Lowbrow

I'm not too hot on state ID card thing. Our civil liberties are already taking a beating. "Please, present your papers!!" Makes my eye twitch. (Clouseau?? wink wink)

It's a half million dollar project. I'm sure the locals have been chomping at the bit ever since Reverend Morrison was talking about moving his homeless ministry from Root Park to this one back before the superbowl. Midtown went crazy over that and somehow put a stop to it.

Anyone know how old these Live Oaks are? As a rule of thumb Live Oaks usually live for about 200 years (some reports of longer) but in Houston the average seems to be a bit shorter. I forget what neighborhood it was in Houston, but they reported an average lifespan of 70-90 years. Anyone know much about this?

I read the same sign for item #4 aswell and wondered what was going on there.

Also on the park (#3), I saw that they had torn apart that little basketball court and some of the older rusting amenities. I might go poke my nose around there and see if anyone is talking.

Is city footing the bill for high-priced hotels?

08:01 AM CST on Wednesday, February 23, 2005

By Mark Greenblatt / 11 News

LINK

HOUSTON -- Will Houston's poor end up paying for loans the city made to the rich?

If you or I didn't pay our home or car loans on time, we'd expect the bank to coming knocking and fast.

But 11 News discovered the City of Houston loaned some big bucks to some big businesses and they're not paying up. But guess who may end up footing the bill?

"It's a shame is what it is. It's a shame," says Alvin Byrd, a Houston community leader. "What frightens me is the perpetuation, and if they continue to do this. It's a travesty."

And what's he so upset about?

It starts with the Magnolia Hotel, downtown's self-proclaimed new standard for luxury complete with a lavish lobby, a beautiful billiards room, and rooms that can rent for $200 a night.

"Our mission is to revitalize downtown with beautiful new hotels," says the owner Steven Holtze.

He's a hotel tycoon.

"We have three: Denver, Dallas ...," he says.

But at the Houston location, it turns out he had some help -- a $9.5 million dollar loan backed by the city three years ago. The only problem? In all that time, the Magnolia hasn't paid a dime of it back, missing payment after payment even though Holtze says the hotel's making a profit.

"We actually had a pretty, real good year last year," says Holtze.

So, why not pay the loan?

"Well I don't want to get into all the details of exactly what the circumstances are," he says.

"It's a disgrace," says Annise Parker, Houston's city controller.

"No one appears to have been minding the store," she says.

And she says the city is sending a dangerous message to would-be borrowers.

"If you can get to the trough, you can stay there and we will never hold you accountable," she says.

Take the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Smith Street.

It received got a $5 million loan, but they haven't made a payment since the middle of 2003.

"The public ought to be very... enraged," says advocate John Henneberger. "For the city to negotiate a loan and have it go into default that quickly indicates that the city was at best, incompetent."

But this advocate for lower-income development says what's worse is "they've used the money, the only source of funds that exist to help the poor, in order to create a luxury hotel for the rich."

How? It turns out Houston put up grant money it uses for its poorest neighborhoods as collateral on both loans putting more than $14 million dollars at risk.

"If this hotel doesn't pay its money, then that comes out of the future money the city of Houston has to provide playgrounds, daycare centers, homeless shelters," says the advocate.

Which brings us back to Alvin Byrd of the Fifth Ward.

"That's $14 million that could be used to improve the quality of life in this neighborhood, instantly," says Byrd.

Money now in jeopardy he says could, "transform the entire community."

A community where nearly two-thirds of the residents live below the poverty line.

"It would be a travesty if we were to lose future dollars," says Byrd.

But the city's problems with bad loans don't end with luxury hotels. The Defenders discovered nearly $40 million dollars worth of loans, in default, that have to do with development. They were all issued by the Houston Department of Housing and Community Development. And some have been in default for longer than 10 years.

Meet the John Walsh, the man Houston's mayor asked to help straighten this mess out.

The Defenders couldn't find a single payment that the Magnolia Hotel has ever made to the city of Houston. When asked if that surprised him, Walsh said, "No. I can't vouch for the reason why it has taken so long for us to pursue the collection of these loans."

But Walsh says the city might not be able to collect.

"Then if we can't collect it, we'll just take our lumps and do the best we can."

But for Alvin Byrd that's not enough. When asked if the city should hold them accountable. Byrd says, "Absolutely. They would hold me accountable."

The general manager of the Crowne Plaza Hotel told 11 News they're not having money problems either, but said for now their lawyers have advised they don't have to pay the loan.

The City of Houston insists they do and also adds they intend to collect.

Downtown hotels struggle with growing pains

06:19 PM CST on Monday, February 21, 2005

By Jason Whitely / 11 News

LINK

HOUSTON -- By the looks and sounds of things, downtown Houston is booming with construction and new business. But a closer look reveals another side to the re-development and the economic prognosis may not be healthy for downtown hotels.

KHOU

Behind the bellmen, inside the shiny glass, downtown hotels are reluctant to let the secret out -- business in Houston is not that hot.

"It was kind of a field of dreams so to speak in the hotel business and hotel land -- build it and they will come," said financial analyst Malcolm Browne. "But they put the cart before the horse."

Experts point to the downtown Hyatt as a casualty of a saturated market. In the third quarter of 2000, it had a 79-percent occupancy rate. During the same period last year, it was only 40-percent full.

It was no surprise to analysts last week that lenders foreclosed on the property, though the Hyatt will continue to operate there.

The number of hotel rooms in Houston has doubled in the last five years.

But consulting firm Source Strategies says the supply of rooms is far outpacing the demand.

Source Strategies guesses it's only a matter of time before hotels close or are converted into residential condos. The city is much more optimistic, saying we're only experiencing a bump in the road.

"I think we've got a bump in the road in downtown but across the community it's better and looking a lot better in the future, said Jordy Tollett with the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. "So I think it's a short-term problem."

The slowdown in business travel hurt downtown hotels.

The city says business travel is coming back along with conventions. But not fast enough to fill all the rooms. Everyone agrees there are about a thousand too many.

Whether downtown hotels can continue to survive remains to be seen.

Actually wasnt to crowded.... but yes because it was the grand opening. The kitchen staff was just trained this past weekend. There is just an expectable ramp up period.

Wasnt too bad of a wait though. I got to watch NYPD Blue on three giant screens.

Ate here today for lunch. Food was good. Reminded me of PF Changs. A friend had the lettuce wraps and loved them. The kitchen was in a bit of disarray. So was the seating. We had different hostess' taking us to different places in the restaurant. The food took a bit long to get to us and then the credit card machine was down. Our normal 45 minute lunch ended up taking about 2 hours. I'm sure things will improve quickly. Yao's parents did go around and greet all the tables and were trying to help out as much as possible.

They have a seven or eight item luncheon menu. My total came to a little under $10.

Does anyone have any first hand knowledge on the interior of these units? Through second-hand information I had heard they were less than well built. I wanted to check them out last time I was downtown but there wasnt anyone showing that day.

So has anyone gone to this thing yet?

LOCATION

Its been the word on the street for a little while. They were trying to get as many units sold before the auction as possible.

If I can find my source on that I'll post it.

I'd say they just got scooped by the better paper.

I hope the 288 and BW8 happens.  The area is kind of dead.  What are those yellow townhomes that can be seen from the freeway, with single family homes behind it.  It is kind of in the middle of nowhere.

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I'm not sure on those exactly but a friend of mine did just have a house built back there. I could inquire if you like.

Met and Getty, I knew. Kimbell, I'd take your word on it. My guess after that would be maybe the Whitney? Only other two that come to mind would be the Guggenheim and the Smithsonian (or NGoA).

My favorite museum doesnt qualify but its the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. I was a volunteer tour guide there for a summer.

I like that. What car is that, like a 67 dodge dart?

Is it actually considered downtown when its on the other side of 59? Or is that just silly semantics?

The walkway is cool, but it's between the Law Building and the Beck Building, not between the parking garage and the Beck Building.  I wouldn't mind seeing them tear down that parking garage, as long as whatever they replace it with addresses the street on a pedestrian level.  That parking garage creates a bit of a psychological blockade to pedestrian activity, IMO.

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Was the garage built to eventually replace all the surface lots there?

Your right about the tunnel, I forgot it ran under main not fannin.

Let me think... Oh yes, you could be in the TOP FIVE, or TOP TWO, or you could even be the TOP ONE.

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My point being that TOP 10 incorporates TOP 3, 2 or 1. It is weakly worded. Perhaps a better argument for you might have been "Top 10 INTERnationally".

I do hope the parking garage isnt pulled down as someone mentioned.

Has everyone seen the walk-way under the street from the garage to the museum? Rather cool in my opinion.

I'm sorry, did I say H? I meant N.... and I'm on the 4th floor.. not 6th. Momentary lapse of reason.

Back to Yao's though, it should be decent fair. I've always liked Fu's Garden. Sounds like my lunch gang will be infiltrating the establishment on monday. I'll report back our findings.

if they tore it down that would kill one of my reasons for wanting to possibly move to this neighborhood.

On an aside, in an interesting city poll, Houstonians placed "Nature" and "Family Gatherings" above "Sports" for reasons to visit parks.

You work at that Exxon campus on Gessner? (Is it Exxon? )

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There is an Exxon campus on gessner yes. No I work in the Hibernia building across from Hooters. If you look at the building from westheimer, wave at the window under the H in Hibernia (on the top floor)and I'll wave back.

"It puts the MFAH's endowment definitely in the top 10 nationally, maybe higher."

How do go higher than the "top 10 nationally", lol.

In a way I wish this had gone to the menil. I prefer their venue and collection.

Its right across the street from my work. I have been waiting for this thing to open for about 2 months now.

The chairs are huge inside.

All I've heard was a pebble running trail instead of the asphalt one they have now. Some attention to the trees, I'm not sure how. And get some of the other facilities usable... like swings on the swings... maybe get that basketball court up to date.

So trail, trees, and facilities.

Youre right. I did see a few places open (like those two you mentioned) that would accept my money... they just wouldnt be giving me anything I wanted back in return.

last time i spoke to anyone at the collective...they seemed a bit cautious about the project...i.e. they didn't really commit to any timeline or such

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thats artists for ya....

i really hope it happens... at least get the lot cleaned up.