astrohip

9 hours ago, Triton said:

instead all you hear about is the major crime going on Nextdoor at this place.

Take this with a grain of salt. I read an article (sorry, been a couple months and I don't have a link) about front-loading crime stories on NextDoor (and other sites), as part of a Red political oppo campaign.

Details: Republican political consultants felt one of the best ways to defeat Hidalgo was make crime front & center in voter's minds. So they flooded local web sites with crime stories. For example, on City-Data, a popular site for locals, they kept starting threads with subjects like "Crime in Houston is out of control", or "Are people leaving Woodlands due to crime?", etc. Then they would keep posting replies to keep it at the top.

On NextDoor, they started posting every time anything happened. "Someone stole my bikes out of my garage", "A friend had their car stolen last night", yada yada. Half the ND feed was minor crime events. I quit reading ND as it became 99% useless.

Does crime happen? Sure. And making people aware of it can help. But this was a deliberate campaign to over-saturate voters thru web sites. I need to go find that link...

Is that pic from Lamar Towers?

Why was I thinking the first building was going to be office, not resid? Did they change their minds because of the upheaval in the office market?

21 hours ago, Amlaham said:

 is anyone else curious how traffic will play out. This area is getting pretty dense for what seems like a pretty narrow street? Also, I doubt the street can be widen anymore. Maybe, the city needs to start on that trail sooner than later.

Traffic is challenging along that stretch of Westheimer. It's tolerable during non-rush hour, and %#$@ during rush hour. And the entire area has more traffic during the Holiday season, making it even more fun (PS: <- sarcasm). I speak from experience, as I live on Westheimer.

It can't be widened, there are stores/offices/buildings that come right up to the street easements.

What trail are you referring to?

On 11/19/2022 at 3:50 PM, hindesky said:

Northwest corner. The ever present broken windows, I wonder if the estimators account for several replacements when estimating the cost of the project?

Yes, they do. I don't know the percent or dollars, but it's a part of const costs, like any other repair needed during const.

When we sold windows to multi-family, we used to offer free labor on all reglazes. GC only had to pay for the glass. Sometimes, if we really wanted a project, we'd even throw in "X amount" of free window replacements, ex: the first twenty free. It was easier than it sounds, as both the sash and the fixed panel were removable (Ply-Gem windows; we were their distributor in Houston at the time). So instead of having to send a glazier (an expensive employee) to actually replace the glass, a 15-30 minute chore, we would send a service person with the panels. Pop the old ones out, the new ones in. Takes a minute or two, and can be done from the inside (no scaffolding, easy peasy even on the higher floors). 

We (Gulf & Basco) were also the first company in Houston to offer film on our windows, instead of wrap. Starting sometime in the mid-90s, window companies started wrapping the entire window in a loose plastic bag. The idea was it kept const debris, esp drywall mud & mortar, off the glass, and made the final cleanup MUCH easier. It was a big hit. But one problem was in the summer, you couldn't get airflow, so workers started punching holes in the bags.

So in the early 2000s, we heard about this film that could be applied directly to the glass. The window was still operable, airflow worked, and at the end, you peeled it off. It was being used up north, but no one in our area did it. We offered it for $3/window, both sides, and it was an immediate hit. Within months, every window company in Houston was doing it (Champion, BFS, Kaiserhoff, etc).

Sorry you asked?

Nice pics! There's a small plot of grass behind this now, buffering the Metro Bus Barn. Is it new, or have I just not noticed it before?

On 11/14/2022 at 5:02 PM, astrohip said:

Tried to get some pricing info... rec'd this reply:

Thank you for your interest in 1661 Tanglewood.  Due to the confidentiality of our clients, we are not sharing pricing or floor plans via email, however, we are now scheduling appointments at our sales gallery

I emailed again, very polite. "thanks for replying, still very interested, etc. But I'd like some info so I'm not walking in cold into a sales studio".

Same type reply, again. They said they would call me if I wanted.

But I don't want a call. I don't want to be on their marketing email list, or phone bank. (I used a spare email I only use for purposes like this). I'll wait until info leaks. It always does.

Tried to get some pricing info... rec'd this reply:

Thank you for your interest in 1661 Tanglewood.  Due to the confidentiality of our clients, we are not sharing pricing or floor plans via email, however, we are now scheduling appointments at our sales gallery

I found a "Captiva Westheimer LLC", registered in NJ. I can't find any local address info.

https://www.bizapedia.com/nj/captiva-westheimer-llc.html

Captiva Westheimer LLC is a New Jersey Domestic Limited-Liability Company filed on June 13, 2022. The company's filing status is listed as Active and its File Number is 450824833.

The Registered Agent on file for this company is Ryszard Osika and is located at 299 Market St Suite 220, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663. The company's mailing address is 299 Market St Suite 220, Saddle Brook, NJ 07663.

The company has 1 contact on record. The contact is Ryszard Osika from Saddle Brook NJ.

4 hours ago, ChannelTwoNews said:

Retail Pavilion fully leased, Condos 70% Sold

 

I'm stunned they've sold 70%. It's a fairly limited market for high-end condos, and I know several projects that were either cancelled or downsized because of sales. Good for them, if it's legit.

1 hour ago, Highrise Tower said:

A Plan Review Fee permit was pulled yesterday for a new apartment. 

Lets go!! 

Is this the type of permit that would be used for the project as proposed? Or does this indicate a change in direction?

Have we seen prices yet? I perused their web site, but couldn't find any. Or HOA fees?

On 9/7/2022 at 3:21 AM, 004n063 said:

Washington needs a straight-up LRT extension, in my opinion. (So, especially, does Westheimer).

The challenge is that LRT takes up about three lanes, or 1.5 from each side minimum, sometimes more. Main St downtown was three lanes each way, now it's one lane. Six lanes of traffic down to two.

Washington Ave and Westheimer Rd are size constrained, and they both carry a shotload of traffic. Can you imagine if Westheimer lost any lanes? The peasants would revolt!

I thought her name was Lina.

Some great aerial pics! I'm sure this has been asked & answered, I apologize for missing it, but what are you using to get these?

16 hours ago, hindesky said:

What are panels? I'm assuming concrete sections of roadway.

I believe you are correct. I drove thru there yesterday, and I noticed there are small sections of the roadway being replaced. I found it odd that some sections that appear perfect--not a crack, hole or patch--were being demo'd and replaced.

They're also putting up some curved concrete walls as entrances to the tunnels. Cool looking!

Does this mean they're finally doing something with that old structure at the rear?

I drove by last week, first time in a while. We actually had a reunion lunch of a bunch of us who worked there back in... well, before most of you were born. 🤣 I got a crappy pic from my car before lunch:

On 7/20/2022 at 10:28 AM, Avossos said:

Sandcastle homes townhomes :(

The owner is an old friend of mine. Did a lot of business with him years ago. They build a typical "Houston builder" mentality townhouse, nothing special, decent quality, lots of flash (SS! Granite! Island!). He is a PITA to work with. One of those "I'm smarter than you" type people.

On 7/15/2022 at 8:19 AM, hindesky said:

A story about the lone remaining building on the corner of where Urban Genesis is building, Black Bodega.

"Nestled in a century-old building holding down the corner of Sterrett and William streets in Houston’s Downtown Warehouse District is Black’s Bodega, one of the city’s most treasured hidden gems."

https://www.houstoniamag.com/eat-and-drink/blacks-bodega-houston-warehouse-district-shop

"An old furniture depot is being converted into a four-story loft building next door"

Only if "converted" means demolished and a new structure going up.

I haven't been down St. James in several years, my lawyer was in the 1717 St. James bldg. Isn't that area mostly office buildings, or is there already some residential there?

1 hour ago, Highrise Tower said:

This will be 6 stories.  Great for the neighborhood!

 

It better not block my view of Westheimer. Right now I can see all the way down to the Apple store. Six stories is taller than anything on that side.

I may need to get out my "Ashby High Rise" sign, and re-purpose it.🤪

NIMBY!

16 hours ago, HNathoo said:

Wow. $500psf for a 4 story building??

I was doing the math myself, at the same time I read your post. Yeah, that's gotta be a placeholder amount, no way that type bldg should cost that much.

6 hours ago, mgmort said:

Ralph was my mom's 1st cousin. His dad Mike (Bubba) Davidson and my grandfather Melvin (Mellie) Davidson were brothers. I remember Ralph fondly, he was always such a nice guy.

He was. When we decided to dabble in the door finishing business (which eventually turned into a significant business for us), he introduced me to several (and I can remember him saying this) "people I needed to know".