Amlaham

These two buildings are up for demo! Hoping for anything but a shopping center! 

Not sure if there's already a topic created for this, but last year this site was an empty lot and now there is a 2 story building on the lot, not sure what it is. Latest picture (below) is from November 2022 so the building should be done by now. 

Not sure what this really means by "commercial demo 2015 IBC"

University of Houston receives $63M for a US Army Project. 

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:oOgPm_4XQ38J:https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/education/article/university-houston-receives-63m-u-s-army-project-18389971.php&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari

I'm just waiting on any news about the promised "Astros village" :)

Tampa, Las Vegas, and Kansas City are all getting a new baseball park + mix-use developments. I don't think we need a new ballpark because I just love how historic MMP looks. All we're missing is some kind of mix use surrounding it! 

https://www.connectcre.com/stories/houston-based-hines-lands-1-3b-tampa-stadium-mixed-use-development/

53 minutes ago, __nevii said:

What exactly does "customer experience hub" entail and how important is it? Because that is what the Dallas area got regarding this ARPA-H ordeal.

Meanwhile, the main innovative catalyst/engine already selected Boston (huge life sciences hub, DARPA tech, etc). And the main operations obviously stayed DC given the Federal location.

I thought the SAME thing! Its practically a customer service center, I'm sure we'll be more than fine! 

Side note about the flooding comment. I'm starting to realize a lot of Houstonians are pessimists, see the absolute worst of every thing Houston 😂 

Can't seem to figure out whats going on here, but lots of construction, can't find any permits. My guess is a bar maybe.

7 minutes ago, HoustonMidtown said:

The trees are all gone

 

2 hours ago, 004n063 said:

And it abuts Cullen, which is tolerble north of 45, but probably the most bike-friendly street in the city south of 45, now that the reconstruction is (functionally) complete.

There's also protected bike lanes on both sides of Cullen north of 45 as well! The student housing across this development on Cullen was also made very pedestrian friendly (all parking is in the back). This part of town (specifically north of i45) is already ideal for pedestrians/ cyclist; narrower streets, smaller/older setbacks, smaller developments/lots in general. The is also becoming even more walkable/ dense/ bike-able. Cullen was cut down to 2 lanes to include bike lanes (from 4), Scott is only 4 lanes with a rail running in between, Leeland was cut down to 2 lanes to include bike lanes (from 4). 

Let's hope rest of the development somehow makes up for this. 

I love all the updates happening at Highland Village, it looks so refreshed and even more polished! I just reallyyyyy wish they would replace the wired street lights on Drexel and Weslayan with an actual arm mast. 

Why would they remove all the healthy trees they planted?

Mayoral candidates spoke on a forum on how Houston can go forward with improving our streets/sidewalks/transportation etc.

Ms. Jackson Lee was absent

In general, Mr. Whitmire is the obvious winner in my opinion, however, you never know what can happen in our city. 

https://www.axios.com/local/houston/2023/09/25/mayor-candidates-transportation-vision

Sorry, I'm not surprised AT ALL. DFW has been doing an amazing job landing corporate relocations, amusement parks, and now this. I just feel like nothing has been aligning for a city.....for the last decade or so. 

The gate is.... interesting, would have thought they would try to incorporate the trail into the development (like MKT shopping center)

I'm a little confused with previous comments that Temons Place Apartments will be torn down for a flyover ramp for the i45 project. The interactive maps below from the city and TxDOT both show the project's boundaries being on the outskirt of the apartments (does not include the apartment itself). Also, this portion of i45 will actually become disused. The picture with the gray lines in the highways will all be removed. No new ramp will go there. The red lines in the highways will just be leftover unused highway. 

https://mycity.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=15e9cd4512944ddb9b8f6b23fa9a68c6

https://www.txdot.gov/nhhip.html

https://abc13.com/city-of-houston-lights-over-freeway-bridge-montrose-who-pays-for-the-on-59/13806175/

On 9/21/2023 at 9:40 AM, Triton said:

Wow, Houston First said they won't begin construction until at least a year from now. 

Kind of annoying since the design team was already selected :/ 

6 hours ago, cityliving said:

Some people should not criticize you when they don’t know the whole story, that’s all I’m going to say period. 
Going out and taking photos for HAIF Houston, is hard, it takes time and effort, it’s like being a reporter covering a story going from construction site to construction site and not getting paid to do it, sometimes walking long distances in the heat, rain, windy conditions, finding a safe area to fly and land a drone from, having  transportation and health issues especially with my Muscular Dystrophy. 
Some people just want to see pretty pictures but don’t appreciate just how hard it is to take them, they don’t contribute nothing but criticism and laugh at you when you try to defend yourself. 

I’ve had a good run but maybe it’s time for someone new to take my place.

Cityliving
 

 

 

 

Your pictures are always great, and trust me, I along with most people on this forum really appreciate them! From an outside perspective, it looks like miscommunication between jokes. It can be hard to distinguish a person's tone through these messages. Really hope you reconsider because you along with other HAIFers are what make this website alive!

6 hours ago, samagon said:

basically, the ordinance would restrict the minimum width of 33' for a front loading driveway.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/houston/article/houston-city-council-delays-vote-driveway-18376685.php

This would be a HUGE plus if it passes, although I have a feel it wont pass :(

This entire project could have been much more than what its turning out to be, multiple street centers :(

This will now be a gym, nothing special considered its just for a metal building :/ 

https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=m02

This is a good place to start if you don't think the auto industry isn't contributing to any of this mess. Averaging 40M per year just in lobbying at Washington. 

You are right on one thing, we will NEVER EVER be Europe, actually caring for the future??? The chaos 😮‍💨 

We as a country will ALWAYS put business/money of big corporations before our people and our future. Look into the pharmaceutical industry, the toxic food industry, the work industry. Do not worry, we will NEVER improve these issues because.....we are NOT Europe :)

9 hours ago, Big E said:

All of this just goes to emphasize the fact that we are not Europe. Our cities are not designed like European cities and we don't have a culture that likes walking like Europeans. So trying to emphasize a European style of lifestyle is simply a lost cause. We aren't Europe. We never will be Europe.

 

I'm not saying they shouldn't have options, but they aren't the majority of the population. And many do have options. They can take public transportation (which does still exist), catch an Uber, catch a ride with somebody else, etc. Cities can't necessarily be everything to everyone. You have to find the place that works best for you. More walkable communities exist in America. Just so happens they are in cities, which are among the most expensive places in America to live in. The cheapest places to live are car-centric suburban cities like Houston. Would you rather be able to walk or live in a house? Many "walkable" European cities (London, Paris, etc.) are also extremely expensive to live in, and you probably won't be able to live in a decent home in the city unless your rich, unless you want to live in a slum.

 

TXDOT's job is to maintain, repair, and build the state's highway network. Streets, bike and walking infrastructure are the responsibility of local governments. You want to improve the latter, talk to the local governments, not TXDOT.

-European cities weren't always designed the way that they are today. Car culture was huge in Europe, its until recent decades that they started to change. This idea that "we're not Europe and will never be Europe" is so weird considering "Europe" isn't what it was until recently. By your logic, we don't deserve to ever change and progress as a country, just keep it the way it is forever because its always been that way, extremely non-progressive thinking. Images below for reference of what Europe WAS and what it is NOW (not always) :) 

1976 Lisbon

Today :)

1960s Copenhagen Vs Today

2000s Netherlands Vs Today

I can go on with thousands of other references/projects, but for clarification to everyone.....Europe was NOT what it is today. The difference is that the auto Industry has paid and prevented politicians to allow these types of transitions... NOT that "its just how Europe is and we are not Europe" thats such a close minded/ and poorly thought out theory. 

-Again, the comment that it doesn't matter if people need other modes of transit, and that they should just move to another city is sooo absurd and such a "if you don't like it, get out of here" instead of progressing a city forward, sticking to Stone Age "we don't need change" theory. Its sooooo non-progressive and does not make sense in a city thats literally growing by millions. 

-Lastly, TXDOT is in FACT in charge of certain poorly condition streets, https://apps3.txdot.gov/apps-cq/project_tracker/ use this link to see which roads :)

10 hours ago, Big E said:

I'm sure summers in Europe are not the same as summers in muggy, humid Houston, just like there's a difference between 100 degrees in Houston and 100 degrees in Arizona. And just because Euros are willing to walk in 100 plus degree weather doesn't mean that everyone is.

Once again, I never denied that people do in fact walk. They sure as hell don't make up the majority, not even getting into whether or not those people have to walk because they lack a car (the poor unfortunate souls).

I've experienced both frequently (I have a lot of family overseas so I go back and forth), the weather can be very identical, Southern Europe can be VERY humid and hot. The difference is the entire culture of walking. The buildings sit closer to each other making it more comfortable to walk. Trees, canopies, and buildings provide adequate shade. The streets are narrower so cars can't zoom by, making it feel safer to walk. Also, walking from place to place isn't looked down upon, a lot of places in America sound so classest talking about cars and look down on walking. Beside the mental and physical benefits of walking (America has one of the highest obesity rate in the entire world), there are people who simply cannot drive and from your logic it sounds like "who cares since they're not the majority." For example, teenagers/kids, people who can't afford cars, pts with medical conditions like epilepsy, macular degeneration, MS, Parkinson's, etc......all deserve to have options of getting around that equates to how grand our highways are. I'm not saying we need to get rid of our highways completely, but we need to better our alternative options. TXDOT legit wants to rebuild perfectly good highways, while we still have crumbling streets and abysmal bike and walking infrastructure. The auto industry has us in the palm of their hands. 

55 minutes ago, Big E said:

Its not like those options aren't available. You just have to work a little harder to get them.

You can take the bus...but who really wants to ride a bus everywhere? Especially in the wake of COVID where mass transportation was one of the easiest vectors for transmission?

You can live close enough to your job to walk if you are willing to put in the effort to do so (and possibly pay more money to live where you want to)…but once again, why would you want to walk anywhere in freaking Texas? Its hot as fish grease out here!

For most people, biking is a leisure activity to be done in the fall or the early morning for exercise. You could, once again, move close enough to your job to do so, but why would you?

Options may be more limited than a European city, but they aren't nonexistent, its just that nobody would necessarily consider these options better than driving an air conditioned car or worth the extra effort to attain.

Speak for yourself. Some of us like fresh air, want to move our bodies and get some steps in, and don't mind the weather. It's literally 84 degrees right now (at 8:30pm). The "its hot" argument is soo overdone, our weather isn't 100 degrees 24/7. Also, have you been or heard about summers in Southern Europe? Rome, Athens, Milan, multiple other cities legit reached near the 100s for weeks (Athens actually reached 108 for a few days straight).......and people legit walked or metro'd everywhere. Also, I work near Greenway, an area that supposed to be dense and walkable, yet the sidewalks are so narrow and in horrible shape, you have to walk an entire block before being able to cross the street since cars are zoom 50mph down Richmond and the only cross walks exists at street lights. Also, lots of people can be seen walking outside, even in our HOT summers, you just have to slow down in your AC'd car to see them :)