Kam

Trying to bring this back near the topic - what stores would you want to see along this retail corridor?

How about a nice breastaurant. Hooters, Twin Peaks or Chulas. I think it would be a good idea to put it on the east portion of Dallas towards Austin and Caroline. It's only a few blocks away from Toyota Center. You could pregame, post game, or watch the game from that bar. These places, you could get night time usage out of them

Can I get a frozen yogurt place in downtown. Everyone loves FroYo. Let's get a Menchies. They just opened up one in Gulfgate and I think there is one near West Gray somewhere.

I know there is a Chipotle on McGowen, and there is one on Main, but I think a Chipotle would work here. If not Chipotle, than another burrito joint should work. There is also Bullritos inside the Houston Center. 

How about a footlocker/footaction? I swear there used to be one in downtown back in the early 90s. 

Bring back Macys, throw in some Gap stores, Hollisters, and Express's of the world. Throw in an old lady store like Charming Charlie. (that is an old lady store, right?)

Also, how about a gym? I know they have a 24 down the street in midtown, but you could always bring in a Lifetime fitness, or LA fitness. 

A movie theater. It doesn't need to be a 30 screener or as large as 24. But something less than 20 or 16 would be great. Yeah, I know there is the one at Bayou Music Place. But they show more of the artsy stuff. Mindless drivel is fun.

I know we want street level, but let's make it two stories, and you can have walkways going over the street. 

I was thinking somehwere near 288 would be good. Cause I see nothing but grass south of Reliant.

Long as it's inside the beltway, it's fine.

I think people whine and delicate flower too much about location. I can understand it being in Sealy and being pissed because that is TOO far.

I think the Woodlands, League City/Webster, is too far.

Sugar Land is okay, Clear Lake is okay, maybe even Friendswood is ok. Pearland is okay. Kingwood is okay, anywhere in Cypress is okay, but only as far as Cy-Fair high school. I forgot what road its on. Spring is okay to have it.

They don't want to play at Robertson Stadium permanently.

I guess I could give an update...

The escalators are done. They've been removed for a month or so now. I think on the second floor is where they have done the most work. They moved the book shelves that were on the second floor to the third and first floor.

They're currently working on the sixth floor also, I think. That's where IT used to be housed, and other old crap.

yeah

I went.

It was just awesome walking into to dome. All those memories of my past came rushing in as I looked at the translucent lights. I looked and say the astros NL West and Central "Banners" and the State Flag and all that. After the nostalgia wore off, I was saying to myself, this place is a damn dump.

I was thinking man... this is where all these Katrina evacuees hung out.

The guy at the ferris wheel didn't talk. He mumbled like a true carnie.

This one ride operator was an asshole. straight up asshole.

I think the best ride there was that one where you laid on your stomach, and you felt like super man.

and that slide was pretty fun.

No they don't. Their practice gym is inside the large windows along the west side of the building.

I have heard that they have a gym under the main court.

back when they were building the arena, Rudy T was coaching the Rockets, and he didn't mind having people see the practice court, and having fans seeing them practice.

but then Rudy T was fired....err Resigned.

So they hired Jeff Van Gundy, and Van Gundy didn't want the public and whoever to see their practice, so he had Rockets brass cover up the window. They put up plants and poles so people couldn't get close, and I think they painted the glass or removed, i dont recall. but it now has Toyota Cars and Trucks or the Toyota logo or what not. I can't seem to remember even though I pass by Toyota Center all the time.

The window I am talking about is near the corner of Labranch and Bell.

This is closed.

If you want to see a library, go check out Seattle's.

I remember a place called Phar-more or something like that near memorial city mall.

also eckerds.

From what i hear, it's going to be "Worth the Wait." Atleas that's the little slogan going on.

two years. two freaking years.

Will microfilm/microfiche records be available during reconstruction? Where will they be housed?

I could look into that.

I say keep and just refurbish the escalators. They'll be originals and considered classics one day.

And Mickey Mouse; hopefully moving to the Ideson is only temporary as it would clash horribly with the beauty of that 1926 building. It needs to go back in front once renovation is complete as it's very '70s.

Escalators are gone for sure. The new staircase will be "a grand staircase."

and Geometric Mouse is staying in front of the Ideson building permanently.

Well.

I've heard this renovation has been in the works for a long time. I've heard since 1998. I also heard they were going to get the ball rolling in 2004. There's been some delays and proposal changes. But now, they got the okay, to go on with this project.

They're going to get rid of the escalators, and replace it with stairs. I know that can't go over well with us "fat houstonians." Those escalators suck. Sometimes, if you're riding on it, they stop all of a sudden. They're going to replace the two old elevators and add a third elevator in in the middle area.

They're going to be repaving the plaza area. When it rains, water leaks below into some offices. Yup, under that plaza, there are offices in there.

That red looking sculpture called Geometric mouse or whatever. That's going to be moved to in front of the Julia Ideson building.

They target opening day for the building will be at the end of 2007.

The Julia Ideson building will still be opened though.

I don't know if any of you have ever been in our downtown library, but it is absolutely abhorred. It is dirty, ugly, and is more of a "free daycare" than an educational institution. The article says that it will be close until 2007 and spending like 14 mill., so that sounds to me that they will be really fixing the place up.

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories...tml?jst=b_ln_hl

Man, that is soooo true. The place isn't nice. I think this is the first major renovation in the buildings history. The carpet sucks. It's just a thin layer. I wouldn't go as far as calling the library an educational system.

This has been in the works for a couple of years now. I know that in late 2004 and early 2005 they had some renderings in the main lobby area on the ground floor of what the interior will look like when completed. It looked really nice, although one thing I didn't like was the replacement of the current escalators with stairs. I'm not sure if that's still the plan or not though.

While I like the library building, the interior really needs refurbishment. The carpets are worn all the way through to the concrete below in places, and the furniture is in desperate need of replacement. But this is not just a cosmetic renovation. Structural changes to the building's floorplan are going to greatly increase the amount of public space in the facility. I believe they are also installing a wi-fi network throughout the building, and reworking all of the plumbing, HVAC, and electrical systems as well. The plaza in front of the library is also going to be rebuilt.

Yeah, they're killing the escalators for the stairs, which I am in favor of. I just hope this doesn't mean more people will use the elevators. There is actually alreaday a wi-fi network there. It's located on the second floor in the business section of the library.

If I recall, I remember game three and six being in the daytime.

They said it was crap.