Zippy

I would rather see the place gutted down to the concrete frame and start over, salvage as much of the interior as possible.. No need for a complete implosion..

And get a new property management group..

I've flown Southwest many times.. and I'm still around to talk about it! *Gasp!*

So.. the safety issue seems to be that inspections weren't done.. not that they found damaged/compromised airplanes..

"The result of inspection failures, and enforcement failure, has meant that aircraft have flown unsafe, unairworthy, and at risk of lives," Oberstar told CNN.

This does not necessarily equate an unsafe airplane.. If they do indeed do inspections that they didn't do, and find something wrong, then I'll be the first one to throw a stone..

Are the MS maps API better to use than the Google API.?

I've aways preferred google maps personally..

A 4 bedroom 3 bathroom house is going to be too cramped for a family of 4??? Wow. Why would you need to move when the boys get older?

Perhaps I didn't describe the layout well enough.. The master br is upstairs.. as well as another bedroom where the boys are housed..

I'd rather not have one of the boys' bedroom downstairs alone.. As once they get older, I'm sure privacy for each will become an issue, and that would be the only option.

The main reason why I would want to move is because of layout.. not because of space.. Our house is plenty big for us, but the layout could be different.

..So would it be impossible to raise a family of four in a 3/1 Bungalow Home in the Heights 1,200 Sq Ft ? For that matter

what about a 2/2 family of four ?

Would it be bad or difficult to say family of four and two sons share a room or two sisters ?

I wonder what was standard or considered comfortable for a family of four or five in the early years of the Heights

bungalow homes .

How did people raise thier familes in the older and smaller Heights Homes ? Was there less privacy for the kids ?

Were familes crowded in their smaller bungalow homes and maybe stressful ???

Not sure if these questions were asked in jest or not.. but I'll go ahead and bite..

We have a remodeled 4/3 and have 2 boys.. and not planning any more.. we have 2 rooms up and 2 rooms down with the master bedroom up.. We're keeping the boys together in bunk beds upstairs for as long as we can, but will probably have to move when they get older.. (Say early teens) I'd still like to remain in the Heights of course..

I think it will be tight by today's standards.. but I wouldn't trade moving to the burbs just to have a larger house, for the being able to bike to festivals/being close to downtown/being close to work/the community..

And yes.. it's not cheap.. grr..

Man, did anyone see these pics from the party?

http://www.chron.com/life/photogallery/Cel...tion_at_do.html

why was I not invited..

oh wait.. nevermind.. I didn't donate a bucket of money to the mayor.. nevermind..

Can't. The Supreme Court has already ruled that panhandling is free speech and can't be regulated by cities.

Did that overturn Dallas' anti-pan handling law? I thought it worked well at least keeping beggars off the corners..

Interesting, but I don't think it would work. The police can't decide if you've paid your taxes or not just by looking at you; you'd have to be audited by the I.R.S. But how do they audit someone with no address who can just walk away or hitchhike to another town and vanish whenever they want?

Yeah.. I know.. I was sort of being sarcastic..

One homeless person isn't a problem. Maybe not even two. But when they come in flocks and ordinary hard-working people are constantly being asked for handouts it gets frustrating. My latest tactic is to tell them in perfect English, "I don't speak English." Mostly this just confuses them long enough for me to go on my way without being followed.

Good idea!

... Additionally, the bond election to fund the Booking Facility failed. There is plenty of time and room for changes to be made to accomodate all concerned.

The joint processing center is still on course for the end of Baker St.. Funding will just come from elsewhere, other than bonds..

But I'm guessing the scope will change some..

public school in general or public school in the heights?

Public schools in the Heights.. I may consider the Harvard Elem Vanguard program.. We're currently zoned to Fields.. (ugh)..

If it came to it, I *will* go private..

I thought this thread was about the homeless problem, not panhandlers. Which is it?

Well.. it goes with my first assertion.. "The ones who don't ask for money can hang out there.. and those who do, can't."

The problem is it's not mutually exclusive.. some hobos will beg.. some, granted, will not.. I don't have a huge problem with those who don't beg, other than them using the street as a personal toilet.. Thats not very world class.. Or maybe it is.. hmm..

I have a huge problem with the enablers.. those who continue to perpetuate the problem by giving handouts.. (Churches, shelters, etc.. ) This will only keep them hanging out and collecting.. Maybe move the shelters and churches who give food away to the suburbs.. Handouts do not solve the problem. But as long as people think they are helping and feeling good about themselves, then they will always be there.

Good Afternoon All,

These are wonderful comments and opinions!

So if the homes are becoming much bigger is it possible many families will stay in the Heights and raise their kids in the city

and attend the public school systems ?

Because of so many town homes many couples will stay a while then plan for a family then move further away ?

What do you see for the future of the Heights ? A mini replica of Bellaire with a twist of Montrose ?

Even West U with some midtown flair ?

Thank You

We're a 4 person family in the Heights in a moderately sized bungalow, middle to upper income.. We're planning on staying for a while, but I cannot see putting our boys in public school.. I think the Heights will have its own identity, and will not be similar to other areas of town..

Personally, I'd rather see large mcmansions than the townhomes which have taken over Montrose, Rice Military, and some small parts east..

How will we know which people can hang out in midtown and which people can't? Maybe we should tattoo anyone who can't produce proof of a mortgage to clarify that.

The ones who don't ask for money can hang out there.. and those who do, can't.. maybe camps would be a good start..

the problem is perpetuated by organizations and individuals giving hand-outs, and not expecting the hobos to do anything more.. That's great people are so caring and thoughtful that they want to help their fellow humans who are down on their luck.. however, when it becomes a lifestyle.. man, cut the rope.

The hobos who live in Hermann Park have cell phones..

Maybe a pan-handling law should be passed, and stick them in jail.. that'll solve them being homeless..

Or maybe arrested for tax evasion since they get "income" but pay no taxes on it..

None of this will happen, and eventually things will be as bad as San Fran and maybe there will be another mass exodus to the bubs again because the hobos have taken over midtown/downtown once again..

Non-subscriber version

http://louisville.bizjournals.com/louisvil...10800%5E1591356

at least it's not some god awful townhomes ala 14th st.

The jails have been here for a number of years, and as long as the court houses are downtown, the jails will be downtown.. Shuttling in a few hundred prisoners every day does not make sense.. Plus family visitation, lawyer visitations (many large law firms are also downtown), would make this more difficult..

The new jails are at least somewhat architecturally pleasant, not like the old ugly one on congress which will eventually go away. The new IPC was to be on the north side of the bayou, south side of Baker St, where there is currently a muddy parking lot. HPD and the Sheriff's Office will share this processing center and add a few thousand new beds. Design is still under way so we'll see.

The bond proposal defeat has not changed anything, the jail is still on schedule. Remaining funding will most likely come from the feds.

There is a larger homeless problem in downtown Houston than having inmates roaming around. I would be more embarrassed about cruising the bayou and saying.. oh.. there's another homeless camp.. and there's another.. and there's another..

Also Studewood -> Studemont -> Montrose .. essentially the same..

Here's an interesting site I'd never seen:

http://community.rice.edu/focusresources/b...ustrations.html

Great pics there.. Wish they had some hi-res ones so you can actually make out what's in the pics tho..

ugh.. can we expect more ungainly townhomes for this spot?

Maybe he'll be able to change heights blvd into harry james blvd.. hrmgn

I could be wrong, but I think at one point in time there was a statue of some kind ontop of it.

Yeah.. I vaguely recall that there was a statue which used to be on there.. Back before they began restoration on the building, they hauled it off via helicopter.

Someone with a CCL could take care of this problem pretty easily.

Yeah.. I would think they would at least want to get the weekday morning drive-by hours.. *shrug*

Maybe hours will expand as they get busy?

Edit: from their myspace page.. Mo hours coming soon..

M-F from 4pm until 10pm. (Morning hours coming soon.)

Sat: 10am- 10pm

Sun: 12pm- 6pm

From my limited driving around in the area, it seems like N. Main is the dividing line between neighborhoods that are well-kept and neighborhoods which are not. I know Pinelawn has Deed Restrictions in place, will those help keep the neighborhood from looking junky?

Thanks again.

Not sure if it would be deed restrictions or just the values of the area which will keep the neighbourhood from looking junky.. A quick plot of the value of my house has it rising over ~300% in the last 5 years.. (Granted.. there was a remodel during that time..) If there's a trashy house in this area, it's days will be numbered.. It'll either be a tear-down or a re-do.. (In my estimation..) The property values will eventually push out the riff-raff.. and they'll move to the other side of N. Main..

My wife and I are considering a home in the Pinelawn subdivision of the Heights. Between Studewood and the 600 blocks of 16th through 18th streets. Does anyone have any experience in this area? Is there lots of vehicle traffic around Field Elementary School?

While we're at it, does anyone know any of the history of Pinelawn?

Thanks for any info anyone has. I've been a lurker at this board for a while and I'm always appreciative to learn new things about the area.

Looks like you're a couple of blocks north of us.. I'm not sure how traffic is around Field, since I don't usually head north in the mornings..

I don't know if you've researched field, but it's not the greatest of schools.. it gets a lot of the north-east of N. Main kids.. So the traffic might be a population which is less than desirable.. We're sending our kids to either private or a Vanguard program at other schools..

Our street is relatively quiet.. 16th and 18th would have a lot of traffic since they are thru streets.. If you're on one of the inner blocks, it might be better.

As for History, I don't know much about that.. Our house was built in 1930 and had a down to the frame renovation in '06. Looking at old maps of the area, it seems "relatively" new compared to Heights proper and Woodland/Norhill heights.. everywhere I've look for info, I hadn't been able to come up with anything..

There has been a lot of renovations in my area as well as some new builds.. so the market must be somewhat hot.. the neighbours are friendly and many have been there for years.. and it's an easy walk to Fiesta on 14th for Milk or wine..

Welcome to da hood!

Yum.. WiFi and Coffee..

Have to drop by and check it out sometime.

Noticed a car parked in front and something to the effect of Waldo's Coffee shop on Heights is open..

Anyone gone there yet?