Pleak

Way to blame the victim.

Why is it comical that most don't live downtown? The vast majority of downtown's population is work-related. So what. We know how to walk past a bum without crying about it. Been doing it for years. Job I have now is in Galleria. Guess what? There's bums here too. And downtown Houston is definately not the ghetto. Especially not now. It's most sketchy areas pale to what it was 15-20 years ago. Back when the Rice Lofts was a nice covered area for all the bums to piss. That's the time/place you might be wise not to take your other on a midnight stroll.

New law being proposed in the legislature to make them follow the law as it was originally intended. What a concept! http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2013/02/25/sporting-goods-tax-may-go-to-parks--.html Maybe the state can finally start holding on to their state parks instead of getting rid of them like in the last few years..... Lake Houston State Park Lake Texana Texas State Railroad

Ahh - you made me get up from my desk and go look to confirm. I can see 4 crosswalks on Post Oak north of Westheimer to San Felipe. (Not counting the crosswalks AT Westheimer and the one at San Felipe.) Every one of them has a light. So of course no vehicles are going to slow down if they have a green light. And a person would have to be an idiot to cross in front of a car that has a green light. I'm not saying you haven't seen it happen because I see it just about every day. But it doesn't mean the driver is wrong. If the person/bicyclist really wants to play a live-action version of Frogger, well, there is a reason the Darwin Awards are put out every year.

This has gotten absolutely hilarious. Once again, the hue and cry about make Houston more walkable- blah, blah, blah. But not for me. I might have to look at someone icky. I've said it before in other threads- people really want Cinco Ranch in the Heights, Midtown, Downtown. Where everybody looks just like them and THEY can control who lives there, who walks on the streets, what color they paint thier house/condo/apartment door. They think they are all hip and urbane but in reality they are just like their suburban parents they are so desparately trying to run away from.

I say turn the Astrodome into one giant casino. And rename the Texans next door to the old Houston USFL team name. What a great tie in that would be. Nate99 - I don't think it would be a zero-sum proposition. For Texas at least. How much $$$ do we send already on casino-bus and day trips to Louisiana already just from the Houston area. A huge portion of that would stay local. It would hurt Louisiana tremendously - but oh well.

Yes. Every day if you mean the crosswalk from Neimanns to Dillards. I daily watch people press the button for the light to change, decide they can't wait the couple of minutes and then decide to run/walk/stroll for it even though Post Oak traffic has a green light (and the sole purpose of that particular light is to stop Post Oak traffic periodically so there is a safe crossing for pedestrians). Then the cars have to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting the pedestrians who are crossing against their light. Usually they honk, (I would too) and quite often the pedestrian beats on the hood and then runs away. It's actually quite entertaining to watch while waiting for my bus. But it's almost always the pedestrian thinking they don't have to pay attention to the traffic signal that says don't walk. Maybe they are legally in the right, and a car has to slam on its brakes even when it has a green light - I don't know. But even if they are, one day these idiots will be dead right.

So what your saying is for $86 million we have the architectural equivalent of Joan Rivers?

Huh - I heard all the sirens as they went by a few minutes ago. Wonder what happened

The old Affordable Furniture Warehouse store and the Toyota parts warehouse next door are being knocked down. Does anybody know what is going up? Is it another strip center or maybe an expansion of Sterling McCall Ford? http://maps.google.com/maps?q=6313+Southwest+Freeway,+Houston,+TX&hl=en&ll=29.720762,-95.494065&spn=0.00915,0.01487&sll=29.720658,-95.494167&sspn=0.001153,0.001859&hnear=6313+Southwest+Fwy,+Houston,+Texas+77081&t=m&z=16

I had been wondering what was going on - they have been doing some work on the front of the closed Gerland's store. http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2013/01/friday-retail-wrap-80/

Thanks. Do we have any idea of the configuration of the additional high rises? Or are they just "proposed"? From what I understand, all the really cool configurations from earlier in the thread are all gone now - correct?

I can't find a link online anywhere, but I read an article in a Sunday Chronicle Business section from the last month (apoligize - can't remember the date) talking about the auction of the Houston Club items. And it had an offhand comment that was something to the effect of Skanska was going to replace the 385,000 sq. foot building with a 625,000 building. Again - I am going off of memory, so the numbers might be a little off. I can't find anything official anywhere - but if anybody has an old copy of the Chronicle - maybe they can confirm by fuzzy memory.

Also in the Bizjournal article linked above was this last paragraph. I'm so lost on the twists and turns of Blvd Place. Can someone simply explain where the other 645 high-rise units are going and where the hotel is going. Last I knew, only high-rise buildings being built were Hanover's (above) and whatever Apache builds. I apologize in advance for being dense on this one.

HA! You beat me to it. I was going to mention that the overwhelming desire for bright neon at night is also shared by bugs and birds. Usually to their detriment. Guess evolution hasn't progressed us too far up the food chain if we still can't function without such bright and shiny things.

No pics, but they have about four more floors to hang curtainwall on.

Easy two-step processt to fix this. Contact Camden. Use your millions to offer to buy the property from them so they make enough return on their investment that they are satisfied to move on. Develop it with all the ground floor retail and complete lack of park space to your heart's content. Voila - you have your dream! Oh - wait. You don't have millions and you're not a developer? So you are just whining on an internet board about how somebody else is spending their own money? Never mind. I thought I was replying to a useful post.

I've thought this all along. Back when United was throwing their temper tantrum about Southwest getting to fly international from Hobby - I argued pretty much the same thing. http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/26255-hobby-airport-going-international-swa-will-pay-100m-for-airport-expansion/page__st__90 United pulling back from their dominant position isn't going to hurt Houston. Only themselves. For years, IAH had little new routes and some of the highest prices in the country when Continental was here. But most people were OK with that - sort of a benevolent dictator sort of arrangement, because in the grand scheme of things, Continental was a good corporate citizen, seemed to care about Houston, and had generally decent service. Then when the merger happened, everything changed. The integration was massively flubbed. Service has gone in the toilet. Houston flyers (and citizens in general) feel dumped on by United, whether justified or not - and in return United still want to charge monopolistic prices? So when United pulled back and/or failed to expand to obvious routes to "punish" Houston - there are plenty of other carriers who will not hesitate to come in now - there is a HUGE opening. Make money - pick off the disgruntled first and business class flyers (who are the ones United is really ticking off) establish a presence in one of the few growing markets for the last several years in N.America. What's to lose for the new carriers? And what's to lose for Houston? It's now longer a second-rate city dependent upon the generosity of it's hometown airline to fly people around and having to bend over and say thank you for every morsel offered no matter what the conditions/price. Businesses actually want to fly there people to/from Houston frequently and at good prices - other carriers see this and are offering the service. Hobby just set a record for most people last year - first time over 10 million. IAH continues to grow and grow internationally. The more carriers that offer flights, the better as prices will come down over time since United/Continental is no longer the only game in town and Houston won't be their cash cow anymore. It will still be a very important piece, but I think the barn door is already open - United will never have the dominance that Continental did. I think over time - other carriers will grow their operations and more will be attracted. There is just too much money to be made here.

Here are the latest updates to the IAH construction. http://www.fly2houston.com/0/3920701/0/83280D83283/ Summary Terminal B Updates. Beginning Terminal D minor upgrades. A lot of utility and central plant upgrades (which really needed to be done).

Doesn't Houston Pavilions have a lot of available space........

No - they need to bring back Chester Charge, not some amorphous green blob. I seem to remember that he even had a cannon that he would fire.

Interesting. Was it S3mh or Leonard (I get them mixed up) who got all bent out of shape when I said they should know the weight of their vehicle. That is printed on the door jamb of their vehicle visible every time they get in. Especially considering that is a life/death situation with the Bridge of Doom and all..... Guess knowing how far your setback requirement is comes in more handy when you really just want make sure all your neighbors obey your vision of a perfect neighborhood. Why they don't just move to Cinco Ranch where they can join the HA and rule their little pre-created fiefdom to their hearts content is beyond me.

Well I'm not sure if that's just lazy or stupid or both. If you are going to drive a 4000+ lb deadly weapon (just read the bicycle thread) you should at least have the mininum knowledge of your vehicle. And if it is remotely tall - you should also know the height.

And the 29 story residential tower being built at BLVD Place has a footprint of 1.2 acres from what I have read.

That's good to hear. It seems like Greenway Plaza area has been quiet for a long time except for 1-2 story strip centers.