Jump to content

Historic Houston Visionaries & Most Prominent Socialites


Gary

Recommended Posts

I just finished reading the latest posts on the apparant fate of the Shamrock and it got me to thinking. Where are the business people with great vision in this town? Why aren't those like Jim Macinvale investing in huge projects? Why do they seem to invest only enough to get by?

The little I do know about Houstons history shows extreme vision on the part of men like Hoffeinz etc. These were men that loved this city and wanted to see it leep over other cities with one fell swoop.

Houston has so much potential and I just can't understand why no local has taken the reigns to push it to the next level.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mattress Mac invests in the furniture business. Why would he get involved in real estate? It's not his business. I guess Tillman Fertita could be considered as a visionary. I know there is some debate on that.

Wasn't Roy Hofeinz a judge that had some influence over how public money was allocated on various projects?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Matress Mac does a lot for the city--maybe not what some people WANT him to do, but he does some significant things.

I have a hard time being upset with Tillman Fertittita; he has invested a lot into DT and he has helped make DT more of a destination than it was 10 years ago. Granted, some of his ideas are a little cornballish (the observation tower, for example) but his interest and efforts are greatly appreciated.

Plus, in the world of the arts, one person's trash is another person's masterpiece. Just look at the joker who designed the proposed "Spirit of Houston" statue. I personally think it's a funny practical joke when I'm sure he was dead serious about its cultural and artistic merit.

But back to the point: I do think there is a bit TOO much skittishness concerning development in certain parts of the city (DT, Midtown, etc) but I think we're also all impatient. Projects go dead all the time. ALLL the time. Subdude had a very interesting thread(s) on unbuilt projects during the last 100 years, including during the boom 60s and 70s.

If this recent "stagnation" downtown lasts another five years, then I'd concerned, but even with the lack of big openings DT since last year (and I stress last year), there are a half dozen projects planned or about to begin, including one (Pavillions) that is slated to have new residential.

Patience, grasshoppers...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know where you people get the idea that "Mattress Mac" "Crack-Attack" Jim McIngvale is some sort of hero on a mission, but I have news for you. Actually two things:

Mattress Mac is no hero.

Santa Claus is fake.

He does not give one iota of care for this city. He's all about making money by selling garbage, tacky furniture to people who can't afford it, for interest rates that are through the roof.

All Mac has done for this city is pretend to want to keep the Oilers in town, pretend to want to pay Van Gundy's fine (publicity in both cases), and the Westside Tennis Club, which, last time I checked, was not some masterpiece space. It's actually well hidden and hard to find, just like his dignity.

Why didn't he build it downtown? Or in some other nice area where it could actually be viewed from the road? Because it's merely a safe-haven for rich old people (women) that he hangs with to watch Andy Roddick take his sweaty shirt off.

Seriously, this guy is all about money and publicity. He doesn't care about Houston or its future. He's still trying to make money and stay off of the hard drugs that overtook him in the 80's.

Please, no more praising of Mattress Mac allowed on this forum... PLEASE. I will never Ever buy furniture from a man like him. Ever. I'd much rather have a house will no furniture, and take the money I'd have spent on furniture and donate it to cancer research.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Every time I see someone mention one of Houston's "good" points, it includes the ability to make money...that includes Mattress Mac and Tillman Fertitta. So, trashing those who excel at it, seems backwards. I am not big fans of either, but I don't brag about Houston's penchant for naked capitalism at the expense of quality of life, either.

Mac built Westside where it is because that is where it was when he bought it. He has merely expanded and improved the location he bought.

When wondering why we haven't seen a lot of new highrise construction, on must remember that none of these buildings are built to look good. They are built to make money. Houston, with the rest of the country, went into recession in 2001. It is still struggling to pull out. The Census estimated the city added only 3,000 people last year....our smallest growth since the early 90s. Employment is flat as well. When things heat up, and building becomes profitable, you'll see these things get built.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

i went to gallery furniture once (on a business delivery) and was rushed by about a half a dozen sales people - and really bad ones at that. (then a friend told me later that she heard he fires employees on the spot for not "attacking")

as for a houston visionary - nuh-uh

note - maybe there should be a separate jim mcingvale forum...har har

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always avoid any salesperson at any store on purpose. I never let them make any sales pitch either. I have a much more pleasant experienced then.

I look on my own an make my own decision. I try to research what I might not know before I get there too.

Back to visionaries. We have lots in Houston right now. Look at every non-profit group that throws our proposals that can be done to better the life in Houston. Downtown 2025 anyone? Buffalo Bayou Partnership anyone? These are groups and concepts that are brought about through the combined efforts of businessmen, local leaders, government officials, and interested parties.

Yes, we may not have a single or a couple of names to point too, but we have to groups that are working to achieve the same concept.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

i am a fan of the buffalo bayou partnership (and it has a very diverse board)

there are a number of others as well:

bayou preservation association, the park people, the quality of life coalition, and the greater houston preservation alliance (yay!)

it just seems that there is alot of knocking heads with these organizations and some developers (i could be wrong...)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another thing to remember is that the people you may think of as Houston's historic visionaries, such as MD Anderson, Roy Cullen, The Hoggs, Jesse Jones, and Esperson were all fabulously rich. We don't have as many of those types around in Houston these days, and the ones we do have aren't quite ready to be immortalized.

Give Tilman and Matress Mac a few more decades. A lot of people didn't like Roy Cullen in his time either, now half of UH is named after him. I don't think we've heard the last of the de Menils either. Didn't one of them just sell the most expensive house in the US in The Hamptons?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sevfiv,

Thanks for naming the others. The point is that there are many organizations that work together and independantly with government and private entities to improve our city and region.

Harris County Flood Control has become a partner with many groups to help push there vision of more ecologically friendly bayous too. Buffalo Bayou 211 project is one. Project Brays and the current Sims Bayou Project is another. Greens Bayou has one of the largest man-made wetlands in the country also (located inside the northeast corner of the Beltway west of the Fall Creek development).

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

These are all good points and a learning experience for me, still it seems as if theres not that one guy or organization that comes across as LOVING HOUSTON.

I understand business and the fact that it's mainly about a profit but again, where are the world class projects this city used to foster?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Give Tilman and Matress Mac a few more decades. A lot of people didn't like Roy Cullen in his time either, now half of UH is named after him. I don't think we've heard the last of the de Menils either. Didn't one of them just sell the most expensive house in the US in The Hamptons?

i wonder if cullen and the de menils opened flashy chain restaurants and annoyingly sold furniture - "Roy Cullen's Furniture-O-Rama"

that would have been sooo cool back in the early 1900's :P

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was often said of George Hermann that he had the first dollar he ever made. Other than a failed attempt to give a block of land for a charity hospital, he never gave a cent to charity.

When he died in 1914, his gifts to Houston included Hermann Park as well as nearly $5million for his long desired charity hospital.

BTW, the name Hermann was pronounced

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Houston needs a huge rush of new wealth. But that will probably not happen here for a long time. More likely it'll be someone who grew up in Houston and moved elsewhere to make their $$ who decides to come back here to throw their weight around and start pushing things forward.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't forget the people responsible for the US59 enhancements(the montrose people got them to do that) as well as the Kirby Coalition, the Upper Kirby district, etc. They are pushing for some interesting enhancements to the stratch of US59, as well as Kirby itself.

OH, and need I mention...

pollack.jpg

:P

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't forget the people responsible for the US59 enhancements(the montrose people got them to do that) as well as the Kirby Coalition, the Upper Kirby district, etc.  They are pushing for some interesting enhancements to the stratch of US59, as well as Kirby itself.

OH, and need I mention...

pollack.jpg

:P

Dude, I just pee'd on myself! :lol::lol::lol:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...