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editor

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Posts posted by editor

  1. On 9/24/2023 at 10:31 PM, texan said:

    The Wharves Board of Trustees will also be considering a CMAR contract at Tuesday's meeting for the fourth cruise terminal. There may be some drama here though as trustees have repeatedly delayed moving forward with the cruise terminal (and upgrades to an existing one) to chase a dream of additional cargo operations development despite cargo being on the decline in Galveston and tourism being on the rise (check the numbers in the agenda packet below and note Carnival's very recent plans to add another ship in Galveston).

    _09262023-482?packet=true

    Just this year Del Monte has announced its exit (this is where cruise terminal no. 4 will go) and now the port has negotiated an early contract termination with ADM with potential plans to demolish the grain facilities.

    https://www.galvnews.com/news/agri-giant-adm-agrees-to-cease-port-operations-terminate-lease/article_8ce271c3-7a9a-52ac-8763-6ddc9a407dca.html

    CMAR?

  2. On 9/25/2023 at 8:45 AM, wilcal said:

    The last time I asked METRO, the parking is going to be free. I just don't understand how METRO can justify spending tens of millions to provide free parking. 

    Considering there's a retail component, that seems like a good idea.

    People in Houston love free parking, and it will bring hundreds people past the stores each day.

     

    Slightly off topic, but I wish that more transit agencies America would take the development-funding business model seriously.  It's worked so successfully in so many other places from Singapore to Tokyo and elsewhere.

    If Metro has x acres of land for this project, build an apartment building on it, plus offices, and retail.  The money from the rents goes to fund Metro, and the buildings are a natural draw to bring people who live and work there to use the transit system.  Some of the largest real estate developments on the planet are owned by transit companies. 

    Bonus: That's less money the transit agency needs from tax payers.

    Who owns the World Trade Center in New York?  The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey — the same people who run the commuter trains and busses across the Hudson River.

    • Like 6
  3. 21 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

    That balance of course is what needs to be carefully considered.  It's easy to say, well, it won't add much to the cost, so it will be fine.  It's not a boogieman. It's a very real consequence of regulations and must be taken into account. As I said, every time another regulation is imposed, it adds a little bit more to the cost until one day, seemingly all of the sudden, few people can afford housing. 

    The same boogieman was raised when cities tried to mandate smoke detectors in apartment buildings.  They're only normal now because the insurance industry started raising rates on buildings that didn't have them.

    It's the whole "internalize the profit, externalize the cost/risk" play all over again.  

    If it costs a real estate developer an extra $10 to do something, is that cost passed on to the home buyer?  Absolutely.  If a real estate developer saves $10 doing something, is that savings passed on to the home buyer?  Absolutely not.  Let's not pretend that the real estate developers fighting this improvement are doing it out of the charity of their hearts.

    The people who benefit from curb cuts every six feet isn't the people who live in the neighborhood.  It's the people building and selling the homes, who don't have to live with the consequences.  

    • Like 1
  4. 10 hours ago, steve1363 said:

    he HSA is claiming that the NFL will not consider Houston again for another Super Bowl until something is done about the Astrodome.   I find this hard to believe and so does Commissioner Adrian Garcia.  I don't usually agree with him on much but in this case I think he is right to call BS on this assertion. 

    I'm with you.  If it's not in writing, it didn't happen.

     

    • Like 1
  5. On 9/15/2023 at 7:47 PM, Highrise Tower said:

    wow! I never knew there was an original Grand Central Station Depot designed by George Dickey.  I only knew of the Southern Pacific Lines Grand Central Station Depot that was designed by Wyatt C. Hedrick.

    I definitely like the original design more!

    This photo/drawing is dated 1890.

    89tnSnJ.jpg

    According to Houston Post Cards, that's the second of three train stations at that location.

    The first, pictured in the book, is more modest, though it had a massive train shed.  The book states that one you posted was built for $80,000.  That was torn down in the 1930's and replaced with what I think was the best design — Art deco, and very much like the 1940's Air Terminal.  That one was torn down in the 1960's to make way for the Post Office, which is now Post Houston.

    • Like 1
  6. On 9/18/2023 at 4:54 AM, IntheKnowHouston said:

    I'm not sure which neighborhood or area the properties are located. The parcels are near the Midtown border but outside of the Montrose border.

    I used to live a couple of blocks from this location, and we considered it Midtown.  The owners of the property marketed it that way, too.

    To us, Genesee Street was the Montrose/Midtown border.  But a lot of the neighborhood borders have gotten fuzzy in the last couple of decades.

    • Like 2
  7. On 9/21/2023 at 6:28 PM, Houston19514 said:

    I get the downside of streets full of driveways (although the negative impact on pedestrians could be at least party ameliorated by enforcing the law that bans blocking sidewalks). Just recognize that every additional regulation such as this adds to housing costs.

    The problem is that the "adds to housing costs" boogieman is brought up every time any new regulation is proposed, no matter how minor the cost.

    How much would this add to the cost of a house?  50¢?  A dollar?  Ten dollars?  Nobody ever says.

    Is the cost added to a single house more or less than the benefit delivered to the general public?

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1
  8. On 9/22/2023 at 6:59 PM, Highrise Tower said:

    Found an elusive baseball diamond field on Fannin Street across from South Main Street from the 1920s/1930s. Very cool.  Never knew about this! The first diamond field in the Texas Medical Center? Besides the Rice field across the street of course.

    Anyone know what this field was called? Cool history here!

    First spotted this field on the Houston Gargoyle Magazine map dated May 1, 1932, with the map called Houston's Cradle of Culture & Environs.

    Might be this:

    67693F13-4E7D-4A05-84B0-831B88BBF649_1_105_c.jpg

    • Like 4
  9. BCC113A2-8512-4FAA-8CBA-14BFA5FEAA0D_1_105_c.jpg

     

    9B985AEF-9234-4247-9D4B-AD4EC48FD570_1_105_c.jpg

     

    LEGACY
    by Bimbo Adenugba

    Houston is always looking to improve, for today and tomorrow.

    "Legacy" is a mural that focuses on the essential task before us in providing a sustainable planet to future generations. This mural was inspired by the 17 sustainable development goals (SD's) adopted by the United Nations, designed to provide a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet now and into the future. Hear the United Nations Global Compact (UNG) tell you more about the SDG'S, in the app "Behind The Wall".

    This mural, created by artist Bimbo Adenugba and curated by Street Art for Mankind (SAM), pays tribute to the legacy of native Americans in our region, featuring the daughter of a local indigenous tribe. The fireflies and roses symbolize hope and nature, the scale symbolizes justice, and the apple and glass symbolize access to food and clean water for all.

    The piece is part of the Big Art. Bigger Change. project produced in October 2022 in Downtown Houston. It was made possible thanks to the drive and generous support of the Houston Downtown Management District and TotalEnergies. Special thanks to Harris County for offering their wall.

    • Like 2
  10. 22 hours ago, mattyt36 said:

    Well that should tell you all you need to know about Elon

    Musk has a long history of being Russia-friendly.  When he started SpaceX, he wasn't going to build his own rockets.  According to Wikipedia, he tried to buy ICBMs from Russia so he could convert them into rockets.

    More recently: Elon Musk Acknowledges Withholding Satellite Service to Thwart Ukrainian Attack [on Russian military] (New York Times)

  11. On 9/11/2023 at 8:58 AM, sapo2367 said:

    Any pictures etc? Sounds interesting :)

    I guess my information is a little outdated.

    I just looked at Apple Maps, and the train line is no longer active:

    Screenshot 2023-09-13 at 9.12.08 AM.png

     

    A quick Duck shows that the trains stopped running in 2020.

    Here are a couple of pictures (from here) from when bicycles and trains shared the bridge:

    DSC_0602rc.JPG

    52743182_10156912976608076_5405287174616

    Here's the location, if you want to explore it yourself: https://maps.apple.com/?address=1049 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60642, United States&ll=41.910306,-87.655529&q=Dropped Pin

    • Like 1
  12. 14 hours ago, august948 said:

    What I'm saying is if there is really a case, an actual legal case not media/political hyperbole case, they should have brought it well before now. 

    If that had happened, the cry would be "They're rushing through justice to keep him from running!" instead.

    When all that matters is tribalism, the prosecutors can't satisfy anyone.

    • Like 2
  13. On 9/1/2023 at 10:00 AM, mattyt36 said:

    Republicans are the ones who talk openly about "getting" political opponents.

    It's funny how someone who campaigned with the slogan "Lock her up" now says it's unfair to indict someone during an election.

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1
  14. 22 hours ago, Caribomoa said:

    Neiman Marcus may merge with Saks Fifth Ave. In what I’d suppose would be Hudson Bay Co acquiring N-M

    If this goes through, I wonder what the long term look for the Neiman Marcus in the Galleria and other malls that are doubled up would be.

    Short term, I don't see any change coming.  Neiman Marcus and Saks have different customers. 

    But I could Hudson Bay eventually eliminating one brand simply because Hudson Bay is a terrible company that in recent years has ruined Saks in so many ways.  (One example: many Saks stores don't even have HR people in them anymore.  If an employee needs something, they have to make an appointment to have a video chat with someone in Toronto.)

    • Confused 1
  15. D042094B-689A-49AD-B363-32FC92B512C4_1_105_c.jpg

     

    SWEENEY, COOMBS &
    FREDERICKS BUILDING

    THIS LATE-VICTORIAN COMMERCIAL BUILDING WITH A 3-STORY CORNER TURRET AND EASTLAKE DECORATIVE ELEMENTS WAS DESIGNED BY GEORGE E. DICKEY IN 1889. EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THE 1889 CONSTRUCTION MAY HAVE BEEN A RENOVATION OF AN 1861 STRUCTURE BUILT BY WILLIAM VAN ALSTYNE AND PURCHASED IN 1882 BY JOHN JASPER SWEENEY AND EDWARD L. COOMBS.  GUS FREDERICKS JOINED THE SWEENEY AND COOMBS JEWELRY FIRM BEFORE 1889.

    RECORDED TEXÀS HISTORiC LANDMARK - 1974

    • Like 2
  16. 034D0916-4F16-4499-87D9-5D86CF5C11CA_1_105_c.jpg

    INNOVATION FOR ALL, by W3R30N3


    "Innovation for All is a mural about access to technology and innovation for all (United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9). Bridging the digital divide, promoting sustainable industries, and investing in scientific research and innovation are all important ways to facilitate sustainable development globally. Houston is continuously connected to technology and innovation. Whether it is about working to lead the green revolution or becoming "a smart city" with strategic investments in Artificial Intelligence, the city is up for every challenge.

    This mural, created by artist w33on3 and curated by Street Art for Mankind (SAM) empowers humankind to unlock access to technology for all. The lines created by the artwork prolong the architecture of the building, creating an impression of movement and a technological web. The message is direct: "We hold in our hands the key to making our world more sustainable and equitable by sharing our technology."

    The piece is part of the second series of the Big Art. Bigger Change. murals produced in May 2023 in Downtown Houston. It was made possible thanks to the drive and generous support of the Houston Downtown Management District, TotalEnergies and Harris County Precinct One. Special thanks to the Dhukka Family for donating their wall.

     

    • Like 3
  17. Finally got a chance to take a picture of the plaque.
     

    CHILD LABOUR by Hopare


    "Child Labour" is a mural that highlights the connection between child labor and our consumption (United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8.7).
    Cosmetics, smartphones and electric vehicles may be emblems of the modern world, but the sparkle added to our make-up or the batteries in our electronics are frequently powered by minerals, like mica or cobalt. These minerals are mined by children laboring in slave-like conditions in Congo, India or Madagascar.

    This mural, created by artist Hopare and curated by Street Art for Mankind (SAM) represents the two sides of the same coin next to each other: On one side our consumption. On the other side what powers it: child labor. Through the allegory of a girl putting on make-up, next to her friend collecting mica, the mineral used to create make-up, we dig into a deeper topic and in the contradictions of our modern society. There is also a vision of hope here with a new generation, represented by the two girls, side by side questioning
    how we can fix this.

    The piece is part of the second series of the Big Art. Bigger Change. murals produced in May 2023 in Downtown Houston. It was made possible thanks to the drive and generous support of the Houston Downtown Management District and Harris County Precinct One. Special thanks to Houston House for donating their wall.

    • Like 1
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