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Big E

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Everything posted by Big E

  1. Big E
    Why do these guys even care? The Ion isn't even located in the Third Ward, but Midtown. I know that areas was historically considered the Third Ward, but that area hasn't been part of the "Third Ward" in over half a century at this point.
  2. Big E
    Probably no more than its considered doing away with minimum setback requirements and parking minimums, or curtailing deed restrictions.
  3. Big E
    Why would they bother having a second venue, which the newer venue is clearly meant to be a replacement for the first? There isn't enough of difference between 2,350 and 5,000 that that logic makes any inherent sense. Its more logical that the new 5,000 seat venue is a full on replacement for the older, smaller venue, made larger to accommodate bigger performances, while still being small enough that a smaller performance could make use of the space. Besides, the new venue in the listing looks to be about the same size as Jones Hall itself, supported by the renderings we've seen, which currently accommodates performances with an audience of up to 2,912. Assuming it is for the Symphony Orchestra, it looks to be built to the optimal size for them, with a size large enough to accommodate up to 3000 people for attendance and have plenty of space for the orchestra's operations.
  4. Big E
    Apparently, by law, all TIRZ are required to allot a certain amount of their funds to developing "affordable housing" and they're free to spend that money and develop that housing anywhere within the county, even outside of their TIRZ. George Coleman has used this as a loop hole to buy up large amounts of land in the Third Ward, ostensibly to set it aside to develop affordable housing. However, truthfully, he's used it in his own personal crusade to fight gentrification by holding land in perpetuity, then deed restricting it when it does get redeveloped so that only low-income housing ever gets built there. If you wanna know why Third Ward isn't seeing large scale redevelopment, like Montrose, the Fourth Ward, and other such Inner Loop neighborhoods, that's why.
  5. Big E
    People have been talking about this since, what, the 40s? I'll believe its underway when there's a gigantic ditch in the ground.
  6. Big E
    Even if its completed as designed, the Hardy Toll Road extension will not achieve the same goals as the 1-45 expansion. Extending it will take pressure off the loop and the other freeways going into downtown, because traffic will be able to take the tollway all the way in rather than being forced onto the loop and then either 1-45 or 1-69 to get downtown. So, for commuters who already make use of the tollway, it will be a boon, and it will take pressure off the other inner loop freeways, but it will do nothing to alleviate the traffic nightmare and dilapidated mess that is 1-45 north of the loop, it does nothing about the Pierce Elevated, and it won't bury the freeway on the southside of downtown.
  7. Big E
    If and when it gets built.
  8. Big E
    Except NOBODY IS MOVING. As you said, there will be cuts in the berm for things to pass through. Its no more disruptive than your average railway. In fact, because of the cuts in the berm, it will probably be less disruptive. It will definitely be less disruptive than a highway or road. There is no real reason, no good reason to oppose this, at all.
  9. Big E
    What @cspwal said. This is a rail easement. Nobody's land is being taken here. Hell, most of the people opposing this project are probably just salty they didn't have more land to sell to make more money. This won't even disrupt the property around it, since it will be built on a viaduct that will allow everything from vehicles to animals to pass completely unimpeded underneath. No property owner loses on this deal.
  10. Big E
    Except this isn't running through living rooms, but fields. Nobody's losing their house over this. When it goes through populated areas, it will follow existing rail corridors, and when its traveling through the country, no one's house will be in the way.
  11. Big E
    Heck, nobody's posted any pictures of the site in well over two months now. How's construction going? How far along is it? Does anybody know?
  12. Big E
    Then I don't really see what your problem is then. This isn't a land grab in any real sense. The only land being taken will be for a railway easement, which isn't much land in the grand scheme of things and it would only ever be used for a railway. If the rail isn't built, the land remains untouched. I don't see how this would be anymore of a boondoggle than anything else the government would spend the money on.
  13. Big E
    They aren't ones the pushing for this. The federal government are already trying to spend this money. Nowhere in that article does anyone currently associated with the project push for federal money. And look, Biden and his cronies up in Washington seem intent on spending that trillion dollars anyway. Don't want them to? Contact your local representatives and voice your displeasure at this trillion plus dollar infrastructure bill and the tax hikes they are trying to push through. And if the bill does go through, if the government wants to send money to this project, let them; they'll spend it either way, so it might as well go to something with a chance of succeeding, rather than some other boondoggle.
  14. Big E
    I would like to know what you think the city/TXDOT could do to adequately connect it then? I picked out that Fry's because its generally indicative of the types of businesses we are talking about here; the types of businesses you can find in any strip mall in Houston. I mean, I guess I could have picked the nearby Panda Express...or the Chipotle...or the Starbucks...or the Chili's...or the numerous car dealerships...or the Gamestop. These are the types the businesses that nobody on HAIF would give a crap about in any other situation, but because they are being torn down for a freeway, suddenly we're supposed to care. And, the fact is, after the freeway is finished, they will be replaced by similar fare within a year. Look, the freeway's already there and its isn't going anywhere. Any damage that could be done to those communities has already been done decades ago. This is the case for literally any major infrastructure project that requires ROW or imminent domain. Its not necessary a unique argument for not pushing forward with this project or ignoring its merits.
  15. Big E
    While lamentable in some aspects, none of these are insurmountable issues. The schools can be replaced (and I suspect that, if they are public, there are already plans to move or close them), the churches can be moved, the house and condo owners can be compensated and moved easily enough, and the apartments are filled with renters who will simply rent somewhere else. The hardest replacements would, theoretically, be the businesses, but I suspect most of them are strip retail (like that Fry's Electronics), older hotels and motels, restaurants, gas stations, and the like fronting the freeway, most of which is also relatively easy to replace and most likely will be as new freeway frontage is opened up.
  16. Big E
    The only negative I'm looking at is this getting kicked around ten more years. Just get started so you can get it over with already.
  17. Big E
    In what way exactly (other than mandatory parking minimums) is Houston more egregious than any other city in America? I was under the impression that the city was generally more permissive than most cities when it came to permitting.
  18. Big E
    Man, this entire project has become the clown show to end all clown shows. This really is Houston's Big Dig.
  19. Big E
    Looks like there may be a third, taller building behind the wrap around in this pic (check out the very top of the building).
  20. Big E
    I keep seeing similar sentiments expressed in other threads, but has there been any large scale move in any American city to tear down large of amounts of older Class B or Class C low rise office buildings and replace them with anything else? From my experience they just stick around and look unassuming forever.
  21. Big E
    My guess: nothing is being done on that because that is specifically part of the Hardy Toll Road extension, which would make it Harris County's issue (they maintain the toll road). The viaduct replacement is probably being done by the city of Houston.
  22. Big E
    I think those will be the freeway entrances/exits to the Hardy Toll Road extension (when it gets started, whenever that is.
  23. Big E
    What kind of amateur hour crap is this? They've spent how many years studying this project and in the ninth hour, they are this far apart?
  24. Big E
    It will wrap around the existing hotel building.
  25. Big E
    Nice information, though add the requisite "Don't give me hope" here.
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