kjb434

Havin more than one department store in a mall owned by the same group is not odd. Macy's and Foley's have two clientel to cater to. Just because Foley's gets bought doesn't mean it'll close. The Galleria store will probably close because its not performing the way they wanted it too. Foley's is more of a suburban department store versus the people that the Galleria tries to cater too

I've heard it from several head of stores in the Galleria that I know and they heard it from mall management. Nothing is final, but Bloomingdales is really interested in entering the Houston market and thinks that Uptown is a good location. When Lord & Taylor moves out, the location would be a great place to bring in another large department store. If Bloomingdales for some reason doesn't take the space, I would love for Macy's to move since there location is so isolated from the rest of the mall.

A little information about the Galleria's happendings. Bloomingdales is coming to the Galleria and is replacing Lord & Taylor. Galleria 3 is slowing removing its retail stores and replacing them with more upscale restaurants. Galleria 4 was to be built wilth Galleria 5 over that Church at Alabama and Sage. The Church wouldn't sell to the Galleria. I think the Galleria should work with the Church like the Citicorp tower did in New York City. The Church can stay, but the Parking lot can be replaced with more stores. The parking garage between Foley's and Neimans would be enough as I've only seen it full twice and it was during Christmas season when the entire mall parking lot is full.

One thing I've noticed about Houston's inner city new development is that it is occuring everywhere. No one location is the focus and receiving all the attention. It's like the developing resources spreading thin in the loop and so it occurs more slowly. If all the new development we see in the loop was focused on one area, we would be see that area have massive changes.

This is cool. The good thing is that Rosenberg and Richmond will get in to the tax revenue from the commercial development that Sugarland and Houston often get.

I don't think much retail will happend in this portion of the development. It seems it will complement the hospital more. It may have some sort of food court for employees and visitors. I think most of the retail will be placed around the Mall area.

Maybe he just saw it from the other side where the majority of the Uptown district sees it.

Well, the website only shows two. Also, if you can name any residential or commercial tower that wasn't made for a buck, I'll be glad to hear it.

Who says they didn't give a damn about aeshtics to the back? The perception of beauty is just that: a perception. I like how the height plays into the skyline from US 59 and the Wespark Tollway. Actually, with that wall being so blank and simple, it is the perfect canvas for a mural. Someone just needs to create a proposal and offer it to the building owners and managers.

The reason that no large windows were placed on the southside of the building is because the in that direction is not one that would sell these condos at their prices. The north view gives all of Uptown and acess to look to downtown. I think the second building should face east instead of north again. East views will give the TMC, Greenway, Downtown, and Uptown.

EXACTLY!!! Get over the fact that this is rented and let this place be built. This is exactly nore of what midtown needs. Many urban renewal projects like this across the country have rental apartment instead of selling condos. The rental situation of the residences make it much easier to have ground floor retail. It is a little more complicated to have sold residences with the retail. Rules have to be laid out between the condo association and the retail portions of the development. With the rental setup, the same property management company handle both residences and retail.

AstroWorld closed?

I often think about reality of a God also. It doesn't hurt me to believe in him and it doesn't hurt anyone else. It is just hard for me to think that this is all just here by chance. And thats after having a roomate who was finishing his masters in quatum physics. This studies the absolute basic elements of our existinence. After seeing some of this stuff, it is hard for me to believe anything else. How about that, science enforcing my faith in God.

The main thing you have to notice is that I grew Catholic. The Catholic church does not preach that the Bible is a book of true statements. The Bible is a book of truths. It is a big difference. A good example is "It doesn't really matter is Jesus walked on water or changed water into wine." The message in these stories is what is important, not whether or not it really happened. I know I'll get some responses on this, but this is the official Catholic stance. This is why you don't have many Catholics running around with Bibles in their hands and quoting lines. We don't even do Bible study because we believe that is a waste of time. Memorizing lines from a book doesn't help you grow spiritually in the world. It's the acts you perform and how you go about your daily life. This doesn't mean the Bible is useless, but it is just another tool is teaching a message. No where near a history book. Archeologists have found many things in the Bible that are truy and many things that are not. And just because some proves something in the Bible is wrong doesn't mean that the Bible isn't useful. Whether or not that story is true isn't important, but what was the message in the story. Many people look towards the book of Leviticus to say that Christianity is not in agreement with homosexuals. This section of Leviticus goes through a long list of things you should not do and you may be allowed to do. If Christians use this line to support their arguement, the must also agree with the selling of their daughters in slavery and a host of other ridiculous laws. The new testament has several lines that people point too also to show that homosexuality is wrong. Many of these are rooted into the Jewish culture and are not necessarily the words of God himself or Jesus. Yes, the Bible is and inspired work of God through the writers, but the writers are still human. Literary historians have found different books pull together cultural aspects of the society and time they were written and shown that the books reflect of lot of it. The book of Revelations contains tons of what is termed as Apocolyptic Literature which is full of symbols and cofusing language, but this is what you expect of a book written when Christians were being heavily persecuted and any writings and or talking of this new faith would have you killed within Rome. Being from a Catholic background, it is not hard for me to be a Christian and gay. Most of the anti-gay aspects is from the orginization and not the faith. Two different things. The foundation of the Catholic church (31 or 33 infalible statements) have nothing to do with homesexuality or anything sexual. These are articles of faith and what cannot change. Everything else in the Catholic church has the ability to be changed. It make take a very long time, but it can change. Wome will be priests one day. Gays will be accepted. It's just not now. Remember, for years after astronomers such as Galileo and Copernicus found that the earth was round and eventually was not in the center of the universe; the Catholic church didn't accepted it. It took them years to accept this bold concept. It is a ver slow moving organization. They don't want to be wrong about something. Many theologians work over scripture and historical writings from centuries past to work out the gay issue, women being priest, etc. The women being priest I think will be the next big thing to happen. The stance of hate the sin and not the sinner is the Catholic Church's current position, but it is no an infalible one. It can change. Their stance is in the position that sexual acts is for love and children. Not just for pleasure. Since homosexual acts cannot bring about children it is wrong. That is just there stance. A lot of Catholics disagree with it because the like to have sex that doesn't bring about children. Church may change it's position, but it'll take many years them to reach the conclusion. It is rare for it to make a knee-jerk reaction. Back to the Lakewood Church. I think the sucess of this ministry is do to the positive message. Joel Osteen avoids the concept of a vengeful God which I like. He doesn't seem to accept the concept that this God of love will damn people to hell. This position actually is the same as Catholiscism. The person walks into hell, God doesn't put him their. If you die and when God lays before you heaven and asks you if you want to reject it by not asking for forgiveness for sins, I think it will be really hard to say no. I don't think many people are in hell, I think they realize what they've done is completely wrong after death and are confront by God. After all, Hell is just the abscence of a loving God. That in itself would be torture. The fire concept is just something to scare people. Just like Joel's book, he wants you to live your Best Life Now.

As growing up catholic, when ever a priest would talk about money he would get hit hard the next week when attendance would drop. No ever wants to hear a religious figure talk about how they need money. I have watched one or two of lakewoods televised sermons. They aren't that bad, but I personally taken what I have learn from 13 years of religious education to live my life now. I really don't believe in organized religion, but i have great respect for religious leaders. People such as Pope John Paull II and Mother Theresa are the best examples. As a gay man with catholic upbringing, my alliegences seem split, but i truly believe i can be of a conservative mind and moral values and be able to live my life with my partner. Christianity isn't right wing or antigay, the organizations are. Some Christian organizations are full blown left wing liberals too. Look at gay christian churches. Look at Hillary Clinton who's mentor was a hardline Methodist preacher who shape most of her views as of today. As for Lakewood taking over the Summit (and/or Compaq), I say go for it. The place would have remained unused if some didn't take over it. And if it is true that they are leasing it and not have bought it, then in the future they may move or not exist and the updated facility will be available again. I heard that the church will lease the facility for when they are not using to businesses and other uses.

I definite agree that this area is not sprawl. Maybe 50 years ago when the development first appeared there, but now it is much closer into the city.

Two of the strip malls near San Felipe and Post Oak or under consideratio for demolition to be rebuilt into highrise residential, commercial, and retail projects.

They'll stop building $300k residences in towers when the market can't handle it. Most of the professional residential tower builders (orion is one, turnberry is another one) have the financial side of building these things laid out and planned. Right now, a large part of the demand for this residencies is in the middle and higher end market. I too would love a cheaper high rise residence.

Where is Dallas building the new stadium? Is it next to the old one in Irving? Or closer to downtown. I just thinking of the setup Dallas will use to stage the Superbowl events for entire week. Where would the NFL experience occur. Will there be some type of Main Event like Houston. Being from Lousisiana, I knew New Orleans hosted the Superbowl many times, but I didn't think it was that many. And the further you go back it seems like it occured more often there. I think the two biggest things to put you in the running is facilities and weather conditions. I think northern cities can win the superbowl if all the faciliities and amenities are real close so that potential snowfall is not an issue. Also, they'll need a stadium that can have a closed roof too. San Diego is lucky that weather over there never really gets bad. In a positive light, Houston getting it again will probably mean some more improvements along the light rail corridor. Hopefully most in the midtown area.

Good point. The real estate section most of the times dissappoints me. I find out more on this forum than what the Chronicle spits out. 17,000 sf? A typical Walgreen or CVS is anywhere from 10,000 to 14,000 sf.

Great solution to this issue. Glad to see they are enacting it sooner than later.

The main reason they moved is because TxDOT bought their location for the freeway expansion. They couldn't build again along the freeway in the general area because of the lack of available developable land. What is supposed to be going on that they realize?

Remember that population center is a mathematical calculation. Houston's population is lopsided with more emphasis on the west and north. This would pull the center to probaly the area you mentioned. Some developers may use this to locate their commercial in an area that can be acess the most people. With the traffic on the Beltay and Katy, the Memorial City location seems like a prime location. The same concept developed the Galleria Area. Uptown was population center when it began its growth considering most of the population stretched from downtown to Sharpstown. This would put the Galleria in center.

Good point MaxConcrete. The new ramp alignments will help ease congestion in the area unlike the current outdated configuration.

I usually avoid meteor unless some friends absolutely want to go. I find the crowd there a little stuck on themselves in my opinion. And they were going broke until Mr Allen bought the place. Now he owns all the gay bars. I think he'll change the format of meteor a little bit, or at least the prices. I like JR's. O was ok, but it is going to change now it was closed. I have friends that will go to 611 or the Mine just see the crazy crowd that goes there. Being in a relationship for about 3 years now, going out is usually a Sunday afternoon and early evening thing. Staying out late is rare unless a bunch of friends are going or we really want to go dancing. We also made some good friendships with some of the bartenders so they can reduce our tabs if we tip well. They also make out drinks stronger.