don't spend that much money on anything much less at one store.

The savings is closer to 10 or 20% across the items I shop for regularly dependent on the competitor. And I easily drop $500 a month or more on groceries alone. I also have a kid who outgrows her outfits monthly, plus you have to take into account all of life's other ancillary purchases and the savings adds up quickly.

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Thank you for posting the vote....if people answer honestly, it will reflect that the incessant posters that are for the proposed Wal-Mart don't even live in the neighborhood.

I guess the only conclusion I can draw about myself is that I'm either a liar, or don't live where I think I live.

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I do not want the crime or the traffic the big Walmart Super Center will bring to the Houston Heights. There is a Walmart being built 4 miles away at 610 and I-10. Why do we need one on every corner? Why would anyone want to overtax the city of Houston police?

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I do not want the crime or the traffic the big Walmart Super Center will bring to the Houston Heights. There is a Walmart being built 4 miles away at 610 and I-10. Why do we need one on every corner? Why would anyone want to overtax the city of Houston police?

Good question! Here's an attempt to answer it.

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Taken today, less than an hour ago, for your viewing pleasure:

post-8811-085707600 1281469802_thumb.jpg

Just to remind everybody, this is the plot of land that adds character to the Heights and brings values up and reduces crime.

post-8811-012535100 1281469821_thumb.jpg

And this is the road that is in no need of the upgrades Walmart will bring.

wal-satan.jpg

Vroom vroom!

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Taken today, less than an hour ago, for your viewing pleasure:

Just to remind everybody, this is the plot of land that adds character to the Heights and brings values up and reduces crime.

Nope, faulty logic. Just because WalMart might bring down property values and raise crime does not mean that the lack of WalMart brings value up and reduces crime.

If I'm outside and it's raining, I'm wet. That doesn't mean that if I'm outside and wet, that it's raining.

And this is the road that is in no need of the upgrades Walmart will bring.

There was supposed to be a separate city project to repave/resurface Yale between Washington and 610, I think. I think there's a thread about it over in the transportation section. It may have gotten shelved though, not sure.

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ONE: The Heights is just one neighborhood that will be served by this Wal-Mart. The 2nd Ward will be served by this Wal-Mart and is certainly more aesthetically and economically prominent than the Heights; why not call the Wal-Mart's service area the "2nd Ward area"?

TWO: The firm that I worked for the did apartment demo/rebuilds made it rather worthwhile for the renters. Muss and fuss is not worth a few concessions on the back end.

ONE: The 2nd Ward is about 7.7 miles from the proposed Wal-Mart location on Yale/Koehler. The 2nd Ward is about 6.4 miles form the proposed Wal-Mart on Airline and Crosstimbers (Northline). It's right up I-45 on an exit. The Northline location will also have direct access to public transportation as there is a transit center there. Eventually, there will be a metro rail line (also called Northline) that will allow easy connections with the rest of the Metro Rail lines.

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Nope, faulty logic. Just because WalMart might bring down property values and raise crime does not mean that the lack of WalMart brings value up and reduces crime.

If I'm outside and it's raining, I'm wet. That doesn't mean that if I'm outside and wet, that it's raining.

God. Do I have to hold your hand? Is it really necessary to use an emoticon to ensure people understand sarcasm? How about this then: [/sarcasm]? That's still considered clever, right?

There was supposed to be a separate city project to repave/resurface Yale between Washington and 610, I think. I think there's a thread about it over in the transportation section. It may have gotten shelved though, not sure.

Of course it's been shelved! Now the city doesn't have to pay a dime for the upgrades since Walmart and Ainbinder are on the hook for it. Now we can use the money for better infrastructure upgrades like light rail or HOV lanes on 288. I don't know how the city will divert the funds, but surely now we can spend it on something a little more worthwhile than a street that's essentially nothing more than a shortcut for Heights residents looking to avoid the train.

ONE: The 2nd Ward is about 7.7 miles from the proposed Wal-Mart location on Yale/Koehler. The 2nd Ward is about 6.4 miles form the proposed Wal-Mart on Airline and Crosstimbers (Northline). It's right up I-45 on an exit. The Northline location will also have direct access to public transportation as there is a transit center there. Eventually, there will be a metro rail line (also called Northline) that will allow easy connections with the rest of the Metro Rail lines.

Fine, then it's the Museum District or Montrose Walmart. It can also be the Rice Military, the West End, the Downtown, the Upper Kirby, the River Oaks and the Midtown Walmart.

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This must be the most unscientific poll ever - we've now got people signing up just to vote.

Doubtless, the link to this poll has been crossposted on the anti-Walmart-in-the-Heights Facebook fan club page. All this righteous indignation coming to HAIF to express itself will be good for editor. Hopefully anybody who has something burning within themselves that needs to be said on the subject will read the 600+ posts already written on the topic first before posting.

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Doubtless, the link to this poll has been crossposted on the anti-Walmart-in-the-Heights Facebook fan club page. All this righteous indignation coming to HAIF to express itself will be good for editor. Hopefully anybody who has something burning within themselves that needs to be said on the subject will read the 600+ posts already written on the topic first before posting.

It may be somewhat unscientific but I would like to see how many on the "anti-Walmart" Facebook page live within the 3 mile range. Some of the posts are from people admitting that they don't live in the area but are becoming a fan to show support for those that do. I even see that some are becoming fans just to post against the anti-Walmarters. So their number keeps growing with more supporters that really aren't supporters or affected personally. Doesn't seem real scientific either to discuss their 4000+ "fans".

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I actually had a telephone opinion poll call last week based on my answers I don't think they were looking to find me.

As for what Walmart will do to "our beloved mom and pops" I spend half my week inside the loop and half in the Seabrook Kemah area. The Walmart they built in Kemah is right across the street from Kemah Hardware. Kemah Hardware seems non the worse for having Walmart as a competitor and neighbor. They still close at noon on Saturday and are not open on Sunday. I have to believe that if Walmart was wrecking there business they would have taken steps to adapt by now.

If Walmart puts price pressure it will be the Target, Kroger and Randall's in the area, not exactly what someone would call a "beloved mom and pop."

Crime? My guess is that report was sponsored by a previous anti Walmart organization, maybe a neighborhood, maybe a union who knows but certainly a group with an ax to grind.

Edited by HTX
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I think this is really simple, don't build it. Many in the community have spoken and said they don't want it, why does Wal-Mart want to push the matter? People say it will bring in people from beyond the Heights, but anyone near Airline or near 610 north will have an easier time heading to the new one at Crosstimbers and 45 and anyone in the West End will have an easy time hopping off the roundabout to Westcott and hitting up the new location going in at I-10 and Silber. It isn't like there won't be close Wal-Marts-a-plenty, and Target is there to meet the big box need. We have Fiestas and resale shops and plenty of places that make living here cheap if you want it to be. Come on, now!

The infrastructure argument continually gets undermined by commenters who clearly haven't traversed these roads. Yale sucks already and cannot be approved (if you've been watching Heights news, you know this) and at this point on Yale you can't do anything to expand, but then you'll stick a light there and back traffic up? Will you now be able to turn left on Heights too so you can reach the rest of the developments, then backing up Washington (which already is trafficky because of the existing building). Koehler and Bass won't be improved enough to make this bearable. Bonner, Eigel, Bass, Koehler, if you don't know these names, your argument is hardly worth listening to. But if this is your neighborhood (I include everything from Memorial Park to Heights, north and south of I-10), this affects you because we're all using the same streets to get to the same schools, the same libraries, the same grocery stores, etc. That won't change with Wally smack dab in the middle of it, but it will hurt us in how we carry about our daily lives.

Sadly, we could benefit from other things being built there that are low impact on the surrounding areas. Residents of this super-area are not opposed to development and anyone in the know is aware that this will never be a park. That said, this can be something that benefits the area and seriously, NO TAX INCENTIVES/ABATEMENTS/380 AGREEMENTS. Those are for encouraging people to build in undesirable areas that need growth. Last I checked, land is still pretty valuable around here. So says my tax bill, anyway.

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