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kjb434

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Everything posted by kjb434

  1. kjb434
    Maybe land owners in Midtown want to much for their properties. Also, remember that this developer is the one who owns the mall itself. It's just probably easier to work near there anyway. The community there has already seen what they did to the mall, now they'll do some more.
  2. kjb434
    Great!!!, This can be another great urban center in Houston. It appears developers are deciding to build a little more up and compact that large strip centers. I don't know if it is planned, but they could remove some parking around the mall and build another garage. This could make the development a little more dense. This area seems to be hitting a great revival in the retail sector.
  3. kjb434
    That why i'm happy i'm gay and only have to pay $1 to $2 for most well drinks. I can't phathom paying $5 a drink.
  4. kjb434
    Good point. And by the way. Where is the economy bad? Texas is a powerhouse when is comes to progress and economic viability. The pro growth orientation in Texas has allowed is to become a place for people to move here to work and live.
  5. kjb434
    Very True. Many people in the luxury rental market are switching to buy a townhome or loft space. The rental units are left for people just like your girlfriend: a shorterm stay business person. She should have lots of choices.
  6. kjb434
    I'm always weary of buying a condo that was either an apartment complex or appears to look like an apartment complex. Usually, the only condos i like are the high-rise version. I don't know what resale value is on that kind of condo either. The Renaissance condos at Shepherd and Welch have outrageous incentives to buy their condos (which were apartments). If they have to go through that much to sell those condos in the first place, imagine what resale is going to be like. I guess I would only buy one if I was going to rent it out.
  7. kjb434
    Just turn it into the worlds largest parking facility and just charge to get into it. I'm sure people would gladly pay $5 or $8 to use the facility. About 20,000 vehicles or more at those rates, the place would surely be profitable. Just keep the outside looking like the original dome. If at any point with the dome in it's current condition become a liability and is structurally unsound, then it needs to be torn down. This is Houston for god's sake, we don't want historical things around. Lets raze it to finish developing Reliant Park.
  8. kjb434
    And there is nothing wrong with making a fee. As for site approval process, Houston does have that process in place. Every site has to be approved before any construction can commence. If you personally have an issue with anything being proposed, you can go to the planning commission. Many of times can find allies on the board and present your alternative. The alternative must meet the same criteria that the developer proposed and be resonable. If the developer wants to build a strip center, he has every right to do so, you maybe able to incfluence the placement of the parking lot to the back of the development and push the retail to the front near the street. The developer still builds the same thing, but aeshetic issues are addressed. The developer has every right to build his/her developement. Unless they are building in a deed restricted area or a historical district, they should be free to build like they want. If the community doesn't like the proposal, they should make there voice heard. But people need to remember that not letting the development move forward at all is not an option. Compromising is the best solution. The rules are much better set up to handle compromises than complete objections.
  9. kjb434
    I been waiting for this one for a long time. The need to tear out some of those old apartments in that neighborhood that just don't fit in.
  10. kjb434
    At Post Oak and San Felipe they could stripe off the entire intersection and have a 15 to 30 second cyle in the light so where all direction have red lights; then the pedestrians can walk across the intersection in any direction they want. I think New York has a couple of these. I know they have them in Japan and China.
  11. kjb434
    bcanon, you have some wonderful photographs on your web site. the city should use some for advertising campaigns
  12. kjb434
    The Riva was a concept. I think it is completely dead now. The Wulfe proposal was in the same concept as the Riva. It will probably not look at all like it. From any article I can find on Wulfes project, it seems like a lot of the chips are falling where they need it. The land and buildings are bought. Any existing retailers are being offered tennant spaces in the new project. Wulfe is also trying to work with them to phase the commercial aspect of the project so that the retailers don't have to be close for extended periods. The prospects for this project are good enough that a competing developer is trying to do this to the land on the east side of Post Oak (where Lines and Things is). He wants to build a retail center with residential and possibly office space also. With their competition (aka piss match), I hope they get moving on building their projects. Anything would be better than what currently occupies these sites in Uptown.
  13. kjb434
    Yes, this place is moving forward. I would jump for joy too fast. The first phases will be mostly the retail portions. The towers will be later. Worst case is if the retail doesn't transfer into good profits, it may hinder the residential portions. Although, as long as people will want to live in the proposed towers and put up reservations, they may move forward. I agree that this would be reall nice in midtown. Possible with the light rail and main street going through it with a current station under it. Uptown will be a great host to it also. The project will destroy one of the couple of the strip center eyesores in uptown. Strip centers are ok for the burbs, but not as part of the fabric of an urban setting.
  14. kjb434
    Another proposed line will follow along the Hempstead highway rail corridor to the northwest suburbs. The inner city terminus would be the Northwest Transist Center. From here people can take light rail into Uptown and Downtown.
  15. kjb434
    The proposed commuter line is part of Metro suburban outreach lines. One of the lines proposed will go from the South Fannin station where the southern terminus of the currently light rail ends. The commuter line will run from there to Missouri City, Stafford, and Sugarland. It can potentially run to Richmond and Rosenberg. Please note that this will not be a light rail line. It will not have lots of stops. It will be a heavy rail line that will probably use existing rail in some parts maybe all. The line will have stations that will essentially be large park and ride lots. Peopl in the suburbs drive there cars to the park and ride lots and take the train into town. The is very similar to Chicago, Boston, and New York commuter trains. Southeaster Florida and Los Angeles have these too. The trains are generally much longer than light rail and travel faster.
  16. kjb434
    Try and use Richmond from Midtown. It moves better. The lights are timed better and there are fewer of them. I truly believe that people who live in the midtown and montrose area and work in Uptown should just avoid the freeways because Richmond even with a lot of traffic is not that bad.
  17. kjb434
    Actually, it has already started. The engineering firm I work for is currently consulting several developers on approximately 10,000 acres east of the Beltway and some east of Lake Houston and along the future Grand Parkway alignment out their. I'm have performed some of the preliminary drainage feasibilities for these tracts of land.
  18. kjb434
    As far as the size of the tollway, four lanes is plenty enough unless the road sees the success of the West Belt. There are provisions to widen the toll road to 6 lanes if the traffic warrants it. I've worked on the drainage for the McHard road interchange. Our company did the interchange design. Its neat to see it built after you've worked on it.
  19. kjb434
    It probably part of a masterplan. They just built a section for now.
  20. kjb434
    As for the segments east of US 59, I think their viability will become more important. The section from the Bayton-East Freeway (I-10) to FM 1405 is currently under construction. The main purpose is the facilitate truck traffic out of the Port of Houston and the Cedar Crossing Industrial Park. It's the reason that one of the proposed I-69 corridor alignments went on the east side of town. It's reasonable to build the northeastern portions of the Grand Parkway for truck traffic. Also, the F-2 alignment doesn't have to go through extensive studies to prove that i would be a profitable tollway (I believe it will be). HCTRA would just probably use money from the West Belt like they used for the West Park Tollway. The F-2 tollway will probably not be an EZ-Tag only tollway though.
  21. kjb434
    as for as the bike path to downtown. The only bayou except for Buffalo that can have trails is White Oak. Concepts have been circulating to exten White Oak's Trail system to Downtown. I don't know the progress of it though.
  22. kjb434
    if you read the previous posts, the property just changed hands, the hotel is just leasing the space. This stuff happens all the time in downtowns across the US.
  23. kjb434
    It should do fine in the summer. Ever been to River Oaks, Rice Village or Highland Village in the summer? Upper 90s with high humidity during the day with the night temps being around mid 80s and same humidy and people are still filling the stores.
  24. kjb434
    Cool!!! I appears that the full parkway could be ready for for 2013. Can't wait!!
  25. kjb434
    And i love when developers build buildings that don't architecturally fit. That in itself what makes Houston such a great city. One minute you'll see modern, post modern and other architectural styles without having to travel far. Makes this place great. Those complexes will probably be torn down eventually. But for now we'll have to live with them.
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