cspwal Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 There was a construction moratorium during the huge boom in the Houston economy? No wonder so many people are outside the loop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timoric Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 (edited) - Edited July 10, 2019 by Timoric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Angostura Posted January 7, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted January 7, 2016 Interesting visualization here of construction density by decade in Houston. Houston is "known" as a cautionary tale of the kind of sprawl and ugliness that happens w/o zoning and central planning, but most of what caused Houston to lack density and walkability are actually direct results of the development rules put in place by the city government: the 1974 construction moratorium driving development outside the loopminimum setback rules essentially outlawing street facing retailparking minimums, which, along with the setback requirements, dictated the strip center as the only viable type of small retail developmentminimum residential lot sizes (5000 s.f. in effect until 1998), which prevented neighborhoods from achieving sufficient density for walkable development If you look at the most "charming" parts of Houston, parts of 19th St in the Heights, Rice Village, Midtown, and the Washington corridor, they were all places built before these rules were put in place. Only in the last few years have the rules been changed to allow retail development with 5-ft setbacks under certain conditions (zero would be better, but it's a start), but each development still has to provide its own parking. Left to their own devices, developers would almost certainly build denser and more walkable than they're currently allowed to do. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 True to a point, but you don't get laws like this without tacit approval from the community. Call it the "zeitgeist." It's sort of like the argument that Hollywood movies of mid-century would have had much juicier content if it weren't for the Hays Code. Yes, but how did you get the Hays Code? It didn't come out of a vacuum. It's what people wanted. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I didn't remember it being the conservatives who told people that they needed an equal rights ordinance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 True to a point, but you don't get laws like this without tacit approval from the community. Call it the "zeitgeist." It's sort of like the argument that Hollywood movies of mid-century would have had much juicier content if it weren't for the Hays Code. Yes, but how did you get the Hays Code? It didn't come out of a vacuum. It's what people wanted. Yes. Parking minimums are especially beloved by those people that are concerned that, at some point, a stranger might park on the street in front of their house. Inadequate sewage is certainly as good a reason as any for a building moratorium. And, while I can't find a source, I've heard that the 25-ft setback requirement was a result of the distaste that many people had of the "canyon" formed along Woodway by the various office buildings set relatively close to the street. (I, for one, quite like driving through the Woodway canyon.) Further, property developers tend don't tend to be all that popular with the public, so depriving them of the use of a 25-ft strip of land where their property abuts the right-of-way is unlikely to engender a lot of sympathy. All that said, the law of unintended consequences is why, given the choice between doing something and doing nothing, I generally prefer our lawmakers and regulators opt for the latter. Too frequently, calls by the public for more regulation and planning assume infallible benevolence, competence and clairvoyance on the part of the regulators and planners. In this case, it's pretty clear that assumption is unwarranted. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cspwal Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 Why did they have a construction moratorium instead of making more sewage capacity? Oh wait I can answer that it would cost money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate99 Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 Too frequently, calls by the public for more regulation and planning assume infallible benevolence, competence and clairvoyance on the part of the regulators and planners. In this case, it's pretty clear that assumption is unwarranted. Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-Town Man Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Yes. Parking minimums are especially beloved by those people that are concerned that, at some point, a stranger might park on the street in front of their house. Inadequate sewage is certainly as good a reason as any for a building moratorium. And, while I can't find a source, I've heard that the 25-ft setback requirement was a result of the distaste that many people had of the "canyon" formed along Woodway by the various office buildings set relatively close to the street. (I, for one, quite like driving through the Woodway canyon.) Further, property developers tend don't tend to be all that popular with the public, so depriving them of the use of a 25-ft strip of land where their property abuts the right-of-way is unlikely to engender a lot of sympathy. All that said, the law of unintended consequences is why, given the choice between doing something and doing nothing, I generally prefer our lawmakers and regulators opt for the latter. Too frequently, calls by the public for more regulation and planning assume infallible benevolence, competence and clairvoyance on the part of the regulators and planners. In this case, it's pretty clear that assumption is unwarranted. Some good points. I think that in general, people were just in love with a suburban model of development, and parking lots and easy-to-widen roads fit that paradigm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hindesky Posted January 24, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted January 24, 2016 Northern building Southern portion. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monarch Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 ^^^ well done hindesky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmitch94 Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 I fell like this one is taking awhile. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cspwal Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 They did go for all concrete/aluminum construction, not stick construction 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 Northern portion is topped out. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 Southwestern side. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinite_jim Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 Parking garage on the north side of the complex is open for business. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Brick is going up. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Triton Posted March 13, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted March 13, 2016 Mid Main by Marc longoria, on Flickr Mid Main by Marc longoria, on Flickr Mid Main by Marc longoria, on Flickr 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hindesky Posted March 26, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted March 26, 2016 I like the different colors of the brick. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avossos Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 What material will be used over the blue? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeerNut Posted May 6, 2016 Share Posted May 6, 2016 I heard the lease up will start next month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbannizer Posted May 8, 2016 Author Share Posted May 8, 2016 Mid Main by russell.hancock, on Flickr 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 While attending the Madness on Main St. I got a few pics. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hindesky Posted May 15, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted May 15, 2016 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monarch Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 ^^^ fantastic job hindesky.... wow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonIsHome Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Stopped outside this on Friday . It really had a presence. Totally transformed the area. Love the brick. This area will have new life once this opens. I wonder how this is going to affect HCC 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 (edited) 6 hours ago, HoustonIsHome said: Stopped outside this on Friday . It really had a presence. Totally transformed the area. Love the brick. This area will have new life once this opens. I wonder how this is going to affect HCC I had mentioned in a thread in the midtown forum that places like Natachee's, Double Trouble, Continental are probably going to end up getting squeezed out. This (3600) and the other people aquarium (3800) are either going to bring more bros to the area that like the Washington vibe and will never go to these places (but watch rents increase), or I could be wrong and it's going to bring people that like the current atmosphere of the direct surrounding area. I suspect like you though, this is going to transform the area. I'm going to miss the continental club if that happens. It's one of those places that, in my mind, make Houston. One thing this will absolutely do is create more pressure southward on the area centered around Richmond/Main. I suspect it won't actually do anything to that direct area, it will be similar to the area around the greyhound station and people will just avoid the area. Edited May 31, 2016 by samagon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonIsHome Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 The Main Corridor is kind of developing like a less extreme version of LV BLVD in that one block in either direction and you feel like you fell off the surface of the Earth. I don't know how any politician and traverse Main and not see the benefits of the Red Line. Anyway, I am more of a fan of filling in and expanding out. There has been so much growth and yet so much room for development between Bell and Alabama. As Disco Green and Market Square have encouraged development, I do hope that the Super Park will continue this trend. The Super Park has the advantage of being already in an area that is booming, and it is right on a metrorail stop. I know we have been complaining a lot about the size and placement of the park and apartment, but I am starting to believe that you can't lose nowadays with a modern park. The lengths of these blocks (super block and to a lesser extent Midmain) lend themselves well to creating interesting pedestrian oriented developments. Since Berry does not cut through Mid Main, the entire Ensemble station is accessible to pedestrians without traffic cutting off the stations. It will be interesting to see what they do with the sidewalks and if a livelier version of Main Street Square Plaza develops at that location. So many possibilities 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 As mentioned upthread, this development is owned by the same developer that owns the existing neighboring retail, and he has made it clear that he wants to support local businesses, particularly of the sort that's already there. Also, my understanding is that these apartments will be relatively inexpensive and small. Not a guarantee by any means, but good signs. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moore713 Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I travel the area every night for work and can tell you the new development is not a threat to the existing business quite the opposite, I remember the ghost town this area was after 5 pm ..now it does decent foot traffic on weekdays and actually looks live on the weekends. ..the increase in residential is benefiting the business there as people like the vibe and how it doesn't feel like another massed product hip spot created in some Corp board room...that has allowed it to have a natural urban vibe tjat I think people are responding to..I'm glad the developer reconized that and incorporated it into the building design 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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