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Wow...

I really think Houston has the makings to further promote/establish itself as an international city due to its large existing "organically produced" international population.

Any thoughts on how free weekend parking could be offered downtown ? I believe that there are other cities that offer this.

I think that a renovation to their existing building,additional parking, and a drive thru is a great idea for their downtown location.

Great incentive, to offset parking fees.

Looks nice.

I think a brewery would be nice here.

My thoughts exactly. A renovation has been in progress.

I believe it could be 500 Fannin. Based upon some of the articles I have read describing it this location seems to be a very likely fit.

I found this link on GoMetroRail.org: http://www.gometrorail.org/go/doc/2491/418119/ It appears that construction for all 5 light rail lines begins this year with Uptown scheduled for this summer...

Would you happen to know exactly when the construction commences along Post Oak Boulevard is scheduled to begin ? I read it would be w/in 1-2 years...

Article: Swamplot.com :Monday, March 1, 2010 "Post Oak Strip Centers Versus the Uptown Light Rail Plan: The Gathering Storm" http://swamplot.com/post-oak-strip-centers-versus-the-uptown-light-rail-plan-the-gathering-storm/2010-03-01/ It was interesting to read in the article that some businesses/tenants had not heard about the construction on Post Oak Boulevard of the Uptown light rail line.

Htownproud: I researched that market and it does appear to have a lot of vacancies...What do you think might be causing this ?

Cotswold $62 Million construction cost vs. light rail $2.6 Billion (est./(5 lines). There is over a 700% variance when comparing only 1 of the 5 lt. rail lines to Cotswold. Actually, I believe that Cotswold impacted 90 "blocks" , not 90 "square" blocks as you stated. Also believe that the lt. rail Red line is around 7.5 linear miles long impacting app. 105-150 blocks (est.). As if the cost variance alone doesn't dictate the difference between the projects alone maybe the actual amount of city blocks impacted might illustrate how many more block were impacted along with how much more construction is occuring per block. "Even Uptown has gone through the West Loop, 59 interchange, Katy Freeway and interchange, feeder road and San Felipe reconstructions without losing businesses other than those taken by eminent domain." Downtown has gone through more including light rail and Cotswold, but Uptown has gone through neither. It took 3 years for 1 line,and I bet it takes longer for construction on the next lines. It took people 2 years (est.) to just realize that construction was done. During the periods prior to light rail construction,and during the 3 years (est.) of actual light rail construction all I heard about was how bad construction was. Then it seemed that 2-3 years following construction people didn't even realize it was even completed. 5 + years is a long time for a business to sit in limbo paying rent, not to mention that the area has changed, tenants have left, and the lay of the land is basically a lot different when the dust settles. You enter a market to open a business thinking it was a good choice prior to light rail to have it nose dive and then go throw a very slow recovery period that takes years. I am not sure exactly what was worse either the negative publicity surrounding the construction of light rail or the actual construction itself, but both had a significant and lasting impact on downtown and anyone who actually experienced this would already know this. I think that is just the nature of the beast and I don't see any area being able to overcome these memories with regard to light rail and the impact it will have as it expands. It's just a given that retail businesses aren't going to last if they can't get customers to their store, not to mention the impact that it will have on the office market, condo market, or apt. market either. I believe that it might have already started to impact the galleria office market and expect it to increase as construction of light rail approaches. By the way, can you tell if the light rail construction is going to travel along Post Oak and eventually cut through Uptown Park shopping center on its way out to 290 ?

htownproud: in terms of where the businesses will move, i think they will move to kirby (which will be done with construction), shepperd (which has excess capacity now), washington (still lots of room to build), gray (already tight, but some expansion possibilities), and highland park (allegedly they are building the new two story retail center where tootsie's is). Kirby: Is under construction. (street widening) Heard business owners on the news are concerned about crime in the area... S. Shepherd: I'm not sure exactly where you are saying all the excess capacity is that doesn't have inferior exposure? W. Gray- agree that it's tight and parking issues coupled with limited land area to construct costly garages. Did you mean Highland Village ?: As I recall, most of what I have seen them construct has been single tenant user buildings. Even so, believe it is still extremely close to construction. Parking issues coupled with limited land area to construct costly garages. Washington: I am not sure if clothing retailers will have a comfort level rushing in. I think that in all of your examples you have the businesses all migrating either towards and/or very close to downtown, and would find it hard to believe that it would not get considered at all when it is able to accomodate (including parking) in my opinon almost any requirement that comes along or even a surge of retailers that move all at once.

Great pictures ! It was interesting to see what light rail looks like in other cities. Houston's looks really sharp.

I am not trying to be funny, but perhaps he means stacking or having a 2 level car or perhaps he feels its not efficient in terms of the weight capacity associated with a traditional train track vs. the type of light rail in place, although it will vary anyway in my opinion. I'm not sure what he means either.

Where do you believe that the businesses along Richmond will go or are you suggesting that they will remain during light rail construction ? Also, what area do you think the businesses in the Galleria area along Post Oak Blvd. will relocate to,etc. ? What about businesses in other impacted areas ? thanks

I would like for it to have its own thread as well. I was actually looking for it when I found your post. Are there any approved plans to have lt.rail service between Galveston and Houston ?

Sorry, I accidently posted the previous KTRK news link in my prev. post. Here is the new one: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/video?id=7297506

Also found this new link on KTRK, as well. http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/video?id=7297506

KTRK: I found this new link from yesterday's news,below . Construction might start this year ?? It sounds like nobody has a problem with having light rail once it it's completed but I think businesses will elect not to want to hang around during the construction. I am for light rail because Houston really needs it in my opinion. http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7297507

Exactly. Without businesses being in the way I'm fairly certain that there wouldn't even be a problem, or an opportunity directly or indirectly created. I'm actually encouraged that perhaps those businesses in the galleria area and other areas may have learned from downtown's experience with light rail construction. I would strongly encourage businesses not to take the real "101 light rail construction" course. The "good business planner types" that do plan for the future have an opportunity to make some good long term decisions as leases for those businesses impacted by light rail construction expire and rollover,by simply perhaps being safe and moving out of the way of a train instead of standing in front of it and watching their business get run right over, regardless of how admirable or sexy some people think that construction and loss of revenue is for those impacted by it. Downtown in my opinion might be the choice that they make for that safe relocation decision. Thanks for helping to unravel the thread "august948" !

I believe that sometimes growth requires sacrifices to be made to succeed. I guess it's hard to tell an individual business owner to sacrfice his/her business and effectively disregard his/her personal interests in the name of growth. Also, I don't think it is reasonable to deduct that if a business owner is concerned about light rail or states that it had an impact on his business that it means that he is a bad business operator.

Good question. I believe in the video link (within my post above) they mention a lot of business owners met yesterday to voice their concerns and that they are interviewing more business owners tonight again on the news.