Dream Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 So much for pedestrian friendly Main Street! Now everyone can walk down Main or ride the rail and see the back of a new CVS. The entire building is oriented to the car and traffic on Fannin, the front door and parking lot will face Fannin.What does everyone think of this new development in Midtown? How does everyone feel about rail now? Is this a huge setback for Main Street and Midtown? Why is so much of Main street retail vacant? Where are all of the businesses that are supposed to come to Main with the train? Why are national retailers/CVS ignoring the train and huge 10 to 12 foot sidewalks on Main street and facing their businesses away from Main? Will rail fail? Should Midtown keep spending public money to keep the pretty flowers and plants along Main Street or start investing money on marketing this stretch of vacant real estate?I believe in rail for Houston but seeing things like this make it very difficult to for me to understand or see the value of Main Street light rail to date.Dream Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Dallas went through this, too. I remember when I lived in Big D they made a big deal about a new Office Max who did the same thing.Dallas is doin alright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Unfortunately, CVS has the cash to impose this development on Houston.Local alternatives have little chance to compete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston1stWordOnTheMoon Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Does this mean the car wash will be gone now? Its located on the corner of Fannin and Elgin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 So much for pedestrian friendly Main Street! Now everyone can walk down Main or ride the rail and see the back of a new CVS. The entire building is oriented to the car and traffic on Fannin, the front door and parking lot will face Fannin.What does everyone think of this new development in Midtown? How does everyone feel about rail now? Is this a huge setback for Main Street and Midtown? Why is so much of Main street retail vacant? Where are all of the businesses that are supposed to come to Main with the train? Why are national retailers/CVS ignoring the train and huge 10 to 12 foot sidewalks on Main street and facing their businesses away from Main? Will rail fail? Should Midtown keep spending public money to keep the pretty flowers and plants along Main Street or start investing money on marketing this stretch of vacant real estate?I believe in rail for Houston but seeing things like this make it very difficult to for me to understand or see the value of Main Street light rail to date.DreamFannin has a higher traffic count because most people know better than to drive on Main Street. People in vehicles also tend to be significantly wealthier than people on the LRT because the LRT is basically a glorified bus-replacement system.The value of LRT should be as a rapid transit option, but that is not how it has been implemented. If it doesn't save time, the people who will most frequently use it are those relatively few for whom it is the most direct path and the majority who are forced to transfer on/off of it because of bus rerouting. And these people are disproportionately poor. The wealthy that must build up the LRT corridor don't want to ride with poor people...and certainly not when they can get most places faster in their cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 So much for pedestrian friendly Main Street! Now everyone can walk down Main or ride the rail and see the back of a new CVS. The entire building is oriented to the car and traffic on Fannin, the front door and parking lot will face Fannin.I haven't been down there in a while, but does it look like there will even be a Main St. entrance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 People in vehicles also tend to be significantly wealthier than people on the LRT because the LRT is basically a glorified bus-replacement system.Boy, talk about your basic unsupported, generalized sweeping statements. Nice job, Niche. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 And these people are disproportionately poor.Do you live in Houston? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmainguy Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 People in vehicles also tend to be significantly wealthier than people on the LRT And these people are disproportionately poor. The wealthy that must build up the LRT corridor don't want to ride with poor peopleThat's a pretty predictable response from someone as pompous and ill-informed as you tend to be. Why is everyone so surprised? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternGulf Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 The dude is clueless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I haven't been down there in a while, but does it look like there will even be a Main St. entrance?Everyone stop worrying about Niche and answer my ON topic question instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternGulf Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 The site is still rubble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 The site is still rubble.I guess he is thinking of another CVS then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmainguy Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Everyone stop worrying about Niche and answer my ON topic question instead.My guess is there will be no entrance on Main. It's a full block so entrances on Elgin, Fannin and Stuart should provide enough access. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KinkaidAlum Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 The CVS is taking up the full block?Jesus, what a total waste of space. The thing that really gets me is that there are CVS everywhere now. Market saturation gone wild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwrm4 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 The CVS was mentioned in the recent WSJ article entitled "Houston's Midtown Vision Falters". In that article, it stated the drive-thru lane would be between Main St. and the CVS building, "angering the Midtown Management District". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 (edited) It is a total waste of space. The horrific CVS on Gray/Bagby is only a mile away. It would make sense to build more stores if they were building walkable, urban-style buildings. But CVS clearly has no interest in doing so in Midtown, despite the wishes of the local community. I only hope the next few dozen CVS stores in Midtown aren't as hideous as the store on Gray.The CVS was mentioned in the recent WSJ article entitled "Houston's Midtown Vision Falters". In that article, it stated the drive-thru lane would be between Main St. and the CVS building, "angering the Midtown Management District".That won't be a very inviting for the folks riding the light rail. It's amazing how short-sighted this company is. Edited November 21, 2006 by barracuda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMan Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 (edited) But if it's still rubble, then isn't there a way to reverse this? When the builders come, get a bunch of guys with HUGE picket signs... anything to get CVS to change its mind!"Now CVS is preparing to build another store on a prime block along the Main Street rail line with a drive-through lane between Main Street and its building, angering the Midtown Management District. "We're trying to prevent Midtown from becoming a concrete jungle," Mr. Le Blanc says. Mike DeAngelis, a spokesman for CVS, says the company has made concessions, giving the store a more urban look and agreeing not to surround it with a parking lot" is the text from the article Edited November 21, 2006 by VicMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Maybe we could offer a bunch of homeless folks free grub or a few bucks a day to stand outside and protest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwrm4 Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Somehow the Houston Heights Association go them to modify (somehwat) the design of the one they built on 20th street...so there is hope but, given what CVS did with the one by Farrago, I wouldn't get my hopes up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesternGulf Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Maybe I am not paying attention hard enough but what is so different or special about the Heights location? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 The CVS was mentioned in the recent WSJ article entitled "Houston's Midtown Vision Falters". In that article, it stated the drive-thru lane would be between Main St. and the CVS building, "angering the Midtown Management District".What a slap in the face of pedestrian friendly urban development. No wonder Houston is used as the nation's model for everything bad in urban planning & architecture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarface Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 People in vehicles also tend to be significantly wealthier than people on the LRT because the LRT is basically a glorified bus-replacement system.i don't like statements lke these. Too general, prejudice, and not to mention a little ignorant. You can't speak for all people who own vehicles and would rather have another transportation alternative. Some people just like the convienence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest danax Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 What a slap in the face of pedestrian friendly urban development. No wonder Houston is used as the nation's model for everything bad in urban planning & architecture.The plan is not having a plan and see what pops up.I shared office space with a guy 5 years ago who ran a company that built Walgreens. He would've loudly guffawed at someone suggesting that he consider the "urban pedestrian environment" of a site. He had a system that was cheap, fast and he was aggressive and ruthless as a businessman. I'm guessing that CVS is the same or worse and couldn't care less about Midtown and, unless forced by those who do care, will muscle in their product when the opportunity arises and will crush all opponents.It's a jungle out there and Houston's urban dreamers are about as high up on the food chain as dung beetles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmainguy Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Maybe I am not paying attention hard enough but what is so different or special about the Heights location?That's a long story but the short of it is: Walgreens wanted that plat to build a new store. They would not cooperate with anyone-I believe they wanted to place the dumpsters on Heights directly across from the rose garden.CVS worked with the Heights Association and others. The placed the dumpsters on the south side of the building; moved the building closer to the corner of Yale and 20th and put the drive through on Yale. The building is set back about as far away as they could get from Heights so as not to intrude as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mls1202 Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Listen, I hate CVS as much as everyone on this board, but I should at least point out that they DID create the most urban, pedestrian pharmacy in town...Main Street Downtown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMan Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Listen, I hate CVS as much as everyone on this board, but I should at least point out that they DID create the most urban, pedestrian pharmacy in town...Main Street Downtown.In other words, there is a chance that they will negotiate with us.I do not mind a single-story store that much, but I would like for its entrance to be a panorama, with part of it facing the rail and part of it facing the parking. OR, have the part facing the rail contain a glass panel that gives a fa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Listen, I hate CVS as much as everyone on this board, but I should at least point out that they DID create the most urban, pedestrian pharmacy in town...Main Street Downtown. Yeah, great place. Does it still close at 7pm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Boy, talk about your basic unsupported, generalized sweeping statements. Nice job, Niche.Tend to be. Observe the population.i don't like statements lke these. Too general, prejudice, and not to mention a little ignorant. You can't speak for all people who own vehicles and would rather have another transportation alternative. Some people just like the convienence.I don't speak for all people. I speak of a segmented population that is not representative of the whole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmainguy Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 I don't speak for all people. I speak of a segmented population that is not representative of the whole.Don't confuse the issue. You speak only for yourself. Own up to your unsubstantiated generalizations and move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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