Watch4Snakes

But, this isn't supposed to be a discussion of the Bayou.... I think most people that are taking interest in this quarter of Downtown are just hoping/assuming that eventually the city blocks currently home to surface parking lots (aren't most up for sale/ground lease?) will slowly be populated by residential high rises, commercial high rises, and similar retail projects. But, it's Downtown. The Central Business District. I thought it was "supposed" to be dominated by Business while an "Uptown" area was "supposed" to be a hub for residential. ******* I guess, I don't see the Houston Pavillions and Bayou Place the same way. The Historic and Theater Districts didn't need Bayou Place. The particular section of Downtown that is home to Houston Pavillions does need HP.

So, I was at the Barker's Reservoir area out at George Bush (formerly Cullen) Park on the West Side of town. A significant patch of land was flooded (granted, only under inches of water as opposed to feet). This was because the dams had been shut. The dams...along the beginnings of Buffalo Bayou. The water accumulated from the slow, steady rains we had over the Thanksgiving weekend. And the water also slowly drained from the upstream prairie lands of the Katy/Brookshire area. Seems to only take between 1-3 weeks for this water to go down. Imagine if the dams weren't shut. I mean, from what I saw that morning jogging across the Bayou on Shepherd near Allen Parkway, the water was rapidly flowing. And that's just from inner-city run-off as opposed to upstream accumulation. I guess, bottom line, even with a man-made canal, creating an off-shoot to serve as the basis of a "riverwalk"....it just doesn't seem physically feasible. And....why would we, as a City, want to detract from the uniqueness of San Antonio? Why set us up for yet ANOTHER inter-city battle of "ours is better than yours"?

Did anyone else have the chance to see Eric Kuhne at the Brown Auditorium at the MFAH on September 12? Very interesting man to listen to. And his projects in Europe and Central Asia were fantastic. We only saw his large-scale projects and not his smaller ones (such as those that would be applicable to inner-loop Houston), but it was still a fascinating presentation. His theories concerning architectural purpose and intent were great. I'm no architect, so if someone else saw this presentation, please elaborate on this more eloquently than I'm able to.

The sewer drainage project is technically separate from a project coordinated by the UPPER KIRBY DISTRICT called the Kirby All-Stars project. The Upper Kirby District is a TIRZ that wants to do improve Kirby Drive's facade after the City of Houston finishes its sewage drainage improvement work. However, they will coincide and are going to be done in conjunction with one another. Yes, the loss of the trees is bad. However, the Upper Kirby Project includes the addition of many new trees. AND many, if not most, of the new trees are going to be relocated to Levy Park, near Eastside @ Richmond Ave. Keep in mind that many smaller trees, included in the total number that will be "destroyed", were planted AFTER the Upper Kirby District announced their intentions and plans for the project. Also, keep in mind that, due to the (editorialized comment to follow) wretched powerlines on Kirby, the nice trees currently lining Kirby Drive will be "trimmed" into a beautiful V-shaped by Centerpoint Energy since, years ago, they were planted directly underneath already-existing powerlines. In addition, some individuals are actually blaming the Upper Kirby District for not only the construction by the City of Houston on the sewage lines but the traffic problems caused by the high rise and West Ave projects @ Westheimer. Contact the Upper Kirby District directly, or visit them on the web, to get their version of the story. http://www.upperkirby.org/index.php?option...93&Itemid=1 Also, there is a big meeting on this project THIS Saturday (September 15) at the Upper Kirby offices on Richmond @ Eastside. 9-11 am. The public is encouraged to attend. I love Trees for Houston. I support the Upper Kirby District. I hate that they're fighting....

I think they may have been. I believe I even saw them on a Channel 11 news story. I grew up in Wharton County and always found them intriguing. Always wanted to see what they were like on the inside. Still don't know what condition they are in now.

Anyone ever travel down Business 59 through Wharton and see these?

I grew up in Wharton (Hungerford, actually) and had many family members and friends that attended school in Newgulf / Iago / Boling. It was a shame to watch it all so quickly disappear. When they abandoned the railroad tracks to Newgulf, you knew the town was dead.

"New York City is the Capital of the World!" I always end up hollering that out loud, obnoxiously, whenever I drink too much. I don't know why. I've only been to New York once. But I had a great time! Besides, it must be good, if all those sitcoms filmed in Los Angeles are set in NYC! Chicago in the fall. Houston in the spring. New York in the winter. Los Angeles in the summer.

It appears that someone just mentioned that (or just questioned about) a row of residences along the west/back side of the project already being demolished. (South of the home of the fortune teller.) If this is the case, would this be an indication of a positive direction being taken in the development? Or, is the razing of these structures not true? I thought it was simply Fashion Square and The Pavillions that was being torn down. I did not realize single-family homes were being demolished. And, is there an old assited-living facility that is being rid of as well? Perhaps photographs of the alledged demolition would appease some individuals....add some fuel-to-the fire for their talking points...whatever they may be. And, at least, it would GET THIS THREAD BACK ON TOPIC....AGAIN!

I am under the impression that Metro has far more sweeping powers than the average person is aware of. I, personally, have never read its charter or other provisions and can't speak with complete certainty, but it doesn't seem that Metro's dealing in real estate is illegal in any way. So, if Metro chooses to continue to pursue this venture, are there any legal grounds to block them from doing so? In my personal opinion, there needs to be a catalyst to get development snowballing along Main Street. Perhaps a deal with this property will end up aligning itself with a decision by Camden to proceed with its own "Superblock." Of course...wishful thinking, as with many others here. But somebody, some entity, needs to do something different to cause a change to occur. I'm hopelessly optimistic, and I immediately, perhaps foolishly, convinced myself that this whole deal with create that much-needed "catalyst" in 2008.

If these are the units going up by the Pierce Elevated, I'd love to see some photos of them posted here.

I tend to agree with those that believe that plots of land will be redeveloped in a decade or so. The neighborhood must fill in with working businesses first. The delapidated buildings and empty lots must be occupied by something. I don't think that Midtown will initially look like everyone hopes. But "box stores" such as this CVS will be replaced. We just won't be able to enjoy the neighborhood we want just yet. Someone also mentioned that there is no rail stop at Main@Elgin. I would agree that we should be most concerned, in the short future, of ensuring that "pedestrian friendly" retail/development occurs in clustered formations around the rail stops.

Is there any relation between this development in Southeast Dallas and the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor? After all, if rail lines are supposed to be coming from Mexico to this shipping center....and the new Corridor is comprised of Highways and Railways....

All I can say is....it's about time! Dallas is really going to benefit from a centralized Performing and Visual Arts District. There are many great museums and theaters in Dallas now, but there never seemed to be true "district". Now there will be! I love it when they build new, big things in Dallas! That gets everyone in Houston all stirred up, trying to out-do 'em, and builiding more here....and the cycle continues....

Excellent point, Red. Do you think that many people think that the coffee shop is a local product and not a franchise from another state? For years, I assumed Diedrich's was from Houston, as I had never seen or heard of one before going to the location being discussed.

The sales office on W. Alabama, just west of Kirby, seems to still be open. Has anyone ever stopped in there recently? I drive by it everyday going into the office, but I never make the time to stop in.

Whoa! This all seems WAY off topic. Can we please talk about the topic this thread was started for, please?

I'll throw in my own bit of second-hand information..... I know the family that owns the Josephine's Italian Restaurant, near South Texas College of Law (by the "back", non-Main Street, side of the Pavillions). They were told that groundbreaking was going to be conducted in late October, just as the website apparently states. I forgot who was holding the lottery for guessing the date for this? What is the pot up to these days?

Apparently having two locations in the same mall is nothing new. Doesn't Dillard's have two locations in First Colony Mall, occupying the space where Mervyn's (or some other department store) used to be?

It's open! http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=local&id=4298949

I saw the outdoor "Foley's" sign being replaced with a "Macy's" sign on the store at Sharpstown Mall today, as I was driving by on the freeway. Anyone see any other stores changing names?

1. I thought Space Center Houston was at the Johnson Space Center, located in Clear Lake (City), which was annexed by the City of Houston years ago. 2. There have been on-again, off-again discussions of dredging the Trinity River, in a similar but more extensive way that Buffalo Bayou was, to make it passable to ships and thus allow Dallas to create its own inland port. Any thoughts on this? 3. I am happy to hear about this. It is always good to witness the two Texas Giants (Houston and Dallas) working together to help each other's economies.

Construction is proceeding rapidly. Friends who live in the adjacent 4th Ward townhomes say that there is supposed to be ground-level retail. The effort is to further connect 4th Ward to Midtown.

Getting away from the border situation and back to Middle East diplomacy. Has anyone ever read the book "The Ugly American"? It deals with the United States' failed efforts to "win over the hearts" of the people of Southeast Asia during the 1950's and early-60's. Though it was a work of fiction - loosely based on actual people and situations - the authors all but predicted the fall of Saigon that would occur nearly two decades AFTER the book was published. The book did emphasize how the Soviet Union, unlike America, was very successful in their campaign (evidenced by the success of the spread of communism in that corner of the world in the 20th Century). Should we focus on a stronger relationship with Russia, with the ulterior motive of learning how to better win over the people of the Middle East? (Can you imagine it....the U.S. and Russia working for COMMOM AIMS in the Arab world...politically speaking.) The Bear to the East apparently knows something we don't. And I'm not sure if our government has learned from its failed diplomacy over the past 40 years. However, looking at how the nations stand opposed time and again in the Security Council.... It's a bit cliched to speak of such things. Or sound like some plot device from a bad Hollywood movie. Yet maybe we should ask our old "nemesis" for help. Can the Bear help the Eagle?