bedmondson

Curious what the law says for pedestrian's not in a cross walk? The law as provided above simply says you can't run over pedestrians in a cross walk if they gave you reasonable amount to stop. I would have thought it would be been written that way about pedestrians anywhere. Is it legal for a pedestrian to ever be in a road? Is there another part of the law that says drivers shouldn't run over people in the street if they can avoid it, cross walk or not? 

19 hours ago, Houston19514 said:

What states are those?  I cannot find one.  FWIW, here is the Texas law and most states' laws are essentially identical to this (Again, I find none that require motor vehicles to stop for someone standing on the curb waiting to cross):

"When traffic signal is not in place, vehicles must yield to pedestrian in crosswalk on vehicle’s half of road or close to it. Pedestrians must not step off curb and into path of vehicle when vehicle does not have time to stop."

https://www.mwl-law.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/PEDESTRIAN-AND-CROSSWALKS-50-STATE-CHART.pdf

That's interesting, didn't know that.  So the meaning of the "Yield to Pedestrians" signs they put up at cross walks is meant only for pedestrians already in the street itself and not those standing at a cross walk? They seem to give a false impression, or maybe that is just me.

What I don't get is how much a Houston centric idea it is that you don't stop at cross walks for people. Growing up in Houston you learn to just ignore cross walks. Now having lived and visited many other cities, Houston seems unique in their categorical disregard of cross walk rules. Even in College Station, 1 hour away, drivers would slam on their brakes if you walked a bit to close to one. There are already the "Yield to Pedestrians" signs on 11th at the bikepath and you can see every day crowds of people, some with strollers, waiting as a freeway of cars pretend like they don't see them.  The amount of crazy that comes out of the wood work to see anyone try to alleviate any of this (studewood pedestrian islands) is depressing.

What about the funds the Elan Heights apartments paid into the parks system when they were built? Never saw that get used for an improvement in the park like was supposed to happen.  Also isn't there a TIRZ that could get involved?

I don't know if it was mentioned above but there has been some coordination between "Houston Needs a Swimming Hole" people and BBP for east of downtown for potential sites. They have toured BBP owned or controlled sites and are currently doing a feasibility study. One of the sites along the bayou being considered is the former wastewater treatment plant on the north side of Buffalo Bayou and Lockwood Dr.

The donuts are great but probably over complicated... They all have ingredients you have never heard of and a lot of them taste the same even though they supposedly have different stuff in them. Trying to hard to make the donuts "adult". The breakfast is the most unique in the neighborhood and what keeps bringing us back. And I have always had to wait in a line, they are doing well from what I can tell.

I was kinda underwhelmed by the gelato shop. Probably because we just went to that one in River Oaks District which is on a whole other level.

Its gonna be hard to not go to Hughies every week. It was our favorite restaurant even when it wasn't that close.

On 12/14/2016 at 10:26 AM, IntheKnowHouston said:

 

 

The tentatively named "The Ready Room" has had a TABC permit for 2626 White Oak Drive for at least two or three years.

Spoke to someone who works at Ritual and they said they plan on returning it to a live music venue. Will have live jazz and high end cocktails. Planning on being open in a couple months...

After just driving by it looks like Fusion Taco on Main St. is open.

Agree about listening to the guests. Each time we went in we were a little less impressed. Got rid of the happy hour instantly. Portions got smaller every time. We use to be able to order a couple dishes and be full but each time we went it seemed like another dish was needed. When you pay $36 for a half chicken that is the same size as a normal chicken breast it kinda makes you sad inside. Everything tasted great but when they opened I and others were hoping for a more casual place for frequent meals. It ended up being a more tapas style $100 date night place. 

20 hours ago, Angostura said:

 

The water works is a protected landmark, which means they can't be demolished without a Certificate of Appropriateness from the HAHC, which is unlikely to be forthcoming. 

 

Anything Alliance plans for that site will have to either incorporate or build around the three existing buildings. AFAIK, this only applies to the exterior of the buildings. Alliance can pretty much do what they want with the interiors without needing a CoA.

 

 

http://www.chron.com/homes/article/What-does-it-take-to-protect-a-historic-Houston-6075235.php

"The 'protected' designation means that the structure cannot be demolished or altered without the approval of the Commission," Hartgrove says. "The landmarks can proceed with an inappropriate alteration or demolition after the Commission denies their application for that activity once 90 days is up."

Is this Houston Chronicle article incorrect on this?  

I believe it requires notifications and waiting periods before you tear down a city recognized building.

1 hour ago, s3mh said:

The main issue is with over saturation of restaurants and bars that reach a Washington Ave critical mass.  The beer and wine place I linked to above in Oak Cliff is an example of how looser laws can push people into the neighborhood to open more and more places to go and drink.  When these pile up like they have on White Oak, they get to be a problem.  Without deed restrictions, no where in the Heights is immune.  The dry area is the only defense at this point.

And to answer the question there have been a lot of bars opening in the "wet" areas of the Heights and many more would be in the dry area.  A compromise carry out law will push more people to try to open BYOB/carry out places.  Lots of places to drink have opened in the past ten years in the wet areas:

 

Public House

Christian's Tailgate

Canard 

Lei Low

Johnny's Gold Brick

D&T Drive Inn

Town in City Brewery

Lucky's

Little Woodrow's

Cedar Creek

Big Star 

The Boot

Crisp

Warehouse Bar

Providence

Coming soon:

Heights Bier Garden

Wooster's Annex

The real bier garden from Pearland

 

 

 

Well that wasn't my question and I think you know that. Its odd how every debate about this issue ends up with talks about liquor and bars. Not one of these places you listed is retail that would benefit from this current update and is instead a list of bars that are not effected. Remember you can list a bunch of new bars in the dry zone as well. The question I raised was set on the idea that if the dry law was updated as proposed it would open up development to new unwanted and low class retail establishments selling beer and wine. If this hypothesis is true you should have seen these places opening up around the dry zone boundaries this past decade but the only example I can come up with is Premium Draught.  Now why would the update of the dry law suddenly encourage these places to open when none have opened just across the street? 

I am suggesting that fears of allowing the purchase of beer and wine for off site consumption will lead to the construction of more liquor stores, bars, and convenience stores in the Heights dry zone doesn't make sense. First the update doesn't effect liquor sales, second they are already building bars and again this update doesn't change those laws, and lastly no development on the fringes of the dry zone have demonstrated the retail fears I am hearing.

1 hour ago, s3mh said:

Our retail areas are smack dab in the middle of residential areas and, with the case of Heights Blvd, very much mixed together with residential.  The historic district do help limit who comes in to the neighborhood, but more will look to put in retail with easier alcohol restrictions.  I would rather keep things in check as best we can than take a risk just to get another grocery store in an area that is already served by three Krogers, Sprouts, Whole Foods, HEB and Walmart.  

 

And things in the wet parts of the Heights are not so wonderful.  Hang out on White Oak and Studewood on Friday night.  

So what examples of new "retail with easier alcohol restrictions" have we seen outside of the dry zone? The Heights has had the largest influx of development in its history these past 10 years so we should have seen examples of this in the vast area of the Heights that have no dry laws.

Wow. For that price you can get a house with more square feet on a full size lot in the same neighborhood plus not pay the $836 maintenance fee.  
 

Good luck to them!

2 hours ago, Angostura said:

Lot of pizza in the Heights: Pink's, Alli's, Cane Rosso, Mellow Mushroom, and now Pi.

 

Plus Collina's, Coltivare, and the pies Gelazzi are selling. And I wouldn't be surprised if the new red sauce joint going in on Studewood and 11-1/2 served pizza as well.

 

 

+ Chicago Beef. Use to be the only place around to get deep dish.

1 hour ago, dml423 said:

Picture I got from the chronicle this morning.

 

This has happened a few times in the past few years already. I know the rain has been once in a decade, but still. I would not want to be facing the risks of the garage flooding when I am paying the rents they are charging.

 

 

 

That is just the ground level. Are there even any parking spots on that level? At the end of the day it will have just been a few hours that you couldn't get in or out of the garage which is about the same for everyone else in the area.

Any explanation why there was not a citation issued? Did the police come out and measure? You would think 17 reported noise violations would have gotten some response. I doubt if 311 calls alone are enough to revoke any issued or future permits. 

I saw a few tweets from inside saying that it wasn't loud enough...

13 hours ago, Triton said:

Wow there's no way the sound test they just performed is legal. 120 decibels by the neighborhood's measurements and most have already reported it to the city.

There are decibel measuring devices installed in the neighborhood? Are they the neighborhood's or the music hall's? 

I think everyone is getting a bit dramatic. If parking becomes a problem for the residences, the city gives you several options. If the sound is too loud, the City has ordinances for that. If the music hall is having a hard time getting people in to the show because of parking, they will have to fix it or go under. Somehow Fitzgeralds with their like 10 parking spots manages. At the end of the day, homes right on all the action on White Oak are selling at the same price as the rest of the neighborhood farther away. I think this area will be fine.

A big name restaurant team stepping into the Heights. Arthur Ave Italian American from the Helen Greek people going in at 1111 Studewood. Should be awesome. 

http://www.houstonpress.com/restaurants/team-behind-helen-greek-food-and-wine-gear-up-for-arthur-ave-italian-american-restaurant-in-the-heights-8299192

Los Cucos located in the same building seems to have gotten pretty popular in the last few months. Seemed to be struggling in the beginning but now they are busy on early Monday nights even.

https://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/

Put your address in the red box.

Yeah man, I definitely agree. The bar isn't too far from the rail stop, but the perceived safety at the rail stop itself will be the determining factor to get people walking around this area.  Hopefully that will change as the shuttered storefronts get some businesses.  The difficulty I was referring to has to do with the tiny stairway (kinda hard to maneuver with both up/down traffic.. even when sober and only 20-30 people there) and the low head clearance on the stairs up to the deck (maybe I'm just too tall).

Are any shuttered storefronts getting businesses? The rail has been open for a long while now and I haven't noticed any new businesses, just the closure of two somewhat notable restaurants (la macro? and Radical Eats). It also seems like there has been a large uptick in homeless camps around this area likely pushed out from downtown and other areas. I felt surrounded by guys sleeping and hanging out around quitman stop a couple weeks ago while waiting on the train. Hopefully I am wrong but I am thinking it is likely that this music hall is far enough removed from the commercial strip that it won't have any positive impact on area. Something else is gonna have to drop to help this area. 

Demolition permit issued yesterday for the building on Yale St. just north of the bike trail.

Haha. I kept thinking Polish as in Poland but the nail version definitely seems more likely. My wife is currently making "Polish" cookies which threw me off. 

Hm... so anyone have any details on what the places labeled "Polish" and "Brasserie" are referring to?  It is easier to image what Local Pho and Orange Theory will be.